Mrikanda
TextsPuranas
Personal information
ParentsVidhatri (father), Niyati (mother)
SpouseManasvini
ChildrenMarkandeya

Mrikanda (Sanskrit: मृकण्ड, romanized: Mṛkaṇḍa) is a sage in Hindu mythology. He is the husband of Manasvini[1] and the father of Markandeya.[2]

Legend

In the Vishnu Purana, Mrikanda is described as the son of Vidhatri, a son of Bhrigu and Khyati, and Niyati, one of the two daughters of Meru. Mrikanda becomes the father of the sage Markandeya.[3] The Markandeya Purana names Manasvini as Mrikanda's wife.[4]

Mrikanda is venerated as the founder of weaving, and as a result of the gods' gratitude he was granted two boons--a tiger and a giant. The giant disobeyed Mrikandaʻs orders and was summarily slain, but the tiger was obedient, and thus lived. According to modern Koshta folklore, if a tiger is encountered in the jungle it is enough only to speak Mrikanda's name to prevent oneself from being attacked by it. Mrikanda is still seen as a watchful and protective figure in folklore.[5]

In addition to being the father of modern weaving, he is also venerated as the father of Markandeya, the rishi (sage) who is featured extensively in the Markandeya Purana.[6][7] According to legend, Mrikanda and his wife Marudmati worshipped Shiva and sought from him the boon of begetting a son. As a result, he was given the choice of either a righteous son, but with a short life on earth or a child of low intelligence but with a long life. Mrikanda chose the former, and was blessed with Markandeya, an exemplary son, who was nevertheless destined to die at the age of 16.[citation needed]

Sources

  1. ^ www.wisdomlib.org (2019-05-01). "The creation of Sages (saptarṣi) [Chapter 11]". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
  2. ^ Klostermaier, Klaus K. (2014-10-01). A Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism. Simon and Schuster. p. 123. ISBN 978-1-78074-672-2.
  3. ^ The Vishnu Purana a System of Hindu Mythology and Tradition Translated from the Original Sanskrit, and Illustrated by Notes Derived Chiefly from Other Puranas by the Late H.H. Wilson: 1. Trubner. 1864. pp. 152–.
  4. ^ Books, Kausiki (2021-10-24). Markandeya Purana: English Translation only without Slokas. Kausiki Books. p. 444.
  5. ^ Graham Seal; Kim Kennedy White (14 March 2016). Folk Heroes and Heroines around the World, 2nd Edition. ABC-CLIO. pp. 169–. ISBN 978-1-4408-3861-3.
  6. ^ A. L. Dallapiccola (November 2003). Hindu Myths. University of Texas Press. pp. 15–. ISBN 978-0-292-70233-2.
  7. ^ John Dowson (1888). A Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology and Religion, Geography, History, and Literature. Trübner & Company. pp. 203–.
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