Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.3653

c9.3653

4) *Indra tested Uttaṅka.* Some time afterwards, while roaming about quite thirsty and tired in a desert, Uttaṅka thought about Kṛṣṇa, and at once there appeared before him a naked Caṇḍāla, his body covered with mud. Dogs encircled him. Uttaṅka hesitated to drink the water given to him by this Caṇḍāla, who had some water with him. The Caṇḍāla again insisted on Uttaṅka drinking the water, but he again refused the offer. The caṇḍāla then disappeared with the dogs. Within a few minutes a person with disc, conch, club etc. about him appeared, and Uttaṅka recognised him as Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Uttaṅka told Kṛṣṇa that it was not proper to give water to a brahmin through a caṇḍāla. Kṛṣṇa’s reply to this was follows:—“I asked Indra to give you nectar instead of water, and he argued that it was not proper that men should be given nectar. I pleaded for you again. Indra replied to this that he himself would, in the guise of a caṇḍāla give nectar to you, and he should not be found fault with, if you refused the nectar. I accepted that proposition of his. But, you did not accept nectar thus offered to you. So, you cannot be given nectar now. But, there will appear water-laden clouds in deserts which you traverse, which would be known as ‘Uttaṅka clouds’ and they would give you sweet water.