Follower:
Gurudev, Pranam.
Guru:
Pranam.
Follower:
Gurudev, a while ago you were telling us a story from the Puranas about Jalandhara Shiva. It moved us deeply. We thought that if you shared this story with our viewers on YouTube, they would surely appreciate it. So Gurudev, we would like to hear about Jalandhara Shiva from you today.
Guru:
Jalandhara... where is that?
Follower:
Punjab.
Guru:
Yes, Jalandhar in Punjab. This place is named after Shiva. According to the Puranas, Indra once went to Kailash to meet Shiva. When he arrived, he saw a massive human figure standing there. Indra bowed and tried to speak with him, but Shiva ignored him. He didn't pay any attention to Indra at all. Indra, possessing great power and the Vajra (thunderbolt), became frustrated and, without realizing who it was, struck the figure with his Vajra. He struck Shiva himself.
Guru:
When the Vajra hit Shiva's head, fire erupted from all sides. Later, when Indra realized it was Shiva, he began to pray and ask for forgiveness. Shiva took the fire generated by the Vajra and threw it into the ocean. From that fire in the ocean, a baby boy was born. From the moment of his birth, the boy began to cry. He cried so much that no one could comfort him.
Guru:
Lord Brahma was watching this from above. He quickly came down to the child. The Ocean claimed, "This is my son." Brahma picked the child up and comforted him. The boy reached out and pulled Brahma's beard, as children often do. Seeing this, Brahma felt a deep sense of compassion and wept. He told the Ocean, "I will take your son with me and raise him."
Follower:
Gurudev, I believe he was named Jalandhara because Brahma's tears fell on him?
Guru:
Yes, he was named Jalandhara. He was essentially a part of Shiva. Brahma took Jalandhara and raised him within the Rakshasa (demon) clan. He became an expert in weaponry and a great conqueror. The Devas (gods) became worried, fearing that in his current state, he might destroy the heavens.
Guru:
The Devas were deeply concerned. Jalandhara grew up, mastered the arts of war, and possessed the power to conquer the world. The Devas realized that as long as he lived, there would be trouble, and he had to be stopped. In the meantime, Jalandhara had married Brinda.
Guru:
Brinda was an extremely devoted wife (Pativrata). She knew that because of the power her husband had amassed, he was destined to face death. She contemplated how she could save him. She decided to perform a difficult spiritual vow (Vrata) and pray to Narayana (Vishnu) so that her husband might live.
Guru:
As she began her ritual, Lord Vishnu appeared before her in the guise of her husband, Jalandhara. He interrupted and broke her vow. If she had completed the ritual, Jalandhara would have become immortal. But such is the play of the Divine. All the Devas had united to find a way to kill him. Brinda knew this, so she began her prayers to Narayana.
Guru:
To defeat Jalandhara, Vishnu took his form and broke Brinda's ritual. Brinda was shocked, wondering how her husband could have returned so soon. By breaking the ritual, Jalandhara lost his protection and was killed. In her grief and anger, Brinda cursed Narayana.
Guru:
After Brinda's death, Vishnu requested her not to curse him, saying, "You are a great and virtuous woman; do not curse me. Instead, I give you a boon." He declared that from her ashes, the Tulsi plant and the Asvattha (Peepal) tree would emerge. Both are highly revered. The Peepal is a sacred tree, and the Tulsi plant is found in every home.
Guru:
Thus, from the ashes of Brinda's body, these two plants were born. This was Vishnu's blessing to her. This is why we see the Tulsi plant today—it originated from Brinda. This wasn't a curse; it was a boon from Narayana.
Guru:
As for Jalandhara, he was a part of Shiva—born from the fire that erupted from Shiva's head. Therefore, he is indeed an aspect of Shiva. Today, he is worshipped in Punjab as Jalandhara Shiva. This story is found in the Puranas.
Follower:
Gurudev, it is wonderful to hear these stories from the Puranas from you. We've heard it before, but hearing it again from you is special. Many people don't know this story.
Guru:
It is a beautiful story from the Puranas, and people should know about the origins of Jalandhara and the devotion of Brinda.
Follower:
How she tried to save her husband...
Guru:
Yes, she started the ritual to save him, but the Devas and Narayana knew Jalandhara had to be stopped. It's a poignant story.
Follower:
Thank you, Gurudev. It was wonderful to hear this again.
Guru:
Pranam.