Chapter summary
कुंभकोणमाहात्म्यम् Kuṃbhakoṇa Māhātmyam
The Revered Guru spoke: Once, Sūryadeva, the Sun God, was overcome by an unbearable wrath. "I alone am the supreme Lord of gods and men!" he declared. "It is by me that the measure of time is eternally established by the sages. The entire universe is dependent on time, and I am the very cause of time." (v.1-2)
The Moon, Mars, Mercury, the preceptor of the gods (Jupiter), as well as Venus and Saturn, serve me day after day. Indeed, the truth-seeing sages, after offering libations (arghya), devotedly chant the Sāvitrī mantra every day, making me their object of worship. (v.3-4)
"Without me, this world would undoubtedly be shrouded in darkness. I awaken human beings to their duties each morning, impelling them to action. I am also the daily witness of their deeds, and indeed, good health for all beings in this world emanates from me alone. I am the presiding deity of the eyes of all living beings; without me, all creatures would surely be blind." (v.5-7)
"I am Brahmā, I am Viṣṇu, I am Rudra, and also Maheśvara. I alone am the Supreme Brahman, and I embody all the gods. Yet, out of ignorance, fools disregard me, the great Lord of all worlds, committing many evil deeds before my very eyes." (v.8-9)
"In this terrible Kali Yuga, Brahmins have become exceedingly lazy, their minds deluded by sleep, failing to worship me during the twilight prayers (sandhyā). Kshatriyas are nowhere to be seen, men having strayed from righteousness; fools, having attained the throne, only increase unrighteousness. All merchants are greedy, abandoning fair trade and constantly tormenting the people in their pursuit of wealth. And the Śūdras, having become atheists and revilers of gods and Brahmins, contribute to the disarray of the four-varna system in this dreadful age." (v.10-13)
"Humans constantly engage in gold theft, liquor consumption, falsehood, violence towards living beings, and illicit union with the wives of others. All women have become wanton, fond of acquiring wealth, abandoning service to their husbands for the service of other men. Driven by great sin, they wander about like ghouls, always absorbed in the thought, 'Money, money, money!'" (v.14-16)
"Nowhere to be seen nowadays are truth, non-violence, charity, purity, or integrity; sacrifices and meritorious deeds have vanished. All people have become heretics, wearing the dress of barbarians (mlecchas), devoid of Vedic conduct, seen here and there. They revile even the followers of the Vedas, and especially the Vaiṣṇavas. Therefore, I shall now destroy this entire world!" (v.17-19)
Having thus resolved, Lord Bhāskara [the Sun], of great effulgence, desiring to burn the worlds, transgressed his orbital path and swiftly came near the globe of the Earth, scorching the people. By the great heat, all people became distressed. The world, being burned by the intense scorching rays, was filled with cries of 'Alas! Alas!' and was left without protection. (v.20-21)
Water was not to be seen in the ponds or even in the rivers. All the grass became dry, and the animals likewise perished. Birds, afflicted by Pataṅga [the Sun], fell down. All the trees were burnt, becoming mere dry wood. Grain and food were nowhere to be found. Afflicted with hunger and thirst, all the people died, filled with cries of 'Alas! Alas!' (v.22-24)
Observing the anger of the Sun God and this dire condition of the world, all the sages took refuge in Hari [Viṣṇu]. (v.25)
**The Sages spoke:**
"O God of gods, Ocean of mercy, wielder of the Śārṅga bow, Lord of the universe! The world is being burned by the Sun; protect it, O Lord! O husband of Śrī, You must pacify the father of Yama [the Sun]! Transgressing the established order, he desires to burn the entire world." (v.26-27)
**The Revered Guru spoke:**
Thus implored, Lord Viṣṇu, the wielder of Śārṅga and Lord of the universe, dispatched the King of Discs [Sudarśana Chakra] before the Sun. The unbearable radiance of the Sun was exhausted by the brilliance of the Chakra. His anger pacified, Bhāskara spoke to the wielder of the Chakra [Viṣṇu]. (v.28-29)
**The Sun spoke:**
"Forgive this offense, O wielder of the Chakra, Lord of the universe! My radiance, which is so unbearable in the world, has been calmed by Your disc. Seeing the people in this terrible Kali Yuga devoid of truth and righteousness, I became angry and resolved here to destroy everything." (v.30-31)
**The Supreme Lord spoke:**
"Forgiveness is the supreme dharma; forgiveness is the supreme austerity. Forgiveness is the supreme brilliance; forgiveness is the supreme wealth. For us gods, and for the gods on earth [Brahmins] too, O Bhāskara, forgiveness is truly the ornament. One should indeed hold fast to forgiveness. All human beings are foolish, especially in this Kali Yuga. Therefore, forgiveness and compassion should be shown towards them." (v.32-34)
**The Sun spoke:**
"If that is so, O Lord, tell me the atonement for these sinners. Otherwise, they will undoubtedly receive punishment." (v.35)
**The Supreme Lord spoke:**
"During the sacred period of Saṅkrānti, when you are in your northern course (Uttarāyaṇa) in the month of Māgha, those who bathe in the waters of the Kāverī and behold Me residing in Kumbhakonam—to those people who see Me with devotion, I am the bestower of boons. All their sins are destroyed, and all auspicious things are obtained." (v.36-37)
"In this Kali Yuga, where all other dharmas are abandoned, the chanting of My name destroys all sins and instantly grants liberation. Those who constantly utter, 'O wielder of the Śārṅga, Lord of the universe, holder of the conch, disc, and mace!'—Yama does not trouble them." (v.38-39)
"There is no restriction of place or time, nor any rule of purity. The chanting of My name should be done by all, always and everywhere. In temples, in homes, in monasteries, and in assemblies, in rivers—everywhere one should perform the chanting of My name. Casting aside distinctions of caste, the chanting of My name should always be done by all people, whether with faith or without faith." (v.40-42)
"By chanting My names 'Nārāyaṇa, Hari, Rāma, Kṛṣṇa,' the evil of the Kali age will be destroyed, and righteousness will increase. For the protection of dharma, there is truly no other way. I will cause the chanting of My name to be done everywhere in this world." (v.43-44)
"Therefore, be gracious and let your rays be calm. People will become sinless through the chanting of My name." (v.45)
**The Revered Guru spoke:**
Thus addressed by the wielder of Śārṅga, Divākara [the Sun], the friend of the lotus and friend of the world, being pacified, immediately became calm. (v.46)
The man who stays in this Kumbhakonam even for half a moment finds liberation in his hand. What then to speak of other glories? (v.47)
Here ends the thirteenth chapter, titled "The Glory of Kumbhakonam," in the Third Part of the "Divyadeśavaibhavam," composed by Śrī Kṛṣṇapremi Mahāprabhu.
Thus ends Chapter 13, named "Kuṃbhakoṇa Māhātmyam", in Tṛtīya Bhāge, in the Divya Deśa Vaibhavam, composed by Śrī Kṛṣṇapremi Mahāprabhu.
