Encyclopedia for Epics of Ancient India

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Aniruddha

ANIRUDDHA. [Source: Dowson's Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology] . 'Uncontrolled.' Son of Pradyumna and grandson of Krishna.

He married his cousin, Subhadra.

A Daitya princess named Usha, daughter of Bana, fell in love with him, and had him brought by magic influence to her apartments in her father's city of Sonitapura. Bana sent some guards to seize him, but the valiant youth, taking an iron club, slew his assailants. Bana then brought his magic powers to bear and secured him.

On discovering whither Aniruddha had been carried, Krishna, Balarama, and Pradyumna went to rescue him. A great battle was fought; Bana was aided by Siva and by Skanda, god of war, the former of whom was overcome by Krishna, and the latter was wounded by Garuda and Pradyumna.

Bana was defeated, but his life was spared at the intercession of Siva, and Aniruddha was carried home to Dwaraka with Usha as his wife. He is also called Jhashanka and Ushapati. He had a son named Vajra.

 


Modern Languages MLLL-4993. Indian Epics. Laura Gibbs, Ph.D. The textual material made available at this website is licensed under a Creative Commons License. You must give the original author credit. You may not use this work for commercial purposes. If you alter, transform, or build upon this work, you may distribute the resulting work only under a license identical to this one. No claims are made regarding the status of images used at this website; if you own the copyright privileges to any of these images and believe your copyright privileges have been violated, please contact the webmaster. Page last updated: October 16, 2007 12:22 PM