Renuka-Yellamma [was Scientists Save Shrinking Himalayan Lake

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Hi Prainbow:

 

Sorry to hear of your continuing job woes. Perhaps some help will be

coming your way sooner than you think.

 

I was fascinated to read Satish's explanation of Renuka as synonomous

with Chinnamasta. I knew both devis are associated with headlessness,

so it would make sense that their worship and meaning would coincide.

But I'd never made the connection -- thanks, Satish!

 

For what it's worth, here's an alternative legend of Renuka's origin,

which brings in the Yellamma connection you asked about. Perhaps it

will shed some further light on this devi.

 

Renuka is said to have been the beautiful wife of an old Brahmin sage

named Jamadagni. Through her exemplary chastity (that's a story in

itself; see Wadley's "The Powers of Tamil Women"), Renuka acquired

many powers, one of which was the ability to collected water in

unbaked clay pots.

 

One day, while collecting water on the banks of the Narmada River,

she spied a physically beautiful young prince bathing nearby.

Unthinking, her eyes lingered on him for a few moments, and sexual

desire arose in her heart. At once she lost her siddhis, and her

unbaked pots immediately dissolved away into the river's current.

 

When she returned home without water or pots, old Jamadagni divined

what had happened and flew into a rage. He ordered his five sons to

kill their unchaste mother. The first four sons refused to obey, but

the youngest, Parashurama, raised his axe, intent on striking his

mother down.

 

Renuka ran for her life, finally taking refuge in the home of an

outcaste woman named Yellamma. When Parashurama burst into Yellamma's

hut and raised his axe to kill Renuka, Yellamma tried to stop him,

stepping between the mother and the son. But Parashurama was already

in mid-swing and could not stop in time -- and he beheaded both women.

 

Parashurama went home and told his father that the death sentence had

been carried out. Pleased with his son's unquestioning obedience,

Jamadagni offered to grant him any desire.

 

Parashurama asked, "Bring my mother back to life."

 

Jamadagni agreed. He gave Parashurama a pot of holy water and

instructed him to rejoin Renuka's head to her body, then sprinkle the

water over her to restore her to life. The ritual would also suffice

to resurrect the accidentally slain Yellamma.

 

Parashurama rushed back to Yellamma's hut to carry out the riual. But

in his haste, he placed his mother's Brahmin head on Yellamma's

outcaste body and Yellamma's outcaste head on Renuka's Brahmin body.

Both thereupon became devis.

 

Renuka is still a popularly worshipped goddess form today, usually

represented as a head without a body -- and is often referred to as

Renuka-Yellamma. Also, Lajja Gauri -- the goddess usually portrayed

as a headless, nude woman's body -- is frequently associated with

this myth. Devi's head alone is worshipped as Renuka-Yellamma; Her

body alone is worshipped as Lajja Gauri.

 

Aum Maatangyai Namahe

 

--- prainbow61 <paulie-rainbow wrote:

> Namaste,

>

> I'm interested in this Goddess Renuka, but I could

> find very little

> online. Perhaps I'm looking in the wrong places.

>

> I did find this hymn to Goddess Renuka, but it's in

> sanscrit which

> this computer won't even display properly:

>

> http://sanskrit.gde.to/doc_devii/reNukAstotram.html

>

> And this picture of a household shrine to Goddess

> Renuka:

>

> http://www.asia.si.edu/devi/fulldevi/deviCatRenuka.htm

>

> There also seemed to be some connection to the

> Goddess Yelamma, but

> I'm not clear on the connection.

>

> I would appreciate an information you have to offer.

>

> Blessings,

>

> prainbow

>

> , "Devi Bhakta"

>

> <devi_bhakta> wrote:

> > According to Hindu lore, the lake is the

> embodiment of the goddess,

> > Renuka. Each November, a fair is held to celebrate

> her immortality.