Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.3965

c9.3965

In her previous birth the name of Arundhatī was Sandhyā. She was born from the passion of Brahmā. As soon as she was born she grew up. Seeing her exquisite beauty the Prajāpatis were filled with excitement. Even Brahmā, her father, was some-what excited at her sight. Śiva, who understood this, teased Brahmā. Sandhyā was ashamed. Even after Śiva, Brahmā, Prajāpatis and the others had gone their ways, she remained there blaming her birth. She said to herself: “The moment I was born, I grew up to a young woman. My father and my brothers looked at me with desire. I also looked at them excitedly. As an atonement for this sin, I will burn my body in fire. I do not want a body desired by my father and brothers. With this decision she went to the mountain Candrabhāga, which is the source of the river Candrabhāgā, and began to perform penance. Brahmā who came to know of this,