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Okay, today's episode was a story of a hubby-worshipping wife Achala, who duly does all her hubby's vraths and everything. Her hubby breaks her fast, and then tells her that he has to leave town on some business, and didn't really want to leave her, but didn't have much of a choice. He gets into his cart and leaves.
In Devalok, Kamadeva is observing her, and thinks that she exceeds the apsaras in beautiful. She's beautiful enough to gift to Indra. 🤢 (Kamadeva, love doesn't mean loyalty, in your opinion? How'd you like Deva Indra hitting on Rati, like he did Ahalya?) Shanidev is offended @ her remarks, and disgusted that Kamadeva is equating a pativrata woman w/ apsaras. In his chamber, Kama goes and decides to take revenge on Indra for a past insult, where Indra rebuked him for trying to have somaras - something that only devas were allowed, not gandharvas.
Kama tells Rati of his plans to gift Indra such a woman and win the right to have somaras. Rati is shocked and Shani decides to give him some chances. Kamadev tries to tempt the woman by shooting some flowery arrows from his flowery bow 😆 First he sends one that creates a rose path in front of Achala, but she thinks that it would have looked more beautiful had her hubby been there to share it. Next, Kama shoots an arrow that creates a futon w/ a flowery arch on top of it. Achala is tempted to sit there, but can't imagine doing that in the absense of her hubby. Shani then decides to shoot Achala herself, but Shani destroys the weapon that Kama fires @ her.
Shani then appears b4 Kama and rebukes him for trying to get a devoted wife to stray just so that he can drink somaras. He tells him that he's abusing his power, and going along the path of adharm. Kama tells him that he's doing Achala a favor by taking her to heaven, but Shani tells him that for a woman, heaven is @ the feet of her hubby. Kama tells her that he'll get her to voluntarily come w/ him to swarga. Shani silently tells him that he can never lead Achala astray.
Back on earth, Achala is w/ her MIL, when someone who's selling jewelry has arrived. It's Kamadev, obviously dressed up as that. Kama tells her that he's brought some great jewelry, and MIL asks Achala to take a look. Kama gives them some samples of the jewelry, and takes out a great necklace, trying to tempt Achala. MIL persuades Achala to take it, and asks Kama how much it costs. He tells her not to worry, and asks Achala to try it on. He has embedded his magic in it, and knows that she'll willingly come w/ him. Shani above warns Kama not to cheat, and try & lead a woman astray.
Achala tries it on, but Shani burns the string on the back. Kama is shocked. Kama tells her not to worry, and tells them that he has another like it. He invites them to come w/ her. MIL declines, but asks Achala to go instead. Achala asks Kamadev to go ahead, and that she'd follow. Kama this time makes sure it can't be damaged, and Achala arrives. Kama invites her to wear it, but she tells him that she'll only do it after the pujas. Kama agrees, and after she leaves, says to himself that she'll fall for him.
On the way back, Achala sees Shani, who is in the garb of a minstrel, and is singing something that reminds her of her wedding vows. Achala is horrified to hear it, and recalls her wedding vows, and everything she's done for her hubby. She is shocked and goes back to Kama, and tells her that she can only wear it after her hubby returns, and returns it to him.
Kama then takes his original deva form, and Achala is angry to see him. Kamadev tells her that he gave her all that, and invites her to come to heaven w/ him. Achala angrily tells him that her hubby's company is what's heaven for him. Kama casts a spell on her and traps her. She challenges him to take her, and appeals to Shani to save her. Shani blesses her and destroys Kama's hold on her, shocking him. Ultimately, Shani destroys Kama's tent as well, and Achala gives him a bhashan 😆 She warns him never to try cheating another devoted woman.
Kama doesn't give up, and decides to use some more enticement arrows @ her. He fires it, but Shani arrives on his hawk and destroys it right in front of him. Kama is shocked and realizes that Shani was behind all that. Shani tells him that he'll now be punished for trying to entice women to do something against their norms. He cursed him that he'd be a leper and have a BO of fish, and that every creature would be disgusted by him. He sends Kama's arrow back to him to strike him, and Kama's form changes, and he's afflicted w/ rashes. Shani then curses him to live on earth.
Kama decides to approach the Ashwin twins, but the Ashwin twin is repelled by his BO and drives him away, telling him there's no cure for it 😆 Kama leaves and goes to the devas court, but Indra tells him that there is no place there for cheats like him. He approaches Brahma, who too declines to help, as does Vishnu. Then he approaches Shiva(!) (Maybe Shiva could have incinerated him again and saved him from that curse 😈) Mahadev tells him that it's not possible given his attempt to cheat a woman and insult her. Mahadev continues w/ his bhashan. Parvati however intervenes and tells him that if Kamadev was not liberated, the order of nature would be upset. Mahadev agrees, but points out that this is Shani's curse, but if he approached Achala and apologized to her, his curse would be lifted.
Kama runs to Achala who's w/ her hubby, falls @ her feet and begs her forgiveness. Achala can't recognize him, so he introduces himself and begs Achala to forgive him, which she does on the grounds that he recognizes his faults. Achala asks Shani to forgive him, and Kamadev is restored to his original self.
Comments: I was surprised that Kama was the one who chose to do all this, given that as the god of love, integrity of marriages would be high on his mind. Also, women do die b4 their hubbies, as well as after, and when they do, they get to swarga on their own. So was Shani and Achala saying that they'd be immortal and only go to swarga together w/ her hubby. Maybe the difference was that in this case, Achala going to heaven didn't equal death.
I also had no idea that Kamadev was a Gandharva and not a Deva, or that beings other than Devas were forbidden from having Somras. The Gandharvas should have gone for making some great drinks of their very own. 😈😆
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