Canto LXXVII - The Vaivasvata Manvantara

The Sun married Tvaṣṭṛ’s daughter Sañjñā, and their children were Manu Vaivasvata and Yama—Mārkaṇḍeya narrates, how the Sun’s splendour was pared down by Tvaṣṭṛ because she could not endure it.

Mārkaṇḍeya spoke:

The Sun Mārṭaṇḍa’s wife was Viśvakarman’s illustrious daughter, by name Sañjñā. The Sun begot of her a son, a Manu, of celebrated fame, learned in many sciences; since he was Vivasvat’s son, he was called Vaivasvata in sooth.

And Sañjñā used to shut her eyes when the Sun gazed on her, and the Sun in anger thereat spoke sharply to Sañjñā—“Because thou dost always imprison thine eyes when thou seest me, O silly one, thou shalt therefore give birth to Yama, the imprisoner^[1] of mankind.”

Mārkaṇḍeya spoke:

Thereupon the goddess, unnerved by fear, became wildeyed, and the Sun seeing her agitated glances addressed her again — “Since thine eye-sight has become agitated,^[2] now that thou hast seen me, thou shalt therefore give birth to a daughter, the river Vilolā.”^[3]

Mārkaṇḍeya spoke:

Hence through that her husband’s curse Yama verily was born of her, and also Yamunā this famous and very great river. And it was with pain that Sañjñā, the noble lady, endured the Sun’s splendour; and then unable to bear the splendour she fell into thought—“What am I to do? Where am I to go? Where shall I go that I may find ease? And how shall the Sun, my husband, control his wrath?” So pondering in many ways, the Prajāpati’s illustrious daughter then thought much of actually taking refuge with her father. Thereupon the famous lady having resolved to go to her father’s house fashioned her body, that the Sun loved, in shadow-form, and addressed her shadow-self— “Remain thou here in the Sun’s house even as I; and behave thou becomingly to the children even as to the Sun And though questioned say nothing of this my going away; say always this, ‘I am she indeed, Sañjñā by name.’”

The Shadow-Sañjñā spoke:

“O lady, I will obey thy order and will so declare, as far as suffering my hair to be seized and as far as undergoing curses; it is performed indeed as far as drawing curses down upon my self.”

The goddess^[4], receiving this assurance, then went to her father’s abode. She saw Tvaṣṭṛ there cleansed from stain by means of austerities. And being honoured by him, Viśvakarman, with much respect, she remained in her father’s house some time, unreproached. Then her father spoke to the beautiful lady, his daughter, when she had dwelt there not very long, after praising her and prefacing his speech with love and much respect—

“Now while I have been seeing thee my child, the days though very many may be reckoned as equal to half a moment; nevertheless righteousness suffers loss. Dwelling a long time among kinsmen brings no good repute to women; kinsmen hold a woman’s proper residence is in her husband’s house. Such art thou, and thou art mated to a husband, the Sun, the lord of the three worlds; deign not my daughter to dwell a long time in thy father’s house. Being such, go thou to thy husband’s home. I am pleased; thou hast been honoured by me. Thou must come again to see me, my beautiful one.”

Mārkaṇḍeya spoke:

Thus was she admonished by her father then, and she agreeing saluted her father respectfully and went to the Northern Kurus, O muni, disliking the Sun’s heat, afraid of his splendour; and there she practised austerities, changed into a mare’s shape.

The lord of day thinking the shadow-form, was Sañjñā, begot of that other two sons and a charming daughter. Now the Shadow-Sañjñā was very affectionate to the other children just as to her own; Sañjñā did not use to show special attention to her daughter and two sons daily by caresses^[5] and other marks of pleasure. Manu accepted that affection from her; Yama did not bear it patiently from her, and indeed he lifted his foot in anger to kick her, but, again moved with forbearance towards her, did not strike it against her body. Thereupon, O brāhman, the Shadow-Sañjñā in anger cursed Yama, her upper lip quivering slightly, and her delicate hand shaking—“Because thou spurnest me, thy father’s wife, disrespectfully with thy foot, this thy foot shall therefore fall this very day to the earth.”

Mārkaṇḍeya spoke:

Yama, terrified on hearing the curse that his mother had pronounced on him, went to his father and falling prostrate before him spoke:—

Yama spoke:

O father, this great marvel was never seen by any one, that a mother casting love away imprecates a curse on her son. She is not mother to me in the same way as Manu calls her his mother; no mother would abandon her good qualities even towards sons devoid of good qualities.

Mārkaṇḍeya spoke:

Hearing this speech from Yama, the adorable Dispeller of darkness called the Shadow-Sañjñā and asked her—“Where has she gone?” And she answered—“I am Tvaṣṭṛ’s daughter Sañjñā, O god of fire, thy wife; through thee these children were begotten of me.” Now when, as Vivasvat was thus questioning her repeatedly, she did not speak further, the Sun enraged thereat prepared to curse her. Thereupon she told the Sun what had happened, and the god knowing the truth went to Tvaṣṭṛ’s abode.

He then paid honour to the Sun, the god honoured by the three worlds, who had visited his house, with sublime faith. Viśvakṛt on being asked about Sañjñā, then told him — “She came indeed here to my house, saying she had been verily sent by thee.” And the Sun, collecting his mind in meditation, perceived her in mare’s shape practising austerities among the Northern Kurus, and the Sun understood the purpose of her austerities, namely, ‘May my husband become mild in body, beautiful in form.’ “Pare down my splendour now” quoth the Sun also to Sañjñā’s father Viāva-karman, O brāhman. And Viśvakarman thereupon pared down the splendour of the year-revolving Sun, and obtains the praises of the gods.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

A play on the words saṃ-yama, yama and saṃ-yamana.

[2]:

Vi-lolita.

[3]:

This means the Yamunā, see the next verse. This name is not given in the dictionary and I have not met with it elsewhere.

[4]:

For davī read devī.

[5]:

For nalinādi read lālanādi, with the Bombay edition.