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Puranic encyclopaedia

by Vettam Mani | 1975 | 609,556 words | ISBN-10: 0842608222

This page describes the Story of Nishumbha 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 śܳ

An asura. Two of the sons of śⲹ貹 ʰ貹پ by his wife. Diti became notorious fellows called Śܳ and śܳ. They were born and brought up in . But as young men thay came to the earth and began rigorous tapas taking neither food nor drink. After ten thousand years appeared and asked them to choose their boons. They requested for eternity, deathlessness. But, refused to grant that boon. Then they thought of another boon, which would in effect be as goodas the first one; they wanted death to come, but to come in a manner impossible to happen. So, they requested as follows: "We shall not meet with death at the hands of males among Devas, human beings as also by birds, animals etc. In short we should be killed only by women; we fear them not."

granted them such a boon and they returned to . They lost their head over the boon and appointed Śܰ as their preceptor. Śܰ was so pleased at this that he made Śܳ sit on a golden throne and crowned him King of Daityas. Following this, lesser Kings began coming to salute the great King and pay tributes. Great daityas like the Caṇḍamuṇḍas, ٳūdzԲ, 鲹ٲīᲹ etc., became attendants of Śܳ and śܳ.

After having established the power of the daityas thus Śܳ—Niśum bhas gradually turned their attention towards extending the boundaries of their kingdom. The whole earth they subjugated. Then śܳ with a large army marched to Devaloka to conquer Indra. A Devāsura war started. In the fight all the Dikpālakas were on one side and śܳ alone on the other side; the latter side was slightly defeated. Smitten by Indra’s ղܻ śܳ fainted; his army also was broken.

As soon as news about the defeat of his brother was reported to him, Śܳ, with the remaining Բ hurried to Devaloka. In the battle that ensued the Devas were routed. Śܳ assumed Indra-hood by force and the standard (flag) of the daityas was hoisted on the flag-staff of ܻ󲹰, the palace of Indra. Śܳ captured 峾Գ, 屹ٲ, Uccaiśśravas etc. The Nandana garden and the shades of the Kalpaka tree were turned into resting places of the daityas. Fragrant flowers of the Kalpa tree adorned the hairs of daitya women. Śܳ drove away Kubera and took over Alakāpurī also from him. As Yama ran away from the kingdom, Kālapurī also came under Śܳ. All the Dikpālakas took refuge in forests and caves. Thousand years rolled by thus. By then the Devas worshipped Ѳī, who appeared before them. śī ī, born from the body of Ѳī stood before the Devas. As śī was dark in colour she came to be known as also. Ѳī, along with started for the capital of Śܳ-śܳs. At the capital they ascended a mountain and sat on two rocks. Ѳī sang such a melodious song that birds and animals lost themselves in its sweetness and stood motionless.

The Caṇḍamuṇḍas, who were at the time passing that way were also attracted by the music. Having understood what it all meant they hurried upto Śumbhāsura and gave him a description of the supreme beauty of Ѳī and . The description kindled great interest in Śܳ and śܳ about the īs and they deputed their minister ܲī to bring the īs over to them. Having heard ܲī’s mission Ѳī told him as follows:�"We do not have any objection to becoming the wives of your masters But, in the matter of my marriage there is a special problem. While playing with my friends as a child I had accidentally taken a vow. I was at that age a bit proud about my capabilities and strength, and the vow I took was that I would marry only someone who was stronger than I am. My friends called me a 'fool' and ridiculed me about the vow. That only hardened my stubbornness and I stand by my vow even now. Therefore, please tell Śܳ first to defeat me in fighting."

When ܲī carried this information to Śܳ, and śܳ, they felt amused that a woman challenged them to fight. But, they had no alternative but to fight. So they deputed the mighty daitya ٳūṣa with an army to fight Devī, and there ensued a fierce fighting between Devī and on one side and the big daitya army on the other side. The whole army and finally ٳūṣa too was killed.

Devī then retired from the battlefield to a place nearby and blew the conch. Śܳ-śܳs heard the sound from it, and the next moment a messenger came and told them about the fate of the army and of ٳūṣa. They then sent a much greater army under Caṇḍamuṇḍas against Devī. But devoured them all. 鲹ٲīᲹ, who next encountered Devī with a great force, also became food for . Then Śܳ-śܳs entered the battlefield and they too were killed. Devas thus victorious regained Svarga. (Devī Bhāgavata, 5th Skandha).

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