Chapter summary
स्थलशयनमाहात्म्यम् Sthalaśayana Māhātmyam
The Glory of Sthalaśayanam
**The revered Sadguru said:**
In ancient times, there lived a great sage named Puṇḍarīka, renowned as an ascetic, a master of the Vedas, one who had conquered his senses and subdued anger. This great yogi, yearning for a vision of Hari, undertook severe penance on the shore of the eastern sea, ceaselessly chanting the eight-syllabled mantra, the Aṣṭākṣara. Yet, even after ten thousand years of arduous spiritual practice, the ascetic was not granted the vision of Vishnu, a sight exceedingly rare even for the gods themselves (v.1-3).
The great sage then took to heart the Puranic declaration that "The Lord God rests upon Śeṣa in the midst of the ocean." Inspired by this, day after day, he resolved to behold Hari by somehow bailing out the ocean's vast waters with his own hands. For indeed, an enthusiastic soul feels no hardship in a difficult practice; with immense effort, such a one strives to attain even the most elusive goal (v.4-6). As Puṇḍarīka, firm in his vow, continued this extraordinary endeavor day after day, the sage became an object of amusement and ridicule among the people (v.7).
In the meantime, a certain aged Brahmin, compassionate towards the distressed, mercifully arrived at that spot and observed Puṇḍarīka. "O Brahmin," he inquired, "you are bailing out and casting away the waters of this boundless ocean. Why do you undertake such an impossible task?" Thus questioned by the Brahmin, the great sage Puṇḍarīka, filled with unwavering self-confidence, replied, "The pot-born sage Agastya playfully drank the ocean's waters. Similarly, I, desperate for the vision of Hari, shall bail it out." Having spoken thus, the eminent sage, with renewed eagerness, once again began to remove the water with his hands as before (v.8-12).
"If this is your resolve, O great sage," the Brahmin then declared, "I too shall do the same. Do not now prevent me from assisting in this sacred task." Having said this, that Brahmin himself, alongside the silent Puṇḍarīka, began to remove water from the ocean with his hands. Then, as the sun reached its zenith, the Brahmin, afflicted by hunger and thirst and utterly exhausted, spoke to Puṇḍarīka: "O Puṇḍarīka, repository of mercy, please go from here to the *agrahāra* [a settlement of Vedic scholars] and bring back food from a house to give to me." Thus addressed, Puṇḍarīka took his begging bowl. Meanwhile, the elderly man, overcome by hunger, lay down upon the ground (v.13-17).
Taking the food, Puṇḍarīka quickly returned to the ocean's shore, and there, upon the sandy beach, he beheld a divine person lying. He saw Hari, with long arms, expansive eyes like lotuses, clad in yellow garments, supremely serene, exquisitely handsome, and possessing a beautiful countenance. He beheld the Lord engaged in yogic slumber, the Master of yogis, the Supreme Lord, a treasury of compassion, dark as a fresh cloud, and ever affectionate to those who seek refuge in Him. Seeing Him, his wide eyes veiled with tears of love, Puṇḍarīka, the lotus-eyed one, praised Acyuta (v.18-21).
**Puṇḍarīka said:**
Salutations, salutations to You, O Nārāyaṇa, who are affectionate to those who bow down, the witness of all the worlds! Forsaking the king of serpents, You lie upon the ground before me, thus showering Your mercy. Brahmā and other hosts of gods, the Siddhas, the Vidyādharas, and the sages, O God of gods, constantly perform severe practices solely for a vision of You. O Lord, who moves at will! O ocean of compassion! Leaving aside all those practitioners, You have thus come into my sight. You alone are the refuge for those who have come for shelter (v.22-24).
In this world, men constantly strive to attain a small, fleeting goal, and having obtained it, they grieve, having abandoned You—the eternal treasure, the abode of Śrī, the Supreme Person. O Lord, to those ascetics who perform severe penance in a sacred place to attain You, please grant by Your grace alone the vision of Yourself, which is the attainment of the highest human goal. Those yogis who, having renounced all worldly objects of the senses like sound, which are the root cause of sorrow, see You residing in their hearts—they alone attain true peace (v.25-27).
I see You here before me, O Nārāyaṇa, praised by Nārada, Your body blue as a cloud, being honored with waving lights (*nīrājana*) by the brilliance of the excellent gems on the thousand hoods of the serpent king. Henceforth, I have nothing more to ask for. Nevertheless, I choose unshakable devotion at Your lotus feet alone, O Mukunda. You alone are my eternal helper. O You of flawless form, O remover of the afflictions of Your supplicants! Lying eternally in this beautiful place on the seashore, please grant Your vision forever to the people who take refuge in You. O Ananta! In the Kali age, people of impure minds do not possess the power to perform such penance. Therefore, assuming an *arcā* [icon] form, please grant Your vision Yourself (v.28-31).
**The revered Sadguru said:**
Thus praised, the Lord of Ramā, the Lord of the worlds, the treasury of compassion, became the one who lies on the ground (Sthalaśāyī) and is seen there by all people. This is that sacred place where the God Janārdana, the bestower of boons to Puṇḍarīka, leaving the water, lies upon the ground. Offering the begged food to Vishnu, the Sthalaśāyī, Puṇḍarīka worshipped Him with devotion day after day. A person who sees Hari here, who mercifully lies on the ground, certainly obtains the fruit of a pilgrimage to the Ocean of Milk (v.32-35).
Thus ends the twenty-first chapter, entitled "The Glory of Sthalaśayanam," in the Second Volume of the Divyadeśavaibhavam, composed by Śrī Kṛṣṇapremi Mahāprabhu.
