Menakā
Sign in to saveMenaka ( ) is a prominent apsara (celestial nymph) in Hindu mythology, celebrated as one of the most beautiful dancers in the court of Indra, the king of the gods. She is often portrayed as an archetypal seductress, frequently dispatched by the gods to disrupt the penance of sages whose growing spiritual power threatens the celestial order.
Key facts
- Deity.image
- File:Menaka Vishwamitra by RRV.jpg
- Deity.alt
- Menaka
- Deity.caption
- Menaka seduces Vishvamitra, painting by Raja Ravi Varma
- Deity.type
- Hindu
- Deity.abode
- Amaravati, Svarga
- Deity.affiliation
- Apsara
- Deity.gender
- Female
- Deity.parents
- Brahma (creator)
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Wikidata facts
- Image
- Menaka the nymph temping the yogi Wellcome V0045112.jpg
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- Menaka
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Article
10 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- Mythology and literary accounts
- Vedas
- Ramayana
- ''Mahabharata''
- Puranas
- Classical literature
- Symbolism
- References
- External links
Menaka ( ) is a prominent apsara (celestial nymph) in Hindu mythology, celebrated as one of the most beautiful dancers in the court of Indra, the king of the gods. She is often portrayed as an archetypal seductress, frequently dispatched by the gods to disrupt the penance of sages whose growing spiritual power threatens the celestial order.
Menaka is best known for her role in the seduction of the sage Vishvamitra, a story recounted in various Hindu texts and classical Sanskrit literature. In this episode, the gods, fearing Vishvamitra's ascetic strength, send Menaka to tempt him. With her beauty and charm, she succeeds in captivating him, temporarily deviating him from his spiritual path. From this union, Menaka becomes the mother of Shakuntala, a celebrated heroine in classical literature.