Chapter 15 - Vṛndā Goes to Heaven

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Nārada said:

1-7. Then Viṣṇu wearing matted hair and bark-garments and the other one—his follower-having a fruit in his hand came (to Vṛndā). Seeing them, that fawn-eyed Smaradūtī wailed. Hearing her words (of wailing), the two said to her: “O auspicious lady, do not be afraid. We have come to protect you. How have you come to this fearful forest resorted to by the wicked?” Having comforted the slim lady like this, Viṣṇu said to the demon: “O you of a mean conduct, leave this soft-bodied and sweet-smiling lady. O fool, O you of a wicked conduct, what have you decided to do? You are out to eat the wealth of the three worlds. She is born as a result of the religious merit of the world. You are killing this ornament of the world. By killing Vṛndārikā now in the forest you will today render the world void of light and void of the pride of Cupid. Therefore, quickly leave her who is the deity of a comfortable palace.”

8-12. Hearing these words of Viṣṇu, the demon who got angry, said: “If you are capable, then free her today from my hand.” As soon as these words were uttered, Viṣṇu looked at him angrily. Leaving Vṛndā far away, he fell down after being reduced to ash. Then, she who was stupefied by the illusion of the lord of the world, said: “Who are you, the ocean of pity, who protected me here? O you treasure of austerity, with your sweet words you have removed by destroying the demon my physical and mental agony and torment. O dear ascetic, I shall practise penance in your hermitage.”

The ascetic said:

13-20. I am Bhāradvāja’s son, known as Devaśarman. Giving up all the pleasures, I have with this lad come to the fearful forest. I have many disciples going (anywhere) as they will, and also other disciples who can take any form they like. O auspicious one, if you desire to practise penance in my hermitage then come along. O queen, we shall go to another (forest) which is far away.

Speaking like this to the queen, Viṣṇu with a slow gait went into eastern direction to a forest full of ghosts and goblins, O king. Vṛndārikā, with her eyes full of tears went after him. Smaradūtī also, saying ‘Wait for me’, went after him. In the meanwhile a man of a sinful figure and of a wicked conduct spread out a nest. He, the chief of sinners, withdrew the net when it was full of creatures. Seeing the two ladies the hunter let loose the creatures after having fetched them. Smaradūtī said to her (i.e. to Vṛndā): “O Queen, he comes to eat me. May my friend hold me by the hand.”

21-26. Having heard what she had said, Vṛndā saw the (man) with a loathsome face. Seeing him, she, dear to the Ocean’s son, was shaken by gout due to fear. Being clearly alarmed, she, with Smaradūtī, ranin to the forest. While running with her friend, she came to the ascetic’s hermitage. In the ascetic’s hermitage she saw wonderful things. (There) she saw birds with golden bodies and having many notes. She (there) saw a well rich in golden lotuses and a golden ground. The rivers were carrying milk. The trees were exuding honey. There was a store of sugar. There were also heaps of sweetmeats. All sweet eatables were there. There were many ornaments; and many divine weapons fell from the sky. The horses, being contented, played, jumped and fell there.

27-3la. In a small ascetic’s hut Vṛndā saw a very handsome ascetic seated on a seat made of tiger-hide and illumining the three worlds. To him she said: “O lord, protect me from (this) sinner. What is the use of austerities, or religious merit, or silence or muttering prayers? O you whose wealth is your penance, there is no greater penance than the protection of those who are frightened.” Thus she who was frightened and whose body was fatigued, spoke to him. Just then the wicked-souled catcher of all creatures arrived there. Queen Vṛndā who was afficted with fear, embraced Viṣṇu at the neck. Like a creeper she clasped him with her arms in a manner in which the touch was pleasant. (He said to her:)

31b-35. “By means of your embrace the head of your husband will again be endowed with the entrie body with excellences. O you beautiful lady, now go to the picture-room.” She who was told by the sage (to go to) the picture-room, entered it. Having got on a divine bed, she took the head of her husband, and being extremely lustful, and with her eyes closed when she drank its lower Up (i.e. kissed it), the form of Jālandhara appeared there, O king. The lord of the world was similar in figure to her husband, had a chest like that of him; his height was like that of him; his words were like those of him; his temperament was like that of him.

36-42a. Seeing her dear husband having the full form, she said: “O lord, I shall do what is dear to you. Tell me about your battle.” Hearing the words of Vṛndā, the deceptive son of the Ocean said: “O queen, listen as to how Śambhu fought with me. O dear one, the terrible Śiva cut off my head with a disc. Then due to your divine power and due to my mind having gone to you the head that was cut off was brought here, and due to the contact with your body it came back to life. O dear young lady, due to separation from me you have become distressed. Forgive me (this) unpleasant (act) that I left you and went to the battlefield.” With these other words he then reminded Vṛndā (ofhis acts). Then, queen Vṛndā who had all auspicious pleasures like tāmbūlas, diversions, garments and ornaments, who was very lustful, firmly embraced her dear husband and kissed him.

42b-46. God Viṣṇu looked upon the pleasure due to the fascination of Vṛndā as superior to (that derived from) salvation, and as giving greater delight than derived from Lakṣmī. Then Mādhava, Kṛṣṇa who was the royal swan in the well charming and shining due to her sports, lost (all) his longing for Lakṣmī due to the beauty of Vṛndā. In that forest, Vṛndā turned into the form ofTulasī. That (Tulasī) that was highly purifying arose from the sweat ofVṛndā. Having, for some days, enjoyed the pleasure due to the contact with Vṛndā’s body, (Viṣṇu) the lord of the world, thought about the mission of Śiva.

47-50. Once, after the sexual act was over, Vṛndā saw the ascetic (that is) Viṣṇu with his two hands thrown round her neck. Seeing him and freeing from the clasp of his hands her neck, she said: “How is it that in the guise of an ascetic you came to fascinate me?” Hearing her words, and consoling her, Viṣṇu said to her: “O Vṛndārikā, listen. Know me to be (Viṣṇu) pleasing to Lakṣmī. Your husband has gone to vanquish Śiva and bring Pārvatī. I am Śiva, and Śiva is me. We have (just) remained separately. O sinless one, Jālandhara has been killed in the battle. Now resort to me.”

Nārada said:

51-54. Hearing these words of Viṣṇu, her face was dejected. Then, O king, Vṛndārikā who was angry, replied: “Is it proper for you to have snatched the young wife of him who bound you in the battle, and released you at his father’s words, and were honoured with various gems? How can he who is the master of righteousness, dally with the wife of another (man)? The wise say that even the lord enjoys (the fruits of) his acts. Since you, an ascetic in disguise, deluded me, someone disguised as an ascetic will take (away) your young wife.”

55-59. Thus cursed Viṣṇu in a moment vanished. When Viṣṇu had left, that bed in the picture-room, those monkeys—all that disappeared. Seeing the forest desolate, Vṛndā went to her friend and told her about the trickery played by Viṣṇu. “I have abandoned the city. My kingdom has gone. (The existence) of my husband is doubtful. I am in the forest. Realising this, where should I, fashioned (thus) by fate, go? My seeing my dear (husband) was (just) a matter of my desires.” Vṛndā who was extremely afflicted, heaved a hot sigh and said: “I have, and you too, O Smaradūtī, met with death.” Thus addressed by her, she said: “You are my very life.”

60-62. Hearing words spoken like that by her, Vṛndā, deciding that this should be done, abandoned her grief and went to a great lake, and with (its) water, she washed her body. Sitting in padmāsana on the bank and making her mind free from the objects of senses, she withered her body which was polluted due to the contact with (the body of) Viṣṇu. She, with her friend, fasted and practised very severe penance.

63-66. The host of the celestial nymphs came to Vṛndā from the world of gandharvas and said to her: “O auspicious one, go to heaven do not cast your body. This (your body) is the weapon of gandharvas; it conquers the three worlds; it is the best joy of Viṣṇu by which he was brought here; how (then) do you cast this (your) body which has obtained (i.e. fulfilled) the desires? Know that your husband is killed with an excellent arrow of Śiva. Be the ornament of heaven obtained through religious merit. O angry lady, today quickly resort to the grove of the gods.” Hearing the sacred precept for young married ladies, the wife of the Ocean’s son said (these) words: “Lord (Viṣṇu), the great hero, left (Lakṣmī) the young wife of the lord of gods, and (coming) from heaven, honoured me, and I who was conquered by the god, was made a receptacle of pleasures. Being guileless I shall try to do that by which I shall obtain an immortal state.” Speaking like this, Vṛndā, along with her friend, dismissed the bevies of the celestial nymphs. Bound by the noose of love for her, they came and went every day.

67-72. Then Vṛndā, through practice of abstract meditation, burnt, with the fire of knowledge, the qualities, and having withdrawn her mind from the objects of senses, obtained the highest (position). Seeing Vṛndārikā there the great hosts of the celestial nymphs were pleased. With showers of flowers from the sky they showered her. Having made a heap of dry (pieces of) wood, Smaradūtī put on it the (dead) body of Vṛndā, kindled the fire and entered it. That round image of the particles of Vṛndā’s body was burnt. Collecting the remaining ashes, they threw them into Mandākinī. At the place where Vṛndā cast her body and went to heaven, was the Vṛndāvana, near the Govardhana mountain. The divine ladies (i.e. the celestial nymphs) went to heaven and told the divine ladies there. Having heard that, all the gods and others, with their minds delighted, gave up the fear of their enemy, the demon, and beat the furious drums. The group of attendants seated there obtained the charm of auspiciousness.