Puranic encyclopaedia
by Vettam Mani | 1975 | 609,556 words | ISBN-10: 0842608222
This page describes the Story of Kraunca 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, 鈥榯he five characteristics of a Purana鈥�).
Story of 碍谤补耻帽肠补
A mountain. There is a story about this mountain. Long ago there lived an Asura named 碍谤补耻帽肠补. He was leading a wicked life and was haughty and arrogant. Once Agastya went to 碍补颈濒腻蝉补 and worshipped 艢颈惫补. 碍腻惫别谤墨dev墨 also was standing close by, worshipping 艢颈惫补. God 艢颈惫补 appeared before Agastya and told him that he might ask for any boon. He requested for the power to push down Vindhya by kicking and to establish a holy 罢墨谤迟丑补 (bath) on the earth. 艢颈惫补 granted the boons. For making the t墨rtha 艢颈惫补 turned 碍腻惫别谤墨 into a river and placed her in the water-pot of Agastya. As Agastya was returning from 碍补颈濒腻蝉补 with 碍腻惫别谤墨 in his water-pot, 碍谤补耻帽肠补 the Asura took the shape of a mountain and hindered his way. The Asura caused a heavy rain too. Agastya wandered through the forest without finding the path for days. At last he realized the cause. He took a few drops of water from his waterpot and with chanting of Mantras and meditation threw the drops at the Asura with the curse that he would stand there for ever as a mountain. He said that he would be liberated from the curse when pierced by the arrow of 厂耻产谤补丑尘补峁噛补, the son of 艢颈惫补. From that day onwards 碍谤补耻帽肠补 the Asura had been standing there as a mountain. That mountain was called 'The mountain of 碍谤补耻帽肠补.' (Skanda Pur膩峁嘺, Asura 碍腻峁囜笉补).
There is another statement in 贬补谤颈惫补峁兣沘, Chapter 18, that the mountain 碍谤补耻帽肠补 was the son of the mountain 惭补颈苍腻办补, the son of 惭别苍腻.
厂耻产谤补丑尘补峁噛补 fought a terrible battle with the Asuras. Many died. 叠腻峁嚹乻耻谤补, the son of 惭补丑腻产补濒颈, fled from the battlefield and hid himself inside the mountain 碍谤补耻帽肠补. 厂耻产谤补丑尘补峁噛补 cleft the mountain into two with the arrow given by Agni (Fire-god). Thus Krau帽c膩sura was liberated from the curse. (惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 艢补濒测补 Parva, Chapter 46).
In '惭别驳丑补诲奴迟补' 碍腻濒颈诲腻蝉补 mentions about the cleavage in the mountain 碍谤补耻帽肠补. In 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补, Vana Parva, Chapter 225, Stanza 33, mention is made that through this cleavage swans and vultures fly to 惭补丑腻尘别谤耻. (For the story of how 笔补谤补艣耻谤腻尘补 cleft the 碍谤补耻帽肠补 mountain see under 笔补谤补艣耻谤腻尘补).