February 21, 2026
yadanyadbahuśo bhūtvā punarbhavati bhūriśaḥ
abhūtvaiva bhavatyanyaḥ punaśca na bhavatyalaṁ
anyatprāksaṁniveśāḍhyaṁ sādṛśyena vivalgati (7)
VASIṢṬHA continued:
Even so, Rāma, remain in a state of equanimity like king Bhagīratha. And, like Śikhidhvaja, having renounced everything, remain unmoved. I shall narrate to you the story of Śikhidhvaja. Pray, listen. Once there were two lovers who were re-born in a later age on account of their divine love for each other.
RĀMA asked:
O sage, how is it possible that the couple who lived together as husband and wife in one age is born again to be husband and wife in a later age?
VASIṢṬHA replied:
Such is the subtle nature of the world order, O Rāma. Some things appear in abundance and once again they manifest in abundance. Others are born now, having never been before; and having been now they are not born again. Others which have been before reappear in the same form now. It is like the waves on the ocean: there are similar ones and there are dissimilar ones.
In the Mālva kingdom there was a king named Śikhidhvaja. He was endowed with every kind of royal excellence. He was righteous and noble, courageous and courteous. He lost his father very early in life. Though young, he was able to assert his sovereignty and he ruled the kingdom, assisted by his able ministers.
The spring season set in. There was romance in the air. The young king began to dream of a partner. Day and night his heart longed for the beloved. The clever and wise ministers divined the state of their king’s heart. They went to the Saurāṣṭra kingdom and they sought the hand of a princess for their king. Soon, the king Śikhidhvaja married Cūḍālā.
Śikhidhvaja and Cūḍālā were so greatly devoted to each other that they were one jīva in two bodies. They shared many common interests and they played together in the pleasure-gardens. Even as the sun sends down his rays to make the lotus unfold, the king showered his beloved with his love and tried to please her in every way.
They shared their knowledge and their wisdom with each other so that both of them became highly learned in all branches of knowledge. Each dwelt in all radiance in the other’s heart. In fact, it appeared as if the lord Viṣṇu and his consort had come down on earth in order to accomplish a special mission!