Haṃsa
Haṃsa, “the swan”
Haṃsa is a name used for more than one being in the Purāṇas and Itihāsas. Each is listed below with where it is told; choose the one you are looking for.
Devatās
- Sadāśiva: Haṃsa, the breath that says “haṃsa” in every being, which the Agni Purāṇa calls Sadāśiva himself. Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 214
- Creation (Sṛshṭi): Haṃsa as a name of Brahmā, the first being with a body, who arises in the cosmic egg. Mahābhārata, Śānti Parva, Mokshadharma Parva, Chapters 232–233; Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 2, Chapters 5, 6 and 10; Skandha 3, Chapters 5–12
- Haṃsa Avatāra: the avatāra in which Śrī Hari took the form of a swan and taught the Sanakādis, Brahmā and Nārada the dharma of moksha; his teaching is the Haṃsa Gītā (Bhāgavata Purāṇa). Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 2, Chapter 7; Skandha 10, Chapter 2; Skandha 11, Chapters 4, 13, 17
People
- Haṃsa the Daitya: a daitya king who fought the Yādavas of Dvārakā and was slain by Bhagavān Kṛshṇa in the Kāliya-hrada. Hari Vaṃśa Purāṇa, Bhavishya Parva, Chapters 104–130; Birth and the vara of Bhagavān Śiva: Chapters 104–106; The insult to Durvāsa and the message to Dvārakā: Chapters 104–110
Named in passing
- Haṃsa Avatāra: Bhagavān Śiva in the form of a swan, who brought together the two born as Nala and Damayantī, told on Yatinātha and Haṃsa Avatāra. Śiva Purāṇa, Śata Rudra Saṃhitā, Chapter 28
- Haṃsa, a mountain at Meru: one of the twenty mountains that Īśvara made around the base of Meru Parvata, told on that page. Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 5, Chapter 16
- Haṃsa, a varṇa of Plaksha Dvīpa: the first of the four varṇas of Plaksha Dvīpa, told on that page. Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 5, Chapter 20
- Haṃsa, the one varṇa of the Kṛta yuga: in the Kṛta yuga the Oṃkāra alone was the Veda, Nārāyaṇa the one Deva and Haṃsa the one varṇa, told on Oṃkāra. Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 9, Chapter 14
- Haṃsa, a name of Śrī Hari in the Kṛta yuga: one of the names by which Śrī Hari is worshipped in the Kṛta yuga, told on Nimi and the Nava Yogīśvaras. Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 11, Chapter 5
- Haṃsa, son of Vasudeva: one of the six sons of Vasudeva by Śrīdevā, told on Yadu Vaṃśa. Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 9, Chapter 24