Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c7.1839

c7.1839

At about that time, Vasiṣṭha came to Ayodhyā, on the invitation of Mitrasaha for a Śrāddha. Mitrasaha, accompanied by his queen, greeted the sage with honour. He ordered the cook to prepare food for the guest at once. The Rākṣasa disguised as cook, decided to make the best of this opportunity. In a short time he cooked some human flesh and offered it as food for Vasiṣṭha. The enraged sage cursed the King to become a man-eating Rākṣasa who would roam about for twelve years in the woods. Thus Mitrasaha became a Rākṣasa. (Śiva Purāṇa, Śivarātri Māhātmya).