Puranic encyclopaedia
by Vettam Mani | 1975 | 609,556 words | ISBN-10: 0842608222
This page describes the Story of Kalindi 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 Իī
(۴ѱĀ).
General.
Իī alias Yamunā is one of the holy rivers in India. The presiding deity of the river is Իīdevī. Իī, the daughter of the sun has her source in Kalinda mountai�, and hence the name Իī for the river. Իī joins the Ҳṅg at ʰ岵, and this confluence of the two rivers is called ṅg, which is a sacred place.
Gave way for Śrī ṛṣṇa.
As soon as ṛṣṇa was born Vasudeva stealthily removed the child to Ambāḍi. Due to heavy rains the Իī was overflowing, and Vasudeva begged Իī for a passage, and the river gave way for Vasudeva to take ṛṣṇa to Ambāḍi. (岵ٲ 10th Skandha).
Balabhadra dragged Իī.
Balabhadrarāma once stayed in Ambāḍi for two months. One day he was picnicking on the banks of Իī with the ҴDZī. Under the influence of liquor he desired to play with his companions in the waters of Իī. He called Իī to his side, but the chaste Իī refused to oblige him. So he dragged her by his plough hooking her to it. In great fear Իī saluted him, and he enjoyed with the gopīs for some time on its waters. (岵ٲ, 10th Skandha).
Իī, Śrī ṛṣṇa’s wife.
After Maya had built Indraprastha for the ṇḍ, Śrī ṛṣṇa spent a few days there with them. And, one day while ṛṣṇa and Arjuna were strolling on the banks of Իī the latter saw there a beautiful woman performing penance and he approached her. She told Arjuna that the object of her penance was to get ṛṣṇa as husband, and when Arjuna passed on the information to ṛṣṇa he took her in his chariot to ٱ and duly married her. (岵ٲ, 10th Skandha).
Soṅs of Իī.
Ten sons, were born to Իī by ṛṣṇa. (岵ٲ, 10th Skandha).
Ჹṃs and his son in Իī.
Once ṛṣṇa attacked Ի and the son of his minister, Ჹṃs, being told that his father had been killed, committed suicide by jumping into Իī. But, Ჹṃs had not been killed, and when he returned from the battlefield and knew about the death of his son, he too jumped into Իī and committed suicide. ( Parva, Chapter 14).
Other information.
(i) Իī is one of the seven tributaries of the Ҳṅg. One who drinks its water will be released from all sins. (Ādi Parva, Chapter 139, Verse 19).
(ii) The ṇḍ, during their life in exile in the forest drank Yamunā water, got over their weariness and continued their sojourn. (Vana Parva, Chapter 5, Verse 2).
(iii) Sahadeva, son of ṛñjⲹ, gave Agni Deva 1000 golden emblems on the banks of the Yamunā. (Vana Parva Chapter 90, Verse 7).
(iv) Bharata performed thirty-three ś on the banks of the Yamunā (Vana Parva, Chapter 90, Verse 8). On another occasion he conducted six ś at the same spot. (ٰṇa Parva, Chapter 68). On yet another occasion he conducted three hundred ś. (ŚԳپ Parva, Chapter 29).
(v) īṣa, the son of 岵 conducted a ⲹñ on the planes of Իī. (Vana Parva, Chapter 129).
(vi) Agastya the great sage performed penance on the planes of Իī. (Vana Parva, Chapter 161).
(vii) King ŚԳٲԳ conducted seven ⲹñs on the banks of the Իī. (Vana Parva, Chapter 162).
(viii) The colour of Իī is black. 峾 (Cupid) shot arrows of flower at Ś, who was lamenting over the death of ī, and he (Ś) thus excited to a condition of insanity jumped into Իī with the result that its water turned black in colour. (Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 6 and also see under Yamunā).