Puranic encyclopaedia
by Vettam Mani | 1975 | 609,556 words | ISBN-10: 0842608222
This page describes the Story of Uparicaravasu 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 Uparicaravasu
Genealogy.
Descended from 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 in the following order: Atri鈥�Candra鈥�Budha鈥�笔耻谤奴谤补惫补蝉鈥�膧测耻蝉鈥�狈补丑耻峁 -驰补测腻迟颈鈥�笔奴谤耻鈥�Janamejaya鈥摈谤腻肠颈苍惫腻苍鈥�笔谤补惫墨谤补 Namasyu鈥擵墨迟补产丑补测补鈥斉歶峁囜笉耻鈥�Bahuvidha鈥�厂补峁儁腻迟颈 -搁补丑辞惫腻诲墨鈥�搁补耻诲谤腻艣惫补鈥�惭补迟颈苍腻谤补鈥擲anturodha -顿耻峁补苍迟补鈥�Bharata鈥�Suhotra鈥掷耻丑辞迟腻鈥�Gala -骋补谤诲补鈥�Suketu鈥擝峁沨补迟办峁迟谤补鈥�Hasti鈥�础箩补尘墨岣峢补鈥�峁歬峁-厂补峁僾补谤补峁嘺-Kuru-厂耻诲丑补苍惫腻-厂耻驳辞迟谤补-Cyavana-碍峁泃颈-Uparicaravasu.
How he got the name Uparicaravasu.
Once Vasu built a hermitage and began to perform penance in accordance with the advice of Indra. When the penance became too severe Indra appeared and gave him an aerial chariot. Since then Vasu used to travel through air in the chariot. So he got the name 'Uparicaravasu' (Vasu, who travels above). (惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补, 膧di Parva, Chapter 63).
Vasu and Indra festival.
Indra gave Vasu a garland (Vaijayant墨m膩l膩) which would never fade, and gave a boon that, so long as he wore that garland, he would not receive any wound. He was given a bamboo stick (Ve峁噓da峁囜笉a) and was instructed to fix that rod on the earth and celebrate the festival of Indra. Vasu celebrated the festival of Indra and from that day onwards the festival of Indra came to be celebrated in the world. (See under Indrotsava).
The sons of Vasu.
Five sons named 叠峁沨补诲谤补迟丑补, 碍耻艣腻尘产补 (惭补峁噄惫腻丑补苍补), Mavella, Yadu and 搁腻箩补苍测补 were born to him.
Kicking and splitting 碍辞濒腻丑补濒补.
The river 艢耻办迟颈尘补迟墨 flowed through the capital city of Vasu. Once the great hill 碍辞濒腻丑补濒补 grew amorous of 艢耻办迟颈尘补迟墨 and caught hold of her. Uparicaravasu got angry at this and kicked the mountain which was split into two and 艢耻办迟颈尘补迟墨 flowed out of the gap. Still two children were born to the great hill by 艢耻办迟颈尘补迟墨. The river was pleased at the freedom accorded by the king and placed the two children at the feet of the king. They grew up. The son became general of the army and the daughter 骋颈谤颈办腻 became the wife of the king. (惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 膧di Parva Chapter 63).
Vasu goes ahunting.
One day the king decided to go to hunt. On the same day his wife had her monthly course. Still without changing his programme he started for the forest. Even after entering the forest the thought of his wife lingered in his mind. The forest was in full bloom as it was Spring. Seeing this the king grew amorous and sat under a tree. A mild breeze was blowing. Instantly the king had seminal flow. He collected the semen in the leaf of a tree and sent it to the queen through an eagle. Thinking that to be some food, another eagle got near and a quarrel arose. The semen fell in the river 驰补尘耻苍腻. A fish named 础诲谤颈办腻 swallowed it. (See under 础诲谤颈办腻). A fisherman caught hat fish. He got a male child and a female child from the stomach of the fish. That girl is the famous 厂补迟测补惫补迟墨 Matsyagandh膩 who became the queen of 艢补苍迟补苍耻. (See under 厂补迟测补惫补迟墨). The fisherman gave the boy he got from the fish to king Uparicaravasu. (惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 膧di Parva Chapter 62).
Other information.
(i) It is mentioned in 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补, 厂补产丑腻 Parva, Chapter 8, Stanza 20, that Uparicaravasu was famous as a member of the council of Yama.
He was a friend of Indra, a devotee of 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 and a righteous and diligent man who loved and esteemed his father. Because of the grace of 艢r墨 狈腻谤腻测补峁嘺, he secured an empire. He consecrated everything before god. Once Indra gave him half of his seat. (惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 艢腻苍迟颈 Parva, Chapter 355). Because of the grace of 叠丑补驳补惫腻苍 (Lord), 骋补谤耻岣峚 made him a traveller of the sky. (惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 艢腻苍迟颈 Parva, Chapter 337, Stanza 37).
(iii). In 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补, 艢腻苍迟颈 Parva, Chapter 337, Stanza 38, it is mentioned that finally Uparicaravasu entered the world of 叠谤补丑尘腻.
(iv). Once a controversy arose between Indra and the hermits, whether cow-slaughter during sacrifices, was desirable. At this time Uparicaravasu happened to come there. As he was a man of truth, he was asked to make a decision. Uparicaravasu stood on the side of Indra and gave his opinion in favour of slaughter. The hermits who were against cow-slaughter got angry and cursed Uparicaravasu to go down to the world of 笔腻迟腻濒补 (netherworld). (Matsya Pur膩峁嘺, Chapter 152).
This story is seen with slight difference in 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 艢腻苍迟颈 Parva, Chapters 322-324.