According to the legendary fable, Lord Vishnu was once cursed by Vrinda, the wife of Jalandhara, an asura and daughter of Kalanemi. Jalandhara, by his austerities and severe penances succeeded in winning the favours of Lord Brahma, the Creator. The Lord pleased with his devotion and veneration blessed him with the boon of invincibility against gods and demons as long as his wife Vrinda was loyal towards him.
Jalandhara, much confident about the connubial fidelity of Vrinda, began perpetrating atrocities and tormenting the common masses and the devas. He shunned the Holy Scriptures and exhibited disrespect towards them. Thus, anarchy prevailed during his reign. He even approached Lord Indra demanding for the precious gems that were churned out during Samudra Manthan by the devas and demons for extracting amrita. As Jalandhara was born from the ocean, he rightfully claimed for these gems. Alarmed by his approach and demand, Lord Indra appeared before Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva for advice. Brahma narrated them about the boon of invincibility bestowed to the demon by him. He stated them that in order to win over Jaladhara and annihilate him, his wife was required to be adulterous.
In the interim, a great battle raged between the devatas and the demons. In the holocaust thousands of devas were killed, few were even maimed. However, the brawny Jalandhara remained unscathed and grew stronger. Perceiving the circumstances Parvati approached Vishnu for his assistance as he alone possessed the power to create illusion and destroy Jalandhara.
A plan was soon conceived where Lord Vishnu disguised in the form of a Brahmin. Vrinda while searching for her husband approached the Brahmin enquiring about the well being and whereabouts of Jalandhara. As the Brahmin raised his hands, two monkey faced creatures appeared before him with the dismembered body of her husband. Grief stricken and bereaved on seeing the dead body of her husband, Vrinda broke into tears requesting the Brahmin to bring him into life utilizing his magical powers. The Brahmin readily agreed to her wish and made him alive. It was actually Lord Vishnu using his illusionary powers that made Vrinda perceive her husband. The asura`s body upon rising gazed at her with tender and loving emotions. Vrinda, overjoyed on seeing her husband, rushed to him and embraced him. It was much later that she realised that it Lord Vishnu in the form of her husband and thus, making her disloyal towards her husband though unwittingly.
Jalandhara, was now no longer invincible and was killed causing Vrinda to became a widow.
Enraged and infuriated at this deception of Lord Vishnu, Vrinda cursed him that the two beings he had ordered to fetch her husband`s corpse would in another age be born as two demons who would abduct his wife, Goddess Lakshmi. As per the curse the demons in their following birth were born as Ravana and Maricha when Lord Vishnu incarnated as Lord Rama along with his holy consort Sita. In the epic Ramayana Sita was kidnapped by Ravana with the help of Maricha.
