Story of Bhasmasura
Part 3 of 3
He lunged forward to catch her, but Mohini quickly stepped back. Then Bhasmasura said, "You are so very beautiful, Mohini. I want you to be my bride. Will you marry me?"
Mohini gave a rippling little laugh. She said, "Maharaj, how can I trust you? The man I marry must never have another wife. Once he marries me, he should never marry again. But you Rakshasas have so many, many wives. No, it cannot be." Saying this, she let out a long, wistful sigh.
Bhasmasura, now crazy with desire, said, "Mohini, I cross my heart I shall not marry again. I promise you that if you become my wife I will not so much as look at another woman. Please, please give your consent to marry me."
Mohini looked at Bhasmasura and then looked modestly away. "O, you men. I know you are all the same. "Shiva-Shiva." None of you are to be trusted. Promises! Promises!! But you never stick to them. No, I shall not be satisfied till you place your hand on your head and swear that you will not marry again if I become your wife."
Bhasmasura now thoroughly caught up in this net of Maya, quickly touched his head with his right hand. "Mohini, I swear - " he began. But he never lived even to complete his sentence. For, the moment he placed his hand on his head, he burnt into a heap of ashes. "Shiva-Shiva, Shiva-Shiva, Shiva-Shiva."
Shiva was still heaving and panting as he ran along. He looked nervously over his shoulder to see how close Bhasmasura was to him. But for quite a distance behind he saw no Bhasmasura. Strange! What could have happened? He could not have sat down to rest. He had tremendous energy and did not tire easily. For some time Shiva waited where he was. But still there was no sign of Bhasmasura.
So, he retraced his steps and reached that very bend. He saw there a huge heap of ashes and the most beautiful girl standing there next to it. He asked her if she knew what had happened to Bhasmasura. Very modestly, she narrated all that had happened.
Shiva was very pleased with her timely assistance. Above all he was pleased the way she praised him-"Lord, I saw you running and sensed your distress. I saw you were in need of help. Had Bhasmasura caught up with you and placed his hand on your head, where would have been the poor creatures of this earth? Therefore, I tricked him into placing his hand on his own head by asking him to swear that he would never marry anyone else if I agreed to marry him. I did this all for your sake, my Lord," Thus saying she folded her hands and bowed her head.
Shiva beamed. He made to embrace her. But she slipped from his arms. Bewildered he looked. There was no sign of Mohini anywhere. Instead, there stood the beautiful resplendent form of the Four-armed Lord Vishnu. The corners of His mouth lifted in a slow smile.
Shiva smiled too, as he realized that once again the Supreme Protector of the Universe had run to the aid of the good and maneuvered the destruction of the evil.
"Shiva-Shiva, Shiva-Shiva, Shiva-Shiva."
Cheers!
Part 3 of 3
He lunged forward to catch her, but Mohini quickly stepped back. Then Bhasmasura said, "You are so very beautiful, Mohini. I want you to be my bride. Will you marry me?"
Mohini gave a rippling little laugh. She said, "Maharaj, how can I trust you? The man I marry must never have another wife. Once he marries me, he should never marry again. But you Rakshasas have so many, many wives. No, it cannot be." Saying this, she let out a long, wistful sigh.
Bhasmasura, now crazy with desire, said, "Mohini, I cross my heart I shall not marry again. I promise you that if you become my wife I will not so much as look at another woman. Please, please give your consent to marry me."
Mohini looked at Bhasmasura and then looked modestly away. "O, you men. I know you are all the same. "Shiva-Shiva." None of you are to be trusted. Promises! Promises!! But you never stick to them. No, I shall not be satisfied till you place your hand on your head and swear that you will not marry again if I become your wife."
Bhasmasura now thoroughly caught up in this net of Maya, quickly touched his head with his right hand. "Mohini, I swear - " he began. But he never lived even to complete his sentence. For, the moment he placed his hand on his head, he burnt into a heap of ashes. "Shiva-Shiva, Shiva-Shiva, Shiva-Shiva."
Shiva was still heaving and panting as he ran along. He looked nervously over his shoulder to see how close Bhasmasura was to him. But for quite a distance behind he saw no Bhasmasura. Strange! What could have happened? He could not have sat down to rest. He had tremendous energy and did not tire easily. For some time Shiva waited where he was. But still there was no sign of Bhasmasura.
So, he retraced his steps and reached that very bend. He saw there a huge heap of ashes and the most beautiful girl standing there next to it. He asked her if she knew what had happened to Bhasmasura. Very modestly, she narrated all that had happened.
Shiva was very pleased with her timely assistance. Above all he was pleased the way she praised him-"Lord, I saw you running and sensed your distress. I saw you were in need of help. Had Bhasmasura caught up with you and placed his hand on your head, where would have been the poor creatures of this earth? Therefore, I tricked him into placing his hand on his own head by asking him to swear that he would never marry anyone else if I agreed to marry him. I did this all for your sake, my Lord," Thus saying she folded her hands and bowed her head.
Shiva beamed. He made to embrace her. But she slipped from his arms. Bewildered he looked. There was no sign of Mohini anywhere. Instead, there stood the beautiful resplendent form of the Four-armed Lord Vishnu. The corners of His mouth lifted in a slow smile.
Shiva smiled too, as he realized that once again the Supreme Protector of the Universe had run to the aid of the good and maneuvered the destruction of the evil.
"Shiva-Shiva, Shiva-Shiva, Shiva-Shiva."
Cheers!
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