Chapter summary
आदनक्षेत्रमाहात्म्यम् Ādana Kṣetra Māhātmyam
The Glory of Ādanakṣetra
**The revered Sadguru said:**
Tormented by the Asuras, the Devas sought refuge with Brahmā. Brahmā, taking them along, approached the Ocean of Milk. There, the Devas, Munis, and Siddhas all sought refuge in the ultimate refuge of all—the God of gods, the Lord of the universe, who reclines upon the serpent couch. (v.1-2)
**The Devas said:**
"O God of gods, Lord of the universe, consort of Lakṣmī, we offer our salutations to You! Protect us, O lotus-eyed one, who are tormented by the Asuras! O You who are dear to Your devotees, abandoning You—who are the refuge of all the worlds and an ocean of compassion—to what other refuge shall we go? O Dāmodara, O Janārdana, mercifully grant us Your divine vision! By the mere sight of You, the afflicted find auspiciousness." (v.3-5)
**The revered Sadguru said:**
Thus implored, Viṣṇu, ever affectionate to those who seek refuge in Him, mercifully granted them His vision and spoke these sweet words. (v.6)
**The Supreme Lord said:**
"Be fearless, O best of the celestials! May all be well with you. By churning the Ocean of Milk, obtaining the nectar, and drinking it, you will undoubtedly become possessed of unfailing strength and valor. Strive quickly for your own well-being!" (v.7-8)
**The revered Sadguru said:**
Thus instructed, all the gods, bringing Mount Mandara and the serpent Vāsuki, churned the Ocean of Milk. (v.9) Then from it emerged Kāmadhenu (the wish-fulfilling cow), Kalpaka (the wish-fulfilling tree), the host of Apsaras, the horse Uccaiḥśravas, and the divine jewel Kaustubha. Airāvata, the king of elephants, and Candra, the repository of arts, also appeared when the Ocean of Milk was churned by the Devas. (v.10-11) Kamalā [Lakṣmī], with a lotus-like face, seated on a thousand-petaled lotus, emerged from the Ocean of Milk and joyfully placed a divine lotus garland upon the chest of the lotus-eyed Lord. (v.12) A pot full of nectar then appeared from the ocean. The Asuras, experts in their own self-interest, snatched it and fled. Then Hari, whose form enchants the universe, deluding the Daityas, mercifully gave the nectar to the Devas. (v.13-14) That Supreme Person [Viṣṇu] obtained the Kaustubha jewel and Kamalā [Lakṣmī]. Rudra, the matted-haired one [Dhūrjaṭi], obtained the moon as an ornament for his matted locks. The chief of the celestial hosts [Indra] obtained Airāvata, the king of elephants, the Kalpaka tree, and the host of Apsaras. All the Devas obtained the nectar. Bali, the lord of the Daityas, obtained the horse Uccaiḥśravas. (v.15-16) Then Kāmadhenu, of her own accord, approached Govinda. The Lord, ever affectionate to His dependents, spoke to that cow. (v.17)
**The Supreme Lord said:**
"O Kāmadhenu, mother of the world, I grant you Goloka. There, in the form of a cowherd, I shall protect you forever. You will grant the desired fruits to all who depend on you. You will attain fame and be worshipped by the Devas and Munis." (v.18-19) "Relying on you, wise sages like Vasiṣṭha and others will perform the Agnihotra sacrifice and worship guests with devotion. Create millions of cows and bulls on earth. This progeny of yours will bring well-being to mankind. Through the milk of cows, mortals will become like gods. In this world, humans will worship your offspring." (v.20-22)
**The revered Sadguru said:**
Thus instructed, Kāmadhenu, desiring the welfare of the worlds, mercifully created thousands of bulls and cows. Through the milk of cows, mortals became like gods. Seeing them, Surabhi [Kāmadhenu] shone, her desires fulfilled. (v.23-24) Thus, for the sake of helping others, they sustain their lives. In this world, the most virtuous cows are deities in visible form. With the milk, curd, butter, and ghee of cows, the Brāhmaṇas on earth perform sacrifices for the welfare of the world. (v.25-26) With the urine and dung of cows, people purify their homes. Dwelling in such a house, they attain auspiciousness. Motherless infants are nourished by the milk of cows. Therefore, here on earth, cows are indeed mothers to all human beings. (v.27-28) Pleased by the offering of grass to cows, by their worship and service, Lord Kṛṣṇa bestows His own abode. By devotedly circumambulating cows in the evening and morning, a person, freed from all sins, goes to the supreme realm of Goloka. (v.29-30) In all the limbs of cows reside all the deities. One should always worship with faith the cows, who embody all the gods. With bulls, all farmers, the growers of rice, joyfully cultivate the fields day after day in this world. Through rice, the entire world is freed from the affliction of hunger. Cows are indeed the cause of this; therefore, a man should worship cows. (v.31-33) However, merciless farmers, yoking the bulls to the plough, tilled the earth even in the fierce heat of midday. Exhausted, those bulls would fall in the mud, and the farmers would make them rise by goading and striking them with a stick. (v.34-35) Then the bulls, greatly afflicted, cried out with a "hambhā" sound. Kāmadhenu, full of compassion, saw them from the sky. Seeing her own progeny, who live for the sake of others, being tormented by them, Surabhi began to worry. (v.36-37) Descending suddenly, she came to the bank of the Kāverī river. In the city named Ādana, she saw Viṣṇu reclining on the serpent. With her eyes full of tears, seeking refuge in Gopāla and desiring the welfare of cows, she spoke these piteous words. (v.38-39)
**Kāmadhenu said:**
"You take incarnations for the welfare of cows and Brāhmaṇas. And yet, in this world, sinners kill Brāhmaṇas and cows. O Lord, bulls live thus for the sake of helping others, yet merciless mortals torment them again and again. In the end, they even kill them and eat their flesh. Therefore, I am grief-stricken, seeing my own offspring." (v.40-42)
**The Supreme Lord said:**
"Brāhmaṇa women are for performing austerities, queens for dying on the battlefield, cows for ploughing, and mares for chariots. That women give birth to sons is the way of the world. Therefore, give up your sorrow, you who desire the welfare of the world. In the forest regions, bulls roam happily and freely. Seeing those sons of yours, O beautiful one, be happy." (v.43-45)
**Kāmadhenu said:**
"O Mādhava, a woman with a hundred sons, forgetting the hundred who live happily, certainly feels sorrow upon seeing even one son in distress. This is indeed the way of the world. All others give birth for both sorrow and for happiness, but I give birth to sons only for sorrow. O Mādhava, they torment these very sons of mine again and again. O Govinda, O ocean of mercy, please set a boundary for this suffering!" (v.46-48)
**The Supreme Lord said:**
"If that is so, O Kāmadhenu, listen attentively. For your own welfare, I shall establish a rule. From this day forth, any fool who ploughs with bulls in the great heat of midday shall surely go to hell." (v.49-50) "He who milks a virtuous, milk-giving cow that has a young calf, thereby deceiving its calf, shall surely go to hell. The merciless one who torments bulls and the daughters of Surabhi [cows] with a goad or a cane shall surely go to hell. He who eats cow's flesh, that ungrateful one, the foremost of sinners, shall surely go to the hell known as Kṛmibhojana [where one eats worms]." (v.51-53)
**Kāmadhenu said:**
"O Lord, O embodiment of compassion! Hearing Your words, O Master, I feel sorrow indeed, from the fear of sin accruing to humans. Unknowingly, people on earth will commit this sin, and they too will fall into the hell of Kṛmibhojana. O Keśava, I see the suffering of others as my own. Therefore, O Lord of the universe, tell me the way to destroy this sin." (v.54-56)
**The Supreme Lord said:**
"Those people who, after committing cow-slaughter, become distressed with the fear of sin and take refuge in Me alone—I shall purify those devotees. Those foolish men on earth who unknowingly kill cows and, filled with remorse, grieve for their sin—for the destruction of their sin, I reside in this sacred place. The sorrow born from the sin of cow-slaughter will surely be destroyed here." (v.57-59) "O Kāmadhenu, do not grieve for the cows and bulls that have died or been killed. I grant them Goloka." (v.60)
**The revered Sadguru said:**
Having spoken thus, Lord Kṛṣṇa, the ocean of mercy, consoled Kāmadhenu with respect. She then returned to Goloka. (v.61) This sacred place, Ādanakṣetra, the destroyer of the sin of cow-slaughter, is situated near Kumbhakoṇam, on the bank of the Sahya-born river [Kāverī]. (v.62)
Thus ends the tenth chapter, entitled "The Glory of Ādanakṣetra," in the Third Part of the Divyadeśavaibhavam, composed by Śrī Kṛṣṇapremi Mahāprabhu.
