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--- sambhatter <sambhatter@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> adiyen ramanuja dasan,
> 
> I have read one article about salakramam story in
> kumudam weekly 3 
> weeks ago. It says that, to demolish one asura,
> narayana to remove 
> his wife's pathnithvam change himself as asura and
> lived with her.  
> After she knows that she curses the Narayana to
> become stone. that is 
> why narayana become saligrama.
> 
> I cannot digest that one?  Is it true?  Please
> clarify.
Chapter One 

THE APPEARANCE OF TULASI DEVI 

Narada Muni asked Lord Narayana, "O Bhagavan! How did
the pure, chaste Tulasi Devi become Your wife? Where
was she born? Who was she in her previous birth? What
family did she come from? And what austerities did she
perform to get You as her husband--You, who are above
the material energy, not subject to change, the Cosmic
Self, the Supreme God, the Lord of all, omniscient,
the cause of all, omnipresent, container and preserver
of all. And how did Tulasi Devi, Your chief goddess,
become a tree? O You who resolve all doubts, my mind
is curious to know all about these points; therefore,
it compels me to ask you these questions. Kindly
remove these doubts from my mind." 

Lord Narayana then related the following account... 

Manu Daksa Savarni was a partial expansion of Lord
Visnu. He was extremely virtuous, devoted to the Lord,
and very famous for his good deeds. Daksa Savarni's
son, Dharma Savarni, was also extremely virtuous.
Dharma Savarni's pious son was called Visnu Savarni,
and his son, who was a great Vaisnava, was known as
Raja Savarni. 
However, Raja Savarni's son, Vrisadhvaja, was
fanatically devoted to Lord Siva. Lord Siva lived in
Vrisadhvaja's house for three celestial yugas (ages)
and loved him more than his own sons. Vrisadhvaja did
not revere Lord Narayana, Goddess Laksmi or any of the
demigods. He abolished the worship of Laksmi in the
month of Bhadra (Aug., Sept.) and the worship of
Saraswati in the month of Magha (Jan., Feb.). He did
not participate in the sacrifice and worship performed
out of respect for Lord Visnu (Narayana) and
criticised them rather severely. 
The demigods did not curse him because they feared
Lord Siva. However, Surya, the sun god, no longer able
to restrain his wrath, cursed him: "O King, just as
you are completely devoted to Lord Siva and only to
Lord Siva, and just as you do not recognise any of the
other demigods, I declare that you will now lose your
wealth and prosperity!" 
When Lord Siva heard this curse, he became angry.
Seizing his trident, he ran after Lord Surya. Afraid,
the sun god went with his father, Kasyapa Muni, to
Brahmaloka, the highest material planet, to take
shelter of Lord Brahma. But Lord Siva pursued him
there. Lord Brahma, also afraid of Lord Siva, took
Lord Surya and Kasyapa Muni to the region of
Vaikuntha, the spiritual or eternal world. There, with
throats parched due to anxiety, they took refuge of
Lord Narayana, the Lord of all. They offered
obeisances to Him and praised Him repeatedly and
finally explained why they were so apprehensive. Lord
Narayana bestowed His mercy on them and granted them
the power to be fearless. He said, "O fearful ones, be
consoled. How can you be afraid of anyone while I am
here? If anyone  remembers Me when he is in danger,
wherever he may be, I hurry to him with my Sudarsan
disc in my hand and save him. O demigods! I am always
the creator, preserver and destroyer of this universe.
In the form of Visnu, I am the preserver; in the form
of Brahma, the creator; and in the form of Siva, the
destroyer. I am Siva, I am you, and I am Surya. I
assume numerous forms and preserve the universe. So go
back to your respective places. You have nothing to be
afraid of. All will be well. 
"From this day on, you have nothing to fear from Lord
Siva. He is the shelter of the pious, is easily
pleased, is the servant and lord of his devotees, and
is great minded.  Lord Siva and the Sudarsana cakra
are dearer to Me than My life. In the world of valour,
they excel all. Lord Siva can easily create ten
million Suryas and ten million Brahmas. For him,
nothing is impossible. He is not conscious of the
external world. Meditating on Me, his heart centred,
he is absorbed day and night. From his five faces he
repeats My mantra with devotion, and he always sings
My glories. Day and night, I also always think of his
welfare. To whatever degree one worships Me, to that
degree I favor one. The nature of Siva is
all-auspiciousness." While Lord Narayana was speaking,
Lord Siva arrived. His eyes red, and he was sitting on
his bull carrier holding his trident. He dismounted
quickly and humbly offered obeisances with devotion to
the Lord of Laksmi, the tranquil Supreme Being. 
Lord Narayana, Visnu, was sitting on His jewel-studded
throne. He was decorated with a crown, earrings, and a
garland, and was holding His disc. His form was
extremely beautiful, and His complexion like a fresh
blue rain cloud. Each of His attendants had four arms
and was fanning Him with four hands. His body was
anointed with sandal paste and He was wearing a yellow
garment. Lord Visnu, who shows kindness to His
devotees, was chewing betel nut that had been offered
to Him by His wife Laksmi. Smiling, He was watching
and listening to the dancing and singing of the
Vidyadharis. 
After Lord Siva bowed down to Lord Narayana, he bowed
to Lord Brahma. Lord Surya and Kasyapa Muni
respectfully saluted Lord Siva. Then Lord Siva
worshiped Lord Visnu, the Lord of all, and seated
himself on a throne. The attendants of Lord Narayana
began to fan Lord Siva with white whisks to relieve
him of the fatigue of his journey. Lord Siva, because
of being in contact with Lord Visnu's virtues, then
assumed a cheerful disposition and adored the Eternal
Being with his five mouths. 
Lord Narayana was highly gratified. With sweet,
nectarean words, He said, "O Lord Siva, you are the
symbol of all good and welfare. Thus, to ask about
your welfare would be foolish. I would ask you only
out of respect for the rules of society and the method
prescribed in the Vedas. One who yields fruits of
devotion and gives all prosperity should not be asked
about his austerities or material prosperity. Since
you preside over knowledge, it would be useless to ask
if you are increasing in knowledge. It would be
equally useless to ask a conqueror of death if he is
free from all danger. But you have come to my
residence for a reason. What is it? Have you become
angry over something?" 
"O Lord Visnu!," Lord Siva began. "King Vrisadhvaja is
my great devotee. Lord Surya has cursed him and that
has made me angry. Out of affection for my son, the
king, I was about to kill Surya. But Surya sought
shelter of Lord Brahma, and now both of them have
sought Your protection. Those who are distressed and
take shelter of You, either by speaking about You or
by remembering You, become completely safe and free
from danger. They overcome death and old age. What to
speak of those who come personally to You and take
shelter. When one remembers You, his dangers
disappear. All good comes to him. O Lord of the world!
What will become of my foolish devotee who, by the
curse of Lord Surya, has lost his fortune and
prosperity?" Lord Visnu replied, "O Lord Siva! A half
hour has elapsed here in Vaikuntha. In that time,
twenty-one celestial yugas have passed away.
Therefore, King Vrisadhvaja, through the revolution of
irresistible and dreadful time, is dead. His son,
Hamsadhvaja, in the course of time, also died.
Hamsadhvaja begot two noble sons named Dharmadhvaja
and Kusadhvaja. They are both great Vaisnavas but,
because of Lord Surya's curse, they have become
luckless. They lost their kingdoms, including all
property and prosperity. But they are now engaged in
worshiping Goddess Laksmi, who is pleased with their
efforts. Therefore, She has agreed to descend to Earth
and expand Herself partially by taking birth from the
wives of those two kings. Then, by the favor of
Goddess Laksmi, Dharmadhvaja and Kusadhvaja will
become prosperous, mighty kings. O Lord Siva! Your
devotee Vrisadhvaja is dead, so return to your abode.
O Lord Brahma, Lord Surya and Kasyapa Muni--you also
should return your realms." 
Bhagavan Visnu then went with His wife to the inner
apartments. The demigods went cheerfully to their own
abodes, Lord Siva continuing his practice of
austerity. 
Dharmadhvaja and Kusadhvaja performed harsh asceticism
and worshiped Goddess Laksmi. Thereafter, they
separately obtained the blessings they desired. By
Goddess Laksmi's favor, they again became the rulers
of the earth. They acquired great spiritual merits,
were married, and begot children. King Dharmadhvaja
was married to Madhavi. After some time, she became
pregnant with a partial incarnation of Goddess Laksmi.
However, the infant remained in Madhavi's womb for one
hundred celestial years. Day by day Madhavi's lustre
increased. Then, on an auspicious day and moment, when
there was a full moon, in the month of Kartika, on a
Friday, she gave birth. 
The grace of the Goddess of Fortune, Laksmi,
manifested through the baby. There were marks of the
lotus flower on the infant's feet. Her face looked
like the autumnal moon, her eyes resembled blooming
lotuses, and her lips appeared like ripe bimba fruit.
Her palms and the soles of herfeet were reddish, her
navel was deep, and just above it were three folds.
Her buttocks were round, and her body was delightfully
warm in the winter and cool in the summer--very
pleasant to touch. Her breast was firm and her waist
thin, and the light shining from her body surrounded
her like a halo. Her complexion was white, like a
Champaka flower, and her hair looked beautiful.
Because her beauty was incomparable, the sages called
her Tulasi. 



                
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