View source for Bhadra

{{Short description|Hindu name}}
{{other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
'''''Bhadra'''''{{efn|'''Masculine:''' {{langx|sa|भद्र|Bhadra}}<br>'''Feminine:''' {{langx|sa|भद्रा|Bhadrā}}}} is a [[Sanskrit]] word meaning 'good', 'fortune' or 'auspicious'.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Monier-Williams |first=Monier |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_3NWAAAAcAAJ&q=Bhadra |title=A Sanskrit-English Dictionary |date=1872 |publisher=Clarendon |pages=698 |language=en}}</ref> It is also the name of many men, women and objects in [[Hinduism]].<ref name = "Mani">{{Cite book |last=Mani |first=Vettam |url=https://archive.org/details/puranicencyclopa00maniuoft/page/108/mode/1up?view=theater|title=Puranic encyclopaedia : a comprehensive dictionary with special reference to the epic and Puranic literature |date=1975 |publisher=Delhi : Motilal Banarsidass |others=Robarts - University of Toronto |isbn=978-0-8426-0822-0 |pages=108–109}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Gopal |first=Madan |date=1990 |editor=K.S. Gautam |title=India through the ages |url=https://archive.org/details/indiathroughages00mada |publisher=Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India |page=[https://archive.org/details/indiathroughages00mada/page/75 75] |oclc=500185831}}</ref>

==Male Figures==
===King of Chedi===
Bhadra was a king of [[Chedi Kingdom]] who participated in the [[Kurukshetra War]] from the side of the [[Pandavas]]. He was killed by the warrior [[Karna]].<ref name = "Mani"/>
===Grandson of Manu===
The first man [[Svayambhuva Manu]] and his [[Shatarupa]] had a daughter named Shraddha. Bhadra was one of her twelve sons.<ref name = "Mani" />

===Yaksha===
Bhadra was also the name of a [[Yaksha]] who served their king, [[Kubera]]. Due to a curse of sage [[Gautama]], he was born as a lion.<ref name = "Mani" />
===Krishna's son===
The god [[Krishna]] married the river goddess [[Kalindi]] and had 10 sons. Bhadra was one of them.<ref name = "Mani" />

===Sage===
Bhadra was a renowned [[Maharishi]]. He was the son of Pramati and the father of Upamanyu.<ref name = "Mani" />

==Female figures==
===Bhadrakali===
{{Main|Bhadrakali}}
Bhadrā or Bhadrakālī is one of the fierce forms of the supreme goddess [[Mahadevi|Devi]].<ref name = "Mani" />
===Kubera's wife===
[[File:Kubera and his wife presenting gifts to sat.jpg|thumb|Kubera and his wife, Bhadrā, presenting gifts to [[Sati (Hindu goddess)|Sati]]]]
Bhadrā is the queen of [[Yakshas]]. She was the first wife of  [[Kubera]], the god of wealth. She is also known by the names Yakshi, Chhavi, Riddhi, Manorama,<ref>Brahmavaivarta Purana Brahma Khanda(Khanda I) Chapter 5 Verse 62, English translation by Shantilal Nagar Parimal Publications Link: https://archive.org/details/brahma-vaivarta-purana-all-four-kandas-english-translation</ref> Nidhi,<ref>Devdutt Pattanaik's 7 SECRETS OF THE GODDESS, Chapter 5. Lakshmi's Secret Page 180</ref> Sahadevi<ref>Padma Purana Srishti Khanda First Canto Chapter 5.Verse 15, English translation by Motilal Bansaridas Publications Book 1 Page 41, Link: https://archive.org/details/PadmaPuranaVol05BhumiAndPatalaKhandaPages15651937ENGMotilalBanarsidass1990_201901/Padma-Purana%20Vol-01%20-%20Srshti-Khanda%20-%20pages%201-423%20ENG%20Motilal%20Banarsidass%201988</ref> and Kuberi. Bhadrā and Kubera had three sons named [[Nalakuvara]], [[Manigriva]] and Mayuraja, and a daughter named [[Minakshi]].<ref name = "Mani" /><ref>Daniélou, Alain (1964). "Kubera, the Lord of Riches". ''The myths and gods of India''. Inner Traditions / Bear & Company. pp. 135–7.</ref><ref>Wilkins, W. J. (1990). Hindu Mythology, Vedic and Puranic. Sacred texts archive. pp. 388–93. {{ISBN|1-4021-9308-4}}.</ref><ref>Knapp, Stephen (2005). ''The Heart of Hinduism: The Eastern Path to Freedom, Empowerment and Illumination''. iUniverse. pp. 192–3. {{ISBN|0-595-79779-2}}.</ref>

===Chandra's daughter===
Bhadrā was also the name of a daughter of [[Chandra]] (alias Soma), the moon god. She once did penance to gain the sage Utathya as her husband. Seeing this, sage [[Atri]], her grandfather, got her married to Utathya. The god of the seas, [[Varuna]], became enamoured of her and eloped with her from Utathya's hermitage and hid her inside the sea. Despite attempts by the sage [[Narada]] to make him return Bhadrā, Varuna refused to give her, causing an enraged Utathya to drink up the entire sea.
Seeing the sage's divine powers, Varuna submitted himself to him and returned Bhadrā back. The sage was pleased to get her back, and released both the world and Varuna from their sufferings.<ref name = "Mani" /><ref>{{Cite book|last=Dalal|first=Roshen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DH0vmD8ghdMC&q=Soma+had+a+daughter|title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide|date=2010|publisher=Penguin Books India|isbn=978-0-14-341421-6|language=en}}</ref>

===Krishna's wife===
{{main|Bhadra (Krishna's wife)}}
Bhadrā is one of the [[Ashtabharya]], the eight principal queen-consorts of Hindu god Krishna. The Vishnu Purana and the Harivamsa refer to her as 'the daughter of Dhrishtaketu' or 'the princess of Kekeya'.<ref name = "Mani" />

===Vasudeva's wife===
Krishna's father [[Vasudeva]] also had a wife named Bhadrā. She died on the funeral pyre of her husband.<ref name = "Mani" />
===Wife of Vyushitashva===
Bhadrā was a beautiful princess, who was the daughter of King Kakshivan. She married King Vyushitashva of Puru dynasty. After his untimely death, she lamented over his body.  The spirit of her husband appeared in the sky and blessed her with six sons.<ref name = "Mani" />
===Princess of Vishala===
Bhadrā was a princess of Vishala who once did penance to married King Karusha. Shishupala, a king, disguised himself as Karusha and married her.<ref name = "Mani" />

==Notes==
{{notelist}}
==References==
{{reflist}}

{{HinduMythology}}

[[Category:Hindu goddesses]]
[[Category:Salakapurusa]]