Puranic encyclopaedia
by Vettam Mani | 1975 | 609,556 words | ISBN-10: 0842608222
This page describes the Story of Viradha 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 痴颈谤腻诲丑补
A fierce 搁腻办峁蝉补 (giant) whom 搁腻尘补 and 尝补办峁补峁嘺 killed in the 顿补峁囜笉补办补 forest. 痴颈谤腻诲丑补 was the rebirth of Tumburu, a Gandharva who had been cursed to become a 搁腻办峁蝉补. The story about 艢r墨 搁腻尘补鈥檚 liberating the Gandharva from the curse and sending him back to the world of Gandharvas, occurs in 痴腻濒尘墨办颈 搁腻尘腻测补峁嘺, 础谤补峁噛补 碍腻峁囜笉补, Sargas 2 to 4, as follows.
In days of old, Tumburu, a Gandharva had been serving Kubera. Once Tumburu was asked by Kubera to bring 搁补尘产丑腻. Tumburu failed in bringing 搁补尘产丑腻 at the stipulated time. Kubera got angry and cursed Tumburu to become a 搁腻办峁蝉补. Tumburu requested for liberation from the curse. Kubera granted his request and said "In 罢谤别迟腻测耻驳补, 惭补丑腻惫颈峁ａ箛耻 will incarnate as 艢r墨 搁腻尘补, who with his sword will change your 搁腻办峁蝉补 form. You will regain your former form and will come back to the world of Gandharvas."
Accordingly Tumburu took birth as the son of giant Jaya. This child born to Jaya by his wife 艢补迟补丑谤补诲腻, grew up and came to be known by the name 痴颈谤腻诲丑补. Two extra-ordinarily long hands and the outward appearances of a giant aroused fear in every living creature. He lived in the forest 顿补峁囜笉补办补. It was at this time that 艢r墨 搁腻尘补 and 尝补办峁补峁嘺 came with 厂墨迟腻, to live in this forest. As soon as 痴颈谤腻诲丑补 saw them he ran to them with a loud cry.
"With sunken eyes and swollen stomach, widened mouth and an enormous body, with a fierce appearance, of very great height an uncouth figure, body wet with fat, clad in the hide of a leopard, looking like Yama with open mouth, with three lions, two wolves, four leopards, ten spotted deer and the head of a big tusker with tusks smeared with fat, all these caught pierced in an iron trident, and shouting in a roaring sound", he ran to them and after taking 厂墨迟腻, he began to run. 搁腻尘补 and 尝补办峁补峁嘺 followed him. 痴颈谤腻诲丑补 placed 厂墨迟腻 down and, taking 搁腻尘补 and 尝补办峁补峁嘺 on each of his shoulders he began running. 搁腻尘补 and 尝补办峁补峁嘺 cut off each of his hands. But 痴颈谤腻诲丑补 did not die. 搁腻尘补 and 尝补办峁补峁嘺 decided to bury him alive. 痴颈谤腻诲丑补 recognized 艢r墨 搁腻尘补 and told him his story. Instantly his demoniac form changed and he regained his original form of a Gandharva. Thus Tumburu returned to the world of Devas. (See under Tumburu).