MANDAKARNI (ALSO CALLED SATAKARNI) – A sage

 

MANDAKARNI

Mandakarni did austerities (tapas) in a pond for ten thousand years. Indra became fearful that Mandakarni’s tapas would be used to gain a boon that would upset the order of heaven, so he sent five celestial maidens (apsaras) to distract him. The five apsaras did distract Mandakarni. He built a palace near the pond and lived with the maidens for many years. The palace became famous for music and dance. Even Rama and Lakshmana visited Pancapsaras Palace (five celesĀ­tials palace) during their exile in the forest. Mandakarni had no tapas left to threaten Indra any more.

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