कालिन्दी
In the ancient Hindu mythology, Kalindi, a queen of great devotion and cunning, was the wife of Asita, a powerful king of the Solar dynasty, a lineage of kings said to be descended from the sun god, Surya. Asita’s kingdom was said to be blessed by the gods, but his reign was cut short when he was defeated in battle by his enemies. In a desperate bid to escape their wrath, Asita fled to the Himalayas with his two wives, Kalindi and another queen, who was said to be the daughter of the sage Visvamitra.
As they journeyed through the treacherous mountains, Kalindi’s husband, Asita, passed away, leaving behind two pregnant wives. Kalindi, determined to ensure the survival of her own child, turned to a dark and desperate measure. She conspired to poison her co-wife, hoping to induce an abortion and secure the future of her own son. But fate had other plans, and the child of Kalindi’s co-wife, a young prince named Sagara, was born safely, thanks to the intervention of the wise sage Chyavana, who was said to possess the power of the gods.
According to some interpretations of the ancient Hindu scriptures, Kalindi was actually the victim of poisoning, and Sagara was her own son, born despite her attempts to harm him. This mythological tale is reminiscent of the story of the goddess Durga, who was also a victim of poisoning and deceit. In another myth, the goddess Parvati, wife of Shiva, was said to have been poisoned by the demon Mahishasura, but was ultimately saved by her husband’s divine intervention.
The story of Kalindi also echoes the themes of the Mahabharata, where the queen Gandhari was said to have been pregnant for 16 years, and the Pandavas, the five brothers, were forced to live in exile, facing numerous challenges and hardships. The myth of Kalindi serves as a testament to the complexities and challenges of life in ancient India, where women often found themselves caught in the midst of power struggles and family dynamics. Despite the darkness and desperation of her actions, Kalindi’s story is a reminder of the enduring power of the feminine principle in Hindu mythology, where women are often depicted as strong, courageous, and divine.