Thursday 16 June 2016

Srivatsa weds Bhadra

Srivatsa spent his days, making garlands and worshiping Narayana with fruits, flowers and water. Not disclosing his true identity, he thus lived in the garden.

One day when the king Bahudeva was sitting for his meal, his daughter Bhadra came to him. The king, who was engrossed in his meal, did not notice who had come. Thinking it to be his wife, he touched her wrongly.

Shocked, the princess ran to her mother and told her about this. The queen came and shouted at the king for performing a sinful crime. She said while he should be looking for a suitable groom for the daughter, he was on the contrary performing heinous acts.

The king then said - You are accusing me of something that I did not do. You never told me it was time to look for a groom for her. Narayana knows my mind is clean. I will arrange for a swayamvar for my daughter today.

Saying this, the king went to call his ministers. He said he was thinking of arranging a swayamvar, where his daughter would choose her own husband.

Invitations were sent out all over to invite people for the ceremony. Kings and princes from many lands arrived there. All were welcomes and taken care of.

Hearing about this, from the gardener's wife. Srivatsa wanted to see the ceremony. He went there, and instead of entering the ceremony hall, he went sat under a Kadamba tree.

The princess came bearing a plate made of sandal wood, on which was the garland with which she would wed her chosen suitor.

When she was looking around, she heard a voice say to her, that her husband was sitting under a Kadamba tree. She went there and saw Srivatsa. She went around him and placed the garland at his feet, choosing him as her husband.

Seeing this, the invited kings and princes said that Bahudeva had made a joke out of them. Some said this was destiny. All the invited guests left.

The king went inside and spoke to his queen. He said this was what the Gods had written for her. He was feeling ashamed to have a poor gardener as his son in law. The queen said this was what the Gods had written. No amount of worry or grief would remove what had happened.

The king then asked his ministers to erect a house outside for Bhadra, where she could live with her chosen husband. The king said he did not want to see the face of his daughter any more, as she had chosen a husband whose caste was unknown.

When the house was built, the queen went and helped Bhadra settle down in the house with Srivatsa. She told her not worry. It was a matter of time, before she would be happy again. 

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