Bhānumatī and Savitā

Bhānumatī Savitā · bhānumatī-savitā, “Bhānumatī and Savitā”

Parīkshit has other meanings too: see all meanings of Parīkshit. Bhānumatī has other meanings too: see all meanings of Bhānumatī.

Bhānumatī and Savitā is the account of the Sūrya of the month of Pausha. The Pratisarga Parva of the Bhavishya Purāṇa tells that Bhānumatī, daughter of King Parīkshit of Siṃhala-dvīpa, was so devoted to the Sūrya vrata that Bhagavān Sūrya came every midday to accept her naivedya. She refused Nārada Maharshi, and Bhagavān Sūrya, at the word of Bhagavān Śaṅkara, went to the mṛtyuloka as a brāhmaṇa named Savitā and married her.

The frame

Sūta tells a muni what Bṛhaspati, the guru of the devas, said to Indra and the devas at Prayāga of the māhātmya of Bhagavān Sūrya. Bṛhaspati announces how, long ago at the end of Tretā Yuga, by the command of Bhagavān Śaṅkara, Bhagavān Sūrya became manifest in the lovely Pratishṭhānapura.

Bhānumatī’s vrata

At the end of Tretā Yuga there was a king named Parīkshit in Siṃhala-dvīpa, devoted to Veda-dharma, who honoured the devas and his atithis. He had one daughter, Bhānumatī, devoted to the Sūrya vrata. Each day in the palace she performed ārādhanā of Bhagavān Sūrya and offered him bhoga. Pleased with her bhakti, Bhagavān Sūrya came there every midday and accepted that naivedya.

Nārada Maharshi at the Nalinī-sāgara

One Sunday Bhānumatī went to the Nalinī-sāgara to bathe, entered the water and began her snāna. At that moment Nārada Muni reached that deserted place and made known his wish to marry her. She said this was improper. At this Devarshi Nārada was ashamed and was also seized by disease.

Nārada went to Bhagavān Śaṅkara and told him all that had happened. To remove Nārada’s disease, Bhagavān Śaṅkara pleased Bhagavān Sūrya, who is Bhāskara, by ārādhanā. Bhagavān Sūrya appeared and made the Devarshi’s body free of disease and beautiful.

Savitā

Bhagavān Sūrya said to Bhagavān Śaṅkara: “O Bhagavān Śaṅkara, command me. What dear service shall I do for you?” Bhagavān Śaṅkara said: “Bhagavān Sūrya, become a brāhmaṇa, go to the mṛtyuloka under the name Savitā, and marry Bhānumatī, the daughter of King Parīkshit.”

Bhagavān Sūrya did so. That Savitā, with Bhānumatī, performed ārādhanā of Bhagavān Sūrya and attained Sūryaloka, and he himself began to shine in the sky in the month of Pausha. Bṛhaspati concludes: “Mahendra, you too must do upāsanā of Bhagavān Sūrya, and accomplish the work of the devas.”

Sources

• Bhavishya Purāṇa, Pratisarga Parva, Khaṇḍa 4, Chapter 9