Have You Heard About Devahuti?

We saw about Devi Shatarupa – the first woman, wife of Swayambhuva Manu.

She had five children:
Two sons – Uttanapada and Priyavrata.
Three daughters – Akuti, Prasuti, and Devahuti.

Among the daughters, Bhagawan Sri Hari himself took an Amshavatara in the womb of Devahuti as Kapila Muni.

Devahuti was very charming right from childhood. But she did not go for things that normally young girls would be interested in. She was more inclined towards divinity and devotion.

When she attained a marriageable age, her position was such that she could have got anyone as her groom, even a deva. But she wanted to marry a tapasvi. She knew that life was not for enjoyment. The purpose of life was something else. What it was, she was not sure, but it was definitely not for enjoyment—that she was sure.

So, she wanted to spend her life with someone who was already on that path. She wanted her companion to be someone who was already in the path of knowledge and living a life that was truly worth living.

You buy a car. What is the purpose of a car? To take you from point A to point B. But then, there are people who get obsessed with this car. They get so obsessed with the car that they spend most of their time washing it, cleaning it, keeping it bright and shining, and putting accessories. They forget the original purpose—that it is meant only for taking you from place to place.

The car becomes a status symbol.

Your identity is in the car you drive – Benz, BMW, Jaguar.
‘He has a Benz – so he must be great’ – stupid inference.

When you yourself have nothing to be proud of, then this is the illusion you create—for yourself and for the world.

The first rattle of the new car will sound like a bomb explosion, so unbearable—you go rushing to the service centre—‘What is this?’ So much obsession.

Devahuti was not into any of these. She knew life was not about possessions and enjoyments. So, she decided to marry a tapasvi.

Devarshi Narada suggested that an ideal groom for her would be Maharshi Kardama.

Swayambhuva Manu, Shatarupa, and Devahuti went to Kardama Maharshi’s ashrama. They paid respects to him. Maharshi also welcomed them. They expressed their desire to him that he should accept Devahuti as his wife.

Maharshi thought for a while and said yes, but he would be with her only for a while, till the obligations of grihasthashrama were met—that means until a progeny was born.

This is the view of dharma—getting into the ashrama of the householder, the grihasthashrama, is for procreation. That is the primary purpose, that is the divine wish, the divine will. That is the chief dharma of the grihasthashramee.

Not to take a housing loan and buy a house. Not to roam around the world on EMI-paid tours. Not to invest in insurance and mutual funds and save for retirement.

The primary purpose of grihasthashrama is to procreate—to have children and grandchildren.

The kanyadana took place. Devahuti started devotedly serving her husband. She also started observing vratas. Very intense vratas, just like her husband, Kardama Maharshi.

Over a period of time, she became very weak, barely able to move about. When the Maharshi saw this, he became worried.

‘Shareeramadyam khalu dharma sadhanam.’

Without a healthy body, how can you observe dharma?

Maharshi told her – ‘From now onwards, whatever powers I have gained through tapas, you will also have a right over them. They will be accessible to you. You will have yoga shakti, siddhis, and you can use them as you want.’

Devahuti was not very impressed. What was she going to do with all these powers?

She said – ‘We have not yet fulfilled the commitment of grihasthashrama. We don’t have progeny yet.’

That’s when the Maharshi realized.

Now, enjoyment is not the purpose of grihasthashrama. But enjoyment is a part of grihasthashrama. The ambience of grihasthashrama is different from that of a parnakuti of a sanyasi.

For Kamadeva to act on the body, to influence the body, the ambience has to be different. That’s why when apsaras come to distract Maharshis from tapasya, they change the ambience also. They turn the surroundings as in Vasanta Ritu.

Kardama called for a divine vimana, and they both traveled around, visited divine gardens, and were served by maids…

After some time, Devahuti gave birth to nine girls. After they grew up, Kardama Maharshi told her, ‘I am going to leave for the forest.’

She became very sad. But then, there was no other option. That was how it was decided.

They were so focused. They didn’t get carried away.

She said, ‘I have two requests. These girls should be married off before you go, and I have no one else once they are gone. Give me a son who will support me forever. I am ashamed of myself. Even after having got the opportunity to live with someone as great as you, I am still concerned about myself—who will take care of me, who will look after me. I am ashamed of myself.’

Maharshi said, ‘Don’t worry. Bhagawan Sri Hari himself will take birth as your son.’

Brahma Deva came with nine Prajapatis, and the nine girls were married to them.

Kapila Muni was born. He gave upadesha to his own father, Kardama, who then left for the forest.

Devahuti also requested her son to give her upadesha of knowledge.

What he taught her is the darshana called Sankhya. You will find this in the third skandha of Shrimad Bhagavata.

Devahuti attained vairagya. She simply forgot all about her body. She became so deeply immersed in divinity.

But still, the knowledge that was imparted to her gave her so much brilliance. Others around were taking care of her body. She was simply not concerned. She became absolutely pure.

The place where Devahuti attained siddhi became famous as Siddhipada.

And she herself turned into a holy river.

Ramaswamy Sastry and Vighnesh Ghanapaathi