Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.1638

c9.1638

The wife of Devadatta became pregnant and gave birth to a son. He was named Utathya. In the eighth year, the ceremony of investiture with the Brahmā string was performed and the boy commenced education. The teacher began to teach the Vedas. From that day onwards the boy became self-conceited. All the attempts made by the teacher to change his behaviour were futile. His father tried the four expedients in vain. Thus twelve years elapsed. The boy did not even learn the evening prayer. Everybody thought that he was a cobra. All scoffed at him. His own people disliked him; with this, self-renunciation took root in his boyish mind and he left his home and went away. He reached the banks of the Ganges and made a hut and lived there observing rigorous celibacy, and vow of truth. Thus the boy-hermit began severe penance.