SRI SRINIVASA KALYANAM

THE RISHIS HEADED BY KASYAPA BEGAN TO PERFORM A SACRIFICE ON THE BANKS OF THE GANGES. SAGE NARADA VISITED THEM AND ASKED THEM WHY THEY WERE PERFORMING THE SACRIFICE AND WHO WOULD BE PLEASED BY IT.

NOT BEING ABLE TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, THE RISHISAPPROACHED SAGE BHRIGU. TO REACH A SOLUTION AFTER A DIRECT ASCERTAINMENT OF REALITY, SAGE BHRIGU FIRST WENT TO SATYALOKA, THE ABODE OF LORD BRAHMA.

AT SATYALOKA, HE FOUND LORD BRAHMA, RECITING THE FOUR VEDAS IN PRAISE OF LORD NARAYANA, WITH EACH OF HIS FOUR HEADS, AND ATTENDED UPON BY SARASWATI. LORD BRAHMA DID NOT TAKE NOTICE OF BHRIGU OFFERING OBEISANCE. CONCLUDING THAT LORD BRAHMA WAS UNFIT FOR WORSHIP, BHRIGU LEFT SATYALOKA FOR KAILASA, THE ABODE OF LORD SHIVA.

AT KAILASA, BHRIGU FOUND LORD SIVA SPENDING HIS TIME PLEASANTLY WITH PARVATI AND NOT NOTICING HIS PRESENCE. PARVATI DREW THE ATTENTION OF SIVA TO THE PRESENCE OF THE SAGE.

LORD SIVA WAS FURIOUS AT BHRIGU’S INTRUSION AND TRIED TO DESTROY HIM. THE SAGE CURSED LORD SIVA AND LEFT FOR VAIKUNTAM.

AT VAIKUNTAM, LORD VISHNU (ALSO CALLED SRIMANNARAYANA) WAS REPOSING ON ADISESHA WITH SRI MAHALAKSHMI IN SERVICE AT HIS FEET. FINDING THAT SRIMANNARAYANA ALSO DID NOT NOTICE HIM, THE SAGE WAS INFURIATED AND HE KICKED THE LORD ON HIS CHEST, THE PLACE WHERE MAHALAKSHMI RESIDES.

AT ONCE, LORD VISHNU HASTENED TO APOLOGISE TO THE ANGRY SAGE AND PRESSED HIS FEET TO ALLAY THE PAIN CAUSED TO BHRIGU’S LEG. IN DOING SO THE LORD REMOVED THE EYE IN THE FOOT OF THE SAGE, WHICH GAVE BHRIGU POWER AS TO DEFY THE DEVAS. THEREUPON, THE SAGE DECIDED THAT LORD VISHNU WAS THE MOST SUPREME OF THETRIMURTHIS AND TOLD THE RISHIS THE SAME. THEREUPON, THEY DECIDED THAT LORD VISHNU WAS THE FRUIT OF THE YAGA.

SRI MAHALAKSHMI WAS ANGERED BY THE ACTION OF HER LORD IN APOLOGISING TO BHRIGU WHO COMMITTED AN OFFENCE. SHE, THEREFORE, LEFT VAIKUNTAM WITHOUT HEEDING THE ENTREATIES OF THE LORD.

AT THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE CURRENT SVETA VARAHA KALPA, THE WHOLE UNIVERSE WAS FILLED WITH WATER AND THE EARTH WAS IMMERSED IN IT. LORD VISHNU ASSUMED THE FORM OF A WHITE BOAR (SRI VARAHA) AND DIVED INTO THE WATER TO LIFT THE EARTH. HE SLEW THE DEMON HIRANYAKSHA WHO WAS OBSTRUCTING HIM AND RESCUED THE EARTH.

BRAHMA AND THE OTHER DEVAS PRAISED SRI VARAHA FOR SAVING THE EARTH BY CHANTING THE VEDAS AND SHOWERING FLOWERS ON HIM. LORD VISHNU DECIDED TO STAY ON EARTH IN THE FORM OF SRI VARAHA FOR SOME TIME, TO PUNISH THE WICKED AND PROTECT THE VIRTUOUS. THE PLACE THEN CAME TO BE KNOWN AS VARAHA KSHETRAAND THE VARAHA KALPA COMMENCED.

AFTER THE DEPARTURE OF MAHALAKSHMI, A FORLORN LORD VISHNU LEFT VAIKUNTAM AND TOOK ABODE IN AN ANT-HILL UNDER A TAMARIND TREE, BESIDE A PUSHKARINI ON THE VENKATA HILL .

TAKING PITY ON LORD VISHNU, BRAHMA AND MAHESHWARA DECIDED TO ASSUME THE FORMS OF A COW AND ITS CALF TO SERVE HIM.

SURYA, THE SUN GOD INFORMED MAHALAKSHMI OF THIS AND REQUESTED HER TO ASSUME THE FORM OF A COWHERDESS AND SELL THE COW AND CALF TO THE KING OF THE CHOLA COUNTRY.

THE KING OF THE CHOLA COUNTRY BOUGHT THE COW AND ITS CALF AND SENT THEM TO

GRAZE ON THE VENKATA HILL ALONG WITH HIS HERD OF CATTLE. DISCOVERING LORD VISHNU

ON THE ANT-HILL, THE COW PROVIDED ITS MILK, AND THUS FED THE LORD.

MEANWHILE, AT THE PALACE, THE COW WAS NOT YIELDING ANY MILK, FOR WHICH THE CHOLA QUEEN CHASTISED THE COWHERD SEVERELY.

TO FIND OUT THE CAUSE OF LACK OF MILK, THE COWHERD FOLLOWED THE COW, HID HIMSELF BEHIND A BUSH AND DISCOVERED THE COW EMPTYING HER UDDER OVER THE ANT-HILL.

INCENSED OVER THE CONDUCT OF THE COW, THE COWHERD AIMED A BLOW WITH HIS AXE ON THE HEAD OF THE COW. HOWEVER, LORD VISHNU ROSE FROM THE ANT-HILL TO RECEIVE THE BLOW AND SAVE THE COW.

WHEN THE COWHERD SAW THE LORD BLEED AT THE BLOW OF HIS AXE, HE FELL DOWN AND DIED OF SHOCK.

ON THE DEATH OF THE COWHERD, THE COW RETURNED, BELLOWING IN FRIGHT AND WITH BLOOD STAINS ALL OVER HER BODY, TO THE CHOLA KING. TO FIND OUT THE CAUSE OF THE COW’S TERROR, THE KING FOLLOWED HER TO THE SCENE OF THE INCIDENT.

THE KING FOUND THE COWHERD LYING DEAD ON THE GROUND NEAR THE ANT-HILL. WHILE HE STOOD WONDERING HOW IT HAD HAPPENED, LORD VISHNU ROSE FROM THE ANT-HILL AND CURSED THE KING SAYING THAT HE WOULD BECOME AN ASURABECAUSE OF THE FAULT OF HIS SERVANT. THE KING PLEADED INNOCENCE, AND THE LORD BLESSED HIM BY SAYING THAT THE CURSE WOULD END WHEN THE LORD WAS ADORNED WITH AKIREETAM PRESENTED BY AKASA RAJA AT THE TIME OF HIS MARRIAGE WITH SRI PADMAVATI.

THEREAFTER, LORD VISHNU OR SRINIVASA, DECIDED TO STAY IN VARAHA KSHETRA, AND REQUESTED SRI VARAHASWAMI TO GRANT HIM A SITE FOR HIS STAY. HIS REQUEST BEING READILY GRANTED, SRINIVASA ORDAINED THAT A PILGRIMAGE TO HIS SHRINE WOULD NOT BE COMPLETE UNLESS IT IS PRECEDED BY A BATH IN THE PUSHKARINI AND DARSHAN OF SRI VARAHASWAMI, AND THAT PUJA AND NAIVEDYAM SHOULD BE OFFERED TO SRI VARAHASWAMI FIRST.

YASODA BROUGHT UP SRI KRISHNA, THE SON OF DEVAKI, IN HIS EARLY YEARS. HOWEVER, YASODA WAS NOT BLESSED TO WITNESS THE MARRIAGE OF SRI KRISHNA WITH RUKMINI AND SHE FELT VERY SAD. SRI KRISHNA PROMISED TO FULFIL HER DESIRE IN HER NEXT BIRTH AS VAKULADEVI IN HIS NEXTAVATARA AS SRINIVASA. IN RUKMINI’S NEXT BIRTH AS VAKULADEVI, SHE WAS SERVING LORD VARAHASWAMI WHEN HE SENT HER TO SERVE SRINIVASA.

SOMETIME LATER, A KING NAMED AKASA RAJA WHO BELONGED TO THE LUNAR RACE WAS RULING OVER THONDAMANDALAM. HE HAD A BROTHER NAMED THONDAMAN. AKASA RAJA HAD NO HEIRS, AND THEREFORE, HE WANTED TO PERFORM A SACRIFICE. AS PART OF THE SACRIFICE, HE WAS PLOUGHING THE FIELDS WHEN HIS PLOUGH TURNED UP A LOTUS IN THE GROUND. ON EXAMINING THE LOTUS, THE KING FOUND A FEMALE CHILD IN IT.

AKASA RAJA WAS HAPPY TO FIND THE CHILD. HE CARRIED IT TO HIS PALACE AND GAVE IT TO HIS QUEEN. AT THAT TIME HE HEARD A VOICE FROM ABOVE WHICH SAID, “OH! KING, TEND TO IT AS YOUR CHILD AND FORTUNE WILL BEFALL YOU.” AS THE CHILD WAS FOUND IN A LOTUS, THE KING NAMED HER PADMAVATI.

IN COURSE OF TIME, PRINCESS PADMAVATI GREW UP INTO A BEAUTIFUL MAIDEN AND WAS ATTENDED TO BY A HOST OF MAIDS. ONE DAY, WHILE SHE WAS SPENDING HER TIME IN A GARDEN PICKING FLOWERS WITH HER MAIDS, SAGE NARADA APPROACHED HER. ASSURING HER THAT HE WAS HER WELL-WISHER, HE ASKED HER TO SHOW HIM HER PALM TO READ HER FUTURE. HE FORETOLD THAT SHE WAS DESTINED TO BE THE SPOUSE OF LORD VISHNU HIMSELF.

AT THIS TIME, LORD SRINIVASA, WHO WAS HUNTING, CHASED A WILD ELEPHANT IN THE FORESTS SURROUNDING THE HILLS. IN THE ELEPHANT’S PURSUIT, THE LORD WAS LED INTO A GARDEN, WHERE PRINCESS PADMAVATI AND HER MAIDS WERE PICKING FLOWERS.THE SIGHT OF THE ELEPHANT FRIGHTENED THE PRINCESS AND HER MAIDS..

BUT THE ELEPHANT IMMEDIATELY TURNED AROUND, SALUTED THE LORD AND DISAPPEARED INTO THE FOREST. LORD SRINIVASA, WHO WAS FOLLOWING ON HORSE BACK, AND SAW THE FRIGHTENED MAIDENS, WHO ACCOSTED HIM WITH QUERIES.

LORD SRINIVASA GAVE THE MAIDS DETAILS ABOUT HIS BIRTH AND PARENTAGE. HE, IN TURN, ENQUIRED AFTER THEIR PRINCESS, HER BIRTH AND PARENTAGE.

WHEN THE MAIDS INFORMED LORD SRINIVASA THAT THE PRINCESS WAS PADMAVATI, FOSTER DAUGHTER OF AKASA RAJA, HE EXPRESSED HIS INTEREST IN HER. HOWEVER, HE WAS REPULSED WITH STONES THROWN AT HIM BY THE MAIDS. HE RETURNED TO THE HILLS IN HASTE, LEAVING HIS HORSE BEHIND.

WHEN LORD SRINIVASA RETURNED, VAKULADEVI BROUGHT HIM HIS USUAL DINNER COMPRISING VARIOUS DELICACIES. HOWEVER, SHE FOUND HIM LYING ON HIS BED, PINING FOR HIS LOVE. WHEN SHE ENQUIRED ABOUT THE CAUSE, THE LORD INFORMED HER THAT UNLESS HE MARRIED PRINCESS PADMAVATI, HE WOULD NEVER BE WELL AGAIN. VAKULADEVI THEN ASKED HIM TO TELL HER ALL ABOUT THE PRINCESS. THE LORD THEN NARRATED THE STORY OF HER (PADMAVATI’S) PREVIOUS BIRTH AND HIS PROMISE TO WED HER.

IN OLDEN TIMES, LAKSHMI, IN THE FORM OF VEDAVATI, WAS STAYING IN AN ASHRAM IN THE FORESTS. AT THAT TIME, RAVANA, THE LORD OF LANKA TRIED TO TEMPT HER. IN ANGER, VEDAVATI CURSED HIM SAYING THAT SHE WOULD BRING ABOUT HIS DEATH.

TO SHOW HOW TRUE HER WORDS WERE, VEDAVATI WALKED INTO THE FIRE, BUT AGNI, THE FIRE GOD RESCUED HER. HE TOOK VEDAVATI TO HIS HOUSE AND ENTRUSTED HER TO HIS WIFE’S CARE.

WHEN RAVANA WAS ABOUT TO CARRY AWAY SITA FROM PANCHAVATI, IN THE ABSENCE OF RAMA AND LAKSHMANA, AGNI APPEARED AND OFFERED VEDAVATI TO RAVANA AS THE REAL SITA WHO WAS KEPT WITH HIM BY RAMA TO EVADE RAVANA. RAVANA WAS TRICKED INTO THINKING THAT VEDAVATI WAS THE REAL SITA.

RAVANA TOOK VEDAVATI TO LANKA THINKING SHE WAS THE REAL SITA, WHILE AGNI TOOK SITA TO HIS HOUSE AND ASKED HIS WIFE SWAHADEVI TO LOOK AFTER HER.

AFTER THE DESTRUCTION OF RAVANA, VEDAVATI ENTERED THE FIRE WHEN REJECTED BY RAMA. THEN, AGNI, OFFERED THE REAL SITA TO RAMA. RAMA THEN QUESTIONED HER AS TO WHO THE OTHER LADY BY HER SIDE WAS.

SITA INFORMED RAMA THAT THE LADY WAS VEDAVATI WHO ENDURED RAVANA’S TORTURE FOR TEN MONTHS IN LANKA FOR HER SAKE. SITA REQUESTED RAMA TO ACCEPT VEDAVATI ALSO AS HIS SPOUSE. BUT RAMA DECLINED HER REQUEST SAYING THAT HE BELIEVED IN HAVING ONLY ONE WIFE DURING HIS LIFE TIME. HOWEVER, HE PROMISED TO WED HER IN HER NEXT BIRTH AS PADMAVATI, BORN AS THE DAUGHTER OF AKASA RAJA, WHEN RAMA HIMSELF WOULD TAKE THE FORM OF SRINIVASA.

AFTER LISTENING TO SRINIVASA’S STORY OF HOW HE HAD PROMISED TO MARRY VEDAVATI IN HER NEXT BIRTH AS PADMAVATI, VAKULADEVI REALISED THAT SRINIVASA WOULD NOT BE HAPPY UNLESS HE MARRIED PADMAVATI. SHE OFFERED TO GO TO AKASA RAJA AND HIS QUEEN AND ARRANGE FOR THE MARRIAGE. ON THE WAY SHE MET THE MAID-SERVANTS OF PADMAVATI RETURNING FROM A SIVA TEMPLE. SHE LEARNT FROM THEM THAT PADMAVATI WAS ALSO PINING FOR SRINIVASA. VAKULADEVI WENT ALONG WITH THE MAIDSERVANTS TO THE QUEEN.

MEANWHILE, AKASA RAJA AND HIS QUEEN DHARANIDEVI WERE ANXIOUS ABOUT THE HEALTH OF THEIR DAUGHTER, PADMAVATHI. THEY LEARNT ABOUT PADMAVATHI’S LOVE FOR SRINIVASA OF VENKATA HILL. AKASA RAJA CONSULTED BRIHASPATI ABOUT THE PROPRIETY OF THE MARRIAGE AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE MARRIAGE WAS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF BOTH THE PARTIES.

AFTER THE DEPARTURE OF VAKULADEVI, SRINIVASA COULD NOT REST IN PEACE. HE DOUBTED IF SHE WOULD SUCCEED IN HER MISSION. HE, THEREFORE, ASSUMED THE FORM OF A LADY FORTUNE-TELLER AND ENTERED THE STREETS OF THE CAPITAL TELLING FORTUNES. PADMAVATHI’S MAIDS SAW HER AND INVITED HER TO THE PRESENCE OF THEIR QUEEN.

THE MAID-SERVANTS INFORMED QUEEN DHARANIDEVI THAT THE FORTUNE-TELLER WAS HESITATING TO ENTER THE PALACE WITHOUT THE QUEEN’S INVITATION.

THE QUEEN CAME OUT HERSELF AND INVITED THE FORTUNE-TELLER INTO THE PALACE.THE FORTUNE- TELLER WAS TAKEN TO THE PRESENCE OF PRINCESS PADMAVATI.

THE FORTUNE-TELLER READ THE PALM OF THE PRINCESS AND TOLD THE QUEEN ABOUT THE CAUSE OF PADMAVATI’S INDISPOSITION. SHE ADVISED THE QUEEN TO GIVE PADMAVATI IN MARRIAGE TO LORD SRINIVASA. SHE ALSO TOLD THE QUEEN THAT A LADY WOULD APPROACH HER SHORTLY ON BEHALF OF LORD SRINIVASA, TO FORMALLY REQUEST PADMAVATI’S HAND IN MARRIAGE.

AFTER THE DEPARTURE OF THE FORTUNE-TELLER, VAKULADEVI ARRIVED AT THE PALACE, AND WAS TAKEN BY THE MAIDSERVANTS TO THE QUEEN. SHE INFORMED THE QUEEN THAT SHE HAD COME ON BEHALF LORD SRINIVASA TO REQUEST THE HAND OF PADMAVATI IN MARRIAGE.

HAVING CONSULTED BRIHASPATI AND HEARD FROM HIS QUEEN ABOUT THE PREDICTION OF THE FORTUNE-TELLER AND THE ARRIVAL OF THE MESSENGER FROM SRINIVASA, AKASA RAJA DECIDED TO HAND HIS DAUGHTER IN MARRIAGE TO SRINIVASA. HE ASKED THE PALACE PUROHITS TO FIX AMUHURTAM FOR THE MARRIAGE.

AKASA RAJA INFORMED HIS MINISTERS AND OTHER OFFICIALS OF HIS PLANS. IMMEDIATELY, A LETTER WAS DRAFTED REQUESTING SRINIVASA TO COME AND MARRY THE PRINCESS.

AKASA RAJA ENTRUSTED THE DELIVERY OF THE LETTER TO SUKAMAHAMUNIN. SUKA WENT TO THE AT THE PALACE ENTRANCE, LORD SRINIVASA WAS RECEIVED BY AKASA RAJA WITH FULL HONOURS AND TAKEN IN PROCESSION ON A MOUNTED ELEPHANT TO THE PALACE FOR THE MARRIAGE.

VENKATA HILL WITH VAKULADEVI. HE PRESENTED THE PATRIKA TO LORD SRINIVASA, WHO WAS VERY HAPPY. THE LORD SENT HIS GARLAND FOR PADMAVATI THROUGH SUKA.

KUBERA LENT MONEY TO LORD SRINIVASA TO MEET THE EXPENSES OF THE MARRIAGE.

LORD SRINIVASA, ALONG WITH HIS CONSORTS AND LORD BRAHMA AND LORD SIVA STARTED THE JOURNEY TO THE RESIDENCE OF AKASA RAJA WITH HIS VEHICLE GARUDA.

AT THE PALACE ENTRANCE, LORD SRINIVASA WAS RECEIVED BY AKASA RAJA WITH FULL HONOURS AND TAKEN IN PROCESSION ON A MOUNTED ELEPHANT TO THE PALACE FOR THE MARRIAGE.

IN THE PRESENCE OF ALL THE DEVAS, LORD SRINIVASA WED PRINCESS PADMAVATI, THUS BLESSING AKASA RAJA.

Thanks to Indra Srinivasan for this article.