oppiliappan sthala puraNam - chapter 5

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ShrI BhoomidevI sameta ShrinivAsaprabraHmaNe namaH

Chapter 5

MarkanDeyar, who was radiant with penance, brought up the little girl

with great joy. He fed her with delights made with milk, rice, ghee

and presented her with colourful necklaces, jewels and thambulam.

After a few years, he looked at his beautiful daughter who had reached

the age suitable for marriage and was very concerned as to how he

would find a suitable bridegroom for her.

"Lo!" he said, "to whom will I give my daughter's hand in matrimony?

I don't find anyone suitable" he pondered.

One day, the softhearted Hari, took the form of an old sage, and

came to Markandeya's cottage. He was coughing, wheezing and panting

and was wearing a tattered dress with a stick and a kettle in his

hand. He came towards the rishi's cottage in TuLasivanam on the

auspicious Shravan day of the month of Aippasi in the sacred muhurtham

called 'abhijit'.

Maharshi saw that an aged sage was coming towards his abode and went

to him and welcomed him. He gave him a chair to be seared and washed

his feet.

"Welcome!" he said, "my life and my deeds have borne fruit today.

Please let me know the reason for your visit. Madhyahnika kalam is

approaching for both of us!"

The old man replied "Listen, Yogin! I do not have a wife or a son.

Vedas say that a man who does not have a son, cannot attain bliss in

the afterworlds. There is no family for someone without a wife.

Wealth, houses, cattle and grains do not bring comfort to such a

person. There is no friend better than a wife. There is no doubt that

a wife brings dharmam, kamam, artham and moksham to a man. I do not

have agni as well, so how can I live? So I have come here to seek your

daughter's hand in marriage. You are aware of what is right and what

is dharma, so you should not refuse my request. I am a young man,

even though I look old. There is no doubt about this", he finished.

MarkanDeyar looked at him again and again and said, "How will I wed

my young daughter to an old man like you? All the rishis will laugh at

this. Your body is pale with age. So please do not marry!"

The old man prostrated before the rishi and held his feet. "If you do

not give your daughter, I will give up this body right in front of

you" he said.

MarkanDeyar spoke with great kindness. " You do not have parents,

sister, nephew, his wife, uncle, aunt, cousins or anyone to call as

relatives. If my daughter marries you, she will have to cook for you.

Since she is very young, she may forget to add salt in your food. You

may be angered and may try to beat her. Then I will become angry too

and try to cast a curse on you. This will be an everyday daily

occurrence. I have no doubts. So, how will I give my daughter? You

say that if I don't, you will surely give up your life. Oh! What will

I do? I submit myself to the Lord

" Oh Lord! You are absolute, supreme and faultless. You see

everything with your beautiful eyes that resemble the lotus! You have

boundless auspicious qualities. You reside in all the worlds. You

alone can help me! It seems to me that You are this old man and have

come to my abode to test me. I meditate upon Thee, who is Lord of all

the devas and who purifies all the worlds!"

After imploring Bhagavan like this, he said to his daughter, " Oh

lovely maiden! Listen! I am bound by dharma. This sage wants to marry

you and says that he will not live otherwise. What can I do?" he asked.

His daughter pretended not to know anything and said " If you marry

me to this old man, I will not live!"

Hearing this, rishi started to pray to ShrimanNarayana : " You are

the absolute puNyaroopa! You are the saviour of good people. You are

eterenal. He Govinda! Lakshmi Devi rejoices in You. You are ever

handsome, You are Krishna, you are Jagannatha, You please Lakshmi, and

are Kindness itself. May you win! May all auspiciousness be with You!

You reward us with the results of good and bad deeds! You are the

protector! He NarayaNa! I am bound by dharma, Oh Lord! Save me! Why

do You test me with Your Maya?"

Markandeya closed his eyes, prayed and entreated the Lord and when he

opened his eyes, there stood the old man - He had become a young Lad

with chakram, conch and gadai with beautiful yellow attire and dark as

a cloud laden with water. He wore the exquisite Vanamala, and a

marvelous crown, and was a feast to the eyes of the beholder.

Markandeya was filled with awe and joy and prostrated before him.

Shrinivasan stood there shining with all the divya gunas and with a

tejas that surpassed the brilliance of millions of suns and moons.

Markandeya danced around him with joy and prayed!

ShrI BhoomidevI sameta ShrinivAsaprabraHmaNe namaH

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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