6 - The pronouncing of curse by Lakshmi, Sarasvati and Ganga on one another

Narayana said—Sarasvati who always resided with Narayana in Vaikuntha was cursed by Ganga after a quarrel and she descended on the land of Bharata in the form of a ray of Narayana. О sage, the river Sarasvati has been quite meritorious and the creator of merit besides the holy places. The meritorious people who always serve her and the noble souls always reside on her banks.

She appears in the form of tapas for ascetics. In the form of tapas, the sacred river serves as a burning fire wood for the sin of the sinners.

Whosoever takes a bath in the river Sarasvati and the one who meets with his death on her bank goes to Vaikuntha and remains there for along time. 

Therefore, by taking a bath in that sacred river the people are easily relieved of all the sins and they reside in the Vishnuloka for a long time.

The one who playfully has a bath in the river on the fourteenth, full moon or on the third day of the fortnight, in the evenings, during the eclipse and other sacred occasion, he surely proceeds to the Vaikuntha and achieves salvation.

The one who recites the Sarasvati-mantra seated over the bank of the sacred river, he becomes a great poet. There is no doubt it.

By taking bath in the river Sarasvati, daily or the one who has his head shaved there, he never lakes birth again.

Thus I have narrated to you the glory of Sarasvati which bestows welfare and salvation. Now what else do you want to listen from me.

Sauti said—О Saunaka on hearing the words of Narayana, Narada, the best of the sages, then questioned Narayana again and again to remove the doubts of all.

Narada said—Because of the quarrel Ganga cursed Sarasvati and because of that she appeared in the land of Bharata. How did it happen?

 This story is the essence of the Vedas and is like the, nectar, I feel quite anxious to listen about it. Why should it not be like that, because who feels satisfied with the welfare?

How did Ganga pronounce a curse on the sacred Sarasvati? Because Ganga provides merits to the people, is quite peaceful and is the form of sattva.

Therefore, I would like to know the reason of controversy between the two goddesses, which is quite beneficial and can be got from the Puranas with difficulty. You kindly tell me.

Narayana said—О Narada I am going to narrate to you the old story by remembering which a person is relieved of all the sins. Lord Vishnu had three spouses named Ganga, Sarasvati and Lakshmi who always resided with him with love and affection.

Once the desirous Ganga smilingly went to lord Vishnu and was looking at his face with a side glance.

Lord Vishnu also was smiling at heart looking at her face. Finding this Lakshmi did not care but Sarasvati could not tolerate the same.

Finding this, Lakshmi who was the form of sattva tried to conceive Sarasvati with love but her anger could not subside. Her face was burning in anger and the eyes were turning red. Sarasvati was Therefore, trembling with rage and her lower lip was fluttering again and again. She then said to Vishnu, the lord of Ganga.

Sarasvati said—The husband who is the religious minded on treats equally, all his wives and the wicked husband goes in the first opposite direction.

O wielder of the club, О lord, I know that you are more attached to the Ganga, that is why she is more virtuous. You are also attached to Lakshmi equally well. But you are not at all attached to me.

Ganga is also attached to Lakshmi. Because of this she has also forgiven the opposite conduct to the Ganga.

I am the unfortunate lady, Therefore, my living any further on earth would be of no consequence. Because the lady who is deprived of the love of her husband, her life is of no consequence.

Such of the people who consider you to be quite intelligent the lord of all, beside being truthful, those foolish people are unaware of the Vedas nor your intelligence.

O hearing the words of Sarasvati, lord Vishnu felt enraged and he thought is his mind for some time and left the place. 

On the departure of Narayana, Sarasvati the goddess of speech, fearlessly spoke in anger the poisonous words to Ganga, “O shameless and passionate lady, are you proud of your husband? Do you want to listen to the conduct of the husband?

I shall insult you before lord Vishnu today because you are very dear to your husband. I shall see what harm can your husband bring to me.”

Thus speaking Sarasvati attempted to hold the Ganga by her hair but Lakshmi stepped in and stood between both of them preventing Sarasvati to become violent.

Thereafter the enraged Sarasvati pronounced a curse on Lakshmi, “You will take to the form of a tree and a river. There is no doubt about it. 

Because finding me conducting myself in an opposite direction, you stood in the assembly like a tree or a river and spoke nothing.

Inspite of pronouncing a curse by Sarasvati on Kamala, the latter neither cursed him in revenge nor was she enraged. She stood there holding the hand of a Sarasvati with her mind filled with grief.

Having seen stubborn Sarasvati with her face tensed with anger, the Ganga spoke to goddess Lakshmi.

Ganga said—О noble lady, you leave this wicked woman who is filled with anger. What harm can she bring to me. inspite of her being the goddess of speech, she is extremely quarrelling some.

Therefore, let callous to blow the harsh words to the extent she may do it with me.

Let her measure her strength with that of mine. Let all the people witness our strength with that of mine. Let all the people witness our influence and prowess.”

Thus speaking the Ganga pronounced a curse on Sarasvati, “The one who has pronounced a curse on Lakshmi with harsh words will also be turned into the river and should flow on earth near the dwellings of the sinful people. Let her flow there in the Kaliyuga earning for herself the sins of others. There will be no doubt about it.

Thus speaking Sarasvati pronounced a curse the Ganga also, “You will also flow on earth and shall earn the sins of the sinners.”

In the meantime, Vishnu also arrived there with his attendant. Holding Sarasvati with both his hands he embraced her and enlightened her with his divine knowledge.

Lord Vishnu then came to know of the curses pronounced by the ladies on one and other and spoke to them appropriately.

The lord said—0 Lakshmi having a divine figure, you go on earth and out of your rays, you will be born in the house of Dharmadhvaja, as Ayonija. You will, after having been so born, become the wife of Samkhacuda and by the moves of destiny, you will be turned as a tree.

Thereafter you will arrive this place and resume the form of my wife. In the country of Bharata you will be known by the name of Tulasi having the effects of purifying the universe.

О damsel, having the beautiful face, you move at once to Bharata because of the curse of Sarasvati, you turn a ray of yourself into the form of a river and you will be known as Padmavati. О Ganga you will also move on to Bharata because of the curse pronounced on you by Sarasvati and you will remove the sins of the sinful people. You will be turned into a river from one of your rays.

You will have to descent on earth because of the tapas of Bhagiratha and you will be knownas Bhagiratha in the universe. О best of the goddess, the ocean would be born on earth from my rays and the king Shantanu would also be born from my rags and with my permission you be his queen. 

О Bharati, because of the curse pronounced by Ganga you also go and be born on earth and you suffer the pain of quarrelling with co-wives. Thereafter you go to Brahma and be his wife. Ganga thereafter should go to the Shiva and Lakshmi should stay here.

This is because she is peaceful devoid of anger, devoted to me, bears my form, extremely chaste, meritorious, quite humble and is devoted to dharma. All the ladies who are born of her rays on earth would be quite religious, chaste, peaceful and humble.

Because it is against the command of the Vedas to have three wives, three houses, three servants and three brothers. This does not invoke welfare.

The house in which a man conducts like a lady and a lady conducts like a man, their birth is of no consequence and they are known to be inauspicious at every step.

The one whose wife is foolish and speaks harsh words and is wicked besides being quarrelsome, such a person should remain in the dense forest and not in the house.

Because in the forest he would be able to get water, fruits and root quite easily. These fruits and water are always available in the forest quite easily which he cannot get at home.

It is better to jump into the fire flames or to live among the wild animals but it is quite difficult for a man of live with woman who is more troublesome. This is certain.

О beautiful faced one, the flames of a medicine or the flames of the poison are better but the flames emerging out of the mouths of the wicked women are worse than death.

Such of the people who are subjugated to the harsh treatment by the lady, their life remains of the consequence. Whatever good deeds he performs during the day never gets a reward for them. All the people denounce him on earth and after his death he goes to the hell. Therefore, such a person is devoid of glory and popularity. He becomes like dead while still living.

It is not proper to lodge to the all co-wives at one at the same place and it is better to be the husband only of one wife which is more pleasant. This type of pleasure one can never get after becoming husband of many wives.

Therefore, О Ganga you go to lord Shiva and О Sarasvati you go to Brahma. Only the virtuous Lakshmi should stay with me.

Because the one who has the wife with simple nature, quite humble and chaste, he gets all the pleasures of the heaven on earth.

The one whose wife is a chaste, he gets free from all the troubles, becomes purified and delightful. The husband of an unchaste women is like the dead while still living and becomes impure and has a painful mind.

О Narada thus speaking, the lord of the universe kept quiet. Thereafter all the ladies holding each other started crying aloud. 

Thereafter trembling with tears flowing from their eyes, filled with grief, they all started praying to lord Vishnu.

Sarasvati said—О lord, you kindly tell me the ways and means to purify a wicked lady like me because how can a lady remain alive after having been disowned by his virtuous husband?

Therefore, I shall put an end to my body in Bharata by resorting to yogic practices because after having reached such tremendous height the down fall is sure to come.

Ganga said—О lord of the universe, what is the reason for your disowning me? I shall also put an end to my life which will earn you the sin of the killing of a sinless person.

Because the people on earth who disown their sinless wives have to remain in the hell for a kalpa whether they be the person like you.

Lakshmi said—О lord you are truthful by nature and posses the sattva form. It is quite surprising that you have been enraged. You be pleased with us because a husband of good nature forgives his wife. This is of immense virtues.

In case I descend on earth under the curse of Sarasvati, then for how long shall I remain there. After sometime I am sure to come back to you and have a glance at your lotus-like feet. The sinful people taking bath in my water would be relieved of their sins. By accepting their sins how shall I be freed from them and how shall I be able to reach here. О infallible one, I shall be born as TulasI the daughter of Dharmadhvaja how shall I be able to adore your feet.

O compassionate one, how by becoming a tree and its goddess, shall I remain on earth. When shall it be possible for you to redeem me, you kindly let me know. If Ganga remains on earth because of the curse of Sarasvati, then when I shall be able to achieve you getting relieved of the cursed.

In case the Ganga shall descend on earth with the curse of Sarasvati then how shall she be able to free from the curse. О lord, you are asking Sarasvati to go to Brahma and Ganga to Shiva, you kindly forgive them.

Thus speaking Lakshmi fell at the feet of lord Vishnu prostrating before him and she started crying washing his feet with her tears and rinsing them with her hair.

The lord who is always compassionate to his devotees and from whose navel the lotus had emerged, embraced Lakshmi and smilingly said.

Narayana said—О best of the goddesses, I accept your words and I shall also maintain my words. I shall also make all the three of you alike. Therefore, you listen to me.

Lakshmi will descend on earth as a river as one of her rays. The rest of her rays should go to Brahma and her complete set of rays should remain with me.

Similarly, the Ganga as a result of the tapas of Bhagiratha should descent on earth in the form of her ray, in order to purify the three worlds and should reside here in complete form with me. 

She will also achieve as her abode, the head of the lord Shiva. Being pure by nature Ganga would also stand for purifying others. О Laksmi, born of lotus, you will also descend on earth as one of your rays and shall be known as the river Padmavati and the plant named Tulasi. 

After completion of five thousand years of Kaliyuga you will be freed from the curse and the form of the rivers and shall return to me. 

О Laksmi the riches are always the cause of misfortune of people on earth, no one on earth can achieve glory without facing misfortunes. 

You will be relieved of the sins when the people who are immensely devoted to you take bath in your waters. 

О beautiful one there innumerable holy places in Bharata. All these places will get sanctified with the truth and the presence of my devotees. О chaste women, the devotees reciting my mantras roam about on earth purifying every place. 

Wherever my devotees stay, wherever they wash their feet those places become the sacred places. 

The people who are condemned for the killing of wives, cows, Brahma and Brahmanas, those who are ungraceful, seek the company of the wives of their Gurus (teacher) they also get purified having an audience with my devotees and by touching them. 

Such of the people who do not performs Ekadasi-vrata, do not perform sandhya, the non believer and the killers of humans also get purified with an audience of my devotees. The one who earns his living with the sale of weapons, those who maintain accounts, the messengers, those who adore Shudras and the Brahmanas resorting to ploughing the fields by yoking the bullocks also get purified at the sight of my devotees. 

The one who betrays is a killer of the friend, one who provides the false evident, one who misappropriates others trusts also gets purified with the touch and the audience of my devotees. The debtor, the money-lender, the illegitimate son, wicked women, the husband of a wicked women and her son also get purified by looking and touching my devotees. 

The store-keeper of the Shudras, the priest of the temple, one who performs yajna's in village after village, the one who is devoid of diksha are also purified at the sight and touch of my devotees. 

The one who cuts-off the Ashvattha tree, the one who denounces my devotees, one who enjoys food without invitations also gets purified with the sight of my devotee. 

О Narada the one who does not serve his parents, his wife, his brothers, daughter, the teacher, sister, the brother having no issues and the parents-in-law also get purified at the sight and touch of my devotee. 

The one who kidnap the riches of the gods and the Brahmanas and the one who deals in wax, iron, ashes, the one who sells away the daughter and those burning the dead bodies of Shudra also gel purified at the touch and sight of my devotees. 

Laksmi said — О lord, you bestow your grace on your devotees. You Therefore, tell me all about those of your devotees with the touch and sight of whom one gets purified, because those who are devoid of the devotion of Vishnu, the immensely arrogant people, those who are always engaged in self-praise, the wicked, the cheats, the denouncer of the ascetics also gets purified at the sight and touch of the devotees. Even the sacred places are further sanctified wherever they take their bath and the particles of the dust purified the earth. 

Even the gods are always desirous of having a vision and company with Vaishnavas as having a colloquial with them is benevolent for all. 

It is not the holy place where water alone is available, nor is the image of a god made of earth is called the god, because the image gets sanctified because of its adoration for long. In fact, only the devotees of Vishnu should be treated to be true gods because they get purified for serving long to the lord. The tine devotees of Vishnu can purify a person in no time. 

Sauti said — О best of the sages on listening to the words of Mahalaksmi, lord Vishnu smiled and then spoke about the deep tattvas. 

Lord Narayana said —  O Laksmi the signs of fine devotees have been spelt out in the Srutis and the Puranas which are meritorious, remover of sins, bestower of bliss ana the granter of devotion and salvation. 

It is quite secretive because of its being the essence. One should not talk about them to the wicked people. I am speaking this to you because you are like my own life. Therefore, you listen to me. 

The mantra of lord Vishnu after emerging from the mouth of the teacher entered into the ears of someone who is called to be the pure by the Vedas and others scriptures. 

A hundred of his ancestors get purified whether they are in the heaven or hell. They achieve deliverance at once. 

Out of his ancestors if anyone is reborn on earth in any form, he gets benefited by them and achieves salvation, riches the heaven. The one whose mind is engrossed in my devotion, he always performs adoration to me and also praises me in several ways and also remains devoted to me getting engrossed in my meditation. 

On listening to my merits he becomes blissful and emotional, his voice is choked and his eye arc filled with tears and he looses consciousness. He does not desire for the pleasure or the four type of salvation, nor does he long for becoming Brahman or being eternal. He is only desirous of serving me. 

Similarly, the throne of Indra, human beings, godhood and the rule of the heaven are beyond his comprehension. 

The entire globe vanishes, the god like Brahma and others also disappears but the person who is endowed with my grace and devotion is never destroyed. 

Thus having been born on earth in Bharata which is difficult to achieve, these devotees roam about all the directions and purify the sacred places and the earth and ultimately return to my abode. 

О Laksmi, thus I have told you everything now. You do whatever you like best.” Thereafter accepting the command of the lord, all the three of them acted as was desired by lord Vishnu. Thereafter lord Vishnu was seated over his lion throne.