Puranic encyclopaedia
by Vettam Mani | 1975 | 609,556 words | ISBN-10: 0842608222
This page describes the Story of Satyabhama 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 厂补迟测补产丑腻尘腻
The wife of 艢r墨 碍峁涐梗峁嘺.
Introduction.
Once 艢r墨 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 himself said about the previous birth of 厂补迟测补产丑腻尘腻. There was an occasion for saying that.
Once 狈腻谤补诲补 came from the world of the gods to 顿惫腻谤补办腻. He had brought with him some flowers of the Kalpaka tree. 狈腻谤补诲补 gave all those flowers to 艢r墨 碍峁涐梗峁嘺. 艢r墨 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 divided them among his wives, but he had forgotten 厂补迟测补产丑腻尘腻. Being unable to subdue her sorrow and anger she got into her bedroom and wept and sighed and lay there. 艢r墨 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 came to know of this. He took 厂补迟测补产丑腻尘腻 with him on the back of 骋补谤耻岣峚 and went to the world of Gods. They reached there and asked Indra for some Kahl膩ra flowers. Indra refused to give. 骋补谤耻岣峚 got ready to uproot the tree. Then Indra wielded his thunderbolt. To honour the weapon thunderbolt, 骋补谤耻岣峚 left a feather of his there and returned to 顿惫腻谤补办腻. Because of the hitting of the thunderbolt, the peacock, mongoose and jungle crow were born from 骋补谤耻岣峚. 艢r墨 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 who won the war, returned with 厂补迟测补产丑腻尘腻 mounted on 骋补谤耻岣峚, to 顿惫腻谤补办腻. The Kalpaka tree brought from the world of gods, was planted in the garden in front of the palace of 厂补迟测补产丑腻尘腻. When 艢r墨 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 and the Kalpaka tree became her own, 厂补迟测补产丑腻尘腻 became proud. At that time 狈腻谤补诲补 came there. She asked 狈腻谤补诲补 what she should do so as to have 艢r墨 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 and the Kalpaka tree with her in all births. 狈腻谤补诲补 said that, for that, she had only to do Tul膩puru峁d膩na. She instantly placed 艢r墨 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 and the Kalpaka tree in the balance and all the things placed in equal weight were given to 狈腻谤补诲补 himself. 狈腻谤补诲补 received them and went to the world of Gods. 厂补迟测补产丑腻尘腻 became overjoyed. She asked 艢r墨 碍峁涐梗峁嘺, what good deeds she had done to earn so much happiness. 艢r墨 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 described the previous birth of 厂补迟测补产丑腻尘腻. (Padma 笔耻谤腻峁嘺, Uttara 碍丑补峁囜笉补, Chapter 90).
Previous birth of 厂补迟测补产丑腻尘腻.
Towards the close of the 碍峁泃补测耻驳补, there was a Brahmin named 顿别惫补艣补谤尘腻 who was born of the clan of Agni in 惭腻测腻辫耻谤墨. This Brahmin was well-versed in the Vedas and the 痴别诲腻峁単补蝉. In the old age a daughter named Gu峁嘺vat墨 was born to him. He gave his daughter to his disciple Candra艣arm膩.
Once 顿别惫补艣补谤尘腻 and Candra艣arm膩 went to the forest to bring Darbha (poa) and Samit (butea). While they were walking here and there in the Mango grove in the 贬颈尘腻濒补测补蝉 a giant closed with them. Because of terror their bodies were stiffened and so they could not run. The fierce giant killed both of them. The escorts sent by 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 came and took both of them to 痴补颈办耻峁囜弓丑补. Gu峁嘺vat墨 cried aloud when she heard that her father and husband were killed by a giant. She lamented for a long while and then fainted and fell down. When she came to herself she began to cry again. At last she sold the furniture and conducted the funeral rites of her father and husband. After that she lived by manual labour. She observed fast and the vow of 碍峁泃迟颈办腻 and 贰办腻诲补艣墨.
Gu峁嘺vat墨, who was weak and lean because of old age and fever once walked slowly to the river Ganges to bathe. When she got into the river she shivered because of cold. Then an aerial chariot came down from the sky. The messengers of 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 took her in the chariot, to 痴补颈办耻峁囜弓丑补. The celestial maids fanned her with the whisk of yak. After this 惭补丑腻惫颈峁ａ箛耻 incarnated as 艢r墨 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 to destroy the wicked. Those who were the dependants of 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 in 痴补颈办耻峁囜弓丑补 took birth in 顿惫腻谤补办腻. 顿别惫补艣补谤尘腻 the father of Gu峁嘺vat墨 took birth as Satr膩jit. Candra艣arm膩 became 础办谤奴谤补. Gu峁嘺vat墨 became 厂补迟测补产丑腻尘腻. Because of the goodness earned by the fast of 碍峁泃迟颈办腻, she had become a beloved one of 痴颈峁ａ箛耻. Because she made a grove of holy basil (迟耻濒补蝉墨) at the gate of 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 in the previous birth the Kalpaka tree came to her garden in this birth. Because she lighted lamps in 碍腻谤迟迟颈办补 month 惭补丑腻濒补办峁墨 lives permanently in her house. Because she did fast and vow in 碍腻谤迟迟颈办补 imagining 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 as her husband, she became the wife of 艢r墨 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 in this birth. (Padma 笔耻谤腻峁嘺, Uttara 碍丑补峁囜笉补, Chapter 91).
Family life.
See under 碍峁涐梗峁嘺, Para 16 and Naraka Para 4).
Other details.
(i) The sons 叠丑墨尘补 and others were born to 艢r墨 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 by 厂补迟测补产丑腻尘腻. (Agni 笔耻谤腻峁嘺, Chapter 276).
(ii) 狈补谤补办腻蝉耻谤补 stole the ear-rings of Aditi, the mother of the devas. 艢r墨 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 and 厂补迟测补产丑腻尘腻 went to fight with 狈补谤补办腻蝉耻谤补. They killed him and recovered the ear-rings and gave them back to Aditi. At that time Aditi blessed 厂补迟测补产丑腻尘腻 thus: "Till 艢r墨 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 forsakes his body you will not be affected by old age. Moreover you will always have a divine fragrance and good qualities." (惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 厂补产丑腻 Parva, Chapter 38).
(iii) 厂补迟测补产丑腻尘腻 had a beautiful white palace in 顿惫腻谤补办腻. The steps of the palace were paved with jewels. To those who pass over its steps, hot season will appear to be cold. (惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 顿腻办峁峁嚹乼测补 笔腻峁环补, 厂补产丑腻 Parva, Chapter 38),
(iv) When the 笔腻峁囜笉补惫补蝉 were living in the 碍腻尘测补办补 forest at the time of their forest life, 艢r墨 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 and 厂补迟测补产丑腻尘腻 paid them a visit. (惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 Vana Parva, Chapter 183, Verse 11).
(v) At this time 厂补迟测补产丑腻尘腻 asked 笔腻帽肠腻濒墨 about the means and ways to bring the husband over to her side. (惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 Vana Parva, Chapter 238, Verse 4).
(vi) When Arjuna came to 顿惫腻谤补办腻, after 艢r墨 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 had forsaken his body, 厂补迟测补产丑腻尘腻 lamented with the other queens for a long time. (惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 Mausala Parva, Chapter 5, Verse 13).
(vii) After this 厂补迟测补产丑腻尘腻 went to the forest for penance. (惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 Mausala Parva, Chapter 7, Verse 74).