Shatarupa
| Shatarupa | |
|---|---|
| Consort | Svayambhuva Manu |
| Children | Priyavrata, Uttānapāda, Ākūti, Devahūti and Prasuti |
In Hindu mythology, when Brahma was creating the universe, he made a female deity known as Shatarupa (literally śata-rūpā, she of a hundred beautiful forms) or 'one who can aqqire hundreed forms'. According to the Matsya Purana, Shatarupa was known by different names, including Satarupa,Sandhya,or Brahmi.According to Brahma Purana Shatarupa is regarded as first woman to be created by Brahma along with Manu.
The Brahma Purana declares : "To continue with Creation, Brahma gave form to a Man and a Woman. The man was Swayambhu Manu and the Woman was named Shatrupa. Humans are descended from Manu, that is the reason they are known as Manavs."
Hindu mythology uses her story to explain Brahma's four heads. When Brahma created Shatarupa, he was immediately infatuated and pursued her wherever she went. Shatarupā moved in various directions to avoid his gaze but wherever she went, Brahmā developed another head until he had four, one for each direction of the compass. Desperate, Shatarupa leaped over him to stay out of his gaze even for a moment. A fifth head, however, appeared above the others. Thus, Brahmā developed five heads. At this moment Shiva appeared, cut off the top head and determined that since Shatarupā was Brahma's daughter (being created by him), it was wrong and incestuous of Brahma to become obsessed with her. He directed that there be no proper worship in India for the "unholy" Brahma. Thus, only the other two Gods of the Trimurti, Vishnu and Shiva continue to be worshipped, while Brahma is almost totally ignored. Ever since the incident, Brahma has been reciting the four Vedas, one from every mouth, in his attempt at repentance.
Shatarupa married Svayambhuva Manu and had five children—two sons, Priyavrata and Uttānapāda, and three daughters, Ākūti, Devahūti and Prasuti.Manu, handed over his first daughter, Ākūti, to the sage Ruci, the middle daughter, Devahūti, to the sage Kardama, and the youngest, Prasūti, to Daksha Prajapati.
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