Sutārā Gandharvī

Sutārā was the daughter of the gandharva Candrakānta. She was one of five inseparable gandharva kanyakās (maidens) who came to the Acchoda sarovara (lake) to give pūjā to Gaurī. Her four companions were Pramohinī, Suśīlā, Susvārā and Candrikā.

She and her companions were cursed to become piśācas after a curse (śāpa) on both sides with the brahmacarī (celibate student), the son of the ṛṣi Vaidyanidhi. They were freed by bathing in the Narmadā at Lomaśa Maharṣi’s word. Afterwards, following the gāndharva-vivāha with the brahmacarī on the bank of the Revā, they reached Viṣṇu-loka.

Character and role

Candrakānta, Sutārā’s father, was a gandharva in Kubera’s realm. His name means “one attractive as the moon”. At the high point of the meeting with the brahmacarī, Sutārā embraced him. It was a gesture of love, yet it led to the cursing on both sides.

After years as a piśāca at the Acchoda sarovara, she was freed by the touch of drops of Narmadā water (Narmadā-jala-bindu) carried on the breeze, as Lomaśa Maharṣi led all six piśācas to the river. She then took part in the gāndharva-vivāha on the bank of the Revā, and in the end she reached Viṣṇu-loka.

Sources

• Padma Mahā Purāṇa, Svarga Khaṇḍa, Chapters 22–23