Meenakshi ka Vivaah

Praacheen Madurai nagari mein Malayadhvaj naam ke ek nihsantaan Paandya raaja raajya karte the, jinka hriday uttaraadhikaari ke liye vyaakul tha. Purohiton ke paraamarsh se unhone putrakaameshti, santaan-praapti ka mahaan agni-yagya kiya, aur jwaalaon ke hriday se putr nahin balki putri uthi, teen stanon vaali aur machhli ke aakaar ke netron vaali baalika, vishaal aur chamkeeli. Darbaar vismay se sann reh gaya, kintu raaja ka aanand shok mein badle isse pehle aakaash se vaani hui: shok na karo, kyonki yah baalika swayam devi hai, aur teesra stan usi kshan vileen ho jaayega jab vah apne bhaagya-nirdhaarit pati se milegi. Uska naam Meenakshi rakha gaya, machhli-netron vaali, aur use sinhaasan ki uttaraadhikaarini banaakar paala gaya.

Baalika ke roop mein Meenakshi apni maata se bhavishyavaani ke baare mein poochhti thin, jigyaasu ungliyon se teesre stan ko chhookar aashcharya karti thin ki kaisa pati use vileen kar sakega. Unki maata muskuraakar kehti thin ki bhaagya apni mantrana swayam rakhta hai, aur ve use dekhte hi pehchaan lengi. Raajkumari ne iske bajaay adhyayan mein swayam ko jhonk diya, aur unke guru chakit reh gaye: unhone pavitra granth aur yuddh-kala samaan bhookh se seekhe, aur baarah varsh ki aayu tak ve darbaari vidvaanon se tark mein aur mahal-rakshakon se dhanurvidya mein aage thin. Teesre stan ko ve padak ki bhaanti dhaaran karti thin, kisi ko bhi unhein raaja ke uttaraadhikaari se kam samajhne ki chunauti deti huin.

Meenakshi anya sabhi se bhinn raajkumari banin. Unhone khadg, bhaala aur dhanush mein paarangata paayi, buddhimaan mantriyon se raajya-shaastra seekha, aur yuvaavastha mein hi senaaon ke aage ghode daudaaye. Pita ki mrityu par unhone bina sankoch sinhaasan sanbhaala, aur unke shaasan mein Madurai balvaan aur samriddh hua. Kintu yoddha raani ek raajya se santusht nahin thin. Unhone digvijay aarambh kiya, samast dishaaon ki vijay, aur unki senaaen nagar-dar-nagar vijayi badhti gayin, raajya-dar-raajya unke dhvajon ke samaksh girte gaye, jab tak swayam devtaon ke dhaam ke siva koi bhoomi vijay ko shesh nahin rahi.

Tab Meenakshi ne Kailas parvat par chadhaai ki. Unke sainik chamakte shikhar ki or badhte kaanp rahe the, kyonki yah mahaan dev Shiv ka ghar tha, aur kisi nashvar sena ne kabhi aisa dussaahas nahin kiya tha. Shiv ke vanya anuchar, gan, unse bhidne umad pade, aur vichitra yuddh aarambh hua, koi paksh prabal nahin ho saka. Phir ranbhoomi ki dhool mein Meenakshi ne unhein dekha: swayam Shiv, araajakta ke beech shaant khade, aur usi kshan sab badal gaya. Teesra stan unke shareer se vileen ho gaya, jaisa aakaashvaani ne kaha tha. Jis yoddha raani ne kabhi bhay nahin jaana tha, uska hriday pighal gaya, aur ve stabdh khadi rahin, akalpaniya prem se abhibhoot.

Shiv muskuraae, kyonki ve unki samast vijayon ke dauraan isi kshan ki prateeksha kar rahe the. Is katha mein ve Sundareshwar hain, sundar prabhu, aur unhone matsya-netra raani ko apni vadhu sveekaar kiya. Ve saath Madurai laute, aur nagari ne kalpana se pare vivaah ki taiyaariyaan keen. Veethiyaan phoolon se bichh gayin, mandir sangeet se goonj uthe, aur devta tatha nashvar dinon tak saath bhoj karte rahe. Divya dampati ka saath raajyaabhishek hua, aur Meenakshi ne apne prabhu ke saath Madurai par shaasan kiya, vah raani jisne sansaar jeeta aur prem se jeet li gayi.

Vivaah-sanskaar dinon tak chale. Devta swayam vesh badalkar upasthit hue, dampati par divya pushp barsaae, aur rishiyon ne aashirvaad-gaan gaaye jo aaj bhi Madurai ke vivaahon mein gaaye jaate hain. Nandi vrishabh saakshi bane, pavitra agni aanand se chatki, aur jab Sundareshwar ne vivaah-granthi baandhi, to samast nagari utsav mein goonj uthi, raatri-bhar dhol bajte rahe. Hazaaron daridron ko bhojan karaaya gaya, bandi mukt kiye gaye, aur raani ne desh-bhar mein kshama-utsav ki ghoshna ki.

Pratyek varsh nagari aaj bhi Chithirai utsav mein divya vivaah manaati hai, jab Meenakshi aur Sundareshwar ki vivaah-shobhaayaatra laakhon bhakton ke beech Madurai ki veethiyon mein ghoomti hai. Jo devi teen stanon vaali yoddha bankar aarambh huin, ve nagari ki komal maata ke roop mein pooji jaati hain, aur unki katha pramaan ke roop mein kahi jaati hai ki prem apne samay par aata hai, prachandatam hriday ko bhi roopaantarit karta hua, aur bhaagya, ek baar kathit, taala nahin jaa sakta, keval apnaaya jaa sakta hai. Yah katha prem ki amarta ka gaan hai.