known puranas - unknown stories - Part 5

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Post – 5

 

Respected Devotees of Lord Almighty

 

Since a lady's tears and curses will cause the downfall of a person or a kingdom more quickly, we saw raavaNa being cursed by seethaa

Vedhavathee in earlier posts having references from vaalmeeki raamayaaNam to the fact that same vEdhavathee is seethaa. It is to be noted that vedhavathi's curse came true when Raama destroyed RaavaNa, for the main cause of relieving seethaa from captivity in raavaNa's prison.

 

In brahma vaivartha puraaNam BRVP 14th chapter titled "vEdhvathee, seethaa and dhroupathee's poorva vruththaantham" it is stated there were two brothers dharmadhvaja and kusadhvaja. Kusadhvaja's wife is maalaavathee. To this couple of kusadhvaja and maalaavathee was born a daughter as mahaa lakshmee's amsam. Since at the time of birth of this girl child vEdhadhvani – sound of vEdhaas - were heard in that soothikaa gruham - labour room – place where maalaavathee delivered the female child, - she was named vEdhavathee.

 

kruthvaa vEdhadhvanim spashtam uththasthou soothikaa gruhE | BRVP 14-4

vEdhadhvanim saa chakaara jaatha maathrENa kanyakaa,

thasmath thaam thE vEdhavatheem pravadhanthi maneeshiNah || BRVP 14-5

 

That child immediately stood up and went for doing thapas in gandhmaadhana parvam - hills of gandha maadhana. RaavaNa came there and saw a beautiful lady doing thapas. And later what happened is all we have already seen in vaalmeeki's work. A variation as per this BRVP is raama called agni and handed over original seethaa and vEdhavathee became the chaayaa seethaa [a duplicate seethaa]. This chaayaa was the seethaa abducted by raavaNa and later during agni parikshaa original seethaa was restored to raama.

 

vEdhavathi is padhmaavathee - wife of lord of thiruvenkatam: according to Thirumala mahaathmyam:

 

Accordingly to the thirumala mahathmyams as appearing in different puraanams like varaaha puraanaM etc, [i am unable to quote the slokams] it was Vedhavathi, who replaced Seethaa when the latter was captured by RaavaNa and detained in Asoka Vanam. The real Seethaa was protected by Agni, who returned her to Raama safely while Vedhavathi, acting as Seethaa in asOkha vanam, entered the fire for the Agni Pariksha at the bidding of Raama.

 

Since Raama could not accept more than one wife in the Raama avathaaram, he granted to Vedhavathi the boon to join him in Kali yugam. Accordingly she incarnated as alamelu mangaa and became the consort of Lord Sreenivasa at Thirumala.

 

Another dimension: On a search in internet I got this story from archives of ramanuja list [ written by sri vinod earlier]I quote that story here since this gives another new dimension to same vedhavathi story. 18. Padmavathi dEvi's previous birth PadmAksha maharaja performed varalakshmi vratham and by Her mercy he got a female child, masulungi. Masulungi rises brighter day-by-day as the rising moon. Very soon, she becomes skilled in many arts. At sixteen, she attains puberty. From her childhood, masulungi was an ardent devotee of Lord Hari. She worshipped Him all the times, dedicated her life to Him and decided to marry Him only. PadmAksha came to know her desire. He therefore declared for her svayamvara (ceremony to select a groom from the group of able people by the bride herself). Kings from

all different countries (except rAvaNa) were invited and all of them were present. RAvaNa came to know about the swayamvara and came there uninvited. Driven by lust, he decided to possess her at all costs. PadmAksha maharaja tried to protect his daughter from the lust of rAvaNa and got killed in fight by rAvaNa. All the kings who were present in swayamvara were frightened by the prowess of rAvaNa and fled away. Masulungi prays to SrI Hari and with His name on her lips manages to disappear from the scene. She reaches a place in a forest where rishis are reciting vEdAs. As she appears before the rishis when they are reciting vEdas, they named her vEdavati. After taking the blessings of the rishis, vEdavathi sits on a deep meditation of the lotus feet of her beloved Lord. Disappointed for not been able to enjoy the beauty of masulungi, returning to his kingdom in his

Arial mansion, pushpak. On his way, he sees masulungi who is meditating. His wicked mind again wants to try to possess her, and comes in front of her. Mother vEdavathi is in deep meditation of the Lord and has not opened her eyes, hence unaware of rAvaNa's arrival. rAvaNa tickles masulungi's cheek with his index finger and says, 'darling! Having fled from there, you arrived here, thinking that nArAyaNa can save you. You cannot escape from me. I and I alone am the suitable match for you. Please come and enjoy with me.' VEdavati is stunned to see rAvaNa again. She angrily shouts, 'you devil! how dare you force a woman against her will? On account of being contaminated by your touch, I am leaving this body immediately throwing myself in fire. You and your race will come to an end because of a lady like me.' So cursing, she creates fire with her yoga power and throws herself into it. She stays under the care of

agni dEva. In rAma avathAr, Sri rAma, sIta dEvi and lakshmaNa spends fourteen years in exile. They spend that period in DandakAraNya. One day when rAma and lakshmaNa are away from home and when jAnaki mAtha is alone, rAvaNa attempts to kidnap her. Having come to know about this attempt of rAvaNa beforehand, agni dEva substitutes sIta dEvi with vEdavathi. He leaves sIta dEvi in his wife swAha dEvi's care. RAvaNa carries vEdavathi to lanka mistaking her to sIta dEvi. After rAvaNa is killed by rAma, vEdavathi enters fire to prove her chastity. From that fire, agni dEva appears with both the sItAs and explains to rAma how rAvaNa is deceived. Agni requests Sri rAma to marry vEdavathi, who has undergone sufferings in the capture of rAvaNa to serve the divine couple. sIta dEvi also agrees to that proposal. But SrI rAma is observing 'Eka patnI vrata' (marrying only once)

in that avathAr. However He promises her that he will marry her in kaliyuga when He appears as SrInivAsa. That very vEdavathi is padmAvathi dEvi. (to be continued ....)

 

dAsOham, SrIperumbUdUru vEnkaTa vinOd. – unquote [English is edited slightly -changed more from tense angle]

 

With due respects to all the devotees of almightyv.anjaneyulu 400kv s/s powergrid betul road pathrota, itarsi - 461 111 mob 09893683689

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