Merudevī
Merudevī · meru-devī, “the devī born of Meru”
Merudevī is the daughter of Meru Prajāpati and the wife of King Nābhi, son of Āgnīdhra. The Bhāgavata Purāṇa tells that Śrī Hari himself descended in her as Ṛshabha, the avatāra who showed the path of the paramahaṃsas. With her husband she served Śrī Hari in the yajña that brought that son, heard his promise with her own ears, and at the end went with Nābhi to Badarikāśrama for tapas. Śrī Śuka Maharshi tells her account to Parīkshit.
Her family and marriage
Meru Prajāpati had nine daughters: Merudevī, Pratirūpā, Ugradaṃshṭrā, Latā, Ramyā, Śyāmā, Nārī, Bhadrā and Devavītī. After the death of their father Āgnīdhra, the nine sons of Āgnīdhra and the apsarā Pūrvacitti married these nine daughters. The text names only one pairing: Merudevī became the wife of Nābhi.
Source: Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 5, Chapters 2–3
The yajña for a son
Nābhi had no offspring by Merudevī. Longing for a son, he served Śrī Hari Yajñeśvara, the master of yajña, together with his wife, with a one-pointed mind. He performed the yajña with firm śraddhā (faith) and a pure heart, with all its seven limbs complete: the materials, the place, the time, the mantras, the ṛtvijas, the dakshiṇā and the vidhi. Śrī Hari, Bhaktavatsala, appeared at the yajña in his four-armed form, radiant, in yellow silk, with the Śrīvatsa on his chest. The ṛtvijas praised him and asked that a son like him be born to Nābhi. Śrī Hari answered that he is without a second, so only he is like himself; yet the word of the knowers of Brahman must not fail, so he himself would descend by his own aṃśa as the son of Nābhi. Having said this to Nābhi while Merudevī listened, Śrī Hari withdrew from sight.
Source: Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 5, Chapter 3
The descent in Merudevī
The maharshis had pleased Śrī Hari in that yajña. To give joy to Nābhi, and to make known the dharmas of the sky-clad sannyāsins rich in tapas and of the lifelong celibate maharshis, Śrī Hari descended in Merudevī, in Nābhi’s inner palace, in a body in which sattva prevails. As soon as the child was born, the marks of Bhagavān Vishṇu, the lotus on the sole of the foot and the others, were clearly seen on him, and his father named him Ṛshabha, “the most excellent”.
The account of the avatāras says it in one line: Bhagavān Vishṇu of the wide strides was born as Ṛshabha to King Nābhi in Merudevī, and showed the discerning the paramahaṃsa path, honoured by people of every āśrama.
Source: Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 1, Chapter 3; Skandha 5, Chapters 3–4
Tapas at Badarikāśrama
When the people, the ministers and the maharshis all wished Ṛshabha to rule, Nābhi crowned him and placed him under the guidance of the knowers of Brahman. Then Nābhi went with his wife Merudevī to Badarikāśrama. There he performed tapas, peaceful and intense, served with a one-pointed mind Bhagavān Vāsudeva, who had taken avatāra as Nara-Nārāyaṇa, and in time became a jīvanmukta (free while living).
Source: Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 5, Chapter 4
Sources
- Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 1, Chapter 3; Skandha 5, Chapters 2–4