365bet

Puranic encyclopaedia

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

This page describes the Story of Kumbhakarna 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 ܳ󲹰첹ṇa

Genealogy.

Descended from վṣṇ thus: Pulastyaվśܳ󲹰첹ṇa.

Birth.

Pulastya, one of the ʰ貹پ married Ჹū (Māninī) and a son called վś was born to them.

屹ṇa and ܳ󲹰첹ṇa were born to վś of ʳṣpdzٰ첹ṭ�, and վīṣaṇa was born to him of , and Khara and Śū貹ṇa were born to him of ī. The above version is based on verses�1 to 8 in Chapter 275 of the Vana Parva. But, according to Uttara 峾ⲹṇa, 屹ṇa, վīṣaṇa and ܳ󲹰첹ṇa were born to վś of his wife called 첹ī. According to the Agni Purāṇa, ʳṣpdzٰ첹ṭ� and Kaikaśi were one and the same.

Former births of ܳ󲹰첹ṇa.

屹ṇa and ܳ󲹰첹ṇa were originally the two Devas called Jaya and Vijaya. վṣṇ appointed them as gate-keepers at ղṇṭ. Once they stopped sages like Sanaka and others at the gates, and the latter cursed Jaya and Vijaya into ṣa. When they complained about the curse to վṣṇ he promised to welcome them back to ղṇṭ after they had lived three births as ṣa. Accordingly Jaya was born as ᾱṇyṣa and Vijaya as ᾱṇy첹ś, both of them Asuras. Ѳ屹ṣṇ incarnated himself as a Boar and killed ᾱṇyṣa and as ṃh he killed ᾱṇy첹ś. ᾱṇyṣa and ᾱṇy첹ś were reborn as 屹ṇa and ܳ󲹰첹ṇa respectively. Ѳ屹ṣṇ, during his incarnation as Śrī 峾 killed both 屹ṇa and ܳ󲹰첹ṇa. 屹ṇa was reborn as Śśܱ and ܳ󲹰첹ṇa as Dantavaktra. Both of them were killed by Ѳ屹ṣṇ during his incarnation as Śrī ṛṣṇa. Thus the Deva called Vijaya, on account of the curse of Sanaka and other sages, passed through three lives as ᾱṇy첹ś, ܳ󲹰첹ṇa and Dantavaktra and finally reached ղṇṭ. (岵ٲ, 7th Skandha).

ܳ󲹰첹ṇa secured boons.

ܳ󲹰첹ṇa spent his childhood with his brothers at the ś of his father on mount ҲԻ󲹳岹Բ. Kubera was at the zenith of his glory at that time, having been crowned king of the ۲ṣa, and also having got the ʳṣp첹 վԲ. The reputation of Kubera kindled jealousy in ܳ󲹰첹ṇa and his brothers. They too performed penance in the forest on one foot for a thousand years. But, did not appear. They continued the penance without eating any food. Khara and Śū貹ṇa stayed there serving their brothers. Even after the second thousand years did not appear. Then 屹ṇa cut off his ten heads and made offerings of them to . Then appeared. restored his heads to 屹ṇa and he was granted the boon that he would not be killed by anybody but a man. The Devas shuddered at the gift to 屹ṇa, and feared about the future in case ܳ󲹰첹ṇa too got such a boon. At their request ī danced on his tongue at the time of ܳ󲹰첹ṇa’s request for a boon. ܳ󲹰첹ṇa wanted NIRDEVATVAM (Absence of all Devas). But by a slip of the tongue (caused by ī) what he asked for was nidrāvatvam (sleep). granted him nidrāvatvam; he said that ܳ󲹰첹ṇa would sleep for six months of the year continuously. վīṣaṇa got the boon that he should remember righteousness in danger and use the stra without any training in its use. The brothers returned home after securing the boons, and, after driving off Kubera, the lord of ṅk, 屹ṇa and his brothers took their abode there. (Vana Parva, Chapter 275 and Uttara 峾ⲹṇa).

Death of ܳ󲹰첹ṇa.

ܳ󲹰첹ṇa played a very important part in the -屹ṇa war. Prominent warriors on the side of 峾, like ܲī, his ministers and ṣmṇa fought with him. But, none of them could kill him. At last, Śrī 峾’s arrows killed him. (ī쾱 峾ⲹṇa, Yuddha ṇḍ, Chapter 67).

ܳ󲹰첹ṇa is not to be viewed merely and purely as an evil character. His advice to 屹ṇa on various occasions shows noble traits of his character. When Śrī 峾 with his army of monkeys appeared on the other side of the ocean 屹ṇa held a conference of his brothers, ministers and others at which ܳ󲹰첹ṇa spoke as follows:�"You abducted ī without consulting us, and we would not therefore be responsible for the consequences of that action of yours. But, it is not proper that the younger brother should keep away when danger faces the elder one, and on that principle here I am ready to fight 峾."

These weighty words of ܳ󲹰첹ṇa throw considerable light on the character of ܳ󲹰첹ṇa.

(ī쾱 峾ⲹṇa, Yuddhakāṇḍa, Chapter 12).

Let's grow together!

I humbly request your help to keep doing what I do best: provide the world with unbiased sources, definitions and images. Your donation direclty influences the quality and quantity of knowledge, wisdom and spiritual insight the world is exposed to.

Let's make the world a better place together!

Like what you read? Help to become even better: