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{{short description|Grandson of the god Krishna in Hinduism}}
{{For|public figures named "Anirudh"|Aniruddha (given name)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox deity
| type = Hindu
| image = File:Union of Usha and Aniruddha.jpg
| caption = ''Union of Usha and Aniruddha'' by M. V. Dhurandhar, c. 1934
| spouse = Rochana and [[Uṣā|Usha]]
| children = [[List_of_characters_in_the_Mahabharata#Vajra|Vajra]] and Mrigaketana<ref name="DL">{{Cite book|last=Dalal|first=Roshen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DH0vmD8ghdMC&q=Vajra+Rochana+Usha|title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide|date=2010|publisher=Penguin Books India|isbn=978-0-14-341421-6|language=en}}</ref>
| father = [[Pradyumna]]
| mother = [[Rukmavati]]
| dynasty = Yaduvamsha
| texts = [[Bhagavata Purana]], [[Vishnu Purana]], [[Shiva Purana]], [[Mahabharata]]
| Devanagari = अनिरुद्ध
| affiliation = [[Vaishnavism]], [[Vrishni]]
}}
{{Vrishni heroes}}
'''Aniruddha''' ({{langx|sa|अनिरुद्ध|lit=unconquerable}})<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sharma |first=Yedathore Subbaraya |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=liYhAAAAMAAJ&q=Nanirudhyathe+paihi+ithyaniruddaha |title=The Inner Meaning of Bharatha and Bhagavatha (the Torch Leading to the Path of Liberation) |date=1971 |publisher=copies can also be had from D. S. Krishna Kumar |pages=92 |language=en}}</ref> is a character in [[Hindu mythology]], the son of [[Pradyumna]] and [[Rukmavati]], and the grandson of [[Krishna]] and [[Rukmini]].<ref>{{cite book|title=India through the ages|url=https://archive.org/details/indiathroughages00mada|last=Gopal|first=Madan|year= 1990| page= [https://archive.org/details/indiathroughages00mada/page/68 68]|editor=K.S. Gautam|publisher=Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India}}</ref> He is said to have been very much like his grandfather, to the extent that he is considered by some to be a ''Jana avatar'', an avatar of [[Vishnu]]. He is a member of the [[Caturvyūha|chatur-vyuha]], the four [[Vrishni heroes|Vrishni]] heroes.

==Early life ==
[[File:Anirudha,_holding_a_sword_and_a_shield,_in_the_Kondamotu_Vrishni_heroes_relief,_4th_century_CE.jpg|alt=|291x291px|thumb|Aniruddha, holding a sword and a shield, in the Kondamotu Vrishni heroes relief, 4th-century CE.<ref name="VVG74">{{cite journal |last1=Gupta |first1=Vinay K. |title=Vrishnis in Ancient Literature and Art |journal=Indology's Pulse Arts in Context, Doris Meth Srinivasan Festschrift Volume, Eds. Corinna Wessels Mevissen and Gerd Mevissen with Assistance of Vinay Kumar Gupta |date=January 2019 |pages=74–75 |url=https://www.academia.edu/40656540 |language=en}}</ref>]]
Anirudha was born to Pradyumna and [[Rukmavati]]. He was the grandson of [[Krishna]] and [[Rukmini]]. His mother [[Rukmavati]] was the daughter of [[Rukmi]], the king of Vidarbha. He was also one of the few Maharathis (incredibly strong warriors) of his dynasty. His early life and marriage to his first wife, Rochana, are described in the [[Bhagavata Purana]], Canto 10, Chapter 61.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Srimad Bhagavatam: Canto 10 - Chapter 61|url=http://bhagavata.org/canto10/chapter61.html|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=Bhagavata.org}}</ref>

== Marriages ==
{{Vaishnavism}}
=== Marriage to Rochana ===
Aniruddha's marriage to Rochana is described in the 61st Chapter of the 10th Canto of the [[Bhagavata Purana]].<ref name=":0" /> At the behest of his sister [[Rukmini]], [[Rukmi]] requested Krishna to have Aniruddha marry Rochana, after the wedding ceremony, Rukmi was killed by [[Balarama]] after the former cheated the latter in a game of dice and insulted his Yadava heritage.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Srimad Bhagavatam: Canto 10 - Chapter 61 |url=http://bhagavata.org/canto10/chapter61.html |access-date=2022-07-11 |website=bhagavata.org}}</ref>

=== The Great War and Marriage to Usha ===
[[File: Raja Ravi Varma, Usha's Dream (oleographic print).jpg|thumb|left|Usha dreaming of Aniruddha by [[Raja Ravi Varma]]]]
According to the [[Bhagavata Purana|Srimad Bhagavatam]], a [[daitya]] princess named [[Uṣā|Usha]], a daughter of [[Banasura]] (also referred to as Bana), fell in love with Aniruddha after seeing him in her dream and making love to him.

Banasura, ruling his kingdom from the city of Sonitapura, was the son of [[Mahabali|Bali]] and the great grandson of [[Prahlada]]. Banasura was a great devotee of [[Shiva]] and as a result of a boon granted to him from the deity, had gained 1000 arms. Intoxicated by his prowess, he observed to Shiva that he was the latter's equal, and that he had attempted to fight elephants, but the creatures had grown terrified of him. Shiva, enraged by his words, spoke thus: 'Your flag will be broken, oh fool, when your pride is vanquished in a battle you have with someone like me.'<ref>{{Cite web |title=Srimad Bhagavatam: Canto 10 - Chapter 62 |url=http://bhagavata.org/canto10/chapter62.html |access-date=2022-07-11 |website=bhagavata.org}}</ref>

As per the artistic description of Usha's dream, [[Chitralekha (deity)|Chitralekha]] (In Sanskrit, ''artist''), her friend, drew pictures of many [[Vrishni heroes|Vrishnis]] using her special abilities. Usha recognised Aniruddha's picture among all of them. Chitralekha, with her yogic powers and Anima Siddhi, shrunk Aniruddha to the size of a doll and brought him to Usha's palace. She worshipped him and furnished him with priceless garments, garlands, fragrances, lamps, and with beverages, dishes, and words. Breaking her vow of chastity with him, she kept him hidden in her maiden quarters, and the lovers lost track of the days. Catching wind of his daughter's activities, Banasura rushed to her chambers to find her playing dice with doll sized Aniruddha. Even as the prince fended off the guards, Banasura subdued him with the mystical ropes of [[Varuna]] due to Aniruddha's shrunken state. Usha was overwhelmed with sorrow due to this incident. Aniruddha was held captive by Banasura for a month, until Narada informed the Yadus in Dvaraka, who were searching for Aniruddha.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Srimad Bhagavatam: Canto10 - Chapter 62|url=http://bhagavata.org/canto10/chapter62.html|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=Bhagavata.org}}</ref>

The Yadus' army attacked Banasura in a great battle. When the Yadu princes and their army besieged his kingdom with 12 [[Akshauhini|akshauhinis]], surrounding it completely, [[Banasura]] staged a fierce counterattack. During the war, [[Shiva]] appeared on the battlefield, riding on Nandi, to protect his devotee, Banasura. Balarama fought against Banasura's commander, while Samba fought against Banasura's son. To bear witness, the leaders of the godly souls headed by Brahma came in their celestial vehicles, as also the sages, the perfected souls, and the venerable personalities, the singers and [[Apsara|apsaras]] of heaven, and the [[Yakshini|yakshinis]]. Krishna and Shiva faced each other. Krishna used a ''brahmastra'' against Shiva's ''brahmastra'', a mountain weapon against a wind weapon, a rain weapon against a fire weapon, and his ''narayanastra'' against Shiva's ''pashupatastra''. After duelling with [[Satyaki]], Bana took up arms against [[Krishna]]. However, Krishna blew his conch and instantly, Banasura's charioteer was killed and his chariot broken and shattered.

In a desperate attempt to save Banasura, Kothara, his mother, stood naked before Krishna with her hair dishevelled. When the deity looked away, the asura fled to the city. When Shiva's forces had been defeated, Jvara, the embodiment of Shiva's fever, bearing three heads and three feet, attacked Krishna with scorching heat. Krishna produced his own Jvara of frigid coldness, and the two fought each other. Overwhelmed by Vishnu's fever, Shiva's Jvara offered its surrender and obeisance to Krishna and departed.

Meanwhile, Balarama defeated Banasura's commander. Bana rode forth upon his chariot to fight with Krishna, and the fought back with his [[Sudarshana Chakra]]. When Krishna started chopping Banasura's arms, [[Shiva]] returned to his senses and extolled the glories of [[Krishna]], and urged him not to kill Banasura, whom he had bestowed with fearlessness. Obliging, Krishna replied that he had never intended to kill Banasura, since he was the son of Bali and the grandson of the devout [[Prahlada]]. Vishnu had promised Bali not to kill any member of his family, and therefore would not slay him. However, Krishna severed Banasura's extra arms to destroy the latter's pride, leaving Banasura with only four arms.

Banasura realised his mistake and bowed his head before Krishna, arranging for a chariot to seat Aniruddha and Usha for their wedding in Dvaraka.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Srimad Bhagavatam: Canto 10 - Chapter 63|url=http://bhagavata.org/canto10/chapter63.html|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=Bhagavata.org}}</ref>

==Children==
[[Vajra (king)|Vajra]] was the elder son of Aniruddha and his second wife, Usha.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Prabhupada |first1=His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oohOCgAAQBAJ&dq=rukmavati+aniruddha&pg=PT3766 |title=Srimad-Bhagavatam, Tenth Canto: The Summum Bonum |last2=Prabhupada |first2=Disciples of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami |date=1977-12-31 |publisher=The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust |isbn=978-91-7149-643-0 |language=en}}</ref> He was the only survivor of the Yadu dynasty after a violent disaster due to the curse of [[Gandhari (Mahabharata)|Gandhari]]. Vajra was crowned as the King of [[Indraprastha]] on the request of Krishna by the [[Pandava]]s after the [[Mausala Parva|Yadava fratricide]] just before the [[Vana Parva|Pandavas' exile]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Maruvada|first=Surya N.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nrvTDwAAQBAJ&q=vajra+usha&pg=PT96|title=Who is Who in Hindu Mythology - VOL 1: A Comprehensive Collection of Stories from the Pur??as|date=2020-03-02|publisher=Notion Press|isbn=978-1-64805-684-0|language=en}}</ref> Aniruddha had one more son named Mrigaketana from Rochana.<ref name = "DL" />

==Boar Aspect==
[[File:The God Vishnu in Three Incarnations. Northern India (Mathura), Gupta period, mid-5th century AD. Boston Museum.jpg|thumb|Aniruddha appears as a boar, and [[Samkarsana]] appears as a lion in this [[Vaikuntha Chaturmurti]] statue, showing Vishnu with his three main emanations, the mid-5th century. [[Museum of Fine Arts, Boston|Boston Museum]].<ref name="DS39"/><ref name="CS">For English summary, see page 80 {{cite journal |last1=Schmid |first1=Charlotte |title=Les Vaikuṇṭha gupta de Mathura : Viṣṇu ou Kṛṣṇa? |journal=Arts Asiatiques |date=1997 |volume=52 |pages=60–88 |doi=10.3406/arasi.1997.1401 |url=https://www.persee.fr/doc/arasi_0004-3958_1997_num_52_1_1401}}</ref>]]
In [[Vaishnavism]], Aniruddha is associated with the boar, which is his [[theriomorphic]] aspect, also known as [[Varaha]].<ref>"The glorious Aniruddha should be Varaha who rescued the Earth" in {{cite book |last1=Rangarajan |first1=Haripriya |title=Varāha Images in Madhya Pradesh: An Iconographic Study |date=1997 |publisher=Somaiya Publications |isbn=978-81-7039-214-9 |page=38 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FJTpAAAAMAAJ |language=en}}</ref><ref>"Aniruddha (is represented) by his theriomorphic form, the boar" in {{cite book |last1=Srinivasan |first1=Doris |title=Many Heads, Arms, and Eyes: Origin, Meaning, and Form of Multiplicity in Indian Art |date=1997 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-90-04-10758-8 |page=254 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vZheP9dIX9wC&pg=PA254 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="DS39">{{cite journal |last1=Srinivasan |first1=Doris |title=Early Vaiṣṇava Imagery: Caturvyūha and Variant Forms |journal=Archives of Asian Art |date=1979 |volume=32 |pages=39–54 |issn=0066-6637|jstor=20111096 }}</ref> Aniruddha appears as a boar in some of the [[Caturvyūha]] statues, where he is an assistant to [[Vāsudeva]], and in the [[Vaikuntha Chaturmurti]] when his boar's head protrudes from the side of [[Vishnu]]'s head.<ref name="DS39"/>

Aniruddha is also associated with the qualities of ferociousness and sovereignty.<ref name="VIA">"Gentleness and strength are associated with Vasudeva, "knowledge with Samkarsana, (Narasimha) female power with Pradyumna (Varaha) and ferociousness and sovereignty with Aniruddha (Kapila)." {{cite book |last1=Kamalakar |first1=G. |last2=Veerender |first2=M. |title=Vishnu in Art, Thought & Literature |date=1993 |publisher=Birla Archeological & Cultural Research Institute |page=92 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MMcYAAAAYAAJ |language=en}}</ref>

==Death==
Pradyumna and Aniruddha died in the intoxicated brawl between the Yadavas, which claimed the life of every Yadava prince, except Vajra, who was the only survivor. [[Arjuna]] moved the survivors to the kingdom of [[Indraprastha]] and crowned Vajra the king.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Srimad Bhagavatam: Canto 11 - Chapter 30|url=http://bhagavata.org/canto11/chapter30.html|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=Bhagavata.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Srimad Bhagavatam: Canto 11 - Chapter 31|url=http://bhagavata.org/canto11/chapter31.html|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=Bhagavata.org}}</ref>

== Literature ==
The story of Aniruddha and Usha (as ''Okha'' in Gujarati, also "Ukha" in Assamese) is depicted in the 18th century [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]] [[Akhyana]] entitled ''Okhaharan'' by [[Premanand Bhatt]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Sen|first=Siba Pada|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HyhuAAAAMAAJ&q=okha+haran+Akhyan+Premanand|title=Sources of the History of India|date=1988|publisher=Institute of Historical Studies|language=en}}</ref>

A 1901 Telugu language play titled ''[[Usha Parinayam]]'' written by [[Vedam Venkataraya Sastry]] was based on his love story with Usha.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Leiter|first=Samuel L.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JttNAAAAYAAJ&q=Usha+Parinayam+play|title=Encyclopedia of Asian Theatre: A-N|date=2007|publisher=Greenwood Press|isbn=978-0-313-33530-3|language=en}}</ref>

Aniruddha, which means "unstoppable," is also another name of Vishnu.

{{Pancaratra}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

*[[Dowson]]: ''Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology''.

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130317010246/http://vedabase.net/sb/10/63/en1 The story of Aniruddha in the Bhagavata Purana]

{{HinduMythology}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:People related to Krishna]]
[[Category:Hindu gods]]
[[Category:Characters in the Bhagavata Purana]]
[[Category:Mythological kidnapped people]]

Aniruddha - Revision history

Ahmedabadwebdesigning at 07:11, 15 March 2026