Thread by @DefiledGod

The 3 daughters of Himavan performed penances and each attained a husband according to the rigor of her penance. There is an interesting tattva embedded in this.

Quoting from the Harivamsha as follows+

तिस्रः कन्याः तु मेनायां जनयामास शैल-राट् । अपर्णाम् एकपर्णां च त्रितीयाम् एकपाटलाम्

[The King of the mountains had three daughters through Mena – aparNa, ekaparNa and ekapAtalA as the third.]+

These 3 women performed penances in the form of abstentation from food for attaining a husband. Their determination in sticking to the penance is defined next+

आहारम् एक पर्णेन एकपर्णा समाचरत् । पाटला पुष्पम् एकं च आदधाउ एक पाटला

[One subsisted on a single leaf during her penances, hence she was called ekaparNa. One subsisted on a pAtalA flower, hence called ekapAtalA.]+

एका तत्र निराहारा तां माता प्रत्यषेधयत् । उ मा इति निषेधन्ती मातॄ स्नेहेन दुःखिता

[One did not subsist on anything, then her mother said, “u-mA" - "Oh, do not (perform this penance)” due to affection and sorrrow. ]+

The name “umA” indicates the rigor of her penance.

Meaning, it indicates that she always had a one-pointed focus, which is often the characteristic of a bhakti yogI who does not see anything other than Brahman+

“aparNa” means one who has no AhAra. “parNa” means leaf and is indicative of flower, fruit and water. Similarly, a bhakti yogI is one who sees nothing other than Brahman.

Note that aparNa was described after her sisters despite being the eldest. Will explain why later+

उमा तासां वरिष्ठा च ज्येष्ठा चवरवर्णिनी । महायोगबल उपेता महादेवम् उपस्थिता ॥

[umA who brings good fortune to her husband is the eldest and foremost among them in knowledge. Possessing strength of will (yoga-bala), she attained proximity with mahAdeva.]+

Because umA had one pointed focus of mind on attaining her desired husband and had no desire for AhAra, she attained mahAdeva, a bhakti yogI with one pointed meditation on Brahman and no desire for anything else.

The qualities of the wife, support the qualities of the husband+

असितस्य एकपर्णा तु देवलस्य महात्मनः  पत्नी दत्ता महाब्रह्मन् योगाचार्याय धीमते

[EkaparNA was wedded to the intelligent, noble Devala, also called Asita, a great one possessed of all the qualities of the self, the teacher of karma yoga.]+

EkaparNA ate a leaf and EkapAtalA ate a flower. A leaf is produced before a flower and is more ubiquitous.

Thus, it signifies EkaparNA was more eager for food, and thus attained Devala (or Asita), who has attained a vision of the self by karma yoga, a path of action+

This is indicated by “महाब्रह्मन्” – Great one who is manifesting all the qualities of the self acquired by Karma Yoga.

He is thus, “योगाचार्य” – One who teaches “yoga” or “skill in action” (karma yoga) by his own conduct+

The idea being, karma yoga is for those who cannot easily control their senses, it is a path to visualize the self. Thus, ekaparNA who was eager to satiate her hunger attained a husband who pursued karma yoga+

जैगीषव्याय तु तथा विद्धि ताम् एकपाटलाम्। एते चापि महाभागे योगाचार्याउ उपस्थिते

[Know ekapATalA as the wife of jaIShavya. These two attained proximity with these teachers of the science of the self.]+

ekapATalA ate a flower. The flower comes after a leaf, and hence it means she waited for awhile before succumbing to hunger.

Thus, she wedded jaigIShavya, who is a j~nAna yogI. This has the same goal as karma yoga, but is a path of renouncing action, ie, meditation+

J~nAna yoga is more difficult than karma yoga, but both lead to the same goal of self-realization. Thus, it is said, both devala/asita and jaigIShavya are “yogAchAryAs” – teachers of the science of the self by conduct.

MB also refers to them as karma and j~nAna yogIs+

Thus, the 3 sisters – aparNa, ekAparNa and ekapATalA – attained husbands proficient in bhakti yoga, karma yoga and j~nAna yoga in accordance to their qualities which suited the means that their husbands are undertaking+

In the beginning, aparNa's penance was described last and ekaparNA's was described first. ekapATalA's was described second.

This is because karma yoga leads to j~nAna yoga which leads to bhakti yoga. Hence, the order+

But in specifying the husbands they married, aparNa's is mentioned first, ekaparNA's is mentioned second and ekapATalA's is mentioned last.

This is because bhakti yoga is the principal upAya and other 2 are accessories. So aparNa's husband was mentioned first. Also+

Though j~nAna yoga is a difficult upAya and ekapATalA had greater strength of mind, shAstra recommends karma yoga as it is far easier to perform. j~nAna yoga can even be skipped and karma yoga leads directly to bhakti yoga+

Thus, ekaparNa's husband was described before ekapATalA's. Also, just as ekapATalA is the youngest of the three and thus subservient to ekaparNa despite being mentally more focused than her, j~nAna yoga is inferior to karma yoga during to it's difficulty+

This is why shAstra describes even small things of no consequence, like who ekaparNa/ekapATalA married etc. They all contain some teaching on brahmavidyA.//