Śoṇa Brāhmaṇa

Śoṇa was a brāhmaṇa who lived on the bank of the Gaṅgā with his devoted wife Kalā. A rākṣasa named Mārīca took Śoṇa’s form, led Kalā away, and killed her when she resisted. Śoṇa went to Kailāsa with the ṛṣis Viśvāmitra, Vasiṣṭha and Devarāta. There he learned that Kalā had reached the realm of Bhagavān Śiva because she said “Hara” as she died. Kalā could not return, so Devī Pārvatī gave Śoṇa a new wife, wealth, a kingdom and firm Śiva-bhakti (devotion to Bhagavān Śiva). In the end Śoṇa also reached the realm of Bhagavān Śiva. He died lying in sacred ash with the Rudra stotra (hymn of praise) on his lips.

The find on the bank of the Gaṅgā

Śoṇa and Kalā once found a silver pitcher full of treasure on the bank of the Gaṅgā. Kalā then gave a long speech, which was self-mocking and ironic on purpose. She argued that the place of the treasure should not be told to her. Śoṇa listened to this unusual advice from his wife. He hid the treasure and did not tell her where it was.

The loss of Kalā

The rākṣasa Mārīca, the uncle of Rāvaṇa, took the exact form of Śoṇa. In this disguise he led Kalā away from their home into the forest, pretending to be her husband. Kalā saw the trick and resisted. Mārīca killed her. The messengers of Bhagavān Śiva at once led Kalā’s ātmā (soul) to Kailāsa. There Devī Pārvatī herself received her and honoured her for her great pātivratā-dharma (the duty of a devoted wife).

The journey to Kailāsa

Śoṇa was full of grief. He went to Kailāsa with the ṛṣis Viśvāmitra, Vasiṣṭha and Devarāta. Bhagavān Śiva received them and gave the reason. Kalā’s life had still had one hundred more years in it. She had not died at her fixed time. She was taken before it because at the moment of death she had said “Hara”, a name of Bhagavān Śiva. The power of that name, spoken at death, outweighs everything else and brings the ātmā straight to the abode of Bhagavān Śiva.

The test at the home of Pārvatī

During the visit to Kailāsa, a strange event took place. An old, misshapen brāhmaṇa came to the home of Devī Pārvatī with an extremely beautiful young wife. An ugly old brāhmaṇa with a bright young woman seemed to break the rules of society. It was a test of the steadiness of Devī Pārvatī and her keeping of pātivratā-dharma. She received the pair with respect and calm. The pair was then shown to be Bhagavān Śiva in disguise and Bhagavān Viṣṇu in the form of a woman. Bhagavān Śiva and Bhagavān Viṣṇu together appeared in their true forms before the assembly.

The gifts of Pārvatī to Śoṇa

Kalā had reached a high state and could not come back down to life on earth. So Devī Pārvatī gave Śoṇa these gifts:

• A new wife
• A vara (a boon) of wealth
• A kingdom to rule
• Firm and unshaken Śiva-bhakti

Śoṇa’s own liberation

Śoṇa lived out the rest of his blessed life with the gifts that Devī Pārvatī had given him. At his death he lay in sacred bhasma (ash) and recited the Rudra stotra. His devoted death earned him a place in the realm of Bhagavān Śiva. There he was joined again with Kalā, his devoted wife.

Sources

• Padma Mahā Purāṇa, Pātāla Khaṇḍa, Chapter 112