PART I Five Holy Virgins, Five Sacred Myths

PART I

Five Holy Virgins, Five Sacred Myths

A Quest for Meaning

Pradip Bhattacharya

When Vyasa asked Ganesha to become his amanuensis, the elephant-headed god agreed,
provided the dictation proceed without pause. Vyasa, in turn, laid down a condition of his
own: nothing should be transcribed without comprehension. To wrest breathing space, he
often composed shlokas so abstruse that even the elephant-headed god had to pause,
before writing them down, to plumb their meaning.
It is not only these Vyasa-kuta in the Mahabharata that challenge comprehension. Even a
traditional saying can pose an enigma, raising questions that have no simple answers. We
begin a five-part series on the Panchakanyas of the Indian epics, taking as our starting point
a Sanskrit verse in praise of these five women, all dancers to a different drum. In their stories,
in their choices and the consequences these led to, we find upheld a pattern of values quite
other than is conventionally understood to be the case.

There is an ancient exhortation1 these panchakanyas be extolled as designated as kavya, truth perceived
naming five maidens as redemptive and why, indeed, is the by a kavi, a seer-poet. Hence, in
pratah-smaraniya, urging intriguing term kanya applied to them? evaluating the characters they have
that they be invoked daily at dawn: As we shall see, the key to the mystery created, it is necessary to probe
of these five ‘virgin’ maidens lies in consciously beneath the surface
Ahalya Draupadi Kunti Tara the type of sexual encounters they appearance to reach the underlying
Mandodari tatha have with non-husbands, encounters meaning. When such an exhortation
that are neither rape nor adultery but has come down the centuries, it
Panchakanya smaranityam are, in fact, quite unique. cannot be dismissed as a meaningless
mahapataka nashaka conundrum, specially when it
Of this group three – Ahalya, Tara, combines, as this one does, as many
(Ahalya, Draupadi, Kunti, Tara and and Mandodari – belong to the as five myths in one verse.
Mandodari: constantly remembering Ramayana, the epic composed by
these virgins five destroys great Valmiki, the first seer-poet. Draupadi Ahalya: Crime and Punishment
failings.) and Kunti are celebrated in Vyasa’s
Mahabharata. At the outset, we need It is the nobility of her character,
The verse poses a puzzle worth to keep in mind that Valmiki and her extraordinary beauty and the fact
grappling with. Two things strike us Vyasa’s great compositions are of her being chronologically the first
in this verse: the use of the epithet kanya that places Ahalya at the head
kanya (virgin, maiden), not nari of the five virgin maidens. She had
(woman); and the unusual been true to her independent nature,
combination of names that redeem, fulfilling her womanhood in a manner
of whom at least two – Ahalya and that she found appropriate, though,
Draupadi – are ayonijasambhava, finally, she is unable to assert herself.
“not-of-woman-born”. Of the five
kanyas, none quite measure up to the The name Ahalya itself has a
standard of monogamous chastity, double meaning: one who is flawless;
commended so overwhelmingly in it also means un-ploughed, that is, one
our culture. Each has had either an who is a virgin. Her origin-myth2 states
extra-marital relationship or more than that, having created this flawless
one husband. Why should invoking

4 MANUSHI

beauty from what was unique and The Ahalya myth in Orissi patachitra
loveliest in all creatures (as was later
done to create Tilottama), Brahma husband. Mortal woman welcomes the every act of rape and lose all peace of
handed her over to the sage Gautama intimate touch of heaven’s immortal, mind. As for Ahalya, she would cease
for safe custody until she reached driven by that irrepressible curiosity to be unique as the only beautiful
puberty. When Gautama handed her for varied and unusual experience, and female – other lovely women would
back to the Creator, he was so pleased a willingness to take risks for it, which be born. (That is why men fall in love
with the sage’s self-restraint that he is said to characterise the feminine. with different women, projecting their
bestowed Ahalya upon him. Indra, lord anima on to them.) When Ahalya
of the gods, enamoured of her beauty, Although Ahalya already had a protested that she could not
had presumed that this loveliest of son, Shatananda, yet the deepest urges recognise the disguised Indra and
women was meant for him and of her femininity remained unfulfilled. was not guilty of wilful wickedness,
resented a forest-dwelling ascetic The kanya is not just mother but is Gautama relented and said that he
becoming her spouse. In the Adi also beloved, and it is this aspect that would take her back after she had
(Bala) Kanda of the Ramayana, had not been actualised in her been purified through Rama accepting
Vishvamitra tells Rama and Lakshmana relationship with Gautama. The first her hospitality.
that, assuming Gautama’s form in his kanya not-born-of-woman, Ahalya
absence, Indra approached Ahalya has the courage to respond to the call In popular retelling of the myth,
saying, “Those craving coitus cannot of her inner urge, but does not depicted often enough on stage and
wait; I crave union, slim-waisted one!” challenge the sentence pronounced in films and television serials, Ahalya
on her by patriarchal society. is turned to stone. She regains her
Though Ahalya saw through the form only when Ram, reluctantly,
disguise, yet out of curiosity The Backlash places his foot on her head. In Valmiki,
(kutuhalat) – the same impulse that however, there is no petrifaction nor
impels Kunti to summon Surya – she The Uttara Kanda4 version is does Rama restore the stone-Ahalya
granted him sexual favours and said, exculpatory, as may be expected of a to flesh and blood. These are Katha-
“I am gratified. Now leave this place later addition to the epic. Here Sarit-Sagara innovations. We
quickly, best of gods! Protect yourself Agastya states that, infuriated at witness here a male backlash that
and me from Gautama in every way.” Brahma bestowing Ahalya upon condemns the woman as soiled even
As Indra was leaving, however, Gautama, Indra raped her, thus though she may not be at fault, as
Gautama returned. By his curse, Indra’s absolving Ahalya of any active role Rama does with Sita.
testicles fell off. Another version in in the liason. Gautama cursed Indra
the Mahabharata (12.342.23) states to suffer imprisonment (by
that Indra’s beard was turned yellow Meghanada), bear half the guilt of
by the curse. Ahalya was condemned
to perform penance in that terrible
forest, hidden from all, fasting
(“subsisting on air”), sleeping in
ashes, tormented by guilt. Gautama
ordained that, purified of delusion
(lobhamohavivarjita), by offering
hospitality to Rama, she, fairest of all
(varavarnini3) would be redeemed to
rejoin him.

This account is frank regarding
Ahalya’s deliberate choice to satisfy
her curiosity. Creation’s sole beautiful
woman, she is the archetypal feminine
responding to the ardent, urgent, direct
sexual advances of the ruler of heaven
who presents such a dazzling contrast
to her ascetic, aged, forest-dwelling

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The opposite occurs in the Tagore’s Ahalya
Mahabharata version, told in the
Shanti Parva, where the furious “What were your dreams, Your lines of sin and stress. Today
Gautama commands his son Chirakari Ahalya, when you passed you shine
to slay his polluted mother (as Long years as stone, Like a newly woken princess, calm
Jamadagni ordered Parashurama to rooted in earth, prayer and pure.
behead Renuka), but later regrets his And ritual gone, You stare amazed at the dawn
rash command, realising that the fault sacred fire extinct world. The dew
lies not with his wife but with the In the dark, abandoned Which moistened your stone at
lustful Indra. The Brahma Purana5 forest-shram? Earth night shimmers now
has Gautama turn Ahalya into a dry Merged with your body; did On your black, loosely-flowing
stream and disfigure Indra – who, you know her vast hair. The mosses
terrified, has become a cat – with a Love, did hazy awareness Which clothed you with the green
thousand marks of the vulva. When haunt your stone? mantle of Earth,
Ahalya pleads her ignorance, Gautama …And keep you blindly, dimly, Thickened and brightened by each
grants her redemption upon her half-awake? fall of rain,
mingling with the Gautami River. By …When life’s excited zest Are now a sari lightly placed by a
bathing in the same river, the marks Rushed along branching paths mother’s
on Indra’s body turn into eyes and he in numerous forms Loving hand on your glorious
becomes “thousand-eyed” like the To conquer the desert, did it naked limbs.
Greek Argus. rise in outrage, The world smiles; you
Circle your stone and crush recognise that smile.
The Shiva Purana6 features your sterile curse? You gaze; your heart swings
Ahalya in an incident said to have Didn’t its pounding blows back from the far past,
occurred in another epoch (yuga). shake you awake?… Traces its lost steps. In a
During a hundred year drought, Did you, long asleep on her sudden rush,
Gautama’s ascesis resulted in Varuna breast, enter All round, your former
gifting him an inexhaustible well, That place of oblivion, cool as knowledge of life returns…
because of which his hermitage endless night, …Like first
became a refuge for the distressed, Where millions sleep forever Created dawn, you slowly rise
including the Seven Sages. The wives without fear, from the blue
of the Seven Sages abused Gautama’s Resting their life’s exhaustion Sea of forgetfulness. You stare
disciples, insisting on having access in the dust, entranced;
to the well first. When Ahalya went Where withered flowers fall in The world, too, is speechless;
to resolve the dispute, they abused the day’s heat, face to face
her as well and lied to their husbands Burnt-up stars and meteors, Beside a sea of mystery none
about what had happened. Blinded crumbled fame, can cross
by passion for their wives, these sages Sated pleasure, grief too tired You know afresh what you
turned to Ganesha, the vighna-karta, to sting? have always known.”
god of obstacles. They had him turn There, Earth smoothed with
into an illusory cow that fell dead at her soothing hand Extracts from “Ahalya”
Gautama’s touch, whereupon they Rabindranath Tagore
stoned Ahalya and Gautama, driving
them out of the hermitage. Shiva (trans. William Radice)
cursed the sages and their wives to
be outside the Vedic pale, dooming MANUSHI
them to perdition. Here Ahalya is a
foil to the wickedness of the sages’
wives, instead of being the ‘fallen’
one. The Shiva Purana being later
than Valmiki’s composition, it is
probable that here we see a later

6

redactor’s attempt to re-write the connotes. When he and Lakshmana Among the panchakanyas,
Ahalya myth to remove the stigma of touch her feet in salutation, this Ahalya remains unique because of
adultery. recognition restores her self-respect the nature of her daring and its
and her status in society, so that consequence. Her single
The Katha-Sarit-Sagara7 version she truly lives again. (It is ironic transgression, for having done what
provides a clue to the psychological that though Rama’s visit redeems her femininity demanded, calls down
condition of Ahalya. The story is told Ahalya, it is because of his an awful curse. Because of her
to illustrate how evil acts lead to suspicions that Sita decides to unflinching acceptance of her
suffering for evildoers. On Gautama’s suffer fire and later enters exile and sentence, both Vishvamitra and
return, as in the Brahma Purana, Indra oblivion.) Vishvamitra repeatedly Valmiki glorify her. Chandra Rajan,
flees in the form of a cat and is cursed refers to Ahalya as mahabhaga, a sensitive modern-day poetess,
to be covered with the marks of the most virtuous and noble. In the eyes catches the psychological nuances
vulva he had so coveted. Replying to of this mighty rebel who proved that of her situation:
the sage’s enquiry about who had
been in the cottage, Ahalya Ahalya meeting Ram, Deogarh, 5th c. “Gautama cursed his impotence
dissimulates, saying that it was a and raged…
majjara (in Prakrit meaning both “cat” a kshatriya could transform himself she stood petrified
or “my lover”, because of which a into the greatest of seers, who uncomprehending
synonym for Indra is Ahalyayaijara). presented the world the Gayatri in stony silence
She is punished by being turned to mantra, saved Sunahshepa from withdrawn into the secret cave
stone, reflecting the social ostracism being sacrificed and created a of her inviolate inner self…
of transgressing women and their second heaven for the outcaste she had her shelter
consequent psychological trauma. In Trishanku, Ahalya was not a fallen sanctuary
the Adi Kanda of the Ramayana, woman. Valmiki’s description of benediction
Vishvamitra, who praises Ahalya to Ahalya as Rama sees her needs to within, perfect, inviolate
Rama, condemns the apsara Rambha be noted (my translation): in the one-ness of spirit
to a similar fate for disturbing his with rock rain and wind
ascesis at Indra’s behest. He curses “The Creator, it seems, with with flowing tree
her to become a stone until some utmost care and ripening fruit
sage of great spiritual prowess had perfected this form, and seed that falls silently
should redeem her. These are not divine, enchanting. in its time
simply physical transformations (as in Like a tongue of flame into the rich dark earth.” 8
the Grimms’ fairy tale of “Faithful smoke-shrouded,
John” or Hatim Tai’s “Seven Riddles”), Like the full moon’s glory Tara: Bold Statecraft
but a deep psychological trauma, in ice-reflected,
which oppressive guilt virtually Like blinding sunlight Tara,9 wife of Vali and daughter of
throttles the vital spirit, “freezing” the mirrored in water.” the vanara physician Sushena, is the
emotions and making the woman next kanya we meet in the Ramayana.
socially into a non-person. Ahalya She is a woman of unusual
becomes an automaton, denying her intelligence, foresight and self-
emotions, feelings and self-respect, confidence. In the Mahabharata she
shunned by all. Even as a mother, she is called sarvabhutarutajna, able to
finds no fulfilment. Shatananda, her understand the language of all
son, abandons her in the forest, despite creatures. In the Kishkindha Kanda
referring to her as renowned (mama of the Ramayana, we see her warning
mata yashasvini). Vali against Sugriva when he comes
to challenge Vali for the second time.
Ahalya’s Redemption Appearances are deceptive, she
points out; normally no contestant
On the other hand, Rama, at returns to the field so soon after
Vishvamitra’s behest, regards her as having been soundly thrashed.
blameless and inviolate, as her name Moreover, she says, she has heard
that Rama, prince of Ayodhya, has

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befriended him. She urges Vali to rights. To ensure that her son as Sugriva’s shield while ensuring
anoint Sugriva as the crown prince Angada is not deprived of his that her son Angada becomes the
and live in peace with him. Vali, father’s throne, she becomes her
in the Mahabharata account, brother-in-law Sugriva’s consort. crown prince.
suspects that Tara might be In the Mahabharata there
favouring Sugriva and When Lakshmana storms into is an interesting statement
therefore rejects her advice. the inner apartments of Kishkindha, in the Vana Parva that Vali
By brushing aside her wise to upbraid Sugriva who has reneged and Sugriva fought over
warning, he walks into on his promise to track down Sita, it a woman. Surely that
Rama’s arrow, as he himself is Tara who is sent by the terrified woman was the
admits while he lies dying. Sugriva to tackle this rage-incarnate. remarkable Tara for, the
He pays a fine tribute to his Approaching Lakshmana with Ramayana tells us,
wife, imploring Ram to intoxicated, half-closed eyes and when attendants report
ensure that tapasvinim Tara unsteady gait, lovely, slim, Lakshmana’s arrival,
is not insulted by Sugriva and unashamed, Tara effectively disarms Sugriva is so engrossed in
advising Sugriva to follow him. She gently reprimands him for
Tara’s advice unquestioningly. being unaware of lust’s Tara (and not his original
She is skilled, he says, in assessing overwhelming power that wife Ruma) that he remains
a situation and deciding what action overthrows the most ascetic of oblivious to the news. This
should be taken; she never judges sages, whereas Sugriva is a mere idea is reinforced when we find
the merit of anything wrongly. vanara (a forest dweller). When he that, in the Balinese dance Kebyar,
abuses Sugriva, Tara fearlessly “Rama helps Sugriwa get his lover,
After Vali’s fall, Tara not only intervenes, pointing out that the Dewi Tara, back from his brother,
rallies the fleeing subjects, but also rebuke is unjustified and details all SuVali.” 10 In both the Nrisimha
shows great political sagacity. the efforts already made to gather Purana (50.21-27) and the
When Hanuman asks her to stop an army. Once again, as when Mahanataka (5.51), Tara is actually
grieving and place her son Angada tendering advice to Vali, Tara Sugriva’s wife whom Vali forcibly
on the throne, she refuses, since, displays her superb ability to took away.
with his uncle Sugriva alive, this marshal information and to The Telegu Ranganatha
would be inadvisable. Then she intervene in a crisis. Thus, she acts Ramayana (4.4) has an even more
rushes to Rama and, in an extremely interesting account of Tara’s origins
forceful speech, demands that he kill that aligns her more closely with
her too. The strength of her Ahalya, by also depicting her as not
personality in facing up to the prince born of woman. In this account, Tara
of Ayodhya is strikingly portrayed. is said to have emerged along with
In Krittibas’ Bengali Ramayana, the other apsaras during the
Tara curses Rama to be slain by Vali churning of the ocean for amrita, the
in a future birth. This is confirmed nectar of immortality. Tara was then
in the Mahanataka and the Ananda gifted to Vali and Sugriva for the help
Ramayana where the hunter who they had given the gods.
causes Krishna’s death is Vali Subsequently, Sugriva married
reborn. In several vernacular Sushena’s daughter Ruma. The Thai
versions of the epic, Tara also Ramkien states that Vali was given a
curses Rama that he will not be able trident and Sugriva got Tara, but Vali
to enjoy the company of Sita for snatched her away and married her.
long. Tara’s upbraiding elicits 11 Dr. Ratna Roy, in her performance
Rama’s assurance that Sugriva will of the Pancha Kanya dance in the
protect both her and her son’s Mahari Odissi tradition, interprets
Tara’s predicament as a story that
reflects our present crisis, telling of
the plight of women during war.

8 MANUSHI

Brihaspati’s Tara actions Tara, the wife of Vali, saves Mandodari, who is pure, fair, slender
the kingdom and her son from ruin. and sharp, with voice like that of a
The earliest bearer of the name vina (somber and majestic), with the
“Tara” is the wife of Brihaspati who Mandodari: The Frog Princess gait of a white swan, flashing and
runs away with his disciple Chandra, restless eyes, and desired of all
causing the Tarakamaya war between It is with Mandodari, Ravana’s men.”12
the devas and their stepbrothers, the wife and the last kanya portrayed by
asuras. The name Tara, therefore, Valmiki, that we face a problem. There The story appears to be a version
carries an aura of internecine strife. is hardly anything special that Valmiki of the Oriya Dharma Purana (canto
Tara, like Helen with Paris, let herself has written about her except that, like 5). 13 Two hermits, Mandar and Udar,
be ruled by her preferences, ignoring Tara, her assessment of the enemy is refuse to share with the earth any part
social conventions in choosing to shrewd and correct. She warns her of their cow’s milk. Angered, she
leave her ascetic husband for the husband to return Sita to avoid despatches her son Maninaga to
young and irresistibly handsome destruction and has enough influence poison the milk. A female frog resident
Chandra. Even after the war, when the to prevent him from raping her. Of her in their ashram notices this and jumps
devas and the asuras fight again over birth, the dananva Maya states in the into the vessel of milk to save the
possession of her son, it is she who Uttara Kanda (canto 12) that she is sages. By their curse, she turns into a
has the last word. As this second war born to him from the apsara Hema kanya whom they name Vengavati
is inconclusive, Brahma himself who left him after giving birth (as and affiance to Vali. He, however, has
requests Tara to declare who is the apsaras do). The Mahari sexual intercourse with her before
father of her son. Once again, Tara Panchakanya dance composition, marriage and she becomes pregnant.
chooses to announce the truth however, provides the following myth Ravana asks the hermits for her hand.
instead of hiding behind the safety of her origin: When they refuse, he assumes Vali’s
of conventions and declares that form (like Indra with Ahalya) and
Chandra, not Brihaspati, is the father. “A snake poisons the milk of a spirits her away. Pulled in opposite
That is how she becomes the hermit as a frog watches. Realising directions by Ravana and Vali, she
ancestress of the Lunar dynasty, the the consequences, the frog jumps into splits into two, giving birth to Angad
Chandra Vamsa, whose fortunes are the bowl of milk and dies Yama and Vayu revive her. Thus, she
the stuff of Vyasa’s epic. instantaneously. The hermit, on his is a double of Tara. Being obtained
return, sees the frog in the milk and through ill means, she was named
Let us not forget that Tara is the curses it for its gluttony. The curse Mandodari; or perhaps she was
name of the second of the Ten reverses a former curse and the frog
Mahavidyas (the ten Transcendental turns into the beautiful maiden,
Wisdoms). Erich Neumann, while
discussing the highest form of Ravana and Mandodari, Rajasthani traditional painting
the feminine archetype, the
Goddess of Spiritual Transformation,
views Tara as the highest
evolution of this universal aspect
of consciousness. Her name
signifies both ‘star’ and ‘the pupil
of the eye’, conveying the idea
of a focal point, which suggests
that Tara is in some manner a
very concentrated essence. We
can also interpret her name as
coming from the causative form of
the verb t.’r, meaning ‘to cross’, ‘to
traverse’ or ‘to escape’. Like
Draupadi, as we shall see later, Tara
is ‘she who ferries across’, ‘she who
saves’. Indeed, by her intrepid

No.141 9

named after the two sages who turned womb”. So also manda udari “slow, Not Her Husband’s Shadow
her from a frog into a woman. womb...lady with slow
conception...” Mandodari gives birth Mandodari’s importance for
The Ananda Ramayana account to one Indrajit, son of Ravana, an Ravana is highlighted in certain
(1.9.33-57) has Vishnu create her from extraordinary fighter, and all- recensions which describe Ravana
the sandalwood paste smeared on his conquering warrior. Had Mandodari performing a sacrifice after his son
body to delude Ravana into believing given birth to one or two more Indrajit’s death. Vibhishana advises
that she is Parvati, whom he has asked Indrajits, a dozen Ramas have to take Rama to prevent him from completing
for from Shiva. According to the incarnation.”16 the ritual. When Hanuman fails to
Ranganath Ramayana, it is Parvati disturb Ravana’s meditation, Angada
who makes the doll and Shiva In Rajasthan, the Sri Alvar Tirth drags Mandodari by her hair to
breathes life into it. The doll is of the Jains celebrates the power of Ravana, tearing off her bodice and
Mandodari, whose beauty causes Mandodari’s chastity: girdle so that her skirt slips.
Parvati concern; she has Shiva turn Upbraiding her husband for
Mandodari into a frog. When Maya “Ravana, the king of Lanka shamelessly countenancing all this,
begs for children, Shiva restores the observed the vow of taking meals only she exclaims that such a husband were
frog to human form and gives her to after worshipping God. Once he was better dead and calls on her dead son
the danava as his daughter. Like going in a plane [sic] to a foreign to protect her honour. That arouses
Ahalya, Tara and Draupadi, country. When it was time for lunch, he Ravana who attacks Angada to free
Mandodari is also ayonijasambhava, landed near Alvar to take rest. He his wife, leaving the ritual incomplete
once again, not-of-woman-born. remembered the vow of worshipping and sealing his fate. 18
God but he had forgotten to bring the
There is an analogous myth idol with him. In order to keep the vow, The Khmer Ramakerti account
about her origin in the Telegu Uttara Mandodari made an idol of sand and has Hanuman snatch away
Ramayana.14 Once, when Parvati was invested it with life by reciting the Mandodari’s clothes to break
away, Shiva had intercourse with the mantra of Namaskar. Having Ravana’s meditation. The Thai
apsara Madhura, who came to worshipped God with devotion, Ravan Ramakien provides a fascinating
Kailash to worship him. On her return, and Mandodari kept their vow. By parallel with the Ahalya story and the
Parvati turned Madhura into a frog. virtue of the vow and Mandodari’s myth of Vishnu assuming
After twelve years, by Shiva’s grace, chastity, the presiding deity made the Shankhachuda or Jalandhar’s form to
the frog took the form of Mandodari idol adamantine. Thus, the idol of seduce his wife Tulsi. According to
who was adopted by Maya and Hema Parshvanathji worshipped by this telling, Mandodari had learnt the
and became the wife of Ravana. “The Mandodari and Ravan began to be secret of preparing amrita from Uma.
sperm of Shiva which remained known as ‘Shri Ravan Parshvanath.’ ”17 Assuming Ravana’s form, Hanuman
dormant in the womb of Mandodari embraces her. By thus sullying her
when she was a frog began to Kadambari Misra purity, her sanjivani yajna,
develop, and finally gave performed to make her husband
birth to Indrajit. Thus, the immortal, is rendered fruitless. 19
so-called son of Ravana –
Indrajit of Lanka – was an Like Tara, Mandodari accepts
intelligence son [sic] of Vibhishana, her husband’s
Shiva.”15
enemy and brother, as
Here we find another spouse, either at Rama’s
clue to the reason behind behest or because it was
her name. Desiraju the custom among non-
Hanumanta Rao, translating Aryans for a new ruler to
and commenting on the epic, wed an enthroned queen. In
writes, “When Shurpanakha was
claiming herself a befitting female for the Mahabharata, the
Rama, and belittling Seetha she uses rakshashi Hidimba has no
words like krishodari, shaatodari hesitation in pursuing her desire
meaning “a female with feeble for Bhima, who has just killed her
brother, and she even has a son
by him. In the Mahanataka, when
Mandodari asks Rama what her fate

10 MANUSHI

will be after the war and the death Kadambari Misra
of her husband, he prohibits her
from committing sati and advises as shadows of such strong here, along with Arundhati, Mena,
her to rule by Vibhishana’s side. The personalities as Vali and Ravana. Damayanti, Vedavati, Ganga and Yamuna
Bengali Krittibas Ramayan, the (Manasa in the Bengal recension) –
Oriya Balaramdas Ramayan, the To be continued Ahalyarundhati mena tara mandodari
Thai Ramkien and the Mahari dance para Damayanti vedavati ganga ca
composition all refer to Mandodari The author has written 22 books and manasa tatha.
marrying Vibhishana.20 Vernacular numerous papers on Indology and 2 Ramayana: Adi Kanda 48.15-34
versions of the epic have Comparative Mythology. He is a (Aryashastra recension, Kolkata 1964)
Mandodari curse Sita that she will Principal Secretary to the Govt. of West also known as Bala Kanda. Brahma Purana
be abandoned by her husband, Bengal and International HRD Fellow, 87.7 specifically mentions puberty as the
complementing Tara’s curse on ManchesterUniversity. time when Ahalya is to be returned to
Rama. Brahma.
Endnotes 3 Ramayana: Uttara Kanda 30.46. In
The Adbhut Ramayana (canto 8) Harivamsa 31. 31-34 she is one of
provides more insight. Ravana 1 “Ahinik Sutravali”, cf. Bharatiya the twins (king Divodasa being the other)
had stored blood drawn from Sanskriti Kosh by Liladhar Sharma born to Vadhryashva and Menaka.
ascetics in a pot and kept it with ‘Parvatiya’, (Delhi: Rajpal & Sons, 2nd Vadhryashya is the son of Maudgalya who
Mandodari, telling her that it edition, 1996) p. 502. Sharma also cites is one of the five sons of Vahyashva after
contained deadly poison. Furious the Brahmanda Purana, 3.7.219, but has whom the kingdom was named “Panchala”.
with his violating women during not seen it himself (personal There is no encounter with Indra in this
his conquests, she broke his communication). The verse was not found story, nor is Menaka called an apsara, so
injunction not to drink from the pot. in the editions of this Purana available in this must be another Ahalya.
By doing what she felt moved to Calcutta. Sudhirchandra Sarkar’s Pauranik 4 Ramayana: Uttara Kanda 30. Also
do, Mandodari shows she is not Abhidhan (Calcutta: M.C. Sarkar & Sons, Brahma Purana 87.44, 62 where Ahalya
her husband’s shadow. The 1963) has an entry on “Panchakanya” cites the ashram guards as witnesses that
consequence is that she becomes (p.287) giving these five names. This Indra deceived her by assuming the sage’s
pregnant, and, like Satyavati and shloka forms part of Orissa’s dying Mahari form and therefore she is not at fault.
Kunti later, discards the newborn dance composition, kept alive by Padma 5 Brahma Purana, canto 87
infant in the field Janaka ploughs Sri Guru Pankaj Charan Das, his disciple (Aryashastra recension, Calcutta, 1983).
to discover the orphan Sita. 21 This Dr. Ratna Roy and Ritha Devi. The Guru 6 Shiva Purana, 4.25-27 summarised by
is perhaps the reason why we see told Dr. Roy that the text was by Ratnakar W.D. O’Flaherty in The Origins of Evil in
Hanuman in the Sundara Kanda Bandhu (personal communication). Dr. Jan Hindu mythology (Delhi: Motilal
of the Ramayana mistaking E.M. Houben notes (http://listserv.liv.ac.uk/ Banarsidass, 1988) p. 298.
Mandodari (“resplendent in cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0302&L=indology& 7 Somadeva’s Katha Sarit Sagara,
bejewelled ornaments, fair, golden- D=1&F=P&O=D&P=8493) a similar sloka Taranga 17 translated by V.
complexioned, beautiful, mistress of in the Brahmavaivarta Purana, Prakriti Balasubrahmanyam (Calcutta: M.P. Birla
the royal inner apartments, khanda (16.68), celebrating famous Foundation, 1994), p.113.
embellishing the palace with her women as emanations of the goddesses 8 Chandra Rajan: Re-visions (Calcutta:
loveliness”) for Sita in Ravana’s Lakshmi, Sarasvati, Durga, Savitri, Writers Workshop, 1987) p. 12.
palace. Radhika, etcetera. All these are aspects of 9 Not to be confused with Tara, wife of
the supreme Prakriti herself, not created Brihaspati, preceptor of the gods who
Tara and Mandodari are by Brahma, and they are the cause of all elopes with his disciple Chandra, or with
parallels. Both offer sound advice that is auspicious. Three of the five kanyas Taramati, wife of king Harishchandra in
to their husbands who recklessly (Ahalya, Tara, Mandodari) are mentioned some Puranas and an example of a sati.
reject it and suffer the ultimate 1
responsible for the deaths of their
husbands. Thereby, they are able to
keep their kingdoms strong and
prosperous as allies of Ayodhya,
and they are able to continue to
have a say in governance. Tara and
Mandodari can never be described

No.141 11

10 h t t p : / / w w w . m u r n i s . c o m / 1 5 Dr. Abraham Kovoor: Gods, Demons Dvipada Ramayana 6.133-135, Ananda
Valinesedances.htm and Spirits, quoted www.uni-giessen.de/ Ramayana 1.11.229, Padma Purana
11 op.cit. p.469. ~gk1415/amorous-gods-and- Uttara khanda, canto 269 as having the
1 2 Parts III and IV of Guru Pankaj Charan goddesses.htm. incident as well.
Das’ repertoire presented by Dr. Ratna Roy. 1 6 www.valmikiramayan.net/kishkindha/ 1 9 Bulcke ibid.
She states that the five elements – earth, sarga58/kishkindha_58_prose.htm 20 Bulcke op.cit. p. 540; S.D. Singh,
water, fire, air and ether – represent the However, Vettam Mani’s Puranic Polyandry in Ancient India (Delhi: Motilal
five virtuous women (www.olywa.net/ratna- Encylopaedia states on p. 476 that Banarsidass, 1978) p. 141. Dr. Ratna Roy
david/ panchakanya.htm) and that the Mandodari has 3 sons: Meghanada, Atikaya writes that, in Part X
emphasis is on the purity of these women and Akshakumar. of the Mahari Panchakanya dance:
because they did not break any humanistic 1 7 www.jaintirth.org This ancient temple “In celebration of his victory, Rama places
codes, only the strictures of an orthodox survived till the fifteenth century. Bibhisana, Ravana’s brother, on the throne
patriarchal society. Rama sanctifies Ahalya, The new temple was built in the year 1654 of Lanka and blesses Mandodari as his bride
Tara and Mandodari at the climactic of the Vikram era, and the idol was and queen, virtuous in spite of her second
moment of the dance drama. reinstalled in the year 1983 of marriage.”
1 3 Fr. Camille Bulcke: Ramkatha—utpatti the Vikram era. Ravan Parshvanath 21 Bulcke (p.362-4) provides several
aur vikas (Hindi Parishad Prakashan, is mentioned in many ancient scriptures references to Jain versions and the
Prayag Vishvavidyalay, 3rd edition., 1971), and tirthmalas written from 1422 to 1689 Mahabhagavata Purana canto 42
pp. 636-7. of the Vikram era. that tell of Sita as the daughter
1 4 Vettam Mani: Puranic Encyclopaedia 18 Adhyatma Ramayana 6.10. Bulcke of Mandodari.
(Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1975) p. 476. op.cit. (p. 579) refers to the Telegu

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