Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.3968

c9.3968

Mahāviṣṇu touched Sandhyā with the tip of his finger. Sandhyā walked to the sacrificial hall. Seen by none, she got down into the fire. She was burnt in the blazing fire. By the order of Viṣṇu; the God fire placed Sandhyā who was burnt in the sacrificial fire, in the Solar region. The sun divided that body into two and placed them in his chariot. The upper portion became the prātassandhyā (dawn) between the day and the night and the lower portion became the Sāyantana Sandhyā (the evening twilight). At the end of the sacrifice, from the centre of the sacrificial fire a girl, like the flame of fire rose up. Medhātithi took that child in his hands and called her Arundhatī. The child became famous throughout the three worlds, as the name stood for the principle that on no reason what-so-ever will righteousness be obstructed. (Rodha means obstruction. So Arundhatī is one who cannot be obstructed). In some other Purāṇas Arundhatī is given as the daughter of Prajāpati Kardama and Devahūti.