Narada and the Svayamvara

The rishis said

Suta, very fortunate disciple of Vyasa, we bow to you. Father, you have favoured us with an extraordinary account. What did Hari do after Narada left? Where did Narada go? Please tell us.

Vyasa said

Hearing them, the learned Suta, foremost among reciters of the Puranas, remembered Shiva, the source behind every origin, and answered.

Suta said

Vishnu is skilled in maya. As the sage Narada went on his way, Vishnu, carrying out Shiva's wish, quickly spread his maya. Right in the sage's path he built a great city, a hundred yojanas wide, wonderful and very pleasing, lovelier than heaven and adorned with many things. Excellent men and women of all four varnas were enjoying themselves in it. There the wealthy King Shilanidhi was arranging a svayamvara for his daughter, with great festivities. Princes of every kind had come from the four directions, handsome and finely dressed, each hoping the maiden would choose him. Seeing this lovely city, Narada was overcome by delusion. Curious and desirous, he went to the king's gate. The king saw that the noble sage had arrived and seated him on a fine jewelled throne. He called his beautiful daughter, Shrimati, and had her bow at Narada's feet. Seeing the maiden, the sage Narada was astonished. "King, who is this very fortunate maiden? She seems a daughter of the gods." The king joined his hands and answered: "Sage, she is my daughter Shrimati. The time has come to give her in marriage and she is looking for a husband. She has all the auspicious marks and her svayamvara is at hand. Sage, tell me, with kindness, what her destiny is, what was ordained for her at birth. What sort of husband will my daughter get?"

Thus asked, the tiger among sages was overcome by desire and wanted her. Narada said to the king: "Lord of the earth, your daughter has every auspicious sign. She is very fortunate and blessed, a store of virtues like Lakshmi. Her husband will surely be lord of everything, a brave one who cannot be defeated, a lord like Girisha, an excellent god who overcomes even Kama." With this he took leave of the king and went wherever he pleased. Confounded by Shiva's maya and overcome by desire, the sage began to think: "How can I get her? In a svayamvara full of kings, how could she choose me? Every woman loves beauty. If I show her such a form, she will surely come under my sway." With this thought the excellent sage decided to take Vishnu's form. Distracted by desire, Narada hurried to Vishnu's world, bowed to Hrishikesha and said, "I will tell you in private everything that has happened to me." Wishing to do what Shiva wanted, Shrisha Keshava said, "Tell me." Narada said: "The excellent King Shilanidhi is your devotee. His daughter Shrimati is large-eyed and lovely, famed as one who bewilders the worlds, the most beautiful woman in the three worlds. Vishnu, I want to marry her soon. The lord of the earth has arranged a svayamvara for her, as she wished, and thousands of princes have come from the four directions. If you give me your form, I will surely win her. Without your form she will not put the garland of victory around my neck. Protector, give me your form. I am your dear servant. Let it be that the princess Shrimati chooses me." Hearing this, Madhusudana laughed. Knowing Shankara's lordship, he was full of compassion and answered: "Sage, go where you will. I will do what is good for you, as a physician treats a sick man. After all, you are dear to me." Saying this, Vishnu gave the sage a monkey's face. Having shown him this favour and given him this form, he disappeared.

Delighted to have Hari's form, as he thought, the sage believed he had gained his aim and did not understand the real purpose. Narada hurried to the place of the svayamvara, where all the princes had gathered. It was a divine hall full of princes, a second assembly of Shakra's. Narada went in and sat among the king's company, his mind full of joy. "I am in Vishnu's form, so she will surely choose me," he thought. The excellent sage did not know his face was misshapen. All the men gathered there saw him only in his old form; the princes and others noticed no difference. To protect him, two of Rudra's ganas had come there in the forms of brahmanas, and they knew the secret. Taking the sage for a fool, they went up to him and laughed among themselves: "Look at Narada's form. It is fine as Vishnu's, but the face is a monkey's. It is ugly and frightening. He is confounded by desire and wants the king's daughter." They spoke so, laughing at him. But since desire overwhelmed him, though he heard their words he did not grasp their meaning. Deluded by desire, the sage looked at Shrimati.

Just then the beautiful-limbed king's daughter came out of the inner rooms with her women, a lovely golden garland in her hand, good in all her qualities. Standing in the middle of the svayamvara hall she shone like Rama. With the garland, the one so firm in her vows went all around the hall. Looking for the husband she wished for, the princess was radiant. She saw the sage, with Vishnu's body and a monkey's face, and was angered. With a cheerful mind she turned her eyes away and went on. She found nobody she wanted in that hall and gave the garland to none of those present. Meanwhile Vishnu came there disguised as a king. She looked at no one else, only at him. As she looked, her lotus face opened like a flower, and the beautiful lady put the garland around his neck. In his king's guise, Lord Vishnu accepted her and at once vanished, going back to his own abode with her. All the princes gave up hope of winning Shrimati. The sage, still tormented by desire, was badly shaken and his words faltered. Rudra's two ganas, skilled in knowledge, in brahmana form, said to him: "Narada, sage, your being bewildered by Madana is pointless. You want her, but look at your own face. It is a despicable monkey's." Hearing them, Narada was stunned. Confounded by Shiva's maya, he looked at his face in a mirror. Seeing a monkey's face, he flew into a sudden rage. Bewildered, the sage cursed the two ganas: "Since you two laughed at me, you will be born as brahmanas. But though the seed will be a brahmana's, your forms will be those of rakshasas." Hearing this, Hara's ganas, excellent in knowledge, did not curse back. Knowing the sage was deluded, they said nothing. The two brahmana forms stayed calm and went back to their own abodes praising Shiva, thinking that everything is always decided by Shiva's wishes.