SRINIVASA KALYANA STORY -- PART 1

SRINIVASA KALYANA

The fascinating story behind the marriage of Lord Sri Venkateswara (also called Lord Srinivasa) with Goddess Padmavathi is recounted with pictures.

NARADA VISITING KASYAPA

The rishis headed by Kasyapa began to perform a sacrifice on the banks of the Ganges. Sage Narada visited them and asked them why they were performing the sacrifice and who would be pleased by it.

SAGE BHRIGU BEING ASKED BY RISHIS

Not being able to answer the question, the rishis approached Sage Bhrigu. To reach a solution after a direct ascertainment of reality, Sage Bhrigu first went to Satyaloka, the abode of Lord Brahma

SAGE BHRIGU VISITING BRAMHA LOKA

At Satyaloka, he found Lord Brahma, reciting the four Vedas in praise of Lord Narayana, with each of his four heads, and attended upon by Saraswati. Lord Brahma did not take notice of Bhrigu offering obeisance. Concluding that Lord Brahma was unfit for worship, Bhrigu left Satyaloka for Kailasa, the abode of Lord Shiva.

SAGE BHRIGU TO KAILASA

At Kailasa, Bhrigu found Lord Shiva spending his time pleasantly with Parvati and not noticing his presence. Parvati drew the attention of Siva to the presence of the sage.

SAGE BHRIGU CURSING LORD SHIVA

Lord Siva was furious at Bhrigu's intrusion and tried to destroy him. The sage cursed Lord Siva and left for Vaikuntam.

SAGE BHRIGU KICKING SHRI MAHA VISHNU

At Vaikuntam, Lord Vishnu (also called Srimannarayana) was reposing on Adisesha with Sri Mahalakshmi in service at His feet. Finding that Srimannarayana also did not notice him, the sage was furious and he kicked the Lord on His chest, the place where Mahalakshmi resides.

LORD VISHNU APOLOGISING SAGE BHRIGU

At once, Lord Vishnu hastened to apologise to the angry sage and pressed his feet to calm the pain caused to Bhrigu's leg. In doing so the Lord removed the eye in the foot of the sage, which gave Bhrigu power as to defy the Devas. Thereupon, the sage decided that Lord Vishnu was the most supreme of the trimurthis and told the rishis the same. Thereupon, they decided that Lord Vishnu was the fruit of the yaga.

MAHALAKSHMI GETTING ANGER

Sri Mahalakshmi was angered by the action of her Lord in apologising to Bhrigu who committed an offence. She, therefore, left Vaikuntam without heeding the request of the Lord.

VARAHA FIGTHING WITH HIRANYAKSHA

At the commencement of the current Sveta Varaha Kalpa, the whole universe was filled with water and the Earth was immersed in it. Lord Vishnu assumed the form of a white boar (Sri Varaha) and dived into the water to lift the Earth. He killed the demon Hiranyaksha who was obstructing Him and rescued the Earth.

SRI VARAHASWAMI

Brahma and the other Devas praised Sri Varaha for saving the Earth by chanting the Vedas and showering flowers on Him. Lord Vishnu decided to stay on Earth in the form of Sri Varaha for some time, to punish the wicked and protect the virtuous. The place then came to be known asVaraha Kshetra and the Varaha Kalpa commenced.

SRI VARAHASWAMI

After the departure of Mahalakshmi, deserted Lord Vishnu left Vaikuntam and took abode in an ant-hill under a tamarind tree, beside a pushkarini on the Venkata Hill BRAMHA AND MAHESHVARA Taking pity on Lord Vishnu, Brahma and Maheshwara decided to assume the forms of a cow and its calf to serve Him. THE SUN GOD INFORMING TO MAHALAKSHMI Surya, the Sun God informed Mahalakshmi of this and requested her to assume the form of a cowherdess and sell the cow and calf to the king of the Chola country. CHOLA RAJA BUYING THE COW The king of the Chola country bought the cow and its calf and sent them to graze on the Venkata Hill along with his herd of cattle. Discovering Lord Vishnu on the ant-hill, the cow provided its milk, and thus fed the Lord. CHOLA QUEEN REPRIMANDING COWHERD Meanwhile, at the palace, the cow was not yielding any milk, for which the Chola Queen chastised the cowherd severely. COW FORM OF SHIVA GIVING MILK TO VISHNU To find out the cause of lack of milk, the cowherd followed the cow, hid himself behind a bush and discovered the cow emptying her udder over the ant-hill.