View source for Jahnu

{{Short description|Hermit-king in Hinduism}}
{{Infobox deity
| type = Hindu
| name = Jahnu
| parents = Ajamīḍha (father), Keśinī (mother)
| dynasty = [[Chandravamsha]]
| children = Balākāśva, Sunandā, Ajaka
| spouse = [[Kaveri]]
| image =
| caption =
}}
'''Jahnu''' ({{Langx|sa|जह्नु}}) is a hermit-king in [[Hinduism]], belonging to the [[Lunar dynasty|Chandravamsha]] dynasty. The son of King Ajamīḍha, Jahnu abdicates his kingdom in favour of his son, Balākāśva, or sometimes Ajaka, and retires to perform a penance.<ref>{{Cite web |last=www.wisdomlib.org |date=2018-03-17 |title=Kings of the Lunar Race [Chapter 8] |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/brahma-purana-english/d/doc216078.html |access-date=2022-10-22 |website=www.wisdomlib.org |language=en}}</ref> According to the [[Harivamsa]] and [[Brahma Purana]], he is also the husband of [[Kaveri|Kāveri.]]<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/810316643 |title=Harivaṃśapurāṇam = Harivaṁśa Purāṇa : text with English translation, notes and index |publisher=Eastern Book Linkers |others=Shanti Lal Nagar |year=2012 |isbn=978-81-7854-218-8 |edition=1st |location=Delhi |oclc=810316643}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=www.wisdomlib.org |date=2018-03-17 |title=Dynasty of Yayāti [Chapter 11] |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/brahma-purana-english/d/doc216081.html |access-date=2024-01-17 |website=www.wisdomlib.org |language=en}}</ref>
== Legend ==
=== Curse on Ganga ===
Jahnu's curse on the goddess [[Ganga (goddess)|Ganga]] is described in the [[Brahma Purana]]:<ref>{{Cite web |last=www.wisdomlib.org |date=2018-03-17 |title=Dynasty of Yayāti [Chapter 11] |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/brahma-purana-english/d/doc216081.html |access-date=2022-10-22 |website=www.wisdomlib.org |language=en}}</ref>
{{Blockquote|text=The valorous Jahnu was born of Keśinī and Ajamīḍha. He performed a sacrifice of long duration called Sarva Medhāmakha. Eager to have him as her husband Gaṅgā approached him like a humble lady. As he declined the proposal Gaṅgā flooded his sacrificial hall. O brahmins, on seeing the sacrificial chamber thus flooded all round king Jahnu became infuriated. He said to Gaṅgā—O Gaṅgā, ere long, reap the fruits of this arrogance of thine. I shall condense your water flourishing in the three worlds and drink it up.|title=[[Brahma Purana]]|source=Chapter 11}}
=== Descent of Ganga ===
As prophesied, Jahnu appears in the legend of [[Ganges in Hinduism|Ganga]] and [[Bhagiratha]]. When the goddess Ganga descended upon the earth after being released from [[Shiva|Shiva's]] locks, her torrential waters wreaked havoc upon Jahnu's fields and penance. Angered by this, the great sage drank up all the Ganges' waters to punish her. Seeing this, the devas prayed to the sage to release Ganga, so that she could proceed on her mission to release the souls of the ancestors of Bhagiratha. Jahnu relented, and he released the Ganges from his ear.<ref>{{Cite web |last=www.wisdomlib.org |date=2019-01-28 |title=Story of Jahnu |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/compilation/puranic-encyclopaedia/d/doc241633.html |access-date=2022-10-22 |website=www.wisdomlib.org |language=en}}</ref> For this, the [[Ganges river]] is also known as ''Jahnavi'', meaning "daughter of Jahnu".<ref>{{cite book|title=The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Volume 1|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5kl0DYIjUPgC&pg=PA310|author=James G. Lochtefeld, Ph.D.|publisher=The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc|access-date=15 December 2001|page=310}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Water and Scriptures: Ancient Roots for Sustainable Development|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dP3MDgAAQBAJ&pg=PA113|author1=K. V. Raju|author2=S. Manasi|publisher=Springer|access-date=4 May 2017|page=113}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Shakti: Realm of the Divine Mother|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3FwoDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT181|author=Vanamali|publisher=Simon and Schuster|access-date=21 July 2008|page=181}}</ref>
== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{Rishis of Hindu mythology}}
[[Category:Rishis]]