देवहूती

{ devahūtī }

Puranic Encyclopaedia

DEVAHŪTĪ   A daughter of Svāyambhuva Manu, the son of Brahmā. The Manu had two sons called Priyavrata and Uttānapāda and three daughters named Ākūti, Devahūti and Prasūti. Ākūti was married by Ruciprajāpati and Devahūti by Kardamaprajāpati and Prasūti to Dakṣprajāpati. Kapila, the mighty exponent of the Sāṅkhya system of philosophy and great ascetic was the son born to Kardama by Devahūti. Kapila taught his mother the world famous Kapila Śāstra, [Devibhāgavata, Aṣṭama Skandha] and when the teaching was over he bade farewell to her and took to forest life. And, his mother performed a yajña on the lines advised by her son, on the banks of river Sarasvatī. Because she took three baths daily her hairs became a mixture of black and blue in colour and she got emaciated due to fasting. She wore the bark of trees. Devahūti, who realised all the principles and the truth became blind to all external objects like gardens, maids, mansions etc. Thus immersed in meditation she in course of time attained siddhi (realisation). The particular spot on the banks of Sarasvatī where she attained Siddhi is called Siddhapada.