Rohini (wife of Vasudeva)
| Rohini | |
|---|---|
 Rohini (yellow attire) with Balarama | |
| Venerated in | Vaishnavism |
| Texts | Mahabharata |
| Genealogy | |
| Parents |
|
| Siblings | Somadatta and Pauravi |
| Spouse | Vasudeva |
| Children | Balarama (surrogate child) Sarana Shatha Sharu Subhra Pindaraka Ushinara Sishirayana Mahabhaga Manusha Subhadra (daughter) |
| Dynasty | Chandravamsha (by birth) Yaduvamsha (by marriage) |
In Hindu mythology, Rohini (Sanskrit: रोहिणी, lit. 'Ascending', IAST: Rohiṇī)[1] was the first consort of Vasudeva ,[2] and the mother of the Hindu deities Balarama and Subhadra. She plays a prominent role in the upbringing of Krishna.[3][4]
Legend
[edit]Rohini is described as the daughter of the king Bahlika, making her a cousin of Bheeshma. She is married to Vasudeva, a descendant of Yadu, a Chandravamsha king. Her sister, Pauravi, was also married to Vasudeva.[5]
Vasudeva also married Devaki, a princess of Mathura. The couple is imprisoned by Devaki's brother Kamsa, soon after their marriage. as a divine prophecy predicted Kans's death by Devaki's eighth son.
While Vasudeva is imprisoned, Rohini lives at the house of her husband's cousin[6][7] Nanda, in Vraja. While all previous sons of Devaki are slain, the seventh embryo is transferred to Rohini's womb. Rohini gives birth to Balarama.[5]
Krishna, the eighth child of Devaki, was exchanged with the daughter of Nanda and Yashoda in secrecy. Yashoda (foster-mother of Krishna) and Rohini play an important nurturing Krishna and Balarama in their childhood.[5]
After Vasudeva is freed by Krishna and Balarama, Rohini gives birth to a daughter, Subhadra.[8]
In the epic Mahabharata, after the death of Vasudeva after the Yadava massacre, Rohini cremates herself on Vasudeva's pyre along with his other wives Devaki, Bhadra, and Madira.[9]
Mother of Balarama
[edit]Balarama is given the matronymic epithet Rauhineya, "son of Rohini". In the Brahma Vaivarta Purana, Rohini is said to be an avatar of Kadru, mother of the serpents (naga); Balarama is considered an avatar of Vishnu's mount, Shesha.[5]
In Jain texts
[edit]In Jain tales related to Krishna and Balarama, Rohini is the princess of Kosala who chooses Vasudeva as her husband in a swayamvara ceremony. She spends her life in Saurapura with Vasudeva, where she gives birth to Balarama. She sees four dreams in the Jain narrative: a lion, a white elephant, the moon and the ocean; symbols associated with Balarama in Hinduism as well as Jainism. Rohini plays no part in nurturing Krishna in Vraja; she takes care of Balarama in Saurapura. The adult Balarama goes to Vraja to aid Krishna.[5]
References
[edit]- ↑ www.wisdomlib.org (12 April 2009). "Rohini, Rohiṇi, Rohiṇī, Rohinī: 44 definitions". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
- ↑ Subramaniam, Kamala (1979). Srimad Bhagavatam. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 1979. p. 320.
- ↑ Flueckiger, Joyce Burkhalter (2013). When the World Becomes Female: Guises of a South Indian Goddess. Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-00960-9.
- ↑ Patel, Vijay (2011). Corrupt Practice. AuthorHouse. ISBN 978-1-4567-9304-3.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Vemsani, Lavanya (2016). "Rohini". Krishna in History, Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopedia of the Hindu Lord of Many Names. ABC-CLIO. pp. 233–4. ISBN 978-1-61069-211-3.
- ↑ Sanghi, Ashwin (2012). The Krishna key. Chennai: Westland. p. Key7. ISBN 9789381626689. Retrieved 9 June 2016.[permanent dead link]
- ↑ Lok Nath Soni (2000). The Cattle and the Stick: An Ethnographic Profile of the Raut of Chhattisgarh. Anthropological Survey of India, Government of India, Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Department of Culture, Delhi: Anthropological Survey of India, Government of India, Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Department of Culture, 2000 Original from the University of Michigan. p. 16. ISBN 978-8185579573.
- ↑ Vemsani, Lavanya (2016). "Nidra". Krishna in History, Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopedia of the Hindu Lord of Many Names. ABC-CLIO. p. 195. ISBN 978-1-61069-211-3.
- ↑ "The Mahabharata, Book 16: Mausala Parva: Section 7". Sacred-texts.com. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
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