14. HOW LOVE MADE THE WEAVER A GOD

The kingdom Purshotham was a prosperous country in the banks of river Yamuna. The kingdom ruled by King Digvijay from his capital Purunagar always wore a festive look. The artists, traders, craftsmen all made their share of profit from the wealthy fun loving populace of Purunagar and could themselves lead a life of comfort and ease not chased by penury as rest of their brethren in other places.

Their lived in the kingdom Sahu the ace weaver and Kirnal the carpenter . Both blessed with skill and luck made tidy sums with their skilled craftsmanship. Sahu the weaver made gold laced brocaded silks with fine motifs entwined and weaved in fabrics the like of which was difficult to be duplicated by other weavers. His cloth was sought after by the finest of the gentry at premium prices. Kirnal made well-crafted sculptured wooden furniture each unique in style and workmanship. He had the acumen to select the best of seasoned wood supple yet firm hardened in the sap itself by Mother Nature with years of curing by sun, wind and water. Furniture made by such wood stood the test of time and became priced possession of families. Some of the woods like rose wood, teak selected by the gifted craftsman emitted their pleasant aroma and brought good luck to the owners. The heavy doors, window frames with intricate wooden carvings were greatly sought after by the customers. The wood used to take a magical property in his gifted hands. Again Kirnal too earned a tidy sum from his carpentry and lived a life of wealth and comfort.

Both friends, fond of good life with their artistic temperament, enjoyed a regular evening life in the wealthy city of Purunagar. The city used to be celebrating many festivals round the year. Our friends always came out and enjoyed the festivity especially the many gaily colored damsels attracted the two youngsters. They loved to look at the faces of beautiful girls.

The king Digvijay himself had the most beautiful girl of the city as his daughter princess `Swarna kumari’. True to her name she shone like a special golden doll. Her fair rose skin with chiseled features emitted such divine ethereal glow that people stood rooted spellbound seeing her enchanting beauty. Her long jet-black tresses almost reached till her ankle. Curves of her bosom in her lithe body caused a deathly attraction to the person who had the good fortune to once glimpse her. Our friend had his opportunity to see the living epitome of such beauty during the Dassehra festival when princess Swarna kumari was in her palanquin deftly carried around by the pole bearers while she was overseeing the festivity from the laced windows of her palanquin. The weaver Sahu seeing her had reaction as though he was struck by a bolt; he felt he is seeing a vison from the realms of heaven. He had further good fortune to see her all the nine days of the Dassehra as the princess made it a point to come out every evening to see the festivity. By then Sahu gave his heart completely to the princess. Day and night he could think nothing but the Princess Swarna Kumari and her fair lustrous dimpled face, the lotus eyes framed with long eyelashes and rose red lips speaking to him volumes of love tales. At the end of the Dassehra festival when he could no more see her he became love lorn and literally sick thinking about the princess whom he knew was beyond his reach.

When Kirnal came in search of his friend Sahu for another evening outing he found his friend in great distress and love sick prattling the song as thus:

If fate has willed
That I should die.
Are there no means?
Except that charming eye?
All moods of minds, the Buddha said.
Are fleeting: he was wrong:
My thinking on my beloved
Is very very long

Seeing his friend thus Kirnal asked `My dear friend Sahu what makes you so sick and forlorn, do share your distress with me as you would do your mirth. As a friend I would like to share both your woe and good tidings equally. Do unburden yourself to me’

Sahu finding his dear friend’s sympathetic ear poured out his woes, ` Friend, I am smitten by Lord Kama. Ever since I laid my eyes on the nubile frame of princess Swarna Kumari, I am unable to eat, sleep or work like before. I can only think of the princess but nothing else. But I am afraid I am going through a futile path for I can never think of holding her hands with our parried stations in life, I am only a weaver while she is born in a royal lineage as princess. I am hoping let the land swallow me, the sea drown me, the cyclone swirl me out so that I need not live a life with my heart bleeding for the dear one’.

Hearing his heart torn cries of his friend, Kirnal told ` I can’t bear to see you like this. I will find a way out for you very soon. Rest for the night in peace. I will come and meet you tomorrow.’

As promised Kirnal came the next day with a gift for his friend. A mechanical toy, a huge one shaped in the form of `Garuda’, the bird eagle, the chariot of Lord Vishnu.

`My friend, I had put all my wits and made this Garuda fitted with a flying mechanism. You can sit on this and pull out this plug and wish the place to fly. The Garuda will take you their like the real Lord Vishnu’s `Vahanam’ and once you put the plug on, it will land on the desired place. This precious piece of work is my gift for you my bosom friend.’ told Kirnal.

The weavers’ eyes shone with hope. He thanked profusely his friend.

That night Sahu, the weaver put on the finest of garments weaved by him, decorated himself with pearl, necklaces and garlands. Wore a `Mukud’ studded with pearls and stones. He than sat on the `Garud’ and removed the plug and commanded the bird to fly east towards the palace. The city had become quite by then and with out being noticed he landed on the roof of the palace just above princess’ room.

The princess who was reclining in her bed did see from her window the sight of a person riding in Garuda and landing on the palace terrace. `Oh! Does he not look like a prince from the heaven? So thinking she rushed to the terrace.

Seeing the princess looking at him spell bound, Sahu, the weaver told `Don’t worry princess, I am none other than Lord Vishnu from `Devlok’. You were my wife Lordess Lakshmi. Due to some curse you are born in this earth. I am here to claim you and make you my wife. Let us do gandhrva marriage. We can then be husband and wife in this life too.’
Hearing this tale the princess had no reason not to believe it. She at once felt she is none other than goddess Lakshmi and the one who has come to meet her in Garuda is Lord Vishnu. She succumbed to his charms and was ready for the marriage and become his wife.
Thus married, the weaver Sahu started coming every night to spend time with the princess in sweet wedlock.

As the days went the news spread to the guards and the servants and the king Digvijay also came to know of the going on in his daughters life. However coming to know the groom is none other than Lord Vishnu, the king had no objections. He felt he was blessed to have the Lord seeking hands of his dear daughter.

As days went by suddenly calamity struck the prosperous kingdom Purshotham. The neighboring king Shamir shanu developed designs to annex the wealthy kingdom with his mighty army. As the word reached the king Digvijay, he thought he must seek the help of Lord Vishnu, his own son in law. He knew well about the valor of Lord Vishnu and his famous `Sudharshana Chakra’ that has the power to destroy mightiest of the armies and behead any opponent. He told his dear daughter to seek the help of her Lord, the Lord Vishnu in saving them and their kingdom.

She broached the subject the same night and told `My Lord, our safe days seem to be over. We are in danger of being attacked by the king Shamir Shanu. Lord you the protector of everyone, you must save us from this predicament’

Hearing this the weaver Sahu feigning as Lord Vishnu shivered in his apparels. However he put on a bold face and told `Don’t worry my beloved. I will save you and the kingdom for sure’. While he thought in his mind say even if I have die in the battle I will, as it will only be for my beloved.

While this earthly drama was unfolding in heavens the real Garuda went to Lord Vishnu and told

`Lord, I had been witnessing of late the happening on earth. I found a weaver, to get the hands of his beloved has feigned as Lord Vishnu and he is truly believed to be so. Now the time of test has come. As he is expected to save the people and the kingdom. If he fails people are sure to think as you Lord has failed and will tend to loose the faith in you, who is really supreme and almighty. What pray can we do in this juncture ‘

Vishnu the Lord who is all supreme and as well benevolent and forgiving told `Yes Garuda, it had come to my attention too how my own one little `Bakth’ had been playing a prank to win the hands of his beloved. I think we can help him at this hour of peril’
`For some time I will enter the soul of the weaver and transform him to Lord Vishnu while you enter the soul of the bird Garuda and become the real Garuda’ told the Lord.

In earth at the kingdom Purshotham the impending war cries were filling the air. The citizens were getting struck with fear. A fiat had been issued form the palace not to panic but to reach the nearby Vishnu temples and offer prayer to Lord Vishnu. He will save the kingdom from any danger. The temples and the city was ringing with prayer bells and people in hundreds offering prayers to Lord Vishnu to come and save them.

Soon the time came when the neighboring king was on the march with his mighty army of elephants, horses and foot soldiers on the beat. War drums started to be beat filling the city with virtual terror. Digvijay’s army was in all readiness to face the enemy.

The weaver now Lord Vishnu climbed on his Garuda the real vehicle of the Lord. He went up in the skies and took his conch and blew it. The reverberating sound of Vishnu’s conch had a paralyzing effect. The armies, the elephants, horses all stood still. Even the air stood still. There was no movement anywhere. The Gods in the skies also had gathered to see the Lord in action. Lord Vishnu than took his Sudharshana chakra and hurled it across the sky. Seeing the swirling chakra coming towards them the enemy army swiftly decamped and went running back helter skelter. The king and the commanders who came to fight, leapt from their chariots knelt in front of Lord Vishnu and the Sudharshana Chakra and begged `Pray spare our lives. We did not know it was the mighty Lord himself we are opposing. We pay our respects to this king and his kingdom and are ready to go back immediately.’

Lord Vishnu than recalled his chakra and allowed the army to retreat.

Establishing the supremacy of the lord Vishnu, God retreated and the weaver Sahu took over. Henceforth he was acknowledged as all supreme and he lived happily in the palace marrying his beloved princess Swarna Kumari.

That is why it is said
Not even Buddha sees the end
Of well- devised deceit:
The Weaver, taking Vishnu’s form,
Married the princess sweet.