Kalanemi

This article is about the demon related to past births of Kamsa. For the demon mentioned in Ramayana, see Kalanemi (Ramayana).
A c. 1740 painting of the dismembering of the demon Kalanemi by Vishnu mounted on his Garuda vahana

Kalanemi is the name of a character in Hindu mythology. He was the son of the asura (demon) Virochana and brother of Mahabali. In this birth as Virochana's son, he was slain by Vishnu while his brother was killed by Indra. In one of his rebirths as per his karmic deeds, he was born as Kamsa, son of Ugrasena the king of Mathura. His sister was Devaki and her son Krishna was an avatar of Vishnu.[1][2] Krishna eventually killed Kamsa in this birth.[3]

In the epic Ramayana Kalanemi was Ravana's uncle and minister and was assigned to kill Hanuman.

Etymology

Kalanemi is a compound word made up of 'kala' which means "time", and 'nemi' which means "the felly of a wheel or a portion". It represents the time segment of the wheel of time that denotes "the afternoon leading to sunset". 'Kala' also means "black", perceived to be the asura Kalanemi who represents the period of darkness that "increases as day moves toward night and as the Dwapara yuga moves towards Kali yuga."[4]

Previous birth of Kamsa

Marichi, mind born son of Brahma
Krishna killing Kamsa

According to Hinduism's Karma principle for the cumulative actions of bad and good deeds resulting in "blessings or punishments", Kalanemi's first birth was as son of Virochana, an asura. His elder brother was Mahabali, often called simply Bali. Kalanemi had six sons who in their previous birth had been the sons of Marichi, a manasputra (mind son) of Brahma, considered a demigod being associated with Indra and believed to be one of the maruts with "powers of storm and battle". Marichi was also considered to be a prajapati ("projenitor or grandfather") or even as one of the seven saptarishis who also represented seven cosmic principles.[3]

In another birth, the six brothers were sons of Hiranyakashipu, and being pious they received a boon from Brahma that no one would kill them. But Hiranyakashipu cursed them to sleep in patala (the netherworld). After much pleading the curse was moderated and they were to be reborn as the first six sons of Devaki. In that birth, Kalanemi would be reborn as Kamsa, son of Ugrasena, and would be their uncle who would eventually kill them all.[3]

The six brothers made fun of Brahma as he had married Saraswati, his own daughter. This infuriated Brahma who cursed the brothers to be born as rakshasas, and thus they were reborn as the six sons of Kalanemi. The rebirth cycle continued over the aeons and Kalanemi was then born as Kamsa. Kalanemi's six sons had to have two more earlier rebirths before they were born as Kamsa's nephews. Narada had informed Kamsa that his birth was the result of a rape of his mother by a gandharva, called Dramila, and that was the reason that Kamasa's mother disliked her son and had cursed that he would be killed by a member of his own family. When his sister Devaki was married to Vasudeva, a divine voice told him that their eighth son would kill him. Kamsa wanted to kill his sister then only before she could bear any children. But her husband prevailed on Kamsa with the promise that he would surrender to him all sons born to them.[3]

Devaki and her husband lived in confinement and as soon as a child was born to them, Kamsa would kill the child. After killing the first six sons of Devakai, their seventh child was a girl but Kamsa did not spare her. Trying to kill the girl child, she flew away, being an incarnation of Mayadevi, and before disappearing announced that Kamsa's death would happen soon. When Krishna was born as the eighth son, Kamsa's efforts to kill the child failed, and finally Krishna killed him during an ambush.[3] As Kamsa was killed by Krishna, a divine person, he attained moksha due to his constant thoughts on Krishna.[5]

In Skanda Purana

According to the Skanda Purana, after the churning of the ocean of milk when the divine nectar of immortality was denied to the daityas and danavas by Vishnu taking the form of Mohini, a battle ensued between the suras who had received the nectar and the asuras who hadn't. The suras were led by Indra, the king of Gods, and the asuras were led by sons of Virochana, initially by Bali, the chief of asuras, and later by Kalanemi. After Indra had slain Bali with a thunderbolt, his deputy Vrishparva who attacked Indra was also killed. Then Kalanemi, riding a lion as his mount, fiercely attacked Indra and his followers which unnerved the suras. They were then advised by Narada to seek the help of Vishnu as he only could kill Kalanemi who had immense powers acquired by meditation. On the request made by the suras, Vishnu riding his mount Garuda, attacked Kalnemi and felled him unconscious. Regaining consciousness Kalanemi realized that he was confronting Vishnu, accepted his defeat and requested Vishnu to grant him "beatitude" as he was defeated by a divine being.[6] After Kalanemi was killed, Indra continued slaying Kalanemi's soldiers but Narada advised him to stop and let them go, because it is a sin to kill Brahmins.[6]

References

Bibliography

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