Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c7.520

c7.520

GUṆĀḌHYA. He is the author of the celebrated Bṛhatkathā which is a precious mine of Sanskrit Literature. Guṇāḍhya had written this in satanic (paiśācika) language difficult for ordinary people to read or understand. This was translated into Sanskrit by the poet Kṣemendra in a book called Bṛhatkathāmañjarī. This was the first translation and it was in an abridged form. Somadeva made a more elaborate translation and it is this translation that is now known as the Kathāsaritsāgara. Guṇāḍhya is believed to be an incarnation of the Śivapārṣada, Mālyavān. There is a story behind Mālyavān being cursed and made to be born as man by Pārvatī. Once Pārvatī worried Śiva to tell her a story original and interesting and not heard of by anybody before. Placing Nandikeśa at the door and instructing him not to allow anybody inside Śiva started narrating the story of the Vidyādharas to Pārvatī. At that time Puṣpadanta, chief of the genie-guards of Śiva who was at liberty to go to the presence of Śiva at any time, came there and heedless of the protests of Nandikeśa entered the room. There he found Śiva telling a story to Pārvatī and she was hearing the same with rapt attention. The story was so interesting that Puṣpadanta also heard it standing concealed in a place in the room. After having heard the whole story Puṣpadanta went back unnoticed and told the story to his wife, Jayā. Jayā on another occasion told the story to Pārvatī and the latter was taken aback and she went to Śiva and complained: "Your Lordship told me that the story was unique, not heard of before by anybody. But even Jayā knows it." And she wept with disappointment. Then Śiva stood in meditation for sometime, and knew how Puṣpadanta had entered the room unnoticed and how he had told the story he had heard to Jayā. Śiva explained this to Pārvatī and she immediately sent word for Puṣpadanta who came trembling and confessed everything. Pārvatī then cursed Puṣpadanta and also Mālyavān who came to speak on behalf of Puṣpadanta and made them men. They begged for relief from the curse and then she said, "Long ago Vaiśravaṇa cursed a Yakṣa named Supratīka and converted him into a devil named Kāṇabhūti. This devil is now living in the deep forests on the Vindhya mountains. When you talk with him you will become your old selves again. Puṣpadanta should first tell the story he has heard from Śiva to Kāṇabhūti and then he will be relieved from the curse. Kāṇabhūti will then tell Mālyavān many stories. Then Kāṇabhūti will get release from the curse. Mālyavān should make public all the stories he had heard from Kāṇabhūti and then he will also get release from the curse." Accordingly Puṣpadanta was born as Vararuci in the city of Kauśāmbī and Mālyavān as Guṇāḍhya in the city of Supratiṣṭhita. (For details see under Vararuci).