Guest guest Posted December 31, 2009 Report Share Posted December 31, 2009 Browsing through the Web, I came across the idea of the Pancha Kanyas, or Five Maidens, who are heroines from Hindu legend. They were famous for their chastity and devotion, and invking their names is supposed to cleanse the worshipper of impurity. They are also supposed to represent the five Bhutas (elements), but I cannot find which heroine corresponds with which bhuta. They are: Mandodari, the lead wife of Ravana Ahalya, the wife of Gautama Draupadi, the wife of the Pandava brothers Sita, the wife of Lord Rama Tara, the monkey-wife of Vali I know Draupadi was born from a havan kund (Fire), and Sita was found in a furrow (Earth), there are legends that Mandodari was transfrmed from a female frog (talk about your Frog Princess!) -- perhaps she is Water? What about Wind and Akasha? Do any of our scholars know more? -- Len/ Kalipadma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 31, 2009 Report Share Posted December 31, 2009 Namaste: I do not know much about the Five Maidens, but I would guess that Ahalya would be Akasha and Tara would be Wind. No big scholarly reasons, just intuition. -S. Santo Sengupta " Aum Shanti Shanti Shantih. " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 2, 2010 Report Share Posted January 2, 2010 The hermitage belonged to sage Gouthama whose wife was *Ahalya* , who was created with all the beauty in the world by Brahma and Indra and Gouthama wanted to marry her. Brahma stipulated that she will be given to one who goes round the three worlds first and Indra started on his Airavatha while Gouthama went round Kamadhenu, who was about to deliver a calf, three times and claimed her hand, saying that it is equivalent to going round the three worlds. Indra could not conquer his desire for her and came to the hermitage in the diguise of Gouthama when Gouthama was away and enjoyed her company. When Gouthama came while they were together he was enraged and cursed Indra to lose his manhood and Ahalya to live there for 1000 years invisible to all and having only *Air *as her food exposed to heat and rain.When she asked for forgiveness he said she will attain her chastity again when Rama sets foot in the asrama.Then Visvamithra asked Rama to enter the hermitage to free Ahalya friom her curse. Sree On 1/1/10, Santo Sengupta <s.santo.sengupta wrote: > > > I do not know much about the Five Maidens, but I would guess that Ahalya > would be Akasha and Tara would be Wind. No big scholarly reasons, just > intuition. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 2, 2010 Report Share Posted January 2, 2010 Sir, What happened to Indra thereafter? Did he remain as impotent? --- On Sat, 2/1/10, Sreekumar <nairvps wrote: Sreekumar <nairvps Re: Five Maidens Saturday, 2 January, 2010, 5:59 AM Â The hermitage belonged to sage Gouthama whose wife was *Ahalya* , who was created with all the beauty in the world by Brahma and Indra and Gouthama wanted to marry her. Brahma stipulated that she will be given to one who goes round the three worlds first and Indra started on his Airavatha while Gouthama went round Kamadhenu, who was about to deliver a calf, three times and claimed her hand, saying that it is equivalent to going round the three worlds. Indra could not conquer his desire for her and came to the hermitage in the diguise of Gouthama when Gouthama was away and enjoyed her company. When Gouthama came while they were together he was enraged and cursed Indra to lose his manhood and Ahalya to live there for 1000 years invisible to all and having only *Air *as her food exposed to heat and rain.When she asked for forgiveness he said she will attain her chastity again when Rama sets foot in the asrama.Then Visvamithra asked Rama to enter the hermitage to free Ahalya friom her curse. Sree On 1/1/10, Santo Sengupta <s.santo.sengupta@ gmail.com> wrote: > > > I do not know much about the Five Maidens, but I would guess that Ahalya > would be Akasha and Tara would be Wind. No big scholarly reasons, just > intuition. > > The INTERNET now has a personality. YOURS! See your Homepage. http://in./ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 2, 2010 Report Share Posted January 2, 2010 Namaste: I am familiar with the mythology surrounding Ahalya. According to different accounts: - She was turned into a stone (Earth) - Made Invisible (Akasha) - Placed at the bottom of a well or pit (Water) - And made to subsist on only Air. Until she was freed from the Curse by Sri Rama. -S. Santo Sengupta " Aum Shanti Shanti Shantih. " On Sat, Jan 2, 2010 at 12:59 AM, Sreekumar <nairvps wrote: > > > The hermitage belonged to sage Gouthama whose wife was *Ahalya* , who was > created with all the beauty in the world by Brahma and Indra and Gouthama > wanted to marry her. Brahma stipulated that she will be given to one who > goes > round the three worlds first and Indra started on his Airavatha > while Gouthama went round Kamadhenu, who was about to deliver a calf, three > times and claimed her hand, saying that it is equivalent to going round the > three worlds. Indra could not conquer his desire for her and came to the > hermitage in the diguise of Gouthama when Gouthama was away and enjoyed her > company. When Gouthama came while they were together he was enraged and > cursed Indra to lose his manhood and Ahalya to live there for 1000 years > invisible to all and having only *Air *as her food exposed to heat and > rain.When she asked for forgiveness he said she will attain her chastity > again when Rama sets foot in the asrama.Then Visvamithra asked Rama to > enter > the hermitage to free Ahalya friom her curse. > > Sree > > > On 1/1/10, Santo Sengupta <s.santo.sengupta<s.santo.sengupta%40gmail.com>> > wrote: > > > > > > I do not know much about the Five Maidens, but I would guess that Ahalya > > would be Akasha and Tara would be Wind. No big scholarly reasons, just > > intuition. > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 3, 2010 Report Share Posted January 3, 2010 Subject : Five maha Satis, to be remembered by married women at dawn ,to remain pure as Satis. With due respect I submit the followings:  Our mythological literature provides beautiful stories and later on it was probably tried  to legalized the illegal activities,. As a result further stories were being cooked up. This process is still continuing. In stead of this Why don’t we accept the fact and proceed? Will it harm on acceptance as historical facts as part of development of civilization?  The Indian civilization to day is the out come of our living in this place over thousand and thousand years, starting from the days of living in Jungles. The rules and regulation which were mandatory during the initial period of civilization may not be appropriate under today’s circumstances; however some of them may be still relevant. We need to accept this truth that Change is constant.  If I accept this fact as stated above, I don’t hesitate to tell the fact of these five Maidens, who lead a very high status of life during their period.  1) Ahalya: the wife of Great Sage Goutama of Rig Vedic period., What ever be the reason, she and Lord Indra enjoyed each other. However , she is the one of the Sati(Maiden). 2) Tara: Wife of Devaguru Brhaspati. She eloped with Soma(Chandra) after her marriage with Brhaspati. She is termed as another Sati. 3) Mondodari: Wife of Ravana, the daughter in law of great Sage Pulahstha. She was married to her own brother in law after Ravana was killed by Rama. 4) Tara: Wife of Bali and sister in Law of Sugreeva. She married Sugreeva after Bali was killed by Rama, during the fight with Sugreeva. 5) There are various versions on 5th Sati. Some say it is “Kuntiâ€, others say it is “Draupadiâ€. We all know about both due to Great epic Mahabharata.  Is their any harm to accept the fact , what they had done, it was as per the rules and regulations of the society at that period, instead of justifying with respect to today’s rules, by making various stories?  Let us be courageous and brave to accept the fact and I think it will be good for our society.  Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 4, 2010 Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 Dasguptaji :-), There is a saying at Suchindrum as Aham pathen puram cholla matten or like that but my knowledge is very very limited and expanding millimeter by millimeter not inch by inch bcoz u know how difficult 'Swadhyay' is. sree On 1/2/10, Abhijit Dasgupta <abhijitdasgupta92 wrote: > > > > Sir, > > What happened to Indra thereafter? > > Did he remain as impotent? > > --- On Sat, 2/1/10, Sreekumar <nairvps <nairvps%40gmail.com>> > wrote: > > > > The hermitage belonged to sage Gouthama whose wife was *Ahalya* , who was > > created with all the beauty in the world by Brahma and Indra and Gouthama > > wanted to marry her. Brahma stipulated that she will be given to one who > goes > > round the three worlds first and Indra started on his Airavatha > > while Gouthama went round Kamadhenu, who was about to deliver a calf, three > > times and claimed her hand, saying that it is equivalent to going round the > > three worlds. Indra could not conquer his desire for her and came to the > > hermitage in the diguise of Gouthama when Gouthama was away and enjoyed her > > company. When Gouthama came while they were together he was enraged and > > cursed Indra to lose his manhood [....] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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