Renuka-Yellamma

[Guest guest]

LOL. Another version of Renuka-Yellamma. One of the many folk lore

that have no basis?

 

 

She [ Renuka ] is an extremely pious, pure wife who is married to a

devout holy man. She is so pure that she can perform miraculous tasks

such as making jars out of loose sand and boiling water simply by

placing a pot of water on her head. One day, however she sees two

gandharvas making love and feels envy for them. Thereupon she loses

her miraculous powers. Discovering this and suspecting sexual

disloyalty, her husband commands their son [ Parasuraman ] to kill

his mother. The Son obeys his father and decapitates his mother. To

show his great pleasure to the Son, the father grants him one boon.

The Sons asks that his mothers life to be restored. Eventually she is

restored to life, but in the process her head and body get transposed

with those of an untouchable woman. When she return home [ in her new

state : body of an untouchable ] her husband refuse to accept her

changed form, and curses her instead. She became the bearer of

the "Pearl" which is the name givento Small Pox. She has authorities

over this disease. She brings this disease upon the rishis who begs

for healing. She offers him healing if she be permitted to go to the

four worlds of Siva, Vishnu, Brahma and Yama. The rishis granted her

wishes. She went to Shiva and causes the disease on him. In exchange

for healing she receives his Shoolani [ a forked weapon] and his cow.

She inflicts Vishnu and gets from him his Conch Shell and wheel. From

Brahma she gets consent for converting her name. She is no longer

Renuka but assumes the name Mariyamman [ the changed mother ]. She

then inflicts Yama with and from Yama wife she demanded a huge

festival for her only then she remove the"pearl- like' form from Yama

face.