Brighten-up by enlightening the mind.
This is a humble attempt to share with you interesting stories that help me navigate through challenging life situations and provide the much needed psychological boost. These have been reproduced as it is from ancient Vedic scriptures (Puranas). They are irresistibly positive and unfailing in making a stark difference to our lives - across geographies, religions, faiths.
The first story of this series-
Shiva as Vaishyanatha
-from Shiva Mahapurana, Shata Rudriya Samhita
There lived a whore by name Mahananda in a village called Nandigrama. She was very beautiful, wealthy and popular besides being adept at music and dance. Even the kings and queens felt delighted by her songs and art and rewarded her profusely.
This woman was also a staunch devotee of Lord Shiva and Devi Parvati and would regularly serve the Lord with her songs and dance, besmearing herself with Bhasma (Holy Ash) and wearing Rudraksha. She would chant Shiva's name with all her heart.
Mahananda had pets - a cock and a monkey besides many attendants and associates. In her overwhelming devotion & love towards Shiva, she made even the cock and the monkey dance to the rhythm of her clapping hands. The monkey with Rudraksha adorned around its neck & arms and the cock on its tuft over the head, danced like a child. Watching them dance the whore and her maids used to be filled with laughter and thrill. Thus many years passed in great joy.
One day, Shiva made up his mind to test Mahananda's devotion. He appeared at her doorstep in the guise of a merchant portraying himself to be a devotee of Shiva with Bhasma on his forehead and Rudraksha beads around his neck. He looked very rich and gracious with various gem studded ornaments. Seeing him, the whore ushered him in, extended a warm welcome and made him comfortable.
She saw on his arm an enchanting armlet made of precious gemstones which she fell in love with and wanted to own it. With a mind to secure the armlet, she said to the merchant in a sweet voice: "This armlet of yours is truly attractive and will look more charming in the hands of a beautiful woman". The generous merchant replied "You can certainly can have it if you like, but what price can you offer for the same, O beautiful damsel?"
The whore said, "I belong to the class of women who know no boundaries, with the most unstable minds flirting here, there, everywhere. And prostitution has been our family tradition. But, if you let me have this bracelet of yours, then am willing to be your faithful wife, dutiful and righteous, for three full days and nights"
"So be it. With the Moon and the Sun as witness, make a promise that your words are true and that you shall abide by your words by repeating "Satya, Satya, Satya" (This is the truth, truth, truth), said the merchant.
And so agreeing, the whore received the armlet from him promising with the word Satya thrice.
Along with the armlet, the merchant also handed over a gem studded Shiva linga to her saying "O beloved, now that you are my wife keep this Shiva linga safe with you & protect it by all means as this is more precious to me than my own life". The whore took it with care and placed on the centre pillar of her dance hall. Serving the merchant with all her attention during the day, they spent the night together with the merchant acting like a libertine. Later, the whore went on to sleep on her velvety couch.
In just a few minutes, suddenly, noises were heard in the dance hall. A fire broke out spreading quickly in all corners. Mahananda ran to free the monkey. The monkey and the cock fled to a distant place free from fire. Alas, the Shiva linga placed on the centre pillar got destroyed in the ensuing flames. Seeing this, both the merchant and the whore felt painful.
To test the mental inclinations of the whore, the merchant feeling distressed to part with the cherished Shivaling declared that he would give-up his life. "O beloved, my life seems waste and I don't see a reason to remain alive. Set-up a pyre so that I can end this wretched life entering the fire remembering my Lord Shiva. I intend to do it at this very moment, before anyone comes to stop me. I won't change my mind even if Indra, Brahma or Vishnu arrive here to stop me".
Observing his firm resolve, Mahananda arranged a pyre to be set-up outside her house.
With a word of appreciation for their association and remorse for the loss of the Shiva linga the merchant circumambulated the fire once taking Shiva's name and entered the fire.
Mahananda was shaken & greatly aggrieved by this action. She regretted the incident due which the merchant gave up his life. Remembering her vow of following the dharma of a wife, she made up her mind to follow her husband into the pyre, less her words would become untrue.
She spoke in presence of her relatives "Taking this armlet from the merchant, I promised to be his wife in all respects for three days. Because of my deed the merchant had to give up his life. She continued, "The Acharyas speaking the truth declared that I shall attain the status of a chaste woman by resorting to dharma. Staying on the path of truth is the highest dharma. One achieves salvation by practicing truth. Everything is enshrined in truth. Therefore, staying true to my words I shall enter the pyre myself following my husband".
Inspite of her relatives stopping her, she was firm in her resolve to uphold dharma and truth. After donating all her property to the Brahmanas, she concentrating her mind on the feet of Shiva, circumambulated the pyre thrice.
Just as she was about to step into the flames, Shiva - the Universal Soul himself stopped her appearing in His magnificent form with three eyes, matted hair with the digit of the moon and radiating the lustre of crores of suns and moons.
Mahananda stood dumbfounded, astonished and trembling with tears in her eyes. Shiva taking her by the hand calmed her down & assured her thus: "I arrived in the form of the merchant having come to test the extent of your firmness in Truth, courage, patience and devotion. By My own Maya I set the dance hall on fire as also the linga. You safeguarded Truth at the cost of your own life. Am pleased with your devotion towards Me and therefore grant you pleasures unattainable in the three worlds. Moreover, you can ask for any desire to be fulfilled. There is nothing in this universe that can't be given to you".
Listening to Shiva's soothing words, Mahananda felt peaceful and comfortable. With utmost reverence she replied, "O Lord, I do not desire pleasures of the earth, heaven or the nether world. The touch of your lotus like feet is all I seek. My kith n kin & others associated with me are equally eager to behold you as me. Pray bless them all and take all of us along to your abode. Please relieve us from the fear of birth and death".
Honoring her words, Maheshvara took them all along with Him to His abode. Thus, the whore Mahananda attained the unattainable and lived eternally blissful.
Anyone who listens to or recites this story never falls from his dharma.
This extremely auspicious story that narrates the Vaishyanatha incarnation of Shiva gives happiness and bestows the highest of comforts and salvation.
Relevance of this story in our day-to-day life:
1. The human mind is akin to the whore Mahananda always attracted to external objects perceived in the world. When the same mind is disciplined and devotes to the universal truth it attains the highest bliss.
2. Even in our professional life, there are offers that come our way for quick material success, however they fail to give us contentment and drain our energy. We must learn to discriminate.
3. In our personal relations there will always be people whom we pet (the monkey and the cock) but they disappear during fire (in the end). We must recall that this world is Shiva's maya (elusive power), Shiva alone is the truth and keep calm.
We all need gentle reminders of what we already know, once in a while, to stay motivated. Let's keep reminding each other of the good things in life through such stories. Do share with your family and friends and anyone else who you think can benefit out of it. Let us brighten-up all lives!
Stay tuned for the next story.....
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