Kārttavīrya–Paraśurāma-saṅgrāma-kathā
Sagara’s Inquiry and Vasiṣṭha’s Account
वसिष्ठ उवाच एवमुक्त्वा मृगो राजन्विरराम मृगीं ततः / आत्मनो मृगभावस्य कारणं ज्ञातवांश्च ह
vasiṣṭha uvāca evamuktvā mṛgo rājanvirarāma mṛgīṃ tataḥ / ātmano mṛgabhāvasya kāraṇaṃ jñātavāṃśca ha
Vasistha said: O King, having spoken thus to the doe, the deer fell silent. He had indeed realized the karmic cause of his existence as a deer.