| Jambavan | |
|---|---|
King of the Bears[1] | |
| Member of Chiranjivi | |
 Painting of Jambavan | |
| Affiliation | Vaishnavism |
| Texts | Ramayana, Bhagavata Purana |
| Genealogy | |
| Siblings | Himavat, Narada |
| Children | Jambavati (daughter) |
Jambavan (Sanskrit: जाम्बवान्, IAST: Jāmbavān), also known as Jambavanta (Sanskrit: जाम्बवन्त, IAST: Jāmbavanta), is the king of the bears in Hindu texts.[2]
He emerged from the mouth of Brahma when the creator deity yawned. He assisted Rama, the 7th avatar of Vishnu in his quest to save his wife Sita from the rakshasa king Ravana.[3] In the Ramayana, he helps Hanuman realise his potential, just before his famous leap over to the island of Lanka.[3] Jambavan was present at the Samudra Manthana, and is supposed to have circled Vamana 21 times in a single leap, when he was acquiring the three worlds from Mahabali.
Jambavan, together with Parashurama and Hanuman, is considered to be one of the few to have been present for the birth of both Rama and Krishna. His daughter Jambavati was married to Krishna.
- ^ Encyclopedia of Ancient Deities. McFarland. 6 December 2021. ISBN 9780786491797.
- ^ www.wisdomlib.org (29 June 2012). "Jambavan, Jāmbavān: 4 definitions". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
- ^ a b Patricia Turner, Charles Russell Coulter. Dictionary of ancient deities. 2001, page 248