Sages & Others
Sandili
शाण्डिली
The Ascetic Who Would Not Be Carried
Who was Sandili?
Sandili (शाण्डिली): The Ascetic Who Would Not Be Carried, one of the sages and supporting figures in the Mahabharata. A brahmana woman far advanced in ascetic success, who fed Garuda and Galava on the peak of Rishabha and let them sleep.
Quick Facts
| Sanskrit name | शाण्डिली |
|---|---|
| Title / Epithet | The Ascetic Who Would Not Be Carried |
| Faction | Sages & Others |
| Key traits | accomplished, exacting, serene, formidable |
| Notable relationships | Chastiser: Garuda, Subject of his tale: Narada |
| Featured in | 1 story |
About Sandili
A brahmana woman far advanced in ascetic success, who fed Garuda and Galava on the peak of Rishabha and let them sleep. Garuda woke as a ball of flesh with a head and legs, his wings simply gone, because while he slept he had privately decided that a woman of her attainment ought to be carried off to live among the gods where she belonged. She restored his wings stronger than before, with the warning that she does not pardon contempt, that her purity of conduct is her own achievement, and that he is never to hold any woman cheap.
In Their Words
I was held in contempt by thee, and contempt I do not pardon.
Sandili
Traits
- accomplished
- exacting
- serene
- formidable
Story Appearances
Character Arc
- The Meal on the PeakTwo travellers fed, and one of them thinking
- The Wings GoneA king of birds reduced to a ball of flesh and a head
- The Warning GivenNever hold a woman cheap, even one who deserves it
Key Relationships
Places in Sandili's Story
Drawn from the story Sandili appears in.
Related Characters
Others counted among the Sages & Others.