Jalandhara's Birth and Marriage

Vyasa said

Sanatkumara, omniscient son of Brahma, I bow to you. I have now heard this wonderful account of great-souled Shambhu. Brahmana, he flung the energy from the eye in his forehead into the salt ocean. Father, tell me quickly what happened next.

Sanatkumara replied

Son, wise one, hear Shiva's wonderful pastimes. If a devotee listens to this with faith, he gains the destination yogis gain. The energy from Shiva's forehead eye, flung into the salt ocean, at once took the form of a child. This is where the Sindhuganga meets the ocean. The child cried loudly, and all the worlds thought him terrible. At the sound of his crying the earth trembled again and again, and Svarloka and Satyaloka were deafened. Because of the child's crying all the worlds were terrified, and the minds of all the guardians of the worlds were shaken. Indra among brahmanas, why say more? Everything that moves and stands trembled. Son, because of that crying everything in the world became inauspicious. All the gods and sages were shaken and quickly took refuge with Brahma, grandfather and guru of the worlds. There the gods with Vasava and the sages bowed and praised Parameshthi and told him that a fear had arisen, that this extraordinary sound had begun, and asked him to destroy it. Hearing them, Brahma, grandfather of the worlds, wished to go there, and wondering "What is this?" came down with the gods from Satyaloka to earth. Wishing to find out, he went to the ocean. When Brahma arrived he saw the child in the ocean's lap. Seeing Vidhatri come, the ocean took a god's form, lowered his head, bowed and set the child in his lap. Amazed, Brahma asked the ocean: "Store of waters, tell me quickly, whose child is this?" Hearing Brahma, the ocean rejoiced, bent low and praised the lord of subjects, then said with joined hands that he had found the child at the confluence of the Sindhuganga and did not know where he had come from; would the guru of the universe perform the jatakarma and other samskaras for him, and tell all the fruits the infant would reap? As the ocean said this, the ocean's son seized Brahma by the throat and shook him again and again. Shaken so, Vidhatri, creator of all the worlds, suffered; tears flowed from his eyes. Somehow he freed his throat from the hands of the immensely energetic ocean-born son. Affectionately Brahma said: "Ocean, listen; I will tell you the fruits this infant will reap. He made water flow from Vidhatri's eyes, that is, mine, so he will be famous as Jalandhara. He will become a youth at once and master the meaning of all the sacred texts. He will be immensely valiant and a persevering fighter, invincible in battles, as deep as you, like Guha in battle, conquering everyone in battles and adorned with every prosperity. This child will become lord of all the daityas. He will defeat even Vishnu and will be defeated by no one. Except Rudra, no one will be able to kill him. He will then return to the ocean from which he has now come. He will have a wife devoted to her husband who will increase his good fortune, charming and beautiful in every limb, sweet of speech, an ocean of good conduct." Saying this, he summoned Shukra and had him perform the child's abhisheka to the kingdom. Taking leave of the lord of rivers, Brahma vanished.

The ocean looked at him with eyes wide with joy, and rejoicing took his son home. Delighted, he reared his son in many ways. The boy was charming and beautiful in every limb, wonderful and energetic. The ocean invited the great asura Kalanemi and asked for his daughter Vrinda as wife. Brave Kalanemi, intelligent and supreme among asuras, skilled in his own tasks, thought the ocean's request a good idea. Sage, by the norms of a brahma marriage he gave his daughter, dearer than his life, to brave Jalandhara, who had come from the ocean. At their wedding there were great festivities. Sage, the major and minor rivers and all the asuras rejoiced. Seeing his son with a wife, the ocean was extremely happy too. By the norms he made gifts to brahmanas and others. The daityas, defeated by the gods earlier, had taken refuge in Patala. Their fear gone, they now came back to earth and took refuge with him. After giving his daughter to the ocean's son, the asuras, Kalanemi first, were very happy, and to defeat the gods they sought refuge with him. The brave ocean's son Jalandhara was the bravest of all valiant asuras. He got an extremely beautiful wife, and with Kavi's powers he brought the kingdom under his rule.