हिमवन्त्

यन्त्रोपारोपितकोशांशः

Purana Encyclopedia

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

Himavant : m.: Name of a mountain; also referred to as Haimavata 1. 116. 27; Haimavata giri 9. 37. 26; Haima 13. 20. 28; Himadri 8. 13. 16, 20; Himālaya 6. 32. 25; Tuṣāragiri 13. 14. 109; Śvetanaga 8. 13. 20.


A. Location: In the north (atra (i. e. uttarasyāṁ diśi) vai himavatpṛṣṭhe 5. 109. 5; tato 'gacchat sa bhagavān uttarām uttamāṁ diśam/himavantaṁ giriśreṣṭham) 13. 20. 2; 13. 19. 14, 16; 13. 20. 28; 1. 189. 22; 5. 14. 5; tatas te niyatātmāna udīcīṁ diśam āśritāḥ/dadṛśur…himavantam) 17. 2. 1; Arjuna went to the north to reach the top of Himavant (jagāma…diśaṁ hy udīcīṁ kauravyo himavacchikharaṁ prati) 3. 39. 11; prāyād udaṅmukhaḥ/śaiśiraṁ girim uddiśya) 12. 314. 2 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 12. 327. 2: śaiśiraṁ giriṁ himālayam); the world to the north of Himavant is called Vara (uttare himvatpārśve…sa varo loka ucyate) 12. 185. 8; Meru is to the north of Himavant (meruṁ parvatam…himavatpārśva uttare) 14. 4. 25; lies at a long distance (prakṛṣṭe cādhvani himavān) 3. 191. 4; 2. 23. 4, 9; 2. 24. 1; the mountain of sunrise lies at the extreme end of Himavant (ye parārdhe himavataḥ sūryadayagirau nṛpāḥ) 2. 48. 8; in the west, the root of Himavant reaches up to Mandara and its end cannot be reached even after a thousand years (atra (i. e. in the west 5. 108. 2) mūlaṁ himavato mandaraṁ yāti śāśvatam/api varṣasahasreṇa na cāsyānto 'dhigamyate) 5. 108. 9; the slope of Himavant is to the north of the Kosalas 2. 27. 4; counted by Saṁjaya among the six mountains which stretch towards the east and merge at both ends in the eastern and the western ocean; the distance between these mountains is thousands of yojanas (prāgāyatā mahārāja ṣaḍ ete…/ avagāḍhā hy ubhayataḥ samudrau pūrvapaścimau/…teṣām antaraviṣkambho yojanāni sahasraśaḥ) 6. 7. 2, 4; the gate leading to the lake Mānasa is on the Himavant (not named) (etad dvāraṁ mahārāja mānasasya) 3. 130. 12; the river Sarasvatī rises on Himavant 9. 37. 20; Sarasvatī flows at a distance of a little less than two yojanas from Kurukṣetra (ūne dviyojane gatvā… puṇye prasthe himavataḥ…aruṇām sarasvatīṁ prāpya) 9. 4. 48-49; Gaṅgā rises from the golden summit of Himavant (purā himavataś caiṣā hemaśṛṅgād viniḥsṛtā) 1. 158. 17; at the foot of Himavant flows the river Mālinī (prasthe himavato ramye mālinīm abhito nadīm) 1. 66. 8; the Bāhlīkas lie outside the range of the Himavant (bahiṣkṛtā himavatā…tān bāhlīkān parivarjayet) 8. 30. 10-11.


B. Description: Holy, the holiest of all (puṇya) 1. 26. 14; 1. 115. 27; 3. 88. 18; 3. 155. 15, 16; 7. 57. 27; 9. 4. 49; 9. 37. 26; 12. 185. 8; 13. 26. 57; 13. 127. 2; (sarvapuṇyatama) 12. 185. 21; auspicious (śubha) 3. 175. 6; 9. 4. 49; 12. 185. 21; 12. 320. 8; 13. 10. 5; 13. 126. 33; heavenly (divya) 12. 320. 8; pleasing, very pleasing (ramya) 1. 66. 8; 1. 106. 8; 9. 43. 9; 13. 127. 3; (suramya) 12. 160. 31; shining (rucira) 12. 320. 9; unequalled (apratima) 12. 320. 8; 13. 127. 11; famous (vikhyāta) 13. 26. 57; big mountain (mahāśaila) 12. 125. 29; (māhāgiri) 1. 189. 20; 3. 39. 16; 13. 20. 3; 17. 2. 1; (prāṁśu) 9. 50. 32; not accessible, not easily accessible (durga) 3. 174. 12; (durgān deśān) 1. 111. 6; (sudurga) 3. 176. 30; its caves are inaccessible (durgāṁś ca girigahvarān) 1. 111. 7; having an extent of a hundred yojanas (śatayojanavistāra) 12. 160. 32; holder of earth (avanīdhra) 13. 27. 88; possessed of all qualities (sarvaguṇānvita) 12. 185. 8; best, best among mountains (śreṣṭha) 13. 83. 40; (giriśreṣṭha) 3. 40. 30; 13. 20. 2; (parvataśreṣṭha) 1. 207. 4; (acalottama) 12. 59. 121; 12. 126. 51; 13. 65. 24; (parvatottama) 12. 320. 11 (Himavant or Meru ?); (girisattama) 13. 14. 27; (nagottama) 3. 107. 4; (girivara) 12. 160. 32; (śikhariṇām varam) 3. 88. 17; (girīṇāṁ himavān varaḥ) 6. 116. 33; king or chief of mountains (śailarāja) 1. 69. 27; 1. 111. 5; 3. 82. 128; 12. 314. 18, 23; (śailarāj) 9. 54. 15; (girirāja) 1. 189. 14; 8. 62. 48; (girirāj) 6. 74. 7; (adrirāj) 7. 131. 44; 7. 132. 15; 7. 142. 37; (mahādrirāja) 1. 189. 19; (śailendra) 9. 43. 50; (śailaguru) 9. 50. 32; (listed among those called parvatarājānaḥ) 14. 43. 4; mine of all jewels (ākaraḥ sarvaratnānām) 13. 26. 57; storehouse of jewels (ratnanidhi) 18. 5. 52; filled with gems and heaps of pearls (maṇimuktācayācita) 12. 160. 32; adorned with heavenly minerals (divyadhātuvibhūṣita) 13. 127. 17; its summits have minerals (sadhātuśikharābhoga) 13. 127. 35; (bahudhātupinaddhāṅga) 1. 176. 22; 2. 31. 23; Himavant is one of the mountains described as mountains of jewels (ratnaparvatāḥ) 6. 7. 2; big rivers flow on its slopes (mahānadīnitambān) 1. 111. 7; has many streams (bahuprasravaṇa) 14. 74. 20; where stars appear like lotuses (himavataḥ pṛṣṭhe… padmatārake) 12. 160. 31; having forests of big Śāla trees (mahāśālavana) 1. 106. 8; having forests of flowering trees (puṣpitadrumakānana) 12. 160. 32; full of many trees and creepers (nānādrumalatāyuta) 3. 155. 16; full of many kinds of fruits and flowers (nānāpuṣpaphalopeta) 3. 39. 13; (nānāpuṣpasamākula) 13. 127. 3; seasons shower all kinds of highly wonderful flowers on it (ṛtavaḥ sarvapuṣpaiś ca vyakiranta mahādbhutaiḥ) 13. 127. 15; full of divine herbs (divyauṣadhisamanvita) 13. 151. 25; having different kinds of herbs (nānauṣadhiyuta) 13. 127. 3; 13. 127. 35; different kinds of birds on it 12. 314. 5; honoured by gods (amarārcita) 9. 43. 9; resorted to by Siddhas and Cāraṇas (siddhacāraṇasevita) 3. 39. 13; 6. 7. 4; 12. 314. 3; 13. 20. 2; 13. 26. 57; 13. 127. 2; by hosts of Brahmanical sages (brahmarṣigaṇasevita) 3. 88. 18; illustrious sages and Siddhas observing chastity had assembled on Himavant (to pay respect to Śiva) (munayaś ca mahābhāgāḥ siddhāś caivordhvaretasaḥ/…tatraivāsan samāgatāḥ) 13. 127. 13-14; thronged by hosts of Apsarases (apsarogaṇasaṁkīrṇa) 13. 127. 3; (apsarogaṇākīṛṇa) 12. 314. 4; Gandharvas and sages live there (gandharvāṇām ṛṣīṇāṁ ca ye ca śailanivāsinaḥ) 12. 320. 12; along with them gods also live there 12. 315. 15; adorned by Gandharvas, Yakṣas, Rākṣasas and Apsarases (gandharvayakṣarakṣobhir apsarobhiś ca śobhitam) 3. 88. 17; offers sporting ground to gods, Gandharvas and Apsarases (ākrīḍabhūtān devānāṁ gandhārvāpsarasāṁ tathā) 1. 111. 6; crowded by Yakṣas and Rākṣasas (yakṣarākṣasasaṁkula) 3. 176. 30; gives shelter to Kirātas and Kiṁnaras (kirātakiṁnarāvāsa) 3. 88. 17; filled with groups of Kiṁnarīs and Bhṛṁgarājas (kiṁnarīṇām samūhaiś ca bhṛṅgarājais tathaiva ca (ākīrṇam)) 12. 314. 4; resorted to by hosts of Bhūtas (bhūtasaṁghaniṣevita) 13. 127. 3; resounding with songs of (Apsarases) (gītasvananinādita) 12. 314. 4; resounding with the sound of the recitation of Vedic texts (brahmaghoṣa) 12. 315. 12-13, (vedadhvani) 12. 315. 14; resounding with the sound of Vedic recitations of Brāhmṇas engaged in their studies and with the humming of bees (svādhyāyaparamair viprair brahmaghoṣair vināditaḥ/ṣaṭpadair upagītaiś ca) 13. 127. 11; the forest on it is resorted to by many kinds of birds (nānāpakṣiniṣevita) and is full of many kinds of animals (nānāmṛgagaṇākīrṇa) 3. 39. 13; for the description of Himavant covered with clouds, adorned with groves on its rivers and lotus ponds, full of various birds, for lions and tigers living in the caves, for elephants scratching the trunks of the trees, for poisonous serpents, for its jewels, for its appearance here like gold, there like silver, and at another place like black collyrium, for the Kiṁnaras, Apsarases and Vidyādharas resorting to it see 3. 107. 612; 3. 175. 6-10 (where mention is made also of Devadāru trees, which act like nets to catch clouds, and of Haricandana and tall Kālīyaka trees vanāni devadārūṇām meghānām iva vāgurāḥ/haricandanamiśrāṇi tuṅgakālīyakāny api//); the fierce and thorny forest on it devoid of human beings (vanaṁ kaṇṭakitaṁ ghoraṁ…mānuṣavarjitam) 3. 39. 12. 14.


C. Characteristics:

(1) Mythological: (i) Gods assemble on Himavant (vidyate hi giriśreṣṭhe tridaśānāṁ samāgamaḥ) 3. 40. 30; (ii) Four Lokapālas, gods and sages always come there for the benefit of the world (catvāro lokapālāś ca devāḥ sarṣigaṇās tathā/yatra nityaṁ samāyānti lokasya hitakāmyayā) 12. 314. 6; (iii) Kirāta (Śiva) lives on the summit of Himavant (himavacchikharālayaḥ) 3. 40. 29; there is the abode of Rudra on Himavant (rudrasyāyatanam) which is resorted to by Siddhas and Cāraṇas, by Pārṣadas, Piśācas and various forest tribes (vanyair nānāvidhais tathā); they all serve Śarva there 13. 19. 16-18; the place is liked by Śiva and he is always present there 13. 19. 19; 5. 109. 5; (iv) Gods, Gandharvas and Apsarases have their playgrounds on many inaccessible regions of Himavant (girer asya durgān deśān bahūn…/ākrīḍabhūtān devānāṁ gandharvāpsarasāṁ tathā) 1. 111. 6; (v) It has Kubera's gardens (udyānāni kuberasya) 1. 111. 7; (vi) Garutmant, king of birds, always visits it 12. 314. 6; 2. Inhabitants: (i) Himavant protects Rakṣases and Piśācas 8. 30. 78; 6. 7. 48; (ii) Kirātas living there subsist on fruits and roots and are dressed in skins (phalamūlāśanā ye ca kīrātāś carmavāsasaḥ) 2. 48. 8; they live in its inaccessible regions (himavaddurganilayāḥ kirātāḥ) 7. 4. 6; (iii) Mlecchas also live in its inaccessible regions (himavaddurgavāsino mlecchāḥ) 7. 87. 37; (iv) A certain learned Brāhmaṇa, son of Pippalāda and of Kuśika gotra, lived for long on the summit of Himavant 12. 192. 5; 3. The righteous people are reborn there; the unrighteous ones do not go to the north (ihatyās tatra jāyante ye vai puṇyakṛto janāḥ/asatkarmāṇi kurvantaḥ …ihaiva parivartante na te yānty uttarāṁ diśam) 12. 185. 21-23; 4. The Himavant region is full of many wonders (bahvāścaryo hi deśaḥ saḥ) 14. 14. 9; (tatrāham adbhutān bhāvān apaśyaṁ girisattame) 13. 14. 27; 3. 141. 25; 5. (a) Āśramas on it of: (i) Nara and Nārāyaṇa 12. 334. 2; (ii) Vaiyāghrapadya Upamanyu 13. 14. 28 (the āśrama is described in 13. 14. 27-44); (iii) Nārada (himavantaṁ jagāmāśu yatrāsya svaka āśramaḥ) 12. 334. 2; (iv) Vṛṣaparvan 3. 155. 17; (b) Other places on it: (i) large realm of Subāhu (subāhor viṣayaṁ mahat) 3. 141. 24-25; (ii) Muñjapṛṣṭha and Muñjavant on the summit of Himavant (and on Meru) 12. 122. 2-3; 14. 8. 1; (iii) Pitāmahasaras 3. 82. 128; (iv) A holy and dirtfree pond of lotuses (himavataḥ puṇyo vimalaḥ kamalākaraḥ) and the forest Jaimūta 5. 109. 21-22; 6. Animals, birds and trees: (i) Elephants of Himavant (haimavatā gajendrāḥ) 1. 178. 2; (nāgāḥ…haimavatāḥ) 4. 49. 15; (haimavatāḥ…gajāḥ) 8. 62. 36; (gajau haimavatau) 8. 65. 2; (nāgaṁ prabhinnaṁ girikūṭakalpam upatyakāṁ haimavatīṁ carantam) 3. 252. 5; (ii) Lions: Lions from the forests on Himavant (himavadvanasaṁbhūtaṁ siṁhaṁ kesariṇam) 3. 292. 21; (siṁhāḥ haimavatāḥ) 2. 19. 25; 2. 68. 15; (iii) Swans: swans in their flight as though touch the summit of Himavant (haṁsā himavataḥ prasthe pibanta iva medinīm) 9. 8. 12. (iv) A Bhūliṅga bird: A female Bhūliṅga bird, living on the other side of Himavant, utters warnings to others: ‘Do not act rashly’, not realizing that she was doing the same thing herself (bhūliṅgaśakunir nāma pārśve himavataḥ pare/ bhīṣma tasyāḥ sadā vācaḥ śrūyante 'rthavigarhitāḥ//mā sāhasam itīdaṁ sā satataṁ vāśate kila/sāhasaṁ cātmanātīva carantī nāvabudhyate//) 2. 41. 19-20; (v) Kiṁśuka trees: Flowering Kiṁśukas of Himavant (himavati puṣpitau…kiṁśukau) 9. 57. 31; (vi) A very big Śālmali tree grew on the summit of Himavant for a number of years; it had large roots and branches (himavatpṛṣṭhajaḥ kaścic chālmaliḥ…bṛhanmūlo bṛhacchākhaḥ//) 12. 151. 2; vanaspatiḥ/ vaṛsapūgābhisaṁvṛddhaḥ śākhāskandhapalāśavān//) 12. 150. 2; 7. (i) Certain regions of Himavant are always covered with snow; there are no trees, animals or birds there; others get heavy rains, and still others are inaccessible and difficult to reach (santi nityahimā deśā nirvṛkṣamṛgapakṣiṇaḥ/santi kecin mahāvarṣā durgāḥ kecid durāsadāḥ//) 1. 111. 8; (ii) Even birds cannot cross the inaccessible regions of Himavant, let alone other animals; only wind and great sages who have attained perfection can go beyond them (atikrāmen na pakṣī yān kuta evetare mṛgāḥ/vāyur eko 'tigād yatra siddhāś ca paramarṣayaḥ//) 1. 111. 9; 8. Rivers originating on it: (i) Sarasvatī 9. 37. 19-20; (prabhavaṁ ca sarasvatyāḥ) 9. 53. 9-11; (3. 82. 5); therefore called Haimavatī 9. 43. 51; (ii) Gaṅgā 1. 158. 17; (iii) Śatadru is called Haimavatī 1. 167. 8; 9. Special qualities: (i) Steadiness, steadfastness (sthira) 5. 154. 2; 11. 21. 8; 12. 126. 51; (susthira) 3. 270. 2; 14. 4. 20; (sthairya) 6. 14. 8; (sthāvara) 6. 32. 25 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 6. 34. 25: sthāvarāṇāṁ sthitimatām); not moving, immovable (acala) 12. 219. 15; 14. 77. 1; (niścala) 13. 17. 13; (acālya) 13. 35. 20; also cf. 2. 68. 35; 5. 80. 48; cannot be easily torn asunder (gadāprahārābhihato himavān api parvataḥ/…viśīryeta) 5. 54. 38; firmness (dhairya) 1. 179. 9; unchanging (sthitaḥ prakṛtyā) 12. 219. 15; strong (himavāṁś ca…mayābhipannaṁ trāyeran balam āsthāya na trayaḥ//) 5. 74. 10; trustworthy (viśvāsya) 12. 57. 29; 10. No one has monopoly of it, is accessible to all at all times (…himavatpārśve…/rātrāv ahani saṁdhau ca kasya kḷptaḥ parigrahaḥ//) 1. 158. 15; 11. Sweet honey collected from flowers on Himavant (himavatpuṣpajaṁ caiva svādu kṣaudraṁ tathā bahu) 2. 48. 5; different kinds of honey on Himavant (madhūni vividhāni) 3. 157. 8; 12. Is Himavant also characterized by the middle quality, i. e. by rajas (madhyamo guṇaḥ) ? 14. 43. 1, 4.


D. Holiness: (i) One who duly gives up his body on Himavant by observing fast to death he, after worshipping the deities there and bowing down to the sages, obtains perfection and goes to the eternal world of Brahman in heaven (śarīram utsṛjet tatra vidhipūrvam anāśake/…abhyarcya devatās tatra namaskṛtya munīṁs tathā/ tataḥ siddho divaṁ gacched brahmalokaṁ sanātanam) 13. 26. 58-59 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 13. 25. 63: vidhipūrvakam ātmaśrāddhādikaṁ kṛtvā anāśake anaśanavrate kṛte sati); (ii) The region of Himavant in the north is holy, giving peace, desirable and excellent (puṇyaḥ kṣemyaś ca kāmyaś ca sa varoloka ucyate) 12. 185. 8; (for the description of the people there see 12. 185. 9-13); (iii) Gods had offered a sacrifice on top of Himavant (himavato mūrdhni yatra devāḥ samījire) 12. 250. 23; they made a sixth part of the merit of that sacrifice equal to giving the gift of land (ṣaṣṭham aṁśaṁ kratos tasya bhūmidānaṁ pracakrire) 13. 65. 24 (Nī., however, on Bom. Ed. 13. 66. 25: himavati himavatsamīpe).


E. Importance: (i) For Upamanyu, Śiva was like Himavant among mountains (śailānāṁ himavān giriḥ) 13. 14. 161; (ii) Bhagavān is the Himālaya among those that do not move (sthāvarāṇāṁ himālayaḥ) 6. 32. 25; (iii) Finds mentions in the Daivata-Ṛṣi Vaṁśa 13. 151. 25, 2.


F. Epic events:

(1) Pāṇḍu left Hāstinapura and lived with his two wives in the forest on the southern side of Himavant giving himself to hunting (araṇyanityaḥ satataṁ babhūva mṛgayāparaḥ//sa caran dakṣiṇaṁ pārśvaṁ ramyaṁ himavato gireḥ) 1. 106. 7-8; (ii) Pāṇḍu crossed Himavant to go to Gandhamādana from where he went to Śataśṛṅga 1. 110. 43; when Pāṇḍu with his two wives wished to go from Śataśṛṅga further north, the ascetics dissuaded him describing to him the higher inaccessible regions of Himavant; they said that the two princesses (Kuntī and Mādrī) would be pained walking on that mountain (girer asya durgān deśān bahūn/…gacchantyau śailarāje 'smin rājaputryau kathaṁ tv ime/na sīdetāṁ) 1. 111. 5-10;

(3) Vyāsa retired to Himavant (himavantaṁ śiloccayam) to practise austerities after advising Gāndhārī what she should do about the piece of flesh (māṁsapeśī) born to her 1. 107. 23;

(4) Pāṇḍavas grew on Himavant causing wonder to the great sages (haimavate girau) 1. 115. 27;

(5) Arjuna told Aṅgāraparṇa Gandharva that no one had an exclusive claim on Himavant (himavatpārśve) (nor on ocean and Gaṅgā) 1. 158. 15;

(6) Arjuna, during his exile, went from Gaṅgādvāra to Himavant (himavatpārśvam) 1. 207. 1;

(7) Arjuna conquered Himavant, along with Niṣkuṭa, in his expedition to the north before the Rājasūya (himavantaṁ saniṣkuṭam) 2. 24. 27;

(8) Bhīma, in his expedition to the east (2. 26. 1, 7), defeated Jaradgava who ruled over the region near Himavant (himavataḥ pārśve samabhyetya jaradgavam) 2. 27. 4;

(9) Yudhiṣṭhira in his childhood was instructed by Merusāvarṇīn on Himavant (himavaty anuśiṣṭo 'si merusāvarṇinā purā) 2. 69. 12;

(10) Lomaśa showed the gate of the Mānasa lake to Yudhiṣṭhira (etad dvāraṁ mahārāja mānasasya prakāśate/varṣam asya girer madhye) 3. 130. 12;

(11) Arjuna went to the summit of Himavant to practise austerities in order to meet Indra and Śiva (himavacchikharaṁ prati/… śuśubhe himavatpṛṣṭhe/…himavatpṛṣṭham āśritaḥ/) 3. 39. 10-12, 16, 26;

(12) From Subāhu's realm the Pāṇḍavas proceeded to Himavant to meet Arjuna (himavantam giriṁ prati) 3. 141. 27;

(13) Yudhiṣṭhira started from the āśrama of Nārāyaṇa (3. 155. 1) and reached the tableland of Himavant on the seventeenth day (prasthaṁ himavataḥ puṇyaṁ yayau saptadaśe 'hani) 3. 155. 15; from there Gandhamādana could be seen at close quarters (dadṛśuḥ pāṇḍavā rājan gandhamādanam antikāt/pṛṣṭhe himavataḥ puṇye) 3. 155. 16;

(14) The Pāṇḍavas lived on the tableland of Himavant (himavatpṛṣṭhe) eating foods partaken by sages (bhuñjānā munibhojyāni), juicy fruits, as also meat of deer killed with purified arrows (śuddhabāṇahatānāṁ ca mṛgāṇāṁ piśitāny api), and different kinds of honey (madhūni vividhāni ca); here they completed the fifth year of their forest life 3. 157. 7-9;

(15) On their return journey the Pāṇḍavas crossed the inaccessible regions of Himavant (durgaṁ himavatpradeśam) to reach once again the realm of Subāhu 3. 174. 12;

(16) When the Pāṇḍavas lived in Dvaitavana on the bank of Sarasvatī (sarasvatīm etya nivāsakāmāḥ) 3. 174. 21, Bhīma noticed the regions of Himavant (deśān girer himavataḥ) 3. 175. 6;

(17) Arjuna told Uttarā that he was born on the plateau of Himavant (jāto himavatpṛṣṭhe) 4. 39. 14;

(18) Arjuna had fought with Maheśvara on Himavant 7. 53. 21;

(19) Arjuna, while journeying through the air on his way to propitiate Śiva for his Pāśupata, saw the foot of Himavant (himavataḥ pādam) 7. 57. 27;

(20) Vṛka pierced with arrows Kuṇinda prince who lived on the king of mountains (Himavant ?) (vṛko…girirājavāsinam…parābhinat) 8. 62. 48;

(21) The Kauravas, after the fall of Karṇa, went to Sarasvatī flowing near the Himavant and after drinking its water and bathing in it returned refreshed (kauravāḥ/… prasthe himavataḥ śubhe/aruṇāṁ sarasvatīṁ prāpya papuḥ sasnuś ca tajjalam// tava putrāḥ kṛtotsāhāḥ paryāvartanta te tataḥ//) 9. 4. 48, 50; (haimavate prasthe) 9. 5. 1; they lived there for a night (te rātrim uṣitāḥ); at the fall of Karṇa the Kauravas found no peace except near Himavant (nālabhañ śarma te putrā himavantam ṛte girim) 9. 5. 2-4;

(22) Balarāma, in his tīrthayātrā, visited the holy āśrama near Himavant (pārśve himavataḥ); he worshipped the sages there and ascended the mountain (āruruhe 'calam); he saw at a short distance the tīrtha called Plakṣaprasravaṇa (nātidūraṁ tato gatvā nagam) 9. 53. 9-10;

(23) Kṛṣṇa begot Pradyumna on Rukmiṇī after practising austerities on Himavant (himavatpārśvam abhyetya) and observing chastity for twelve years 10. 12. 29;

(24) Vyāsa advised Yudhiṣṭhira to get for his Aśvamedha wealth left on Himavant by the Brāhmaṇas officiating at the sacrifice of Marutta (vidyate draviṇaṁ pārtha girau himavati sthitam) 14. 3. 20;

(25) Yudhiṣṭhira with his brothers, protected by Vyāsa, desired to repair to Himavant (himavantaṁ tvayā guptā gamiṣyāmaḥ pitāmaha) 14. 14. 9;

(26) After Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Gāndhārī and Kuntī were burnt by the forest fire near Gaṅgādvāra, Saṁjaya went to Himavant (himavantaṁ mahīdharam) 15. 45. 33;

(27) The Pāṇḍavas in their final journey saw Himavant in the north; after crossing it they saw the big desert and the mount Meru (taṁ cāpy atikramantas te dadṛśur vālukārṇavam/ avaikṣanta mahāśailaṁ merum) 17. 2. 1-2;

(28) Vyāsa lived at the foot of Himavant (guror me…himavatpāda āsataḥ); there he composed the Bhārata and felt tired; he was served there by his pubils and his son Śuka 12. 337. 9-10, 12.


G. Past and mythological events:

(1) The fish dragged the ship of Manu to the highest peak (śṛṅgaṁ yat param) of Himavant; it advised the seven sages to quickly tie the are to that peak of Himavant; the sages acted accordingly; that highest peak of Himavant is famous as Naubandhana even today (tac ca naubandhanaṁ nāma śṛṅgaṁ himavataḥ param/khyātam adyāpi) 3. 185. 4447;

(2) Rāma (Jāmadagnya) established his residence on mountain (Himavant) (varṣam asya girer madhye rāmeṇa śrīmatā kṛtam 3. 130. 12; Nī. on Bom. Ed. 3. 130. 12: varṣaṁ vasatisthānam);

(3) Himavant waited on king Vainya and offered jewels to him 12. 59. 121;

(4) After Nahuṣa was made king of the heaven he sported at various places, one of them being the summit of Himavant (himavatpṛṣṭhe) 5. 11. 9;

(5) Viśvāmitra begot Śakuntalā on Menakā on the lovely summit of Himavant (prasthe himavato ramye) 1. 66. 8; (himavataḥ pṛṣṭhe) 1. 68. 69; Menakā abandoned Śakuntalā on Himavant (himavataḥ pṛṣṭhe) 1. 68. 69, 73;

(6) Bhagīratha went to the slope of the Himavant (himavatpārśvam) to practise austerities 3. 107. 3-4; Gaṅgā split the mountain Himavant at Gaṅgādvāra 3. 88. 18;

(7) Pulastya and Vasiṣṭha requested Parāśara to end his sacrifice of the Rākṣasas (rākṣasasatra); he stopped it; the fire that was collected by him for the sacrifice was thrown by him in the great forest on the northern side of Himavant (uttare himavatpārśve utsasarja mahāvane); the fire is seen there even today consuming the Rakṣases, forests and rocks on every parvan day (sa tatrādyāpi rakṣāṁsi vṛkṣān aśmāna (?) eva ca/bhakṣayan dṛśyate vahniḥ sadā parvaṇi parvaṇi//) 1. 172. 15-17;

(8) Leaving behind his daughter Srucāvatī in the āśrama, Bhāradvāja repaired to the forest on Himavant (jagāma himavadvanam) 9. 47. 60;

(9) The great sage Bhṛgu approached Himavant and asked for his daughter; Himavant told Bhṛgu that the desired bridegroom was Rudra (tam abravīd dhimavān abhilaṣito varo rudra iti); since Bhṛgu's request was rejected by Himavant the former uttered a curse that the mountain would not be a source of jewels; that word of the sage is true even today (na ratnānāṁ bhavān bhājanaṁ bhaviṣyatīti/adyaprabhṛty etad avasthitam ṛṣivacanam) 12. 329. 49 (2-5);

(10) Vadānya told Aṣṭāvakra to cross the place of Kubera, the mountain Himavant, and the place of Rudra to see the direction Uttarā; accordingly Aṣṭāvakra went to Himavant and visited the holy river Bāhudā; he then roamed on mountains Kailāsa, Mandara and Haima (kailāsaṁ mandaraṁ haimam sarvān anucacāra ha); he crossed them and went to the Kairātasthāna 13. 19. 16; 13. 20. 2-3, 28-29;

(11) Sage Mārkaṇḍeya saw Himavant in the belly of the Bāla (13. 186. 83 = Nārāyaṇa 13. 187. 3) 3. 186. 101;

(12) The Vālakhilyas, when appeased by Kaśyapa, left the branch of the Rohiṇa tree (1. 25. 31) on which they were hanging and went to Himavant to practise austerities 1. 26. 14;

(13) When the descendants of Kṛtavīrya destroyed the Bhṛgus, even those who were still in the womb, the women of the Bhṛgu family fled and took resort on Himavant (himavantaṁ prapedire) 1. 169. 19;

(14) Leaving Arundhatī behind at the Badarapācana tīrtha the seven sages went to Himavant; while they obtained their livelihood in a forest on Himavant, there occurred a severe drought lasting for twelve years; Mahādeva told the seven sages that the merit which they had acquired by their austerities on Himavant (himavatpṛṣṭhe) was not equal to the merit of Arundhatī's austerities 9. 47. 28, 30, 41;

(15) Vyāsa resorted to the east of Himavant and there, in a solitary place, taught Vedas to his pupils Sumantu, Vaiśaṁpāyana, Jaimini, and Paila (aindrīṁ tu diśam āsthāya śailarājasya dhīmataḥ/vivikte parvatataṭe…vedān adhyāpayām āsa vyāsaḥ) 12. 314. 23-24; Vyāsa lived on Himavant (himavatpṛṣṭhe) teaching (Vedas) to his pupils and his son 12. 314. 30; once his pupils expressed their wish to leave the mountain and go to the plains to propagate the Vedas at different places, if that pleased Vyāsa (śailād asmān mahīṁ gantuṁ kāṅkṣitaṁ no mahāmune/vedān anekadhā kartum yadi te rucitaṁ vibho) 12. 315. 4;

(16) Nārada once visited Himavant 12. 314. 3; he saw Vyāsa all alone and silent in his āśrama on Himavant; the sage told Vyāsa that the mountain, without the sound of the Vedas, was not delightful as before (brahmaghoṣair virahitaḥ parvato 'yaṁ na śobhate/ …na bhrājate yathāpūrvam…vedadhvaninirākṛtaḥ) 12. 315. 11-14;

(17) Śuka, son of Vyāsa, after he was instructed by Janaka in Mithilā, journeyed to the north through air to reach Himavant (prāyād udaṅmukhaḥ/śaiśiraṁ girim uddiśya sadharmā mātariśvanaḥ) 12. 314. 2; Śuka saw his father surrounded by pupils in his āśrama; Vyāsa saw his son arriving, lustrous like the sun; Śuka told his father all about his conversation with Janaka 12. 314. 25-29; when Śuka got the consent of Nārada to leave this world he went to meet his father; after a pradakṣiṇā of him, Śuka, intent on achieving liberation (mokṣa), took leave of his father 12. 318. 60-61, 63; Śuka went up to the summit of Himavant and sat there on a desolate table-land (giripṛṣṭhaṁ samāruhya…same deśe vivikte ca…upāviśat); taking recourse to Yoga he went beyond the sky to reach the path of liberation (sa punar yogam āsthāya mokṣamārgopalabdhaye/ mahāyogīśvaro bhūtvā so 'tyakrāmad vihāyasam//) 12. 319. 1, 6; when Śuka attained perfection (siddhi) and was established in brahman (brahmaṇi pratyatiṣṭhat saḥ) some unexpected things happened; one of them was that it appeared due to loud thunders that Himavant was being torn asunder (nirghātaśabdaiś ca girir himavān dīryatīva ha) 12. 320. 5; he then saw before him towards the north two heavenly summits closely attached to each other, one of Himavant, white and silvery, and the other of Meru, yellow and golden; the two peaks were a hundred yojanas in height and width (śṛṅge…himavanmerusaṁbhave/saṁśliṣṭe śvetapīte dve rukmarūpyamaye śubhe// śatayojanavistāre tiryag ūrdhvaṁ ca bhārata/udīcīṁ diśam āśritya) 12. 320. 8-9; undeterred Śuka continued to fly upwards: then a wonderful thing happened--the two peaks suddenly got seperated and Śuka swiftly passed through them; the excellent mountain (Himavant ? Meru ?) could not check Śuka's gait; those who lived in heaven and on the mountain uttered a loud cry (tataḥ parvataśṛṅge dve sahasaiva dvidhākṛte/adṛśyatāṁ mahārāja tad adbhutam ivābhavat// tataḥ parvataśṛṇgābhyāṁ sahasaiva viniḥsṛtaḥ/na ca pratijaghānāsya sa gatiṁ parvatottamaḥ//) 12. 320. 10-12; Vyāsa who followed Śuka saw his son pass through the mountain peak rent into two (dvidhā kṛtvā parvatāgram) 12. 320. 21; Vyāsa then sat down on the summit of the mountain (giriprasthe) thinking continuously of his son (putram evānucintayan) 12. 320. 27;

(18) A certain Brāhmaṇa, son of Pippalāda and of Kuśika gotra, lived at the foot of Himavant engaged in Vedic studies (brāhmaṇo jāpakaḥ kaścit…paippalādiḥ sa kauśikaḥ/ …himavatpādasaṁśrayaḥ) 12. 192. 4-5 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 12. 199. 4: jāpakaḥ mantrādhyayanaparaḥ);

(19) A certain Śūdra approached the head of an āśrama of the Brāhmaṇas on Himavant (brahmāśramapade vṛttaṁ pārśve himavataḥ śubhe) 13. 10. 5, 10 (the āśrama described 13. 10. 6-9);

(20) An owl named Prākārakarṇa lived on Himavant; Indradyumna became a horse and carried Mārkaṇḍeya to the owl on the distant Himavant (prakṛṣṭe cādhvani himavān) 3. 191. 4-5;

(21) A lotus pond on Himavant (himavataḥ…kamalākaraḥ) waited in person (sākṣāt) on the brahmanical sage Jīmūta 5. 109. 21;

(22) Gaṅgā, unable to bear the seed (emitted lustre of Maheśvara tejo māheśvaraṁ skannam 9. 43. 6) placed in her by Agni, released it on Himavant (utsasarja girau ramye himavati); there it grew and was seen by the Kṛṭṭikās in a cluster of reeds 9. 43. 9-11; Nārada went to see Himavant where Kumāra (Skanda) in his childhood threw his śakti on earth; he challenged any one to uproot or shake the śakti (himavantam iyād draṣṭum…/yatraiva ca kumāreṇa… śaktir nyastā kṣititale) 12. 314. 3, 7-10; Prahlāda in his effort to draw out the śakti fainted on the summit of the mountain (mūrcchito girimūrdhani) 12. 314. 16-17; gods, led by Brahman, took Kumāra to the best mountain (Himavant), to Sarasvatī of Himavant for his coronation (abhiṣekārtham ājagmuḥ śailendram…/ haimavatīm…sarasvatīm) 9. 43. 50-51; Himavant present at the time of the coronation 9. 44. 13; he gave for coronation an excellent, divine seat decorated with excellent gems and heavenly jewels (himavatā datte …niṣaṇṇaḥ paramāsane) 9. 44. 2; after the coronation, Himavant gave to Kumāra as his attendants (anucarau) Suvarcas and Ativarcas 9. 44. 42; Skanda, while shooting arrows at Śveta mountain, pierced Krauñca mountain, the son of Himavant (bibheda sa śaraiḥ śailaṁ krauñcaṁ himavataḥ sutam); through the hole created by him swans and vultures go to Meru 3. 214. 31;

(23) Śiva went from Kailāsa to Himavant (himavantam upāgamat) to hold Gaṅgā on his head when the river descended from the sky (mahādevaḥ śirasā yāṁ adhārayat) 3. 108. 3; (himavati gaṅgāyāḥ…/mūrdhnā dhārāṁ mahādevaḥ śirasā yām adhārayat) 13. 106. 26;

(24) Rudra desired Umā, daughter of Himavant (himavato girer duhitaram umāṁ rudraś cakame) 12. 329. 49(1); Umā practised on a spot on Himavant severe austerities for Śiva and hence it is said that the spot was liked by both of them (tatra (i. e. iṣṭaṁ kila girau sthānam) devyā tapas taptaṁ śaṁkarārtham…/atas tad iṣṭaṁ devasya tathomāyā iti śrutiḥ) 13. 19. 20;

(25) Śiva always went to the northern side of Himavant (yatrottarāṁ diśaṁ gatvā śailarājasya pārśvataḥ) to practise austerities 12. 314. 18; when Śiva practised austerities on Himavant (giritaṭe 13. 127. 17), the mountain shone due to Śiva's austerites (sa giris tapasā tasya bhūteśasya vyarocata) 13. 127. 2, 10; Umā also resorted to that place on Himavant (sevantī himavatpārśvam) and approached Śiva 13. 127. 25; when she closed the eyes of Śiva with her hands a big flame issued from his forehead; the mountain was afflicted by Śiva's third eye which looked like the sun (yenāsau mathito giriḥ) 13. 127. 29-30, 45, (mathitaṁ śailam) 36; the flame burnt the whole forest on Himavant; hence the animals came to Śiva's abode for shelter; the entire mountain Himavant, with its peaks full of minerals and herbs in its forests, was burnt in a moment (kṣaṇena tena dagdhaḥ sa himavān abhavan nagaḥ/sadhātuśikharābhogo dīnadagdhavanauṣadhiḥ//); when Śiva noticed that Umā was unhappy due to the wretched condition of her father, he looked with affection at the mountain and it returned to its former original condition, beautiful to look at (śarvaḥ …prītyāpaśyat tato girim/tato 'bhavat punaḥ sarvaḥ prakṛtisthaḥ sudarśanaḥ) 13. 127. 32-39, 42, 45;

(26) The marriage of Rudra with Rudrāṇī took place on Himavant (girau himavati śreṣṭhe) 13. 83. 40;

(27) Viṣṇu practised austerities on Himavant to get a son (viṣṇunā yatra putrārthe tapas taptaṁ mahātmanā) 12. 314. 7; Kṛṣṇa went to Himavant to practise austerities to beget a son on Jāmbavatī; Tārkṣya took Kṛṣṇa to Himavant (ahaṁ tārkṣyam acintayam/so 'vahad dhimavantaṁ mām) 13. 14. 12-13, 26; Kṛṣṇa saw on Himavant miraculous occurrences (tatrāham adbhutān bhāvān apaśyaṁ girisattame) 13. 14. 27; Kṛṣṇa observed a vrata, lasting for twelve years on Himavant (vrataṁ cartum ihāyātas tv ahaṁ girim imaṁ śubham) 13. 126. 10, 33; the unthinkable miracle of fire issuing from the mouth of Kṛṣṇa (13. 126. 16) witnessed by Nārada and other sages on Himavant (yad āścaryaṁ acintyaṁ ca girau himavati prabho/anubhūtaṁ munigaṇaiḥ) 13. 126. 48-49; the fire burnt the mountain with its trees, creepers and bushes, as well as all kinds of animals; the snmmit of the mountain was afflicted (śikharaṁ tasya śailasya mathitam) 13. 126. 17-18; (etad tad vaiṣṇavaṁ tejo mama vaktrād viniḥsṛtam/…yenāyaṁ mathito giriḥ) 13. 126. 30; Viṣṇu by looking at the forest with gentle eyes brought it back to its original condition (saumyair dṛṣṭinipātais tat punaḥ prakṛtim ānayat 13. 126. 20-21, 36;

(28) When Rudra and Nārāyaṇa fought with each other the ocean went dry and Himavant was shattered (himavāṁś ca vyaśīryata) 12. 330. 54;

(29) Once, god Brahman waited upon by brahmanical sages stayed on Himavant (tadā himavataḥ pṛṣṭhe…tasthau) 12. 160. 31-32;

(30) Indra saw a young man (really god Śiva 1. 189. 21) playing dice with a young woman on the summit of the king of mountains (krīḍantam akṣair girirājamūrdhni); Śiva asked Indra to turn (the summit of) the mountain and enter it (vivartayainaṁ ca mahādrirājam…/sa tad vivṛtya śikharaṁ mahāgireḥ); when Indra did what he was asked to do he saw four former Indras, equal to him in lustre, held captive there 1. 189. 14, 19-20; Śiva asked Indra to enter the cave of the mountain and stay there (darīm etāṁ praviśa tvam śatakrato…etāṁ darim āviśya śedhvam) 1. 189. 14, 19-24, 32;

(31) Upaśruti crossed Himavant and went with Indrāṇī to a big island in the ocean to the north of the mountain (himavantam atikramya uttaraṁ pārśvam āgamat/samudraṁ ca samāsādya…āsasāda mahādvipam) 5. 14. 5-6;

(32) Mṛtyu, conceived as a woman, reluctant to carry out the instruction of Pitāmaha to deprive people of their lives, went to the top of Himavant (himavato mūrdhni) and stood there for an extremely long period (nikharvam aparaṁ tataḥ/tasthau) on her toe to satisfy Pitāmaha 12. 250. 23;

(33) Śeṣa, disgusted with the behaviour of his stupid brothers, left his mother Kadrū and went to different places to practise austerities, one of them being the slope of Himavant (himavatas taṭe) 1. 32. 2-3;

(34) Nārada told to Vāyu that a certain large Śālmali tree grown on the summit of Himavant (himavatpṛṣṭhajaḥ) disrespected him 12. 151. 2.


H. Similes:

(1) Various persons compared with Himavant for different qualities: (a) Steadiness: (i) Bhīṣma (himavantam iva sthiram) 5. 154. 2; (sthairye ca himavān iva) 6. 14. 8; (ii) Karṇa (himavān iva ca sthiraḥ) 11. 21. 8; (iii) King Avikṣit and (iv) Vibhīṣaṇa (himavān iva susthiraḥ) 14. 4. 20; 3. 270. 2; (v) Hanūmant (himavantam iva sthitam) 3. 264. 10; (vi) Yudhiṣṭhira advised to be steady like Himavant (sthiro bhava yathā rājan himavān) 12. 126. 51; (b) Immovability: (i) Kṣemavṛddhi under the attack of arrows (tadbāṇavarṣaṁ… viṣehe…himavān iva niścalaḥ) 3. 17. 13; (ii) Duryodhana (nācalad girirāḍ iva) 6. 74. 7; (c) Firmness: Arjuna (dhairyeṇa himavān iva) 1. 179. 9; (d) Undisturbed nature: A learned man (paṇḍitaḥ…sthitaḥ prakṛtyā himavān ivācalaḥ) 12. 219. 15; (e) Unconquerable: Arjuna (durdharṣo himavān ivācalaḥ) 14. 77. 1; (f) Trustworthy: A king (viśvāsyo himavān iva) 12. 57. 29; (g) Store of jewels: The Bhārata text (yathā samudraḥ…yathā ca himavān giriḥ/ khyātāv ubhau ratnanidhī tathā bhāratam ucyate) 18. 5. 52; (h) Vastness, extensiveness: King Sumitra (himavān vā mahāśailaḥ samudro vā mahodadhiḥ/mahatvān nānvapadyetām rodasyor antaraṁ yathā) 12. 125. 29; (i) Greatness, largeness: Dadhīca (atikāyaḥ sa tejasvī…jajñe śailaguruḥ prāṁśuḥ) 9. 50. 32; (j) Superiority: Arjuna (himavān iva śailānām…varaḥ) 4. 2. 1920; Bhīṣma to Arjuna (unexpressed simile) (girīṇāṁ himavān varaḥ…śreṣṭhas tvam asi dhanvinām) 6. 116. 33; (k) Not to be toppled down: Himavant, one of the four mountains with which the four Pāṇḍavas are compared (himavān pāriyātraś ca vindhyo malaya eva ca/catvāraḥ parvatāḥ kena pātitā bhuvi tejasā) 3. 297. 14;

(2) Comparison with Himavant under certain situations: (a) Arjuna with the great monkey on his banner shone like Himavant with fire (himavān iva vahninā) 7. 80. 29; (b) (i) Karṇa said he would withstand Arjuna in battle as does Himavant the fierce, stormy wind (prabhañjanaṁ mātariśvānam ugram/…himavān ivācalaḥ) 8. 29. 15; (ii) Similarly Alambusa checked the attack of Arjuna (prabhañjanam ivādrirāṭ) 7. 142. 37; (iii) Ghaṭotkaca's son (Añjanaparvan) withstood the attack of Aśvatthāman (prabhañjanam ivādrirāṭ) 7. 131. 44; (c) (i) The Saṁśaptakas showered weapons on Arjuna from all sides as the clouds, hurled by winds, rush at Himavant in the rainy season (marudbhiḥ preṣitā himavantam ivoṣṇage) 8. 14. 8 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 8. 19. 8; uṣṇage grīṣme gate sati prāvṛṣīty arthaḥ/uṣṇo grīṣmo gato 'tīto yatra sa uṣṇagaḥ kālaviśeṣa iti vigrahaḥ); (ii) Similarly Vaitahavyas attacked Pratardana (himavantam ivāmbudāḥ) 13. 31. 38; (d) Duryodhana who had put on a headgear and wore a golden armour shone like the golden king of mountains (kāñcanaḥ śailarāḍ iva) 9. 54. 15; (e) When blood began to flow down from the body of Vajradatta's elephant, hit by the arrows of Arjuna, he was compared with Himavant with many streams (himavān iva śailendro bahuprasravaṇas tadā) 14. 74. 20; (f) (i) Bāhlīka, with his head cut off, fell down like Himavant when hit by vajra (vajrāhata ivādrirāṭ) 7. 132. 15; (ii) Daṇḍa's elephant in similar condition (himādrikūṭaḥ kulisāhato yathā) 8. 13. 20;

(3) Summit of Himavant as an upamāna: (a) Daṇḍa's elephant, white like snow and wearing golden garlands, was the image of the summit of Himavant (himāvadātena suvarṇamālinā himādrikūṭapratimena dantinā) 8. 13. 16; (dvipaṁ śvetanagāgrasaṁnibham) 8. 13. 20; (b) Hump on Śiva's bull compared with the summit of the snowy mountain (tuṣāragirikūṭābham) 13. 14. 109; (c) The residences, tall and studded with minerals, looked like summit of Himavant (bahudhātupinaddhāṅgān himavacchikharān iva) 2. 31. 23; 1. 176. 22; (d) Duryodhana's gadā had the form of the summit of Himavant (himavacchikharākārām) 9. 32. 47;

(4) Earth has Himavant as her crest (śailarājāvataṁśakām) 1. 69. 27;

(5) Certain animals, birds and other objects from Himavant serve as upamānas: (a) Elephants (i) Arjuna and Karṇa fought as do two elephants in rut from Himavant (yathā gajau haimavatau prabhinnau) 8. 65. 2; (ii) kings assembled for Draupadī's svayaṁvara (yathā haimavatā gajendrāḥ) 1. 178. 2; (iii) Heroes defeated by Arjuna slept like grown up elephants from Himavant (nāgā yathā haimavatāḥ pravṛddhāḥ) 4. 49. 15; (iv) (a) Elephants from Himavant as upameya: The elephants from Himavant with golden nets hanging from their bodies looked like clouds with lightnings (sukalpitā haimavatāḥ… suvarṇajālāvatatā babhur gajā tathā yathā vai jaladāḥ savidyutaḥ) 8. 62. 36; (b) Lions: (i) Kuntī blessed Karṇa saying that when he became a young man he would be like a lion with a mane from the forest of Himavant (himavadvanasaṁbhūtaṁ siṁhaṁ kesariṇaṁ yathā) 3. 292. 21; (ii) Bhīma rushed at Duḥśāsana as a lion from Himavant rushes at a jackal (siṁho yathā haimavataḥ śṛgālam) 2. 68. 15; (iii) Bhīma, Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa went to Jarāsandha's residence as do the Himavant lions to a cow-pen (govāsam iva…siṁhā haimavatā yathā) 2. 19. 25; (c) Swans: (i) Horses adorned with cāmaras, running on the battlefield looked like swans from the summit of Himavant touching the earth (haṁsā himavataḥ prasthe pibanta iva medinīm) 9. 8. 12; (ii) Thousands of horses hit by Arjuna's arrows fell down like swans falling down on the slopes of Himavant when struck by water (haṁsā himavataḥ pṛṣṭhe vāriviprahatā iva) 7. 66. 19; (d) Kiṁśuka tree: Bhīma and Duryodhana, wounded and smeared with blood, looked like two Kiṁśuka trees in blossom on Himavant (himavati puṣpitāv iva kiṁśukau) 9. 57. 31; (e) A leaf: Indra, humiliated, trembled as does a leaf of a fig tree, stirred by wind, on the Himavant summit (anileneva nunnam aśvatthapatraṁ girirājamūrdhni) 1. 189. 22; (f) A cave: A king is said to be like a cavern on Himavant, inaccessible and difficult to enter (durāsadāṁ duṣpraveśāṁ guhāṁ haimavatīm iva) 12. 83. 39.

(6) Vyāsa surrounded by his pupils and his son at the foot of Himavant looked like the lord of the Bhūtas (Śiva) surrounded by Bhūtas (śuśubhe himavatpāde bhūtair bhūtapatir yathā) 12. 337. 12;

(7) Himavant an upameya: Himavant without the sound of the recitation of the Vedas did not shine like moon when covered with dust and darkness at the time of the eclipse or like a habitation of the Niṣādas (brahmaghoṣair virahitaḥ parvato 'yaṁ na śobhate/ rajasā tamasā caiva somaḥ sopaplavo yathā//na bhrājate yathāpūrvaṁ niṣādānām ivālayaḥ) 12. 315. 13-14.


I. Modes of expression: These are based on various characteristics of the mountain: (a) Steadiness: (i) Himavant might start moving about, but Duḥśāsana would not rule the earth without Duryodhana (himavāṁś ca parivrajet/…na cāhaṁ tvad ṛte rājan praśāseyaṁ vasundharām) 3. 238. 31; (ii) If Arjuna's words were to prove false then, indeed, Himavant may move from its place (caled dhi himavān sthānāt…matsatyaṁ vicaled yadi) 2. 68. 35; the same said by Kṛṣṇa (caled dhi himavāñ śailo …na me moghaṁ vaco bhavet) 5. 80. 48; (b) Solid form: (i) Kṛṣṇa to Draupadī: Himavant may be shattered, but his words would not be false (himavāñ śīryet…na me moghaṁ vaco bhavet) 3. 13. 117; (ii) Duryodhana to Dhṛtarāṣṭra: Even Himavant would be shattered in a hundred thousand ways if hit just once by Duryodhana with his gadā (gadāprahārābhihato himavān api parvataḥ/…viśīryeta giriḥ śatasahasradhā) 5. 54. 38; (iii) Hearing Bhīma's loud roar after the death of Jarāsaṁdha people wondered if Himavant had split (kiṁ nu svid dhimavān bhinnaḥ) 2. 22. 9; (c) Not subject to reduction in size: Even Himavant would decay under certain conditions (bhakṣyamāṇo hy anāvāpaḥ kṣīyate himavān api) 3. 33. 9; (d) Not to be easily toppled down: Himavant is one of the four mountains which cannot be easily toppled down (himavān… catvāraḥ parvatāḥ kena pātitā bhuvi tejasā) 3. 297. 14; (e) Very large size: Bhīma to Yudhiṣṭhira--Yudhiṣṭhira's wish to hide Pāṇḍavas for a year was like trying to hide Himavant with a handful of grass (tṛṇānāṁ muṣṭinaikena himavantaṁ tu parvatam/ channam icchasi kaunteya yo 'smān saṁvartum icchasi) 3. 36. 22; (f) Strength: Bhīma to Kṛṣṇa--even Himavant, ocean and Indra together cannot rescue a person attacked by Bhīma (himavāṁś ca samudraś ca vajrī ca…/mayābhipannaṁ trāyeran balam āsthāya na trayaḥ) 5. 74. 10; (g) Impassableness: One cannot say that the back side of Himavant does not exsit simply because men have not seen it (yathā himavataḥ pṛṣṭhaṁ …na dṛṣṭapūrvaṁ manujair na ca tan nāsti tāvatā) 12. 196. 6; (h) Mighty elephants at its foot: Wishing to defeat Yudhiṣṭhira was like driving away with a stick a huge elephant in rut roaming at the foot of Himavant with its herd (nāgam…upatyakāṁ haimavatīṁ carantam/daṇḍīva yūthād apasedhase tvaṁ yo jetum āśaṁsasi dharmarājam//) 3. 252. 5.


J. Relationships with Himavant: (a) Daughters of Himavant: (i) Umā (himavato girer duhitaram umām) 12. 329. 49(1); (umāṁ…pitur dainyam anicchantīm) 13. 127. 37; (ii) River Gaṅgā: (himavataḥ sutā) 3. 108. 8; 6. 114. 90; (śailarājasutāṁ nadīm) 3. 108. 4; (sutāvanīdhrasya harasya bhāryā) 13. 27. 88 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 13. 26. 89: avanīdhrasya meroḥ himavato vā parvatasya); (b) Sons of Himavant: (i) Mountain Krauñca (krauñcaṁ himavataḥ sutam) 3. 214. 31; (ii) Mountain Arbuda (himavatsutam arbudam) 3. 80. 74; (c) Father-in-law of Śaṁkara (himavān puṇyaḥ śaṁkaraśvaśuro giriḥ) 13. 26. 57; (d) General association: Gandhamādana mountain called haimavata mountain 3. 157. 3.


K. Bad omen: The falling down with great roar of thousands of summits of Kailāsa, Mandara and Himavant is mentioned among the bad omens noticed by Vyāsa before the war (tathā himavato gireḥ sahasraśo mahāśabdaṁ śikharāṇi patanti ca) 6. 3. 35. [See Śaiśira ]


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Mahabharata Cultural Index

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

Himavant : m.: Name of a mountain; also referred to as Haimavata 1. 116. 27; Haimavata giri 9. 37. 26; Haima 13. 20. 28; Himadri 8. 13. 16, 20; Himālaya 6. 32. 25; Tuṣāragiri 13. 14. 109; Śvetanaga 8. 13. 20.


A. Location: In the north (atra (i. e. uttarasyāṁ diśi) vai himavatpṛṣṭhe 5. 109. 5; tato 'gacchat sa bhagavān uttarām uttamāṁ diśam/himavantaṁ giriśreṣṭham) 13. 20. 2; 13. 19. 14, 16; 13. 20. 28; 1. 189. 22; 5. 14. 5; tatas te niyatātmāna udīcīṁ diśam āśritāḥ/dadṛśur…himavantam) 17. 2. 1; Arjuna went to the north to reach the top of Himavant (jagāma…diśaṁ hy udīcīṁ kauravyo himavacchikharaṁ prati) 3. 39. 11; prāyād udaṅmukhaḥ/śaiśiraṁ girim uddiśya) 12. 314. 2 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 12. 327. 2: śaiśiraṁ giriṁ himālayam); the world to the north of Himavant is called Vara (uttare himvatpārśve…sa varo loka ucyate) 12. 185. 8; Meru is to the north of Himavant (meruṁ parvatam…himavatpārśva uttare) 14. 4. 25; lies at a long distance (prakṛṣṭe cādhvani himavān) 3. 191. 4; 2. 23. 4, 9; 2. 24. 1; the mountain of sunrise lies at the extreme end of Himavant (ye parārdhe himavataḥ sūryadayagirau nṛpāḥ) 2. 48. 8; in the west, the root of Himavant reaches up to Mandara and its end cannot be reached even after a thousand years (atra (i. e. in the west 5. 108. 2) mūlaṁ himavato mandaraṁ yāti śāśvatam/api varṣasahasreṇa na cāsyānto 'dhigamyate) 5. 108. 9; the slope of Himavant is to the north of the Kosalas 2. 27. 4; counted by Saṁjaya among the six mountains which stretch towards the east and merge at both ends in the eastern and the western ocean; the distance between these mountains is thousands of yojanas (prāgāyatā mahārāja ṣaḍ ete…/ avagāḍhā hy ubhayataḥ samudrau pūrvapaścimau/…teṣām antaraviṣkambho yojanāni sahasraśaḥ) 6. 7. 2, 4; the gate leading to the lake Mānasa is on the Himavant (not named) (etad dvāraṁ mahārāja mānasasya) 3. 130. 12; the river Sarasvatī rises on Himavant 9. 37. 20; Sarasvatī flows at a distance of a little less than two yojanas from Kurukṣetra (ūne dviyojane gatvā… puṇye prasthe himavataḥ…aruṇām sarasvatīṁ prāpya) 9. 4. 48-49; Gaṅgā rises from the golden summit of Himavant (purā himavataś caiṣā hemaśṛṅgād viniḥsṛtā) 1. 158. 17; at the foot of Himavant flows the river Mālinī (prasthe himavato ramye mālinīm abhito nadīm) 1. 66. 8; the Bāhlīkas lie outside the range of the Himavant (bahiṣkṛtā himavatā…tān bāhlīkān parivarjayet) 8. 30. 10-11.


B. Description: Holy, the holiest of all (puṇya) 1. 26. 14; 1. 115. 27; 3. 88. 18; 3. 155. 15, 16; 7. 57. 27; 9. 4. 49; 9. 37. 26; 12. 185. 8; 13. 26. 57; 13. 127. 2; (sarvapuṇyatama) 12. 185. 21; auspicious (śubha) 3. 175. 6; 9. 4. 49; 12. 185. 21; 12. 320. 8; 13. 10. 5; 13. 126. 33; heavenly (divya) 12. 320. 8; pleasing, very pleasing (ramya) 1. 66. 8; 1. 106. 8; 9. 43. 9; 13. 127. 3; (suramya) 12. 160. 31; shining (rucira) 12. 320. 9; unequalled (apratima) 12. 320. 8; 13. 127. 11; famous (vikhyāta) 13. 26. 57; big mountain (mahāśaila) 12. 125. 29; (māhāgiri) 1. 189. 20; 3. 39. 16; 13. 20. 3; 17. 2. 1; (prāṁśu) 9. 50. 32; not accessible, not easily accessible (durga) 3. 174. 12; (durgān deśān) 1. 111. 6; (sudurga) 3. 176. 30; its caves are inaccessible (durgāṁś ca girigahvarān) 1. 111. 7; having an extent of a hundred yojanas (śatayojanavistāra) 12. 160. 32; holder of earth (avanīdhra) 13. 27. 88; possessed of all qualities (sarvaguṇānvita) 12. 185. 8; best, best among mountains (śreṣṭha) 13. 83. 40; (giriśreṣṭha) 3. 40. 30; 13. 20. 2; (parvataśreṣṭha) 1. 207. 4; (acalottama) 12. 59. 121; 12. 126. 51; 13. 65. 24; (parvatottama) 12. 320. 11 (Himavant or Meru ?); (girisattama) 13. 14. 27; (nagottama) 3. 107. 4; (girivara) 12. 160. 32; (śikhariṇām varam) 3. 88. 17; (girīṇāṁ himavān varaḥ) 6. 116. 33; king or chief of mountains (śailarāja) 1. 69. 27; 1. 111. 5; 3. 82. 128; 12. 314. 18, 23; (śailarāj) 9. 54. 15; (girirāja) 1. 189. 14; 8. 62. 48; (girirāj) 6. 74. 7; (adrirāj) 7. 131. 44; 7. 132. 15; 7. 142. 37; (mahādrirāja) 1. 189. 19; (śailendra) 9. 43. 50; (śailaguru) 9. 50. 32; (listed among those called parvatarājānaḥ) 14. 43. 4; mine of all jewels (ākaraḥ sarvaratnānām) 13. 26. 57; storehouse of jewels (ratnanidhi) 18. 5. 52; filled with gems and heaps of pearls (maṇimuktācayācita) 12. 160. 32; adorned with heavenly minerals (divyadhātuvibhūṣita) 13. 127. 17; its summits have minerals (sadhātuśikharābhoga) 13. 127. 35; (bahudhātupinaddhāṅga) 1. 176. 22; 2. 31. 23; Himavant is one of the mountains described as mountains of jewels (ratnaparvatāḥ) 6. 7. 2; big rivers flow on its slopes (mahānadīnitambān) 1. 111. 7; has many streams (bahuprasravaṇa) 14. 74. 20; where stars appear like lotuses (himavataḥ pṛṣṭhe… padmatārake) 12. 160. 31; having forests of big Śāla trees (mahāśālavana) 1. 106. 8; having forests of flowering trees (puṣpitadrumakānana) 12. 160. 32; full of many trees and creepers (nānādrumalatāyuta) 3. 155. 16; full of many kinds of fruits and flowers (nānāpuṣpaphalopeta) 3. 39. 13; (nānāpuṣpasamākula) 13. 127. 3; seasons shower all kinds of highly wonderful flowers on it (ṛtavaḥ sarvapuṣpaiś ca vyakiranta mahādbhutaiḥ) 13. 127. 15; full of divine herbs (divyauṣadhisamanvita) 13. 151. 25; having different kinds of herbs (nānauṣadhiyuta) 13. 127. 3; 13. 127. 35; different kinds of birds on it 12. 314. 5; honoured by gods (amarārcita) 9. 43. 9; resorted to by Siddhas and Cāraṇas (siddhacāraṇasevita) 3. 39. 13; 6. 7. 4; 12. 314. 3; 13. 20. 2; 13. 26. 57; 13. 127. 2; by hosts of Brahmanical sages (brahmarṣigaṇasevita) 3. 88. 18; illustrious sages and Siddhas observing chastity had assembled on Himavant (to pay respect to Śiva) (munayaś ca mahābhāgāḥ siddhāś caivordhvaretasaḥ/…tatraivāsan samāgatāḥ) 13. 127. 13-14; thronged by hosts of Apsarases (apsarogaṇasaṁkīrṇa) 13. 127. 3; (apsarogaṇākīṛṇa) 12. 314. 4; Gandharvas and sages live there (gandharvāṇām ṛṣīṇāṁ ca ye ca śailanivāsinaḥ) 12. 320. 12; along with them gods also live there 12. 315. 15; adorned by Gandharvas, Yakṣas, Rākṣasas and Apsarases (gandharvayakṣarakṣobhir apsarobhiś ca śobhitam) 3. 88. 17; offers sporting ground to gods, Gandharvas and Apsarases (ākrīḍabhūtān devānāṁ gandhārvāpsarasāṁ tathā) 1. 111. 6; crowded by Yakṣas and Rākṣasas (yakṣarākṣasasaṁkula) 3. 176. 30; gives shelter to Kirātas and Kiṁnaras (kirātakiṁnarāvāsa) 3. 88. 17; filled with groups of Kiṁnarīs and Bhṛṁgarājas (kiṁnarīṇām samūhaiś ca bhṛṅgarājais tathaiva ca (ākīrṇam)) 12. 314. 4; resorted to by hosts of Bhūtas (bhūtasaṁghaniṣevita) 13. 127. 3; resounding with songs of (Apsarases) (gītasvananinādita) 12. 314. 4; resounding with the sound of the recitation of Vedic texts (brahmaghoṣa) 12. 315. 12-13, (vedadhvani) 12. 315. 14; resounding with the sound of Vedic recitations of Brāhmṇas engaged in their studies and with the humming of bees (svādhyāyaparamair viprair brahmaghoṣair vināditaḥ/ṣaṭpadair upagītaiś ca) 13. 127. 11; the forest on it is resorted to by many kinds of birds (nānāpakṣiniṣevita) and is full of many kinds of animals (nānāmṛgagaṇākīrṇa) 3. 39. 13; for the description of Himavant covered with clouds, adorned with groves on its rivers and lotus ponds, full of various birds, for lions and tigers living in the caves, for elephants scratching the trunks of the trees, for poisonous serpents, for its jewels, for its appearance here like gold, there like silver, and at another place like black collyrium, for the Kiṁnaras, Apsarases and Vidyādharas resorting to it see 3. 107. 612; 3. 175. 6-10 (where mention is made also of Devadāru trees, which act like nets to catch clouds, and of Haricandana and tall Kālīyaka trees vanāni devadārūṇām meghānām iva vāgurāḥ/haricandanamiśrāṇi tuṅgakālīyakāny api//); the fierce and thorny forest on it devoid of human beings (vanaṁ kaṇṭakitaṁ ghoraṁ…mānuṣavarjitam) 3. 39. 12. 14.


C. Characteristics:

(1) Mythological: (i) Gods assemble on Himavant (vidyate hi giriśreṣṭhe tridaśānāṁ samāgamaḥ) 3. 40. 30; (ii) Four Lokapālas, gods and sages always come there for the benefit of the world (catvāro lokapālāś ca devāḥ sarṣigaṇās tathā/yatra nityaṁ samāyānti lokasya hitakāmyayā) 12. 314. 6; (iii) Kirāta (Śiva) lives on the summit of Himavant (himavacchikharālayaḥ) 3. 40. 29; there is the abode of Rudra on Himavant (rudrasyāyatanam) which is resorted to by Siddhas and Cāraṇas, by Pārṣadas, Piśācas and various forest tribes (vanyair nānāvidhais tathā); they all serve Śarva there 13. 19. 16-18; the place is liked by Śiva and he is always present there 13. 19. 19; 5. 109. 5; (iv) Gods, Gandharvas and Apsarases have their playgrounds on many inaccessible regions of Himavant (girer asya durgān deśān bahūn…/ākrīḍabhūtān devānāṁ gandharvāpsarasāṁ tathā) 1. 111. 6; (v) It has Kubera's gardens (udyānāni kuberasya) 1. 111. 7; (vi) Garutmant, king of birds, always visits it 12. 314. 6; 2. Inhabitants: (i) Himavant protects Rakṣases and Piśācas 8. 30. 78; 6. 7. 48; (ii) Kirātas living there subsist on fruits and roots and are dressed in skins (phalamūlāśanā ye ca kīrātāś carmavāsasaḥ) 2. 48. 8; they live in its inaccessible regions (himavaddurganilayāḥ kirātāḥ) 7. 4. 6; (iii) Mlecchas also live in its inaccessible regions (himavaddurgavāsino mlecchāḥ) 7. 87. 37; (iv) A certain learned Brāhmaṇa, son of Pippalāda and of Kuśika gotra, lived for long on the summit of Himavant 12. 192. 5; 3. The righteous people are reborn there; the unrighteous ones do not go to the north (ihatyās tatra jāyante ye vai puṇyakṛto janāḥ/asatkarmāṇi kurvantaḥ …ihaiva parivartante na te yānty uttarāṁ diśam) 12. 185. 21-23; 4. The Himavant region is full of many wonders (bahvāścaryo hi deśaḥ saḥ) 14. 14. 9; (tatrāham adbhutān bhāvān apaśyaṁ girisattame) 13. 14. 27; 3. 141. 25; 5. (a) Āśramas on it of: (i) Nara and Nārāyaṇa 12. 334. 2; (ii) Vaiyāghrapadya Upamanyu 13. 14. 28 (the āśrama is described in 13. 14. 27-44); (iii) Nārada (himavantaṁ jagāmāśu yatrāsya svaka āśramaḥ) 12. 334. 2; (iv) Vṛṣaparvan 3. 155. 17; (b) Other places on it: (i) large realm of Subāhu (subāhor viṣayaṁ mahat) 3. 141. 24-25; (ii) Muñjapṛṣṭha and Muñjavant on the summit of Himavant (and on Meru) 12. 122. 2-3; 14. 8. 1; (iii) Pitāmahasaras 3. 82. 128; (iv) A holy and dirtfree pond of lotuses (himavataḥ puṇyo vimalaḥ kamalākaraḥ) and the forest Jaimūta 5. 109. 21-22; 6. Animals, birds and trees: (i) Elephants of Himavant (haimavatā gajendrāḥ) 1. 178. 2; (nāgāḥ…haimavatāḥ) 4. 49. 15; (haimavatāḥ…gajāḥ) 8. 62. 36; (gajau haimavatau) 8. 65. 2; (nāgaṁ prabhinnaṁ girikūṭakalpam upatyakāṁ haimavatīṁ carantam) 3. 252. 5; (ii) Lions: Lions from the forests on Himavant (himavadvanasaṁbhūtaṁ siṁhaṁ kesariṇam) 3. 292. 21; (siṁhāḥ haimavatāḥ) 2. 19. 25; 2. 68. 15; (iii) Swans: swans in their flight as though touch the summit of Himavant (haṁsā himavataḥ prasthe pibanta iva medinīm) 9. 8. 12. (iv) A Bhūliṅga bird: A female Bhūliṅga bird, living on the other side of Himavant, utters warnings to others: ‘Do not act rashly’, not realizing that she was doing the same thing herself (bhūliṅgaśakunir nāma pārśve himavataḥ pare/ bhīṣma tasyāḥ sadā vācaḥ śrūyante 'rthavigarhitāḥ//mā sāhasam itīdaṁ sā satataṁ vāśate kila/sāhasaṁ cātmanātīva carantī nāvabudhyate//) 2. 41. 19-20; (v) Kiṁśuka trees: Flowering Kiṁśukas of Himavant (himavati puṣpitau…kiṁśukau) 9. 57. 31; (vi) A very big Śālmali tree grew on the summit of Himavant for a number of years; it had large roots and branches (himavatpṛṣṭhajaḥ kaścic chālmaliḥ…bṛhanmūlo bṛhacchākhaḥ//) 12. 151. 2; vanaspatiḥ/ vaṛsapūgābhisaṁvṛddhaḥ śākhāskandhapalāśavān//) 12. 150. 2; 7. (i) Certain regions of Himavant are always covered with snow; there are no trees, animals or birds there; others get heavy rains, and still others are inaccessible and difficult to reach (santi nityahimā deśā nirvṛkṣamṛgapakṣiṇaḥ/santi kecin mahāvarṣā durgāḥ kecid durāsadāḥ//) 1. 111. 8; (ii) Even birds cannot cross the inaccessible regions of Himavant, let alone other animals; only wind and great sages who have attained perfection can go beyond them (atikrāmen na pakṣī yān kuta evetare mṛgāḥ/vāyur eko 'tigād yatra siddhāś ca paramarṣayaḥ//) 1. 111. 9; 8. Rivers originating on it: (i) Sarasvatī 9. 37. 19-20; (prabhavaṁ ca sarasvatyāḥ) 9. 53. 9-11; (3. 82. 5); therefore called Haimavatī 9. 43. 51; (ii) Gaṅgā 1. 158. 17; (iii) Śatadru is called Haimavatī 1. 167. 8; 9. Special qualities: (i) Steadiness, steadfastness (sthira) 5. 154. 2; 11. 21. 8; 12. 126. 51; (susthira) 3. 270. 2; 14. 4. 20; (sthairya) 6. 14. 8; (sthāvara) 6. 32. 25 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 6. 34. 25: sthāvarāṇāṁ sthitimatām); not moving, immovable (acala) 12. 219. 15; 14. 77. 1; (niścala) 13. 17. 13; (acālya) 13. 35. 20; also cf. 2. 68. 35; 5. 80. 48; cannot be easily torn asunder (gadāprahārābhihato himavān api parvataḥ/…viśīryeta) 5. 54. 38; firmness (dhairya) 1. 179. 9; unchanging (sthitaḥ prakṛtyā) 12. 219. 15; strong (himavāṁś ca…mayābhipannaṁ trāyeran balam āsthāya na trayaḥ//) 5. 74. 10; trustworthy (viśvāsya) 12. 57. 29; 10. No one has monopoly of it, is accessible to all at all times (…himavatpārśve…/rātrāv ahani saṁdhau ca kasya kḷptaḥ parigrahaḥ//) 1. 158. 15; 11. Sweet honey collected from flowers on Himavant (himavatpuṣpajaṁ caiva svādu kṣaudraṁ tathā bahu) 2. 48. 5; different kinds of honey on Himavant (madhūni vividhāni) 3. 157. 8; 12. Is Himavant also characterized by the middle quality, i. e. by rajas (madhyamo guṇaḥ) ? 14. 43. 1, 4.


D. Holiness: (i) One who duly gives up his body on Himavant by observing fast to death he, after worshipping the deities there and bowing down to the sages, obtains perfection and goes to the eternal world of Brahman in heaven (śarīram utsṛjet tatra vidhipūrvam anāśake/…abhyarcya devatās tatra namaskṛtya munīṁs tathā/ tataḥ siddho divaṁ gacched brahmalokaṁ sanātanam) 13. 26. 58-59 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 13. 25. 63: vidhipūrvakam ātmaśrāddhādikaṁ kṛtvā anāśake anaśanavrate kṛte sati); (ii) The region of Himavant in the north is holy, giving peace, desirable and excellent (puṇyaḥ kṣemyaś ca kāmyaś ca sa varoloka ucyate) 12. 185. 8; (for the description of the people there see 12. 185. 9-13); (iii) Gods had offered a sacrifice on top of Himavant (himavato mūrdhni yatra devāḥ samījire) 12. 250. 23; they made a sixth part of the merit of that sacrifice equal to giving the gift of land (ṣaṣṭham aṁśaṁ kratos tasya bhūmidānaṁ pracakrire) 13. 65. 24 (Nī., however, on Bom. Ed. 13. 66. 25: himavati himavatsamīpe).


E. Importance: (i) For Upamanyu, Śiva was like Himavant among mountains (śailānāṁ himavān giriḥ) 13. 14. 161; (ii) Bhagavān is the Himālaya among those that do not move (sthāvarāṇāṁ himālayaḥ) 6. 32. 25; (iii) Finds mentions in the Daivata-Ṛṣi Vaṁśa 13. 151. 25, 2.


F. Epic events:

(1) Pāṇḍu left Hāstinapura and lived with his two wives in the forest on the southern side of Himavant giving himself to hunting (araṇyanityaḥ satataṁ babhūva mṛgayāparaḥ//sa caran dakṣiṇaṁ pārśvaṁ ramyaṁ himavato gireḥ) 1. 106. 7-8; (ii) Pāṇḍu crossed Himavant to go to Gandhamādana from where he went to Śataśṛṅga 1. 110. 43; when Pāṇḍu with his two wives wished to go from Śataśṛṅga further north, the ascetics dissuaded him describing to him the higher inaccessible regions of Himavant; they said that the two princesses (Kuntī and Mādrī) would be pained walking on that mountain (girer asya durgān deśān bahūn/…gacchantyau śailarāje 'smin rājaputryau kathaṁ tv ime/na sīdetāṁ) 1. 111. 5-10;

(3) Vyāsa retired to Himavant (himavantaṁ śiloccayam) to practise austerities after advising Gāndhārī what she should do about the piece of flesh (māṁsapeśī) born to her 1. 107. 23;

(4) Pāṇḍavas grew on Himavant causing wonder to the great sages (haimavate girau) 1. 115. 27;

(5) Arjuna told Aṅgāraparṇa Gandharva that no one had an exclusive claim on Himavant (himavatpārśve) (nor on ocean and Gaṅgā) 1. 158. 15;

(6) Arjuna, during his exile, went from Gaṅgādvāra to Himavant (himavatpārśvam) 1. 207. 1;

(7) Arjuna conquered Himavant, along with Niṣkuṭa, in his expedition to the north before the Rājasūya (himavantaṁ saniṣkuṭam) 2. 24. 27;

(8) Bhīma, in his expedition to the east (2. 26. 1, 7), defeated Jaradgava who ruled over the region near Himavant (himavataḥ pārśve samabhyetya jaradgavam) 2. 27. 4;

(9) Yudhiṣṭhira in his childhood was instructed by Merusāvarṇīn on Himavant (himavaty anuśiṣṭo 'si merusāvarṇinā purā) 2. 69. 12;

(10) Lomaśa showed the gate of the Mānasa lake to Yudhiṣṭhira (etad dvāraṁ mahārāja mānasasya prakāśate/varṣam asya girer madhye) 3. 130. 12;

(11) Arjuna went to the summit of Himavant to practise austerities in order to meet Indra and Śiva (himavacchikharaṁ prati/… śuśubhe himavatpṛṣṭhe/…himavatpṛṣṭham āśritaḥ/) 3. 39. 10-12, 16, 26;

(12) From Subāhu's realm the Pāṇḍavas proceeded to Himavant to meet Arjuna (himavantam giriṁ prati) 3. 141. 27;

(13) Yudhiṣṭhira started from the āśrama of Nārāyaṇa (3. 155. 1) and reached the tableland of Himavant on the seventeenth day (prasthaṁ himavataḥ puṇyaṁ yayau saptadaśe 'hani) 3. 155. 15; from there Gandhamādana could be seen at close quarters (dadṛśuḥ pāṇḍavā rājan gandhamādanam antikāt/pṛṣṭhe himavataḥ puṇye) 3. 155. 16;

(14) The Pāṇḍavas lived on the tableland of Himavant (himavatpṛṣṭhe) eating foods partaken by sages (bhuñjānā munibhojyāni), juicy fruits, as also meat of deer killed with purified arrows (śuddhabāṇahatānāṁ ca mṛgāṇāṁ piśitāny api), and different kinds of honey (madhūni vividhāni ca); here they completed the fifth year of their forest life 3. 157. 7-9;

(15) On their return journey the Pāṇḍavas crossed the inaccessible regions of Himavant (durgaṁ himavatpradeśam) to reach once again the realm of Subāhu 3. 174. 12;

(16) When the Pāṇḍavas lived in Dvaitavana on the bank of Sarasvatī (sarasvatīm etya nivāsakāmāḥ) 3. 174. 21, Bhīma noticed the regions of Himavant (deśān girer himavataḥ) 3. 175. 6;

(17) Arjuna told Uttarā that he was born on the plateau of Himavant (jāto himavatpṛṣṭhe) 4. 39. 14;

(18) Arjuna had fought with Maheśvara on Himavant 7. 53. 21;

(19) Arjuna, while journeying through the air on his way to propitiate Śiva for his Pāśupata, saw the foot of Himavant (himavataḥ pādam) 7. 57. 27;

(20) Vṛka pierced with arrows Kuṇinda prince who lived on the king of mountains (Himavant ?) (vṛko…girirājavāsinam…parābhinat) 8. 62. 48;

(21) The Kauravas, after the fall of Karṇa, went to Sarasvatī flowing near the Himavant and after drinking its water and bathing in it returned refreshed (kauravāḥ/… prasthe himavataḥ śubhe/aruṇāṁ sarasvatīṁ prāpya papuḥ sasnuś ca tajjalam// tava putrāḥ kṛtotsāhāḥ paryāvartanta te tataḥ//) 9. 4. 48, 50; (haimavate prasthe) 9. 5. 1; they lived there for a night (te rātrim uṣitāḥ); at the fall of Karṇa the Kauravas found no peace except near Himavant (nālabhañ śarma te putrā himavantam ṛte girim) 9. 5. 2-4;

(22) Balarāma, in his tīrthayātrā, visited the holy āśrama near Himavant (pārśve himavataḥ); he worshipped the sages there and ascended the mountain (āruruhe 'calam); he saw at a short distance the tīrtha called Plakṣaprasravaṇa (nātidūraṁ tato gatvā nagam) 9. 53. 9-10;

(23) Kṛṣṇa begot Pradyumna on Rukmiṇī after practising austerities on Himavant (himavatpārśvam abhyetya) and observing chastity for twelve years 10. 12. 29;

(24) Vyāsa advised Yudhiṣṭhira to get for his Aśvamedha wealth left on Himavant by the Brāhmaṇas officiating at the sacrifice of Marutta (vidyate draviṇaṁ pārtha girau himavati sthitam) 14. 3. 20;

(25) Yudhiṣṭhira with his brothers, protected by Vyāsa, desired to repair to Himavant (himavantaṁ tvayā guptā gamiṣyāmaḥ pitāmaha) 14. 14. 9;

(26) After Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Gāndhārī and Kuntī were burnt by the forest fire near Gaṅgādvāra, Saṁjaya went to Himavant (himavantaṁ mahīdharam) 15. 45. 33;

(27) The Pāṇḍavas in their final journey saw Himavant in the north; after crossing it they saw the big desert and the mount Meru (taṁ cāpy atikramantas te dadṛśur vālukārṇavam/ avaikṣanta mahāśailaṁ merum) 17. 2. 1-2;

(28) Vyāsa lived at the foot of Himavant (guror me…himavatpāda āsataḥ); there he composed the Bhārata and felt tired; he was served there by his pubils and his son Śuka 12. 337. 9-10, 12.


G. Past and mythological events:

(1) The fish dragged the ship of Manu to the highest peak (śṛṅgaṁ yat param) of Himavant; it advised the seven sages to quickly tie the are to that peak of Himavant; the sages acted accordingly; that highest peak of Himavant is famous as Naubandhana even today (tac ca naubandhanaṁ nāma śṛṅgaṁ himavataḥ param/khyātam adyāpi) 3. 185. 4447;

(2) Rāma (Jāmadagnya) established his residence on mountain (Himavant) (varṣam asya girer madhye rāmeṇa śrīmatā kṛtam 3. 130. 12; Nī. on Bom. Ed. 3. 130. 12: varṣaṁ vasatisthānam);

(3) Himavant waited on king Vainya and offered jewels to him 12. 59. 121;

(4) After Nahuṣa was made king of the heaven he sported at various places, one of them being the summit of Himavant (himavatpṛṣṭhe) 5. 11. 9;

(5) Viśvāmitra begot Śakuntalā on Menakā on the lovely summit of Himavant (prasthe himavato ramye) 1. 66. 8; (himavataḥ pṛṣṭhe) 1. 68. 69; Menakā abandoned Śakuntalā on Himavant (himavataḥ pṛṣṭhe) 1. 68. 69, 73;

(6) Bhagīratha went to the slope of the Himavant (himavatpārśvam) to practise austerities 3. 107. 3-4; Gaṅgā split the mountain Himavant at Gaṅgādvāra 3. 88. 18;

(7) Pulastya and Vasiṣṭha requested Parāśara to end his sacrifice of the Rākṣasas (rākṣasasatra); he stopped it; the fire that was collected by him for the sacrifice was thrown by him in the great forest on the northern side of Himavant (uttare himavatpārśve utsasarja mahāvane); the fire is seen there even today consuming the Rakṣases, forests and rocks on every parvan day (sa tatrādyāpi rakṣāṁsi vṛkṣān aśmāna (?) eva ca/bhakṣayan dṛśyate vahniḥ sadā parvaṇi parvaṇi//) 1. 172. 15-17;

(8) Leaving behind his daughter Srucāvatī in the āśrama, Bhāradvāja repaired to the forest on Himavant (jagāma himavadvanam) 9. 47. 60;

(9) The great sage Bhṛgu approached Himavant and asked for his daughter; Himavant told Bhṛgu that the desired bridegroom was Rudra (tam abravīd dhimavān abhilaṣito varo rudra iti); since Bhṛgu's request was rejected by Himavant the former uttered a curse that the mountain would not be a source of jewels; that word of the sage is true even today (na ratnānāṁ bhavān bhājanaṁ bhaviṣyatīti/adyaprabhṛty etad avasthitam ṛṣivacanam) 12. 329. 49 (2-5);

(10) Vadānya told Aṣṭāvakra to cross the place of Kubera, the mountain Himavant, and the place of Rudra to see the direction Uttarā; accordingly Aṣṭāvakra went to Himavant and visited the holy river Bāhudā; he then roamed on mountains Kailāsa, Mandara and Haima (kailāsaṁ mandaraṁ haimam sarvān anucacāra ha); he crossed them and went to the Kairātasthāna 13. 19. 16; 13. 20. 2-3, 28-29;

(11) Sage Mārkaṇḍeya saw Himavant in the belly of the Bāla (13. 186. 83 = Nārāyaṇa 13. 187. 3) 3. 186. 101;

(12) The Vālakhilyas, when appeased by Kaśyapa, left the branch of the Rohiṇa tree (1. 25. 31) on which they were hanging and went to Himavant to practise austerities 1. 26. 14;

(13) When the descendants of Kṛtavīrya destroyed the Bhṛgus, even those who were still in the womb, the women of the Bhṛgu family fled and took resort on Himavant (himavantaṁ prapedire) 1. 169. 19;

(14) Leaving Arundhatī behind at the Badarapācana tīrtha the seven sages went to Himavant; while they obtained their livelihood in a forest on Himavant, there occurred a severe drought lasting for twelve years; Mahādeva told the seven sages that the merit which they had acquired by their austerities on Himavant (himavatpṛṣṭhe) was not equal to the merit of Arundhatī's austerities 9. 47. 28, 30, 41;

(15) Vyāsa resorted to the east of Himavant and there, in a solitary place, taught Vedas to his pupils Sumantu, Vaiśaṁpāyana, Jaimini, and Paila (aindrīṁ tu diśam āsthāya śailarājasya dhīmataḥ/vivikte parvatataṭe…vedān adhyāpayām āsa vyāsaḥ) 12. 314. 23-24; Vyāsa lived on Himavant (himavatpṛṣṭhe) teaching (Vedas) to his pupils and his son 12. 314. 30; once his pupils expressed their wish to leave the mountain and go to the plains to propagate the Vedas at different places, if that pleased Vyāsa (śailād asmān mahīṁ gantuṁ kāṅkṣitaṁ no mahāmune/vedān anekadhā kartum yadi te rucitaṁ vibho) 12. 315. 4;

(16) Nārada once visited Himavant 12. 314. 3; he saw Vyāsa all alone and silent in his āśrama on Himavant; the sage told Vyāsa that the mountain, without the sound of the Vedas, was not delightful as before (brahmaghoṣair virahitaḥ parvato 'yaṁ na śobhate/ …na bhrājate yathāpūrvam…vedadhvaninirākṛtaḥ) 12. 315. 11-14;

(17) Śuka, son of Vyāsa, after he was instructed by Janaka in Mithilā, journeyed to the north through air to reach Himavant (prāyād udaṅmukhaḥ/śaiśiraṁ girim uddiśya sadharmā mātariśvanaḥ) 12. 314. 2; Śuka saw his father surrounded by pupils in his āśrama; Vyāsa saw his son arriving, lustrous like the sun; Śuka told his father all about his conversation with Janaka 12. 314. 25-29; when Śuka got the consent of Nārada to leave this world he went to meet his father; after a pradakṣiṇā of him, Śuka, intent on achieving liberation (mokṣa), took leave of his father 12. 318. 60-61, 63; Śuka went up to the summit of Himavant and sat there on a desolate table-land (giripṛṣṭhaṁ samāruhya…same deśe vivikte ca…upāviśat); taking recourse to Yoga he went beyond the sky to reach the path of liberation (sa punar yogam āsthāya mokṣamārgopalabdhaye/ mahāyogīśvaro bhūtvā so 'tyakrāmad vihāyasam//) 12. 319. 1, 6; when Śuka attained perfection (siddhi) and was established in brahman (brahmaṇi pratyatiṣṭhat saḥ) some unexpected things happened; one of them was that it appeared due to loud thunders that Himavant was being torn asunder (nirghātaśabdaiś ca girir himavān dīryatīva ha) 12. 320. 5; he then saw before him towards the north two heavenly summits closely attached to each other, one of Himavant, white and silvery, and the other of Meru, yellow and golden; the two peaks were a hundred yojanas in height and width (śṛṅge…himavanmerusaṁbhave/saṁśliṣṭe śvetapīte dve rukmarūpyamaye śubhe// śatayojanavistāre tiryag ūrdhvaṁ ca bhārata/udīcīṁ diśam āśritya) 12. 320. 8-9; undeterred Śuka continued to fly upwards: then a wonderful thing happened--the two peaks suddenly got seperated and Śuka swiftly passed through them; the excellent mountain (Himavant ? Meru ?) could not check Śuka's gait; those who lived in heaven and on the mountain uttered a loud cry (tataḥ parvataśṛṅge dve sahasaiva dvidhākṛte/adṛśyatāṁ mahārāja tad adbhutam ivābhavat// tataḥ parvataśṛṇgābhyāṁ sahasaiva viniḥsṛtaḥ/na ca pratijaghānāsya sa gatiṁ parvatottamaḥ//) 12. 320. 10-12; Vyāsa who followed Śuka saw his son pass through the mountain peak rent into two (dvidhā kṛtvā parvatāgram) 12. 320. 21; Vyāsa then sat down on the summit of the mountain (giriprasthe) thinking continuously of his son (putram evānucintayan) 12. 320. 27;

(18) A certain Brāhmaṇa, son of Pippalāda and of Kuśika gotra, lived at the foot of Himavant engaged in Vedic studies (brāhmaṇo jāpakaḥ kaścit…paippalādiḥ sa kauśikaḥ/ …himavatpādasaṁśrayaḥ) 12. 192. 4-5 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 12. 199. 4: jāpakaḥ mantrādhyayanaparaḥ);

(19) A certain Śūdra approached the head of an āśrama of the Brāhmaṇas on Himavant (brahmāśramapade vṛttaṁ pārśve himavataḥ śubhe) 13. 10. 5, 10 (the āśrama described 13. 10. 6-9);

(20) An owl named Prākārakarṇa lived on Himavant; Indradyumna became a horse and carried Mārkaṇḍeya to the owl on the distant Himavant (prakṛṣṭe cādhvani himavān) 3. 191. 4-5;

(21) A lotus pond on Himavant (himavataḥ…kamalākaraḥ) waited in person (sākṣāt) on the brahmanical sage Jīmūta 5. 109. 21;

(22) Gaṅgā, unable to bear the seed (emitted lustre of Maheśvara tejo māheśvaraṁ skannam 9. 43. 6) placed in her by Agni, released it on Himavant (utsasarja girau ramye himavati); there it grew and was seen by the Kṛṭṭikās in a cluster of reeds 9. 43. 9-11; Nārada went to see Himavant where Kumāra (Skanda) in his childhood threw his śakti on earth; he challenged any one to uproot or shake the śakti (himavantam iyād draṣṭum…/yatraiva ca kumāreṇa… śaktir nyastā kṣititale) 12. 314. 3, 7-10; Prahlāda in his effort to draw out the śakti fainted on the summit of the mountain (mūrcchito girimūrdhani) 12. 314. 16-17; gods, led by Brahman, took Kumāra to the best mountain (Himavant), to Sarasvatī of Himavant for his coronation (abhiṣekārtham ājagmuḥ śailendram…/ haimavatīm…sarasvatīm) 9. 43. 50-51; Himavant present at the time of the coronation 9. 44. 13; he gave for coronation an excellent, divine seat decorated with excellent gems and heavenly jewels (himavatā datte …niṣaṇṇaḥ paramāsane) 9. 44. 2; after the coronation, Himavant gave to Kumāra as his attendants (anucarau) Suvarcas and Ativarcas 9. 44. 42; Skanda, while shooting arrows at Śveta mountain, pierced Krauñca mountain, the son of Himavant (bibheda sa śaraiḥ śailaṁ krauñcaṁ himavataḥ sutam); through the hole created by him swans and vultures go to Meru 3. 214. 31;

(23) Śiva went from Kailāsa to Himavant (himavantam upāgamat) to hold Gaṅgā on his head when the river descended from the sky (mahādevaḥ śirasā yāṁ adhārayat) 3. 108. 3; (himavati gaṅgāyāḥ…/mūrdhnā dhārāṁ mahādevaḥ śirasā yām adhārayat) 13. 106. 26;

(24) Rudra desired Umā, daughter of Himavant (himavato girer duhitaram umāṁ rudraś cakame) 12. 329. 49(1); Umā practised on a spot on Himavant severe austerities for Śiva and hence it is said that the spot was liked by both of them (tatra (i. e. iṣṭaṁ kila girau sthānam) devyā tapas taptaṁ śaṁkarārtham…/atas tad iṣṭaṁ devasya tathomāyā iti śrutiḥ) 13. 19. 20;

(25) Śiva always went to the northern side of Himavant (yatrottarāṁ diśaṁ gatvā śailarājasya pārśvataḥ) to practise austerities 12. 314. 18; when Śiva practised austerities on Himavant (giritaṭe 13. 127. 17), the mountain shone due to Śiva's austerites (sa giris tapasā tasya bhūteśasya vyarocata) 13. 127. 2, 10; Umā also resorted to that place on Himavant (sevantī himavatpārśvam) and approached Śiva 13. 127. 25; when she closed the eyes of Śiva with her hands a big flame issued from his forehead; the mountain was afflicted by Śiva's third eye which looked like the sun (yenāsau mathito giriḥ) 13. 127. 29-30, 45, (mathitaṁ śailam) 36; the flame burnt the whole forest on Himavant; hence the animals came to Śiva's abode for shelter; the entire mountain Himavant, with its peaks full of minerals and herbs in its forests, was burnt in a moment (kṣaṇena tena dagdhaḥ sa himavān abhavan nagaḥ/sadhātuśikharābhogo dīnadagdhavanauṣadhiḥ//); when Śiva noticed that Umā was unhappy due to the wretched condition of her father, he looked with affection at the mountain and it returned to its former original condition, beautiful to look at (śarvaḥ …prītyāpaśyat tato girim/tato 'bhavat punaḥ sarvaḥ prakṛtisthaḥ sudarśanaḥ) 13. 127. 32-39, 42, 45;

(26) The marriage of Rudra with Rudrāṇī took place on Himavant (girau himavati śreṣṭhe) 13. 83. 40;

(27) Viṣṇu practised austerities on Himavant to get a son (viṣṇunā yatra putrārthe tapas taptaṁ mahātmanā) 12. 314. 7; Kṛṣṇa went to Himavant to practise austerities to beget a son on Jāmbavatī; Tārkṣya took Kṛṣṇa to Himavant (ahaṁ tārkṣyam acintayam/so 'vahad dhimavantaṁ mām) 13. 14. 12-13, 26; Kṛṣṇa saw on Himavant miraculous occurrences (tatrāham adbhutān bhāvān apaśyaṁ girisattame) 13. 14. 27; Kṛṣṇa observed a vrata, lasting for twelve years on Himavant (vrataṁ cartum ihāyātas tv ahaṁ girim imaṁ śubham) 13. 126. 10, 33; the unthinkable miracle of fire issuing from the mouth of Kṛṣṇa (13. 126. 16) witnessed by Nārada and other sages on Himavant (yad āścaryaṁ acintyaṁ ca girau himavati prabho/anubhūtaṁ munigaṇaiḥ) 13. 126. 48-49; the fire burnt the mountain with its trees, creepers and bushes, as well as all kinds of animals; the snmmit of the mountain was afflicted (śikharaṁ tasya śailasya mathitam) 13. 126. 17-18; (etad tad vaiṣṇavaṁ tejo mama vaktrād viniḥsṛtam/…yenāyaṁ mathito giriḥ) 13. 126. 30; Viṣṇu by looking at the forest with gentle eyes brought it back to its original condition (saumyair dṛṣṭinipātais tat punaḥ prakṛtim ānayat 13. 126. 20-21, 36;

(28) When Rudra and Nārāyaṇa fought with each other the ocean went dry and Himavant was shattered (himavāṁś ca vyaśīryata) 12. 330. 54;

(29) Once, god Brahman waited upon by brahmanical sages stayed on Himavant (tadā himavataḥ pṛṣṭhe…tasthau) 12. 160. 31-32;

(30) Indra saw a young man (really god Śiva 1. 189. 21) playing dice with a young woman on the summit of the king of mountains (krīḍantam akṣair girirājamūrdhni); Śiva asked Indra to turn (the summit of) the mountain and enter it (vivartayainaṁ ca mahādrirājam…/sa tad vivṛtya śikharaṁ mahāgireḥ); when Indra did what he was asked to do he saw four former Indras, equal to him in lustre, held captive there 1. 189. 14, 19-20; Śiva asked Indra to enter the cave of the mountain and stay there (darīm etāṁ praviśa tvam śatakrato…etāṁ darim āviśya śedhvam) 1. 189. 14, 19-24, 32;

(31) Upaśruti crossed Himavant and went with Indrāṇī to a big island in the ocean to the north of the mountain (himavantam atikramya uttaraṁ pārśvam āgamat/samudraṁ ca samāsādya…āsasāda mahādvipam) 5. 14. 5-6;

(32) Mṛtyu, conceived as a woman, reluctant to carry out the instruction of Pitāmaha to deprive people of their lives, went to the top of Himavant (himavato mūrdhni) and stood there for an extremely long period (nikharvam aparaṁ tataḥ/tasthau) on her toe to satisfy Pitāmaha 12. 250. 23;

(33) Śeṣa, disgusted with the behaviour of his stupid brothers, left his mother Kadrū and went to different places to practise austerities, one of them being the slope of Himavant (himavatas taṭe) 1. 32. 2-3;

(34) Nārada told to Vāyu that a certain large Śālmali tree grown on the summit of Himavant (himavatpṛṣṭhajaḥ) disrespected him 12. 151. 2.


H. Similes:

(1) Various persons compared with Himavant for different qualities: (a) Steadiness: (i) Bhīṣma (himavantam iva sthiram) 5. 154. 2; (sthairye ca himavān iva) 6. 14. 8; (ii) Karṇa (himavān iva ca sthiraḥ) 11. 21. 8; (iii) King Avikṣit and (iv) Vibhīṣaṇa (himavān iva susthiraḥ) 14. 4. 20; 3. 270. 2; (v) Hanūmant (himavantam iva sthitam) 3. 264. 10; (vi) Yudhiṣṭhira advised to be steady like Himavant (sthiro bhava yathā rājan himavān) 12. 126. 51; (b) Immovability: (i) Kṣemavṛddhi under the attack of arrows (tadbāṇavarṣaṁ… viṣehe…himavān iva niścalaḥ) 3. 17. 13; (ii) Duryodhana (nācalad girirāḍ iva) 6. 74. 7; (c) Firmness: Arjuna (dhairyeṇa himavān iva) 1. 179. 9; (d) Undisturbed nature: A learned man (paṇḍitaḥ…sthitaḥ prakṛtyā himavān ivācalaḥ) 12. 219. 15; (e) Unconquerable: Arjuna (durdharṣo himavān ivācalaḥ) 14. 77. 1; (f) Trustworthy: A king (viśvāsyo himavān iva) 12. 57. 29; (g) Store of jewels: The Bhārata text (yathā samudraḥ…yathā ca himavān giriḥ/ khyātāv ubhau ratnanidhī tathā bhāratam ucyate) 18. 5. 52; (h) Vastness, extensiveness: King Sumitra (himavān vā mahāśailaḥ samudro vā mahodadhiḥ/mahatvān nānvapadyetām rodasyor antaraṁ yathā) 12. 125. 29; (i) Greatness, largeness: Dadhīca (atikāyaḥ sa tejasvī…jajñe śailaguruḥ prāṁśuḥ) 9. 50. 32; (j) Superiority: Arjuna (himavān iva śailānām…varaḥ) 4. 2. 1920; Bhīṣma to Arjuna (unexpressed simile) (girīṇāṁ himavān varaḥ…śreṣṭhas tvam asi dhanvinām) 6. 116. 33; (k) Not to be toppled down: Himavant, one of the four mountains with which the four Pāṇḍavas are compared (himavān pāriyātraś ca vindhyo malaya eva ca/catvāraḥ parvatāḥ kena pātitā bhuvi tejasā) 3. 297. 14;

(2) Comparison with Himavant under certain situations: (a) Arjuna with the great monkey on his banner shone like Himavant with fire (himavān iva vahninā) 7. 80. 29; (b) (i) Karṇa said he would withstand Arjuna in battle as does Himavant the fierce, stormy wind (prabhañjanaṁ mātariśvānam ugram/…himavān ivācalaḥ) 8. 29. 15; (ii) Similarly Alambusa checked the attack of Arjuna (prabhañjanam ivādrirāṭ) 7. 142. 37; (iii) Ghaṭotkaca's son (Añjanaparvan) withstood the attack of Aśvatthāman (prabhañjanam ivādrirāṭ) 7. 131. 44; (c) (i) The Saṁśaptakas showered weapons on Arjuna from all sides as the clouds, hurled by winds, rush at Himavant in the rainy season (marudbhiḥ preṣitā himavantam ivoṣṇage) 8. 14. 8 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 8. 19. 8; uṣṇage grīṣme gate sati prāvṛṣīty arthaḥ/uṣṇo grīṣmo gato 'tīto yatra sa uṣṇagaḥ kālaviśeṣa iti vigrahaḥ); (ii) Similarly Vaitahavyas attacked Pratardana (himavantam ivāmbudāḥ) 13. 31. 38; (d) Duryodhana who had put on a headgear and wore a golden armour shone like the golden king of mountains (kāñcanaḥ śailarāḍ iva) 9. 54. 15; (e) When blood began to flow down from the body of Vajradatta's elephant, hit by the arrows of Arjuna, he was compared with Himavant with many streams (himavān iva śailendro bahuprasravaṇas tadā) 14. 74. 20; (f) (i) Bāhlīka, with his head cut off, fell down like Himavant when hit by vajra (vajrāhata ivādrirāṭ) 7. 132. 15; (ii) Daṇḍa's elephant in similar condition (himādrikūṭaḥ kulisāhato yathā) 8. 13. 20;

(3) Summit of Himavant as an upamāna: (a) Daṇḍa's elephant, white like snow and wearing golden garlands, was the image of the summit of Himavant (himāvadātena suvarṇamālinā himādrikūṭapratimena dantinā) 8. 13. 16; (dvipaṁ śvetanagāgrasaṁnibham) 8. 13. 20; (b) Hump on Śiva's bull compared with the summit of the snowy mountain (tuṣāragirikūṭābham) 13. 14. 109; (c) The residences, tall and studded with minerals, looked like summit of Himavant (bahudhātupinaddhāṅgān himavacchikharān iva) 2. 31. 23; 1. 176. 22; (d) Duryodhana's gadā had the form of the summit of Himavant (himavacchikharākārām) 9. 32. 47;

(4) Earth has Himavant as her crest (śailarājāvataṁśakām) 1. 69. 27;

(5) Certain animals, birds and other objects from Himavant serve as upamānas: (a) Elephants (i) Arjuna and Karṇa fought as do two elephants in rut from Himavant (yathā gajau haimavatau prabhinnau) 8. 65. 2; (ii) kings assembled for Draupadī's svayaṁvara (yathā haimavatā gajendrāḥ) 1. 178. 2; (iii) Heroes defeated by Arjuna slept like grown up elephants from Himavant (nāgā yathā haimavatāḥ pravṛddhāḥ) 4. 49. 15; (iv) (a) Elephants from Himavant as upameya: The elephants from Himavant with golden nets hanging from their bodies looked like clouds with lightnings (sukalpitā haimavatāḥ… suvarṇajālāvatatā babhur gajā tathā yathā vai jaladāḥ savidyutaḥ) 8. 62. 36; (b) Lions: (i) Kuntī blessed Karṇa saying that when he became a young man he would be like a lion with a mane from the forest of Himavant (himavadvanasaṁbhūtaṁ siṁhaṁ kesariṇaṁ yathā) 3. 292. 21; (ii) Bhīma rushed at Duḥśāsana as a lion from Himavant rushes at a jackal (siṁho yathā haimavataḥ śṛgālam) 2. 68. 15; (iii) Bhīma, Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa went to Jarāsandha's residence as do the Himavant lions to a cow-pen (govāsam iva…siṁhā haimavatā yathā) 2. 19. 25; (c) Swans: (i) Horses adorned with cāmaras, running on the battlefield looked like swans from the summit of Himavant touching the earth (haṁsā himavataḥ prasthe pibanta iva medinīm) 9. 8. 12; (ii) Thousands of horses hit by Arjuna's arrows fell down like swans falling down on the slopes of Himavant when struck by water (haṁsā himavataḥ pṛṣṭhe vāriviprahatā iva) 7. 66. 19; (d) Kiṁśuka tree: Bhīma and Duryodhana, wounded and smeared with blood, looked like two Kiṁśuka trees in blossom on Himavant (himavati puṣpitāv iva kiṁśukau) 9. 57. 31; (e) A leaf: Indra, humiliated, trembled as does a leaf of a fig tree, stirred by wind, on the Himavant summit (anileneva nunnam aśvatthapatraṁ girirājamūrdhni) 1. 189. 22; (f) A cave: A king is said to be like a cavern on Himavant, inaccessible and difficult to enter (durāsadāṁ duṣpraveśāṁ guhāṁ haimavatīm iva) 12. 83. 39.

(6) Vyāsa surrounded by his pupils and his son at the foot of Himavant looked like the lord of the Bhūtas (Śiva) surrounded by Bhūtas (śuśubhe himavatpāde bhūtair bhūtapatir yathā) 12. 337. 12;

(7) Himavant an upameya: Himavant without the sound of the recitation of the Vedas did not shine like moon when covered with dust and darkness at the time of the eclipse or like a habitation of the Niṣādas (brahmaghoṣair virahitaḥ parvato 'yaṁ na śobhate/ rajasā tamasā caiva somaḥ sopaplavo yathā//na bhrājate yathāpūrvaṁ niṣādānām ivālayaḥ) 12. 315. 13-14.


I. Modes of expression: These are based on various characteristics of the mountain: (a) Steadiness: (i) Himavant might start moving about, but Duḥśāsana would not rule the earth without Duryodhana (himavāṁś ca parivrajet/…na cāhaṁ tvad ṛte rājan praśāseyaṁ vasundharām) 3. 238. 31; (ii) If Arjuna's words were to prove false then, indeed, Himavant may move from its place (caled dhi himavān sthānāt…matsatyaṁ vicaled yadi) 2. 68. 35; the same said by Kṛṣṇa (caled dhi himavāñ śailo …na me moghaṁ vaco bhavet) 5. 80. 48; (b) Solid form: (i) Kṛṣṇa to Draupadī: Himavant may be shattered, but his words would not be false (himavāñ śīryet…na me moghaṁ vaco bhavet) 3. 13. 117; (ii) Duryodhana to Dhṛtarāṣṭra: Even Himavant would be shattered in a hundred thousand ways if hit just once by Duryodhana with his gadā (gadāprahārābhihato himavān api parvataḥ/…viśīryeta giriḥ śatasahasradhā) 5. 54. 38; (iii) Hearing Bhīma's loud roar after the death of Jarāsaṁdha people wondered if Himavant had split (kiṁ nu svid dhimavān bhinnaḥ) 2. 22. 9; (c) Not subject to reduction in size: Even Himavant would decay under certain conditions (bhakṣyamāṇo hy anāvāpaḥ kṣīyate himavān api) 3. 33. 9; (d) Not to be easily toppled down: Himavant is one of the four mountains which cannot be easily toppled down (himavān… catvāraḥ parvatāḥ kena pātitā bhuvi tejasā) 3. 297. 14; (e) Very large size: Bhīma to Yudhiṣṭhira--Yudhiṣṭhira's wish to hide Pāṇḍavas for a year was like trying to hide Himavant with a handful of grass (tṛṇānāṁ muṣṭinaikena himavantaṁ tu parvatam/ channam icchasi kaunteya yo 'smān saṁvartum icchasi) 3. 36. 22; (f) Strength: Bhīma to Kṛṣṇa--even Himavant, ocean and Indra together cannot rescue a person attacked by Bhīma (himavāṁś ca samudraś ca vajrī ca…/mayābhipannaṁ trāyeran balam āsthāya na trayaḥ) 5. 74. 10; (g) Impassableness: One cannot say that the back side of Himavant does not exsit simply because men have not seen it (yathā himavataḥ pṛṣṭhaṁ …na dṛṣṭapūrvaṁ manujair na ca tan nāsti tāvatā) 12. 196. 6; (h) Mighty elephants at its foot: Wishing to defeat Yudhiṣṭhira was like driving away with a stick a huge elephant in rut roaming at the foot of Himavant with its herd (nāgam…upatyakāṁ haimavatīṁ carantam/daṇḍīva yūthād apasedhase tvaṁ yo jetum āśaṁsasi dharmarājam//) 3. 252. 5.


J. Relationships with Himavant: (a) Daughters of Himavant: (i) Umā (himavato girer duhitaram umām) 12. 329. 49(1); (umāṁ…pitur dainyam anicchantīm) 13. 127. 37; (ii) River Gaṅgā: (himavataḥ sutā) 3. 108. 8; 6. 114. 90; (śailarājasutāṁ nadīm) 3. 108. 4; (sutāvanīdhrasya harasya bhāryā) 13. 27. 88 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 13. 26. 89: avanīdhrasya meroḥ himavato vā parvatasya); (b) Sons of Himavant: (i) Mountain Krauñca (krauñcaṁ himavataḥ sutam) 3. 214. 31; (ii) Mountain Arbuda (himavatsutam arbudam) 3. 80. 74; (c) Father-in-law of Śaṁkara (himavān puṇyaḥ śaṁkaraśvaśuro giriḥ) 13. 26. 57; (d) General association: Gandhamādana mountain called haimavata mountain 3. 157. 3.


K. Bad omen: The falling down with great roar of thousands of summits of Kailāsa, Mandara and Himavant is mentioned among the bad omens noticed by Vyāsa before the war (tathā himavato gireḥ sahasraśo mahāśabdaṁ śikharāṇi patanti ca) 6. 3. 35. [See Śaiśira ]


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Vedic Index of Names and Subjects

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

Himavant, ‘snowy,’ appears as an epithet of mountains in the Atharvaveda. It is also used both there and in the Rigveda, as well as later, as a noun. There seems no reasen to deny that in all the passages the word refers vaguely to the mountains now called Himālaya, though it is possible that the name may include mountains not strictly in that system, like the Suleiman hills. See also Mūjavant and Trikakubh.