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Puranic encyclopaedia

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

This page describes the Story of Ekavira 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 첹ī

* (HEHAYA). A founder of the Hehaya line of kings.

Genealogy.

Descending in order from վṣṇ: AtriCandraBudhaʳܰūĀܲ۲پYaduSahasrajitŚٲᾱ첹ī (Hehaya).

Birth of 첹ī.

Once there was a King called Revanta who was an intimate friend of Indra. One day riding on ḥſ, Indra’s horse, he went to ղṇṭ. Fascinated by the arresting beauty of Revanta, Ѳṣmī sat gaping for a while and did not hear what վṣṇ talked to her. վṣṇ was offended and lost his temper. ṣmī was looking with interest alternatively at Revanta and the horse when վṣṇ cursed her to be born as a mare on earth. Horrified, shedding tears, ṣmī begged for relief. վṣṇ decreed that she would return to ղṇṭ after giving birth to a son who would be equal in glory to վṣṇ himself. Ѳṣmī came to Earth taking the shape of a mare and lived in a forest situated at a point where the rivers Իī and ղ meet and where once Sūryapatnī stayed and did penance. Meditating on Ś she lived there for a thousand divine years and then one day Ś and ī appeared before her and asked her what she wanted. She then said "Oh, Bhagavan, Ѳ屹ṣṇ cursed me and made me into a mare. He has decreed that I would go back after bringing forth a son as glorious as վṣṇ. From whom am I to bear a son like this?" Ś promised to find a solution and going to ղṇṭ sent վṣṇ to earth in the form of a horse. վṣṇ came to ṣmī and they lived together for some time and soon a son was born to ṣmī. Leaving the child in the forest both of them went back to ղṇṭ. It is this child who later on became the famous King, 첹ī. It was because he was born of a horse that he got the names, Hehaya and Haihaya. (Skandha 6, ٱī 岵ٲ).

How 첹ī came to the palace.

It was at this time that Śٲᾱ, son of the grandson of ۲پ was doing penance to obtain a son. He was also doing penance in the forest situated at a point where the rivers Իī and ղ meet. One night a վ󲹰 named Campaka came with a վ󲹰ī named Madālasā and seeing the infant lying helpless in the forest took it to Devaloka. Indra recognised it as the child born to վṣṇ and ṣmī on earth while they were living as horse and mare and so the վ󲹰 put it back on earth in the same place as before. Immediately ṣmī-Nārāyaṇas appeared before Śٲᾱ doing penance there and asking him to take care of a child lying helpless in another side of the forest disappeared. Immensely pleased at this Śٲᾱ took the child to his palace and brought him forth as his own son giving the child the name 첹ī. When the boy became a prince, Śٲᾱ crowned 첹ī King and went to the forest with his queen and after doing penance there for sometime attained վṣṇloka. (Skandha 6, ٱī 岵ٲ).

첹ī marries 屹ī.

Once Prince 첹ī accompanied by the son of the minister went for a pleasure trip to the banks of the river Ҳṅg. It was spring and the prince wandering about enjoying the sight of a flowery forest was soon arrested by the sight of a sweet smelling lotus with a hundred petals blooming in the river. By the side of the lotus was standing a beautiful damsel weeping. The prince went to her and asked her the reason for her weeping. After great persuasion she replied thus: "Oh, Prince, there is a country not far from yours which is now being ruled over by a very righteous King called Raibhya. His queen is called Rukmarekhā. They had no children for a very long time and so Raibhya conducted a Putrakāmeṣṭi yāga. When ghee was poured profusely into the sacrificial fire the flames rose up to great heights and from inside the flames came out a lovely maiden. The King named her 屹ī and bought her forth as his daughter. I am ۲śDZī the daughter of the minister there. We were of the same age and so I was asked to live with her as her companion. She was very fond of lotuses and the King constructed big ponds with lotuses in them for her recreation. Yet she used to go to other ponds also in search of lotuses.

One day we came to this side of the river Ҳṅg to play. Then a demon of name Kālaketu came and kidnapped her. I followed her. She never surrendered to the enticements and persuasions of Kālaketu. Her father wanted her to be married to 첹ī, King of Hehaya. Kālaketu sent her to prison. Without knowing what to do next I am standing here weeping.

Hearing this 첹ī went to and defeating Kālaketu released 屹ī and brought both 屹ī and ۲śDZī to the palace of Raibhya. Pleased at this Raibhya gave his daughter in marriage to 첹ī. ٲīܲԲ was born in the family of 첹ī. (Skandha 6, ٱī 岵ٲ).

*) The genealogy of 첹ī is stated differently in different ʳܰṇa. ٱī 岵ٲ states that 첹ī is the son of Turvasu, son of ۲پ and that he is the father of ٲīܲԲ. It is not correct. The genealogy chronicled here is based on Agni and վṣṇ ʳܰṇa. According to that Yadu, son of ۲پ is the father of the grandfather of 첹ī: Yadu—Sahasrajit�Satajit—Hehaya (첹ī). Descending from 첹ī�DharmaṇiBhadrasenaDhanaka—Krtavīra—Kārtavīrvārjuna. From the grandson of ٲīܲԲ, ṛṣṇi, starts the ṛṣṇi dynasty.

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