INDIAN MYTHOLOGY

Glimpses of The Devi Bhagavatam:12. THE SECRET WEDDING

“Father,” whispered the princess, “even a casual look at the audience tells me that most of those young men are conceited, arrogant and given to weaknesses. Why should I be paraded in front of their sinful eyes? You know that I would marry none but Sudarshan. Why don’t you announce my decision to the assembly and bid them good- bye?”

The king appreciated his daughter’s sentiments. It was for her to choose her bridegroom and she had already made her choice.

Although he felt embarrassed, King Subahu went forward and addressed the assembly. “My daughter feels that it will be an exercise in futility for her to be introduced to all the suitors. She has already decided to marry Prince Sudarshan. Believe me, I had no knowledge of her mind when I convened the assembly. I request you to accept my humble gifts which I should be shortly sending to your camps and then to return to your kingdoms peacefully. I seek your good wishes for my daughter.”

The invitees appreciated the stand taken by their host except King Yudhajit, who stood up and shouted angrily: “King Subahu, it is in your foolishness that you have decided to marry your daughter to a worthless youth hiding in a forest. You have convened an assembly of princes. It is the right of the most deserving one in the assembly to claim your daughter’s hand. I demand that you choose my grandson for your daughter’s husband. If you defy my suggestion, I would wage a war against you. I had once earlier pardoned Sudarshan. This time I’ll put an end to him if he stands in my way. Know you, O Subahu, that all your friends together cannot match my strength!”

Subahu, the King of Kashi, was stunned at the threat held out by King Yudhajit. He silently went inside his castle and told his queen, “I’m afraid, we cannot avert a crisis unless our daughter changes her mind and agrees to marry someone other than Sudarshan.”

The queen told the princess, “My child, Yudhajit is a cruel man. How can you ever be happy living under his threat? I don’t mind what he might do to us. But I cannot be in peace worrying about your fate if you marry Sudarshan.”

The princess kept quiet for a moment. Then she said in a firm voice, addressing her parents, “There are only two ways open to me: either I take my own life or you marry me to Sudarshan. Should you let me marry him, we should leave for the forest. Some wicked princes might give us a chase. Don’t worry. God will take care of us.”

The king and queen felt deeply moved. The king said, “Shashikala, how can we live if you are no more? Isn’t your safe living that I am now worried about? Let me keep a test before the princes and announce that the one to pass the test would win your hand. I feel confident that none but Sudarshan would pass it.”

The princess laughed. “Father, what assurance is there that Yudhajit would leave us in peace even if Sudarshan were to pass the test? No, father, let us get it straight. Have faith in the Grace of the Divine Mother and let me marry Sudarshan, come what may!”

The indulgent father agreed to his daughter’s suggestion. He appeared before the assembly of the invitees and told them, “I request you to retire to your camps for today. You’ll know my decision tomorrow.”

The assembly dispersed. The king took his general into confidence. The general posted guards around the castle.

It was night. At an auspicious hour, Shashikala’s marriage with Sudarshan was performed.

“My dear sister! I entrust my loving daughter to you,” the king told Sudarshan’s mother Queen Manorama.

“You’re a noble soul, brother! It speaks of your courage and kindness that you let your charming daughter marry my son who lives in exile,” said Manorama.

King Subahu responded, “Sister, no longer should you consider yourself to be hapless. Myself, my castle, my army, and my kingdom are at your disposal. I do not expect much trouble. But should there be any, I’m ready to face it with all my might. I have prayfully submitted my problem to the Divine Mother–and I now have no fear!.”

“In your speech I hear the voice of God. I feel as if our luck has begun to take a turn towards the better. My innocent son, who should be enjoying the luxury of his palace, has been living in a forest. Maybe, the time has come for him to assert himself,” said Manorama.

The marital music was at first played softly. But soon the musicians became over enthusiastic. They played their instruments louder and louder.

“What is this? Is King Subahu performing his daughter’s marriage without our knowledge?” some of the guests asked some others, at dawn.

Before long the king met them and said, “Be pleased to come in and bless the newly-wed couple. I must confess that I had to marry my daughter off to the bridegroom of her choice rather secretly, for I feared trouble from some quarters.”

It was obvious that the guests did not take the king’s announcement kindly.

The king understood their minds. He said again, “My noble friends, please do not misunderstand me. I tried my best to convince my daughter that she should appear before you all and make her choice. But she refused to do so. She even threatened to kill herself if I did not let her marry Prince Sudarshan. You are a conscientious lot. You will excuse me, I trust. Please come in and join the feast.”