Puranic encyclopaedia
by Vettam Mani | 1975 | 609,556 words | ISBN-10: 0842608222
This page describes the Story of Jambavan 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 峾
A monkey of extraordinary might. He was the minister of ܲī.*
Birth.
When the troubles and hardships caused by the wickedness of 屹ṇa became unbearable the goddess Earth and the Devas approached for redress. took them to the sea of Milk. Mahāvisṇu heard everything and said that he would incarnate as the son of ٲśٳ and would kill 屹ṇa. was directed to create monkeys to help him on that occasion. Accordingly created 峾 and several other monkeys. There are two stories about the birth of 峾 in the ʳܰṇa.
(1) sat for a long time thinking about the creation of monkeys. Then he wanted to yawn., for which he opened the mouth and instantly 峾 came out from inside through the open mouth. "I have already created Jāmbayān the noble bear, who jumped out of my mouth when I yawned." (ī쾱 峾ⲹṇa, Bālakāṇḍa, Sarga 17, Stanza 6).
(2) One day time of ended and the night had advanced two 峾 (six hours). The Madhukaiṭabhas born of the ear-wax of Ѳ屹ṣṇ began to create trouble and commotion in the waters of the great flood. They saw a lotus on the surface of water. Seeing in it they challenged him for fight. Hearing their shouting and the challenge became afraid of the asuras. His middle face began to sweat. The sweat flowed through his cheeks and reached the loins. 峾 came into being from that sweat. So he got the name Ambujāta, (born from the water of sweat). As he was the first person who entered the country of 峾ūԲ岹 he was called 峾. As he was born when there was no universe or time his age or date of birth could not be ascertained. At the time of Śrī 峾 峾 was six Manvantaras (age of a Manu) and for hundred and sixtyfour Caturyugas (a period of four yugas) old. (The present age is the twentyeighth Caturyuga of the seventh Manu). 峾 had witnessed all the incarnations from Matsya to Śrī 峾. (Kamba 峾ⲹṇa ū ṇḍ).
峾 and the incarnation of Śrī 峾.
During the time of Śrī 峾 峾 was the minister of ܲī. It is stated in ī쾱 峾ⲹṇa, ṣkԻ ṇḍ, Sarga 41, that ī, the son of Agni, Ჹū, 峾, Suhotra, Sarāri, Śaragulma, Gaja, Ҳṣa, Gavaya, ṣeṇa, Ṛṣ, Mainda, Dvivida, Vijaya, ҲԻ岹Բ, 峾ܰ, ṅg, ṅg岹 and others were the ministers of ܲī.
The monkeys who went to the south in search of ī, reached the sea shore. The question was how to jump over the sea to ṅk. Each of them came forward to show his ability and admitted failure. Finally 峾 called Ჹū to him and advised him to jump over to ṅk. Ჹū who was not aware of his own powers,** refused. 峾 told him about his birth, self-power, attainment of boons etc. Ჹū became convinced of his powers at the words of 峾 and jumped over the sea to ṅk. (峾ⲹṇa, ṣkԻ ṇḍ).
峾 and the incarnation of 峾Բ.
峾 walked round Ѳ屹ṣṇ, who incarnated as 峾Բ to curb the powers of Ѳ. At that time 峾 was immensely strong. But by the time of the incarnation of Śrī 峾 his strength had decreased much. Hear what he said to the monkeys who assembled on the sea shore to go in search of ī.
"My abilities in olden times were not what you see now. In the far old days, I had walked round that Eternal Being վṣṇ when he measured three steps at the sacrifice of Ѳ. Now, I am very old and have not enough strength to jump over the sea." (ī쾱 峾ⲹṇa, ṣkԻ kāṇḍa, Sarga 65).
峾 and the incarnation of Śrī ṛṣṇa.
The longliving 峾 who had witnessed nine out of the ten incarnations of Ѳ屹ṣṇ is seen in connection with the precious stone Syamantaka, in the incarnation of ṛṣṇa. The Sun-god gave this jewel Syamantaka to King Satrājit. His younger brother Prasena wore it and went to the forest for hunting. A lion killed him and took the jewel in his mouth and was going along the forest when 峾 killed it and took the jewel. It was rumoured that Srī ṛṣṇa had killed Prasena and taken the jewel. So Śrī ṛṣṇa went in search of the jewel to the forest, defeated 峾 and took the jewel, and returned it to Satrājit. Śrī ṛṣṇa married 峾ī the daughter of 峾. (岵ٲ, Skandha 10).
峾 became old for ever.
At the time of the incarnation of 峾Բ, 峾 was very strong and valiant. When 峾Բ brought under control the three worlds by measuring three steps 峾 travelled throughout the three worlds carrying the news everywhere. Within three moments 峾 travelled eighteen times through the three worlds. In this travel of lightning-speed the end of the nail of his toe touched the highest peak of Ѳ峾, who considered it as an insult and said "You are arrogant of your speed and youth. Hereafter your body will not reach where your mind reaches and you shall be ever old." Because of this curse 峾 became old and unable to carry out what he wished. (Kamba 峾ⲹṇa, Yuddha ṇḍ).
*) It is difficult to ascertain whether 峾 was a monkey or a bear. In some of the Indian languages he is descri bed as a monkey. In Malayāla� he was thought of as a monkey from ancient period. In ī쾱 峾ⲹṇa, which is the original work, 峾 is denoted by the words 'Kapi' (monkey) and Rkṣa (bear). 峾 is called Ṛkṣapuṅgava in ī쾱 峾ⲹṇa Bālakāṇḍa Sarga 17. From this it is to be assumed that 峾 was a bear. In the same chapter it occurs that, it was the aim of to make the gods and the celestial women take birth as monkeys to help Ѳ屹ṣṇ in the incarnation of Śrī 峾. So it is not wrong to consider 峾 either as a bear or as a monkey.
**) For the cause of his forgetting his own powers see under Trṇabindu II.