Śāradā Devī
Śāradā Devī · śāradā-devī, “the Devī of the autumn”
Śāradā Devī, the giver of all auspiciousness, is the Devī worshipped by the kings of the line of Guhila in the Pratisarga Parva of the Bhavishya Purāṇa. She gave King Rāshṭrapāla the city of Mahāvatī, and in the form of a maiden riding a horse she made for his son Prajaya the city of Kānyakubja.
The gift of Mahāvatī
Sūta tells the ṛshis that Rāshṭrapāla, son of Kālabhoja, left his ancestral seat and worshipped Śāradā Devī, and gained Vaishṇavī śakti. Pleased with his tapas, Śāradā Devī gave him the most delightful city named Mahāvatī, protected by Maṇideva. King Rāshṭrapāla ruled ten years in that city.
The founding of Kānyakubja
Rāshṭrapāla had two sons, Vijaya and Prajaya. Prajaya left his mother and father, went to the bank of the Gaṅgā, and for twelve years did severe tapas to Śāradā Devī. She appeared before the prince in the form of a maiden, playing the veṇu, riding a horse. She laughed and said: “Rājaputra, why are you worshipping Śivā? The fruit of your tapas will soon come to you through me.”
Prajaya said, “Devī, salutation to you. Grant me a new city.” The Devī gave him a beautiful horse and went away toward the south, playing the veṇu.
The king mounted that horse and followed behind her with his eyes closed, and came toward the west, to where the king of birds named Markaṇa was. Then he opened both his eyes and saw an auspicious city built by the maiden. On its north was the Gaṅgā, on its south the Pāṇḍurā, on its west the Īśasaritā, and on its east the place of the bird Markaṇa. Because it was made by a kanyā (maiden) and the place was somewhat kubja (crooked), it became famous as Kānyakubja.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Pratisarga Parva, Khaṇḍa 4, Chapter 3
Sources
- Bhavishya Purāṇa, Pratisarga Parva, Khaṇḍa 4, Chapter 3