The Vaijayanti (Sanskrit: वैजयन्ति, 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]

Literature

Vaijayanti finds a mention in Vishnu Sahasranama, a stotra dedicated to Vishnu in the Mahabharata, as vanamali (forest flowers):[5]

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.[6]

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.[5][7]

In the Shiva Purana, Vishnu offers his garland to his son-in-law Kartikeya, before his battle with the asura Taraka.[8]

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".[9]

Sri Vaishnava

In Sri Vaishnava tradition, the poet-saint Thondaradippodi Alvar is regarded to be a manifestation of the Vanamala.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ www.wisdomlib.org (2016-04-25). "Vaijayanti, Vaijayantī, Vaijayamti: 19 definitions". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 2022-08-03.
  3. ^ Prof. Shrikant Prasoon (17 February 2014). Hinduism Clarified and Simplified. V&S Publishers. pp. 235–. ISBN 978-93-81384-72-5.
  4. ^ Rūpagosvāmī (2003). The Bhaktirasāmṛtasindhu of Rūpa Gosvāmin. Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 575–. ISBN 978-81-208-1861-3.
  5. ^ V. Ravi (30 November 2012). Vishnu Sahasranama. MANBLUNDER. p. 248. GGKEY:DRA5CW5BDZX.
  6. ^ www.wisdomlib.org (2020-03-05). "The Marriage Festival of Lakṣmī and Nārāyaṇa [Chapter 14]". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 2022-08-03.
  7. ^ www.wisdomlib.org (2014-08-30). "Dominion over different provinces of creation assigned to different beings [Chapter XXII]". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 2022-08-03.
  8. ^ www.wisdomlib.org (2018-10-14). "Kārttikeya is crowned [Chapter 5]". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 2022-08-03.
  9. ^ www.wisdomlib.org (2015-04-12). "The prayer of Vishnu Panjaram [Chapter XIII]". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 2022-08-03.
  10. ^ Dalal, Roshen (2014-04-18). Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide. Penguin UK. p. 160. ISBN 978-81-8475-277-9.