So we all have been tired with the wrong and misleading information found in Wikipedia. Here we present our very own PandavaPedia, which will have genuine information about our nine heroines.
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Devika has a single verse in the entire epic. That verse mentions her being a Princess of Shivi, daughter of Govasana and Yudhishthira's wife. Her son's name is also mentioned there.
Shivi: location and political position
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(Shivi's location in Mahabharata times)
Shivi falls in west Punjab, which is now in Pakistan, near Multan. The kingdom was at the junction of rivers Ravi and Chenab, which were known as Iravati and Chandrabhaga respectively in Mahabharata times.
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(A present day view of Shivi on bank of river Chenab/Chandrabhaga)
Mahabharata says that Shivi was ruled by Shaivyas who, according to Vishnu Purana, were descendants of Yayati's fourth son, Anudryuhu. Shivi was neighbour of Sindhu and was under their rule. Devika's marriage does mot seem to have tied Shivi with Pandavas in a friendly bond. Because we see that, before Rajasuya, Nakula traveled to west India and conquered Shivi along with Sindhu. Then only Pandavas received an alliance with Govasana. But after dice game and Pandavas' exile, Shivi went back to Jayadratha again, as we see in Vana Parva. There Jayadratha is mentioned to have overlordship on Shivi.
Kurukshetra war
Devika's father Govasana fought for Kauravas. Her one brother, Kotikasya, is found to accompany Sindhu King Jayadratha in abducting Draupadi in Pandavas' absence (Vana Parva). He was killed by Bhima and his father, by Nakula, before war. However, Shaivya joined Pandavas in Udyoga Parva itself and we see him attending Abhimanyu's wedding too. He was a student of Arjuna and hence, most probably, was younger to him and Devika. He is mentioned to have a very friendly relation with Yudhishthira. Shaivya died in Kurukshetra war, saving Yudhishthira from Drona's attack.
In other Puranas
Bhagavata Purana mentions Devika as Pauravi and her son as Devaka. In Vishnu Purana her name is Yaudheyi while her son's name is Devaka.
Garuda Purana mentions Devika as Devaki. She is mentioned as an incarnation of Devi Shyamala.
Divinity
Goddess Shyamala, who is also known as Dhumorna, is Goddess of death and funeral pyre (dhum of chitaa). She is equated with Goddess Kaalratri (one of Navadurgas) in Brahmanda Purana's appendix. She is also considered as one of Sapta (in some texts, Ashta) Maatrikas who accompany Aadi Shakti in her battles against demons.
References
1) The Mahabharata, KMG, sacred texts 2) The Mahabharata, BORI, translated by Bibek Debroy 3) Bhagavata Purana 4) Brahmanda Purana 5) Vishnu Purana 6) ancientvoice.com 7) Garuda Purana. Credit of finding the verse goes to KrishnaPriyaa29 and PandavaPriyaa
