When Hariścandra (Harischandra) lost his kingdom to Sage Viśvāmitra (Viswamitra), the former’s kulapurohita (family-priest through generations) Vaśiṣṭha (Vasistha) became angry and cursed Viśvāmitra so that he would be born of a lower-order creatures, and become a bird, vaka (a heron). Hearing this curse, Viśvāmitra also cursed Vaśiṣṭha in turn, so that Vaśiṣṭha assumed the form of another water-bird called ‘āḍi‘ (adi). Thus, though attaining tiryak-yonitva ( a state of being born as lower-order creatures) through curses by each other, they often continued to fight. God Brahmā (Brahma) got worried at this and released both of them from this state. And the sages went away to their own places.