5 Ideal Women In Indian Mythology

" Ahalya draupadi kunti tara mandodari tatha,
Panchkanya smarennityam mahapatakanasini"

This shloka highlights the 5 iconic women according to Indian mythology. It is state that reciting their names would destroy ones sins. These five women also known as five virgins symbolizes perfect chased women.

1. Mandodari

We found the name discussed in Ramayana. Certain epics of Ramayana tell us the birth story of Mandodari. She was the wife of Ravana and queen of Lanka. Mayasura the son of Sage Kashyap married to Hema, the apsara, and had two sons. But they wanted daughter. Simultaneously apsara named Madhura tried to impress Lord Shiva. But he refused her. Angry Parvati cursed her and she became frog for 12 years. However Lord Shiva blessed her that she will became a beautiful women and be married to a fearless man.

She married to Ravana and bore three sons. She advised Ravana many a times against the imprisonment of Navagrahas and the abduction of Sita.

2. Tara

Tara was the queen of kishkinda, daughter of the monkey physician Sushena. She was married to monkey king Bali and bore him a child named Angad. When Bali was presumed dead fighting with the demon, Sugriva was advised to become king and also marry Tara. However Bali returned and regained Tara and exiled Sugriva. When Sugriva challenged Bali for a dual, she wisely advised him not to accept. She highlighted the new friendship of Sugriva with Rama.

He died by the arrow of lord Rama. On his deathbed he reconsile with Sugriva and told him to follow Tara's council and advise.

3. Kunti

Kunti was the born to Yadava king Shoorsena. She was adopted by the childless king Kuntibhoj of kunti kingdom. Though a princess, she served sage Durvasa and was blessed by boon. On invoking God she could bare a child with same godlike features.

Wanting to test the boon, she invoke the Sungod and was blessed with a baby. Being unmarried she abandoned the child which later was brought up by Bhishma's charioteer as Karna. Later she was married to Pandu the king of Hastinapur and by invoking other Gods she bore Arjuna, Yudishtir, Bheem. She gave the remaining boon to Pandu's other wife Madri and she had twins named Nakul and Sahadev.

4. Draupadi

Draupadi was the daughter of king Drupad. Drupad performed yagna to get children to end dronacharya and had draupadi and Dhrishtadyumna. Arjuna won draupadi's hand in swayamvar but she had to marry all pandavas. She had to remain one year with one pandava and bare him a child. She was blessed with the boon by lord Shiva that she will become virgin every morning.

Panchali as she knowned was disrobed publicly where she vowed to destroy the kauravas.

5. Ahalya
Ahalya was created by lord Bramha to be the most beautiful woman in the world. She was put under the guardianship of sage Gautama and was returned to lord Bramha at the age of 16. Lord Bramha gave her hand to sage Gautama for being pure in heart. Ahalya known for her Noble character served the sage and was a mother figure to her disciples.

Indra impressed by her beauty took disguise as the sage when Gautama left for early bath. Indra approved Ahalya. She fell for Indra's trechery and allowed him into her bed. After the return of Gautama he found Indra in his disguise. He cursed Indra and Ahalya. Ahalya was cursed to live on air, without food. He reduced her to a rock and said that only when lord Vishnu set foot on the ashram, then she will be revived.

In Ramayana, Ahalya was brushed by lord Rama's foot and was brought back to her original form.