Story of Ekavīra

* (HEHAYA). A founder of the Hehaya line of kings.

Genealogy.

Descending in order from Viṣṇu: Atri—Candra—Budha—Purūravas—Āyus—Yayāti—Yadu—Sahasrajit—Śatajit—Ekavīra (Hehaya).

Birth of Ekavīra.

Once there was a King called Revanta who was an intimate friend of Indra. One day riding on Uccaiḥśravas, Indra’s horse, he went to Vaikuṇṭha. Fascinated by the arresting beauty of Revanta, Mahālakṣmī sat gaping for a while and did not hear what Viṣṇu talked to her. Viṣṇu was offended and lost his temper. Lakṣmī was looking with interest alternatively at Revanta and the horse when Viṣṇu cursed her to be born as a mare on earth. Horrified, shedding tears, Lakṣmī begged for relief. Viṣṇu decreed that she would return to Vaikuṇṭha after giving birth to a son who would be equal in glory to Viṣṇu himself. Mahālakṣmī came to Earth taking the shape of a mare and lived in a forest situated at a point where the rivers Kālindī and Tamasā meet and where once Sūryapatnī stayed and did penance. Meditating on Śiva she lived there for a thousand divine years and then one day Śiva and Pārvatī appeared before her and asked her what she wanted. She then said "Oh, Bhagavan, Mahāviṣṇu cursed me and made me into a mare. He has decreed that I would go back after bringing forth a son as glorious as Viṣṇu. From whom am I to bear a son like this?" Śiva promised to find a solution and going to Vaikuṇṭha sent Viṣṇu to earth in the form of a horse. Viṣṇu came to Lakṣmī and they lived together for some time and soon a son was born to Lakṣmī. Leaving the child in the forest both of them went back to Vaikuṇṭha. It is this child who later on became the famous King, Ekavīra. It was because he was born of a horse that he got the names, Hehaya and Haihaya. (Skandha 6, Devī Bhāgavata).

How Ekavīra came to the palace.

It was at this time that Śatajit, son of the grandson of Yayāti was doing penance to obtain a son. He was also doing penance in the forest situated at a point where the rivers Kālindī and Tamasā meet. One night a Vidyādhara named Campaka came with a Vidyādharī named Madālasā and seeing the infant lying helpless in the forest took it to Devaloka. Indra recognised it as the child born to Viṣṇu and Lakṣmī on earth while they were living as horse and mare and so the Vidyādhara put it back on earth in the same place as before. Immediately Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇas appeared before Śatajit doing penance there and asking him to take care of a child lying helpless in another side of the forest disappeared. Immensely pleased at this Śatajit took the child to his palace and brought him forth as his own son giving the child the name Ekavīra. When the boy became a prince, Śatajit crowned Ekavīra King and went to the forest with his queen and after doing penance there for sometime attained Viṣṇuloka. (Skandha 6, Devī Bhāgavata).

Ekavīra marries Ekāvalī.

Once Prince Ekavīra accompanied by the son of the minister went for a pleasure trip to the banks of the river Gaṅgā. It was spring and the prince wandering about enjoying the sight of a flowery forest was soon arrested by the sight of a sweet smelling lotus with a hundred petals blooming in the river. By the side of the lotus was standing a beautiful damsel weeping. The prince went to her and asked her the reason for her weeping. After great persuasion she replied thus: "Oh, Prince, there is a country not far from yours which is now being ruled over by a very righteous King called Raibhya. His queen is called Rukmarekhā. They had no children for a very long time and so Raibhya conducted a Putrakāmeṣṭi yāga. When ghee was poured profusely into the sacrificial fire the flames rose up to great heights and from inside the flames came out a lovely maiden. The King named her Ekāvalī and bought her forth as his daughter. I am Yaśovatī the daughter of the minister there. We were of the same age and so I was asked to live with her as her companion. She was very fond of lotuses and the King constructed big ponds with lotuses in them for her recreation. Yet she used to go to other ponds also in search of lotuses.

One day we came to this side of the river Gaṅgā to play. Then a demon of name Kālaketu came and kidnapped her. I followed her. She never surrendered to the enticements and persuasions of Kālaketu. Her father wanted her to be married to Ekavīra, King of Hehaya. Kālaketu sent her to prison. Without knowing what to do next I am standing here weeping.

Hearing this Ekavīra went to Pātāla and defeating Kālaketu released Ekāvalī and brought both Ekāvalī and Yaśovatī to the palace of Raibhya. Pleased at this Raibhya gave his daughter in marriage to Ekavīra. Kārtavīryārjuna was born in the family of Ekavīra. (Skandha 6, Devī Bhāgavata).

*) The genealogy of Ekavīra is stated differently in different Purāṇas. Devī Bhāgavata states that Ekavīra is the son of Turvasu, son of Yayāti and that he is the father of Kārtavīryārjuna. It is not correct. The genealogy chronicled here is based on Agni and Viṣṇu Purāṇas. According to that Yadu, son of Yayāti is the father of the grandfather of Ekavīra: Yadu—Sahasrajit—Satajit—Hehaya (Ekavīra). Descending from Ekavīra—Dharma—Kuṇi—Bhadrasena—Dhanaka—Krtavīra—Kārtavīrvārjuna. From the grandson of Kārtavīryārjuna, Vṛṣṇi, starts the Vṛṣṇi dynasty.