Himálaya

Also known as: Himavat / King Himálaya / King of Hills / King of Snows / Lord of Hills / Lord of Mountains / Lord of Snow · Family: none · Role: mountain king · First appears: Book I, Canto 36 · The Birth Of Gangá

In Book I, Canto 36, Himálaya and Mená had two daughters, Gangá and Umá. He gave Gangá to the Immortals, then gave Umá to be Śiva’s bride after her long austerities.

In Book IV, Canto 11, Dundubhi challenged Himálaya, who directed him to fight Báli. Earlier, in Book III, Canto 16, Sítá is also called Himálaya’s child.

Relationship record

Life events

• Himálaya and Mená had two daughters, Gangá and Umá.(Book I, Canto 36 · The Birth Of Gangá)
  • With: Mená Gangá Umá
  • “The father of a lovely pair Of daughters fairest of the fair: Their mother, offspring of the will Of Meru, everlasting hill, Mená, Himálaya’s darling, graced With beauty of her dainty waist. Gangá was elder-born: then came The fair one known by Umá’s name.”
• Himálaya gave Gangá to the Immortals.(Book I, Canto 36 · The Birth Of Gangá)
  • With: Gangá
  • “He, not regardless of the weal Of the three worlds, with holy zeal His daughter to the Immortals gave, Gangá whose waters cleanse and save,”
• Himálaya gave Umá to be Rudra’s bride.(Book I, Canto 36 · The Birth Of Gangá)
  • With: Umá Śiva
  • “Long time the sister Umá passed In vows austere and rigid fast, And the king gave the devotee Immortal Rudra’s bride to be, Matching with that unequalled Lord His Umá through the worlds adored.”
• Dundubhi challenges Himálaya, who sends him to fight Báli.(Book IV, Canto 11 · Dundubhi · 📍 Himálaya)
  • With: Dundubhi
  • “The Vánar Báli, brave and wise, Son of the God who rules the skies, Sways, glorious in his high renown, Kishkindhá his imperial town. Well may that valiant lord who knows Each art of war his might oppose To thine, in equal battle set, As Namuehi and Indra met. Go, if thy soul desire the fray; To Báli’s city speed away, And that unconquered hero meet Whose fame is high for warlike feat.”

Book I, Canto 36 · The Birth Of Gangá

• child: Gangá “The father of a lovely pair Of daughters fairest of the fair:”
• child: Umá “The father of a lovely pair Of daughters fairest of the fair:”

Book I, Canto 42 · Sagar’s Sacrifice

• child: Gangá “If, daughter of the Lord of Snow, Gangá would turn her stream below,”

Book I, Canto 43 · Bhagírath

• child: Gangá “Gangá, whose waves in Swarga flow, Is daughter of the Lord of Snow.”

Book I, Canto 44 · The Descent Of Gangá

• child: Gangá (The chapter identifies Gangá as “the daughter of the Mountains’ King.”) “And her proud bosom, at the call, With furious wrath was stirred. Down from her channel in the skies With awful might she sped With a giant’s rush, in a giant’s size, On Śiva’s holy head. ‘He calls me,’ in her wrath she cried, ‘And all my flood shall sweep And whirl him in its whelming tide To hell’s profoundest deep.’ He held the river on his head, And kept her wandering, where, Dense as Himálaya’s woods, were spread The tangles of his hair.”

Book IV, Canto 11 · Dundubhi

• enemies with Dundubhi “Then Dundubhi, with hideous roar, Huge fragments from the summit tore Vast as Airávat, white with snow, And hurled them to the plains below.”
• child: Umá “The Lord of Hills, where hermits live And love the home his forests give, Whose child is Śankar’s darling queen, The King of Snows is he I mean.”

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Extracted from the original text of The Rámáyan of Válmíki. Made with Rho MD.