Chapter summary
पुरुषोत्तममाहात्म्यम् Puruṣottama Māhātmyam
The Glory of Purushottama
**The revered Sadguru said:**
Who on earth can truly describe the boundless glory of Puruṣottama, that sacred realm where a mere entry transforms a mortal into Nārāyaṇa Himself? What more need be said? Let me tell you briefly: Puruṣottama stands as the most excellent of all holy places. (v.1-2)
In that beautiful *kṣetra* [sacred precinct], the mortal who beholds Hari both in His slumber and at His rising is honored even by the gods. Indeed, for one who sees Jagannātha, the lotus-eyed Lord, seated upon His chariot, there is no rebirth into this world, which is the very fount of all sorrow. (v.3-4)
And he whose body is reddened there by the strike of a cane — all the gods, including Brahmā, Indra, and Śiva, offer him their praise. (v.5)
In ancient times, there lived a certain Śaurasenī, the paternal aunt of Devakī's son [Kṛṣṇa]. The king of the Utkala country took her daughter, named Śrutadevikā, as his wife. Wishing to please His paternal aunt, that great soul, Kṛṣṇa, mounted a divine chariot with Subhadrā and the wielder of the plough [Balarāma], and came to Nīlācala on the shore of the eastern sea. Delighted, Śrutadevikā brought her two nephews and the fortunate Subhadrā, honored them in the city, and had them stay in her own home. (v.6-8)
It was at that very time, having returned from Vṛndāvan, that Mukunda heard from the mouth of the divine sage Nārada about the profound experience of separation from Rādhā. From the anguish of this tale, His divine body underwent a wondrous transformation. Though that auspicious form, the body of Mukunda, is non-material and of pure *sattva* [goodness], it nevertheless became emaciated due to separation from Rādhā. Oh, truly, this is her glory! Seeing Mukunda's body thus dissolved in separation from Rādhā, the body of Rāma [Balarāma], who was suddenly agitated, also dissolved. This is surely the greatness of love. Witnessing this transformation of the limbs of her two brothers, Subhadrā too became dissolved. This divine love of the three siblings is indeed sacred. (v.9-12)
Seeing them in such sorrow, the divine sage Nārada, after some thought, suddenly became joyful. He brought Bhīṣmī [Rukmiṇī], Bhāmā [Satyabhāmā], and all the other goddesses dressed as *gopīs*, and presented them before Kṛṣṇa, calling out "Rādhā!" and "Gopī!". With them, Kṛṣṇa, who was swooning in love, performed the Rāsa festival there by the ocean. (v.13-14)
Thus consoled by that best of sages, the divine *ṛṣi*, the son of Devakī considered this very place on the shore of the eastern sea to be a hidden Vṛndāvan. (v.15)
Therefore, Murāri, having assumed a form made of love, with deformity of limbs, gives His vision to the world. One who desires to obtain prosperity should not criticize this form upon seeing it. (v.16)
For those humans who behold Balabhadra, Subhadrā, and the lotus-eyed Kṛṣṇa, nothing is difficult to obtain. (v.17)
There, the food, even if touched by an outcaste, is to be eaten by the twice-born. Indeed, there, the cook of the food is Lakṣmī Herself, and the enjoyer is Janārdana. Just as the water of the Gaṅgā is excellent and sacred everywhere on earth, so too is that food sacred everywhere and a destroyer of sins. All the gods, beginning with Brahmā, come daily and partake of that extremely rare food. What, then, can be said of mere humans? (v.18-20)
In the fourteen worlds and on the Lokāloka mountain, among all moving and unmoving beings, there is no sacred place equal to or better than Puruṣottama—there is simply none. (v.21)
The Lord of the Yadus sports playfully forever in Dvāravatī; sleeps in Śrīraṅgam; is awake in the assembly of Brahmā; stands on Vṛṣagiri; bathes in Prayāg; chants in the land of Badarī; eats at Jagannāth; and for a moment, resides in Ayodhyā. (v.22)
Thus, the twenty-eighth chapter, named "The Glory of Puruṣottama," in the First Part of the Divya Deśa Vaibhavam, composed by Śrī Kṛṣṇapremi Mahāprabhu.
