That about the end of the 14th century A.D., the story of Kanyakamma was popular is obvious from the Telugu version of the Markandeya Purana, which was composed by the poet Marana, the disciple of Tikkana, the part author of the Telugu Bharata. In this Purana, the following episode, which bears a close resemblance to the story narrated in the Kanyaka Purana, is introduced. A king, named Vrushadha, while on a hunting expedition, killed a cow, mistaking it for a "bison." He was cursed by Bhabhravya, the son of a Rishi, who was in charge of it, and in consequence became a Sudra, by name Anaghakara. He had seven sons, a descendant of one of whom was Nabhaga, who fell in love with a Komati girl, and asked her parents to give her in marriage to him. The Komatis replied much in the same manner as Kusuma Sreshti and his friends did to the ministers of Vishnu Vardhana in the Kanyaka Purana. Their answer will be found in canto VII, 223, of the Markandeya Purana, which contains the earliest authentic literary reference to the name Komati. In effect they said "Thou art the ruler of the whole of this universe, Oh! King; we are but poor Komatis living by service. Say, then, how can we contract such a marriage?" The king was further dissuaded by his father and the Brahmans. But all to no purpose. He carried off the girl, and married her in the rakshasa form (by forcible abduction), and, in consequence, in accordance with the law of Manu, became a Komati. He then performed penance, and again became a Kshatriya. It would seem that this episode, which is not found in the Sanskrit Markandeya Purana, is undoubtedly based on the incident recorded in the Kanyaka Purana.