Umāvana
Umāvana · umā-vana, “the forest of Umā”
Umāvana, “the forest of Umā“, is a forest on the mountain Himavat (the Himālaya), set apart for Devī Pārvatī by the command of Bhagavān Śiva. Any male who enters it, except Bhagavān Śiva, Gaṇeśa, Kārtikeya and Nandin, becomes a woman. Brahmā tells Nārada in the Gautamī Māhātmya of the Brahma Purāṇa how the Yaksha Samanyu and his wife Samā drew King Ila into this forest, how he became Ilā there, and how he was restored at the Gautamī by the grace of Śiva and Umā. The āśrama of Budha, son of Soma, lies to the east of it.
How Umāvana came to be
The Yaksha Samanyu told this to his wife. Bhagavān Śiva roamed as he pleased on the excellent mountain Himavat with Umā, followed by the devas and his gaṇas. Once, when Śaṅkara was alone in a secluded place, Devī Pārvatī asked him for a fixed place of their own, secret and well guarded at his command, to be known as Umāvana: “O Deveśa, except for you, Gaṇeśa, Kārtikeya and Nandin, whoever enters this place should be turned into a woman.” Bhagavān Candraśekhara, who bears the moon on his crest, was pleased and gave the command accordingly. Later the Yakshiṇī gives Maheśvara’s declaration in these words: “The ignorant man who comes within this range will acquire womanhood.” For this reason, Samanyu said, he could not go into Umāvana himself, for he was a man.
King Ila enters the forest
King Ila of the line of Vivasvān came hunting to Himavat and took for himself the jewelled cave of the Yaksha Samanyu, killing the Yakshas who came against him. Samanyu, who with his wife Samā had taken the form of deer, could not overcome him, and he told Samā to take the form of a hind and lure the king, so given to hunting, into Umāvana, so that he would become a woman. A man himself, he could not go there; she was a woman and a Yakshiṇī.
Samā, who could take any form, became a hind and appeared before Ila. The king followed her alone on his horse. She drew him on towards Umāvana, now vanishing, now showing herself, now standing still, now walking, now running as though afraid, until he entered the forest. Then she gave up the form of the hind and stood in her divine form beside an aśoka tree, one hand resting on its branch, and called to him, “O Ilā, where are you going alone, dressed like a man?” When Ila looked at himself, he saw that he had become a woman. Samā told Ilā who she was, why she had done this and Maheśvara’s command, and taught her the arts of a woman: dance, song, grace and charm.
Ilā in Umāvana
Ila’s army went away, and Ilā stayed in Umāvana, singing and dancing and pondering the ways of karma. The Yakshiṇī told her that to the east of the forest is the āśrama of Budha, son of Soma, who passes that way every day to pay his respects to his father. Budha saw Ilā dancing there as he passed, took her as his wife, and from them was born Purūravas, the founder of the Candravaṃśa.
When Purūravas asked how his mother could regain manhood, Budha said: “I know how he entered the forest Umāvana, and the command of Śambhu. Release from that śāpa will come only by the grace of Śambhu and Umā.” He sent them to the Gautamī, where Bhagavān Śiva dwells always with Umā. There Purūravas told the Devī, “King Ila entered your forest unknowingly, O Ambikā. Forgive him and grant him manhood,” and by the word of the Devī and of Bhagavān Śiva, Ila became a man again by bathing in the Gautamī.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 38
Sources
- Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 38