Devayani, Devayanī, Devayānī: 8 definitions

Introduction
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In Hinduism
1. Purana
2. General definition
Languages
1. Sanskrit
See also

Introduction:

Devayani means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

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In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: Wisdom Library: Bhagavata Purana

Devayānī (देवयानी):—Daughter of Śukrācārya and one of the two wifes of Yayāti (one of the six sons of Nahuṣa). She gave birth to Yadu and Turvasu. (see Bhāgavata Purāṇa 9.18.4, 9.18.33)

Source: archive.org: Puranic Encyclopedia

Devayānī (देवयानी).—Sukrācārya’s daughter. Birth. Svāyambhuvamanu, son of Brahmā had two sons: Priyavrata and Uttānapāda. Priyavrata wedded Surūpā and Barhiṣmatī, two very beautiful daughters of Viśvakarmaprajāpati, and he had by Surūpā ten sons called Agnīdhra, Idhmajihvā, Yajñabāhu, Mahāvīra, Rukmasukra, Ghṛtapṛṣṭha, Savana, Medhātithi, Vītihotra and Kavi as also a daughter called Ūrjasvatī who was the youngest of the whole lot. Of the above ten sons Kavi, Savana and Mahāvīra were spiritual giants and great sages. Uttama, Tāpasa and Raivata, the three sons of Priyavrata by his second wife Barhiṣmatī turned out to be manvantarādhipatis. Ūrjasvatī, the only daughter of Priyavrata was married to Śukrācārya, preceptor of the asuras. Devayānī was Śukrācārya’s daughter by Ūrjasvatī. (Devībhāgavata, Aṣṭama Skandha). (See full article at Story of Devayānī from the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani)

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

1a) Devayānī (देवयानी).—The daughter of Śukra and Ūrjasvatī (Yajanī, Jayantī);¹ accompanied Śarmiṣṭhā, the Asura king's daughter to water-sports; when Śarmiṣṭhā clothed herself with Devayānī's dress by mistake, Devayānī treated her as a slave, she being the daughter of a Brahmana Purohita. The Princess became enraged, stripped her and cast her into a well and went away; when she was crying helpless there came Yayāti who was on a hunting expedition. He gave her his upper cloth to wear and lifted her up. Devayānī requested him to be her husband, saying that she had been cursed by Kaca, Bṛhaspati's son, to marry only a Kṣatriya. Yayāti agreed and departed. Devayāni reported Śarmiṣṭhā's conduct to her father Śukra who left the palace in disgust. The king implored him on his knees, when Śukra agreed to stay on if Śarmiṣṭhā would be appointed as servant of his daughter. This was agreed upon, and Śarmiṣṭhā became her servant. When Devayānī was married to Yayāti, Śukra presented Śarmiṣṭhā as his daughter's maid. She had two sons Yadu and Turvasu. Learning of her husband's connection with Śarmiṣṭhā during her own pregnancy, Devayānī left for her father's house. Yayāti followed her and was cursed by Śukra to fall a prey to old age. Yayāti appealed to him to mitigate the curse as his desire for enjoyment with his daughter was still keen. Then Śukra said that if anyone would give him his youth and take up old age then he could regain his youth. His son Pūru agreed and once more the king enjoyed the company of Devayānī;² heard the story of an ewe loved by a ram from Yayāti, and thought it was an allusion to her; became detached and cast off her body with her mind on Hari.³

1) Bhāgavata-purāṇa V. 1. 34; Matsya-purāṇa 24. 52-3; Vāyu-purāṇa 1. 155; 65. 84; 98. 20; Viṣṇu-purāṇa IV. 10. 4, 20.
2) Bhāgavata-purāṇa IX. 18. 7-51; Matsya-purāṇa 25. 7; Chh. 26 to 32.
3) Bhāgavata-purāṇa IX. 19. (whole); Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 1. 86; 68. 15; Vāyu-purāṇa 93. 15-16.

1b) A daughter of Jayantī and a granddaughter of Indra.^*

* Matsya-purāṇa 47. 186.

Source: JatLand: List of Mahabharata people and places

Devayānī (देवयानी) is a name mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. I.70.32) and represents one of the many proper names used for people and places. Note: The Mahābhārata (mentioning Devayānī) is a Sanskrit epic poem consisting of 100,000 ślokas (metrical verses) and is over 2000 years old.

Source: Shodhganga: The saurapurana - a critical study

Devayānī (देवयानी) (the daughter of Śukra) was one of the two wives of Yayāti: one of the sons of of Virajā and Nahuṣa, according to the Vaṃśānucarita section of the 10th century Saurapurāṇa: one of the various Upapurāṇas depicting Śaivism.—Accordingly, [...] Nahuṣa married Virajā (the daughter of Pitṛ) and was blessed with five sons of whom Yayāti was the most famous. Yayāti had two wives—Devayānī and Śarmiṣṭhā. Devayānī gave birth to Yadu and Turvasu.

context information

The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.

General definition (in Hinduism)

Source: WikiPedia: Hinduism

Devayanī (देवयानी): The beautiful daughter of Shukracharaya, preceptor of the demons, who fell in love with Kacha, son of Brihaspati, preceptor of the Devas.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Devayānī (देवयानी).—Name of the daughter of Śukra, preceptor of the Asuras. [She fell in love with Kacha, her father's pupil, but he rejected her advances. On this she cursed the youth, who in return cursed her that she should become the wife of a Kṣatriya (See kaca.) Once upon a time Devayānī and her companion Śarmiṣṭhā, the daughter of Vṛṣaparvan, the king of the Daityas, went to bathe keeping their clothes on the shore. But the god Wind changed their clothes, and when they were dressed they began to quarrel about the change until Śarmiṣṭhā, so far lost her temper that she, slapped Devayānī's face, and threw her into a well. There she remained until she was seen and rescued by Yayāti, who, with the consent of her father, married her, and Śarmiṣṭhā became her servant as a recompense for her insulting conduct towards her. Devayānī lived happily with Yayāti for some years and bore him two sons, Yadu and Turvasu. Subsequently her husband became enamoured of Śarmiṣṭhā, and Devayānī, feeling herself aggrieved, abruptly left her husband and went home to her father, who at her request condemned Yayāti with the infirmity of old age; see Yayāti also.]

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1) Devayānī (देवयानी):—[=deva-yānī] [from deva-yāna > deva] f. Name of a daughter of Uśanas or Śukrācārya (wife of Yayāti and mother of Yadu and Turvasu), [Mahābhārata; Harivaṃśa; Purāṇa]

2) [v.s. ...] of a wife of Skanda, [Religious Thought and Life in India 214.]

context information

Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.

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Search found 49 books and stories containing Devayani, Deva-yani, Deva-yānī, Devayanī, Devayānī; (plurals include: Devayanis, yanis, yānīs, Devayanīs, Devayānīs). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Status of Women in the Matsya Purāṇa < [Chapter 5 - Cultural history in the Matsya-Purāṇa]

Family life according to the Matsya Purāṇa < [Chapter 5 - Cultural history in the Matsya-Purāṇa]

Lineages of Budha < [Chapter 6 - Human history in the Matsya-Purāṇa]

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Story of Devayānī

Story of Kaca

Story of Yayāti

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Section LXXXI < [Sambhava Parva]

Section LXXX < [Sambhava Parva]

Section LXXXIII < [Sambhava Parva]

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