Manu & Shatarupa (The Goal of Life) - Part -1

There is a description in the Puranas that Maharaja Manu (The first son of Lord Brahma created for the proliferation of the world) was the ruler of the universe during the period of infancy of the world. In spite of ruling the world with the utmost feeling of surrender and dedication, he still bred a feeling in his heart that he has not yet achieved the goal of life for which he was sent to this world of mortals. This thought continued to gnaw him. He started thus nurturing a deep yearning for a "darshan" (Divine Vision) of the Supreme Lord.

In all his endeavors his better half Devi Shatarupa was a constant factor of his association. With the desire of having a darshan of the Lord, Maharaja Manu along with his loyal wife departed to the forest of Naimisharanya at the sunset of his life having handed over the affairs of his kingdom to his son Uttanapada.

The couple regularly bathed in the holy river Gomati and took the association of the saints in the forest and heard from the stories from the Puranas which are considered to be ageless and infinitely ancient surviving many creations and dissolution of the world. The couple attained customary

"Deeksha" (Holy initiation into mantra chanting) and continued hard penances during their course of stay at Naimisharanya.

They only survived on fruits through the initial years of

practice following which they would eat only root bulbs. After much practice,they gave up even this and only survived on water. Later they forsook water and survived on air and at the peak of their sadhana (spiritual discipline) they gave up even this.

During the course of their intense penance, they were blessed with the vision of Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Shiva yet the couple preferred not to ask boons to these forms of Godhead. After continuing penance, they finally heard a celestial voice which said: "O King, kindly state your wish".

Emperor Manu replied "I want to have a vision of that form of Godhead that is simultaneously

regarded by the Vedic Scriptures as the ultimate aspect of both the Form and the Formless beyond which there exists no other reality. I want to have that vision of Godhead whom Lord Shankar considers as His personal God (Ishta Devata), the one whom the crow-devotee Kakabhushundi considers as his Master and whom the sages of the forest consider as their Lord".

As a result of this prayer, both Manu and Shatarupa were granted the vision of Lord Ramachandra and Srimati Sitadevi, the mother of the universe. To these forms, Emperor Manu expressed his desire for begetting a son who is just like Lord Ramachandra.
The Lord of the three worlds smiled and said that other than Him there was no one to qualify for this demand and so promised Emperor Manu that He Himself would appear as Manu's son in a later lifetime.