IN THE COMPANY OF KRISHNA – 5. EKANGANA, SISTER OF KRISHNA

EKANGANA, SISTER OF KRISHNA

Many people, animals, and even objects are known to have a deep bond with Krishna. Most people know Subhadra as Krishna’s only sister. However, there was another sister named Ekangana. She is not as well-known, but she was also closely connected to Krishna. Ekangana was the daughter of Yasoda, who raised Krishna as her own son. This means Ekangana was like a sister to Krishna in his early life.

According to ancient texts, it was because of Ekangana’s presence that Krishna was able to defeat the evil king Kamsa. Her role may not be widely talked about, but it was important. Although forgotten by many, she remains a part of Krishna’s story, demonstrating that even lesser-known figures can play significant roles in divine tales.

Some sources mention Ekanamsha (or Ekangana) as a sister of Krishna, but this is less common than Subhadra. Ekanamsha is identified as a shakti of Vishnu as the goddess of Ekadasi, having descended as the daughter of Nanda to protect the baby Krishna from Kamsa. 

Source:

The story of Ekangana appears in the Mahabharata, in the Sabha Parva, Cha-38.

According to the Brahmavaivarta Purana, Ekanamsha was the daughter of Nanda and Yashoda, who was taken away by Vasudeva. When Kamsa tried to kill her, she transformed into the goddess Yogamaya, also known by the epithet Durga. Though in other versions the baby girl is carried to the Vindhya Mountains, in this text, she stays with Vasudeva and Devaki. Later, when Krishna marries his chief consort, Rukmini, she is sent with Durvasa to protect and help him.

 

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