Ilā

By M. A. Alwar

Origin

Ilā is derived from "ilati viṣṇuvarāt puṁstvaṁ prāpnoti" which means 'attains manhood by the boon of Viṣṇu'.

Gender

Ilā is a feminine form.

Grammatical Origin

It can be split as ila+ka+ṭāp.

In Śrībhāgavatam

• Ilā is the name of a daughter of Vaivasvata Manu. She obtained manhood by the boon of Viṣṇu and became famous as Sudyumna.
• She became woman again by the curse of śaṅkara while entering the Kumāravana.
• Budha wedded her and became father of Purūravas.
• Then Ilā's priest Vaśiṣṭha worshiped śaṅkara and got her a boon of being male and female for alternate months.

In Rāmāyaṇa

• Ilā was the son of Prajāpati Kardama, who entered the birthplace of Kārttikeya and became a woman known as ilā.
• After worshiping Pārvatī, she obtained the boon of being male and female for alternate months.

In Ṛgveda

• Ilā is recognized as a goddess of light and brilliance along with Sarasvatī and Mahī.
• She is accounted as the goddess of the earth. She resides in the center of the earth.
• She is declared as the daughter of Manu and the teacher of men.
• The place sanctified by her feet on the sacrificial altar is used to keep the fire of the sacrifice.

Ilā In Purāṇas and Mahābhārata

• She is pictured as the daughter of Manu.
• She has changed her sex to enter a forbidden place or due to the efforts of the sages like Vasiṣṭha.
• She either becomes prince Sudyumna or the wife of Budha and mother of Pururavas.
• She used to undergo change of sex once a month.

Synonyms

1. Earth
2. Cow
3. Sentence

References

• Shabdakalpadrumah by Raja Radhakantdev, Varadaprasada Vasu, Haricarana Vasu