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Celestial Battles, Valiant Women & Ceaseless Romance: The Love Tales of the Gods Is Here
by Prerna Prakash 21 September, 2017

Mythology has many aspects to it, and a major aspect, by any account, is love. Greek mythology goes on about the lust and love that gods have for humans, other deities, and even animals (I’m looking at you, Zeus.) Mythology has always captured interests and imaginations.

Prem Purana is a delightful anthology of three stories, describing Ganesha’s wooing of Brahma’s three daughters, Ravana’s abiding love for Mandodari, and the riddle that finally brings Nala and Damayanti together. No one is untouched by love, not even devas (gods) and asuras (demons), kings and nymphs. And when they face life’s unexpected tribulations, their love also undergoes trials. Read how Ganesha took myriad forms to please Riddhi, Siddhi, and Buddhi, how Ravana shared an unbreakable bond with his true love, Mandodari, and how Nal and Damayanti’s relationship was tested till nothing remained.

Tormented by passion, wracked by betrayal, torn by the agony of separation, love in its many splendored forms is the origin of these incredibly endearing stories of Prem Purana.

Read an excerpt from Prem Purana, written by Usha Narayanan.

The wicked Kamasura screamed abuses like a madman. He cut down the students who guarded the Chintamani gem and snatched it from its shrine. ‘This is my last warning to you,’ he said to Siddhi, Brahma’s daughter. ‘The gem belongs to me now and so will you. Tonight is the full moon and I leave you now to perform the rituals to invest myself with the powers of the Chintamani. But I will return for you and your sisters. You would be wise not to protest then, or I will kill your guru and his students before your eyes!’

The asura was flanked by his men, monsters all, armed to the teeth with dire weapons and occult powers. Kapila stretched out an arm to stop Siddhi who pushed forward with an oath. He knew that even if she killed Kamasura’s men, she could not defeat the asura himself who was armed with mighty boons. But Siddhi was irate and swore that she would tear the asura prince to pieces and restore the gem to her guru. When she saw her sister Buddhi looking worriedly at her, Siddhi assured her that with her new powers she could easily accomplish the task. It appears that Siddhi’s tussle with her ego will continue every day of her life, thought Buddhi as she hurried to Lord Ganesha to seek his help. She told him what had happened, her hands twisting together in anxiety. ‘Once he invests himself with the powers of the Chintamani, Kamasura will become invincible, and I fear for our safety and that of our guru,’ she said. ‘I am worried too that Siddhi will attempt something dangerous in the heat of the moment.’

Ganesha nodded in agreement, for he knew well how powerful Kamasura was. He knew also that Siddhi was likely to embark on a hasty mission without thinking it through. Siddhi frowned when she saw Buddhi enter the ashram with Ganesha. ‘It is clear that you do not trust me,’ she said to Buddhi. ‘But I am determined to fight the asura myself, though I honour and respect Ganesha who has done so much to equip me for this battle.’ ‘I will honour your wish,’ Ganesha replied. ‘I will accompany you to the battlefield but remain a spectator unless you call me yourself.’ Siddhi gazed at him doubtfully and he offered further assurances. ‘I allowed the trishul to behead me and Parasurama’s axe to sever my tusk only because I respected my parents. How then will I disregard your wishes when you are so important to me?’ She saw the love in his eyes and lowered her own in confusion. Ganesha stayed silent, waiting for her decision. This was his last chance to win her over. If he failed now, his present avatara on earth would be a failure too.

Siddhi looked up at him, her mind made up. ‘Let us hurry to find the asura!’ she said. ‘The sun hovers on the edge of the horizon, and when the moon rises, Kamasura will begin his rituals. We must defeat him before he joins the power of the Chintamani with his own. He will then be able to multiply his troops and his weapons at will and we will be unable to defeat him.’ Ganesha nodded and they left, silhouetted against the setting sun.

It was not difficult to find the asura’s camp as he made no attempt to hide his whereabouts, so confident was he that no one could harm him. Ganesha and Siddhi mounted two wild horses they had broken in, and approached the clearing where his troops were assembled. Shiva’s son stayed back in the shadows while Siddhi blew her war conch in challenge to the asura. On seeing her galloping towards him alone, Kamasura laughed in scorn. ‘Even my young sons will be able to kill you,’ he said. ‘But I will order them to bind you and bring you to me, so that I may enjoy your beauty in my bed. However, as you so rudely spurned my offer of marriage, I will treat you as a slave and not a queen. And when I have had my fill of your charms, I will cast you out to be used by my soldiers.’ Siddhi roared in anger, and a huge army was born from her newly awakened shakti. From the men’s foreheads blazed flames that enveloped the asura’s army and sent them shrieking to their death. Kamasura’s young sons fought back fiercely with iron clubs, poison-tipped arrows and sorcerous weapons. Their retinue of giants hacked off heads and limbs, while a battalion of misshapen beasts immobilized Siddhi’s soldiers with their eerie squeals, and tore them to shreds with their curved tusks, fanged mouths and giant beaks. The field was grisly with blood, and the skies echoed with the screams of the dying.

Brave Siddhi was everywhere, bringing down giants and demons alike, attacking the asura army with her mace and spear, her arrows and trident. Behind her came a phalanx of her men, carrying axes that they used to behead the asuras. Siddhi’s foes were so terrified that their mouths continued to clamour for help even as their heads rolled across the battlefield. Soon, the asura’s sons had been captured and the last of their men routed. ‘This is my last warning to you, Kamasura!’ shouted Siddhi, echoing his words to her. ‘Return the Chintamani to our guru, seek his forgiveness, and I will let your men leave the field alive. I will spare your life too as long as you give up your wicked ways and choose a righteous path. If you will not do so, I will kill you and drink your blood!’

The selected portion has been excerpted from Prem Purana, written by Usha Narayanan, and published by Penguin Random House India.

You can order Prem Purana written by Usha Narayanan right here.