Viśvarūpa Prajāpati
Viśvarūpa Prajāpati is the father of Siddhi and Buddhi, the two wives of Gaṇeśa, in the Kumāra Khaṇḍa of the Śiva Purāṇa. He is a prajāpati, a progenitor-lord. The prajāpati-s are among the creators who carry on the lines of descent.
He is not the same person as Viśvarūpa, the son of Tvaṣṭā, who appears in the Bhāgavatam’s account of the devas’ purohita.
Father of Siddhi and Buddhi
The Kumāra Khaṇḍa tells of the marriage of Gaṇeśa. It names the two daughters given to Gaṇeśa as the daughters of Viśvarūpa Prajāpati. As a prajāpati, Viśvarūpa belongs to the class of progenitors whom Brahmā charges with keeping creation going through their lines of descent.
His daughters are Siddhi and Buddhi. The name Viśvarūpa means “of universal form”.
Other Viśvarūpas
More than one person in the Purāṇas bears the name Viśvarūpa.
- Viśvarūpa, son of Tvaṣṭā. After Bṛhaspati left, the devas made him their purohita (family priest). He secretly gave offerings to the asuras. Indra killed him, and this was brahmahatyā (the killing of a brāhmaṇa). From this came Vṛtrāsura. This account is in the sixth Skandha of the Bhāgavatam.
- Viśvarūpa Prajāpati. He is the father of Siddhi and Buddhi in the Kumāra Khaṇḍa. He has no connection with the account of Indra and Vṛtrāsura.
Who are the parents of Siddhi and Buddhi
The Gaṇeśa Purāṇa, in its Krīḍā Khaṇḍa, names Siddhi and Buddhi as the daughters of Brahmā. The Kumāra Khaṇḍa of the Śiva Purāṇa names them as the daughters of Viśvarūpa Prajāpati.
Sources
- Śiva Purāṇa, Rudra Saṃhitā, Kumāra Khaṇḍa, Chapter 20
- Gaṇeśa Purāṇa, Krīḍā Khaṇḍa
- Bhāgavatam, sixth Skandha