Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.2438

c9.2438

SUDEVA II. A captain of the army of King Ambariṣa. He was calm and fearless. Sudeva met with a heroic death in a battle and attained heaven. Indra gave him a suitable place. Later Ambariṣa died and came to heaven. There he saw his captain Sudeva and was amazed. He asked Indra how it was that Sudeva was given a place in heaven. Indra replied that to fight fearlessly in the battle-field and meet with heroic death, was a yajña (sacrifice) and that due to this yajña Sudeva attained heaven. The King asked, when this took place. Indra continued :— "Once Ambariṣa sent Sudeva to subdue the asuras and giants. Sudeva entered the battlefield and looked at the vast army of the enemy. Finding that it was impossible to defeat the army of giants, he sat down and meditated on Śiva, who appeared before him and encouraged him. A fierce battle followed in which Sudeva annihilated the army of the giants completely and he himself met with a heroic death. That is how he obtained heaven. (M.B. Dākṣiṇātyapāṭha, Śānti Parva, Chapter 98).