Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.452

c9.452

One day, Ṛkṣarajas went to a lake to quench his thirst. Seeing his own image reflected in the water, he thought it was some enemy and jumped into the lake, to attack him. But he soon realized his mistake and returned to the shore. As soon as he came out of the water, he felt that he had become a woman. Seeing her fascinating beauty, Indra and Sūrya were filled with lustful passion. Both of them had involuntary emission of semen. Bāli was born from Indra's semen which fell on the head and Sugrīva was born from Sūrya's semen which fell on the neck of Ṛkṣarajas. Towards the end of the night, Ṛkṣarajas lost his female form and regained his former shape as a male. At once he took the two children with him to Brahmā and told him the whole story. Brahmā sent a messenger with Ṛkṣarajas and had him anointed king of Kiṣkindhā. After the time of Ṛkṣarajas, Bāli became king of Kiṣkindhā.