[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Reference works](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference) › [A Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology and Religion, Geography, History, and Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.dowson-1879) › c5.568 # A Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology and Religion, Geography, History, and Literature c5.568 A Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology and Religion, Geography, History, and Literature c5.568 - **Language:** English ### [c5.568](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.dowson-1879.c5.568) GANDHARVA. The ‘heavenly Gandharva’ of the Veda was a deity who knew and revealed the secrets of heaven and divine truths in general. He is thought by Goldstücker to have been a personification of the fire of the sun. The Gandharvas generally had their dwelling in the sky or atmosphere, and one of their offices was to prepare the heavenly soma juice for the gods. They had a great partiality for women, and had a mystic power over them. The Atharva-veda speaks of “the 6333 Gandharvas.” The Gandharvas of later times are similar in character; they have charge of the soma, are skilled in medicine, regulate the asterisms, and are fond of women. Those of Indra’s heaven are generally intended by the term, and they are singers and musicians who attend the banquets of the gods. The Purāṇas give contradictory accounts of the origin of the Gandharvas. The Vishnu Purāṇa says, in one place, that they were born from Brahmā, “imbibing melody. Drinking of the goddess of speech (gām dhayantah), they were born, and thence their appellation.” Later on it says that they were the offspring of Kasyapa and his wife Arishṭā. The Hari-vansa states that they sprang from Brahmā’s nose, and also that they were descended from Muni, another of Kasyapa’s wives. Chitra-ratha was chief of the Gandharvas; and the Apsarases were their wives or mistresses. The “cities of the Gandharvas” are often referred to as being very splendid. The Vishnu Purāṇa has a legend of the Gandharvas fighting with the Nāgas in the infernal regions, whose dominions they seized and whose treasures they plundered. The Nāga chiefs appealed to Vishnu for relief, and he promised to appear in the person of Purukutsa to help them. Thereupon the Nāgas sent their sister Narmadā (the Nerbudda river) to this Purukutsa, and she conducted him to the regions below, where he destroyed the Gandharvas. They are sometimes called Gātus and Pulakas. In the Mahā-bhārata, apparently, a race of people dwelling in the hills and wilds is so called. - [Previous: c5.567](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.dowson-1879.c5.567) - [Next: c5.569](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.dowson-1879.c5.569) - [Up: c5](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.dowson-1879.c5) ## Cites (4) - [Mahābhārata](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa) — Vyāsa, Sanskrit - [Harivaṃśa](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.harivamsa) — Vyāsa, Sanskrit - [Viṣṇupurāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.visnu) — Vyāsa, Sanskrit - [Atharvavedasaṃhitā](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.samhita.atharva) — Atharvan & Aṅgiras, Sanskrit --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.dowson-1879.c5.568](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.dowson-1879.c5.568) · Pramāṇa