[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Reference works](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference) › [Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975) › c8.2832.1 # Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c8.2832.1 Purāṇic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Purāṇic Literature c8.2832.1 - **Language:** English ### [c8.2832.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975.c8.2832.1) PUṢKARĀKṢA I. A King of Purāṇic fame. There was once a King called Bhadrākṣa in Takṣaśilānagara. He worshipped Bhagavatī with 108 lotus flowers daily in order to obtain a son. One day he found one flower missing and the brave king tore open his heart and made the number complete. The goddess was pleased and she blessed him saying that he would have a son worthy of becoming an emperor. Puṣkarākṣa was the son thus born. The boy grew up and after crowning him as King Bhadrākṣa left for the forests. Puṣkarākṣa worshipped Śiva daily to get a suitable wife. After some time Śiva blessed him saying that he would get a very good wife. One day he went for hunting. He saw a camel trying to eat two cobras engaged in the act of mating. Instantly the King sent an arrow against the camel and the camel falling down turned into a Vidyādhara and that Vidyādhara told the King thus :- "Oh King, there was once a Vidyādhara named Raṅgamālī. A Vidyādhara maiden named Tārāvalī was attracted by the handsome form of Raṅgamālī. She married him without the consent of her parents. The angered father separated them by a curse. The curse took effect and they soon got separated losing their way in the forest. Pining to see her husband Tārāvalī roamed about in the forests and reached the other shore of the western sea. It was a colony of ṛṣis and was a fig tree there standing in full blossom. Tārāvalī took the form of a beetle and sat on the tree sucking honey. - [Previous: c8.2831](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975.c8.2831) - [Next: c8.2832.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975.c8.2832.2) - [Up: c8.2832](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975.c8.2832) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975.c8.2832.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975.c8.2832.1) · Pramāṇa