Veeraswamy Krishnaraj
Satyasandha was a king of handsome visage, long
limbs, muscular body, fertile mind and popinjay persona. His subjects
loved him. His wife the queen adored him.
He had a daughter by name Karṇotpalā.
She was so beautiful that a noon blossom of sunflower drooped its head
as in the stance of the evening flower. As she walked along the
sunflower field, the flowers hung their heads in shame. From that day
on, she said to herself not to walk near the sunflower field ever again.
The lotus flowers in the pond opened their eyes wide to imbibe her
beauty. The king had many sons and only one daughter. She
spent an enchanted life in the palace. Soon she became a young woman.
She was the cynosure of the entire kingdom. King Satyasandha wanted to marry her to a
suitable young prince. Is there a person fit to marry her on earth,
heaven…? He consulted the four-headed Brahma in heavens. He with his
daughter reached Brahmaloka (the world of Brahma) and found him in deep
meditation. The king did
not want to interrupt his meditation. Satyasandha sat at a certain
distance from him because he was afraid even the faint sound of his
breath may awaken Prapitāmaha
(Brahma as the great grandfather). In the meantime, Brahma was sinking
into deep meditation, oblivious of his surroundings. Brahma saw a lotus
in his heart inside which he saw his own soul within the Great Soul.
The king saw tears flowing from
the eyes of Brahma. His hair was standing on end in an exhilaration of
horripilation. The king assumed this was the end of Brahma’s meditation. The king washed Brahma’s feet and took a
ceremonial sip of water (Ācamana)
in the presence of Brahmaloka Vāsins
(Residents of Brahmaloka). Soon after this ritual greetings, the king
addressed Brahma in respectful manner.
The king:
O Lord, Greetings to you. I am king Satyasandha of
Ānarta,
a kingdom on earth. I am here with my daughter Karṇotpalā.
I could not find a suitable husband for my daughter on earth.
Please choose a husband for her.
Brahma:
Greetings to you. I have a reason to believe that she should not marry
right now. Karṇotpalā
should marry a man of equal status, belonging to the same caste.
Since you came to see me, three Yugas (432,000 X 3 years on earth) went
fleeting by. Your girl attained great seniority (euphemism for ‘Old
age’) in the mortal world.
Things have changed a great deal on earth. The Devas (gods) do not marry
mortal women (like your daughter) because mortal women are a repository
of feces, urine, phlegm… You may stay here in heaven. What you left on
earth (elephants, horses, sons, grandsons, relatives, people…) are all
dead. It is a different place now.
The king:
Your word is my command. I will stay in Brahmaloka. Hearing this from her father, Karṇotpalā
cried. Karṇotpalā:
I would rather be with my mother, friends, and family. I cannot remain a
spinster all my life.
When the
king heard these words of grief from his daughter, he yielded to her
wishes and accompanied her to his kingdom on earth.
He saw
ponds where there was parched land and vice versa. People appeared
different from the subjects he left behind. (Blame it on new
immigrants!) He talked to them and no one recognized his name.
They were
youthful and did not age in Brahmaloka. When the winds of the mortal
world touched them, they saw sudden changes: the hair was grey, the skin
was wrinkled, the teeth fell off… Karṇotpalā’s
breasts were no longer turgid but drooped far below her navel. Her lotus
eyes, which put the sunflowers to shame long time ago, were flat. She
was an ugly mess.
The king
asked the people about the present king, the country, the people, the
land…
The people
told him it was the land of Ānarta; the king was Bṛhadbala; the city
Prāptipura; the river Sābramatī; the Tīrtha Gartātīrtha. The sages were
very proficient in Vedas and follow injunctions to the letter.
Hearing
this the old man, the former king and the long-gone visitor from heaven
embraced his prune-face daughter and lamented. The people of the town
felt very sorry for the old people and asked them a few questions.
One man:
Hey old man, why are you miserable? Why are you crying? Who is this old
lady? Did you lose someone near and dear? Did you lose your wealth? Did
anyone treat you badly? Our king Bṛhadbala is a virtuous man. He
punishes the bad and protects the good. He will extend his invitation to
you and make any necessary amends.
Satyasandhu:
I was once the king of Ānarta. People know me as Satyasandhu. This is my
daughter Karṇotpalā.
I love her very much. My daughter and I went to Brahmaloka to consult
with Lord Brahma in choosing a husband for her. I stayed with him only
for short period. Now I am here. I don’t recognize the place, people,
buildings, landscape…
The people
listening to the old man carried the incredible story to the king
Bṛhadbala. The present king could not wait to see Satyasandhu. He
shunned the royal entourage, pomp and pageantry and rushed on foot to
meet the old man. He paid homage and addressed him.
Bṛhadbala:
Welcome King Satyasandhu.
Here is the kingdom, you can take back and rule. I will serve under you.
Satyasandhu
was choking with emotion, embraced him and shed rivers of tears.
Satyasandhu:
I will perform penance with my daughter in attendance.
Bṛhadbala
said that eons ago, Satyasandhu’s ministers waited for Satyasandhu to
return back to the kingdom, whose ministers waited for the return of
Satyasandhu to no avail. His progeny inclusive of Bṛhadbala ruled the
kingdom for 77 generations.
He declared
he was the 77th successor in the family lineage of
Satyasandhu and requested Bṛhadbala to perform penance in sacred Gartā
Tīrtha.
Satyasandhu
promised to offer homage to Liṅga he installed in Hāṭakeśvara Kṣetra
before he left to see Brahma. The Brahmanas from Gartā Tīrtha having
heard about Satyasandhu came to see him. He offered them homage and
narrated the story of his visit to Svarga. The Brahmanas sat around
Satyasandhu in spiral circles beginning with the senior one close to the
king and the last one at the end of the spiral seating. They were all
excited and had umpteen questions about activities in Svarga (heaven).
How did you
go there earlier and come back from there? What kind of talks you held
with Brahma?
Satyasandhu
addressed Bṛhadbala, “O son, I performed many sacrifices. I went to the
famous Camatkāra, a city of Brāhmaṇas. They studied Vedas, performed
fire sacrifices… As I was planning to build a city like Camatkāra, I
left with my daughter to Brahmaloka. I regret my decision.
Bṛhadbala
donated a city to Satyasandhu who gave lands to the Brahmanas. Later he
went to Hāṭakeśvara Kṣetra taking his daughter with him. He paid homage
to the Liṇga and performed penance. Karṇotpalā,
his daughter installed Gauri in the pond and performed penance.
Bṛhadbala
went to battle his enemies and died with his sons. The Brahmanas went to
Satyasandhu and complained that Bṛhadbala died before he could establish
sustenance for them. Satyasandhu told them he was a recluse, incapable
of giving them sustenance, summoned the Vedic specialists born in the
family of Upamanyu from Gartātirthā and gave them the responsibility of
maintaining and protecting the Brahmanas. The latter became very rich.
Satyasandhu
declared to the Brahmanas he was leaving for Svarga as soon as possible
and they should worship the Liṇga. Karṇotpalā
was a duteous devotee of Gauri, who once spoke to her, saying, “I am
pleased with you, My Daughter. Ask me what is most difficult to get.” Karṇotpalā,
pleased by the offer by Gauri, said, “My father and I suffered untold
miseries and yet I was left a virgin at this old age.
I want my youth restored. I want
the most handsome person either on earth or heaven to marry me.
Gauri
acceded to her request and said, “Meditate upon youth and beauty in the
month of Māgha, when Saturn and Dhaniṣthā are lined up. Take your bath
in the pond. You will revert to your youth and beauty.
As said by
Gauri, Karṇotpalā
entered the pond at midnight and emerged from there a former self from
eons ago, one of grace, beauty and youth.
Lord Kāma
was waiting there to receive her as his wife. He said, “I was ordered by
Pārvati to take you as my wife. I come to you with Prīti (Pleasure). I
name you Prīti. Karṇotpalā
replied to Kāma, “No girl can marry without her father’s consent. Go to
him and ask for his permission. I will forthwith go to my father, a
short distance from here and stand by his side. He is doing penance
there. You request him for my hand. Karṇotpalā
went to her father ahead of her future husband and said, “Dear father, I
regained my youth and beauty. Gauri selected a husband for me. He is no
other than Kāma. Be happy and satisfied.” The king was pleased to see his daughter in the
pink of health with beauty and grace. Kāma
stepped forward and said, “Dear king, please give me your daughter as my
wife, selected for me by Goddess Gauri herself. I am Kāmadeva,
the enchanter of the three worlds.” The king gave his daughter to Kāma
in the presence of Fire-god as witness. Prīti,
the lotus-eyed lady, became the second wife of Kāma
after the first wife Rati.
The Gauri pond where she performed penance became known as Prīti
Pond. Any woman or man who takes a bath in the pond according to
injunctions gets the benefit of visiting and bathing in Prayāga.
She and he will ever be handsome and will never be away from the
near and dear.
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