Kañjānanā Nāgakanyā

Kañjānanā is a nāgakanyā (nāga princess). She was one of seven daughters of a nāga-rāja (king of the nāgas). Devī Jaladevī held the seven sisters prisoner at the Pañcappa lake in the Daṇḍakāraṇya, and Bhagavān Rāma freed them. Her name means “lotus-faced”: kañja is a lotus, and ānanā means faced.

Vasishṭha Maharshi gave Kañjānanā to Lava, the son of Rāma and Sītā, as his nāga bride. She was married to him at Ayodhyā during the great year of weddings in Rāma-rājya (the reign of Rāma).

Imprisoned and freed

The seven daughters of a nāga-rāja came to play at the Pañcappa lake in the Daṇḍakāraṇya. An angry tapasvin (one who practises tapas) muni commanded Jaladevī to hold them there, and she imprisoned them. They were freed when Bhagavān Rāma strung his bow at the lakeside.

Marriage to Lava

After the sisters were freed, the nāga-rājas offered their daughters in marriage to the sons of Rāma. Vasishṭha Maharshi assigned Kañjānanā to Lava. Their wedding took place at Ayodhyā at a muhūrta (auspicious time) in the Vaiśākha śukla paksha (bright half of the month). It was the first of the twelve weddings of that year.

Children

The genealogical account says that Kañjānanā bore Lava eight sons and one daughter.

Sources

• Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Vivāha Kāṇḍa, Chapters 5–7, 9