Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – Tripura Rahasya Day 16 – January 20, 2022 – Mysore
Compiled by Parimala Eshwarla
Chapter 22
Hearing this wondrous story of Goddess Lakshmi, Parashurama was astonished. He again enquired, “O Gurudeva! The story of Goddess Lakshmi narrated by you is wonderous and auspicious. How could Goddess Lakshmi experience separation from her husband whom she loves very dearly? How did she obtain grief due to co-wives? How did she discard her body due to the agony of co-wives? How did Goddess Gowri get burnt into ashes by listening to abusive words against her husband? Kindly answer these questions”.
Lord Datta was very happy when Parashurama thus questioned. He said, “O Parashurama! When Vishnu was living with Lakshmi in Vaikuntha, Brinda and Bhumi worshipped him with total devotion. Pleased with their worship, he accepted them. However, doubting that Lakshmi would be angered with this, he spent time secretively with them.
A long time passed. Mother Lakshmi who learnt of this questioned him about it. Yet he concealed the matter. A long time again passed. Once when Lakshmi was seated in her assembly, Saraswati invited Lakshmi to visit her abode. With Vishnu’s permission, Lakshmi travelled to Saraswati’s abode.
In Lakshmi’s absence, Vishnu sported with Bhumi and Brinda. They too pleased him with their services. Lakshmi, who unexpectedly arrived from Satya-loka, saw her husband Narayana sporting with them and began boiling in anger.
Narayana was alarmed on seeing her. Lakshmi left Vaikuntha. Vishnu immediately followed her and reached Himalayas behind her. Holding her hands, he pacified her. Just as solidified ghee melts with fire, Lakshmi, who was burning with anger melted like ghee and flowed like a river. That river became the ever-sacred River Padma. However, due to Maharishi Narada’s curse, that river dried up.
The saintly king Bhagiratha undertook rigorous austerities and ensured that River Ganga follows his chariot. His chariot travelled on the path of River Padma. When Padma merged into Ganga, she was absolved of her curse and began to flow again. For a long time, Padma flowed along with Ganga. Thereafter Ganga and Padma separated and Padma joined the ocean earlier than Ganga. Bathing at the spot where Ganga and Padma separate grants heaven”- said Lord Dattatreya.
(Padma flows in Bengal and Bangladesh although it begins in the Himalayas).
Parashurama who heard everything with devotion, now asked, “O revered Gurudeva! Why did Narada, who is an epitome of peace and compassion, curse River Padma? How did Padma free itself from the curse? How did Padma separate from Ganga? Please explain”.
(Listening about rivers frees us from sins).
(In North Karnataka, Lord Datta is worshipped as Munishwara). Then Munishwara Datta Swami said, “Parashurama! The actions of the Mahatmas are astonishing. It cannot be said that they will always behave in the same way. It is the same with Maharishi Narada too. I shall explain about it.
Once when Maharishi Narada arrived at Lord Brahma’s court, a discussion was going on about Gandharva-veda or style of music.
(The music that is available on earth is just an atom of the music that is known in the other lokas). The most-supreme among the Gandharvas, Devatas, Yakshas and Kinnaras began music rendition. Along with them Narada too played those notes on his veena.
Everyone present in Brahma’s assembly was extremely delighted with Narada’s rendition of Veena and his ragālapana. Their minds were totally engrossed in music and they experienced the bliss equivalent of liberation. Hence, they all extolled him.
Thereafter, Goddess Saraswati, who is the exponent in Ragalapana, took up her Kacchapi Veena and began to play. Narada and the others could not comprehend the intricacies of those musical notes played by her.
After the assembly concluded, everyone departed. Narada who left the assembly was pondering about the musical notes played by Goddess Saraswati. Yet, he could not understand those notes.
He then went to an isolated location near the banks of River Padma and, on his veena, began to play the same notes as played by Goddess Saraswati. However, unknown to him, suddenly he erred. Hearing this, River Padma laughed.
Maharishi Narada was angered with Padma who had ridiculed him. He cursed, ‘May all your waters dry up”. Hearing this terrible curse, River Padma took on a form, bowed to Maharishi Narada and begged for relief from that curse.
He then relented and said, “O great river! When you join the Ganga, who is the form of the Supreme, you will be freed from your curse”.
Then the great river Padma bowed to him and asked, “Who is Ganga? How will she arrive on the earth? How is she the form of the Supreme? Please explain this to me”.
Pleased with her, Maharishi Narada replied, “O River Padma! Listen to this auspicious story that destroys all sins including the most wicked ones.
There is a Supreme Energy who is the form of Shiva, the form of the creator Brahma. She is the ultimate essence. This Supreme Energy exists as a vast space. In her womb exist limitless universal eggs and countless worlds that are as tiny as the atom. Each of these atoms is the form of the greater space.
(If a mustard seed is divided into 10, then that 1/10th piece is earth).
Brahma and other Devatas, through their penance, extolled that Supreme Energy. Pleased with their prayers, Supreme Energy said, “O Devatas! Seek any boon”.
Then Brahma, Vishnu and other Devatas said to that celestial voice, “O Mother! To help the deluded beings effortlessly obtain liberation, please show your visible form. Further, in that visible form you should exist everywhere”.
Then that energy said, “O Devatas! Vāshkali, the mighty king of demons, will with his valour vanquish the Devatas and attain control over the three worlds. Then, on the pretext of seeking alms, in the form of a celibate boy, Vishnu will approach and destroy him. At that time I will manifest in my visible form.
Vishnu will beg three feet of land from that king and will measure the three worlds. As part of this, Vishnu will lift his second foot and break the shell of the universal egg. From that crack, I, who am the form of nectar, will, in the form of water, flow like a great river.
Merely by seeing me who am in the form of a river, by touching me, or drinking that water, the person obtains devotion and will obtain the highest good. Accomplished Yogis will then address me as Ganga, Tripathaga”. Having said this, the Supreme Energy remained silent.
Thus, as per the boon given to Brahma and others, this Supreme Energy will manifest as Ganga. With her touch you will attain auspiciousness”- said Maharishi Narada.
River Padma then enquired, “How did Ganga take birth due to the Vishnu’s hitting the universal egg? How did she arrive on earth? Please explain this to me”.
Maharishi Narada said, “O River Padma! I shall narrate the auspicious story called the descent of Ganga. In the 23rd Treta Yuga, demon-king Vāshkali who was an extremely righteous ruler and an ardent devotee of Vishnu appeased Brahma through intense penance and obtained many boons.
He vanquished Indra in battle and obtained emperorship over the three worlds and ruled them righteously.
Pleased with the prayers of the Devatas, Vishnu assumed the form of a small Brahmin dwarfish boy and approached Vāshkali. With his yogic vision, Bhrigu’s son Shukracharya realized that the small boy before them was Vishnu.
Addressing Vāshkali he said, “O Lord of the demons! This boy is not a Brahmin. For accomplishing Indra’s task, Vishnu himself has come in the form of this boy. He has come to deceive you. Hence do not give him anything”.
However, Vāshkali was supremely thrilled with Vishnu’s darshan. He bowed to that small boy, seated him on his throne, washed his feet and sprinkled those waters on his head. He then enquired of his wellbeing and then asked, “What should I do for you? Seek what you want. Whatever you seek I shall unhesitantly give. This is undoubtedly true”.
Vamana then said, “O King! Give me, the celibate-boy, three feet of land”.
Hearing this, Vāshkali said, “O worshipful one! My Guru has commanded me to not give this charity. Yet, I cannot refuse when you, the Lord of the worlds who exists within everyone one, ask for it. O Purushottama! Although I am donating to you, the fear that I am transgressing my Guru’s command does exist in me. Please forgive me for transgressing my Guru’s commands”.
Then overpowered by his Ishwara Shakti, Vishnu suddenly grew tremendously and with his right foot, occupied the entire earth. When he lifted his left foot and covered the entire space, his toenail pierced the outer layer of the universal egg. The waters that existed beyond the universal egg now flowed through that crack.
The River Ganga, which is the form of the Supreme, became visible. She was shining like the nectar.
Vishnu then wanted to know where he had to place his third foot. Vāshkali said, “O revered one! There is no place barring my head. I offer my head to you”. Vishnu then lifted the leg placed on earth and placed it on his head.
Vishnu was overcome with unending love for this demon-king. Pleased with his devotion he blessed saying, “You will merge into me”.
In his Kamandalu (water pot), Brahma caught Ganga that was flowing from the crack in the Universal egg. In the future, after the annihilation is complete, Indra will perform intense penance, will appease Brahma and take Ganga to heaven.
After a passage of time, in the Solar dynasty, a king named Sagara will be born who will perform 1000 Ashwamedha sacrifices. Indra will then steal the sacrificial horse and hide it near Maharishi Kapila’s ashram.
Searching for that horse, the 60,000 sons of sagara will dig up the earth. Then, they will be subject to Maharishi Kapila’s anger and will be burnt to ashes. A little later Sagara will have a grandson named Bhagiratha who will be extremely righteous. Learning of how his grandfathers died, he will begin rigorous penance.
As a result of his penance, Ganga will jump from heaven and land on Shiva’s head. Ganga who has thus arrived on earth will follow Bhagiratha’s chariot. Bhagiratha who is riding his chariot will travel on your path. O River Padma! You will then be freed from the curse” – said Maharishi Narada.
O Parashurama! In this way, Goddess Lakshmi suffered a lot due to co-wives. In a future period, Vishnu will incarnate for slaying Ravana, the demon-king who is harassing all the worlds. He will divide himself into 4 forms and incarnate in the Solar dynasty. Mahalakshmi, in the form of Sita, will emerge from the earth and will marry him. Sita, who is the incarnation of Lakshmi, will, due to Gowri’s curse, suffer due to separation from her husband.
To obtain Shiva as her husband, Gowri will take birth as Daksha’s daughter. On hearing abusive words about her husband, in Daksha’s yagna, due to Lakshmi’s curse, she will be reduced to ashes”- said Lord Datta.
Hearing this, Parashurama beseeched, “O Swami! Please narrate Gowri’s story in detail”.
Sri matre namah