Goddess's Tapestry: Consorts, Daughters, and Female Characters in Epics
In Hinduism, Goddess or divine feminine as a consort is not just a label for pride and social institutions such as marriage and family. Goddesses protect and nourish the life form as an independent deity, and as a consort, she acts as the shakti, divine energy, of male deities. Goddesses are the embodiment of the principles that a god bestows. Sometimes goddesses are depicted as obedient wives serving their husbands, while at other times she is the one who guides their spouse while performing a cosmic task. Hindu works of literature have a complex and symbolic family tree that includes various female figures or personifications of cosmic energies as women alongside male deities.
Many female figures from the sacred epics, as well as apsaras who don't count as goddesses, are praised for their roles as a wife or daughters, as well as their selfless sacrifice for their husbands and family.
Consort of Brahma
The consort of Brahma is Saraswati. Brahma creates the world and living beings, while Saraswati gives knowledge and wisdom to every living being. She emerged from the body of Brahma and considered his daughter. Brahma was captivated by her beauty and eventually convinced her to marry him. Gayatri, who is regarded to be a form of Saraswati and the personification of Vedas, is also considered to be a wife of Brahma. She is presented separately from Sarawati in some Puranic texts. She is a Gurjar girl, from an agricultural and rural community, who helped Brahma in Yajna when Saraswati was not there. The Yajna required the presence of his consort, and for that reason, Brahma married Gayatri.
In some traditions, Brahma is shown with three consorts. They are Saraswati, Gayatri and Savitri. These three aspects of Saraswati represent three different gunas i.e. sattva, rajas, and tamas. (Read: Saraswati)
Descendants of Brahma
After the world was created, Lord Brahma aimed to populate it with life. He created the Manasputras, mind-born children, to accomplish this. Rudras, Narada, Kumaras, Saptarishis, Prajapatis, Dharma, Swayambhuva Manu, and Shatarupa were these descendants. Among them, Kumaras and Rudras did not actively take part in the creation of living things due to their withdrawal from worldly desires. Manu, the Prajapatis, and the Saptarishis (seven sages) are regarded as the ancestors of all living things, though.
These Manasputras are repeatedly created within the vast cycles of time known as Manvantaras, which signify the era of a Manu, the first man. All gods, demigods, Asuras, Apsaras, Gandharvas, humans, and all kinds of flora and fauna are regarded to be descendants of them in the current Manvantara.
1. Swayambhu Manu and Satarupa: Swayambhuva Manu was the first Manu. He married Shatarupa, a mind-born daughter of Brahma. She is also regarded as the first female and her name means “one who can acquire hundred forms”. She gave birth to five children, two sons and three daughters. Her two sons were Priyavrata and Uttanapada, and her three daughters were Akuti, Devahuti, and Prasuti.
1.1. Priyavrata: He was the eldest son of Swayambhuva Manu and he married Barhismati and Surupa, the daughters of Visvakarma (Note: Vishvakarma in Vedas, is identified with Prajapati rather than the craftsman deity). Surupa delivered ten sons and one daughter while Barhismati had three sons.
1.2. Uttanapada: He was the younger son of Swayambhuva Manu. He married Suniti and Suruci. A son called Uttama was born to Suruci and Suniti gave birth to Dhruva.
2. Ruci: He was a sage regarded as Prajapati in the first Manvantara. He married Akuti, the first daughter of Swayambhuva Manu and Shatarupa. Akuti gave birth to one girl, Daksina, and one son, Yajna, an avatar of Vishnu.
3. Kardama: He was a sage who married Devahuti. Devahuti gave birth to Kapila, an avatar of Vishnu. Besides Kapila, she had nine daughters, Sraddha, Kala, Anusuya, Havirbhu, Kriya, Arundhati, Gati, Shanti, and Khyati. They married different Saptarishis and Prajapati.
4. Daksha: He was one of the Prajapati. He married Prasuti and Panchajani, the daughter of Prajapati Panchajana and his consort Virana, and created different kinds of living beings as his children. According to Vishnu and Padma Purana, Prasuti gave birth to twenty-four daughters named after different qualities of mind and body.
Following are the twenty-four daughters of Prasuti:
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Sraddha - Faith
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Lakshmi - Prosperity
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Dhriti - Steadiness
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Thushti - Resignation
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Pushti - Thriving
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Medha - Intelligence
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Kriya - Action
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Buddhi - Intellect
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Lajja - Modesty
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Vapu - Body
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Shanti - Expiation
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Siddhi - Perfection
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Kriti - Fame
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Khayati - Celebrity
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Sati - Truth
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Sambhuti - Fitness
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Smriti - Memory
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Priti - Affection
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Kshama - Forgiveness
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Sunnati - Humility
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Anasuya - Without jealousy
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Urjja - Energy
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Swaha - Offering
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Swadha - Oblation
According to Mahabharata, Vishnu Purana, and a few other texts, Panchajani, also known as Virani and Asikni, gave birth to 60 daughters. Ten of her daughters married Dharma, twenty-seven to Chandra, thirteen to Kashyapa, four to Arishtanemi, two to Angiras, two to Krisasva, and two to Bahuputra.
5. Dharma: He was created as an aspirant by Brahma. He as a god is a personification of a concept that signifies human or divine act that is in harmony with the law of nature, the order that makes life and the universe possible. He married Sraddha, Lakshmi, Dhriti, Thushti, Pushti, Medha, Kriya, Buddhi, Lajja, Vapu, Shanti, Siddhi, and Kirti, thirteen daughters of Daksha and Prasuti. According to Padma Purana, he married Maruvati, Vasu, Jami, Lamba, Bhanu, Urjja, Sankalp, Mahurath, Sadhya, and Vishva, ten daughters of Daksha and Asikni.
The seven sages of the first Manvantara were Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, and Vasishtha. They all married the daughters of Daksha and Kardama as mentioned below.
6. Marich: He is the founder of Vedanta, one of the six schools of Hindu philosophy. He married Kala, Sambhuti, and Dharmavrata. Sambhuti was the daughter of Dakhsa and Dharmavrata was the daughter of Dharma with Visvarupā stated in Vayu Purana. Dharmavrata was cursed to become a stone for her negligence of duty. Now her stone form is regarded as Devashila, a sacred stone worshipped at home. Kala was the daughter of Kardama who gave birth to Kasyapa.
7. Atri: He is also one of the Saptarishis the seventh (current) Manvantara. He composed numerous hymns for Agni, Indra, and other Vedic deities. He married Anasuya, the daughter of either Kardama or Daksha. She gave birth to three sons - Soma, Dattatreya, and Durvasa - who were partial representations of Vishnu, Siva, and Lord Brahma. Anasuya is considered one of the seven female pativratas, faithful and loyal wives.
8. Angiras: He married Surupa who gave birth to three sons, Utathya, Samvartana, and Brihaspati. He was also married to Smriti, the daughter of Daksha, and two daughters of Maitreya. In some texts, Surupa is replaced by Shradha, the daughter of Kardama and Devahuti, who carried Angiras two sons, Utathya and Brihaspati, and four daughters Kuhu, Sinivali, Raka, and Anumati. According to Bhagavata Purana, Angiras married Swadha and Sati, another two daughters of Daksha. Swadha was the first wife of Angiras and the mother of Pitrishwaras (ancestors). In Devi Bhagavatam, Swadha is stated as the wife of Pitrishwaras and Sati as the wife of Shiva.
9. Pulastya: He married Havirbhu, daughter of Kardama, and Priti, daughter of Daksha. Havirbhu gave birth to Vishrava and Agastya.
9.1 Vishrava later fathered Kubera by his wife Ilabila, and Ravana and his brothers by his wife Kaikasi.
10. Pulaha: He married Gati, daughter of Kardama, and Kashmada, daughter of Daksha.
11. Kratu: He married Kriya, daughter of Kardama, and Santhati, daughter of Daksha. He was also born in seventh Manvantara but without any family.
12. Vasishtha: He married Arundhati, daughter of Kardama, and Urja, daughter of Daksha.
13. Bhirgu: He is sometimes regarded as one of the Saptarishi of the first Manvantara in some texts. He married Khyati, the daughter of either Kardama or Daksha. They had two sons called Dhata and Vidhata, and a daughter, Lakshmi, the spouse of Lord Vishnu. He also married Puloma and Kavyamata. Kavyamata gave birth to Shukra, the god of Venus.
14. Atharvan: He was a sage who is sometimes recalled among Saptarishis. He married Shanti, the daughter of Kardama.
15. Vaivasvata Manu: Also called Shraddhadeva Manu, is the current Manu, in the seventh Manvantara. He married Sraddha. They begot ten children, one of them is Ila, an androgyne deity who married Budha, the god of Mercury.
The seven sages of the seventh Manvantara are Jamadagni, Kashyapa, Atri, Vashista, Gautama, Vishvamitra, and Bharadvaja. Out of those seven, Atri and Vashistha are also mentioned as the Saptarishis of the first Manvantara.
16. Kashyapa: In Hindu mythology, Kashyapa was a revered sage. He isregarded as one of the Saptarishis, or "Seven Sages,". Kashyapa is renowned for his profound intelligence and mastery of many subjects, including as astrology, medicine, and the Vedas. He played a crucial part of shaping the lineage of many living beings. He married the thirteen daughters of Daksha, who gave birth to different living species, gods, and demigods. They were Aditi, Diti, Danu, Arishta, Surasa, Surabhi, Vinata, Tamra, Krodhavasha, Ira, Kadru, Vishva and Muni.
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Aditi: She gave birth to Adityas, a group of celestial deities, Vasus, eight elemental gods, and Rudras.
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Diti: She is the Mother of Asuras and Maruts. She was considered a resentful enemy of Aditi’s sons. Holika, sometimes also known as Simhika, was a demoness and the daughter of Dhiti. She is associated with the famous bonfire called Holika Dahan, on the night before Holi.
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Kadru: She gave birth to a thousand eggs that hatched into Nagas, half-human half-serpent beings.
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Vinata: She gave birth to two eggs that hatched into two sons, named Aruna, the charioteer of Surya, and Garuda, a bird-like creature.
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Surabhi: She is a goddess, also known as Gou Mata, and Kamadhenu, the mother of cows. She is described as a white cow with a female human head, breast, wings of a bird, and tail of a peacock. She is one of the most important deities worshipped by Hindus. She also is said to be a white cow containing various deities within her body.
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Danu: She gave birth to Danavs, demons.
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Surasa: She is the mother of the nagas, a class of serpents. She is also mentioned in the Ramayana, where she encounters Hanuman on his way to Lanka.
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Arishta: She gave birth to Gandharvas, heavenly singers.
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Tamara: She had five daughters named Kraunci, Bhasi, Syeni, Dhrtarastri, and Suki. They delivered different species of birds like owls, kites, vultures, swans, geese, and cuckoos.
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Krodhavasa: She gave birth to ferocious animals and monsters.
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Ira: She gave birth to plants.
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Khasa: She gave birth to Yakshas, a group of nature spirits, and Rakshas, a supernatural being filled with bloodlust.
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Muni: She gave birth to Apsaras, a heavenly female spirit.
17. Vishvamitra: He is one of the most venerated sages in Hinduism. Menaka is a beautiful apsara who seduced him, breaking his meditation. Vishvamitra was for a time distracted by Menaka's beauty and gave in to passion. A girl was born to them called Shakuntala. Vishvamitra, however, ultimately discarded his engagement with Menaka and went back to his austere practices after realizing his diversion and the necessity of continuing his spiritual quest.
18. Jamadagni: He married Renuka (Read: Regional Goddesses). She gave birth to five children, the youngest of them was Parashurama, an avatar of Vishnu.
19. Bharadwaja: He married Susheela and became the father of a son named Garga and a daughter named Devavarshini. According to Vishnu Purana, he also had an affair with an Apsara named Ghritachi, and together they had a child named Dronacarya.
20. Vamadeva Gautama: He is recognized for his numerous appearance in Hindu texts and is an important person described in the Yajurveda, Ramayana, and Ganesh Purana. He married Ahalya, who was regarded as Brahma's creation and the pinnacle of beauty. However, Ahalya had an affair with Indra, and Gautama cursed her, turning her into a stone. The birth of the Godavari River, also known as Gautami, is another notable event connected to Gautama.
21. Shraddhadeva Manu: He is the present Manvantara and is the seventh of the fourteen manus. He married Shraddha and had ten children including Ila, an androgyne deity.
