Elements of Hindu Iconography v3.c19.62

v3.c19.62

The *Varāha-purāṇa*, however, has the following version of the origin of Nandā :—The king named Sindhudvīpa, the son in a previous birth of Tvaṣṭā, knowing that in that birth he was killed by Indra, practised penance with a view to beget a son who would kill Indra. The river Vētravatī assuming the form of a young woman approached Sindhudvīpa; and through their union was born a child named Vētrāsura. The child of theirs in due time became the king of Prāgjōtiṣa. He vanquished all rival kings, and then began to give trouble to Indra and the other gods. The gods with Indra at their head, and having Śiva also with them, went to Brahmā to complain to him of the annoyance caused by Vētrāsura to them. On hearing their complaint, Brahmā suspected that the trouble was due to Māyā created by Viṣṇu; and then at once a damsel, clad in white robes, wearing a kirīṭa on her head, and having eight hands carrying in them the śaṅkha, chakra, gadā, pāśa, khaḍga, ghaṇṭā, dhanus and bāṇa, appeared before him and undertook to kill the troublesome Vētrāsura. She then transformed herself into innumerable heroic damsels, and fought with the asura and put an end to his life. Brahmā and other gods, while complimenting her on her success, prophesied that she would be called upon on a future occasion to destroy another troublesome asura of the name of Mahiṣāsura. The gods then retired to the Himalayas, where they set up the goddess Nandā as an object of worship and were feeling happy. Because they were so happy, they named this goddess Nandā.