Gender variance in spirituality: Difference between revisions
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* '''Bahuchara Mata''', goddess, patron of [[Hijra]], who are members of a trans feminine nonbinary gender role.<ref>{{cite web|title=Collected Information About the Eunuchs of India Known as Hijras|url=http://androgyne.0catch.com/hijrax.htm |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200218220634/http://androgyne.0catch.com/hijrax.htm|archive-date=18 February 2020}}</ref> | * '''Bahuchara Mata''', goddess, patron of [[Hijra]], who are members of a trans feminine nonbinary gender role.<ref>{{cite web|title=Collected Information About the Eunuchs of India Known as Hijras|url=http://androgyne.0catch.com/hijrax.htm |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200218220634/http://androgyne.0catch.com/hijrax.htm|archive-date=18 February 2020}}</ref> | ||
* '''Indra''', who cursed a king to become a woman<ref name="Pattanaik">Devdutt Pattanaik, The Goddess in India: The Five Faces of the Eternal Feminine</ref>. The king was Bhangashvana in the ancient Indian epic, the Mahabharata. The king ended up with "two sets of sons—those who called him 'Father' and those who called him 'Mother.' Indra caused the two sets of children to fight and kill each other. When Bhangashvana pleaded for mercy, Indra asked which set of sons he would like back. 'Those who call me mother,' said Bhangashvana. When asked whether he wanted a male body or a female one, he replied, 'A female one, so that I can get more pleasure.'"<ref name="Pattanaik" /> | * '''Indra''', who cursed a king to become a woman<ref name="Pattanaik">Devdutt Pattanaik, The Goddess in India: The Five Faces of the Eternal Feminine</ref>. The king was Bhangashvana in the ancient Indian epic, the Mahabharata. The king ended up with "two sets of sons—those who called him 'Father' and those who called him 'Mother.' Indra caused the two sets of children to fight and kill each other. When Bhangashvana pleaded for mercy, Indra asked which set of sons he would like back. 'Those who call me mother,' said Bhangashvana. When asked whether he wanted a male body or a female one, he replied, 'A female one, so that I can get more pleasure.'"<ref name="Pattanaik" /> | ||
* '''Ila''' (Sanskrit: इल) or '''Ilā''' (Sanskrit: इला) is usually described as | * '''Ila''' (Sanskrit: इल) or '''Ilā''' (Sanskrit: इला) is usually described as the child of Vaivasvata Manu (the progenitor of mankind) and his wife Shraddha. There are multiple versions of Ila's story, but all involve sex/gender changes. In one version, Ila was born female, but her parents prayed to Mitra and Varuna, who changed Ila to a boy named Sudyumma (or Sudhyumna). In another version, Ila's parents failed to have any children for a long time and approached the sage Agastya for a solution. The sage performed a yajna (fire sacrifice) dedicated to Mitra and Varuna to attain a son for the couple. Due to either an error in the ritual, a failure to offer the appropriate sacrifice, or Shraddha wishing to have a daughter, Mitra and Varuna instead sent a daughter to the couple. However, Manu desired a son so Vashistha appealed to Vishnu and the child was made male. In adulthood, Sudyumma accidentally trespassed in the sacred grove of the goddess Parvati and was cursed, becoming a woman. According to the ''Ramayana'', when Ila approached Shiva for help, Shiva laughed with scorn. However, Parvati reduced the curse and allowed Ila to switch sexes every month. While in male form, he was not able to remember his life as a woman, and vice versa. Ila had children in both their male form and female form. In almost all versions of the tale, Ila wants to live as a man, but in the ''Skanda Purana'', Ila desires to be a woman.<ref>{{cite web| title=Ila (Hinduism) |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ila_(Hinduism)&oldid=1038791690 |date= 14 August 2021 |access-date=7 September 2021|work= Wikipedia}}</ref> | ||
* '''Iravan''' (Iravat, Iravant, Aravan), patron of [[hijra]]. | * '''Iravan''' (Iravat, Iravant, Aravan), patron of [[hijra]]. | ||
* '''Samba''', who became a woman and gave birth | * '''Samba''', who became a woman and gave birth | ||