Pancakanya

[Madhav Deshpande]

Evidently the verse occurs with many variants.  The one I have heard goes like this:

ahalyaa draupadii siitaa taaraa mandodarii tathaa /
pancakam naa smaren nityam mahaapaatakanaazanam //

It is likely that a more archaic pancakam naa got transformed into pancakanyaa in oral transmission.

                                                        Madhav

> ----------
> From:         beitel
> Reply To:     Indology
> Sent:         Monday, February 10, 2003 4:14 PM
> To:   INDOLOGY at liverpool.ac.uk
> Subject:           Pancakanya
> 
> Dear Colleagues,
> I have been asked to forward the following note from Pradip Bhattacharya, and
> would, indeed, be grateful for more on the matter myself, and for any further
> references (I do not have a copy of the BP) or information. With thanks,
> Alf Hiltebeitel
> 
> =====
> 
> I wonder if you could possibly help me out to track down a reference. This is
> the sloka celebrating the panchakanya, viz.
> 
> Ahalya Draupadi Kunti Tara Mandodari tatha
> panchakanya svaranityam mahapataka nashaka
> 
> The problem is to find out where it occurs. One reference cites the Brahma
> Purana, 3.7.219. Can anyone check up this reference? If found, can you let me
> know the context in which it occurs, who utters the sloka and why?
> 
>