Jvara (Sanskrit: ज्वर, romanized: Jvaram, lit. 'fever'), also called Jvarasura, is the personification of fever in Hindu tradition. He is the consort, and sometimes the attendant, of the pox-goddess, Shitala.
| Jvara | |
|---|---|
Personification of Fever[1] | |
 Jwarhareshwor Statue at Gokarneshwor Mahadev Temple premises in Kathmandu | |
| Devanagari | ज्वारासुर |
| Bengali | জ্বরাসুর |
| Affiliation | Asura |
| Equivalents | |
| Roman | Febris |
Hinduism
editWhen Shiva was not invited to Daksha's yajna, his wife, Sati, was swept by sorrow. Observing the unease of his wife, Shiva's third eye issued a drop of sweat, and a fearful creature emerged out of the sweat, gleaming like a flame. The creature was dwarfish, with penetrating eyes, donning a green moustache, with hair standing erect on his head and body, looking like hybrid of a hawk and an owl, jet-black in hue, and was dressed in a blood-coloured cloth. He named the creature Jvara, and the creature proceeded to cause a fever to all the devas.[2]
Once, Vishnu was inflicted with the fever of Jvarasura, when in the form of Hayagriva. He then killed the fever-demon by cutting him into three pieces using his discus, the Sudarshana Chakra. However, Jvarasura was later revived by Brahma, who joined the three parts. But, by that time, each three parts had grown a head and a limb.[3][4] Thus, Jvarasura is depicted as having three faces, three feet, and remarkable ability to move in all directions at once. He was later selected as servant of the pox-goddess, Shitala.[3]
Cult
editThe cult of Shitala-Jvarasura is widely popular in Bengali culture. Incidentally, in Bengali, Oriya and Hindi languages, fever is referred to as Jvara.[5] and Asura means demon. The name Jvarasura is combination of these two words - Jvara (meaning fever) and Asura (meaning demon) - Jvarasura. Thus, Jvarasura means the demon of fever. Jvarasura is disguised as a young servant. Shitala, the consort of Jvarasura is widely worshipped by village folk in whole of North India, as a protector of pox and fever diseases.[6]
Buddhism
editIn Buddhist tradition, Jvarasura is depicted sometimes as consort of Paranasabari, the Buddhist goddess of diseases. In some images, these deities are shown as flying away, to escape from wrath of Vajrayogini, the Buddhist goddess and destroyer of diseases.[4]
See also
edit- Febris; goddess of fever in Roman mythology
References
edit- ^ "Story of Jvara". 28 January 2019.
- ^ www.wisdomlib.org (2019-01-28). "Story of Jvara". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
- ^ a b Hawley, John Stratton; Wulff, Donna Marie (1982). The Divine consort: Rādhā and the goddesses of India By John Stratton Hawley, Harvard University. Center for the Study of World Religions. Motilal Banarsidass Publishing House. ISBN 9780895811028.
- ^ a b P. K. Mishra (1999). Studies in Hindu and Buddhist art. Abhinav Publications. ISBN 9788170173687.
- ^ Alf Hiltebeitel (1991). On Hindu ritual and the goddess. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 9780226340487.
- ^ Nicholas, Ralph W. (2003). Fruits of worship: practical religion in Bengal By Ralph W. Nicholas. Orient Blackswan. ISBN 9788180280061.