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Utathya

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Utathya

Utathya, The Son of Devdatt
Rishi Utathya was the son of Devdatt and Rohinee. There lived a Braahman in Kosal Desh with his wife Rohinee. He used to listen to the stories of Devee. He had  no son, so once he did Putreshti Ygya in which he invited many Braahman. During the Yagya, Devdatt felt some fault in the Yagya so he got angry with Gobhil Muni that why did he pronounce a specific Mantra wrong? At this Gobhil Muni also got angry at Devdatt and cursed him - "You will have a foolish son." Hearing this curse, Devdatt got very sad. He held Muni's feet and asked for his forgiveness. Gobhil Muni kindly said - "


Utathya, The Son of Angiraa
Utathya was one of the three sons of Maharshi Angiraa - one of the ten Maanas Putra of Brahmaa Jee. Angiraa had three sons - Brihaspati, Samvart and Utathya.  Brihaspati was married to Shubh and Taaraa, and Utathya was married to Mamataa. Utathya had two sons - Bharadwaaj and Deerghtamaa from Mamataa.

Brihaspati had illicit relations with Utathya's wife Mamataa when she was pregnant with Deerghtamaa. The child in her womb asked him not to make effort to put another child with him, but Brihaspati didn't listen to him. He said - "Let this child be called Bharadwaaj" and cursed the child already in the womb to be in perpetual darkness, that is why the existing child was called Deerghtamaa (Deergh means long, and Tamaa means darkness) and was born blind.

Utathya Drinks the Ocean
See also  Agastya - he also drank ocean

"Dowson' Classic Dictionary of Hindu Mythology" says that Deerghtamaa who was in Angiraa's family line, was married to Som's daughter Bhadraa. Bhadraa, the daughter of Som, came to be regarded as unrivalled in beauty, so her father Som married her to Utathya thinking him the fittest of husbands for her. Now Varun Dev, who had formerly been enamored of her, carried her off from Utathya's hermitage, when she had plunged into the Yamunaa for a bath. Abducting her thus, Varun took her to his own abode. Utathya then sent Naarad Jee to bring his wife back from Varun's house, but he would not give her up to him. Utathya got very angry at this and drank up all the sea, but still Varun Dev would not let her go. So Naarad Jee came back to Utathya and cheerlessly said, "O great ascetic, Varun has driven me out from his house, seizing me by the throat. He is unwilling to send you back your spouse. Do as you please." Hearing these words of Naarad Jee, Utathya became very angry. Endued with wealth of penances, he solidified the waters and drank them off, aided by his energy. Varun became very sad at this, still he did not give up Utathya's wife.

Then Utathya, that foremost of regenerate persons, filled with wrath, commanded Earth, saying, "O Earth, Do show land where there are at present the six hundred thousand lakes." At these words of the Rishi, the Ocean receded from the spot indicated, and land appeared which was exceedingly sterile. Then he addressed to the countries and to the river: -- "Hey Saraswatee River, disappear into the deserts, and let this land, deserted by thee, become impure." After Utathya had made countries dried up, Varun submitted himself to Utathya and brought back his wife Bhadraa to him. The sage was pleased to get back his wife, and released both the world and Varun from their sufferings.

Since this Utathya's wife's name is not Mamataa, he doesn't seem to be the same Utathya as the son of Maharshhi Angiraa.

 

 

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Created by Sushma Gupta on 5/27/03
Contact: sushmajee@yahoo.com
Updated on 03/30/13