Kalmashapada turns into cannibal

Mahabharata Adiparva Chaitrarathaparva section 178
Sri Sadgurubhyoh Namah

There was a king named Kalmashapada in the race of Ikshvaku. Vishwamitra wanted to take him as a disciple, so did Vashishta. There arose a dispute.

Once when Kalmashapada was roaming in forest for hunting. He came upon a narrow passage, where Vashishta's eldest son Shaktri is coming from other end. King Kalmashapada demanded that Shaktri give way, while Shaktri explains to King that, a Brahmana has to be respected even by kings, and hence he has to give way. Kalmashapada, in arrogance, uses his whip on the son of Vashishta. Out of pain, and anguish, Shaktri curses King to be turned into a rakshasa, and become a cannibal.

Sensing an opportunity, Vishwamitra orders a rakshasa , named Kinnara, to enter the body of Kalmashapada. Under the influence of that rakshasa, King slowly over a period of time, turns into a demon. Once, when King was roaming in the forest, he comes across Shaktri again, and kills him and eats him up. Vishwamitra then turns him onto the hundred sons of Vashishta. Kalmashapada devours them one by one.

Sage Vashishta bears the pain of loss of his sons, but he doesnt retaliate against Vishwamitra. But the loss of sons proves to be too much for Vashishta. He makes several unsuccessful attempts to kill himself out of grief. Having failed, he was roaming in forest. He hears footfalls following him, and a chanting of vedas. They were that of his daughter-in-law Adrisyanti, wife of Shaktri. She tells him that she bears son of shaktri in her womb, who is the reciter of vedas. Vashishta becomes exceedingly glad with this news and refrains from suicide.

On the way back to hermitage Kalmashapada again accosts them, to kill them. Vashishta frees him from the curse by uttering the sound 'Hum'. The rakshasa that is in the body of king leaves him. Kalmashapada, bows reverentially to Vashishta and begs his pardon. Sage, forgives him and asks him to rule his subjects justly, and gives him a boon to have an able son who can succeed him. Kalmashapada in due course of time, had a son named Asmaka.

My commentary :

Sage Vashishta, however evolved he is, is still subject to grief of loss of his sons.

Hari Om