O foremost of twice-born ones, from the time of hearing those words of the great Brahma, the god of gods, I have been engaged in this cursed work of feeding upon my own dead body.
सोऽहं भगवतः श्रुत्वा देवदेवस्य निश्चयम्। आहारं गर्हितं कुर्मि स्वशरीरं द्विजोत्तम॥