Once an intelligent ruler by name Uparicharavasu came to the ashrama of Kanva along with his wife on teertha yatra. Kanva rishi welcomed them. His wife forced him to ask the sage for the blessing of a progeny as the vamsha paramapara should not be stopped.Sage Kanva asked the ruler to create a city at Krishnaaranya for the aradhana of Sowriraja Perumal. The king too did so. The sage satisfied with the king’s gesture gave him a lotus from the Nithyapushkarani. Ask your wife to smell this lotus. She will be blessed with progeny immediately.His wife did so and became pregnant. A happy couple they returned to their city. Some months later a baby girl was born to them. They named her Padmini. She grew up to be a beautiful girl, good natured, well versed in music, dance and veena. She once happened to listen to the description of Sowriraja Perumal by her father Uparicharavasu.She immediately wanted to see the Lord. She along with her father went to Thirukannapuram. The Archakar made all arrangements for a good darshan of the Most Handsome Lord. Padmini lost herself in His beauty and from then on meditated completely on His form. She obtained the ashtakshara upadesha from Kanva rishi and started her tapas at a farm near by. The fisherfolk of the region began tendering great affection towards her and protected her from the disturbances of wild animals. In fact they considered her as their own daughter.
It was at this time that a young man on a horse passed by that side. Looking at Padmini he stopped to converse with her,” Oh Lady of beautiful eyes? Why are you engaging in tapas? It is infact the others who have to do tapas to get your grace?
Padmini: Iam the daughter of UParicharavasu who has great affection for me.
YOUng Man: What kind of an affectionate father is he if he can allow you to do such a penance.
Padmini: This penance is of my own accord to attain Krupanidhi Lord Krishna as my husband.
Young Man: you call the Lord Krupanidhi. He seems to have no pity for you who are growing thin day by day of tapas. He Left Goddess Lakshmi just for the sake of an elephant, and left the Gopis to go away to
Padmini: Those who speak ill of the Lord and those who hear such speech lose all their merits. IT is advised to cut the tongue of the person who speaks ill against the Lord or if not possible run away from that very place. She at once started leaving the place along with her friends. Just as she began leaving the young man quickly caught her hand. She yelled for help. Kanva rishi and her father rush to the place only to see that the young man is no ordinary person. Instead there stood before them Lord Sowriraja in full splendor. Padmini blushed on seeing her Lord.The Lord accepts her hand in marriage. The marriage of Padmini with the Lord is celebrated on a grand scale with all her relatives and fisherfolk enjoying the blissful sight. As the fisherfolk considered Padmini as their daughter the Lord became their son in law. Till date Sowriraja Perumal is considered as the son in law of fisherfolk who serve him with great love and affection.
Thus ends the sthalapurana of Thirukannapuram
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