Chapter summary
प्रीतिपुरमाहात्म्यम् Prīti Pura Māhātmyam
The Glory of Prītipura
**The Sadguru said:**
Upon the majestic Kailāsa, a peak of immense height, one beholds a sight akin to the very breast of the Earth, draped in a pristine garment of snow. Here and there, a myriad of precious gems and minerals shimmer, like pearls adorning a woman's bosom. Its inherent beauty is further magnified by the touch of the sun's rays, much as the breast of a beloved woman gains greater charm from her lover's tender embrace. From this mountain's summit flows the sacred Gaṅgā, the provider of sustenance to all beings, resembling a life-giving stream of milk from a mother's breast to her child. (v.1-4)
Ascending the mountain's lofty reaches, peacocks dance in joyous abandon, while flocks of cuckoos perch upon the treetops, filling the air with their melodious songs. This forest, rich with diverse trees and graced by the presence of sages, radiates a serene splendor, caressed by a gentle breeze laden with the sweet fragrance of blossoms. (v.5-6)
There, too, lies the lake known as Mānasa, conceived long ago in the mind of Śiva himself for water sports with Umā. Its tranquil waters, clear and pure, resonate with the calls of swans and cranes amidst the lotus blooms, and it is a cherished haunt for assemblies of wise sages. Here, the Devas and Gandharvas, along with Siddhas and Vidyādharas, delight with supreme joy, wholly devoted to their aquatic pastimes. (v.7-9)
On the bank of this sacred lake stands a magnificent and auspicious banyan tree, its many leaves and branches providing a verdant canopy and a welcoming refuge for countless birds. Beneath its shade, Śaṅkara, the Lord of all worlds, adorned with the crescent moon, his matted locks flowing, clad in a tiger skin, three-eyed, and ornamented with serpents—the wielder of the Pināka bow, the blue-throated one, the tranquil husband of Pārvatī—Hara himself, performs *japa* [repetition of a mantra] for the welfare of all creation. (v.10-12)
Observing the Lord of all worlds engaged in this chanting with closed eyes, Pārvatī questioned the supreme Lord, Śiva. (v.13)
**Parvatī said:**
"You yourself are Mahādeva, worshipped by all the gods. Why do you needlessly chant a mantra? Upon which god do you yourself meditate?" (v.14)
**Śiva said:**
"O Pārvatī, I chant the *Tāraka* [liberating] mantra, 'Rāma, Rāma.' I see no other means for souls to cross the vast ocean of worldly existence. There is no restriction of place or time, nor any need for initiation whatsoever; one is freed from all sins merely by chanting 'Rāma, Rāma.' There is no restriction of caste for this; all men are eligible. Women, children, and the elderly, as well as the foolish, blind, and deaf—all are worthy to perform the *kīrtan* [congregational chanting] of 'Rāma, Rāma.'" (v.15-17)
"Yogis delight (*ramante*) in the infinite, conscious bliss of the Supreme Self. Thus, by the very word 'Rāma,' the Supreme Brahman is denoted." (v.18)
**Parvatī said:**
"Rāma, the son of Dasharatha, tormented by separation from Sītā, weeps in the dreadful forest, his hopes for the kingdom lost. O Mahādeva, you praise this Rāma, the best of men, who is beset by hardship and loss, as the Supreme Self, as if in jest!" (v.19-20)
**Śiva said:**
"I do not say this in jest; it is indeed the truth, O Pārvatī. Rāma alone is the Supreme Brahman; He merely performs the divine play (*līlā*) of a human. All this is merely a play, a semblance of an incarnation. There is no sorrow or happiness for Him, the attributeless Supreme Self." (v.21-22)
**The Sadguru said:**
Having been told this, the goddess Pārvatī, wishing to test the truth of Śiva's words, immediately went to Pañcavaṭī, assuming the form of Sītā. The bull among the Raghus [an epithet for Rāma], searching here and there for his dear wife, saw Pārvatī before him, standing in the very form of Sītā. Immediately, the foremost among men bowed down, and with humility and folded hands, he worshipped the goddess Pārvatī. "Why have you come, leaving your husband, the Lord?" Thus, Rāma of the lotus eyes asked the goddess. (v.23-26)
Knowing the omniscience of Rāghava, Sarvamaṅgalā [an epithet for Pārvatī] immediately vanished and returned to Śiva. However, because of her testing of his chosen deity, Śaṅkara's affection (*prīti*) for her waned, and Pārvatī became sorrowful. Wishing to regain his affection as before, the daughter of the mountain herself performed the *japa* of Rāma's name. (v.27-29)
Then, the affection of Rudra, Dhūrjaṭi [epithets for Śiva], for Gaurī [an epithet for Pārvatī] arose again. Therefore, this supreme place became known by the name Prītipura, the City of Affection. (v.30)
On the bank of the Mānasa Tīrtha [a sacred bathing place], Gaurīśa [Śiva] duly installed the four-armed God of gods, Rāma, with eyes like lotus petals, holding the conch, discus, and bow, together with Sītā, and worshipped him with affection day after day. (v.31-32)
This supreme sacred place, which increases the affection between couples, is seen by the gods on the peak of Kailāsa as supremely holy. (v.33)
Thus ends the twelfth chapter, named "The Glory of Prītipura," in the First Part of the Divya Deśa Vaibhavam [The Glories of the Divine Abodes, referring to the 108 sacred Viṣṇu temples], composed by Śrī Kṛṣṇapremi Mahāprabhu.
