Puranic encyclopaedia
by Vettam Mani | 1975 | 609,556 words | ISBN-10: 0842608222
This page describes the Story of Saptamatri 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 Saptam膩t峁�
(SEVEN MOTHERS).
General information.
Sapta尘腻迟峁泂 are the seven goddesses named 叠谤补丑尘腻峁嚹�, 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫墨, 惭腻丑别艣惫补谤墨, 碍补耻尘腻谤墨, 痴腻谤腻丑墨, 滨苍诲谤腻峁嚹� and 颁腻尘耻峁囜笉墨.
Origin.
Some are of opinion that the Sapta尘腻迟峁泂 are connected with 艢颈惫补. Their names reveal that they were born from the bodies of 叠谤补丑尘腻, 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 and such other gods. There is another story that when 艢颈惫补 and 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 joined together and tried to kill the asura named Andhaka and failed, they created the seven mothers to kill the asura. From each drop of blood of 础苍诲丑补办腻蝉耻谤补 that fell on the ground an asura arose. These seven 尘腻迟峁泂 joined with 驰辞驳别艣惫补谤墨, the creation of 艢颈惫补, drank the blood of the asura without allowing it to fall on the ground and so it became easy for 艢颈惫补 to kill the asura.
There is a story in V膩mana Pur膩峁嘺, Chapter 56, ahout the birth of the Sapta尘腻迟峁泂, as follows: In olden days a fierce war broke out between the devas and the asuras. When the fierce asuras 颁补峁囜笉补 and 惭耻峁囜笉补 were killed the famous asura named 搁补办迟补产墨箩补 entered the battlefield with an 补办峁耻丑颈峁嚹� of army (21870 chariots, so many elephants, 65610 horses and 109350 infantry). Seeing this immense army of the asuras drawing near, 碍补耻艣颈办墨, 惭补丑别艣惫补谤墨 and K膩l墨made a loud roaring sound. Then from the mouth of 惭补丑别艣惫补谤墨, 叠谤补丑尘腻峁嚹� came out seated on a swan and wearing rosary and water pot. From her eyes 惭补丑别艣惫补谤墨 with three eyes came out seated on a bull and wearing great snakes as bangles and ear-rings and holding a trident. From the loins came out 碍补耻尘腻谤墨, seated on a peacock and holding a lance. The beautiful 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫墨 came out from her hand, seated on 骋补谤耻岣峚, holding a conch, discus, club, sword, the bow 艣腻谤峁単补 and arrow. From her posterior came out the horrible 痴腻谤腻丑墨 (Boar) with a great pestle, seated on the 狈腻驳补 (serpent) 艢别峁, and furrowing the ground with her fierce tusks. From her heart came out the awful 狈腻谤补蝉颈峁僪墨 (woman-lion) with fierce claws, who at the shaking of her mane displaced the planets and the stars, and from her foot 颁腻尘耻峁囜笉墨 came out. (See under Pal膩l膩).