Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.3643

c9.3643

Uttaṅka set out to procure the ear-rings. On the way he saw an ox, and on its back a big man, who called out to Uttaṅka to eat the excretion of the ox. When Uttaṅka hesitated to do so, the man on the ox asked him again to eat it, pointing out that his guru, Veda, had done it. Then did Uttaṅka consume both the excretion and urine of the ox, and did his oblations, in his perplexed mood, standing. Uttaṅka arrived at the palace of King Pauṣa and told him about the object of his visit. The King agreed to it. But, when Uttaṅka entered the Zenana Pauṣa's Kṣatriya wife could not be seen. When Uttaṅka told the King about this, he remained thoughtful for some time and told the former that he might surely have become impure due to performance of oblations in the wrong manner, and that his wife would not be visible, due to her chastity, to the eyes of such impure folk. Uttaṅka admitted to having, on his way, performed oblations not in the proper manner, and then he sat down facing the east after washing his hands, feet etc. and performed oblation in the correct manner. Then did the wife of King Pauṣa become visible to him, and she, pleased at his humility, handed over her ear-rings to him. She also advised him to be very careful about the ear-rings as they had once been coveted by Takṣaka, King of the serpents. Bidding adieu to the queen, Uttaṅka saw the King and they sat together to take food. Not only was the rice cold; but a hair was also found in it. Uttaṅka cursed the King and rendered him blind, and the King, in turn, cursed Uttaṅka not to have children. But, both of them became calm quite soon and withdrew their curses.