Vetaranī
Vetaranī：1．Vetaranī． A river in Mahā niraya （S．i．21； SN．vs．674）．Buddhaghosa explains （SNA．ii．482） that this is the name of a mahatā khāraodikā nadī （the great ”Caustic River”） referred to in the Devadatta Sutta （M．iii．185）．Its waters are sharp and bitter （tinhadhārā，khuradhārā） （SN．vs．674； cf．J．v．269），and the river flows by the Asipattavana．When beings enter it to bathe and drink （because it looks like a sheet of water） they are hacked by swords and other sharp weapons which stand concealed along the river bank．（SNA．ii．482； J．v．275； vi．105； where a long description is given of the horrors of Vetaranī．） Sometimes Vetaranī is used in a general way to indicate Niraya．（As ”desanāsīsa” – e．g．J．iii．473； SA．i．48； cf．J．iv．273）．Those guilty of abortion are reborn in the Vetaranīnadī （J．v．269），as are also oppressors of the weak （J．vi．106）．
2．Vetaranī． A physician of old，famous for curing snake bites．J．iv．496．