अविन्ध्य

{ avindhyḥ, avindhya }

Puranic Encyclopaedia

AVINDHYA   A giant in whom Rāvaṇa had confidence. But he held the opinion that Sītā should be returned to Rāma. “The aged giant and noble leader Avindhya, who had earned the confidence of Rāvaṇa, brave, learned and of good qualities, pleaded with Rāvaṇa and said that Rāma would exterminate the entire race of the giants but the wicked Rāvaṇa would not pay heed to his words.” [Śrī Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Sundara Kāṇḍa, Sarga 37, Stanzas 12 and 13] . This aged giant had sent Trijatā to the Aśoka park to console Sītā. Hear what she says: “The famous giant leader, the noble aged well-wisher of Rāma, Avindhya, had told me about you.” “ [M.B., Araṇya Parva, Stanza 56] . There is a situation in Vana Parva when this noble giant prevented Rāvaṇa from his attempt to kill Sītā. “When he saw the decision of Rāvaṇa to kill Sītā, Avandhya pacified Rāvaṇa” and said, “you, a great King of a great kingdom should not deteriorate to the level of killing a woman. A woman who is in prison and at your disposal is as good as dead. But in my opinion, even if you cut her body into pieces she would not die and if she must die you will have to kill her husband.” [M.B., Araṇya Parva, Chapter 289, Stanzas 28 to 30] . From this statement the wonderful intelligence of Avindhya could be understood. It is seen in stanzas 6 and 7 of Chapter 291 of M.B., Vana Parva that it was Avindhya who had taken Sītā before Śrī Rāma when he had captured Laṅkā.

A Sanskrit English Dictionary

अ-विन्ध्य  m.  m. N. of a minister of रावण, [R.]

ROOTS:

अ विन्ध्य

The Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary

अविन्ध्यः [avindhyḥ]  N. N. of a Rākṣasa, minister of Rāvaṇa.
-न्ध्या  N. N. of a river.