Vṛddha-kanyā

The Vṛddha-kanyā (“the old maiden”) was a woman with no personal name in the account. The ṛshi Kuṇirgarga made her by his tapas (austerity) alone. After her father went to svarga, she lived in his āśrama (hermitage) and did hard tapas for many years. She grew old without finding a husband. Nārada told her that she needed the saṃskāra (rite) of marriage to reach the higher worlds. She offered half her tapas to whoever would marry her. Śṛṅgavanta, the son of Gālava, married her for one night. At dawn she left her body and went up to svarga. The Vṛddha-kanyā tīrtha on the Sarasvatī is named after her.

Birth from tapas

The Vṛddha-kanyā had no mother. She was made directly from the tapas of Kuṇirgarga, a ṛshi of great power and fame. He looked on his lotus-eyed daughter, who had beautiful brows, with deep love. Then he left his body and went to svarga. He left her in his āśrama to live her own life.

A life of tapas, and old age

The Vṛddha-kanyā took charge of the āśrama. She kept strict vows and fasted. Each day she worshipped the devas and the pitṛs (ancestors) and did austerities. She did not accept any husband, because she found none equal to her.

Many years passed and she grew old. Her body wasted away with tapas and with age. In the end she could hardly walk. She thought of death and of the next world, and she got ready to leave.

Nārada’s advice

Nārada appeared at this moment and said to her:

“O maiden, we have heard it said in the higher worlds that a woman cannot reach the higher realms without the saṃskāra of vivāha (marriage). You have done extraordinary tapas, but this lack stands in your way.”

The marriage and her ascent

The Vṛddha-kanyā went before an assembly of ṛshis and declared in public that she would give half of her tapas to any ṛshi who would marry her. Śṛṅgavanta, the son of Gālava, came forward. He agreed to a marriage of one night.

The rites were done. That night the Vṛddha-kanyā was changed. She shone with divine beauty and was dressed in ornaments and garlands. The night passed. At dawn she spoke to Śṛṅgavanta:

“I have lived with you as we agreed. May good come to you. I go now.”

She left her body and went up to the higher worlds. The tīrtha called Vṛddha-kanyā is named after her. She blessed it with these words:

“Those who stay here for a single night and offer tarpaṇa (water offering to the ancestors) shall obtain the fruits of 58 years of brahmacarya (celibate discipline).”

Sources

• Mahābhārata, Śalya Parva, Chapter 52