Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.3296

c9.3296

4) Curse of Vasiṣṭha and the name of Triśaṅku. When Trayyāruṇa went to the forests to do penance, it was Vasiṣṭha who was managing the affairs of the palace. The heir-apparent Satyavrata lived in the hut of a caṇḍāla. Every minute Satyavrata's hatred towards Vasiṣṭha increased in strength. One day Satyavrata did not get any game even after a day's hunting and at dusk he happened to reach the āśrama of Vasiṣṭha where he saw Nandinī, the beloved cow of the sage, grazing by the side of the āśrama. Anger, desire and hunger made him imprudent and without thinking of the consequences Satyavrata killed Nandinī and after eating enough to appease his hunger took the rest to feed the family of Viśvāmitra. The wife of Viśvāmitra little knowing that it was cow's flesh cooked it and ate it.