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36-527: Vedavati was the daughter of Brahmarishi Kushadhvaja , who was the son of Brihaspati , the guru of the devas . Having spent his life chanting and studying the sacred Vedas , he named his daughter Vedavati , after the texts, born to him as the fruit of his bhakti and tapasya . Vedavati's father wanted his child to have the preserver god Vishnu as her husband. He thus rejected many powerful kings and celestial beings who sought his daughter's hand. Outraged by his rejection, King Sambhu murdered her parents in

72-502: A boon of her choice. Vedavati desired Narayana as her husband in his every incarnation on earth, and sought the devotion of his lotus feet. Cognisant of Vedavati's true identity of Lakshmi , Parvati promised that she would have all that she sought, informing her that Narayana would assume the avatar of Rama to cleanse the earth of its evil during the Treta Yuga , and that she would be his consort. Satisfied, Lakshmi reincarnated herself as

108-536: A child upon a farm in the kingdom of Mithila, where she was discovered by the King Janaka . Stupified by the sight of the infant whose skin shone like molten gold, Janaka heard an akashvani , a celestial announcement from the heavens that the child would become the bride of Narayana. Overjoyed, Janaka raised her as his own daughter Janaki, better known as Sita . Another variant in the Brahma Vaivarta Purana,

144-444: A fierce conflict took place with the troops of Naraka, in which Govinda destroyed thousands of demons; and when Naraka came into the field, showering upon the deity all sorts of weapons, the wielder of the discus, and annihilator of the asura tribe, cut him in two with his celestial missile. Naraka being slain, Earth, bearing the two earrings of Aditi, approached the lord of the world. Vishnu Purana, Book 5 chapter 29 The legend of

180-484: A naga princess named Chandrasena (an incarnation of Bhudevi ) while in Lanka, who was born Krishna's third wife, Satyabhama . Vedavati was born to Akasha Raja as Padmavati , when she married Venkateswara . Brahmarishi In Hinduism , a Brahmarshi ( Sanskrit brahmarṣi , a tatpurusha compound of brahma and ṛṣi ) is a member of the highest class of Rishis ("seers" or "sages"). A Brahmarshi

216-401: A prayer, which balanced the scales. This legend is often interpreted to demonstrate that one's devotion matters more than material offerings. While there are different versions in different texts as to why the weighing was arranged, the story of the tulasi leaf placed by Rukmini being worth more in weight than that of Satyabhama's wealth is a common ending. This episode is also recounted in

252-405: Is a sage who has attained enlightenment and became a Jivanmukta by completely understanding the meaning of Brahman and has attained the highest divine knowledge, infinite knowledge (omniscience) and self knowledge called Brahmajnana. When a Brahmarshi dies he attains Paramukti and frees himself from Samsara , the cycle of birth and death. The superlative title of Brahmarshi is not attested in

288-455: Is described as an incarnation of Bhumi , an aspect of Lakshmi . She is the goddess and the personification of the Earth. She has two sisters named Vratini and Prasvapini who are her co-wives as well. According to some traditions, she is regarded to have aided Krishna in defeating the asura Narakasura . Satyabhama was the daughter of Yadava King Satrajita , the royal treasurer of Dvaraka, who

324-515: Is mentioned as the son of Gaadhi . Vishwamitra is also referred to Kaushika due to his patrilineal lineage using the suffix -ka as "descendant" or "pertaining to". Parasurama and Jamadagni have also been credited the title of Brahmarishi by Bhishma as in Mahabharata. Brahmarshi-desha , 'the country of the holy sages,' includes the territories of the Kurus , Matsyas , Panchalas and Surasenas (i.e.

360-744: The Devi Bhagavata Purana , the Tamil text Sri Venkatachala Mahatyam and the Malayalam Adhyatma Ramayana associates Vedavati with Maya Sita , an illusionary duplicate of Sita. When Vedavati enters the fire to immolate herself, the fire-god Agni provides her refuge. When Sita is to be kidnapped by Ravana, Sita seeks shelter in the fire and exchanges places with Maya Sita, who is Vedavati in her previous birth. Ravana abducts Maya Sita, mistaking her to be Sita. After death of Ravana by Sita's husband Rama , Sita and Maya Sita switch places in

396-597: The Vedas themselves and first appears in the Sanskrit epics . According to this classification, a Brahmarshi is the ultimate expert of religion and spiritual knowledge known as 'Brahmajnana'. Below him are the Maharishis ( Great Rishis ). The Saptarishis created out of Brahma's thoughts are perfect brahmarshis. They are often cited to be at par with the Devas in power and piety in

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432-631: The Agni Pariksha . In other stories, which follow the idea of Vedavati as Maya Sita, it is said that during the Agni Pariksha, Maya Sita's existence and identity as Vedavati (essentially an amshavatara of Lakshmi) is revealed by Agni. Having been abused by Ravana and won by Rama, Vedavati asked the king to be her husband. Rama, being of utmost loyalty to Sita, declines, but promises her his hand in another incarnation. This similarly occurs with Jambavan , whose daughter Jambavati becomes Krishna's wife, and

468-587: The Puranas . Bhrigu , Angiras , Atri , Vishwamitra , Kashyapa , Vasishta , and Shandilya are the seven brahmarshis. But there is another list of Saptarishi also who are also Gotra-pravartakas , i.e.,founders of Brahamanical clans, and this second list appeared somewhat later, but belongs to ancient period. All the hymns of third mandala of the Rig Veda, including the Gayatri mantra , are ascribed to Vishwamitra, who

504-419: The rakshasa race, found Vedavati sitting in meditation as a tapasvini and was captivated by her incredible beauty. He proposed his hand in marriage to her, and was rejected. Ravana, firmly rejected at every turn, grabbed her hair and tried assaulting her. The furious Vedavati cursed Ravana that she would be born once more, and would be the cause of his death. She subsequently leapt into the ritual havan that

540-535: The Devi Bhagavata Purana: Satyabhama tied down Hari against a tree and presented Him as a gift to Narada; afterwards she, the passionate woman, freed Krishna on paying an equivalent of gold coins. - chapter 25, book 4, Devi Bhagavata Purana . The Vana Parva , Book 3 of the Mahabharata , shows the friendship between Satyabhama and Draupadi . Krishna and Satyabhama visit Pandavas and Draupadi in

576-405: The asura and free Devaloka from his atrocities. At his request, Krishna sieged the city of Narkasura with the assistance of his mount , Garuda , along with his wife Satyabhama. A terrible battle ensued between Krishna and Narkasura, which ended with the asura being slain by the deity's Sudarshana Chakra . Thereafter, Krishna obtained the stolen ear-rings of the mother of the gods, Aditi. Aditi

612-493: The battlefield on the back of an elephant. Naraka threw his sakti lance at Sri Krishna, but the weapon proved ineffective, and the Lord cut the demon's entire army to pieces. Finally, with His sharp-edged disc Krishna cut off Narakasura's head. Srimad Bhagavatham 10.59 Vishnu Purana Having slain Mum, Hayagriva, and Pancajana, the wise Hari rapidly reached the city of Pragjyotiṣa: there

648-451: The earth, like the peak of a mountain split by the vajra of indra in two parts. Harivamsa, Vishnu Parva chapter 63 Srimad Bhagavatam Together with Queen Satyabhama, the Lord mounted His carrier Garuḍa and traveled to the capital of Narakasura's Kingdom. On a field outside the city He decapitated the asura Mura with His disc. Then He fought Mura's seven sons and sent them all to the abode of death, after which Narakasura himself entered

684-934: The eastern half of the State of Patiala and of the Delhi division of the Punjab, the Alwar State and adjacent territory in Rajputana, the region which lies between the Ganges and the Jumna, and the Mathura District in the United Provinces). Satyabhama Satyabhama ( IAST : satyabhāmā) , also known as Satrajiti , is a Hindu goddess and the third queen consort of the Hindu god Krishna . Satyabhama

720-460: The fighting." When Devi Satyabhma was told thus, she, the noble one who always spoke the truth, began to battle with the evil Naraka. Satya, the wife of the wielder of Sarnga, pierced Naraka with sharp narachas, crescent-shaped arrows and with bhallas.” Mahabharata In the city of Nirmochana that hero slew six thousand Asuras, and cutting into pieces innumerable keen-edged shafts, he slew Mura and hosts of Rakshasas, and then entered that city. It

756-559: The forest of Kamyaka . When the two women were alone, Satyabhama asks several questions of Draupadi about her married life or 'stridharma'. Draupadi, then, advises her and shares the secrets to a content marriage from her experience. Some of the themes which the two women discuss are: family, relationships, respect, work, etc. In the Ashvamedha Parva, when Bhima arrived in Dvaraka to give the invitation of an ashvamedha to Krishna, Krishna

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792-523: The jewel to his daughter Jambavati . When Prasena did not return, there were accusations of Krishna murdering Prasena for stealing the jewel for himself. Krishna, in order to remove the stain on his reputation, set out with his men in search of the jewel and found it in Jambavan's cave, with his daughter. Jambavan attacked Krishna thinking him to be an intruder who had come to take away the jewel. They fought each other for 28 days, when Jambavan, whose whole body

828-463: The jewel. According to Harivansh Puran, along with Satyabhama, her two sisters Vratini and Prasvapini also married him. Satyabhama bore Krishna 10 sons: Bhanu, Svabhanu, Subhanu, Bhanuman, Prabhanu, Atibhanu, Pratibhanu, Shribhanu, Bruhadbhanu, and Chandrabhanu. Narakasura was a danava tyrant, who captured and governed the city of Pragjyotisha , believed in Assamese tradition to be located in

864-468: The middle of a moonless night. Vedavati continued to live in the ashram of her parents, meditating night and day and performing a great tapasya to win Vishnu for her husband. The Ramayana describes her as wearing the hide of a black antelope, her hair matted in a jata , like a rishi . She is inexpressibly beautiful, in the bloom of her youth, enhanced by her tapasya. Ravana , the king of Lanka and

900-434: The present-day Assam . He was the son of Bhumi , the goddess of the earth. Narakasura was infamous for his wicked ruling and high disregard for demigods and women. Narakasura defeated Indra and abducted 16,000 women, imprisoning them in his palace. He stole the earrings of Aditi , the heavenly mother goddess and usurped some of her territories. Upon this, the king of the devas, Indra, requested Krishna to conquer and kill

936-405: The scales, he would be forced to auction Krishna as a slave to someone else. Satyabhama, in frantic panic, swallowed her pride, and begged all the other wives to give up their jewels. The entire weight of the jewellery of Krishna's wives did not succeed in balancing the scales. In the end, Rukmini was able to resolve the situation by offering a single tulasi leaf upon the other scale, after chanting

972-421: The trident, decorated with gold, arriving, Krishna of wonderful deeds, split it in two with a sharp edged arrow (Kshurapra). The war with the asura of terrible form (Naraka) became terrible. The war with the great soul naraka was with various weapons. The slayer of Madhu Krishna fought naraka for some time. With his sparkling discus, he(Krishna) cut the terrible naraka in two. His body, split in two by discus fell on

1008-455: The tulabharam is a folktale from Odisha , and is absent in the major scriptures pertaining to Krishna's life. In the tale, Satyabhama is regarded to have prided herself on the love Krishna had for her, and her grasp over his heart. On one contrived occasion, the sage Narada arrived in Dvaraka , and during the course of a conversation, hinted to Satyabhama that the love that Krishna's favourite wife

1044-418: The tulabharam. The scene was soon set for the vrata. Satyabhama gave Krishna away in charity, in spite of the other wives' pleadings. Krishna agreed to sit by and watch the proceedings unfold. After donating Krishna to Narada, Satyabhama arranged for a big scale (tula) to be put up, and sent for her huge treasure of gold and jewellery. The scales did not budge. Narada warned her that if she was unable to balance

1080-439: Was Rukmini , and not her. Angered by his remark, Satyabhama challenged Narada to prove it. Narada, with his way with words, tricked her into accepting a vrata ritual, where she had to give Krishna away in charity to Narada, and reclaim him by offering the weight of Krishna in wealth. Narada is said to have persuaded her into accepting this vrata by telling her that Krishna's love for her would increase multifold if she succeeded in

1116-824: Was pleased by Satyabhama's dedication towards her husband and granted her the boon of perpetual youth. This is celebrated as the regional occasion of Naraka Chaturdashi, which falls on the first day of the festival of Deepavali . Krishna's victory against Narakasura liberated the asura's prisoners. Having rescued the 16,000 women, Krishna married them upon their request to restore them of their honour in society, making them his junior wives . Scriptural references Seeing Vasudeva in that condition, Satyabhama fanned him with chamaras and Garuda, with his wings. Krishna, finding relief and regaining consciousness, gave Satyabhama his bow Sarnga, which can be wielded in battle only with difficulty due to its great weight, and told her: "Devi, battle now with Naraka. I am suffering and I am tired from

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1152-462: Was present in her vicinity, immolating herself. Vedavati would be born again as Sita , and as proclaimed, she was the triggering cause of Ravana and his relatives's death, though her husband Rama would be the agent. According to the Brahma Vaivarta Purana , Vedavati encountered the goddess Parvati during the duration of her penance. Pleased by her devotion, the goddess offered Vedavati

1188-483: Was served by Satyabhama. Satyabhama and few other dear wives of Krishna entered the woods, resolved to set themselves to the practice of penances. They began to live on fruits and roots and pass their time in the contemplation of Hari. Going beyond the Himavat, they took up their abode in a place called Kalpa. 'Bhama Kalapam' is a Kuchipudi dance-drama that narrates the story of Satyabhama. Traditionally, every Brahman in

1224-407: Was terribly weakened from the incisions of Krishna's sword, finally recognized him as Rama and surrendered to him. As repentance for his deeds, Jambavan returned the jewel back to Krishna and requested him to marry his daughter Jambavati. Krishna returned the jewel to Satrajita. He promptly offered to give Krishna the jewel and his daughter Satyabhama, in marriage. Krishna accepted them, but refused

1260-508: Was the owner of the Syamantaka jewel. Satrajit, who secured the jewel from the sun-god Surya and would not part with it even when Krishna , the king of Dvaraka , asked for it saying it would be safe with him. Shortly thereafter, Prasena, the brother of Satrajita, went out hunting wearing the jewel but was killed by a lion. Jambavan , known for his role in the Ramayana , killed the lion and gave

1296-442: Was there, that an encounter took place between the mighty' Naraka and Vishnu of immeasurable strength. Slain by Krishna, Naraka lay lifeless there, like a Karnikara tree uprooted by the wind. Having slain the Earth's son, Naraka, and also Mura, and having recovered those jewelled ear-rings, the learned Krishna of unparalleled prowess came back, adorned with beauty and undying fame. KMG Udhyoga Parva chapter 48 Harivamsa Seeing

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