As I Know: The Lord of the Mountains – Shiv Purana: 19

Continued from Previous Page

Srimati garlands Vishnu and the divine couple flies away to Vaikuntha. Narada learns about the truth and is very angry … and issues a severe curse against the counselors and later, he does not spare even Vishnu.

Lord Vishnu in the guise of a king disappeared with princess Srimati from the grand hall of festival after she garlanded him, and flew back to his abode. Realising that they had been rejected, the princes were sad. On the other hand, monk Narada suffered from the pain of rebuff, passion and love. He was therefore, deeply disturbed. The counselors of Rudra in the guise of brahmins observed that the sage was worried and distraught.

After a deep thought, they said, “O Narada, you are unnecessarily getting disturbed as the fire of passion assails. With the power of beauty, you wished to get the princess. Kindly see at your monkey-like unattractive and ugly face.”

Utterances of ganas (the counsellors of Rudra) were incisive and distasteful. Narada was astonished. Delusory powers of Shiva had vanquished and so he was incapable of comprehending the situation. He looked at the ganas and then stood before a mirror. He looked in the mirror and felt extremely shocked when he found that the face appeared as if he were a monkey. He burnt with the fire of anger and therefore, turning toward the counselors disguised as brahmins, issued a curse, “O brahmins, you tried to make fun of a brahmin. Born out of the seed of a brahmin, you would become raksasas (demons)…though born as brahmins, you will have bodies of raksasas.” He was loud.

Equipped with the secret knowledge and intellects, the ganas of Rudra knew that monk Narada was under spell of maya of lord Shiva and therefore, they did not speak a word, for they knew that lord Shiva was behind all the events, which appeared inscrutable to others.

Sage Narada’s anger was difficult to contain. After he issued the curse against ganas, he could not get rid of the impact of maya of Shiva. Subtle perspicacity and conspiracy of Vishnu deeply hurt and humiliated him and therefore, beleaguered with rage, he rushed to the land of Vishnu.

He burnt like sacrificial fuel and appeared like the lord of Fire, when he said loudly, “He has lost intellect and wisdom.”

Filled with fury, he uttered bitter words, “O Sri Hari, you are an evil. You are crafty and scheming, and so spread shadow of maya over the entire universe. You cannot withstand the glory and courage of others. You are lord of maya (mayabi – possessed of delusory powers). Pollution of mind forces you to spread maya and so, you cheat holy souls. In ancient times, you disguised as Mohini (an attractive godly woman) and thereafter, offered liquor varuni to asuras and daityas (demons) and did not allow demons to take nectar. You are always interested in acts of wiliness and betrayal. Had the mighty Maheshwara Rudra not been benevolent and drunk poison after taking pity on you then, the entire maya you brandish would have finished.”

Sage Narada was unable to restrain acrimony, acidic thoughts and hostility. After a short while, he added, “O lord Vishnu, acts of archness and perfidy are dear to you. You do not care for truth. Even then, Sankara made you free so that you act liberally without consequences. Whatever, deceptive acts you indulged in, must be in the notice of Shiva and he must be remorseful. Mahadeva considers a brahmin as the most revered and the highest soul among created beings, for it is the lord, who establishes supremacy of the Vedas. O Sri Hari, knowing the truth, I am constrained to advise you with a warning that you would never do such a karma in future. Until now, you never met a man so powerful and full of divine prowess. Therefore, you were fearless. However, O lord Vishnu, now, you will be punished for whatever you did.”

After uttering unforgiving and strong words against Vishnu, monk Narada under terrible magic charm of maya, demonstrated Brahma-like energy and getting angry and anguished, he issued a curse, “O Vishno, you created passionate interest in me for a woman, and disturbed a monk. You ridiculed. You lied. You keep playing mayabi tricks with everyone. While you acted in an untrustworthy way, you gave me a repulsive image and face, and now, I say you shall take birth as a man in that image and will suffer like me. No woman will ever be attracted toward you. You gave me the face of a monkey and therefore, with the dreadful impact of the curse, monkeys will assist you sometime in future. You try to give agony of separation from women to others and therefore, you will suffer pain of separation from your woman in the near future. Your mental and physical conditions will be like the people, who suffer from ignorance.”

Therefore, he did not restrain. In fury, he spoke of the eternal truth of divine energy and its disastrous consequences that nobody not even gods could discard or set aside. Under absolute influence of maya of lord Shiva, monk Narada issued a curse against Sri Hari. Vishnu praised delusory potency of Shiva and smilingly accepted condemnatory language and curse. After, the celestial sage issued the curse and Vishnu accepted Shiva took back mayabi (delusory powers) wrap and instantly, Narada came back to the earlier godly virtues of pure intellect and divine nature when no shadow of maya around existed. After he attained previous knowledge of tapa and penance, he was no more distressed or ignorant. He was extremely surprised when he was free from delusory shadows.

Nothing remained hidden from the divine eyes of sage. When he learnt about whatever had happened, he was deeply hurt and penitent and began to condemn angry and accusing attitude. He was not satisfied with self-condemnation, and the pungent and offhand words continued to torment while he stayed in sorrow and compunction. At that time, he realised the incredible power of maya of lord Shiva and praised it profusely. Holy sage possessed divine intellect and pious ability and therefore, was apologetic for whatever had occurred.

Continued to Next Page