Agniveśya (Agniveshya) was a pious sage dedicated to religious austerities mentioned in Purāṇas (Purana). Kuśadhvaja (Kushadhwaja), the king of Kāśī (Kashi), was enamored by the beauty of his daughter and abducted her. This act, akin to that of a vulture, caused Agniveśya to call down a curse upon him which said that Kuśadhvaja would become a vulture. When the King begged for his mercy, Kuśadhvaja took pity on him and told him how he could free himself from the curse. He said that Kuśadhvaja would cease to remain a vulture when he would help King Indradyumna in acquiring knowledge about his own self.