Daruka

Short description: Hindu demoness

Daruka

A Forest Goddess

Affiliation| Devi
Abode| Daruka forest
Consort| Daruk

In Hinduism, Dārukā is a demoness who later becomes a devi (goddess) by Parvati's blessings.[1] She is the goddess of the forest of the same name. Her husband was a demon Daruk.[2]

## Legend

The Shiva Purana says Nageshvara Jyotirlinga is in 'the Darukavana', which is an ancient name of a forest in India. 'Darukavana' finds mention in Indian epics, such as Kamyakavana, Dvaitavana, Dandakavana.

A narrative in the Shiva Purana about the Nageshvara Jyotirlinga tells of a demon named Daruk, who attacked a Shiva devotee named Supriya and imprisoned him along with many others in his city of Darukavana, a city under the sea inhabited by sea snakes and demons. At the urgent exhortations of Supriya, the prisoners started to chant the holy mantra of Shiva and immediately thereafter Lord Shiva appeared and the demon was vanquished,[3] later residing there in the form of a Jyotirlinga. The demon had a wife, a demoness named Daruka who worshipped Mata Parvati.[4] As a result of her penance and devotion, Mata Parvati enabled her to goddess of the forest where she performed her devotions, and renamed the forest 'Darukavana' in her honour. Wherever Daruka went the forest followed her. In order to save the demons of Darukavana from the punishment of the gods, Daruk summoned up the power Parvati had given her. She then moved the entire forest into the sea where they continued their campaign against the hermits, kidnapping people and keeping them confined in their new lair under the sea, which was how that great Shiva devotee, Supriya, had wound up there.[3][1]

Nageshwar Jyotirlinga Temple

The arrival of Supriya caused a revolution. He set up a lingam and made the prisoners recite the mantra Om Namaha Shivay in honour of Shiva while he prayed to the lingam. The demons' response to the chanting was to attempt to kill Supriya, though they were thwarted when Shiva appeared and handed him a divine weapon that saved his life. Daruk and the demons were defeated and Parvati saved the remaining demons. The lingam that Supriya had set up was called Nagesha; it is the tenth lingam.[3] Shiva once again assumed the form of a Jyotirlinga with the name Nageshwar, while the Goddess Parvati was known as Nageshwari. Lord Shiva then announced that he would show the correct path to those who would worship him.[5]

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 (in en) The Purāṇas: The Encyclopedia of Indian History and Culture. Shri Bhagavan Vedavyasa Itihasa, Samshodhana Mandira (Bhishma). 1993. https://books.google.com/books?id=jhEqAAAAYAAJ&q=Dārukā.
2. ↑ Singh, S. T. Selve (18 January 2018) (in en). Kailashh: Mysteries Unfolding. Notion Press. ISBN 978-1-948372-92-3. https://books.google.com/books?id=NoFHDwAAQBAJ&q=Daruk+and+Daruka&pg=PT308.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Dharmakshetra.com". http://www.dharmakshetra.com/literature/puranas/shiva.html. Retrieved 2020-04-28.
4. ↑ "Divyaalakshmi replaces Sneha Namandi to play Daruka Devi in 'Mahakaali'" (in en). The Times of India. 29 April 2018. https://www.timesofindia.com/tv/news/hindi/divyaalakshmi-replaces-sneha-namandi-to-play-daruka-devi-in-mahakaali/amp_articleshow/63959609.cms.
5. ↑ Ph.D, James G. Lochtefeld (15 December 2001) (in en). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Volume 2. The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. ISBN 978-0-8239-3180-4. https://books.google.com/books?id=g6FsB3psOTIC&q=Daruk+demon&pg=PA454.

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