Khagama curses his friend Dundubha for a prank
While his Brahmin friend Khagama is deep in a sacred fire ritual, Dundubha fashions a grass snake to startle him as a joke. The prank goes too far, and the enraged ascetic pronounces a terrible curse — but then softens it with a condition.
In times long past, Dundubha had a Brahmin friend named Khagama. Khagama was truthful in his speech and possessed great power earned through his austerities. One day, while Khagama was completely absorbed in performing the agnihotra sacrifice — the daily offering to the sacred fire — Dundubha was struck by a moment of juvenile playfulness. He twisted blades of grass into the shape of a snake and, hoping to make his friend laugh, tried to frighten him with it.
The prank succeeded too well. Khagama fainted.
When the ascetic regained consciousness, he was in a great rage. A man rigid in his vows, whose words were truth, he looked at his friend and said: “Since you created a powerless mock snake to frighten me, you will yourself turn into a powerless snake through my curse.”
Dundubha knew the power of Khagama’s austerities. A curse from such a man was not an empty threat. His heart became very agitated. He bowed before Khagama, saluting him with folded hands, and pleaded: “I stand here before you. Since I am your friend, I did this only to make you laugh. O Brahmin! You should forgive me and take back your curse.”
Seeing Dundubha’s genuine distress and repentance, the ascetic was moved. But a curse, once spoken by one whose words are truth, cannot be wholly undone. Breathing hot and hard, Khagama said: “What I have said must come to pass.” Then he offered a modification, a way out. “But, O ascetic! Since you are always rigid in your austerities and unwavering from your rites, hear what I have to say and hold it close to your heart. When Pramati’s son, the pure Ruru appears, you will be immediately freed from the curse on seeing him.”
With those words, the curse was cast, but its endpoint was fixed to a future meeting.