Chapter 14 - On the story of Gaṅgā becoming the wife of Nārāyaṇa

1-2. Nārada said :-- O Lord! Gaṅgā, Lakṣmī, Sarasvatī, and the world purifying Tulasī, these four, are dearest to Nārāyaṇa. Out of these, Gaṅgā went from the region of Goloka to Vaikuṇṭha. So I have heard. But how did She come to be the wife of Nārāyaṇa. I have not heard. Kindly describe this.

3. Nārāyaṇa said :-- Brahmā came from Goloka to the region of Vaikuṇṭha accompanied by Gaṅgā.

4-23. Brahmā said to Nārāyaṇa :-- O Lord! Gaṅgā, born of the bodies of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, full of youth, modest, extraordinarily beautiful, of pure Suddha Sattva, and void of anger and egoism, does not like to marry anyone save Thee as She is born of Thee. But Rādhā is of a very proud nature and very wrathful. She was even ready to drink up Gaṅgā. But Gaṅgā at once and intelligently took refuge into the feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. So the whole Goloka became void of water. Seeing this, I have come here to know in particular the whole history of the case. Then Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Knower and the Ruler of the hearts of all, came to know my heart and instantly caused Gaṅgā to issue from His toe and handed Her over to me. I bowed down to Śrī Kṛṣṇa and now I have come with Gaṅgā to Thee. Now Thou dost marry the Sureśvarī Gaṅgā according to the Gāndharva rule of marriage. As Thou art a Deva of taste and humorous in the assembly of the Devas, so Gaṅgā is. As Thou art a gem amongst the males, so She is the gem amongst the females. And the union of a humorous man with a humorous woman is exceedingly pleasant. Now marry this Lady who has come of Her own accord to Thee. Śrī Mahā Lakṣmī becomes annoyed with one who does not marry a woman who has come spontaneously. There is no doubt in this. The wise men do never insult the Prakṛti. All the Puruṣas (males) are born of Prakṛti and all the females are parts of Prakṛti. So Prakṛti and Puruṣa are both inseparable and verily one and the same. So these two should never insult each other. (If Thou sayest that Gaṅgā is attached to Kṛṣṇa; how canst Thou marry Her. The reply is) As Śrī Kṛṣṇa is beyond the attributes and beyond Prakṛti, so Thou art also above Prakṛti. The one-half of Śrī Kṛṣṇa is two-armed; the other half of Śrī Kṛṣṇa is four-armed. Rādhā has appeared from the left side of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. He Himself is the right half and Padmā is His left-half. As there is no difference between Rādhā and Kamalā so there is no difference between Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Thee. Therefore as Gaṅgā is born of Thy body, she wants to marry Thee. As Prakṛti and Puruṣa are really one and the same without any difference, so the males and females are one. Thus speaking to Nārāyaṇa, Brahmā handed Gaṅgā over to Nārāyaṇa and went away. Nārāyaṇa, then, married Gaṅgā smeared with sandal paste and flowers, according to the rules of the Gandarbha marriage. The Lord of Lakṣmī then spent his time happily in enjoyment with Gaṅgā. Gaṅgā had to go to the earth (under the Bhārati’s curse) and afterwards returned to Vaikuṇṭha. As Gaṅgā appeared from the feet of Viṣṇu, She is denominated Visnupadī. Gaṅgā Devī was very much overpowered with enjoyment in Her first intercourse with Nārāyaṇa; so much so that She remained motionless. Thus Gaṅgā spent the days happily with Nārāyaṇa. Sarasvatī’s jealousy towards Gaṅgā did not disappear, though She was advised by Lakṣmī Devī not to do so. Sarasvatī cherished incessantly the feeling of jealousy towards Gaṅgā. But Gaṅgā had not the least feeling of jealousy towards Sarasvatī.

At last, one day, when vexed too much, Gaṅgā became angry and cursed Sarasvatī to take Her birth in Bhārata. So Lakṣmī, Sarasvatī and Gaṅgā were the wives of Nārāyaṇa. Lastly Tulasī became the wife of Nārāyaṇa. So the number of wives of Nārāyaṇa amounted to four.

Here ends the Fourteenth Chapter in the Ninth Book on the story of Gaṅgā becoming the wife of Nārāyaṇa in the Mahāpuraṇam Śrī Mad Devī Bhāgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharṣi Veda Vyāsa.