41 - The story of king Ananya 

Sri Krishna said- All the gods deliberated on the matter considerably and then arrived at the abode of Brahma. All of them then submitted themselves before the creator of the universe. 

The gods said- О creator of the universe, in your universe, Himalaya happens to be the abode of the gems and diamonds. In case he attains moksha then the title of the earth as Ratnagarbha (having gems in her womb) would become infructuous. Himalaya, after giving away his daughter in marriage to Shiva the holder of the trident with devotion sure to achieve the Sarupya moksha of Narayana. There is no doubt about it. 

О lord, therefore you go to the abode of Himalaya and denuding Shiva pollute his mind.  No one else except you can perform this task.

On hearing the words of the gods, Brahma himself spoke out the words which were sweet like nectar for the ears and were the best in polity. 

Brahma said- О my children, I am unable to denounce Shiva which is extremely difficult and results in the destruction of all the riches and could create all round miseries. 

You send Bhutanatha to him with the player that he should denounce himself in the abode of Himalaya. By denouncing others, one earns destruction and by denouncing himself one earns great glory. 

О dear, on hearing the words of Brahma all the gods left his place after offering their salutations to him. They then reached Kailasa and they started praising him. 

Thereafter, the gods told everything to Shiva the ocean of mercy, hearing which he laughed aloud. He assured the gods and reached the abode of Himalaya himself. All the gods felt immensely delighted at this and reaching their own abodes they started rejoicing there because the success in one's mission is always delightful and getting unsuccessful in one's mission is always painful. 

Himalaya the king of mountains was seated in his court surrounded by his wife and Parvati. 

In the meantime, Shiva himself arrived there suddenly in the form of a Brahmana. His face and eyes were delightful and he was holding a staff and a chakra. in his hands. He was clad in a long costume and his forehead was plastered with the best of tilakam. He holds a rosary of crystal beads in his hand and an image of Salagrama was hanging around him neck. 

Finding him there, Himalaya got up with his attendants and with his mind filled with devotion, he bowed in reverence to him, welcoming him at the same time. He then prostrated on the ground and finding the lord of her life in the form of a Brahmana, Parvati also offered her salutation to him. The Brahmana lovingly bless everyone and occupied the seat offered by the king of mountains and was seated in Sukhasana. He accepted madhuparka and other eatables offered by the king of the mountains.

Himavan asked the Brahmana about his welfare saying, "You kindly let me know your introduction". On hearing this the Brahmana spoke to the king of the mountains everything respectfully.

Brahmana said- I roam over the universe and perform the marriage of the boys and girls. My mind is very sharp. With the boon of my feet I can reach everywhere and I know everything. 

I have come to know that you intend to marry your daughter who is like Lakshmi to Shiva, whose family or caste is unknown. 

He knows about and is deprived of beauty and the companion. He is without qualities and resides in the cremation grounds. He is lord of all the Bhutas (goblins), he always remains without robes and the serpents are coiled around his body. He applies ashes on his body and roams about like a snake charmer. He is the destroyer of Kala, who has overcome death. He is without wisdom and an orphan having no relatives in the universe. He has matted locks of hair having the completion of molten gold. He is a pauper and his age is unknown being pretty old, without blemish and the refuge of everyone. He always remains wandering adorning his body with the ornaments of serpents. 

This is his only introduction and you are going to marry your daughter to such a person.  Narayana is the best among the intellectuals and belongs to the noble race. You better understand his importance. He is the only suitable person to whom Parvati should be given in marriage by you. 

The people will laugh at the news that Parvati was going to marry Shiva. You are the lord of lakhs of the mountains but Shiva does not have a single relative for himself. Therefore, you consult all your relatives and your wife Mena about this. О friend, I shall speak only this that you should consult everyone on the subject but do not consult Parvati about it. 

Because an ailing person does not like the medicine, he only intends to indulge in eating according to his will. Thus, speaking the Brahmana delightfully took his bath and food with Himalaya and left the place peacefully. О Radha, you enjoy the love-sport in Vrundavana.  On hearing the words of Brahmana, was filled with agony. Her eyes were filled with tears and she said to Himalaya. 

Menakaa said- О lord of the mountains, you listen to my words which would be beneficial at the end. You consult all the best of the mountains. I shall never give away my daughter in marriage to Shiva. 

Look here I shall discard everything and can consumption also and can also live in a dense forest binding Parvati around my neck.

Thus, speaking Mena holding the hand of Parvati went to the chamber in anger. She discarding food started crying and slept on the floor.

In the meantime, Vasistha accompanied with his brothers and Arundhati arrived there. 

Himavan after offering his salutation to them gave them golden seats and adored them making sixteen types of offering. 

All the sages were comfortably seated in the assembly and Arundhati went to the place where Parvati and Mena were lodged.

Reaching there she found that Mena was drowned on the ocean of grief lying on the ground. The chaste Arundhati than spoke sweet words to Mena which were also beneficial to her. 

Arundhati said- О chaste lady, Mena get up. I am Arundhati who has arrived in your home. I happen to be the mind born daughter of the manes. You consider myself to be the daughter-in-law of Brahma.

On hearing the words of Arundhati, Mena at once got up and she bowed in reverence to Arundhati who was having the divine lustre. 

Menaka said- what is the great merit that has emerged today as a result of which the daughter in-law of Brahma has arrived in my abode who happens to be the wife of Vasistha. 

О goddess, I am your slave-girl. You treat this house as your home. Because of our great merit we have been fortunate enough to meet the goddess of the Universe. She spoke this quickly. Thereafter she offered to the chaste lady, the padya and arghya, also gave her the golden seat over which she was seated. She was served the sweet food and thereafter she also tools the food with her daughter. 

Arundhati then tried to convince Mena about the qualities of Shiva and also insisted that the marriage should be performed. 

On the other hand, the sages also spoke to Himavan with the best of the words which were quite appropriate, beneficial and pleasing about the marriage of Shiva and Parvati. 

The sages said- О lord of the mountains listen to our beneficial words, you give away in marriage your daughter Parvati to Shiva and become the father-in-law of the destroyer of all. 

You should try to convince Shiva making considerable efforts and starts preparation for the marriage. Soon the doubt about the performing of marriage with Shiva and Parvati would be removed. 

Shiva the lord of the yogis would never be desirous of the marriage, he would accept your daughter in marriage only at the request of Brahmanas. After the completion, of the tapas of your daughter, he had given such a promise.  Because of this, Shiva the lord of the yogis would surely accept the proposal of the marriage. At this word of the sages, Himalaya smiled and feeling panicky he humbly spoke to them. 

Himalaya said- Shiva does not possess any riches like a king nor does he have any source of pleasure. He has no house no riches and no relatives. 

He is a pauper and remain uninvolved and giving away the daughter to an ascetic like him would not be proper. You people are the sons of Brahma therefore you be graceful to tender me some sane and definite advice. 

In case a father because of passion, greed, danger and love gives away in marriage his daughter to an unsuitable person, he has to fall in the hell for long. Therefore, I shall not give away my daughter in marriage to Shiva of my own sweet will О sages, you move according to the best possible way. 

On listening to the words of Himavan, the sage Vasistha who was well-versed in the Vedas and post-Vedic literature spoke to Himavan the words which were completely according to the provision of the Vedas. 

Vasistha said- О lord of the mountains there are three types of words defined in the Vedas, the person who is well-versed in the scriptures is fully aware of the truth, by his divine sight. 

The first category of words is those which should be pleasing to all the ears and could be understood quickly. But later on, could be false and are found to be harmful. Such words are spoken only by enemies and they do not bestow welfare at all. 

The second type of words are those which appeared to be painful in the beginning but they result in delight. Such words are spoken by highly religious people who are quite compassionate. Such words are spoken only to one’s close relatives and brothers. 

The third type of words are those which serve like nectar in the ears as soon as one hears them and they look quite sweet. Such words are pleasant for all times, such words are truthful, beneficial, the best and desired by all. 

О lord of the mountains thus three types of words have been described in the scriptures, which one of the words of these three categorise desired by you. I would like to speak about the same. 

О lord of the mountains, lord Shiva is free from the outward show because his mind is always engrossed in the ocean of the tattvas. 

The wealth and the riches are by nature unstable and perishable like the lightening, therefore there would be no desire with Shiva who is blissful and remains engrossed in his own soul. 

The householder gives away his daughter in marriage to a wealthy person. A father who gives away his daughter in marriage to a person who is envious of the ladies, he is termed as the killer of the daughter. 

who says that Shiva is a pauper or is filled with grief the one who has the attendants like Kubera and the one with whose simple frowning the universe could be created or destroyed?

the same lord who is devoid of gunas is the eternal soul, the lord of all, beyond Prakruti is uninvolved and pervades in all the creatures. 

He is not alone in the act of the destruction of the universe. He can also create the universe; he is formless as well as with form. He pervades everywhere, he is the one who moves at will. 

Taking to the Trimurti form merging in him Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva at one place, in one form, he performs the task of creation, preservation and destruction of the universe.  Brahma resides in the Brahmaloka, Vishnu resides in the ocean of the milk and Shiva has Kailasa as his abode. All the three are the vibhutis of lord Krishna. 

Lord Krishna has two forms, the first one has two arms and the second one has four arms. In his four-armed form, he resides in Vaikuntha and in his two-armed form he resides in Goloka. 

Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are the amshas of Krishna. Same of the gods happen to be his rays and while the other is only the part of his rays.

It is lord Krishna who had created Prakruti with the sole purpose of the creation of the universe and for the purpose of creation, the seed was implanted in her womb. 

Out of that womb an egg was born, out of which Mahavirat appeared. He is also known as Mahavishnu who happens to be the sixteenth Goloka of Sri Krishna. 

The four faced Brahma emerged out of the navel of Mahavishnu who was reclining on the serpent bed in the ocean. Lord Shiva appeared from the forehead of Brahma. 

Vishnu appeared from the left side of Mahavishnu. О king of the mountains, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are all the forms of Prakrutika.  

Prakruti was born out of Sri Krishna taking herself to four forms. For performing in the universe play fully they took to many forms by their rays and amshas. 

Raseshvari Radha appeared from the left side of Sri Krishna and from her mouth Sarasvati, the goddess of all the Ragas emerged. Lakshmi representing all the riches emerged from her breasts. She displayed her Shiva form with the lustre of all the gods for the killing of the demon.  Thereafter, she bestowed the Rajalakshmi on the gods. After the change of kalpa, she was born out of the womb of the wife of Daksha and was known by the name of Sati who married to Shiva.  Daksha himself gave her away in marriage but listening to the denouncement of her husband, Sati ended her life.  

Your wife Mena happens to be the mind-born daughter of the manes. Jagadambika was born out of the womb of Mena, О lord of the mountains, Shiva happens to be the wife of Shiva in all the kalpas. She represents the wisdom of the best of the intellectuals.  

She bestows success and is all Knowledgeable. She remembers the events of all her previous births, Shiva adorns himself with the garland of her bones and applies the ashes of her fire, on his body.

О form of welfare, you give away your daughter willingly to Shiva. Otherwise she is sure to proceed to the abode of her lord and you will keep on watching the sight. 

Whichever husband, a woman had in her previous birth, the same husband is achieved by her in the present birth. No one can change this order of Brahma. 

Shiva is well-aware of tattvas who moves in his own way therefore he is not quite anxious for the marriage. All the gods who were terrified by Tarakasura prayed to Shiva. Realising the pain of the gods, Brahma prayed to Shiva. The compassionate Shiva agreed to have her gracefully as his wife. 

Promising to marry her. Shiva the lord of the yogis himself witnessed the severe, tapas performed by your daughter and he himself went there in the form of a Brahmana boy. He assured her and also granted a born to her and thereafter he left for the place. On hearing the news, the gods like Indra and others were filled with delight. 

Thereafter lord Narayana, Brahma, Dharma and all the gods, Sages, Gandharvas, Yaksas and Raksasas met at a particular place and all of them discussed on the subject. All of them had speedily sent me here. The goddess Arundhati had already performed his job. 

I feel delighted in talking to you, Shiva who is bestower of pleasure in all the time proposed to be marriage in your presence. 

О lord of the mountains in case you do not give away Parvati in marriage to Shiva willingly than the marriage would be performed as the move of destiny. 

Lord Shiva would be mounted over she chariots studded with best of gems. He is the best of the yogis the teacher of the intellectuals free from the beginning, middle or end is without blemish and is without birth. Accompanied by Narayana the best of the gods he would arrive here, the same Shiva has already granted a boon to Parvati, while she was performing tapas. The infallible words of the lord cannot be otherwise. 

Everything right from Brahma to the blade of grass is perishable and unstable but the words of infallible ascetics cannot be otherwise.

All the wings of the mountains were cut off by Indra in a moment playfully; playing with the wind the peaks of mountains were shattered.

Therefore, О Himalaya, which one of the mountains with you is competent enough to wage a war against the gods. With the force of the wind all the mountains will fall into the ocean in no time. 

О king of the mountains, in case by giving away one thing, one can save the destruction of others, one should protect the rest by giving away one. This rule is not applicable for the one who comes to take refuge with you. 

It would be quite appropriate to give away even the life for the protection of the one who has taken refuge. Then what to speak of the son, the wife and riches besides other things? This has been ordained by people who are well-versed in the scriptures. 

The king Anaranya was freed from the curse of a Brahmana by giving away his daughter to him in marriage by doing this, he was able to protect all his riches. 

He was well-wishers of Brahmanas but facing the curse from them, Anaranya was advised by those well-versed in the scriptures is duty at that time. By following the same he was freed from the danger. 

О lord of the mountains, similarly you also save all your relatives and friends by giving away your daughter to Shiva and get control on the gods.

On hearing the words of Vasistha, Himalaya, the king of the mountains laughed aloud and with a painful heart he enquired about the story of Anaranya. 

Himalaya said- О Brahmana, in which race was the king Anaranya born and how did he get himself relieved of the danger by giving away his daughter to the Brahmana and saved all his fortunes. 

Vasistha said- The king Anaranya was born in the race of Manu. He had long life, was quite a religious one, was a Vaishnava and had controlled all his senses. 

The name of the Manu happens to be Svayambhuva who had been the son of Brahma and was quite a religiously minded king. He ruled quite religiously by the period of seventy-one yugas. 

Thereafter he went to Vaikuntha with his daughter named Satarupa. There he achieved the slave hood of Hari and became his attendant.

О lord of the mountain, thereafter the great Svarocis Manu was there. Thereafter Uttama Manu appeared.

Thereafter the Tamas Manu who was the form of Dharma appeared and he was succeeded by Raivata Manu. 

Thereafter the sixth one was Chaksusa the seventh was Shraddhadeva and the eighth one was the great Savarani who was the son of Surya, who had in earlier birth born as the king Suratha in the family of Chaitra. The ninth Manu was Daksha Savarnai and the tenth was Brahma Savarani. The eleventh one was Dharma Savarani and the twelfth was Rudra Savarani who happened to be a great devotee of Vishnu and had controlled all his senses. 

Thereafter, Deva Savarani was born and after him the fourteenth the Manu was Indra Savarani.  О brother, thus I have narrated to you the names of all the fourteenth Manush, after the passing of whom a day of Brahma is counted. Now you listen to the story of Indra Savarani. 

Indra Savarani happened to be the best of the Manush, was quite a religious one and was a great devotee of Vishnu the holder of Gada. He ruled the earth for a period of seventy-one yugas quite religiously. Thereafter, entrusting the care of his kingdom to Surendra his son he himself went to die forest for tapas. Surendra had a valorous son named Sriniketu who had a son named Purishataru who was a great yogi. Purishataru had an illustrious son known by the name of Gokamukha. 

He had a son named Vruddhashrava and  Vruddhashrava had a son named Bhanu, Bhanu had  a son named Pundrika, while Pundrika had the  son named Jihvala, Jihvala had the son named  Srungi and Srungi had the son named Bhima,  Bhima had a son named Yashaschandra, who with  his glory conquered even the glory of moon.

His spotless glory was always recited by the gods and the sages. He had a son named Varenya. Varenya had the son named Puraranya who had a son named Dhararanya who was a quite a religious one. He had son named Mangalaranya who was a great ascetic and a great intellectual. 

Mangalaranya, the best of the kings was issueless. He, therefore, performed great tapas in Pushkara region. He performed tapas for a long time and then achieved a boon, as a result of which he was bestowed with a son, who had controlled all his desires and was known by the name of Anaranya he entrusting the kingship to his son went to the forest for performing tapas. 

Anaranya the best of the king ruled the seven continents and he appointed Bhrgu as his family priest and performed a hundred yajnas.

The king who was full of wisdom did not accept the position of Indra taking it to be quite perishable. He actually conquered Bali and Indra quite playfully. 

With the great luster he possessed the king of demons was also defeated. О Himalaya the king had a hundred sons and a beautiful daughter named Padma who resembled Lakshmi in beauty.  Remaining in the house of her father she became youthful Thereafter the king sent the messengers to all sides. Once the great ascetic named Pippalada was anxious to go to his ashrama. In that secluded place he came across to Gandharva who was enjoying the love-sport in the company of the damsels. 

Having been drowned in passion, the Gandharva was intoxicated and lost the sense about the day or the night. The sage witnessing the sight was filled with passion. From that day onwards, he remained upset and started thinking about his marriage. Once the sage Pippalada was moving towards the bank of Pusphabhadra river for taking a bath. He spotted the princess Padma on his way, who was quite youthful and looked like Kamala in beauty. He enquired about her from the people there as to who was she and who was her father. 

The people told him that she happened to be Padma, daughter of Anaranya. Thereafter taking his bath and adoring lord Krishna, the passionate.  Sage went to the palace of Anaranya for receiving charity. Finding the sage there, the king felt panicky and he bowed in reverence to him offering madhuparka and performing puja for him. The sage accepted all his offering delightfully and then demanded the hand of his daughter. 

The king kept quiet. He was unable to speak out anything. The sage again put up his demand, “O king give me the hand of your daughter otherwise I shall reduce all your riches to ashes by pronouncing a curse. At that point of time with the lustre of the sage, all the courtiers of the kings were immensely influenced. Finding the body of the sage badly affected with old age, the king started crying with all his attendants and courtiers. All the queens also started crying. No, one could think as to what could be done in those circumstances. 

The chief queen who happened to be the mother of the daughter got filled with grief and was fainted. Those well-versed in polity and the scriptures advised the king "O king, you have to give away in marriage the girl today or any other day. Do you think it proper to give away your daughter to some-one else besides the ascetic? I do not find anyone more suitable in the three worlds beside this Brahmana who could be given your daughter in marriage, you save all your riches by giving away the daughter to the sage. The entire kingdom would be destroyed for the sake of the princess. 

One should disown everyone else except the one who takes refuge to save everything. The king listened to the intellectuals and while lamenting again and again adorning his daughter with all the ornaments, gave her away in marriage, to the sage. The sage also accompanied with his wife delightfully returned to his abode. 

The king also, with this mind filled with grief, left the kingdom for performing tapas. His beautiful wife getting separated from the daughter and husband ended her life. 

In the absence of the king his sons, grandson and the attendants were fainted. The king Anaranya reciting the name of Sri Krishna went to Goloka after performing tapas. Thereafter the eldest son of the king succeeded him and he treated all the people in his kingdom like his own sons.