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Puranic encyclopaedia

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

This page describes the Story of Shukra 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 Śܰ

(ŚĀĀ۴) I. Preceptor of the Asuras.

Birth.

Views differ as to whether Śܰ was the son or grandson of ṛg. The ʳܰṇa state that ʳܱdz was the wife of ṛg. Śܰ has another name, 屹ⲹ. 屹ⲹ means the son of Kavi. Some authorities say that Kavi was ṛg’s son, while others think that Kavi was ṛg himself. Śܰ’s mother is referred to as "屹ⲹmātā" in many places. Śܰ is referred to as the strongest of the seven sons born to ṛg and ʳܱdz. In the light of these references it is reasonable to consider Śܰ as the son of the sage ṛg. "Kavi" must be supposed to be another name of ṛg. śԲ was another name for Śܰ.

Love story.

Once the sage ṛg lived in the valley of Mandara mountain, performing austere tapas. Śܰ who was then a boy, used to attend on his father. One day when ṛg was absorbed in "Nirvikalpa" (deep meditation) the lonely Śܰ was appreciating the beauty of the sky above him. There was no one else by his side. At that time he happened to see an exceptionally beautiful woman passing across the sky. His heart was filled with delight at the sight. All his thoughts were centred on her and he sat absorbed in her bewitching charm. In his imagination he followed Indra and reached Indraloka. Indra greeted him with honour. After that Śܰ, attended by the heavenly beings went about sight-seeing in Heaven. There he unexpectedly came across the beauty whom he had seen earlier, in the midst of several other women. They fell in love at first sight. To fulfil his desire Śܰ enveloped the whole place in darkness. The other women left the place. The apsarā beauty approached Śܰ and both of them entered a hut formed by the thick foliage of creeping plants and indulged in sensual pleasures. Since Śܰ spent a period of eight Caturyugas like this in her company, he became weak in his virtue and descended to the earth. Then he became conscious of his physical being. His depraved soul was stopped at the moon. It reached the earth through mist and grew up as paddy plants. A 󳾲ṇa who was a native of ٲśṇa land ate the rice which was cooked from the ears of those paddy plants. Śܰ’s soul in the shape of Śܰ entered the womb of the Brāhmana’s wife and in due course took his birth. Because of his close association with Munis, that boy grew up like a sage and spent a period of one Manvantara, leading an austere life in the valley of the Meru mountain. At that time his woman had been born as a female deer, as the result of a curse. By their connection in the previous birth, the 󳾲ṇa fell in love with that female deer and begot a human child by his union with her. With that the austerities of his life were at an end. All his thoughts were now directed towards the future glory of his son and he ignored even his spiritual duties. Not long after, he died of snake bite. Later, he was born as the son of the king of Madra and ruled the country for many years. After that he took birth in many other wombs and at last was born as the son of a Ѳ󲹰ṣi living on the bank of the river Ҳṅg. Śܰ’s body which was by the side of ṛg dropped to the earth after being exposed to the wind and sun for a long time. But owing to ṛg’s power of tapas and the holiness of the ś, birds and animals did not eat the body. After 1,000 divyavatsaras, sage ṛg opened his eyes from his but he did not find his son near him. A famished and worn out body was lying before him. Within the wrinkles of the skin, small birds were nesting and frogs took refuge in the hollow of the stomach. Enraged at the premature death of his son, he was about to curse Yama, the god of Death. Coming to know of this ٳ󲹰Ჹ (Yama) appeared before him and said:�"We honour and adore you as a great ٲ貹ī. You should not ruin your tapas. I have devoured numerous ṇḍ. I have already swallowed Rudras and վṣṇdevas many times. All of you are my food. It is ordained by Fate. Even is not indestructible at the end of a Kalpa. Knowing all these facts, why do you think of cursing me? Your son fell into this state because of his own act. While you were in a state of Samādhi your son’s mind left its body and went up to Heaven. There he spent many years indulging in sensual pleasures in the company of the celestial beauty վś峦ī. Then he was born as a 󳾲ṇa in ٲśṇa country. In his next birth he became the King of Kosala. After that passing through many births in succession he is now performing tapas on the bank of the river ṅg as the son of a 󳾲ṇa, under the name, ܻ𱹲. Open your inner eye and see for yourself."

After saying this ٳ󲹰Ჹ revived the body of Śܰ who rose up and did obeisance to his father. (Jñānavāsiṣṭha, Sthitiprakaraṇam).

Domestic Life.

It is seen that Śܰ had several wives and children. In ٱī 岵ٲ there is a story of ⲹԳī, daughter of Indra who was Śܰ’s wife for about ten years. (See under ⲹԳī II). Priyavrata, the brother of ٳԲ岹 had a daughter named Ūrjjasvatī by his wife ܰū. In ٱī 岵ٲ, 8th Skandha it is stated that Śukr峦ⲹ married Ūrjjasvatī and he had a daughter ٱ𱹲ī by her. Ѳٲ, Ādi Parva, Chapter 65 mentions that Śܰ was the 峦ⲹ (preceptor) of the Asuras and his four sons were the priests of the Asuras. Śܰ had a daughter named "Arā". (See under Arā). Besides, Śܰ had another wife named Śataparvā.

But no child was born to Śataparvā.

ٱī, wife of ղṇa’s elder brother, was a daughter of Śܰ. Ūrjjasvatī was the most famous among Śܰ’s wives.

Revived his mother.

See under 屹ⲹmātā.

Jamadagni was restored to life.

See the 8th para under Jamadagni.

Śܰ cursed Daṇḍa.

See under Arā.

Cursed Yayāti.

See the 4th Para under ٱ𱹲ī.

How Śܰ lost his eye.

Śukr峦ⲹ lost one of his eyes during the time of Ѳ, the Asura King. Ѳ屹ṣṇ incarnated as 峾Բ and begged three feet of earth from Ѳ. Since Śܰ tried to obstruct it, վṣṇ put out one of Śܰ’s eyes with the point of a a darbha grass. (For more details see 3rd Para under Ѳ).

Ś swallowed Śܰ.

Once Śܰ invaded Kubera and plundered all his wealth. The distressed Kubera informed Ś about it. Ś at once started up with his weapon, shouting "Where is he?" Śܰ appeared on the top of Ś’s trident. Ś caught hold of him and swallowed him. Śܰ who moved about in Ś’s stomach found the excessive heat there, unbearable and soon became exhausted. In his helpless state he began to worship Ś for his mercy. At last Ś permitted him to escape through his penis and Śܰ thus came out. (Ѳٲ ŚԳپ Parva, Chapter 290).

Other details.

(1) Once Śukr峦ⲹ had adorned the office of Education Minister of Ѳṣāsܰ. At that time Cikṣura was the War Minister, was Financer Minister, Asiloma was the Prime Minister, վḍāl was the Foreign Minister, Udarka was the Military Commander and Śܰ was the Education Minister. (ٱī 岵ٲ, 5th Skandha).

(ii) Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 51 states that Śܰ should be installed in temples with his ṇḍ (a vessel for carrying water) and wearing his garland.

(iii) At the time of the war between Devas and Asuras. Śܰ taught ܰ a mantra to destroy everything. (Skanda Purāṇa, Asura ṇḍ).

(iv) Śܰ was ʰ岹’s Guru (preceptor). (Kamba 峾ⲹṇa, Yuddha ṇḍ).

(v) Śܰ worshipped Ś and received from him "ṛtñīī Mantra" (Mantra having power to revive the dead). (峾Բ Purāṇa, Chapter 62).

(vi) Śܰ had prohibited drinking. (Ѳٲ Ādi Parva, Chapter 76, Verse 57).

(vii) He had shone in Indra’s assembly. (Ѳٲ Chapter 7, Verse 22, Parva).

(viii) Śܰ exists in ’s assembly in the form of a planet. (Ѳٲ Parva, Chapter 11, Verse 29).

(ix) Śܰ resides with other Asuras on the top of the Meru mountain. All precious stones are in the possession of Śܰ. Even Kubera (the god of wealth) lives by borrowing one-fourth of Śܰ’s wealth. (Ѳٲ īṣm Parva, Chapter 6, Verse 22).

(x) Śܰ was among those who visited īṣm as he lay on the bed of arrows. (Ѳٲ ŚԳپ Parva, Chapter 47, Verse 8).

(xi) Once Śukr峦ⲹ was the priest of Emperor ṛt. (Ѳٲ ŚԳپ Parva, Chapter 59, Verse 110).

(xii) On another occasion Śܰ sent Indra to ʰ岹 to obtain prosperity. (Ѳٲ ŚԳپ Parva, Chapter 124, Verse 27).

(xiii) By his power of Yoga Śܰ once grabbed all the wealth of Kubera. (Ѳٲ ŚԳپ Parva, Chapter 289, Verse 9).

(xiv) He got the name "Śܰ" because he came out through "Śliṅga" (Ś’s penis) and thereby became a son of ī. (Ѳٲ ŚԳپ Parva, Chapter 289, Verse 32).

(xv) Śܰ learnt Ś’s Sahasranāma (Thousand names) from the sage ղṇḍ and taught it to Gautama. (Ѳٲ ԳśԲ Parva, Chapter 17, Verse 177).

(xvi) Ѳٲ, ԳśԲ Parva, Chapter 85, Verse 129, mentions that ṛg had seven sons-Cyavana, Vajraśīrṣa, Śܳ, Aurva, Śܰ, Savana and Vibhu.

(xvii) Once in answer to a question of Ѳ, Śܰ referred to the importance of Puṣpadāna (gift of flowers). (Ѳٲ ԳśԲ Parva, Chapter 98).

(xviii) In his old age Śܰ observed Բٳ and attained Heaven. (Ѳٲ ŚԳپ Parva, Chapter 244, Verse 17).

(xix) In Ѳٲ, several other names like , dāyāda, ṛgśreṣṭha, Bhṛgūdvaha, ṛgkulodvaha, Kaviputra, 屹ⲹ and śԲ are given for Śܰ.

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