Devāvṛdha

Devāvṛdha was a king. The Mahābhārata remembers him for one gift: a golden umbrella that he gave to a brāhmaṇa (a priestly scholar) for use in a yajña (a fire ritual).

The gift of the golden umbrella

In the Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīshma lists kings who became known for their dāna (giving). Devāvṛdha is one of them. He gave a divine and auspicious golden chattra (umbrella) with a hundred ribs (śata-nābhi) to a brāhmaṇa, so that the brāhmaṇa could perform a yajña. Because of this dāna, Devāvṛdha remains established in devaloka, the world of the devas.

Place in the list of givers

Devāvṛdha’s story is one part of a long roll-call of kings in the Anuśāsana Parva. Each king in the roll-call gave a particular, named gift. The gifts differ from king to king, from umbrellas and vehicles to kingdoms and daughters. Each gift won the highest lokas (worlds) for the giver.

Sources

• Mahābhārata, Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 137