Anaṅgavatī
Anaṅgavatī
Anaṅgavatī was a veśyā of the city of Vaidiśa (Vidiśā) who completed the Vibhūti Dvādaśī vrata of the month of Māgha. Vālmīki tells of her to King Pushpavāhana, when he asks about his former birth, and Śrī Kṛshṇa retells it to King Yudhishṭhira.
She gave her guru, with proper rite, a golden kalpavṛksha, an excellent lavaṇācala and a śayyā with all its things. A lubdhaka (hunter) and his wife saw her at pūjā and thought it better that Bhagavān Vishṇu be adorned with their lotuses. With their flowers Bhagavān Keśava and the lavaṇācala were worshipped, and with the rest they adorned the śayyā on all sides. Pleased, Anaṅgavatī ordered three hundred gold coins for them, but they firmly refused. She brought them the four kinds of food, bhakshya, bhojya, lehya and coshya, and they set that aside too.
The next morning she gave her guru the śayyā with the lavaṇācala and many villages, and gave twelve brāhmaṇas twelve cows with gold, clothes and ornaments. Then she fed her friends, the poor, the blind, the destitute and the lubdhaka couple, and sent them off with special honour. The lubdhaka was reborn as King Pushpavāhana.
Anaṅgavatī was born as Prīti, the co-wife of Rati, wife of Kāmadeva. She gives joy to all in all the worlds and is honoured by all the devatās.
Sources
- Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 85