Kavyamata

Mother of Hindu god Shukra

Kavyamata

Other names| Usanas
Gender| Female
Personal information
Spouse| Brighu
Children| Shukra

In Hinduism, Kavyamata, also referred to as Usanas, is a consort of the rishi Bhrigu, and the mother of Shukra, the god of the planet Venus and the preceptor of the Asuras (demons). She is killed by the god Vishnu for protecting the demons. She is the reason that god Vishnu was cursed by Bhrigu to take avatars on Earth, and always get separated from his love in his various avatars.

## Contents

* 1 Legend
* 2 Woman-slaughter
* 3 Notes
* 4 References

## Legend[edit]

Devi Bhagavata Purana discusses the legend. Once, the Asuras fought a war against the Devas and were severely beaten. The Asuras rushed to the hermitage of Shukra, while being chased by Vishnu and the Devas. Males were not present at the hermitage, when Asuras arrived. Shukra and his father were at work. Kavyamata followed Atithi Dharm and gave protection to Asuras for many months. The hermitage was covered by a protective invisible shield that was impossible to be penetrated even by Indra. Devas who arrived at hermitage requested the wife of Bhrigu to release asuras from hermitage, however, she refused and said that they were her Atithi (guests). It is not rational to unprotect one's guests. With one glance Kavyamata put all the Devas into a deep sleep. By her meditative power, Kavyamata (Usanas) petrified Indra, the king of the Devas, paralysing them.[1] Vishnu assessed the situation and surmised that he would have to break the armour of hermitage to protect the world from eons of chaos that would be ushered with the victory of the Asuras. Vishnu summoned his discus weapon — the Sudarshana chakra, and broke the protective shield / armour around the hermitage. While doing so, even Kavyamata's head was cut off who was protecting her guests. Shukra's father, the great sage Bhrigu, was angered when he returned to his hermitage and cursed Vishnu for his sin of woman-slaughter, saying that Vishnu would have to take countless avatars on earth and suffer most pain and confinement due to his sin. Vishnu has to take endless birth and death also in every avatar he has to be separated from his wife forever. When Shukracharya learns of this incidence, he was angered and banned worship of Vishnu permanently in Asura loka, and he pledges to have war against devas and help asuras, as a revenge of Vishnu's deed with his mother. He also made idol of Vishnu below the feet of Asuras.[2] Then Bhrigu resurrected Kavyamata (Usanas) by sprinkling holy water from his kamandalu (water-pot). Kavyamata woke as if from a deep sleep.[3] The rest of the story remains the same in all versions.[1]

## Woman-slaughter[edit]

Although woman-slaughter is considered as adharma in Hinduism,[4] in the great epic Ramayana, the god Rama – an avatar of Vishnu – is convinced by his guru Vishvamitra that killing the demoness Taraka is the dharma. To convince his pupil, the sage gives the example of Kavyamata who was plotting to "appropriate herself to the dominion of Indra" and was killed by Vishnu, implying that treacherous and wicked persons could be punished as per the Dharma of the king.[4][5]

## Notes[edit]

1. ^ a b Mani p. 402
2. ^ "Indian Sages - Sage Bhrigu".
3. ^ Mani pp. 77-8
4. ^ a b Ananda W. P. Guruge (1991). The society of the Rāmāyaṇa. Abhinav Publications. pp. 213. ISBN 9788170172659. "kavyamata."
5. ^ Ramashraya Sharma (1986). Socio-Political Study of the Valmiki Ramayana. Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 108–9. ISBN 9788120800786.

## References[edit]

* Mani, Vettam (1975). Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary With Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 0-8426-0822-2.