Puranic encyclopaedia
by Vettam Mani | 1975 | 609,556 words | ISBN-10: 0842608222
This page describes the Story of Ghantakarna 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 ҳṇṭ첹ṇa
General.
ҳṇṭ and ṇa were two ṣa brothers who attained salvation by worshipping վṣṇ. (岵ٲ, daśama Skandha). But the elder brother, ҳṇṭ alone is sometimes called by the name ҳṇṭ첹ṇa in the ʳܰṇa.
Birth.
There is a reference in ܰ첹vadha (killing of Dārukāsura) about the birth of Ghaṇṭākaṛṇa. ܰ첹, after having secured a boon from , used to harass the world too much and when his depredation hecame unbearable Ś created ī from his third eye and she killed the asura. ѲԻǻ岹ī wife of ܰ첹 and daughter of Maya was sunk in grief at the death of her husband. She began to do tapas. Ś appeared and gave her a few drops of sweat from his body saying that the person on whom she sprinkled the sweat drops would suffer from small-pox and that such patients would worship her (ѲԻǻ岹ī) and supply her necessary food. From that day onwards ѲԻǻ岹ī became the presiding deity over small-pox. On her way back to the earth with the sweat-drops ѲԻǻ岹ī met ī at whom she threw the sweatdrops to take revenge for her husband’s death. Immediately ī fell down with an attack of small-pox. Hearing about the mishap Ś created a terrible ṣa called ҳṇṭ첹ṇa. According to Ś’s directions ҳṇṭ첹ṇa licked off the small-pox from ī’s body. But, when he tried to lick it off from her face she prevented him saying that she and ҳṇṭ첹ṇa were sister and brother and that it was improper for the brother to lick the face of the sister. And, even to this day the small-pox on ī’s face remains as an ornament to her.
The name ҳṇṭ첹ṇa.
This ṣa, at first, was an enemy of վṣṇ, and did not tolerate even the mention of վṣṇ’s name. Therefore, he went about always wearing a bell so that the tinkling of it warded off the name of վṣṇ from entering his ears. Because he wore a ṇṭ (bell) in his ṇas (ears) he came to be known as ҳṇṭ첹ṇa. (Ѳٲ ṣy Parva, Chapter 80).
Turned out to be a devotee of վṣṇ.
ҳṇṭ첹ṇa became a servant of Kubera. Once he did tapas for salvation. Ś appeared and asked him to do tapas to please վṣṇ as վṣṇ was greater than himself (Ś). From that day onwards he removed the bells from his ears and became a devotee of վṣṇ. (ṣy Parva, Chapter 80).
Attained salvation.
Handing over charge of government to ٲⲹ쾱 Śī ṛṣṇa once went to mounted on Ҳḍa to see Ś. On his way he dismounted at the 岹ś, and while sitting deep in meditation there he heard the thundering voice of ʾś峦 (souls of dead people roaming about without attaining salvation). He also heard the barking of dogs, and thus he understood that ʾś峦 were hunting animals. The hunters came to ṛṣṇa’s presence. They were led by ҳṇṭ첹ṇa who was reciting the name of վṣṇ. Śī ṛṣṇa felt pity for him. ҳṇṭ첹ṇa told ṛṣṇa that his aim and ambition were to see վṣṇ and that Ś had blessed that he would realise his ambition at 岹ś. Pleased at all this, Śī ṛṣṇa revealed his վśū貹 (representing in his person the whole universe), and at once ҳṇṭ첹ṇa brought half of the corpse of a brahmin and submitted it as a present before the Lord. He explained to ṛṣṇa that according to the custom of the ṣas that was the best present which could be made. Without accepting the present ṛṣṇa patted ҳṇṭ첹ṇa on his back with the result that he cast off his body and rose up to ղṇṭ. (ṣy Purāṇa, Chapters 80-82 and also 岵ٲ, Daśama Skandha).
ҳṇṭ첹ṇa Pratiṣṭhā.
(Installation of his idol in temples). Though ҳṇṭ첹ṇa was a ṣa, as he attained ղṇṭ due to the blessings of God Almighty his idol is still installed in temples and worshipped. The installation ceremony is described in Chapter 59 of the Agni Purāṇa thus: "ҳṇṭ첹ṇa should have 18 hands. He cures diseases born as a result of sins. He holds in his right hand Vajra, sword, Cakra, arrow etc. And in his left hand broom, sword, cord bell, pickaxe etc. He also holds the ٰśū (trident).
ҳṇṭ첹ṇa who turned out to be a Deva is believed to cure small-pox.