Difference between revisions of "Ilā"

Revision as of 04:39, 3 November 2014

By M. A. Alwar

Sometimes transliterated as: Ila, IlA, Ilaa

Ilā - In Ṛgveda

• Ilā is recognized as a goddess of light and brilliance along with Sarasvatī and Mahī.^[1]
• 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.^[2]
• 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.

Ilā - In Shabdakalpadruma

It 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.

Ilā - As per Śrībhāgavatam

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

Ilā - As per Rāmāyaṇa

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

Synonyms

1. Earth
2. Cow
3. Sentence^[3]

References

• Shabdakalpadrumah by Raja Radhakantdev, Varadaprasada Vasu, Haricarana Vasu