Pancakanyaa

[Jan E.M. Houben]

but what would that mean? one should not (na
metrically lengthened? or should one read vaa?)
regularly remember the capital-sin-destroying
quintet Ahalyaa etc. ?

To me, the following version makes more sense:
ahalyaa draupadii siitaa taaraa mandodarii tathaa
/
pa�cakanyaa.h smaren nityam
mahaapaatakanaazinii.h //

Curiously, Madhav Deshpande's version occurs in
V.S. Apte's Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary
s.v. ahalyaa (with preface by V.S. Apte dated
December 1890, revised edition 1958), whereas the
above, to me more intelligible version occurs in
V.S. Apte's Student's Sanskrit-English
Dictionary, likewise s.v. ahalyaa (preface by
V.S. Apte dated February 1890).

J.H.

--- Madhav Deshpande <mmdesh at UMICH.EDU> wrote:
> 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?
> >
> >


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