Kalāvatī, Sister of Menā

Kalāvatī was one of three divine sisters. The other two were Menā and Dhanyā. Sanatkumāra cursed them because they did not show him the respect he was due. All three were doomed to be born on earth as human women. Brahmā then showed them the hidden grace in the curse. Kalāvatī’s human birth would make her the mother of Rādhā, the supreme beloved of Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa. Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa is the avatāra of Bhagavān Viṣṇu who came in the Dvāpara Yuga.

This Kalāvatī is not the same as another being of the same name who appears elsewhere in the Purāṇas. Her name is also written Kālavatī.

The curse of Sanatkumāra

Kalāvatī was one of three companions in the realm of the devas, daughters of the pitṛs (ancestors). Together with Menā and Dhanyā she lived there in joy and ease. The brahmarṣi Sanatkumāra came before them. The three did not show him the respect owed to a brahmarṣi of his great standing. Sanatkumāra took offence. He cursed all three to be born as mortal women on earth, cut off from their life among the devas.

To the three sisters this curse was a crushing judgement. They had known the freedom and joy of their divine state, and birth among mortals looked to them like a great loss. (Śiva Purāṇa, Rudra Saṃhitā, Pārvatī Khaṇḍa, Chapter 12)

Brahmā’s revelation

Brahmā came to the three sisters and showed them the curse in a new light. He told them that their human births were not only a punishment. They were appointments of the highest order. Each sister would become the mother of one of the three supreme divine consorts who would appear on earth in different ages.

Brahmā said:

• Menā would become the mother of Pārvatī, the Paraśakti and the eternal consort of Bhagavān Śiva.
• Dhanyā would become the mother of Sītā, the consort of Bhagavān Rāma.
• Kalāvatī would become the mother of Rādhā, the supreme beloved of Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa.

The name Kalāvatī means “she who is full of kalās (divine arts or portions)”. It suited the woman whose womb would receive Rādhā-devī, who is the highest spiritual love itself. (Śiva Purāṇa, Rudra Saṃhitā, Pārvatī Khaṇḍa, Chapter 12)

Other beings named Kalāvatī

The Purāṇas speak of more than one figure named Kālavatī or Kalāvatī. This Kalāvatī is one of the three sisters cursed by Sanatkumāra and destined to be the mother of Rādhā. She is a different person from the beings of like name who appear in other places in the Purāṇas. The Kalāvatī of the Pārvatī Khaṇḍa appears only in the account of the curse of Sanatkumāra and her destiny as the earthly mother of Rādhā.

The three destinies

The Pārvatī Khaṇḍa shows this threefold destiny. Pārvatī, Sītā and Rādhā are born from these three cursed sisters. This puts Menā, Dhanyā and Kalāvatī at the centre of the great divine descents of the three great ages.

• Pārvatī is the eternal consort of Bhagavān Śiva in all ages.
• In the Tretā Yuga, Sītā comes as the consort of Bhagavān Rāma.
• In the Dvāpara Yuga, Rādhā comes as the supreme beloved of Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa.

Sources

• Śiva Purāṇa, Rudra Saṃhitā, Pārvatī Khaṇḍa, Chapter 12