Ashoka Sundari – Gift of the Mystery Tree

One day, Shiva and Parvati were roaming in Nandan Kanan, the celestial garden. Shiva drew Parvati’s attention to the Kalpavriksha, or the Wish-fulfilling Tree. “Can you give me a sweet little girl?” Parvati asked the tree to test its power. Instantly, a beautiful child fell into her arms.

As Ashoka Kumari grew up, a demon named Hoonda desired to take her away to marry her in the future. However, he learned that Parvati had already chosen a husband for her daughter: Nahusha, the grandson of Pururavas and Urvashi.

Hoonda possessed the nurse attending to Nahusha. Unaware of her actions, the nurse carried the child out of her parents’ house in the dead of night. Hoonda then took the child to his home and instructed his wife to kill her and cook her flesh. The demoness commanded her cook to do the terrible deed, but the kind-hearted cook left the child in front of Sage Vasistha’s hut and prepared animal meat for the demon instead.

Nahusha grew up in Vasistha’s hermitage. One day, he heard a poet singing the story of his life and was surprised by what he learned. When he asked Sage Vasistha, he discovered that the tale was indeed true, and he was destined to marry Ashoka Sundari.

Determined to reclaim his destiny, Nahusha took up arms and set out to find Ashoka Sundari. Just then, Hoonda was attempting to force her to marry him, convinced that Nahusha had been killed.

Nahusha boldly challenged the demon to a fight, ultimately defeating him. He married Ashoka Sundari, fulfilling the promise made beneath the Wish-fulfilling Tree.