According to Hindu scriptures, there are eighteen major Puranas, and the Padma Purana is one of them. One of the principal deities associated with this tradition is Goddess Manasa, the serpent goddess. Manasa is regarded as the
daughter of Lord Shiva. It is believed that when Shiva consumed poison during the churning of the cosmic ocean, Goddess Manasa helped free him from its effects.
Since then, Manasa has also been known as Bishahari, the goddess who protects devotees from poison. The central theme of the Padma Purana is the story of Chand Saudagar, the wrath of Goddess Manasa, the death of Chand's son Lakhindar from a snakebite, and the extraordinary devotion and sacrifice of his wife, Behula.
As Manasa was a serpent goddess, she faced obstacles in gaining recognition as a goddess in heaven. Lord Shiva told her that if she wished to be accepted as a deity, she would have to be worshipped on earth by one of Shiva's devotees.
The Eternal Love Story of Behula and Lakhindar
Lakhindar, the son of Chand Saudagar, was married to Behula, the daughter of one of Chand's business associates, Saha. Chand Saudagar was a devoted worshipper of Lord Shiva.
He was believed to have been a wealthy and powerful merchant of the ancient city of Champaknagar. Goddess Manasa, on the other hand, was a serpent goddess who was not widely worshipped. She therefore approached Chand Saudagar and asked him to arrange a puja in her honour. But Chand, being a devoted follower of Shiva, firmly refused, declaring that he would worship no one except Shiva. Enraged, Manasa cursed him, declaring that she would destroy the lives of all his sons.
When Chand continued to refuse to worship her, Manasa caused all of his sons, except Lakhindar, to die one after another from snakebites. Heartbroken, Chand lost his enthusiasm for his trading expeditions. Yet, despite all his suffering, he eventually set out on another voyage. After a successful trading journey, Chand was returning home with fourteen large merchant vessels filled with wealth. Manasa sank all fourteen vessels, sparing only Chand himself.
Determined to protect his last surviving son, Lakhindar, Chand had an iron bridal chamber constructed for Lakhindar's wedding by a craftsman named Vishwakarma. However, under pressure from Goddess Manasa, Vishwakarma left a tiny opening in the iron walls. Despite all these precautions, Manasa succeeded in carrying out her plan. A snake sent by her entered the chamber and killed Lakhindar.
According to the traditional custom of the time, the bodies of those who died from snakebites were placed on banana-wood rafts and floated down the river rather than being cremated in the usual manner. There was also a popular belief that the dead person might somehow return to life through supernatural means. Ignoring everyone's objections, Behula climbed onto the raft with her dead husband. For six months, she travelled down the river, passing village after village.
During this long journey, Lakhindar's body began to decay, and the villagers came to believe that Behula had lost her mental balance. Yet Behula continued praying to Goddess Manasa. Eventually, the raft reached Netar Ghat, associated with one of Manasa's companions, Neta. Hearing Behula's prayers, Neta took her to Goddess Manasa. Manasa then told Behula that she could have Lakhindar restored to life if she could convince her father-in-law, Chand Saudagar, to worship her.
Behula returned and told her mother-in-law everything. With her mother-in-law's support, Behula persuaded Chand Saudagar to agree to worship Manasa. Chand could no longer refuse. However, he could never completely forgive Manasa for all the suffering she had caused him. Therefore, he worshipped her while turning his face away from the idol and offering the puja with his left hand. Yet Manasa was satisfied with this gesture. Through her divine powers, Manasa restored Lakhindar's decayed body.
He opened his eyes and looked at Behula with a smile. Through divine intervention, Behula and the revived Lakhindar were then taken to heaven. Manasa also restored Chand's six deceased sons to life and returned his fourteen sunken merchant vessels intact. Chand Saudagar and his family eventually began living peacefully and happily.
From then on, the worship of Goddess Manasa became increasingly widespread among the people, particularly among those seeking protection from snakebites and praying for children. For centuries, pala songs, puthi readings, panchali, and Manasa Mangal recitations have remained popular throughout the villages and rural areas of Bengal. According to scholars, the worship of Goddess Manasa began spreading in Bengal around the 10th–11th centuries CE.
Medieval Bengali poets such as Haridatta, Vijay Gupta, Ketakadas Kshemananda, and Bipradas Pipilai composed celebrated Manasamangal works. These literary works provide glimpses into the society, economy, customs, rituals and everyday life of medieval Bengal. In particular, during the month of Shravana, Manasa Puja is traditionally celebrated, and puthi recitations are an important part of the observance.
Near Bogura city, close to the ancient archaeological site of Mahasthangarh, there is a place known locally as Gokul Medh. It is popularly identified as Behula's bridal chamber or Lakhindar's Medh. The legendary devotion of Behula and her love for her husband have inspired numerous films, dramas and television serials over the generations. The story of their extraordinary and enduring love continues to live on in Bengali folklore and popular culture. Shubho Manasa Puja!
(Writer: Sridhar Dutta)
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