In the kingdom of Gauda there lived two bachelor friends. One was a weaver and the other a mechanic, who designed chariots. Both were highly skilled in their professions and made a good amount of money through their work. Every day they would work till afternoon and by evening they would spend their time going out for night merry making, eating, drinking, and watching best of the dance performances in the town. They lived a very lavish life and everyone in town envied their lifestyle.
Once during a festival in town the two friends dressed in their finest clothes, wore an expensive perfume, put on their slick polished shoes, and went down to the town square bustling with people and fair festivities. Women and children jostled through the crowd peeping at the various curios and goods that were for sale. As the two friends lazily strolled through crowded square, the weaver happened to glance at the balconies where young daughters of rich and wealthy families stood watching the fanfare below. The weaver caught sight of a most beautiful girl standing along with her friends, and was mesmerised by her beauty.
Late in the night the two friends returned home, but the weaver could not get sleep. The memory of the beautiful girl with her friends on the balcony made him sleepless. Next day he did not report for work as he lay in his bed tossing and turning and at times moaning in despair recollecting the charming girl in the balcony with dark silken hair, fish shaped eyes, full breasts, curvaceous waist and lips like a blooming lotus bud. When the mechanic friend came home he found his friend lying on the bed curled up in despair. After listening patiently the cause of his misery, the mechanic retorted ” My dear friend, I think you have fallen in love with the King’s daughter. You better forget her and get back to work. After all we are lowly craftsmen and she is a royal princess”
But no words could ease the weaver’s pain or dissuade him from his infatuation for the princess. Seeing his dear friend in heartbroken state, mechanic decided to find a solution. Few days days later, the mechanic arrived with an ingenious winged flying machine shaped like Garuda, crafted out of wood and painted in gold. He shook awake his friend who was still curled up on the bed and said , “Stop brooding my friend! Get up and have bath. I have the solution to your problem. I made some inquiries about the girl and found she is indeed the King’s daughter. I have designed a vehicle that will fly you to her terrace where she sleeps every night. That way you can meet your lover”.
The weaver was excited by his friend’s proposition. The mechanic dressed the weaver in yellow silk dhoti ( Pitamber), put garlands around his neck and lotus flowers in his hand, applied the Vaishnavite mark on the forehead and finally placed a crown on his head thus transforming him into Lord Vishnu. Albeit a lookalike Vishnu!
As the weaver sat on the mechanical Garuda it launched into the air and flew high up above the trees and buildings. Soon it hovered over the terrace where the princess was sleeping. When the princess opened her eyes she saw Lord Vishnu mounted on Garuda land on her terrace. Seeing the Lord descend next to her bed, the bewildered princess fell at his feet and said “O Lord, I am so honoured by your darshan, command me what I can do for you”.
Straightening her up gently the weaver/Vishnu said” Oh my lady! You were my divine consort in your previous birth. But unfortunately, you were cursed to be a mortal and thus we were separated . But now as you are freed from the curse, I have come to marry you. Let us marry according to the Gandharva form of marriage and consummate our relationship”. Hearing the lord propose her for marriage, the princess was confused, but soon she was overcome with joy to be the wife of Lord Vishnu . She consented for the marriage and thus the weaver and the princess exchanged garlands as husband and wife.
Every night Vishnu would descend on the princesses’s terrace and spend the night in passionate lovemaking. One day a palace attendant found the couple in embrace and informed the King and Queen. Distressed, the King asked his daughter to explain. The Princess gave the full account of Lord Vishnu and her relationship. “ Father, he is none other than Lord Vishnu, who is now my husband and your son-in law.” Eventually, King and queen accepted her story and believed that since Lord Vishnu had indeed married his daughter; and Vishnu being their son in law, his kingdom would be blessed with prosperity.
King of Gauda, the father of the princess was a vassal to the emperor Adityasen of South India and was under obligation to pay tribute to his emperor in the form of cash and kind. Emboldened by the belief that Lord Vishnu is his son in law, King of Gauda decided not to pay the due taxes and tributes. When Adityasen got news of Gauda King’s rebellion he decided to attack Gauda kingdom. Soon he gathered his large army and marched on to Gauda Kingdom. Gauda King called his daughter and explained the situation and asked her to request her husband Lord Vishnu to help him to crush the army of Adityasen. That night when weaver /Vishnu arrived, princess conveyed her father’s message and requested him to help her father in war. ” Lord, you are the almighty, you can easily make my father victorious in this war.”
Scared and afraid of the prospect of a real war, the weaver falsely assured the princess ” My dear wife. I have killed great demons before , so it would not take long to defeat Adityasen. Tell your father to be assured of success”. Princess was delighted and ran to the palace to inform the king of Vishnu’s promise.
The weaver returned home worried as he had given a false assurance to the princess. He knew his beloved princess would detest him for life if she came to know of his impersonation. How could he salvage his pride and his love at the same time? He knew his death was imminent. That night he thought over and decided to face death and go to war to prove his love for the princess.
Meanwhile observing from his abode in Vaikuntha, the real Garuda was amused by the ‘mechanical Garuda ‘ was secretly keeping a watch on the activities of the Vishnu impersonator. He felt sorry for the weaver’s predicament and approached his lord, the real Vishnu and narrated the conundrum the weaver had got trapped into. He said” Oh Lord, if this weaver goes to war with Adityasen dressed as Vishnu, he is going to get killed and then the whole world will believe that a mortal defeated the Lord and they will lose faith in you. They will no longer pay obeisance to you nor offer sacrifices to you. Please think of the consequence and decide what you can do to salvage your image.”
Vishnu understood Garuda’s concern and decided to help the weaver. The next day at dawn the weaver dressed as Vishnu, began to walk towards the war arena. Hundreds of trumpets were blown and drums were beaten out loud to announce the commencement of the battle. The Real Vishnu and Real Garuda immediately transferred their powers into the weaver’s body and his mechanical Garuda respectively as the weaver approached the war arena. When Adityasen and Vishnu came face to face, Vishnu hurled his spinning discuss at Adityasena killing him instantly.
All those present prostrated before Lord Vishnu and praised his greatness, shouting ‘Long live our Lord”. Accepting the praises of the people, the weaver in the form of Vishnu bestowed the sizeable war bounty to his father in law, and lived happily ever after with the princess.
Lord Vishnu salvaged his image and thus protected the faith of his devotees.
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Story collected by : Vidya Kamat
Source text: tales from Kathasaritsagar tr. By Arsia Sattar
Location: Pan India
Image copyright: Vidya kamat
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