CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED EIGHT

The Greatness of Dvaraka

Narada said:

1. Taking the brahmana (with him) Vimala came here to Dvaraka. And the two wise ones with a desire for devotion for Vishnu bathed there. In the sky there was again heard the divine voice, deep like that of clouds. The divine voice said:

2. Listen, O best brahmanas, this is Vishnu's holy place. You will have, due to the grace of this holy place, devotion for Vishnu, due to which people abandon the strong infatuation due to Maya. Narada said:

3-4. The two best brahmanas having heard the incorporeal speech, said to each other: " This is Vishnu's favour." The two, having duly bathed there and obtained great devotion for Vishnu, saluting him and talking to each other walked. The brahmanas said:

5-7a. As we two, walking on the path came in contact with each other, as on the earth contact with a house and wife etc. takes place, so the future separation of us, being on the way, is (but) proper. So is (the contact and separation from) the wife, son etc. being in the mouth of tiger in the form of Death. That man who realising the contact with wife and sons to be transient, would ever resort to and worship Vishnu, is blessed. Narada said:

7b-lla. " (Please) remember me. I am your servant, resorting to your feet. You may send me a message." Saying like this, they went home. O king, listen, how that friend of Vimala, going along the path, brought about the liberation of the demonesses. The brahmana, while going, reached that place void of water, where the demonesses scorched by sins stood oppressed by hunger and thirst. Then they, seeing from a distance that brahmana with a pot containing water in his hand, said to one another: The demonesses said: llb-13a. Some traveller, holding a pot of water in his hand is coming. Our hunger and thiist will be at least partially satisfied. We shall eat him up and drink the water in the pot in his hand. We are oppressed by hunger and thirst for a hundred years. NSrada said:

13b-21. One said: " Having first eaten his hot liver, then having drunk his blood, I shall gain life." The other said: " How much material does he have, O Gajanana? Even for me, Vyaghranana, it is not seen to be enough for drinking." Another one called Rathacakra, (said): " Hear my words. From one I shall fashion an ear-ring, and a girdle from (other) intestine." Another one said: " I, skilled in gambling, will play dice in the gambling hall with his sixteen teeth, made black from one side." All of them, thus speaking among themselves, ran to the brahmana, with their mouths opened, tongues lolling and bright great arms. Seeing them coming, the brahmana was overcome by fear. O king, he protected himself all round, as told in the Vedas. The demonesses of fierce valour having come (to him), stood away from him. O king, they were repelled by his lustre and hymns. And they said: " Tell us, who are you? Wherefrom have you come? Seeing you our mind is delighted. O brahmana, what will be the fruit of touching your feet? Therefore, place your lotus-like feet on our heads." Narada said:

22a. Hearing their words Haridattaja (Haridatta's son? ) said: The brahmana said:

22b-23. I am a brahmana who has come after visiting holy places. Now I am going to Puskara. What do you desire? Since, if I am able to give it, I shall do so. The demonesses said:

24. O brahmana, tell us in which holy places you bathed. All those are meritorious. Liberate us from this bad existence, giving terrible agony due to great hunger and thirst. The brahmana said:

25-38. From my hermitage I went first to Haripura, Avanti. From there I went to Dvaraka. Having bathed in the water of Somodbhava, I went to the holy place Prabhasa situated on the shore of the sea. Then I bathed at the highly purifying Setunibandha. From there I came to the very holy Kiskindha where Rama had killed Valin, the lord of the host of monkeys. From there I came to the SarasvatI temple situated on the bank of Narmada where SarasvatI, served by all, dwells. Then I reached VenI, saluted her and saw the two cities ShivakaiicI and Vishnukaiici in the southern part of India, due to having died where a man becomes Shiva and Vishnu. From there I reached Utkala where lord Vishnu, actually giving the four ends of human life and the desired objects to his devotees dwells. Having duly worshipped him, and eaten the eatables offered to him, I went to Gangasagara which was his favour only. Then having duly gratified gods, sages and (my) dead ancestors, I came to that place where Ganga had a hundred faces (i.e. flew in a hundred courses). Then having gone to Gaya and having duly offered pinda, endowed with TulasI blossoms, sandal and water to the dead ancestors, I came to Kosala, to Sarayu which by means of her touch cloudy due to the water, had purified all people. There is a holy place called Gopratara difficult to be reached (even) by gods. O demonesses, there I did the acts like bathing etc. From there I reached Kasi, the capital of the lord of Uma. Having saluted god Visvesvara, so also Bindumadhava, I devoutly bathed in the Jnanavapi at Manikarnika. Having stayed there for three nights, I again came to Prayaga where actually Brahma (lives) on the fourteenth day of the bright half of Pausa.

39-49. At a dawn of Magha. having bathed there, again from there I came to Naimisa on the bank of Gomati, where all holy places, with their enchantment dwell. From there I reached Mathura where there is the holy place called Visranti. Near it is a holy, excellent pool called Asikunda. There very holy Yamuna giving everything and having the holy places of Krishnaganga, Dhruva, Krurakesi, Kali exists. On both her banks are forests shining with splendour and producing allholy places. Having bathed in them and drunk (their water) a man is not born again. From there I came to the holy, excellent city of Hastinapura. There is the best river Ganga that rose from lotus-like feet of Vishnu. Then coming to the place of Narayana situated in the Himalayan region and seeing Madhava (there), I came to Kedara. Having worshipped Visvesa (there) and having drunk the water of Hamsa (lake), I came to the very holy Haridvara, on the bank of Ganga. Having bathed there and having gratified gods, sages and (my) dead ancestors, I came to Kuruksetra where there is PracI Sarasvati. There too, I with my senses controlled, performed all rites, and having worshipped Vishnu's lotus-like feet I went to Puskara. On the way my friend named Vimala, going from the holy place Indraprastha, met me.

50-60. O demonesses, the brahmana, causing me to return, took me to the holy place Sakra-(i.e. Indra-)prastha, giving all (desired) objects. There is holy Dvaraka fashioned by Vishnu himself. There I actually saw Vishnu, not in form but through words. There he and I bathed to obtain devotion for Vishnu. Vishnu, of the form of Krishna, gave it to him and me. We heard Vishnu's words, but did not see his form. We secured devotion for him. From that place I came to Puskara. O demonesses, I tell you that this water in the water-pot is from that holy place called Dvaraka, the chief among holy places. I have told you what you had asked me. Seeing this bad plight of you, compassion is produced in my heart. Tell me what I should do. I am at your disposal. Let knowledge come to you. Saying so, he sprinkled them with (that) water. Due to the touch of that water they remembered all the acts in their (various) existences, and gave up their powerful demonish bodies. Obtaining divine bodies, and turning into celestial nymphs, they got into an aeroplane that had come from heaven, and saluted the brahmana. And they said: " O best brahmana, due to contact with the water from Dvaraka we are freed from demonhood, and are (now) going to heaven. O brahmana, there is no other better holy place giving all desired objects than this Dvaraka situated in Indraprastha." Narada said:

61-68. Speaking like this, O king, they got into the aeroplanes. And ordered by the brahmana, they went by that (aeroplane) to the eastern direction. A man, hearing the greatness of this Dvaraka situated on the bank of Yamuna, is freed from sins, Oking. The same fruit as is had by giving meals to a hundred brahmanas as desired by them, is produced by listening to this greatness. O king, as happiness is experienced on worshipping Vishnu, similarly (it is had) by listening to the greatness of this Dvaraka. That fruit which is got by giving twenty palas of gold (to a brahmana) at the time of the solar eclipse and the lunar eclipse, is obtained by one hearing the greatness of this (Dvaraka). Having heard (the account of) the acquisition of a son by Vimala, (a man) obtains a son; and hearing (the account of) the acquisition of his friend's devotion (a man) secures the best devotion. He who, endowed with devotion, listens to (the account of) the liberation of the demonesses, goes like them in an aeroplane to heaven. O best king, I have described to you the greatness of Dvaraka that should be resorted by men in the three worlds and that is situated at Sakratirtha. Tell me, what other (account) more meritorious than this, I should relate to you. No delay should be done in (securing) one's bliss.

 

CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED NINE

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