Mahānandā and the Jewelled Bracelet

The dancer of Nandigrāma

In the town of Nandigrāma lived a courtesan named Mahānandā — wealthy, radiant, hung with jewels, a master of every art of music. Kings and queens were delighted by her singing. And she was a devotee of Śiva. She worshipped Śiva and Pārvatī every day, repeated Śiva's name, wore ash and rudrākṣa, and danced before him singing his glory.

She had a monkey and a rooster, and she decked them both in rudrākṣa beads. As she clapped and sang, the monkey — with rudrākṣa on its arms and in its ears — danced like a child, and the rooster, a rudrākṣa bead in its crest, danced beside it. Mahānandā and her friends would laugh aloud with joy to watch them. So she lived, happily, for a long time.

The merchant

One day Śiva came to her house to test her heart, in the form of a merchant keeping a vow: the three lines of ash on his brow, rudrākṣa ornaments, matted hair, Śiva's name always on his lips — and on his wrist a bracelet set with magnificent jewels.

Mahānandā received him with honour. Then her eyes fell on the bracelet. That bracelet has taken my heart, she said. It is fit for a goddess.

The merchant smiled. If your heart is set on it, wear it. But what will you give for it?

She answered plainly, as her world was: we are courtesans, not faithful wives; that is the way of our house. Since this bracelet has taken my heart, I will be your wife for three days and nights.

So be it, said the merchant. If your word is true, the bracelet is yours and you are my wife for three nights. Let the Sun and Moon be witnesses. Say three times that it is true, and touch my heart.

I will be your wife and keep the dharma of a wife for three days and nights, she said. It is true, it is true. And she touched his heart. He gave her the bracelet — and then put into her hands a liṅga made of jewels. This liṅga is dearer to me than my life, he said. Guard it, and keep it hidden. She placed it in the middle of her dancing hall and went inside.

Fire in the dancing hall

At midnight, by the merchant's will, a sound rose in the dancing hall. A fire broke out and, driven by a strong wind, wrapped the whole hall in flame. Mahānandā ran and freed the monkey; it fled with the rooster through the sparks. But the jewelled liṅga, standing by a pillar, was burnt and broken.

The merchant saw it and was stricken. With the liṅga dearer than my life destroyed, he said, I do not wish to live. Have a pyre built. I will enter the fire with my mind on Śiva — and not Brahmā, Indra or Viṣṇu himself could stop me. Grieving, she had the pyre built outside her house. He walked around the flames, and before everyone's eyes, stepped into them.

Truth

Mahānandā stood stunned. Then she turned to her family and spoke: I took this bracelet and gave my word that I would be this man's lawful wife for three days. Because of what happened in my house, this man of Śiva's vow is dead. I will enter the fire with him. Truth is the highest dharma. By truth one reaches heaven and liberation. Everything rests on truth.

Her family begged her to stop. She would not break her word. She gave away her wealth to brahmins, meditated on Sadāśiva, walked three times around the fire, and moved to enter it.

The one who was tested

Śiva himself caught her — three-eyed, the crescent in his hair, bright as ten million suns and moons and fires. She stood frozen, trembling, weeping. He took her hands and calmed her:

I came as the merchant to test your truth, your dharma, your courage and your devotion. It was my māyā that lit the fire and burnt the liṅga, and it was I who walked into the flames. You kept your word and followed me into the fire. Ask for anything. There is nothing I will not give you.

Mahānandā said: I want no pleasures of earth, heaven or the underworld. I want only the touch of your lotus feet. And my servants, my maids, my family — all of them long to see you. Take them all, with me, to your own abode, and free us from the terror of being born again.

And Śiva did. He took Mahānandā and all her household to his supreme abode.