Asikni | |
---|---|
Other names | Panchajani, Virani, Virini |
Devanagari | असिक्नी |
Gender | Female |
Genealogy | |
Parents | Virana or Panchajana (father) |
Consort | Daksha |
Children |
In Hindu mythology, Asikni ( Sanskrit: असिक्नी, romanized: Asiknī, lit. 'the dark one' or 'night'), also known as Panchajani and Virani, is a consort of Daksha in the Puranic pantheon. Most scriptures mention her as the mother of 6000 sons and 60 daughters.
The Sanskrit word "Asikni" means 'dark' or 'night'; it can also refer to "a girl attending woman's apartment". [1] [2] The word is used in the Rigveda (c. 1500 BCE) to describe the river Chenab. [3] [4] [a]
She is also known by the patronymic "Panchajani" and "Virani". [7]
Puranas differ about her parentage.
Devi-Bhagavata Purana, [7] Kalika Purana, [8] Garuda Purana, and Brahma Purana [9] note Asikni to have been born of Brahma's left thumb. According to the Bhagavata Purana [10] and Shiva Purana, [11] she was the daughter of Prajapati Panchajana.
Brahma Purana, [9] Brahmanda Purana, [12] Vayu Purana, [13] Kalika Purana, Kurma Purana, [14] Padma Purana, [15] Garuda Purana, [16] and Shiva Purana [11] note her to be the daughter of Prajapati Virana. [17]
The broad theme is common to Vayu Purana, [18] Bhagavata Purana, [8] and Brahma Purana. [9] [7] [b]
Daksa was delegated by Brahma to create beings to populate the cosmos; he went on to create gods, sages, asuras, yaskhas and rakhashas from his mind, but failed to be further successful. [7] [9] [c] [d] Upon a successful penance, Vishnu granted Asikni as his wife and urged him to engage in sexual union. [7] [10] [e]
Through their union, numerous children were born. [8] A common theme spans across the Brahmanda Purana, [12] Bhagavata Purana, [10] Linga Purana [19] [f], Garuda Purana, [16] Kurma Purana, [14] Shiva Purana, [11] [17] Vishnu Purana, [20] [21] Vayu Purana, [20] [13] Padma Purana [15] [g], and Brahma Purana [9] in this regard. [8]
Daksha and Asikni initially produced five thousand sons, who were known as Haryashvas. [7] They were interested in populating the Earth but upon the advice of Narada, took to discovering worldly affairs instead and never returned back. [7] [h] Daksha and Asikni again produced another thousand sons ( Shabalashvas), who had similar intentions but were persuaded by Narada to the same results. [7] [i] An angry Daksha cursed Narada to be a perpetual wanderer. This time, he birthed sixty daughters from Asikni. [8] [j] They were married off to different sages and deities, and went on to give birth to various species. [8] [9] [k] [l]
The Shiva Purana notes that thereafter Shiva had himself reincarnated within Asikni's womb; Asikni was widely respected and eulogized by all the deities during this span. [11] [m] In the tenth month, Asikni gave birth to Sati; she and Daksa went on to take good care of her. [11] [n]
Asikni | |
---|---|
Other names | Panchajani, Virani, Virini |
Devanagari | असिक्नी |
Gender | Female |
Genealogy | |
Parents | Virana or Panchajana (father) |
Consort | Daksha |
Children |
In Hindu mythology, Asikni ( Sanskrit: असिक्नी, romanized: Asiknī, lit. 'the dark one' or 'night'), also known as Panchajani and Virani, is a consort of Daksha in the Puranic pantheon. Most scriptures mention her as the mother of 6000 sons and 60 daughters.
The Sanskrit word "Asikni" means 'dark' or 'night'; it can also refer to "a girl attending woman's apartment". [1] [2] The word is used in the Rigveda (c. 1500 BCE) to describe the river Chenab. [3] [4] [a]
She is also known by the patronymic "Panchajani" and "Virani". [7]
Puranas differ about her parentage.
Devi-Bhagavata Purana, [7] Kalika Purana, [8] Garuda Purana, and Brahma Purana [9] note Asikni to have been born of Brahma's left thumb. According to the Bhagavata Purana [10] and Shiva Purana, [11] she was the daughter of Prajapati Panchajana.
Brahma Purana, [9] Brahmanda Purana, [12] Vayu Purana, [13] Kalika Purana, Kurma Purana, [14] Padma Purana, [15] Garuda Purana, [16] and Shiva Purana [11] note her to be the daughter of Prajapati Virana. [17]
The broad theme is common to Vayu Purana, [18] Bhagavata Purana, [8] and Brahma Purana. [9] [7] [b]
Daksa was delegated by Brahma to create beings to populate the cosmos; he went on to create gods, sages, asuras, yaskhas and rakhashas from his mind, but failed to be further successful. [7] [9] [c] [d] Upon a successful penance, Vishnu granted Asikni as his wife and urged him to engage in sexual union. [7] [10] [e]
Through their union, numerous children were born. [8] A common theme spans across the Brahmanda Purana, [12] Bhagavata Purana, [10] Linga Purana [19] [f], Garuda Purana, [16] Kurma Purana, [14] Shiva Purana, [11] [17] Vishnu Purana, [20] [21] Vayu Purana, [20] [13] Padma Purana [15] [g], and Brahma Purana [9] in this regard. [8]
Daksha and Asikni initially produced five thousand sons, who were known as Haryashvas. [7] They were interested in populating the Earth but upon the advice of Narada, took to discovering worldly affairs instead and never returned back. [7] [h] Daksha and Asikni again produced another thousand sons ( Shabalashvas), who had similar intentions but were persuaded by Narada to the same results. [7] [i] An angry Daksha cursed Narada to be a perpetual wanderer. This time, he birthed sixty daughters from Asikni. [8] [j] They were married off to different sages and deities, and went on to give birth to various species. [8] [9] [k] [l]
The Shiva Purana notes that thereafter Shiva had himself reincarnated within Asikni's womb; Asikni was widely respected and eulogized by all the deities during this span. [11] [m] In the tenth month, Asikni gave birth to Sati; she and Daksa went on to take good care of her. [11] [n]