Puranic encyclopaedia
by Vettam Mani | 1975 | 609,556 words | ISBN-10: 0842608222
This page describes the Story of Kanva 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 ṇv
(ĀŚ۴ʴ).
General information.
ṇv attained Purāṇic fame as the father who brought up ŚܲԳٲ. From ṻ岹 it can be gathered that the ṇv family was very prominent among the Ṛṣi families of ancient India. Because he was born in the family of sage śⲹ貹, son of , ṇv was known as Kāśyapa also. ṇv’s father was ѱپٳ as could be seen by a reference to him in Śǰ첹 27, Chapter 208 of ŚԳپ Parva as ѱپٳsuta. ṇv was staying in a hermitage on the banks of the river ī, with a number of disciples.
ṇvś.
Vana Parva of Ѳٲ states that ṇvś was on the northern shore of the river ʰṇ�. According to certain critics ṇvś was situated on the banks of the river Cambal, four miles to the south of 'Kota'in Rājputānā.
How ṇv got ŚܲԳٲ.
Once վś峾ٰ started a severe penance and Indra desiring to obstruct the attempt sent the enchanting ѱԲ to entice him. They fell in love with each other and soon ѱԲ bore a girl. The parents left the child in the forest and went their way. Birds (ŚܲԳٲ) looked after her for some time and so she was named ŚܲԳٲ. Accidentally ṇv came that way and took the child to his Āś.
The Yāga of Bharata.
Bharata, son of ٳṣyԳٲ, performed a peculiar type of Yāga called 'Govitata' with ṇv as the chief preceptor to officiate. (Śǰ첹 130, Chapter 74, Ādi Parva).
ṇv and Duryodhana.
Once ṇv narrated to Duryodhana how ٲ and his wife ܻ went to him in search of a suitable husband to their daughter ҳṇaśī. (Chapter 97, Udyoga Parva, Ѳٲ).
ṇv, a sage of the east.
When Śrī Rāma returned to ǻ after his exile many sages from many different parts came to visit him. ṇv was one of those who came from the east. The others who came along with him were, ղṣṭ, Atri, վś峾ٰ, Gautama, Jamadagni, 屹Ჹ, Sanaka, Śarabhaṅga ٳܰ, Ѳٲṅg, Vibhāṇḍaka and Tumburu.
ṇv and ṻ岹.
(i) There are ten Ѳṇḍ in ṻ岹. The Ѳṇḍ from two to seven are written by different Ṛṣi families. The second Ѳṇḍ was written by the family of ṛṣis, the third by the վś峾ٰ family, the fourth by that of 峾𱹲, the fifth by Atri, the sixth by that of 屹Ჹ and the seventh by the family of ղṣṭ. Fifty ūٲ of the first Ѳṇḍ and the whole of the eighth Ѳṇḍ were written by ṇv.
(ii) ṇv had a son named ѱپٳ. ūٲ twelve of Anuvāka four in the first Ѳṇḍ of ṻ岹 is written making ѱپٳ a sage.
(iii) ṇv had a daughter named Indīvaraprabhā by ѱԲ. (ٳٲ岵). (See under 䲹Ի屹ǰ첹 and Kasyapa I).