[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Reference works](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference) › [Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975) › c4.3162 # Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c4.3162 Purāṇic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Purāṇic Literature c4.3162 - **Language:** English ### [c4.3162](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975.c4.3162) One day after finishing his daily morning rites Viṣṇudāsa cooked his food as usual and kept it in its place to be taken later. But on returning to it after some time he found his food eaten by someone else. He went without food that day and it happened the next day also. It continued to happen thus for a week and all these days Viṣṇudāsa went fasting. Viṣṇudāsa then decided to watch and see who the thief was. On keeping a vigil he found a Caṇḍāla (a harijan of the lowest Cadre) timidly coming and grabbing at the food with gluttonous greed to appease his hunger. Seeing the famished skeletonous body of the thief Viṣṇudāsa felt compassion rather than resentment and calling him back to take the food went after him crying "Hi, come here and take this ghee also with you. That food has no fat in it." But the Caṇḍāla frightened at the sight of the owner of the food ran away as fast as legs could carry him, Viṣṇudāsa following him. But soon the Caṇḍāla fell fainting on the road exhausted and tired. Viṣṇudāsa reaching his side started fanning him with his cloth. Very soon the Caṇḍāla changed himself into Mahāviṣṇu adorned with Śaṅkha, Cakra and Gadā and Viṣṇu embracing his devotee took him to Vaikuṇṭha. - [Previous: c4.3161](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975.c4.3161) - [Next: c4.3163](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975.c4.3163) - [Up: c4](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975.c4) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975.c4.3162](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975.c4.3162) · Pramāṇa