Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.3883

c9.3883

After this Śakaṭāla waited for an opportunity to bring Indradatta (Yoga Nanda) down. Once he had been walking out side the city when he saw a Brahmin digging a pit. Śakaṭāla asked him why he was digging the pit. He replied “I stumbled on this Darbha grass. So I am rooting it out.” Śakaṭāla resolved to make use of this Brahmin to achieve his purpose. His name was Cāṇakya. Śakaṭāla took Cāṇakya to the palace. A ceremony of offerings to the manes was being conducted in the Palace. Another Brahmin named Subandhu also came there. The king ordered ‘agrabhojana’ (first meal) to be given to Subandhu. Cāṇakya trembled with fury. At that time his lock of hair was loosened. He took a vow that only after pacifying his anger by killing Yoga Nanda within seven days, would he tie up his lock. Cāṇakya began practising sorcery against the king. The king caught burning fever and died on the seventh day. Śakaṭāla killed Hiraṇyagupta. After this Śakaṭāla made Candragupta, the son of the real Nanda who died earlier, the king. Making Cāṇakya his minister, Śakaṭāla went for penance.