सुवर्णष्ठीवी

{ suvarṇaṣṭhīvī }

Puranic Encyclopaedia

SUVARṆAṢṬHĪVĪ   Son of King Sṛñjaya. While sages Nārada and Parvata were living in that King's palace the following incident took place. Sṛñjaya expressed his sorrow over having no issues to Nārada who then blessed him to have a son called Suvarṇaṣṭhīvī. The King began performing Yajñas from that day onwards and his queen conceived and in due time delivered a child who was named Suvarṇaṣṭhīvī and he became an ascetic even as a boy. Indra got alarmed by the penance of Suvarṇaṣṭhīvī and tried to frighten him by assuming the forms of various cruel beasts. He also sent his Vajrāyudha against the ascetic, but all to no purpose. The boy became four or five years old when one day while strolling in the company of his mother on the banks of the Gaṅgā, a tiger jumped upon him. This tiger of illusion had been sent by Indra and the tiger killed the boy. His mother wept aloud and people in the palace gathered around her. Sṛñjaya wept bitterly. Ultimately Nārada appeared, consoled the King and with the permission of Indra brought the boy back to life. [Śānti Parva, Chapter 31] ; also see under Sṛñjaya