SRINIVASA AND PADMAVATHI

Mythology has it that Lord Srinivasa called for a conference of the Gods to win their consent for His marriage with Princess Padmavati. He also obtained a heavy loan from Kubera, the god of wealth towards expenses for the wedding.

Once upon a time a king of Chandra dynasty by name Sudharman ruled the province, having his capital at Narayanpuram, very near the hill range of Seshadri. He had two sons. The elder was known as Akasa Rajan, the younger one was Thondaiman. Coronating the elder, Sudharman went to the forest to do penance. Akasa Rajan was a lawful ruler and he ruled his province ably. He showed lot of concern and love towards his people. His spouse Dharani Devi was the most beautiful woman of her time. She was also an erudite scholar and was a noble woman who revered her husband as the most supreme Godhead. Both of them lived together for a long time without any progeny, an offspring of their own. This was the only worry of the King. They both observed many rituals and offered several kinds of planetary propitiations. In spite of their austerities, their longing for a child could not materialize. One day Akasa Rajan requested his master Sukha Rishi to enlighten him on his problem, "O revered sage, we have been longing to have our progeny all these years. The ancient adage says the person who doesn't leave his progeny down on earth cannot ascend up in the higher worlds. My lineage will end with me. Please enlighten me with what I should do now."

Duly listening to the grievances of Akasa Rajan, Sukhi Maharishi replied him, "O King, cast aside your worries. By the grace of the supreme your wish will be fulfilled sooner. I will suggest you a time, honoured method of invoking Divine grace. Several thousands of years back Dhasaratha, the King of Ayodhya, also had similar problem. He was much aged without any successor to whom he should handover his Kingdom. He consulted his master Sri Vashistha Maharishi who suggested to him to perform the Putra Kameshti Yagna. By this sacrifice soon he was blessed with four sons. By the same yagna you will also be fulfilled of your desire." Hearing these consoling words from his master, Akasa Rajan was very happy and immensely pleased. He decided to perform the Putra Kameshti yagna on an auspicious day. It was a tradition to plough the ground in which the yagna will be performed. Akasa Rajan also followed this pattern and ploughed the ground. While ploughing the field the King unearthed a golden box and when he opened it, he saw inside the box a live baby sleeping on a golden lotus. He saw the child hale and healthy and very beautiful in appearance. A voice spoke from above, "O King! You are very fortunate today by having this child with you now. Take home this child and bring her as your daughter in your palace. Your entire dynasty will become purer by her from today."

By this strange incident Akasa Rajan became over enthusiastic. He caressed the child and took her home. He gave the baby to his spouse Dharani Devi. The queen was also very pleased. The King called learned Brahmins to name his child. They suggested him to name as Padmavathy since she was born or found in lotus. (Padma means lotus) Goddess Mahalakshmi herself, both the King and the Queen thought had descended down to their palace. They both were very happy ever since Padmavathy was brought into their palace.


Thousands of years back there was a woman known as Vedavathy who desired to win the hands of Lord Sriman Narayana. A number of beautiful Kings came forward to marry her. But she did vigorous tapas, penance to win the hand of the Lord only. One day Ravana passed by her side and was attracted by her rare beauty. He approached her and Vedavathy opened her eyes from deep contemplation. She was frightened by the presence of Ravana, the demon King. Ravana spoke to her, "O Beauty, I am the King of Sri Lanka. I have conquered the seven worlds above and the seven planes below this globe. Devendra is but a slave to me. Even the Trimoorthis are afraid of me. In one sense I am the Lord or sole monarch of the three regions, the heaven, the earth and the nether worlds. Though I have travelled widely I never came across a beauty like you. The moment I saw you, I have lost myself. I would like to marry you. Forget your penance now. I shall coronate you as the Queen of Sri Lanka." By these love- laden words of Ravana, Vedavathy was very much frightened, but she gathered all her strength and spoke to him, "O King of demons, I have avowed myself to marry Sriman Narayana. I would not marry anyone else. Even now I am in deep contemplation of Sriman Narayana. If Sriman Narayana himself rejects me, I shall die on the spot but I am strong in not waver- off in my determination. You may proceed further without wasting your time here anymore."

Ravana laughed at her, "O young woman, who is that Narayana? He would shiver with fear if he hears my name. When I am personally appealing to you, you are rejecting my love. I can only compel you to my wish. No one can then come forward to protect you. Let me see how you help yourself." Saying these words Ravana went near her and tried to embrace her. Vedavathy was frightened. She invoked Agni (fire) by her psychic powers and fell into it. Before she vanished into the fire, she cursed Ravana, "You have tried to ravish a woman without her consent. As I am tarnishnng in this fire, so shall your entire race tarnish sooner that too to be caused by a woman like me." With these words Vedavathy ended her life without submitting herself to the carnal pleasure of Ravana. A few days later Ravana devised a tricky plan to ravish Sita from Panchavati in the absence of Rama and Lakshmana. Sita saw a glowing deer and requested Rama to fetch it for her. As Rama tried to catch it, it ran into the thick forest. Rama chased it further into the desert. After a while Sita and Lakshmana heard a voice crying, "Lakshmana, Sita" from the thick forest. Sita suspected it as a danger call from Rama himself and was very much worried. She hurried Lakshmana to attend to Rama immediately. Lakshmana quite unwillingly left the ashrama, drawing a line in the entering portals of the hermitage.

Ravana came to Sita's hermitage in the guise of a Sanyasi and begged alms. Sita after lot of hesitation came out to give alms. But Ravana could not come near her to receive the alms because the line of Lakshmana blazed with fire and Ravana could not withstand the strain. He requested Sita to come out crossing the line and pour the alms into his bowl. As Sita crossed the line drew by Lakshmana, Agni invisibly appeared in between and interchanged Vedavathy for Sita. Ravana really took Vedavathy with him to Sri Lanka. It was Maya Sita or Vedavathy only who lived in the Ashoka park all the ten months. After the death of Ravana and his clan in the war with Rama, Rama wanted to test the chastity of Sita. When the Maya Sita fell into the fire, Agni Deva brought back the real Sita as well as Vedavathy and both were offered to Sri Rama. Sri Rama then spoke to Agni Deva, "In this incarnation I have avowed to be a monogamist and I shall promise to marry Vedavathy in Kaliyuga." This Vedavathy was none other than Padamavathy, the daughter of Akasa Rajan of Narayanapuram.

Padmavathy grew up fairly into a pretty girl in the palace of Akasa Rajan and she completely mastered all the academic studies at the age of fourteen. When the question of finding a suitable match for Padmavathy was going on, Sri Narada visited the court of Akasa Rajan. "O sage, you are a wide traveler around the three regions and you know my daughter has attained the age for marriage. We could not find a suitable match. She is an extraordinary woman in beauty, wisdom and mental maturity. This poses the big problem of finding an equally gifted bridegroom. None of the Princes who have aspired to win her was an equal to her in any of her accomplishments. To this strange problem of the King, Sri Naradha had answers. So Sri Naradha related the past incarnations of Padmavathy to the King in detail, "O King, you need not search for a suitable groom for Padmavathy. Once the almighty Lord, had granted a boon to Vedavathy that she will be born as Padmavathy in the Kali Yuga and shall marry the Lord Sriman Narayana. You may cast of your worries aside and be happy." This assurance of Sri Naradha lifted up the depressions from the mind of Akasa Rajan. His joy doubled to know that his son- in -law will be none other than the Lord Supreme himself.