Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Monkey and Bear


Sage Narada is said to be not only a perpetual wanderer but also a sage who never married. There is an interesting legend in the puranas that tells us why.

Long ago there reigned a king in Ayodhya whose name was Ambarish.   He was a popular ruler so lots of kings and sages visited his court. One day two special sages went to visit him. One of them was sage Narada and the other was sage Parvata. Ambarish received them respectfully with rituals of honour and made them comfortable.

Ambarish had a very beautiful daughter named Srimati.
While the two sages were seated side by side Srimati came in to wash their feet as was the custom where guests of honour were concerned. Both Narada and parvata fell in love with Srimati. Each of them saw Ambarish and told him that he wanted to marry her. Ambarish was both shocked and worried because such a possibility had not occurred to him. But he did not dare to displease either sage by refusing them directly.
“I don’t know what to say, my lord” said Ambarish looking at them both. “I have just one daughter so I don’t know to which of you I should bestow her hand.”
“To me, of course” said Narada. “I am older than Parvata”
“But I was the first to ask for her hand” protested Parvata, “So she should be mine.”
“There is no point arguing about it” said Ambarish. “I’d better have a swayamvara for my daughter. Please come tomorrow morning and she shall choose one of you as her husband. It’s better to let her decide the issue since it is her life.”
“Yes, that’s quite fair” agreed Narada.
“Let her decide by all means” said Parvata, “She is bound to like me better as I am younger and better looking.”

Parvata had made the remark quite casually but his words struck a chill in Narada’s heart. What if Srimati did like Parvata better? He couldn’t possibly face the humiliation! He decided to do something about it immediately. Narada had the ability to roam around all three worlds at will. He landed up at Vaikuntha, Lord Vishnu’s abode and rushed to meet him.
“My Lord, I have something very important to tell you” he said, “but it is meant for your ears alone. I cannot speak before anyone else.”
Vishnu smiled and asked everyone to leave the place.
“What is it, Narada?” he asked curiously.
“I am in love with Srimati, the daughter of King Ambarish. He will have a swayamvara for her tomorrow when she will choose between me and Parvata who is also in love with her.”
“I don’t see what I can do” said Vishnu amused. “I can’t make up Srimati’s mind for her, can I? She will choose the one she likes best and the other will simply have to put up with her decision.”
“My lord, I shall simply die if she chooses Parvata. Please make Parvata look like a monkey at the time of the swayamvara. That’s all I ask.”
“Very well, if that’s what you wish” said Vishnu turning his face to hide a smile. Narada left the place beaming. He had nothing to fear now!

Soon after Narada left Vaikuntha Parvata landed up there and asked to see lord Vishnu.
“What do you want?” asked Vishnu, knowing full well what was coming.
“My lord, I am in love with Srimati but I am very much afraid that she will choose Narada at the swayamvara tomorrow” said Parvata.
“I don’t see how I can prevent it if she really likes Narada better” remarked Vishnu.
“Oh you can, my lord. That’s what I have come to pray for. Please make Narada look like a bear at the time of the swayamvara. That will prevent Srimati from choosing him.”
“Very well” said Vishnu, “It shall be just as you wish.”
Now it was Parvata’s turn to go back with a light heart.
Both Narada and Parvata were sure that Lord Vishnu would keep his promise.

When Narada and Parvata reached the royal hall of Ambarish the next morning it was decorated beautifully with flowers and a thousand other beautiful objects. Narada and Parvata sat side by side on two high seats decorated like thrones. The hall was full of people. Finally king Ambarish came in. Srimati followed close behind, garland in hand.
“My daughter, here are your two suitors, two great sages – Narada and Parvata. Please garland the one you wish to have for your husband” said king Ambarish.
Srimati looked and started. Then she covered her face in fear.


“What’s the matter, Srimati? Come, garland the sage of your choice” said Ambarish, wondering why Srimati was behaving so strangely.
“But father, I see no sages” said Srimati trembling.
“What do you mean? Whom do you see then?”

“A monkey and a bear seated side by side on the thrones.”
“Good heavens! Is that all you see? A monkey and a bear?” asked the king perplexed.
“There is someone else, a man as handsome as an angel, standing between the monkey and the bear” said Srimati.
“Can you describe him?” asked Ambarish in a whisper.
“Yes. He is radiant like the sun, wearing exquisite jewellery and has the most dazzling and the sweetest smile I have ever beheld. And he has four hands” said Srimati. 

King Ambarish realized at once that it was lord Vishnu himself standing between the two sages. But where were the monkey and the bear Srimati spoke of?
“Ask your daughter to hurry up” shouted Narada.
“Yes, we can’t wait about all morning waiting for her to make up her mind and telling stupid stories about seeing a monkey and a bear” said Parvata, “and I don’t believe a word about this other person standing between us. There are just the two of us here, Narada and I”
“If you are up to any tricks, I warn you, you will pay for it dearly” warned Narada. “Now ask Srimati to make her up her mind quickly or we shall curse her.”

Srimati was afraid and said, “I can’t decide between the two of you. I am throwing my garland. Whoever catches it shall be my husband.”
She closed her eyes and threw her garland. Neither Narada nor Parvata could catch it because it landed neatly round the neck of the radiant man standing between the two sages. As soon as the garland touched him both he and Srimati vanished from sight.
“What’s this? Some trick on your part?” cried Narada. “Where have you hidden your daughter?”
“May you be surrounded by eternal darkness” shouted Parvata angrily, “shame on you for tricking two respectable sages!”

As you may have guessed, the radiant being whom Srimati had garlanded was none other than Lord Vishnu himself. Srimati was Lakshmi, reborn as king Ambarish’s daughter, destined to be united with Vishnu in this birth. That is exactly what happened. Vishnu’s Sudarshan Chakra chased away the eternal darkness that had fallen round Ambarish and he could see as well as ever. Narada and Parvata looked up and caught a glimpse of Lord Vishnu and Srimati smiling at each other before they vanished from sight.

Both Narada and Parvata went to Vaikuntha once again.
“My Lord, what did you mean by tricking us like this? And why did you run away with Srimati yourself?” they cried together.
“My dear, Srimati, being the incarnation of Lakshmi, was mine already. The fault was yours for not finding out who she actually was before you set out to wed her” said Lord Vishnu,  “you could have easily found this out by tapasya, if only you had cared to do so. You are both great sages after all! But you were in too much of a hurry and never bothered to find out the truth about Srimati. It is not my fault if you are disappointed”

 In one incident, the two Devarshis Narada and Parvata fancied to visit Bhuloka and visit various Sacred Places and Rivers. Having gone on the pilgrimage, they had to stop over at the Kingdom of King Sanjaya as their movement for four months had to be halted due to the season of rains.The King made all the arrangements for their comfortable stay and also asked his youthful daughter Damayanti to oversee their needs of daily regular pujas. In course of time, Damayanti got atrracted by Narada by his erudite knowledge of Scriptures, his eternal youth and most importantly by his Sama Veda intonation as well as his musical talents, especially his excellent playing of Veena ( lute) instrument.There was a distinct attitudinal change of Damayanti towards Narada vis-a-vis Parvata which was not to the liking of the latter. He asked Narada whether there was any fascination for each other and he confirmed it. Parvata became furious as this was not the purpose of their coming to visit Bhuloka and the result was loathsome. Thus, Parvata left Narada’s company and cursed him to have a monkey face. King Sanjaya and wife sought to hurry up with Damayanti’s wedding but she was adamant to marry Narada only as she was infatuated with him, despite his face.He was an adept in the Science of Music, a virtual Nada Brahma and an authority of Swara, Grama and Murchchana. Sapta Swaras: Sadja, Rishabha, Gandhara, Madhyama, Panchama, Dhaivata and Nisada. Gramas are the gradual increase and decrease of Swaras; Mruchchanas: intonations and regulation of sounds by controlling the air and harmony through keys, changing keys for sound modulation and creating melodies] Damayanti also felt that after all Kinnaras the celestial musicians had horse faces and Narada was admired for his innumerable other qualities. Narada and Damayanti were married and were extremely happy. After a lapse of time, Maharshi Parvata visited Narada couple, withdrew his curse and Narada became normal again.

Wedding and womanhood  
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