The Sanskrit term, ''Bhānumati'' (
Sanskrit:भानुमती), meaning – "luminous" or "shining like the Sun", is derived from the word, ''
Bhānu '' (
Sanskrit:भानु). In the
Rig Vedic
The ''Rigveda'' or ''Rig Veda'' ( ', from ' "praise" and ' "knowledge") is an ancient Indian collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns (''sūktas''). It is one of the four sacred canonical Hindu texts (''śruti'') known as the Vedas. Only one S ...
parlance, ''Bhanu'' is an epithet of the
Maruts and means - "variegated colour", "shining with light" or "shining like a serpent" or "causing the motion of the wind". For a very long time in India, Bhānumati was a much preferred name for girls. Bhānumati was the name of a daughter of
Angiras. The daughter of
Raja Bhoj of Dhara Nagari was named Bhānumati who too like her father was a magician.
Duryodhana
Duryodhana ( sa, दुर्योधन, ) also known as Suyodhana, is the primary antagonist in the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata.'' He was the eldest of the Kauravas, the hundred sons of the blind king Dhritarashtra and his queen Gandhari. Being ...
’s wife's name was also
Bhānumati; she is an important figure in the Sanskrit Drama of
Bhatta Narayana – ''Venisamhara'' (Braiding the hair). In very ancient times, there was the ever victorious king named Dharmamūrti who had destroyed hundreds of enemies and thousands of ''
Daityas'', and who though a mortal had access to each and every region of the universe. He was a friend of
Indra
Indra (; Sanskrit: इन्द्र) is the king of the devas (god-like deities) and Svarga (heaven) in Hindu mythology. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war. volumes/ref> I ...
, and his lustre eclipsed even the Sun and the Moon. His wife's name was Bhānumati, who was in those days the most beautiful woman in the three regions; matchless like the Goddess
Lakshmi, she was dearer than life to the king (
Matsya Purana XCII.19-20). Legend has it that a granddaughter of
Krishna was also named Bhānumati.
Bhānumati is the name of
Chakrapani Datta Chakrapani Datta ( bn, চক্রপাণি দত্ত) () was a Bengali scholar and practitioner of Ayurveda medicine.
In his lifetime, Datta was renowned for his significant contributions to the Ayurveda system of medicine, primarily throug ...
's commentary on ''
Suśrutha Samhitā''.
In the
Muthuswami Dikshitar school of music,
Vanaspati raga, the 4th ''
melakarta
Mēḷakartā is a collection of fundamental musical scales ( ragas) in Carnatic music (South Indian classical music). ''Mēḷakartā'' ragas are parent ragas (hence known as ''janaka'' ragas) from which other ragas may be generated. A ''melak ...
'' in the seventy-two ''janaka ragas'' of
Carnatic music, is called Bhānumati.
[''Sri Muthuswami Dikshitar Keertanaigal'' by Vidwan A Sundaram Iyer, Pub. 1989, Music Book Publishers, Mylapore, Chennai][''Ragas in Carnatic music'' by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications][''Raganidhi'' by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras]
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bhanumati
Vedas
Sanskrit words and phrases