Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c7.569

c7.569

HALĀYUDHA. A Sanskrit poet who lived in the 10th century A.D. A mahākāvya called Kavirahasya is his most important work. The hero in the great poem is Kṛṣṇa III. A King of the Rāṣṭrakūṭa dynasty, and poet Halāyudha was a courtier of his. HALIKA. A prominent nāga born in the Kaśyapa dynasty. (Ādi Parva, Chapter 15). HALIMĀ. One of the Saptamātṛs (seven mothers). (Vana Parva, Chapter 22, Verse 10). HALĪMAKA. A nāga born in the family of Vāsuki. He was burnt to death in the serpent yajña of Janamejaya. (Ādi Parva, Chapter 57, Verse 5). HAMSA I. An incarnation of Mahā Viṣṇu in Kṛtayuga. He instructed great sages like Sanaka on yoga in the presence of Brahmā. He is also called yajña. (Bhāgavata 11th Skandha). Haṃsa, who was a prajāpati as well advised the Sādhyadevas about the means to attain salvation and the advice is known as Haṃsagītā. (Śānti Parva, Chapter 288). HAMSA II. A son born to Kaśyapa of his wife, Ariṣṭā. He was a Gandharva and it is believed that Dhṛtarāṣṭra was an aṃśāvatāra of this Gandharva. (M.B. Ādi Parva, Chapter 6, See also under Aṃśāvatāra). HAMSA III.
1) *General.* A minister of Jarāsandha. Haṃsa and Ḍimbhaka were the sons of Brahmadatta, the chief of Śālva, and they were adepts in archery. Paraśurāma was their preceptor. (Harivaṃśa 3, 103). The Mahābhārata calls Haṃsa's brother Ḍimbhaka.
2) *Education.* Vicakra and Janārdana were intimate friends of Haṃsa from their very infancy, of whom Janārdana was the son of Mitrasaha, a friend of Brahmadatta. Haṃsa, Ḍimbhaka and Janārdana had their education together, and their marriages also were conducted at the same time. After some time Śiva presented them many weapons like Rudrāstra, Maheśvarāstra and Brahmaśirāstra, and also two attendants for self-protection. (Harivaṃśa 3, 105).
3) *Curse of Durvāsas.* Swollen-headed and haughty on account of Śiva's boon, Haṃsa and Ḍimbhaka turned out to be a nightmare to the world, and they once tried to give trouble to Durvāsas, who cursed them to be killed by Mahāviṣṇu. Sometime later the sage himself informed Śrī Kṛṣṇa about this curse of his.
4) *Death.* The Haṃsa brothers began an aśvamedha (Horse Sacrifice) and deputed Janārdana to collect the tax thereof. Śrī Kṛṣṇa alone refused to pay the tax with the result that Haṃsa clashed with Kṛṣṇa who killed Ḍimbhaka and kicked Haṃsa down to Pātāla. He died there, in Pātāla of snake-bite. (Harivaṃśa 3, 128).
5) *Grief of Jarāsandha.* Haṃsa's death caused much grief to Jarāsandha, and for many years after it, he shed tears over the death of his friend. Even at the time when Bhīmasena, during his triumphal tour of the east, attacked Jarāsandha he remembered the dead Haṃsa and Ḍimbhaka. (Sabhā Parva, 13, 37). HAMSA (M). Swan. For story about the origin of haṃsa on earth see Sṛṣṭi, Para 12. HAMSACŪḌA. A Yakṣa, who worships Kubera in his assembly. (Sabhā Parva, Chapter 10, Verse 17). HAMSADHVAJA. A King of Campānagari, who was a great devotee of Viṣṇu. During his reign monogamy prevailed in the country. He took the yājñic horse of Yudhiṣṭhira captive, and in the fight to release the horse Arjuna killed Sudhanvā and Suratha, sons of Haṃsadhvaja. Grieved and enraged at their death Haṃsadhvaja took the field against Arjuna, and Śrī Kṛṣṇa finding that Arjuna's life was in danger pacified them both. Also Kṛṣṇa requested Haṃsadhvaja to be a supporter of Arjuna in future. Haṃsadhvaja had five sons called Saratha, Sudhanvā, Sudarśa, Subala and Sama. (Jaimini, Aśvamedha Parva, 17, 21).