The Vaijayanti (Sanskrit: वैजयन्ति, romanized: Vaijayantī, lit. 'garland of victory')[1] is a mythological garland or elemental necklace, primarily associated with Vishnu.[2] Employed in its worship as a garland, this object is also called the Vaijayantimala, or the Vanamala.[3][4]
In Sri Vaishnava tradition, the poet-saint Thondaradippodi Alvar is regarded to be a manifestation of the Vanamala.[5]
Literature
editVaijayanti finds a mention in Vishnu Sahasranama, a stotra dedicated to Vishnu in the Mahabharata, as vanamali (forest flowers):[6]
vanamalī gadī śarṅgī śaṅkhī cakrī ca nandakī
śrīman narayano visnurvasudevo’bhiraksatu
The garland of victory is mentioned in the Mahabharata, as made of never-wilting lotuses.
In the Skanda Purana, Varuna presents Lakshmi with the garland as a wedding gift.[7]
According to the Vishnu Purana, the garland prominently displays five precious gemstones: emerald, sapphire, ruby, pearl, and diamond. These correspond with the five classic elements commonly named earth, water, fire, air, and ether respectively.[6][8]
In the Shiva Purana, Vishnu offers his garland to his son-in-law Kartikeya, before his battle with the asura Taraka.[9]
The Garuda Purana includes a prayer known as the Vishnu Panjaram, which includes the following verse: "Taking up Vaijayanti and Srivatsa, the ornament of thy throat do thou protect me in the north-west, O god, O Hayagriva. I bow unto thee".[10]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ D Dennis Hudson (27 August 2008). The Body of God Emperor's Palace for Krishna in Eighth-Century Kanchipuram: An Emperor's Palace for Krishna in Eighth-Century Kanchipuram. Oxford University Press. pp. 168–. ISBN 978-0-19-970902-1.
- ^ www.wisdomlib.org (25 April 2016). "Vaijayanti, Vaijayantī, Vaijayamti: 19 definitions". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
- ^ Prof. Shrikant Prasoon (17 February 2014). Hinduism Clarified and Simplified. V&S Publishers. pp. 235–. ISBN 978-93-81384-72-5.
- ^ Rūpagosvāmī (2003). The Bhaktirasāmṛtasindhu of Rūpa Gosvāmin. Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 575–. ISBN 978-81-208-1861-3.
- ^ Dalal, Roshen (18 April 2014). Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide. Penguin UK. p. 160. ISBN 978-81-8475-277-9.
- ^ a b V. Ravi (30 November 2012). Vishnu Sahasranama. MANBLUNDER. p. 248. GGKEY:DRA5CW5BDZX.
- ^ www.wisdomlib.org (5 March 2020). "The Marriage Festival of Lakṣmī and Nārāyaṇa [Chapter 14]". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
- ^ www.wisdomlib.org (30 August 2014). "Dominion over different provinces of creation assigned to different beings [Chapter XXII]". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
- ^ www.wisdomlib.org (14 October 2018). "Kārttikeya is crowned [Chapter 5]". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
- ^ www.wisdomlib.org (12 April 2015). "The prayer of Vishnu Panjaram [Chapter XIII]". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 3 August 2022.