Puranic encyclopaedia
by Vettam Mani | 1975 | 609,556 words | ISBN-10: 0842608222
This page describes the Story of Jayanti included the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani that was translated into English in 1975. The Puranas have for centuries profoundly influenced Indian life and Culture and are defined by their characteristic features (panca-lakshana, literally, ‘the five characteristics of a Purana�).
Story of ´³²¹²â²¹²Ô³ÙÄ«
Daughter of Indra and sister of Jayanta. In µþ³óÄå²µ²¹±¹²¹³Ù²¹, Skandha 4, there is a story stating how ´³²¹²â²¹²Ô³ÙÄ« was the wife of Åš³Ü°ì°ù²¹ for ten years.
Åš³Ü°ì°ùÄ峦Äå°ù²â²¹ was the teacher-priest of the Asuras (demons). Once the devas (gods) had completely defeated the Asuras. With the intention of procuring new powers from ÅšrÄ« ±Ê²¹°ù²¹³¾±ðÅ›±¹²¹°ù²¹, Åš³Ü°ì°ùÄ峦Äå°ù²â²¹ went to °²¹¾±±ôÄå²õ²¹. When the penance of Åš³Ü°ì°ù²¹ became more and more severe the gods and Indra began to be flurried. Indra told his daughter ´³²¹²â²¹²Ô³ÙÄ« to become the servant of Åš³Ü°ì°ù²¹ and to break his penance somehow or other. ´³²¹²â²¹²Ô³ÙÄ« did not like this procedure of her father. Still she did not like to disobey her father. So she went to °²¹¾±±ôÄå²õ²¹ and became the attendant of Åš³Ü°ì°ù²¹ and stayed with him. She served him dutifully and with chastity. She would fan him with plantain leaf. She would prepare cold and fragrant water for him to drink. When the Sun became hotter she would hold her upper garment as an umbrella so that he should be in the shade. She would gather fully ripened good fruits for him to eat. She would gather good variety of darbha grass, cut them into the length of a span and with good flowers she would give them to the hermit for his morning oblations. She would gather soft sprouts and make bed for him and would stand near him fanning till he slept. She would get water ready for him to rinse his mouth when he woke up. Thus she did the work of a dutiful disciple. She did not, in any way by speech or action, try to entice him so that his vow of penance might be broken. She spoke only words which would be pleasing and helpful to him. This continued for thousand years and then ±Ê²¹°ù²¹³¾²¹Å›¾±±¹²¹ appeared before him and gave the boons he requested for. After that Åš³Ü°ì°ùÄ峦Äå°ù²â²¹ talked with her. In accordance with her request the hermit Åš³Ü°ì°ù²¹ allowed her to live with him for ten years as his wife. He gave her a boon that during that period of ten years they both would be invisible to the world. Thus Åš³Ü°ì°ùÄ峦Äå°ù²â²¹ married ´³²¹²â²¹²Ô³ÙÄ« and they lived in the house very happily for ten years.