||Sri Ram Jayram Jaya Jaya Ram||

Chapter – 42 – Dhoha – 41

Maharishi Narada's advice to Devi Mena

Devi Mena affectionately looked at her lovely daughter and spoke “Oh! Puthri, It is difficult to speak about the creation of Bhrama who created you as the gorgeous woman on the Earth, and your future husband insane, What do I speak about him? The fruits that should adorn the Kalpavruksha cannot embellish on the unworthy plant. I am willing to die with you jumping from the mountain top, or willing to jump into the bottom of the ocean, and jump in the fire and sacrifice my life, I am least bothered about the family, or people’s criticisms, I will not give you as a wedded wife to that insane person.”

The woman folks assembled were distressed to watch the inconsolable state of Devi Mena, she kept crying and her speeches were incoherent. “Why did Maharishi Narada advised you to undertake extreme penance to attain such an insane person as a husband? What I did to him to destroy my family? He is an ascetic who has no love for people, possessions, and wealth, that is the reason he is destroying other's family life. He has no shame or regrets to destroy others life, how did a childless woman know the pain of the birth of a child?”

Devi Bhavani who was watching the grief and disappointment of her mother advised her in an amicable way with intelligent words “Oh! Mother, it is impossible to remove the destiny of an individual which was already destined by Vidhatha, therefore do not get yourself worried, If I have the fate to marry an insane person why should you blame Vidhatha? Could you change my destiny? Therefore, kindly stop criticizing the ascetics of higher rank, Oh! Mother, do not grieve over the things you cannot control, it is not the time to blame or cry over the happenings, sorrows and grieves are pre-written, therefore it would happen wherever I go.”  The woman folks assembled were listened to the sensible words of Devi Uma and shed tears; they began to curse the destiny.  After listening to this, Maharishi Narada and Mount Himavan arrived inside the palace. Maharishi Narada made the women understand the previous birth of Devi Uma, and spoke to Devi Mena “Oh! Devi, listen to my truthful words carefully, your daughter is none other than Jaganmatha Goddess Bhavani, and she is inseparable from supreme Lord Mahadeva. She has no birth/Aja, she has neither beginning or end/Adi and Anantha, and she is unconquerable and eternal. She is the inseparable consort of Lord Shiva/Ardhangini. She is the cause for Shrishti, Sthithi, and Laya, she assumes various forms/Saguna, at her own will, and performs various amusements. In her previous birth Devi Sati married Lord Shankara, it is world famous legend. Once, she met the Raghu who is lustrous like lotus flower, while returning to the abode of Mount Kailash with Lord Mahadeva,  she became curious to know about him, assumed the form of Devi Sita and appeared before him to conduct experiment on that Parambhramam, therefore she had got herself separated from Lord Mahadeva for the sin committed.”

||Sri Ram Jayram Jaya Jaya Ram||

Chapter – 41 – Dhoha – 40

Devi Mena's disappointment

The procession of the groom arrived in the city of Himavan, multiplied the mood of festivity.  The people from the side of the bride went to receive the groom’s procession in respective vehicles, they have received the group of deities and their families, and Lord Hari's charming appearance in the procession enhanced the happiness of the people assembled. Alas! the people of the groom arrived in their hilarious appearance created trepidations among the people of the bride, they ran off the place leaving their vehicles, only a few got the courage to receive them, children dashed out of the place in extreme fear, the children rushed to their homes in pale were enquired by their parents, answered “Oh! We cannot explain that we have seen, we did not understand whether it is the procession of the groom or emissaries of Lord Yama. The groom seems to be insane adorned in serpents all over the body and smeared in ashes, decorated with the garland of the skull, attired in the skin of the lion, a big matted hair locks on the upper head and seated on the bull, give out completely unimpressive appearance. Oh! The people accompanied him were ghosts, spirits, Pishacha, Yogini, Rakshasa, etc.. If anyone returned home after witnessing the procession of the groom must be fortunate ones, only the pious one can witness the wedding of Devi Uma.” In this way, the children returned homes filled the ears of their parents. The parents were smiled at them listening to their explanation, understood it is none other Lord Mahadeva’s Ganas. They began to pacify the children.

The people who went to receive the procession of the Groom returned to the palace were received with Mangala Harathi by Devi Mena. The guests were received with great reverence and taken to their respective fortress to enjoy their stay; the women accompanied Devi Mena sang auspicious songs praising the bride and groom. Devi Mena was holding a golden plate with auspicious ingredients to receive the groom; she proceeded to receive Lord Hara with great enthusiasm. Alas! The women started to flee from the sight witnessing the dreadful appearance of Lord Rudra. The woman folks assembled inside the house, Lord Rudra withdrew to the fortress arranged for him.  Devi Mena returned to the palace with extreme rage and disappointment, she called for her daughter and took on her lap and patted her affectionately. Devi Mena whose eyes resembles blue lotus flower flooded with tears and spoke “Oh! Child, That Bhrama is a big fool who created you the most beautiful on the Earth, but he created your would-be husband as insane and impassive.”

||Sri Ram Jayram Jaya Jaya Ram||

Chapter – 40 – Dhoha – 39

The grand procession of the celestial wedding of Lord Mahadeva

The deities began preparations for the celestial wedding, they decorated all the celestial vehicles and abodes and they have witnessed auspicious and happiest signs all over the world. The celestial Gandharvas and Apsaras performed music and dances in extreme bliss. The Ganas of Lord Shambhu immersed in the decoration of the groom, they tied the locks of hair on the uppermost part of the head and decorated with serpents, he was adorned in earrings and garland of serpents, his entire body was smeared in sacred ashes, he was attired in the skin of the lion, his forehead spread intense luster of the crescent moon on the hair locks, and Goddess Ganga on the pinnacle of the hair locks, beautiful eyes were decorated, serpents were decorated as a sacred thread across the chest, his throat shone in bluish color, he was adorned in the garland of skulls, although he was dressed up in a unique way, he was looked serene and auspicious.  Lord Shiva was holding Damaru and trident, thus he mounted on the celestial bull and began the journey to the abode of Mount Himavan.

The female deities laughed at Lord Shiva and spoke “ It is impossible to find a bride for this groom”, Lord Vishnu, Lord Bhrama and all the deities traveled on their respective celestial vehicles to the abode of Himavan. The gatherings of deities were entirely different from the groom and his Ganas. Lord Vishnu gave instructions to Dikpalakas to take a position in the grand procession, Lord Shambhu smiled at the command of Lord Vishnu and he called for Bhringi to bring all the Ganas to participate in the grand procession. Lord Shiva laughed at his Ganas who arrived in various appearance and their amusing vehicles. The Ganas had hilarious  appearance, some had no head and others had numerous heads, some had no hands and legs and others had several hands and legs, some had no eyes and others had several eyes, some of them were too short and some were  large-sized, some of them had a delicate body and others had massive form, some of them were clean and others were dirty, they were decorated in utterly shocking jewels, holding skulls and their body were smeared in blood, some had the faces of the donkey, dog, pig and fox, they were attired in laughable garments, thus the groom accompanied by numberless spirits,  ghosts, Yogis, Pishacha, etc.  These Bhoothaganas were singing and dancing and taking great pleasure in the procession, they looked too ignorant and witty engaged in various amusements. In this way, a long crowd of groom’s people moved towards the palace of Himavan who decorated the whole city that was beyond description.

Himavan has invited numerous mountains and hills, forests, ocean, rivers, and ponds to take part in the celestial wedding were assumed in the form of handsome humans and attended the wedding followed with their families and children.  They sang auspicious songs praising the bride and groom, Himavan already arranged several fortresses for his guests, the whole city of Himavan was decorated at the supervision of Lord Bhrama. The whole city was decorated attractively, with pleasure gardens, streams, and rivers.  The houses in the city were decorated with flags and various decoratives, the men and women in the city were attired in magnificent clothes looked fascinating, even to the ascetics. The birthplace of Jagathjanani/Paramba was beyond comparison, it flourished with rich natural and mineral resource, wealth, auspiciousness, Siddhis, and happiness.

||Sri Ram Jayram Jaya Jaya Ram||

Chapter – 39 – Dhoha – 38

 The grand arrangements of the celestial wedding of Lord Mahadeva and Goddess Bhavani

Maharishi Yajjavalkhya speaks “Oh! Mune, I shall narrate the other side of the legend, Lord Bhrama and deities approached Lord Vishnu, further Lord Vishnu, Lord Bhrama and deities arrived in Mount Kailash to meet Lord Shiva. All the deities were eulogized Lord Chandrashekhara was highly pleased with them.  Vrishakethu spoke “Oh! Deities, kindly describe the purpose of your visit.” Lord Bhrama speaks “Oh! Bhagavan, you are the knower of all, I shall describe the purpose of our visit to you. Oh! Prabho, all the deities are excited to witness your divine wedding. Oh! Prabho, Oh! Kamari, kindly make this grand celestial wedding possible to witness for all of us and take pleasure in it. Oh! Kripasindho, you have blessed Devi Rathi after burning the Kamadeva into ashes, kind-hearted always showers an abundance of blessing after the punishment. Devi Parvathi has performed extreme penance; kindly receive her as your wedded wife.” Lord Shambhu smiled at them, remembered the promise to Rama, and replied ‘Let it be!’. 

The auspicious sounds of Dhundhubi echoed in the atmosphere, deities showered flowers on Mahadeva “Hail Surehwara! Hail Sureshwara!”.  The Saptharishis arrived; Lord Bhrama instructed them to visit Mount Himavan.  The Saptharishis met Devi Parvathi and humorously spoke “Oh! Devi, we have advised you that day, you have great faith in the advice of Maharishi Narada and underwent extreme penance, your austerities have gone waste, now Lord Shambhu burned Kamadeva into ashes.”  Devi Bhavani smiled at them and spoke “Oh! Munishreshta, you have come to know about that supreme Lord Shambhu after this incident, he is unconquerable, he is eternal and has no birth, he is unblemished and void of impulses, and he is free from worldly attachments. Oh! Munishwara, if I have served him with all my hearts, actions, and words, he will make my austerities fruitful.  It is meaningless to say Hara burned Mara, Hima will not touch the fire, because the fire has the nature to burn it whatever goes near to it.  Mahesha and Manmatha are like fire and Hima respectively.”

The Saptharishis pleased with the intelligence of Devi Bhavani, they prostrated before her and moved to King Himavan and described all that happened to Manmatha, and he felt sad for Devi Rathi and Manmatha. They explained the boon she has received from the compassionate Shambhu made Himavan happy once again. He contemplated upon that most compassionate Lord Shambhu, received the Saptharishis with great reverence. They have discussed the auspicious day and time for the performance of the celestial wedding of Lord Mahadeva and Devi Bhavani. Himavan noted all those details in a leave and kept it at the feet of Saptharishis, and prostrated before them, requested them to convey the message to Lord Bhrama. The Saptharishi handed that auspicious leave to Lord Bhrama, he read it loud and delightful. Soon he read the Lagnapathrika to all the deities, and illustrious Rishis and Sages, they became extremely happy. The deities showered flowers, divine sounds of instruments and music-filled in the air, and installed Mangalakalasha in all directions, as a mark of the grand celestial wedding of Lord Mahadeva and Goddess Bhavani.

||Sri Ram Jayram Jaya Jaya Ram||

Chapter – 38 – Dhoha – 37

 The end of Kamadeva and boon to Devi Rathi

The Vasantha Rithu created magic all around the world, all the trees, plants and creepers loaded with rich fragrant flowers, all those ponds, streams, rivers, pleasure gardens, wells attained marvelous sight, all the directions were appeared beautiful, the entire world filled with compassion, those who died watching this sight were left their mortal coil in an extreme desire to come back. The beauties of the dense forest were beyond description, cool wind that carried the fragrances of the freshly bloomed flowers in the wood removed the heat of lust in the creatures. The freshly blossomed louts’ flowers packed in the ponds, honey bees took immense pleasure on it, swans, cuckoos, and parrots sang beautifully.  The celestial Apsaras and Gandharvas were performed music and dances. Thus, Kamadeva’s all the tricks were failed before Lord Shambhu, it could not create an obstacle to the Tapasya of Lord, and it annoyed Kamadeva.

Kamadeva desperately seated on the branch of a mango tree, he fastened the five sharp flower arrows and aimed Lord Shambhu who was under deep meditation, it shot on the chest of Lord Mahadeva. He immediately got out of the meditation in frustration, looked around and found Kamadeva hiding on the branch of the mango tree. The three worlds got frightened; gradually the supreme Lord opened his third eye on the forehead, and looked at Kamadeva, instantly he burnt into ashes. It created huge chaos in the world, deities terrified, demons were pleased, Bhogis were sunk into a deep depression in the absence of comforts to please their senses, the ascetics and saintly men were felt relieved out of the pricking thorn-like lust.

The Yogis felt immensely relieved from their grief. Devi Rathi became inconsolable and lost her consciousness after hearing the death of her husband, she cried bitterly and approached Lord Shambhu. Devi Rathi who has great reverence to Lord Shankara stood before him with folded hands.  The supreme Lord Mahadeva who is Ashuthoshi and ocean of mercy looked at the distraught Devi Rathi and spoke “Oh! Devi Rathi, your husband Kamadeva will be known as Ananga/without limbs, from now onwards. He would influence the people without his body, I shall describe the ways to meet him, listen to me carefully. Lord Krishna will incarnate as Lord of Yadhus in the Dwapara Yuga, in order to reduce the burden of the Earth. Your husband will be born as Pradhyumna to him, my words never go untrue.” In this way, Lord Shankara pacified Devi Rathi.

||Sri Ram Jayram Jaya Jaya Ram||

Chapter – 37 – Dhoha – 36

The miraculous deeds of Kamadeva on three worlds

Lord Kamadeva well understood that creating enmity with Shambhu would bring death to him, but he has given a promise to deities that he cannot overlook. Soon he dominated the entire world with his extreme powers, thus Mathsyakethu broke all the boundaries mentioned in the Veda and conquered all the worlds with his immense power.   Immediately Bhramacharya/celibacy, austerities/Vratha, self-control/Athmaniyanthran, Dheeram/courage, Dharma/righteousness, knowledge of Bhramam/Athmagnana, Vijjyana/knowledge of Saguna and Nirguna Bhrmam, Sadhachara/disciplines, Japa/recitation of scriptures and Vedic hymns, Yoga/physical exercises, Vairagya/sense of abandonment, all started to disappear from the world. The intelligence ran away with its companions, its powerful attendants  found weak to fight against immorality, all the moralities took shelter in the sacred scriptures and hid in the mountain caves, it caused huge chaos in the three worlds, the people cried out “Oh! Bhagavan, what’s going to happen? Who is going to help us? All the Characharas are under the influence of Kamadeva, all those men and women have forgotten their moralities became lustful and completely under the clutches of Kamadeva.” All the creatures on the planet were besieged with Kama.  The branches of big trees attracted towards the creepers and leaned towards them, all the water bodies rushed to meet the ocean, all the ponds and rivers joined together, in this way the non-living behaved in a unique manner, it is needless to talk about living things. The land animals, water animals, flies, etc. became too lustful and rushed to meet their needs. The whole world sunk deep in the passionate sport; eventually, they became blind and restless. The Chakravaha did not look for day and night to mate.  The deities, Asura, Nara, Kinnara, Naga, Bhootha, Pretha, Pishacha,  and vetala became lustful were gone out of control. The Siddhas, liberated souls, great ascetics, Rishis and Yogis refused to follow their disciplines, were under the influence of lust.  It is needless to talk about the ignorant people when the Yogishwaras and ascetics lose their control over celibacy. All those saintly men who were considered the whole world as ‘Supreme Bhramam’ have changed completely and witnessed ‘Sthree’ in everything, and the females were considered all that witnessed as ‘male’ vice versa.

In this way, nearly an hour the entire Bhramanda was under the clutches of Kamadeva, none could control their minds, or remain conscious of their deeds because all were under the control of Kamadeva, only people who were under the protection of Raghuveera remained calm and fought against Kamadeva. This mysterious situation continued for an hour until Kamadeva neared to Shambhu. As soon as he met Shambhu, the entire world came back to normal; he could not stand before Shambhu.  Soon all the creatures in the three worlds regained their consciousness as if they have brought back from the influence of intoxicating drink. Kamadeva frightened at the sight of Lord Rudra who is unconquerable and beyond description, although he wanted to withdraw from the sight of Lord Rudra, he could not because he was fastened by the promise to deities remembered the king of Rithu/Vasantha Rithu before his death in hands of Rudra.

||Sri Ram Jayram Jaya Jaya Ram||

Chapter – 36 – Dhoha – 35

Lord Bhrama's advice to employ Kamadeva against Lord Mahadeva

The Saptharishis went to the abode of Mount Himavan and advised him to bring home Devi Uma who has succeeded in her penance. Mount Himavan met his daughter in the wood, requested her to return and brought home.  The Saptharishis went to the abode of Mount Kailash and duly informed all about Goddess Girija.  The Supreme Lord Mahadeva was highly pleased with the devotion of Devi Uma. Thus Saptharishis returned to their respective abodes. The supreme Lord Shambhu who is the knower of all remained silent and contemplated upon Lord Raghunatha.

There was a haughty demon Tharaka, who has immense strength and brilliance, was immortal and won over aging.   He conquered all the worlds, harassed the deities, and looted all their wealth. The deities fought with him several times and failed miserably. They have approached Lord Bhrama, and informed their pathetic state; Lord Bhrama pacified them and said “Oh! Deities, the demon Tharaka can be conquered only by the son of Lord Shambhu who born from his virility can only destroy that demon. Therefore listen to me carefully and work accordingly. The supreme Lord Shambhu will shower grace on all of us. Devi Sati who sacrificed her life in the Yogagni has born as Devi Parvathi in the abode of Lord Himavan. She undertook extreme penance to attain Lord Mahadeva as her husband, but Lord Shiva is in meditation after the separation from Devi Sati. Hence, follow my instructions carefully, send Lord Kamadeva before Lord Shambhu, let him kindle ‘emotions and passionate feelings’ in him, even though it is a morally wrong idea, after that, we can approach Lord Mahadeva and fall at his feet requesting to forgive us, and we also appeal to marry Goddess Parvathi, in this way we will reinstate peace and serenity among the deities. ” The deities assembled uttered in chorus “it is a great idea’.

The deities eulogized Lord Kamadeva, who is adorned in five cupid arrows and the magnificent flag of Matsya, soon he appeared before them.  The  deities expressed their anxiousness about the demon Tharaka, he listened to them and smiled softly “I do not attain any auspiciousness after creating enmity with Lord Shambhu, even though the scriptures recommend ‘Paropakara’ is the highest of the Parama Dharma, whoever sacrifices their life for others would be appreciated and well praised by the ascetics.” Thus Lord Kamadeva and his attendant prostrated before deities and left.