Puranic encyclopaedia
by Vettam Mani | 1975 | 609,556 words | ISBN-10: 0842608222
This page describes the Story of Lakshmi 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 尝补办峁墨
Consort of 惭补丑腻惫颈峁ａ箛耻.
Origin.
顿别惫墨 originated from the left side of 笔补谤补尘腻迟尘腻 (Supreme Being). The beautiful 顿别惫墨 by a command from the Supreme Being divided herself into two enchanting damsels both equal in figure, splendour, age, majesty, adornment and love. One of these was 尝补办峁墨dev墨 and the other 搁腻诲丑腻dev墨. That born of the left was 搁补尘腻 and that of the right, 搁腻诲丑腻. 搁腻诲丑腻 wedded herself to the two-handed 艢r墨 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 and 尝补办峁墨 also wanted the same person and so 叠丑补驳补惫腻苍 himself became two, 艢ri 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 from the left side as a two-handed person and as four-handed 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 from the right side. (9th Skandha. 顿别惫墨 叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补).
Different incarnations of 尝补办峁墨.
尝补办峁墨 had many incarnations and she had been on earth in different forms at different times. They are given below:
(i) Birth from the ocean of milk. Once the Devas became aged and afflicted with rugosity and grey hairs by a curse of 顿耻谤惫腻蝉补蝉. Indra lost his majesty and was ousted from Svarga. Svargalak峁墨 deserted Devaloka and went to 痴补颈办耻峁囜弓丑补 and merged with 惭补丑腻濒补办峁墨.
The Devas were greatly aggrieved on account of this plight of theirs and they went to Satyaloka and appealed to 叠谤补丑尘腻 to find a solution to their difficulties. 叠谤补丑尘腻 was helpless in the matter and so they all together went to 痴补颈办耻峁囜弓丑补 and represented their grievances before 惭补丑腻惫颈峁ａ箛耻. 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 smiled and told 惭补丑腻濒补办峁墨 thus: "You go and be born as K峁Ｄ玶as膩garakanyak膩 using a part of your inherent power and do give relief to the Devas." Accordingly when the Devas conducted the churning of the ocean of milk (K峁Ｄ玶膩bdhimathana) 惭补丑腻濒补办峁墨, the goddess of beauty, wealth and prosperity arose from the ocean as K峁Ｄ玶as膩garakanyak膩 (Daughter of the ocean of milk) and blessed the Devas and put a 痴补苍补尘腻濒腻 (garland of wild flowers) on 惭补丑腻惫颈峁ａ箛耻. The Devas got back all their lost wealth and prosperity and they, on going to Devaloka, worshipped 尝补办峁墨dev墨 properly. (9th Skandha, 顿别惫墨 叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补).
(ii) 惭补丑腻濒补办峁墨 was born as a mare. (See under 贰办补惫墨谤补, Para 2).
(iii) 惭补丑腻濒补办峁墨 was born as the 罢耻濒补蝉墨 plant (Holy Basil. (See under 罢耻濒补蝉墨.)
(iv) 惭补丑腻濒补办峁墨 was born as 厂墨迟腻 and 痴别诲补惫补迟墨. (See under 厂墨迟腻).
(v) Other births: 惭补丑腻濒补办峁墨 was born as a daughter to the sage 叠丑峁沢耻 of 碍丑测腻迟颈. When 惭补丑腻惫颈峁ａ箛耻 incarnated as 厂奴谤测补, 尝补办峁墨 rose up from the lotus. When 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 became 笔补谤补艣耻谤腻尘补, 尝补办峁墨 became the earth. When 惭补丑腻惫颈峁ａ箛耻 incarnated as 艢r墨 R膩ma, 尝补办峁墨 became 厂墨迟腻 and when 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 was born as 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 尝补办峁墨 became 搁腻诲丑腻. Thus whenever and wherever 惭补丑腻惫颈峁ａ箛耻 changed his form, 惭补丑腻濒补办峁墨 also changed hers to form part of the changed life. (Chapter 9, 础峁兣沘 1, 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 Pur膩峁嘺).
惭补丑腻濒补办峁墨 cursed 痴颈峁ａ箛耻.
Once 惭补丑腻濒补办峁墨 cursed 惭补丑腻惫颈峁ａ箛耻, her husband, that his head would drop off from his body. (See under Cital).
Two forms of 尝补办峁墨.
惭补丑腻濒补办峁墨 has two forms, 痴颈峁ａ箛耻-priy膩 尝补办峁墨 and 搁腻箩测补濒补办峁墨. The former is the embodiment of chastity and virtuousness. The latter goes about courting Kings. 搁腻箩测补濒补办峁墨 is fickle and unsteady. This 尝补办峁墨 enters all places where virtue and charity are found and as soon as these two vanish from any place 搁腻箩测补濒补办峁墨 will also vanish from that place.
尝补办峁墨 in cow-dung.
The people of 叠丑腻谤补迟补 consider cow dung as very sacred and there is a story in the 82nd Chapter of 础苍耻艣腻蝉补苍补 Parva as to how cow-dung became so sacred;
Once a herd of cows was grazing in a large grassy ground when 尝补办峁墨 happened to pass that way. 惭补丑腻濒补办峁墨 was pleased at the cows and bade them ask for any boon they wanted. The cows were prosperity incarnate and contented and they rejected the offer of 尝补办峁墨 and when pressed again by her, said that they would like to have prosperity deposited in their dung also. 惭补丑腻濒补办峁墨 did so and so even today it is believed that the cowdung is embedded with prosperity.
Other details:
(i) 尝补办峁墨 stays in the court of Kubera. (艢濒辞办补 19, Chapter 10, 厂补产丑腻 Parva).
(ii) 惭补丑腻濒补办峁墨 is installed in temples as an idol carrying a lotus in her right hand and a Bilva fruit in her left hand. (Chapter 50, Agni Pur膩峁嘺).
(iii) 尝补办峁墨dev墨 stays in the court of 叠谤补丑尘腻 also. (艢濒辞办补 41, Chapter 11, 厂补产丑腻 Parva).