Lakshmī Nārāyaṇa Vivāha
This is the marriage of Śrī Lakshmī and Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa (Vishṇu), which came after the Samudra Manthana, the churning of the ocean. The Ocean was Śrī’s father. At Brahmā’s word he gave her to Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa. Tvashṭā built the wedding hall, the eight elephants of the directions bathed Śrī, and every class of divine beings brought gifts. Brahmā declared that Nārāyaṇa is Śrī’s only husband. Afterwards each group of guests sang a stotra, and Śrī took her place on the chest of Bhagavān Vishṇu. Through her, wealth came back to the three worlds.
The guests
When the time came for the marriage of Lakshmī and Nārāyaṇa, beings from all the worlds arrived. Brahmā came, and the Prajāpatis, Śambhu and the Manus, and great ṛshis as bright as the sun. The twelve Ādityas, the eight Vasus, the eleven Rudras, the Siddhas, Gandharvas, Cāraṇas, Sādhyas and the forty-nine Maruts all came. So did the Viśvedevas, the Aśvins, Agni, the Moon, Dharma, Garuḍa, the Kinnaras, and the serpent devotees of Vishṇu headed by Śesha. The eight Siddhis, beginning with Aṇimā, and the nine Nidhis, beginning with Śaṅkha and Padma, came in bodily form and stood near Śrī.
The wives of the devas came. They were Sāvitrī, Pārvatī, Pṛthivī, Sarasvatī, Śacī, Gaurī, Śivā, Saṃjñā, Ṛddhi, Svāhā, Rohiṇī, Dhūmorṇā (the wife of Yama), Aditi, and the virtuous Mūrti, Dayā and others. The pious wives of the ṛshis came too: Arundhatī, Śāṇḍilī, Lopāmudrā and Anasūyā.
The great rivers came in bodily form: Gaṅgā, Sarasvatī, Revā, Yamunā, Tāpatī, Candrabhāgā, Vipāśā, Śatadru, Godāvarī, Kāverī, Kauśikī, Kṛshṇā, Veṇī, Bhīmarathī, Tāmraparṇī, Kṛtamālā, Vitastā, Nirvindhyā, Śūrasā, Carmaṇvatī, Payoshṇī and Viśvā. The apsarās came, led by Rambhā, Ghṛtācī, Viśvācī, Menakā, Tilottamā and Urvaśī. All the people of Vaikuṇṭha and Goloka also came, full of joy.
The bath and the wedding hall
At Brahmā’s order, Indra began the preparations for the ablution (the ritual bath). Tvashṭā at once built a grand wedding hall. It had thousands of jewelled pillars, countless wonderful canopies, and rows of wish-yielding trees bent down with sweet-smelling flowers. It had crores of jewelled lamps and arched doorways hung with strings of pearls. Śrī sat on a jewelled throne. Great ṛshis bathed her, with songs and music.
The eight elephants that stand over the eight directions raised golden pitchers and poured over her the waters brought from the seas of the four quarters. They are Airāvata, Puṇḍarīka, Vāmana, Kumuda, Añjana, Pushpadanta, Sarvabhauma and Supratīka. The great rivers in bodily form also brought their waters. The Vedas took personal forms and chanted mantras. The Gandharvas sang, the apsarās danced, and the clouds played drums and tabors. Saffron rained down, and shouts of victory rose in the three worlds.
The gifts
After the auspicious bath, every great being gave Śrī a gift worthy of her:
- The Ocean, her father, gave two yellow silk garments and many jewelled ornaments.
- Indra brought her a seat worthy of her. Viśvakarmā gave bangles and jewelled rings.
- The Moon, her brother, gave an excellent nose-ornament and jewelled hair ornaments.
- Brahmā gave her a lotus. Sarasvatī gave a pearl necklace.
- The Nāgas, headed by Śesha, gave two ear-rings set with the best jewels.
- Durgā gave collyrium and saffron. These are signs of auspicious fortune: the firm devotion and long life of the husband. Sāvitrī gave a forehead ornament. Śacī gave a betel box.
- Vasanta (Spring) gave a flower garland. Śaṃkara gave a necklace. Varuṇa gave the Vaijayantī garland. Kubera gave a jewelled mirror.
- Agni gave a priceless bodice. Yama gave an auspicious umbrella.
All the others gave ornaments and gifts that suited the occasion.
Brahmā’s word and the wedding
The Ocean asked Brahmā, “To whom should I give this daughter, with all her ornaments?” Brahmā, who knows all, answered:
“O storehouse of waters! This your daughter is the mother of both me and Śiva. She is the mother of all the Devas and all the worlds. She has no other husband than Nārāyaṇa, Vāsudeva, the Supreme Brahman, the master of all, the excellent Purusha. Therefore, O Ocean, for the felicity of the three worlds, give her in marriage with proper religious procedure to Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa, who has arrived here in person and taken his seat. By giving her to Paramātmā, make your life successful, purify your family, and lift it up from the ocean of saṃsāra. Though you are one, you are known in the world by seven forms due to the division by the seven Dvīpas. By doing this, you will obtain great fame.”
In plain words: Brahmā says that Śrī is the mother of Brahmā and of Śiva, and of all the devas and all the worlds. Her only husband is Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa, who is Vāsudeva, the Supreme Brahman and the first Purusha. Brahmā tells the Ocean to give her in marriage by the right rites to Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa, who has come in person and sat down there. By giving her to Paramātmā, the Ocean will make his life a success, purify his family, and lift it out of the ocean of saṃsāra. Though the Ocean is one, he is known in the world in seven forms because of the seven Dvīpas. By this act he will gain great fame.
When Brahmā spoke, the Ocean felt the hair on his body stand on end with joy. He thought himself blessed and gave his daughter to Bhagavān Vishṇu. He performed the betrothal (vāgdāna) and all the sacred rules of the marriage.
Prominent ṛshis bathed Bhagavān Vishṇu with mantras. He was dressed in priceless garments, jewelled ornaments and a divine crown, and he came to the wedding hall while the suras (devas) praised him. The Ocean and his wife Gaṅgā washed the lotus feet of Bhagavān Vishṇu with golden pitchers and carried that holy water on their heads.
Brahmā lit the sacred fire by the rules, made offerings with the ṛshis, and formally gave Śrī in marriage to Acyuta. Then Hari walked around the fire, which had been duly given its offerings, together with Śrī. All who watched kept their eyes on them. The devas and their wives did pūjā to the beautiful parents of the universe, seated on the same seat, and gave them priceless garments and ornaments.
The wives of the devas sat in two groups facing each other and sang festive wedding songs with love and devotion. The suras, the great ṛshis and the women who were present all saw Bhagavān Vishṇu with Śrī shining within themselves. They sat without moving, as if painted in a picture.
The stotras of the guests
After the ceremony each class of beings sang its own stotra to the divine couple. Each one speaks of Vāsudeva as the Parabrahman.
Brahmā said that he had thought on the Vedas and concluded that those who turn firmer devotion to Vāsudeva will enjoy unending pleasures and reach the Supreme Person as their final goal. Those who please the devas instead, who themselves have Rajas and Tamas, are to be called ignorant.
Śaṃkara said that the Three Vedas, Sāṃkhya, Vedānta, Yoga, Purāṇa, Pañcarātra and Dharmaśāstra all sing, with devotion, the supreme glory of Vāsudeva alone. In the first Kalpa (Ādi-Kalpa) all these śāstras were born from Vāsudeva alone, and they have him as their only refuge. He said:
“O Three Vedas, Sāṃkhya, Vedānta, Yoga, Purāṇa, Pañcarātra as well as Dharmaśāstra — all these devoutly sing in various ways the supreme majestic glory of yours alone.”
Dharma said that talk about Vāsudeva frees one from saṃsāra. It is like nectar to those burned by the three kinds of misery (ādhidaivika, ādhibhautika and ādhyātmika), and it destroys the pāpa (sin) gathered over countless births. Devotion to him raises knowledge at once.
Prajāpati said: blessed are the wish-yielding trees under whose shade Bhagavān Vishṇu sits. Blessed is the maker of this wedding hall. Blessed is the earth where his seat stands. Most blessed is the Ocean, who gave his own daughter to Bhagavān Vishṇu.
The Manus said that the dharma from which pure devotion to Bhagavān Vishṇu is born is above all other dharmas.
The ṛshis said that a person without devotion, who turns away from Bhagavān Vishṇu yet wants knowledge, cannot reach success by effort alone and stays tied to karma. They themselves meditate on Bhagavān Vishṇu, who is beyond Māyā, who rules over Kāla, who is the husband of Śrī, and who is senior to the senior ones.
Indra said that the fall of the devas was their own doing, caused by the insult to Durvāsa. Except for Vāsudeva, no one could protect them, not Brahmā, not Rudra, not any other deva.
Agni said that the food that keeps devas, dānavas and human beings alive is made by Vāsudeva alone. Those who make offerings to him through yajña and share what remains with others are quickly freed from the bonds of karma and reach the Brāhmī state.
The Maruts said that devotees who are fully given to Vāsudeva do not want houses, wealth, svarga, or even final freedom full of great happiness. Such devotees count even a birth in a Cāṇḍāla family as the best birth.
The Siddhas said that Vāsudeva alone, though he has no cause, is the cause of the creation, upkeep and destruction of countless Brahmāṇḍas. He is within them and also beyond them, and he rules them.
The Rudras said: “Obeisance to the Supreme Person who, though free from delusion himself, enchants Māyā and is Kāla even of Mahākāla.”
Sūrya said that the suns shine on all the worlds because Vāsudeva lights them. Vāsudeva himself shines by his own light.
The Sādhyas said that Vāsudeva is the ruler of kings, of great serpents, of the kings of the daityas, of the devas, the Manus and the Prajāpatis. He is the Supreme King of Kings.
The Vasus said that whenever people born of asuras destroy the eternal dharma and those who follow it, Vāsudeva takes birth of his own will. They bow to the protector of dharma.
The Cāraṇas said that devotees sing the auspicious deeds of Vāsudeva in poems. These deeds purify both the hearer and the speaker at once.
The Gandharvas and the apsarās said that those who leave aside the deeds of Bhagavān Vishṇu, and describe or listen to praise of others, become tied in the bonds of saṃsāra.
The Ocean said that whoever serves the devotees of Bhagavān Vishṇu even once, with a little wealth, water, food, a garment or a bow, rises to a high position even from a low one.
The Pārshadas (the attendants of Bhagavān Vishṇu) said that Vāsudeva is their parents, relative, teacher, friend, protector, ruler and all their wealth.
Mūrti (the mother of Nārāyaṇa, the daughter of Daksha and the wife of Dharma) said that she always adores in her heart the ruler of Goloka. Through closeness to him, women, Śūdras, asuras, birds, beasts and even wicked beings reach a high place that great ones praise. Those whom he has left, even the rulers of the devas, lose all honour.
Sāvitrī said that at the time of creation Vāsudeva made Prakṛti and Purusha by his glance. Through them he made the Tattvas beginning with Mahat, and through the Vairāja (the form of Brahmā) he made all beings.
Durgā said that those who meditate on Vāsudeva with great love and devotion do not want even the happiness of Brahmā’s place, the pleasure of svarga, or rule over the earth. They have gained the matchless bliss that he gives, and they do not give it up even for a moment.
The Rivers said that Nārāyaṇa protects from the fear of birth, death and Yama even those who, knowingly or not, only bow to his name or sing it.
The wives of the devas said that Bhagavān Vishṇu is Brahman without attributes, so everything that belongs to him is also without attributes. By taking refuge in him, even those marked by Tamas, Rajas and Sattva become free of attributes.
The wives of the ṛshis said that only the lotus feet of Bhagavān Vishṇu calm all the terrible torments of the three kinds.
Pṛthivī said that she takes refuge in Vāsudeva alone. His face is like the full autumn moon and his eyes are like autumn lotus petals. He ends the great suffering caused by being apart from Śrī.
Sarasvatī said that at the sight of his moon-like face her eyes have turned into Cakora birds, and they will not go anywhere else.
Śrī on the chest of Bhagavān Vishṇu
All had praised him. Bhagavān Vishṇu welcomed them with a glance alone, and then said to Śrī: “O auspicious lady, give a favourable look to these devas.” With one pleasing glance she blessed all who live in the three worlds, and they became rich again as before. Householders and renouncers alike got back their old wealth. Dharma and the others began to move about in joy as before.
Bhagavān Vishṇu offered his chest as Śrī’s place. She took her place there and filled the three worlds with her riches.
The Ocean was now the father of Śrī, and he became true to his name by becoming the home (kshaya) of all jewels. He fed all the guests with food like nectar. He gave each deva garments, ornaments and the things needed for the occasion. Bhagavān Vishṇu himself gave away to the brāhmaṇas all the wealth given to him as dowry, and then vanished with Śrī. By his order, Garuḍa took Mount Mandara back to its place.
Sources
- Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Vaishṇava Khaṇḍa, Vāsudeva Māhātmya, Chapter 14
- Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Vaishṇava Khaṇḍa, Vāsudeva Māhātmya, Chapter 15