Vaishnavi went deep into the forest and immersed herself in intense Tapasaya. After some time she attained a very high level of spirituality and word spread around that a sage of great accomplishment was residing in the forest. Soon people began to trickle into the forest in order to meet her and seek her intervention in resolving their mundane problems.
When the flow of people coming into the forest to meet her became unending, Vaishnavi decided to leave the forest and go to some other place where she could continue her Tapasaya undisturbed.
One night, Vaishnavi quietly left her Ashram in the forest and went to a far off place along the sea in the general area of modern day Rameshwaram. There, away from prying eyes, she once again immersed herself in Tapasaya. The objective behind her intense devotion was her desire to merge her being in Vishnu. Some time later she realised through her spiritual attainments that Vishnu had been incarnated on earth and was living as Ram. Vaishnavi was very happy because she felt that now she would be able to fulfil her desire of merging in Vishnu very soon.
Meanwhile, Ram was sent to the forest for fourteen years by his father under the influence of his favourite wife Kaikayee. During this period, Ravana, the Asura king of Lanka, abducted Ram's wife, Sita, and carried her away to Lanka. Ram mobilised an army in order to wage war upon Ravan and rescue his wife. He decided to launch his campaign from the place known in the present day as Rameshwaram. While Ram was preparing for war, his advisors suggested to him that he should propitiate all the gods and goddesses and also seek the blessings of the holy men and women living nearby before starting his campaign so that he could be victorious in the war. Ram agreed. During the course of this activity, Ram learnt that there was a very spiritually advanced Sadhavi who resided nearby and thought that it would be appropriate to seek her blessings too. Ram accordingly went to the Ashram of Vaishnavi in order to seek her blessings.
Vaishnavi was immersed in her prayers when Ram went to meet her. When she opened her eyes and found Ram standing in front of her, she immediately recognised him. Ram asked her to bless his proposed campaign against Ravan so that he could be victorious in the war that lay ahead. Vaishnavi happily told him that all her good wishes were already with him because she had decided to merge herself in him a long time ago. When Ram appeared surprised on hearing Vaishnavi, She laughed and said, "I know who you are Ram. You are Vishnu's incarnation and have come to the World to rid it of the evil that is personified by Ravan. That is your aim and I bless you for it. However, my aim is different. It is to merge myself in you so that I can become one with the Supreme Creator." When Ram still feigned ignorance, Vaishnavi said, "Ram, you have no choice but to accept me because I have been praying very hard for a long time for this". When Ram found that Vaishnavi could not be dissuaded from the stand she had taken, he left after promising that he would return to her Ashram after the end of the war and if she was successful in recognising him, he would consider her wish. After Ram left the Ashram, Vaishnavi once again busied herself in her prayers.
Ram defeated Ravan and rescued Sita. After the war was over, Ram remembered his promise to Vaishnavi. So he decided to visit her Ashram once again. This time Ram went to her Ashram disguised as an old man. Vaishnavi was unable to recognise him. While leaving her Ashram Ram revealed himself to Vaishnavi and said that since she had been unable to recognise him, he was freed from his promise to her. When Vaishnavi realised the enormity of her lapse she was inconsolable with grief. Ram then gently told her, "Vaishnavi, you have not yet attained the spiritual level that is required before you can merge your being into Vishnu. You still have a long way to go. However, do not lose heart. Continue your Tapasya. In time you will be rewarded. If you are able to keep up with your Tapasya then in my incarnation as Kalki during Kaliyug, I shall accept you as my Shakti. Ram then urged her to go to the northern region of India and set up her Ashram at the base of the Trikuta mountain. The peculiarity of this mountain he said, was that it had three peaks and each peak was shaped like a hut or Kutia. Therefore, its three peaks looked like three huts or three Kutias. Ram added, "Vaishnavi you will have no difficulty in recognising the place. Go there and immerse yourself in contemplating upon me. When the time is opportune, I shall come and accept you and allow you to merge into me. Meanwhile, as you keep on advancing spiritually, mankind will learn about you. They will then start coming to your abode to seek your blessings and favours. Be kind. Bless them. Grant them their wishes. Your presence on the Trikuta mountain will, over a period of time, render the place so holy that people will elevate it to the status of a Tirath sthan and a constant stream of humanity will flow to your abode. Do not get vexed with this never ending flow of people. Remember, that each one of them contains a spark of me. Thus they will in reality be I who will be worshipping you constantly. Be generous and help them over come their frailties so that gradually they are able to raise themselves high enough in the wheel of life and death and attain Moksha. Always remember that you are already blessed. So, it is they who need your help and forbearance. As you grant more and more boons, your fame will spread far and wide till a stage will arrive when the entire world will come to you and pay obeisance. That is the time I shall come and accept you. So, do not waver. Remain steadfast and worship me. I bless you." So saying, Ram left.
Vaishnavi decided to proceed northward as directed by Ram. After a lot of adventures she finally reached the Trikuta mountain and set up her Ashram at the place known today as Bhumika near the present day town of Katra and immersed herself in intense Tapasaya in order to overcome whatever spiritual shortcomings she still had. Vaishnavi continued to perform her Tapasaya in this manner for thousands of years and attained extra ordinary spiritual heights. In fact, she evolved her latent spiritual capabilities to such an extent that she came at par with her creators-Goddesses Maha Kali, Maha Lakshmi and Maha Saraswati.
Thousands of years later a person by the name of Gorakh Nath was able to achieve a very high level of spirituality through his mastery of the Tantric art. One day while he was immersed in his prayers the entire episode of Vaishnavi and Ram flashed before his mind's eye. He then became curious to find out whether the young woman, Vaishnavi, had been able to continue to lead a life of piety and devotion or had fallen by the way side.
This article was taken from:Onlinedarshan
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