|
In an earlier life, Shridhara used to be a brahmana named Chandra. And Queen Hemaprabhavati was Chandra’s wife, her name being Shankari. Chandra and Shankari were once travelling somewhere and they passed a small boy drowning in a pond. Since they were in a hurry, they did not stop to rescue the boy.
“It is because of this sin that you do not have a son,” said Vedavyasa.
“Can nothing be done about this?” asked the king.
“Donate pumpkins and clothing to brahmanas,” said Vedavyasa. “Give them gold and cows. Listen to recitals of the Puranas. I am certain that you will then have a son.”
Shridhara and Hemaprabhavati followed the sage’s advice. They had a handsome son. The act of donation never goes unrewarded.
Lilavati
A vrata (religious rite) observed on the birthday of Radha is sacred.
(The story of Radha and Krishna forms and integral part of Hindu folklore. Radha does not however figure in too many of the mahapuranas. Some mention of her can be found in the Padma Purana and there are more detailed accounts in the Brahmavaivarta Purana. Goloka or Vishnuloka is regarded as the heavenly abode of Vishnu (Krishna). The story is that, in Goloka, Radha emerged from the left side of Krishna’s body. She is a goddess associated with Krishna and is always seated to Krishna’s right in Goloka. When Krishna was born on earth, Radha was also born as the daughter of Vrishabhanu and his wife Kalavati. Radha was subsequently married to Ayana Ghosha.)
Many years ago, there was a woman named Lilavati. She was evil and never paid any attention to performing good deeds. This woman once happened to come upon a temple where various devotees were performing a vrata known as radhashtami. Flowers, clothing, incense and food were being offered to an image of Radha. Some devotees were singing, others were dancing, and still others were chanting incantations.
“What are you people doing?” asked Lilavati.
“Radha was born in the month of Bhadra, during shuklapaksha and on ashtami tithi,” replied the devotees. “Today is that day we are observing a vrata so that our sins may be pardoned.”
(Shuklapaksha is that lunar fortnight during which the moon waxes. A tithi is a lunar day and ashtami is the eighth lunar day.)
“I, too, will observe the vrata,” responded Lilavati.
|
|