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Uttarā (Mahabharata)

2021-12-09T14:12:47Z

2409:4071:4E83:7C34:F56C:C250:A645:9BD6:

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}
{{short description|Character in Mahabharata}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox character
| info-hdr=Information
| name = Uttaraa
| image = File:Uttara crying for her husband.jpg
| alt = Uttara
| caption = Abhimanyu consoles Uttarā before leaving for the war
| family = [[Virata]] (Father), [[Sudeshna]] (Mother), [[Uttara (Mahabharata)|Uttara]], Shveta, Shankha (elder brothers)
| spouse = [[Abhimanyu]]
| children = [[Parikshit]]
| color = #FFC569
}}
In the [[Hindu]] epic [[Mahabharata]], '''''Uttarā''''' or Anglicized as '''''Uttaraa''''' (उत्तरा) was the daughter of Queen [[Sudeshna]] and King [[Virata]], at whose court the [[Pandavas]] spent a year in concealment during their exile. She was sister of [[Uttara (Mahabharata)|Uttar]], Sveta and Shanka.<ref>[[iarchive:puranicencyclopa00maniuoft/page/817/mode/2up|Uttara]]<nowiki>https://archive.org/details/puranicencyclopa00maniuoft/page/817/mode/2up</nowiki></ref>

==Training under Brihannala==
[[File:Brihannala.jpg|left|thumb|Uttarā (right) learning dance from Brihannala]]
It is also believed that Uttaraa had learnt dance from [[Arjuna]] during the [[Pandavas]]' year of exile-in the [[Matsya Kingdom]]. Living incognito, as was the term of the banishment, Arjuna lived a life of a [[eunuch]], named [[Brihannala]] and practised his art of dance learnt from the [[apsaras]] in [[heaven]].<ref>{{cite book|title=India through the ages|url=https://archive.org/details/indiathroughages00mada|last=Gopal|first=Madan|year= 1990| page= [https://archive.org/details/indiathroughages00mada/page/80 80]|editor=K.S. Gautam|publisher=Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India}}</ref>

==Marriage and widowhood==
[[File:Uttara Abhimanyu.jpg|thumb|left|Uttarā pleads to Abhimanyu as he leaves for the war]]
Once King [[Virata]] realized who Uttaraa's dance teacher was, he immediately proposed to offer his daughter to [[Arjuna]]. However, [[Arjuna]] clarified to King Virata the doting relationship that a teacher has with his/her student is like that of a [[parent]] and [[child]]. He then proposed to make Uttaraa his daughter-in-law by marrying her to his son, [[Abhimanyu]] by that she even became co-wife of Shashirekha ( [[Abhimanyu's ]] first wife) <ref>{{cite book|last=Mittal|first=J.P.|title=History of ancient India : a new version|year=2006|publisher=Atlantic|location=New Delhi|isbn=9788126906161|pages=530-531}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=Abhimanyu|publisher=Amar Chitra Katha Private Limited|isbn=9788184821062}}</ref>

Uttaraa was widowed at a very young age when [[Abhimanyu]] was killed in the [[Kurukshetra war]]. When [[Abhimanyu]] died, Uttaraa tried to [[Sati (practice)|burn herself on the pyre]] of [[Abhimanyu]], but [[Krishna]] stopped her from doing so, informing her of her [[pregnancy]].

==Ashwatthama's attack==
Towards the end of the Mahabharata war, with Uttaraa in [[Labor (childbirth)|labor]], [[Ashwathama]], son of [[Dronacharya]], while trying to avenge the defeat of [[Duryodhana]] and the [[Kaurava]] army, engaged in a war with Arjuna. Knowing he could not beat Arjuna conventionally, [[Ashwatthama]] invoked the potent [[Brahmashira]], despite the promise he had made to the father/teacher that he would never use such a weapon. When [[Arjuna]] fired a Brahmastra to match, [[Vyasa]] intervened, commanding both warriors to withdraw their weapons. While [[Arjuna]] successfully did so, [[Ashwatthama]] did not possess the required knowledge. [[Krishna]] suggested that [[Ashwatthama]] redirect the weapon to an [[uninhabited]] place. Regretful, tired, but still vengeful, [[Ashwatthama]] decided that if he could not end the [[Pandavas]], he would end their [[lineage (anthropology)|lineage]]. He fired the weapon at Uttaraa's womb, attacking the [[fetus]] form of [[Parikshit]]. [[Krishna]] intervened and revived the stillborn baby, giving [[Parikshit]] his name.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Who was Raja Parikshit in Mahabharat and why the story of his death is philosophical|url=https://www.timesnownews.com/spiritual/religion/article/who-was-raja-parikshit-in-mahabharat-and-why-the-story-of-his-death-is-philosophical/588140|access-date=2020-08-29|website=www.timesnownews.com|language=en}}</ref> [[File:Krishna give life to dead child of Uttara.jpg|thumb|Krishna saves Uttarā's son|alt=|248x248px]]

As a punishment [[Krishna]] curses [[Ashwatthama]] that he would lose his source of power, the jewel that adorned his shining forehead. This loss of the jewel that adorned his forehead made [[Ashwatthama]] lose his state of mental alertness and he was forced to retire to obscurity as a derelict in the forests. [[Parikshit]] became [[heir]] to the [[Kuru (kingdom)|Kuru dynasty]] and eventually became king of [[Hastinapur]]. In due time, [[Parikshit]] gave Uttaraa a grandson, [[Janamejaya II|Janamejaya]].

It is said that 15 years after the tragic war, [[Dhritarashtra]], along with his wife [[Gandhari (Mahabharata)|Gandhari]], sister in law [[Kunti]] and brother [[Vidura]] renounce in the forest. 2 months later [[Pandava|Pandavas]] and all the Hastinapur citizens desired to meet them. They all went to meet them. [[Vyasa|Sage Vyasa]] was also present there. All of them were missing the deads. So, Rishi Vyas made them alive for a day and all the citizens and royals spent time with their loved ones. But when it was time for them to leave, Vyasa asked all the widows who wish to join their husband to drown themself in the river Ganga along with their respective husbands. So, probably, Uttaraa also died along with all the wives of Kauravas.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Mahabharata}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Uttara (Mahabharata)}}
[[Category:Characters in the Mahabharata]]

Shrutakirti

2021-12-09T12:38:55Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2020}}
{{for|character from the Hindu epic ''[[Mahabharata]]''|Upapandavas#Shrutakarma}}
{{short description|Female cousin of Goddess Sita}}
{{Infobox Character
| name = Shrutakirti
| series = [[Ramayana]]
| color = White
| family = {{ublist|[[Kushadhwaja]] (father)|[[Chandrabhaga (queen)|Chandrabhaga]] (mother)|[[Mandavi]] (sister)|[[Janaka]] (uncle)|Sunayana (aunt)|[[Sita]] ( adopted cousin)|[[Urmila]] (cousin)}}
| spouse = [[Shatrughna]]
| children = [[Subahu (Shatrughna's son)|Subahu]] <br/> [[Shatrughati]]
| image = Ramayana - Marriage of Rama Bharata Lakshmana and Shatrughna.jpg
| caption = Marriage of Shrutakirti and her 3 sisters
}}

In the [[Hindu epic]] [[Ramayana]], '''''Shrutakirti''''''' (IAST ''Śrutakīrti'') was a princess and daughter of [[Kushadhwaja|King Kushadhwaja]] and [[Chandrabhaga (queen)|Queen Chandrabhaga]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Dawar |first1=Sonalini Chaudhry |title=Ramayana, the Sacred Epic of Gods and Demons |date=2006 |publisher=Om Books International |isbn=9788187107675 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NxFPAQAAMAAJ&q=Shrutakirti |language=en}}</ref> She was wife of [[Shatrughna]], younger brother of [[Rama]].

== Life ==
Shrutakirti was the Princess of Sankasya and the younger daughter of King Kushadwaj. She was the incarnation of Mahalaxmi's flower. Shrutakirti also had an elder sister [[Mandavi]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Prakāśa|first1=Veda|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MXfXAAAAMAAJ&q=Shrutakirti+Mandavi|title=Vālmīkī Rāmāyaṇa|last2=Guptā|first2=Praśānta|date=1998|publisher=Ḍrīmalaiṇḍa Pablikeśansa|isbn=978-81-7301-254-9|language=en}}</ref>

Shrutakirti was married to ayodhya's king [[Dasharatha]]'s fourth and youngest son [[Shatrughna]]. They had two sons, [[Subahu (Shatrughna's son)|Subahu]] and [[Shatrughati]]. <ref>{{Cite web|title=The Ramayana and Mahabharata: Conclusion|url=https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/dutt/ramaconc.htm|access-date=2020-08-07|website=www.sacred-texts.com}}</ref>

She used to take care of her in-laws, along with her sister Mandavi when her eldest sister Sita and brother in laws Ram and Lakshman was exiled. Later Shrutakirti became queen of ''Madhupura'' (Mathura) when her husband Shatrughna captured the capital after killing [[Lavanasura]].<ref name="p1">Pargiter, F.E. (1972). ''Ancient Indian Historical Tradition'', Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, p.170.</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Ramayana}}

[[Category:Raghuvamsa]]

{{Hindu-myth-stub}}
[[Category:Characters_in_the_Ramayana]]

Sumitra

2021-12-09T12:29:46Z

2409:4071:4E83:7C34:F56C:C250:A645:9BD6:

{{For|the Indian actress|Sumithra (actress)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2016}}
{{refimprove|date=August 2015}}
{{Infobox character
| series = [[Ramayana]]
| image = Four Sons of Dasaratha.jpg
| caption = Sumitra gives birth to twins (centre, top)
| name = Sumitra
| spouse = [[Dasharatha]]
| children = [[Lakshmana]] (son)<br/>[[Shatrughna]] (son)}}

'''''Sumitra''''' ({{lang-sa|सुमित्रा}}, [[IAST]]: Sumitrā) is second queen consort of [[Dasharatha]], the king of [[Kosala]], who ruled from [[Ayodhya]].<ref>{{citation |url =http://www.charanamrit.com/gods/sumitra_2247 |title= Dasharatha's third Queen |publisher= Charanamrit.com |date=2012-06-19 }}</ref> She is the mother of the twins [[Lakshmana]] and [[Shatrughna]] as mentioned in the Hindu epic, the [[Ramayana]].

At the sacrifice conducted by [[Rishyasringa]] to obtain sons for the childless Dasharatha, a divine being emerged from the flames with a golden vessel filled with divine ''payasam''. Dasharatha offered half to Kaushalya, a quarter (literally half of that which remained) to Sumitra, an eighth to Kaikayi (again, half of that which remained), and then, on reflection, presented the final eighth to Sumitra.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/rys/rys1015.htm|title=The Ramayana in Sanskrit: Book 1: Chapter 15}}</ref> Having received two portions, Sumitra became the mother of twin sons.

Considered the wisest of Dasaratha's three wives, she supported [[Lakshmana]]'s decision to accompany Rama,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/rys/rys2035.htm|title=The Ramayana in Sanskrit: Book 2: Chapter 35}}</ref> to serve him during his exile, and comforted Kaushalya after the departure of her son.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/rys/rys2039.htm|title=The Ramayana in Sanskrit: Book 2: Chapter 39}}</ref>
== Personality ==
[[File:Dasharatha give Payasa to his wives.jpg|thumb|180px|Dasharatha give Payasa to his wives]]

Neither the principal queen nor the favored wife, Sumitra was single-minded in her devotion to her husband and to the senior consort, Kaushalya. She was also known for encouraging her son Lakshmana to go into exile with Rama. While Valmiki is silent on her parentage, later texts variously described her as a princess of [[Kingdom of Kashi|Kashi]] or of [[Magadha]], and belonging to the [[Heheya Kingdom|Haiheya]] clan.

==Etymology==
Sumitra is broken into ''Su'' meaning ''good'' and ''Mitra'' meaning ''friend.'' Thus'','' her name means 'a good friend' or 'one with friendly nature'. She is known as, [[Tamil language|Tamil]]: சுமித்திரை{{IPA audio link|Ta-சுமித்திரை.ogg}}, [[Burmese language|Burmese]]: Thumitra, [[Malay language|Malay]]: Samutra, [[Khmer language|Khmer]] '' and '' {{lang-th|สมุทรเทวี}} ''Samutthra Thewi'').

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Ramayana}}

[[Category:Raghuvamsa]]

{{Hindu-myth-stub}}
[[Category:Characters_in_the_Ramayana]]