Vasishtha

In Mahabharata Vol. 1 (Penguin Translated Texts), Vishvamitra's men dragged Nandini from Vasishtha's hermitage and beat her with a stick. She bellowed, returned towards the sage, and remained near him even after the soldiers struck her. Nandini raised her head towards Vasishtha. He heard her repeated cries and said that she was being taken by force. Frightened by Vishvamitra and his army, she moved closer and asked why Vasishtha overlooked the sticks and lashes used against her. Vasishtha did not lose his patience or abandon his vows. He told her that a warrior's strength was energy and a Brahmana's strength was forbearance.

Nandini's eyes reddened and her bellows rose over the hermitage. She attacked Vishvamitra's army from every side while the soldiers continued to sting her with sticks and lashes and drag her about. Burning embers poured from her tail. Armed pahlavas emerged from it, while shabaras and shakas came from her dung and yavanas from her urine. More armed groups appeared from her froth. They wore different forms of armour and carried different weapons. The hosts surrounded Vishvamitra's soldiers, five or seven attackers closing on each one. Under the shower of weapons, the large army broke apart and fled in every direction.