Chapter summary
श्वेतारण्यमाहात्म्यम् Śvetāraṇya Māhātmyam
The Greatness of Śvetāraṇya
**The Revered Sadguru said:**
In ancient times, there lived a renowned monarch named Dhundhumāra, a scion of the solar dynasty, whose brilliance and majesty shone as radiantly as the very sun. This valiant king, imbued with the divine *tejas* [spiritual power/radiance] of Vishnu, had once vanquished the *Asura* Dhundhu in battle, thereby granting protection and solace to the gods (v.1-2).
Yet, despite his prowess, King Dhundhumāra was not blessed with the fortune of a son. Overwhelmed by this profound sorrow, he embarked upon a most arduous penance. By the Lord's boundless grace, in a short span, his wife conceived and gave birth to a precious son, a true jewel destined to augment their noble lineage. The king and his queen cherished this exceptionally beautiful child, who became known by the name Śveta, with ceaseless affection. With his lisping, sweet words, his innocent smiles, and his playful glances, the child filled the royal couple's hearts with immeasurable delight (v.3-6).
One day, Nārada, the foremost among sages, arrived at their abode. King Dhundhumāra, with profound devotion and respect, offered his worship to the venerable sage. Observing the king's constant and deep attachment to his son, Nārada, ever compassionate towards the distressed, spoke gently (v.7-8).
**Nārada said:**
"Listen attentively, O King Dhundhumāra, for I shall speak solely for your welfare; hasten to perform the necessary rites. Alas, when your beloved son reaches his eighth year, an untimely death will surely befall him, a consequence of his past *karma*. You lavish affection upon this son in vain, O king. Knowing that life is transient, embrace dispassion, which alone grants true peace" (v.9-11).
**Dhundhumāra said:**
"Alas, this is indeed my misfortune, accumulated from deeds of a former life! The sorrow for my son is destined to come to pass; your words, O sage, are undeniably true. But, O sage, after such a long wait and so much penance, this dearest son was born to me. How can I surrender him to Death? How can I give to Death this child with his tender limbs and his indistinct, sweet speech, who delights his parents with every breath? How can I give to Death this augmenter of my lineage, whose lotus-face is adorned with a gentle smile, and who walks with such slow, deliberate steps? Tell me, O best of sages, the means to avert Death! For saints, compassionate to the distressed, wander the world solely for its welfare" (v.12-16).
**Nārada said:**
"May welfare be yours, O king, and for your grieving family. By the grace of the Lord, may your son certainly be granted a long life. Journey to the Palāśa forest, near the confluence of the sacred Kaveri, and there worship Mṛtyuñjaya [the Conqueror of Death], the three-eyed, compassionate Lord Śiva. By the grace of that very Śambhu, Vishnu will swiftly be pleased. And when Vishnu, the Lord of all worlds, is pleased, what, O king, can ever be difficult to obtain?" (v.17-19).
**The Revered Sadguru said:**
Thus instructed by Nārada, King Dhundhumāra proceeded to the Palāśa forest and devoutly worshipped Śambhu, Mṛtyuñjaya, the divine consort of Umā. Chanting the mantra, "I worship you, the three-eyed one, the nourisher of devotees' strength. Like a cucumber from its stalk, quickly release me from the bondage of Death," the king himself performed severe penance there, residing with his wife, all for the sake of his son (v.20-22).
When the eighth year arrived, during the very celebrations of his son's birthday, Death appeared before them, riding upon his formidable buffalo. Witnessing Yama [the god of Death] with his noose in hand, and his own son terrified, afflicted by a burning fever, delirious, and greatly weakened, the king, though observing this dire scene, remained fearless. Remembering Lord Mṛtyuñjaya, he embraced his son, seeking to avert the untimely demise (v.23-25).
Suddenly, by Śambhu's command, Aghora Vīrabhadra, endowed with a terrifying form, manifested, brandishing his trident. He forcefully obstructed Death, whirling his excellent trident. But Death, composing his mind, spoke these words (v.26-27).
**Death said:**
"These heavens and earth, and likewise these seven oceans; the wind, the waters, the sun, the moon, the constellations, and the planets; Brahmā and all other gods, Siddhas, Gandharvas, Kinnaras, sages, yogis, and likewise the hosts of Yakṣas and Rākṣasas; Asuras and Piśācas, humans, animals, and birds, grasses, creepers, trees, and various insects as well—thus all beings are ever under His control, from whom the birth and death of all are certainly ordained. Who, O Vīrabhadra, is capable of transgressing that inevitable Time, the very cause of the universe's creation and dissolution? Tell me quickly! In time the crop grows; in time the child is born. In time the cloud rains; in time the tree bears fruit. In time the sun rises, and likewise in time it sets. In time everything is born, and in time it perishes by itself. Knowing that divine person, Time—whose command is inevitable, of great power and great valor—a wise person does not grieve. Know that He is the soul of Time, O Vīrabhadra, salutations to you. He is my Lord, and yours, and of the entire world as well" (v.28-36).
**The Revered Sadguru said:**
Thus addressed, Vīrabhadra, accompanied by Death, returned to Śaṅkara and inquired about the profound greatness of Time. Then, the blessed Lord Tryambaka [Śiva], the supreme God, spoke sweet words to the mighty Vīrabhadra (v.37-38).
**Rudra said:**
"The soul of Time, the witness of all, and the destroyer of all, is none other than the God Nārāyaṇa, in whose control everything is situated. By Him alone Brahmā creates, and by Him I destroy. He alone is the primary creator and destroyer; there is no doubt. All worlds indeed perish in the great dissolution (*mahāpralaya*). Only that eternal Vishnu, Vāsudeva, remains. Having dissolved all the worlds in the *pralaya*, the lotus-eyed one performs yogic sleep on a banyan leaf, assuming the form of a child. And I, having performed the total destruction by His command, then enter into His very own eternal form. When the world is destroyed, Brahmā merges into Him alone. And so do all the sages, Siddhas, Sādhyas, and the gods. Who in the three worlds is capable of transgressing the soul of Time? Death, the lord, carries His decree upon his head. To destroy the untimely death of Dhundhumāra's son, quickly worship Vishnu alone, the great and powerful soul of Time" (v.39-46).
**The Revered Sadguru said:**
Having spoken thus, Tryambaka, accompanied by Vīrabhadra and Death, immediately reached the hermitage of Dhundhumāra. There, Candraśekhara [Śiva] created a holy, sin-destroying *Tīrtha* [sacred water body] and established Śrīnivāsa [Vishnu] on its bank. Along with Dhundhumāra, he worshipped with devotion. Then the blessed Lord appeared, manifest with four arms. Śambhu, with folded hands, prayed to Him—Śrīnivāsa, the ocean of mercy, who holds the conch, discus, and mace (v.47-50).
**Rudra said:**
"Salutations to You in the form of Time, O soul of Time, O ruler of Time! You hold the wheel of Time; I am united with a fraction of You. I bow to Vāsudeva—the supreme, attributeless, peaceful, pure consciousness, the witness of all, all-pervading, the Lord. I bow to You, Pradyumna, who, though attributeless, by divine play becomes associated with the quality of *rajas*, manifesting as the four-faced one [Brahmā]. I bow to Aniruddha—the *sattvic*, the eternal protector, attributeless, ever-auspicious, bearing the form of Vishnu. I praise the Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa, who is associated with the quality of *tamas*, the cause of all destruction, and has entered the form of Rudra. Taking refuge in me, the three-eyed one, who am born from a part of Saṅkarṣaṇa, mortals destroy untimely death, according to the injunctions of the Vedas. Dhundhumāra is my devotee; this Śveta is his son. O lover of devotees, kindly destroy his untimely death. By Your command, O holder of the discus, Death runs far away. For one who knows Your true nature, there is no fear of death" (v.51-58).
**The Blessed Lord said:**
"I accept your words, O Candraśekhara, O three-eyed one. There is not even a trace of difference between us; there is no doubt. I consider those who are devoted to you as my own devotees. I destroy their untimely death, residing in your heart. Vaishnavas who hate Shaivas, and Shaivas who hate Vaishnavas—they fall into the mouth of Death for as long as the moon and sun exist. Come, Dhundhumāra! Having worshipped me just once, the untimely death of your son is destroyed by the command of Śiva. Know the greatness of Mṛtyuñjaya to be just like mine. For the destruction of untimely death, there is indeed no other path. From today, this forest, presided over by your son Śveta, will attain the fame of 'Śvetāraṇya' [Śveta's Forest] on earth, O king. Know this to be Śveta-tīrtha. I reside on its bank. Out of compassion, I always destroy the untimely death of mortals. May your son have a long life. With him, go to your city. O king, perpetually uphold your *dharma* on earth" (v.59-66).
**The Revered Sadguru said:**
Thus addressed, Dhundhumāra, with Śveta and his wife, returned to Ayodhyā and ruled the world with justice. Those fortunate ones who read the greatness of Śvetāraṇya and of Śveta-tīrtha shall know no fear of death. Tryambaka, Vīrabhadra, King Śveta, the husband of Śrī [Vishnu], Śvetāraṇya, and Śveta-tīrtha—all are destroyers of untimely death. Those devout people who remember these with concentration in the evening and morning—the long life of those fortunate ones surely increases (v.67-70).
Thus the thirty-sixth chapter, named 'The Greatness of Śvetāraṇya', in the third part of the 'Divyadeśa Vaibhavam' composed by Śrī Kṛṣṇapremi Mahāprabhu.
