A sage who entered heaven after serving the Vaanaprastha stage correctly. After the Mahabharata war, Yudhishtira carried out the rites for all his kith and kin. Vyasa, Narada etc visited Yudhishtira to console him. As per Mahabharata Shantiparva Chapter 244, verse 17, Akritashrama is mentioned in this conversation.

Akritavarna was a wise sage, and a disciple of Parashurama. The Bhagavata 12th Skanda states that Suta, who regaled the sages at Naimisharanya, with his puranic stories, was a disciple of Akritavarna. Akritavarna has been praised across the scriptures.

As per Brahmandapurana Chapter 67, Parashurama was returning after receiving the divine weapons from Shiva, after long penance. He walked quickly through the forests to worship his gurus. As he walked past a cave in the Himalayas, he heard a cry. When he went inside to check, he found a Brahmin boy being attacked by a tiger. Parashurama killed the tiger with an arrow. The tiger then transformed into a Gandharva, and said that he had been cursed by a Brahmin into taking the form of a tiger. The Brahmin boy, who felt obliged to Parashurama, said that thanks to Parashurama, he was now Akritavarna (the one without a wound), and that he would like to be Parashurama’s disciple.

Akritavarna appears in the Mahabharata several times as a spokesperson for Parashurama. As per Mahabharata, Vanaparva, Chapters 115-117, Akritavarna recounted many stories of Parashurama to the Pandavas during their exile.

As per the Mahabharata Udyogaparva, Chapter 83, when Krishna was on his way to Hastinapura, Akritavarna met him. The Udyogaparva Chapter 173 mentions Akritavarna telling Duryodhana the history of the Kuruvansha.

As per Udyogaparva Chapter 179, verse 9, in the tale of Amba, the daughter of the king of Kashi, Akritavarna plays a crucial role. Amba, Ambika,  and Ambalika, the king’s daughters, were all brought by Bhishma to Hastinapura to be Vichitravirya’s wives. On knowing that Amba was in love with the king of Salva, Bhishma let her go, but the king rejected her. Amba roamed around and finally reached an ashram where her maternal ancestor Hotravahan lived. He sent her to Parashurama so  that she could ask him for advice. When Amba reached Parashurama’s abode, it was Akritavarna who consoled her and informed her when Parashurama would arrive. It was Akritavarna who advised Amba to seek revenge against Bhishma. He also encouraged Parashurama to take revenge for Amba, and served as Parashurama’s charioteer during the battle.

As per the Mahabharata Anushasanaparva Chapter 26, verse 8, in the Mahabharata battle, as Bhishma lay wounded on a bed of arrows, Akritavarana was among the sages who visited him.

In the Himalayas, there is a pool called Indradyumna. Akupara is a tortoise that lives here. There is a belief that this is the first ever tortoise. The Mahabharata Vanaparva Chapter 199 has a description of him.

During the Pandavas’ stay in the forest, the sage Markandeya consoled Yudhishtira with various stories. The Pandavas, and other rishis asked Markandeya whether there were any beings existed from before his time. Markandeya told them that long back, a Rajarishi called Indradyumna lost his status and fell from the heavens. He asked me whether I knew him. I told him that I didn’t, but in the Himalayas, there is a chiranjeevi owl called Pravirakarna. He might know you. On hearing this, Indradyumna took the form of a horse and carried me to the owl. But the owl told us that in the pool called Indradyumnam, there lived Nadijangha, a crane who was an older chiranjeevi than him. The crane too said that he didn’t know Indradyumna, but in the pool was a tortoise who was a chiranjeevi even older than him, called Akupara.

Indradyumna asked the tortoise if he knew him. Akupara meditated for a while, and then said, with tears in his eyes, “How could i not know you? Your acts of kindness are famous. This very river is through an act of yours. As soon as these words were said, the chariot of the gods appeared. The king got into it, and after ensuring that we were dropped back, he left for heaven.

A Naga, son of Kadru.

Antecedents: Vishnu, Brahma, Marichi, Kashyapa, Akarkkara.

Birth: Kashyapa married Aditi, Diti, Danu, Kaalika, Tamru, Krodhavasha, Manu, Anala, all daughters of Daksha. Krodhavasha had ten children, one of whom was Kadru. Anantha, Akarkara etc were the children of Kadru, as per Mahabharata, Adiparva, Chapter 35, verse 16.

Mahabharata Dronaparva Chapter 52 mentions a king called Akambana. Akambana had a son called Hari, who was killed in battle. Narada consoled Akambana during that time. vyasa mentions this story to Yudhishtira when the latter becomes dejected at the loss of his kith and kin.

A Rakshasa warrior.

Antecedents: Vishnu – Brahma – Heti – Vidyukesha – Sukesha – Sumali – Akambana

Other Details: Sumali’s wife Ketumati gave birth to fourteen children – Prahasta, Akambana, Vikata, Kalakamukha, Dhrumaksha, Danda, Suparshwa, Samhrada, Prakvata, Bhasakarna, Veka, Pushpolkada, Kaikesi, Kumbhinadi, of which the last four were girls.

Prahasta was Ravan’s minister. Kaikesi was married to Vishravas, son of Pulastya. Ravana, Kumbhakarna, Vibhishana and Shoorpanakha were their children. The Aranyakanda of Valmiki’s Ramayana mentions Akambana. It was Akambana who informed Ravana of the death of Khara, Dooshana and Trishiras at the hands of Rama and Lakshmana.

Death: Ramayana 56th Sarga describes the fight between Hanuman and Akambana. Hanuman killed Akambana by smashing a tree on the latter’s head.

In Mahabharata, Karna parva, Chapter 14, Pada 6, it is mentioned that Drona killed the king of Bhojarajya, called Amshuman.

When describing Vishwadevatas, an Amshuman is mentioned.

A Suryavanshi king.

Antecedents : Vishnu – Brahma – Marichi – Kashyapa – Vivasvan – Vaivasvatamanu – Ikshvaku – Vikukshi -Shashada – Puranjaya – Kukulstha – Anenas – Pridhulashwa – Prasenjit – Yuvanashwa – Maandaata – Purukutsa – Trasadasyu – Anaranya – Aryashwa – Vasumanas – Sudhanva – Trairyaruna – Satyavrata – Trishanku – Harishchandra – Rohitashwa – Harita – Chunchu – Sudeva – Bharuka – Bahuka – Sagara – Asamanjas – Amshuman.

Birth: Sagara, a Suryavanshi king, had two wives – Sumati (Vaidarbhi) and Keshini (Shaibya). Keshini had a son called Asamanjas. Amshuman was the son of Asamanjas and was also the father of Bhagiratha.

Other Details: According to Mahabharata, Adiparva, Chapter 185, Pada 11, Amshuman was one of the kings who attended Panchali’s swayamvar.

The Pradoshamahatmya section in the Shivapurana mentions this Gandharva princess, when Suta talks about Pradoshamahatmya to rishis at Naimisharanya.

Satyaratha, a Pandya king was once observing the pradosha vrata. Due to flaws in the ritual, he died and reincarnated as the king of Vidarbha, but died in a battle with the king of Salva. His pregnant wife escaped into the jungle, and there, gave birth on the banks of a river. Later, as she went into the river, she was caught by a crocodile. A brahmin woman called Usha, and her son, Shuchivrata came by that way then.

Seeing the child lying alone on the riverbank, they took him and named him Dharmagupta. Later, as per the advice of a brahmin named Shandilya, who lived in the village of Ekachakra, both Shuchivrata and Dharmagupta undertook the Pradosha vrata Lord Shiva was pleased with their devotion, and gifted them a lot of money. Later, Dharmagupta fell in love with Amshumati, the daughter of Dramila, a gandharva, and soon they were married.

Because of the Pradosha vrata’s benefit, Dharmagupta and Amshumati were succesful in defeating the Salva king and regaining the throne.