Vaiśyanātha Avatāra

The Vaiśyanātha Avatāra is told in Chapter 26 of the Śata Rudra Saṃhitā of the Śiva Purāṇa. Bhagavān Śiva came in the form of a devout vaiśya (merchant) to test the devotion, truthfulness and dharma of Mahānanda. She was a gaṇikā (courtesan) of Nandīgrāma and a great devotee of Parameśvara. The test used a jewelled bracelet, a jewelled liṅga, a fire that burned down the dance hall at midnight, and a moment that asked for the highest sacrifice. Both Mahānanda and Bhagavān Śiva, in the form of the vaiśya, showed that satya (truth) comes before all else. When Mahānanda was about to enter the fire to keep her word, Bhagavān Śiva showed himself. He took her and all her household to his paramapada (highest abode).

Mahānanda, the devoted gaṇikā

In the village of Nandīgrāma lived a gaṇikā named Mahānanda. She was very beautiful and very rich, and she was a great devotee of Parameśvara. She wore ornaments set with many kinds of jewels and was the very picture of śṛṅgāra (adornment and beauty). She was skilled in every branch of music and song, and even kings and queens were delighted when she sang.

What set Mahānanda apart was her great devotion to Bhagavān Śiva. Every day she did pūjā to Śaṃkara with Devī Pārvatī, full of joy. She wore vibhūti (sacred ash) and rudrākshas as her ornaments, and she was always lost in japa of Bhagavān Śiva’s name. Each day she did pūjā to Jagadīśvara with devotion, sang his holy fame, and danced in his honour.

She had trained a monkey and a rooster, each wearing a garland of rudrākshas, to dance before Bhagavān Śiva as she sang and clapped. She watched them dance with all her companions, and she laughed with love and joy. This was her daily life. In it she knew mahānanda, great bliss, for a long time.

Bhagavān Śiva comes as the Vaiśyanātha

One day Bhagavān Śiva wished to test Mahānanda’s devotion himself. He came to her in the form of a vaiśya who kept holy vratas (vows). He wore the tripuṇḍra (three lines of ash) on his forehead. His only ornaments were rudrākshas, and his hair was matted in a jaṭā knot. He was lost in japa of Bhagavān Śiva’s name, the very picture of a perfect devotee. His whole body was covered with vibhūti, and he shone with a great presence.

Mahānanda welcomed the vaiśya to her home with great joy and respect. She seated him with honour and served him well. Then her eyes fell on a splendid bracelet on his wrist, set with the nine jewels (navaratnas), and her heart was at once taken by it. She said to him: “This jewelled bracelet on your wrist draws my mind to it at once.”

The agreement: the bracelet and the three nights

The vaiśya saw that she wanted the bracelet. He smiled kindly and said: “If your heart wants this divine ornament, then wear it gladly. What will you give me for it?”

Mahānanda answered plainly: “We are gaṇikās, who move about freely. We are not faithful wives. There is no doubt that vyabhicāra (not keeping to one husband) is the dharma of our family line. If you agree, and give me this bracelet that has pleased my heart, I will be your wife for three nights and three days.”

The vaiśya agreed: “O beautiful one, so be it! If your word is true, I give you the jewelled bracelet. Be my wife for three nights. With the sun and moon as witnesses, say three times ‘it is satya‘, and then touch my heart.”

Mahānanda made her solemn promise three times, with the sun and moon as witnesses, and touched his heart with joy.

The vaiśya then gave her the jewelled bracelet. He also put a jewelled liṅga in her hands and said: “This jewelled Śivaliṅga is dearer to me than life. Guard it with care and śraddhā (faith).” She agreed. She set the jewelled liṅga in the middle of the dance hall and went inside. That night she slept at ease on a soft bed with the vaiśya.

The midnight fire: the test of satya

At midnight, by the will of the vaiśya, who was Bhagavān Śiva, a loud sound suddenly rose from inside the dance hall. A great fire, driven by a strong wind, quickly swallowed the whole hall. Mahānanda woke in fear and ran to free the monkey from its rope. The monkey, set free, shook off the burning sparks and fled far away in fear, together with the rooster.

The jewelled liṅga and its base (pīṭha) burned in the fire and broke apart. When they saw this, the vaiśya and Mahānanda were both overcome with grief. The vaiśya saw that the liṅga he loved as his own life was destroyed, and he made his decision: “The Śivaliṅga that was dearest to me is destroyed. I have no wish to live. That is certain. O puṇyātmā (virtuous one), have your servants quickly make a funeral pyre. I will enter the fire with my mind fixed on Śiva. Even if Brahmā, Indra and Vishṇu all came together to stop me, I would enter the fire this very moment and give up my life.”

She saw how firm he was. Full of grief, Mahānanda had her servants make a pyre outside her house. The vaiśya, who was Bhagavān Śiva, was full of great curiosity and wished to show the way to puṇyagati (a good end). He walked round the blazing fire with courage and then, before all who watched, he entered the flames.

Mahānanda’s decision: truth comes first

When Mahānanda saw the vaiśya enter the fire, she was first stunned and then sank into deep grief. She thought about dharma with her mind on satya alone. She looked at all her relatives and spoke these firm words: “I took the jewelled bracelet and gave my word in truth. I agreed to be this vaiśya‘s wife for three days. Because of what I have done, this great devotee of Śiva has died. So I too will enter the fire after him.”

She thought further: “If I do this, the ācāryas (teachers) who speak truth will say with love, ‘She did her own svadharma.’ May satya not be lost in me! The highest dharma rests on satya. By satya a person reaches the paramapada. By satya, svarga and moksha are won. All things stand on satya.”

Lost wholly in the vision of satya, Mahānanda made this firm decision, though her relatives tried to hold her back. She gave all her wealth and goods to the best brāhmaṇas, meditated on Sadāśiva, walked three times round the fire, and made ready to enter it.

Bhagavān Śiva shows himself and gives a vara

At that moment, just as she was about to fall into the blazing fire with her mind given wholly to him, Viśvasvarūpa Śiva appeared and stopped her. She saw Deva-deva, the three-eyed one, with the crescent moon as his head ornament, shining with the light of crores of moons, suns and fires. She stood still as if struck, held by awe, with tears streaming from her eyes. Bhagavān Śiva took her trembling hands, comforted her, and spoke.

“I came to you in the form of a vaiśya to test your satya, your dharma and your steady devotion to me. By my own māyā I set your dance hall on fire, I made the jewelled liṅga be destroyed, and I entered the fire. You remembered your word of satya and were about to enter the fire after me. So I will give you varas (boons) that even the devas cannot gain. O beautiful one, ask for whatever you want. I am very pleased with your devotion. Nothing is beyond your asking.”

Mahānanda answered without a moment’s pause: “I have no wish for any bhoga (enjoyment) in Bhūloka, Svargaloka or Pātāla. I ask only to touch your lotus feet, nothing else. My servants, my maids and all my other kin here have their minds fixed on you, and they long for your darśana. Please take all of us together to your paramapada, and free us from the great fear of rebirth. I bow to you.”

Bhagavān Maheśvara was glad at her words. He took them all, Mahānanda and her whole household, to his paramapada.

The fruit of hearing this account

The Śata Rudra Saṃhitā says that this holy deed, which brought Mahānanda the highest joy, is very pure and quickly gives all things to good people. Whoever hears it with devotion, or has others hear it with a steady mind, will not fall from his dharma. After leaving this body he will reach the highest end (uttama-gati).

Sources

• Śiva Purāṇa, Śata Rudra Saṃhitā, Chapter 26