In Hindu mythology, Asikni ( sa, असिक्नी, Asiknī, the dark one' or 'night), also known as Panchajani and Virani, is a consort of Daksha in the Puranic pantheon. Most

scriptures Religious texts, including scripture, are texts which various religions consider to be of central importance to their religious tradition. They differ from literature by being a compilation or discussion of beliefs, mythologies, ritual pra ...

mention her as the mother of 6000 sons and 60 daughters.

Etymology and epithets

The

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...

word "Asikni" means 'dark' or 'night'; it can also refer to "a girl attending woman's apartment". The word is used in the ''

Rigveda The ''Rigveda'' or ''Rig Veda'' ( ', from ' "praise" and ' "knowledge") is an ancient Indian collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns (''sūktas''). It is one of the four sacred canonical Hindu texts ('' śruti'') known as the Vedas. Only one ...

'' (c. 1500 BCE) to describe the river

Chenab The Chenab River () is a major river that flows in India and Pakistan, and is one of the 5 major rivers of the Punjab region. It is formed by the union of two headwaters, Chandra and Bhaga, which rise in the upper Himalayas in the Lahaul ...

. She is also known by the patronymic "Panchajani" and "Virani".

Life

Birth

Puranas differ about her parentage.

Devi-Bhagavata Purana The Devi Bhagavata Purana ( sa, देवी भागवतपुराणम्, '), also known as the Srimad Devi Bhagavatam, Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhagavata Purana or simply ''Devi Bhagavatam'', is one of the eighteen Mahapuranas of Hindui ...

, Kalika Purana,

Garuda Purana The ''Garuda Purana'' is one of 18 ''Mahāpurāṇa'' texts in Hinduism. It is a part of Vaishnavism literature corpus, primarily centering around Hindu god Vishnu. Composed in Sanskrit and also available in various languages like Gujarati an ...

, and

Brahma Purana The ''Brahma Purana'' ( sa, ब्रह्मपुराण or ; ) is one of the eighteen major Puranas collections of Hindu texts in Sanskrit Language. It is listed as the first Maha-Purana in all the anthologies, and therefore also called A ...

note Asikni to have been born of Brahma's left thumb. According to the

Bhagavata Purana The ''Bhagavata Purana'' ( sa, भागवतपुराण; ), also known as the ''Srimad Bhagavatam'', ''Srimad Bhagavata Mahapurana'' or simply ''Bhagavata'', is one of Hinduism's eighteen great Puranas (''Mahapuranas''). Composed in S ...

and

Shiva Purana The ''Shiva Purana'' is one of eighteen major texts of the '' Purana'' genre of Sanskrit texts in Hinduism, and part of the Shaivism literature corpus. It primarily revolves around the Hindu god Shiva and goddess Parvati, but references and rev ...

, she was the daughter of Prajapati Panchajana. Brahma Purana, Brahmanda Purana,

Vayu Purana The ''Vayu Purana'' ( sa, वायुपुराण, ) is a Sanskrit text and one of the eighteen major Puranas of Hinduism. ''Vayu Purana'' is mentioned in the manuscripts of the Mahabharata and other Hindu texts, which has led scholars to p ...

Kalika Purana The Kalika Purana ( sa, Kālikā Purāṇa), also called the Kali Purana, Sati Purana or Kalika Tantra, is one of the eighteen minor Puranas ('' Upapurana'') in the Shaktism tradition of Hinduism. The text was likely composed in Assam or Cooch B ...

Kurma Purana The ''Kurma Purana'' (IAST: Kūrma Purāṇa) is one of the eighteen Mahapuranas, and a medieval era Vaishnavism text of Hinduism. The text is named after the tortoise avatar of Vishnu. The manuscripts of ''Kurma Purana'' have survived into t ...

, Padma Purana, Garuda Purana, and

note her to be the daughter of Prajapati Virana.

Marriage

The broad theme is common to Vayu Purana, Bhagavata Purana, and

. Daksa was delegated by

Brahma Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 21 ...

to inhabit the world; he went on to create Gods, Sages, Asuras, Yaskhas and Rakhashas from mind but failed to be further successful. Upon a successful penance, Vishnu granted Asikni as his wife and urged him to engage in sexual union.

Children

Through their union, numerous children were born. A common theme spans across the Brahmanda Purana, Bhagavata Purana,

Linga Purana The ''Linga Purana'' (लिङ्गपुराण, IAST: ) is one of the eighteen '' Mahapuranas'', and a ''Shaivism'' text of Hinduism. The text's title ''Linga'' refers to the iconographical symbol for Shiva. The author(s) and date of the ...

, Garuda Purana, Kurma Purana, Shiva Purana, Vishnu Purana, Vayu Purana, Padma Purana, and Brahma Purana in this regard. Daksha and Asikni initially produced five thousand sons, who were known as Haryasvas. They were interested in populating the Earth but upon the advice of

Narada Narada ( sa, नारद, ), or Narada Muni, is a sage divinity, famous in Hindu traditions as a travelling musician and storyteller, who carries news and enlightening wisdom. He is one of mind-created children of Brahma, the creator god. He ...

, took to discovering worldly affairs instead and never returned back. Daksha and Asikni again produced another thousand sons (Sabalasvas), who had similar intentions but were persuaded by Narada to the same results. An angry Daksha cursed Narada to be a perpetual wanderer and this time, he birthed sixty daughters from Asikni. They were married off to different sages and deities, and went on to give birth to various species. Shiva Purana notes that thereafter Shiva had himself reincarnated within Asikni's womb; Asikni was widely respected and eulogized by all Gods during this span. In the tenth month, Asikni gave birth to Sati; she and Daksa went on to take good care of her.

Notes

References

External links

{{Hindu deities and texts Hindu goddesses