Rohini
Rohini (yellow attire) with Balarama
Venerated inVaishnavism
TextsMahabharata
Personal information
Parents
  • Bahlika (father)
SiblingsYashoda
SpouseVasudeva
ChildrenBalarama (surrogate child), Sarana, Sharu, Durmada[1]
Subhadra (daughter)
DynastyChandravamsha (by marriage)

In Hindu mythology, Rohini (Sanskrit: रोहिणी, rohiṇī) lit. '"ascending"'[2] is the first consort of Vasudeva, the sister of Yashoda,[3] and the mother of the Hindu deities Balarama and Subhadra. She plays a prominent role in the upbringing of Krishna.[4][5]

Legend

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.[6]

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 Kamsa's death by Devaki's eighth son.

While Vasudeva is imprisoned, Rohini lives at the house of her husband's cousin[7][8] 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.[6]

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.[6]

After Vasudeva is freed by Krishna and Balarama, Rohini gives birth to a daughter, Subhadra.[9]

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.[10]

Mother of Balarama

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.[6]

In Jain texts

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.[6]

References

  1. ^ "The story of the previous birth of Shishupala and the sons of Vasudeva [Chapter XV]". 30 August 2014.
  2. ^ www.wisdomlib.org (12 April 2009). "Rohini, Rohiṇi, Rohiṇī, Rohinī: 44 definitions". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  3. ^ Subramaniam, Kamala (1979). Srimad Bhagavatam. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 1979. p. 320.
  4. ^ Flueckiger, Joyce Burkhalter (2013). When the World Becomes Female: Guises of a South Indian Goddess. Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-00960-9.
  5. ^ Patel, Vijay (2011). Corrupt Practice. AuthorHouse. ISBN 978-1-4567-9304-3.
  6. ^ a b c d e 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.
  7. ^ Sanghi, Ashwin (2012). The Krishna key. Chennai: Westland. p. Key7. ISBN 9789381626689. Retrieved 9 June 2016.[permanent dead link]
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ "The Mahabharata, Book 16: Mausala Parva: Section 7". Sacred-texts.com. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
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