Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.1363

c9.1363

According to the above curse the king got transformed into a tiger and spent hundred years eating wild animals. After hundred years were over a herd of cows came there grazing under the leadership of a cow called Nandā. Beautiful Nandā used to walk ahead of the other cows and graze alone at a secret place in the forest. There was a mountain called Rohita there, on the banks of the river. The northern side of the mountain was a dense forest infested by cruel animals. There lived a very cruel and terrible tiger as big as a mountain. A generous person called Nandā was feeding the cows with grass etc. Nandā, the cow, got separated from the herd and came to the river when the tiger ran after it asking it to stop. Crying aloud the cow said: Oh tiger; I have a child, which has not begun even tasting grass and it is awaiting the return of its mother to the cow-shed at dusk. I shall go and take leave of the child and return so that you may eat me." Taking pity on the cow the tiger granted its prayer. It returned duly to the tiger at dusk. The tiger, taken by surprise, by the honesty of the cow enquired of it its name, and the cow answered that it was named Nandā by its master, Nandā. As soon as the name was uttered Prabhañjana was released from his old curse and became the former king. Dharmadeva then appeared there and asked her to choose the boon she liked, and she replied as follows:- "I, with my child, must attain the ultimate place and position, and let this place become a sacred place for munis. Also, let this river Sarasvatī, come to be known as Nandā, by my name." Nandā immediately ascended to heaven and Prabhañjana returned to his palace. River Sarasvatī came to be called Nandā from that day: After flowing through the above-mentioned date-garden towards the south for some distance Sarasvatī (Nandā) flowed again towards the north. She reached the ocean and deposited therein the pot of Baḍavāgni. (Padma Purāṇa, Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa).