aruṃdhatī [na ruṃdhatī pratirodhakāriṇī] 1 A medicinal climbing plant. 2 N. of the wife of Vasiṣṭha; anvāsitamaruṃdhatyā svāhayeva havirbhujaṃ R. 1. 56. 3 The morning star personified as the wife of Vasiṣṭha; one of the Pleiades. 4 N. of the daughter of prācetasadakṣa, one of the 10 wives of Dharma. [In mythology Arundhatī is represented as the wife of the sage (pb) Vasiṣṭha, one of the 7 sages. She was one of the 9 daughters of Kardama Prajāpati by Devahūti. She is regarded as the highest pattern of conjugal excellence and wifely devotion and is so invoked by the bridegroom at nuptial ceremonies. Though a woman she was regarded with the same-even more-veneration as the Saptarṣis; cf. Ku. 6. 12: tāmagauravabhedena munīṃścāpaśyadīśvaraḥ . strīpumānityanāsthaiṣā vṛttaṃ hi mahitaṃ satām .. cf. also Janaka's remarks in. U. 4. 10. She, like her husband, was the guide and controller of Raghu's line in her own department, and acted as guardian angel to Sītā after she had been abandoned by Rāma. It is said that Arundhatī (the star) is not seen by persons whose end has approached: cf. Suśruta: na paśyati sanakṣatrāṃ yastu devīmaruṃdhatīṃ .dhruvamākāśagaṃgāṃ ca taṃ vadaṃti gatāyuṣaṃ ..; see H. 1. 76 also]. 5 The tongue (personified). Comp.—jātiḥ, nāthaḥ, patiḥ N. of Vasiṣṭha, one of the seven Ṛṣis or stars in the Ursa Major —darśananyāyaḥ see under nyāya.