Chitralekha (Hinduism)

Chitralekha (चित्रलेखा) was a friend of Usha and daughter of minister of Banasura. She was a talented lady who helped Usha to identify the young man seen in the dream of Usha. Usha was daughter of Banasura, a thousand-armed asura and son of Bali. Banasur was a powerful and terrible asura. When Usha became young, number of proposals came for her marriage but Banasur accepted none. Usha one day saw a young man in her dream and fell in love with him. He was Aniruddha, the grandson of Lord Krishna. Chitralekha through supernatural powers abducted Aniruddha from the palace of Krishna and brought him to Usha. When Krishna knew it he came with a huge army and attacked Banasura. There was a severe battle.Banasura had got a powerful boon by Lord Shiva that he will always protect him in any circumstances.When banasura came to know that he will be defeated by the enormous powers of Lord Krishna he asked Lord Shiva to come in battlefield and help him.So unwillingly Shiva helped Banasura by spreading fever causing bacteria in the army of Krishna, which made his army unable to fight. Krishna in turn created anti-bacteria (probably anti-biotics or bacteriophages) to kill bacteria spread by Shiva. All soldiers of Krishna’s army got healed and became ready to fight. She is referred to as the consort of Ketu of the Navagraha

References

• Krishna.com. Glossary
• Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend (ISBN 0-500-51088-1) by Anna Dhallapiccola
• Acharya Chandra Shekhar Shastri: Puranon ki Anmol Kahanian, 2006 ISBN 81-902258-6-3

it is said that this word is name of laxmi mata