Aniruddha

Aniruddha
Mahabharata Edit this on Wikidata character
Aniruddha with Usha
Information
Spouse(s) Usha
Children Vajra
Parent(s) Pradyumna Edit this on Wikidata

Aniruddha or Anirudh (Sanskrit: अनिरुद्ध aniruddha), meaning "uncontrolled", "unrestrained" or "without obstacles", was the son of Pradyumna and the grandson of Krishna.[1] He is said to have been very much like his grandfather, to the extent that he may be a jana avatar, avatar of Vishnu. The four are considered to be vishnu-tattva or Vishnu's plenary expansions. Aniruddha is present in every soul as Supersoul.

A Daitya princess named Usha, daughter of Bana, fell in love with Aniruddha and had him brought by magic influence to her apartments in her father's city of Sonitpura in Assam. However, according to some legends, Shonitpur is also identified with Sarahan in Shimla district of Himachal Pradesh. Going by their legends, Pradyumna was made the king of Shonitpur & subsequently the Bushahr state by Lord Krishna himself. Bana sent guards to seize him, but the valiant youth, taking an iron club, slew his assailants. Bana then brought his magic powers to bear and secured him.

On discovering that Aniruddha had been carried away, Krishna, Balarama, and Pradyumna went to rescue him. Banasura was a great devotee of the god Shiva and had 1000 arms, as a result of which no one had ever been willing to fight him. Blinded by his pride, he asked Shiva to give him a chance to fight with someone as strong as himself. Shiva therefore cursed him to defeat in war by Krishna, an Avatar of Vishnu.

Usha dreaming of Aniruddha

Only after some months Krishna came to know where his grandson was and launched an attack on Banasura with a big army. Thus a great battle was fought.

When the army laid siege to his city, Banasura staged a fierce counter-attack. At this point, Lord Shiva joined the battle against Krishna because he had promised protection to Banasura.

In literature

The story of Aniruddha and Usha (as Okha in Gujarati also in Assamese as "Ukha") is depicted in the 18th century Gujarati Akhyana entitled Okhaharan by Premanand Bhatt.

Aniruddha is also a name of Vishnu which means "unstoppable".

References

  1. ↑ Gopal, Madan (1990). K.S. Gautam, ed. India through the ages. Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. p. 68.
  • Dowson: Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology.
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