Karkotaka
| Karkotaka | |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Naga |
| Texts | Mahabharata |
| Personal information | |
| Parents | Kashyapa (father), Kadru (mother) |
| Siblings | Shesha, Vasuki, Manasa, Takshaka, and the rest of the Naga race |
Karkotaka (
romanized: Karkoṭaka) is a naga king in Hinduism. One of the children of Kashyapa and Kadru, Karkotaka is regarded to have lived in a forest near the Nishadha Kingdom. According to Hindu mythology, he stings King Nala, transforming him into a twisted and ugly shape.[1]
Legend
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Karkotaka once deceived
Bahuka.[2] He told the king to teach Rituparna the Aśvahṛdaya mantra, and learn the Akṣahṛdaya mantra in exchange, after which he would be reunited with his family. He also offered Nala two garments, which he could wear to regain his original form.[3][4] It is believed that dwelling on Karkotaka allows one to be safeguarded against the asura Kali.[5]
He is counted among the Eight
Naga Kings in Hindu sources.[6]
Tibetan Buddhism
In the Nāga Menaka offering, Karkotaka is described as being white in color and situated in the southwest of the great lake visualized by the meditator.
See also
References
- ^ www.wisdomlib.org (29 June 2012). "Karkotaka, Karkoṭaka, Kārkoṭaka: 23 definitions". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
- ISBN 978-1-4405-6216-7. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
- ^ www.wisdomlib.org (28 January 2019). "Story of Karkoṭaka". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
- ISBN 978-0-7864-9505-4.
- ^ www.wisdomlib.org (14 August 2021). "Ashtanaga—Eight important Nagas [Chapter 5.2]". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
- ^ Zhang, Yisun (張怡蓀) (1993). Great Tibetan Dictionary (བོད་རྒྱ་ཚིག་མཛོད་ཆེན་མོ།་ 藏漢大辭典). Minorities Publishing House.