Śveta
Śveta, “white”
Śveta is a name used for more than one king, ṛshi and place in the Purāṇas and Itihāsas. Each is listed below with where it is told; choose the one you are looking for.
People
- Śveta of Vidarbha: the king of Vidarbha who never gave food, suffered hunger in svarga, and was freed by Agastya, who passed his ornament to Rāma. Padma Purāṇa, Sṛshṭi Khaṇḍa, Chapters 34–36; Skanda Purāṇa, Kedāra Khaṇḍa, Chapter 32
- King Śveta: a king of the Ikshvāku line whose story Agastya tells Rāma: his great puṇya kept him between worlds because one part of his dharma was left undone. Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Uttara Kāṇḍa, chapter 58
- Śveta of Ilāvṛta: a king of Ilāvṛta-varsha who gave great wealth but never food, and was taught by Vasishṭha how to gain the merit of anna-dāna. Varāha Purāṇa, Chapters 97–100
- Śveta Rājarshi: Śveta, also called Śvetaka, a royal ṛshi at Kālañjara whom Bhagavān Śiva saved from Kāla and raised to be a lord of his gaṇas. Kūrma Purāṇa, Uttarardha, Chapter 35; Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 57
- Śveta Muni: a devotee of Bhagavān Śiva fixed in Mṛtyuñjaya japa, who stood without fear before Yama, and Śiva came out of the liṅga to protect him. Liṅga Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, Chapters 29–33
- Śveta, Son of Virāṭa: the eldest son of Virāṭa, king of Matsya, killed by Bhīshma on the first day at Kurukshetra. Mahābhārata, Bhīshma Parva, Chapters 43–45; Mahābhārata, Virāṭa Parva
Named in passing
- Śveta the mountain: one of the three varsha mountains north of Meru, with Nīla and Śṛṅgavān, the boundary mountain of Hiraṇmaya varsha, told on Hiraṇmaya Varsha. Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 5, Chapter 16
- Śveta the nāga: one of the great-hooded serpents who live in Pātāla, with Śaṅkha, Kulika and Dhanañjaya, told on Pātāla Lokas. Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 5, Chapter 24