Parṇāśā (River)
Parṇāśā · parṇa-āśā, “she who lives on leaves”
Parṇāśā is a holy river who took a beautiful form and became the wife of King Devāvṛdha of the Yadu line. She bore him Babhru Devāvṛdha, a treasure of every auspicious virtue. The account is told in Chapter 15 of the Brahma Purāṇa, in the line of Vṛshṇi.
Devāvṛdha and the river
Devāvṛdha, son of Sattvant and Kausalyā, was a yajvan (performer of yajñas) and a tapasvin. Resolving, “I must have a son rich in virtues,” he took up tapas (austerity), sipping the water of the river Parṇāśā. Because he always bathed in her, the river came to love him, but she could not decide what kindness she should do for him.
She reasoned within herself: “This king has every auspicious virtue. Which auspicious woman is his equal? For the virtuous son he desires, what excellent maiden should be his wife?” At last she decided, “I myself will go and be his wife.” She took a supremely beautiful form and chose the king, and he accepted her.
The noble-minded king placed in her a radiant child, and in the tenth month she bore a son, Babhru Devāvṛdha. Babhru was a yajvan, a lord of gifts, wise, devoted to the brāhmaṇas and firm of weapon, and the Purāṇa says that he brought seven thousand and sixty-six men to deathlessness. In his line arose the Bhojas.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 15
Sources
- Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 15