Devapi
| Devapi | |
|---|---|
| Decapitated King Marutta meets Devapi | |
| In-universe information | |
| Family | Pratipa (father) |
Devapi (Template:Lang-sa, Devāpi, lit. friend of Gods) or Devāpi Arṣṭiṣeṇa, is an immortal sage. According to the Nirukta (ii.10), the Brihaddevata, the Mahabharata, and the Puranas, he was a Kuru prince and the eldest son of King Pratipa of Hastinapura. He was a noble and well-liked prince but he was not allowed to succeed Pratipa, because he was affected with leprosy and the council of Brahmins and elderly citizens were opposed to this proposal. As a result of this, his younger brother Shantanu succeeded Pratipa as the king of Hastinapura.[1] Later Devapi retired to the forest for penance. According to the Matsya Purana and the Bhagavata Purana, he along with the sage Maru will remain alive till the end of the present Kaliyuga at a place called Kalapagrama and will revive the Paurava dynasty in the next Kritayuga.[2]
Drought in Kuru realm
According to the Brihaddevata of Shaunaka, when Devapi abdicated the throne in favour of Shantanu and left for the forest, the realm of Kuru suffered from severe drought for twelve years, as Parjanya did not rain. Finally, Shantanu along with his subjects went to the forest and offered him the Kuru throne, which he declined. Instead, he agreed to become Shantanu's purohita (priest) and conduct a yajna (sacrifice) for him to produce rain.[3] A later version of this narrative is found in the Vishnu Purana (IV.20).
In Vedic literature
In Vedic literature, Devapi is always mentioned as Devāpi Arṣṭiṣeṇa, though the later texts, the Mahabharata and the Puranas mention Devāpi and Arṣṭiṣeṇa as different persons.[4] The earliest reference is found in the Rigveda (X.98). Modern scholars are not unanimous about the true meaning of Arṣṭiṣeṇa. F. E. Pargiter (1852-1927) argues that it means Devapi was son of king Ṛṣṭiṣeṇa, and so both Shantanu and Devapi were actually grandsons of Pratipa,[2] but other modern scholars, which include S.N. Pradhan and V.S. Misra believe, that, Devapi after becoming a brahmana, entered Ṛṣṭiṣeṇa gotra.[1]
Notes
- ^ a b Misra, V.S. (2007). Ancient Indian Dynasties, Mumbai: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, ISBN 81-7276-413-8, pp.83-4
- ^ a b Pargiter, F.E. (1972). Ancient Indian Historical Tradition. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. pp.165, 165ff
- ^ Brihaddevata, vii,155-7, viii.1-9
- ^ Pargiter, F.E. (1972). Ancient Indian Historical Tradition. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. p.165ff