Chapter summary
श्वेताचलमाहात्म्यम् Śvetācala Māhātmyam
The Glory of Śvetācala (The White Mountain)
**The Revered Guru said:**
In the sacred land between the mighty Gaṅgā and Yamunā rivers, there once reigned a king named Śibi. He was deeply devoted to love, diligently upholding his own dharma, and protecting his subjects with unwavering affection. So renowned was his generosity, truthfulness, and compassion for those who sought his refuge, that it was widely proclaimed there was none like him in the entire world (v.1-2).
To test this virtuous monarch, Indra, assuming the guise of a hunter, appeared before him. He was in pursuit of Agni, who had taken the form of a trembling dove. The king, witnessing the piteously crying dove seeking sanctuary, tenderly took it, consoled it, and respectfully placed it upon his lap. Just then, a young hunter, bow and arrow in hand, approached the righteous king and, with folded hands, addressed him (v.3-5).
**The Hunter said:**
"O King, for a long time I have been weary with hunger. As I wandered hunting today, this very dove was spotted by me. Therefore, I implore you, O Lord, to quell my hunger by giving me the dove. It was I who first struck it, and only today has it come to you for refuge" (v.6-7).
**The King said:**
"I shall not abandon this bird, for it has come to me for refuge. Indeed, great sin would be incurred by forsaking one who has surrendered. Do not be distressed, O hunter; I will provide you with an abundance of food—four kinds of pure sustenance, accompanied by ghee and soup" (v.8-9).
**The Hunter said:**
"O King, I am a dweller of the forest, and I partake only of meat. Therefore, what use would cooked vegetables be to me? They are not sufficient to satisfy my hunger" (v.10).
**The King said:**
"If that be so, O hunter, I shall undoubtedly give you the meat you desire. I have given my word of protection to this dove, and I shall surely protect it" (v.11).
**The Hunter said:**
"Then, O King, you who are so devoted to dharma, take flesh from your own body, equal in weight to the dove, and give it to me at once" (v.12).
**The King said:**
"Even by carving out flesh from my own body, I will protect this surrendered bird. What more is there to say, even if it means giving up my very life?" (v.13).
**The Revered Guru said:**
Having thus declared his resolve, the king swiftly and effortlessly drew his sword. Taking flesh from his limb, he placed it upon the scale. Seeing that it was insufficient, he added more flesh again and again. In the end, finding the balance still wanting, he himself silently sat upon the scale (v.14-15).
At that moment, the two gods, Indra and Agni, appeared there in their true forms. They praised the great king, who was true to his word and firm in his vows. The king, after reverently worshipping the two—Indra, the wielder of the thunderbolt, and Agni, the fire god—prayed for devotion to Hari, deeming it the best of all boons (v.16-17).
Soon thereafter, the king undertook a pilgrimage. He journeyed to Prayāga, the king of holy places, and to Kāśī with its sacred Maṇikarṇikā. He visited Gayā, Nīlācala, Siṁhācala, and Veṅkaṭācala; Kāñcīpuram, Śrīraṅgam, and the great river Kāverī. Circumambulating these with profound devotion, the king at last arrived at Śvetādri, the White Mountain (v.18-19).
There, the king encountered the great sage Mārkaṇḍeya. He worshipped the sage with devotion, and the delighted Mārkaṇḍeya then spoke to him (v.20).
**Mārkaṇḍeya said:**
"Vishnu alone is the Supreme God; all other deities are but His limbs. The Lord Hari Himself is the complete Whole, the inner controller of the three worlds. The worship of Vishnu is superior to the worship of any other gods, for when Vishnu alone is worshipped, all deities are simultaneously honored (v.21-22). Brāhmaṇas, dedicated to the Agnihotra sacrifice, constantly worship Vishnu, who is the Lord of sacrifices, the very embodiment of sacrifice, whose mouth is fire, and who is the all-pervading one. Lord Hari is pleased by the worship of Brāhmaṇas. Know, O King, from the authority of the Vedas, that the Brāhmaṇa is indeed His mouth. The Vedas are the ultimate authority for dharma, and the Veda itself is of the nature of Nārāyaṇa. Therefore, one should always worship Brāhmaṇas who are masters of the Vedas (v.23-25).
Fortunate one, worship with devotion those Brāhmaṇas in the world who are ever dedicated to their daily ablutions and Sandhyā prayers; who are engaged in the study of the Vedas, humble, and performers of the Agnihotra sacrifice. Honor those who perform the Vaiśvadeva ritual, who are pure, who wear the śikhā [a tuft of hair] and the sacred thread; who bear the ūrdhva-puṇḍra mark [a Vaishnava sectarian mark] and worship the Śālagrāma stone [a sacred ammonite fossil]. Revere those who are content with whatever they obtain by chance, are detached, and have conquered their senses; who are endowed with virtues like forgiveness and are dedicated to the welfare of the world; who are non-violent, true to their word, generous, and serve their guests; who are supremely indifferent to acquisition and preservation, and are restrained in accepting gifts. When such Brāhmaṇas are thus worshipped, Lord Hari is immensely pleased (v.26-30).
However, my dear one, never worship those Brāhmaṇas who are materialists (Laukāyatikas). They are skilled only in causing trouble; drive them away from your land. On this Śvetagiri, O King, you must especially build an Agrahāra [a settlement for Brāhmaṇas] and establish Brāhmaṇas there with reverence. Then, Mahāviṣṇu will surely be pleased with you. When He, the Lord of the worlds, is pleased, O King, what indeed is unattainable?" (v.31-33).
**The Revered Guru said:**
Thus instructed by the yogi Mārkaṇḍeya, the great king built a beautiful, divine city on that excellent Śvetagiri. Wishing to settle Brāhmaṇas there, he returned to his own city and brought many of them from the region between the Gaṅgā and Yamunā. Having heard of the sacred glory of Śvetagiri, the best of Brāhmaṇas, requested by the king, came with faith and devotion (v.34-36).
However, by chance, one Brāhmaṇa died on the way. Because of this, the king, filled with compassion, felt great sorrow. One house, previously built there, thus became vacant. The king then gave land, a house, and a cow to all the other Brāhmaṇas. By chance, a certain elderly Brāhmaṇa arrived there and approached the king, saying, "Please give the remaining house to me." The delighted king bestowed that great house upon him, and the Brāhmaṇa entered it with his wife (v.37-40).
Then, on another day, the king, with folded hands, came with devotion to see the Brāhmaṇas residing in the houses he had given. At that time, all the Brāhmaṇas, out of respect, worshipped the righteous king with hospitality and due ceremony. However, the house that had previously been given to the elderly Brāhmaṇa was found to be locked. Seeing this, the king was filled with wonder (v.41-43). After discussing the reason with the Brāhmaṇas, the king, the foremost among the righteous, himself opened the door and entered the great house (v.44).
There, he beheld the lotus-eyed one (Puṇḍarīkākṣa), the primeval person, the supreme Lord, the one of complete form, invoked and praised by many. He saw Vishnu holding the conch and discus, ever affectionate to those who seek refuge, adorned with the Śrīvatsa mark on His chest, the brilliant Kaustubha gem, and a conch-like neck. He saw the God with a gracious face, who grants fearlessness to His devotees, who wears yellow garments, the Lord of the three worlds (v.45-47). Seeing the one who reclines upon the serpent, Padmanābha, the king, with folded hands, his eyes moist with tears of joy, and his hair standing on end, began to praise Him (v.48).
**Śibi said:**
"Salutations, salutations to You who recline upon the serpent, to Nārāyaṇa, the witness of all the worlds, from whose navel-lotus was born the Creator, the embodiment of the Vedas, the seer of the ultimate truth. Salutations to that Lord of the universe who, in the form of Brahmā, creates the world; who, in the form of Rudra, brings about its destruction at the end; and who, in His own form, protects the world (v.49-50).
This form of Yours is of pure goodness (viśuddha-sattva), in which there is neither sattva, rajas, nor tamas [the mundane *guṇas* or qualities of nature]. The best of Brāhmaṇas know through the Vedas that it is non-material, auspicious, and eternal. Your essential nature is self-luminous, beyond measure, and the very basis of all proof. Who is capable of seeing it through any means of proof, that from which mind and speech turn back? (v.51-52).
Therefore, You are not attainable by false yogis, nor through Yoga, Sāṅkhya, or Karma. For those who have renounced various other means, You shine forth by Yourself, a lamp of pure consciousness. O Lord, having realized You in their own hearts—self-shining, the form of truth, and the essence of bliss—the wise and tranquil ones rejoice. Theirs is eternal happiness, not that of others. Those who desire happiness only externally, in the host of worldly objects like sound and the like, they never truly know You who are situated in the heart. Though You are pure bliss, they are truly poor (v.53-55).
Blessed indeed are they who constantly remember You—dark-hued, with eyes as large as a lotus, holding the conch and discus, the refuge of the worlds, the Lord of Śrī, situated in the heart, and one whose desires are all fulfilled. I do not desire the worlds of Brahmā, Śiva, and others, nor heaven, nor even an empire, O Lord. Residing always in my heart, please grant me devotion to Your lotus feet. What more is there to ask for, after attaining You in this world—the Supreme Lord, God, who is dedicated to protecting the surrendered, who has a gracious face, and who destroys all fear?" (v.56-58).
**The Revered Guru said:**
Thus praised, the Lord of the universe, the lotus-eyed one, eager to bestow grace upon the world at the request of King Śibi, resides eternally on Śvetācala, ever pleased. Keśava is visible to the eyes of men in the form of an Arca-avatāra [a consecrated idol, a manifestation of the Lord's presence]. To see Him, all the gods, led by Brahmā and Rudra, as well as sages and perfected beings, come here day after day. Whether impure or pure, or in any condition whatsoever, whoever remembers the lotus-eyed Lord becomes pure, both externally and internally (v.59-62).
Here ends the second chapter, titled "The Glory of Śvetācala," in the Third Volume of the Divyadeśavaibhavam, composed by Śrī Kṛṣṇapremi Mahāprabhu.
Thus ends Chapter 2, named "Śvetācala Māhātmyam", in Tṛtīya Bhāge, in the Divya Deśa Vaibhavam, composed by Śrī Kṛṣṇapremi Mahāprabhu.
