Chapter summary
श्रीवैकुण्ठपुरमाहात्म्यम् Śrī Vaikuṇṭha Pura Māhātmyam
Śrī Sadguru spoke: The sage Utaṅka, having partaken of the nectar, felt a surge of pride, declaring, "I am indeed immortal, of this there is no doubt." Observing this, Vaida, the foremost among sages, gently brought his disciple Utaṅka to him and began to instruct him in the pure truth concerning Lord Viṣṇu. (v.1-2)
**Vaida spoke:**
"O great-minded one," Vaida began, "behold this entire world, how it is impermanent and fraught with sorrow. Even for Brahmā, life and happiness are not eternal. The highest human bliss is attained by one who is swiftest, firmest, strongest, most prosperous, deeply learned in the Vedas, and utterly free from desire. A hundredfold greater than this human bliss is that of the Pitṛs [ancestors], and a hundredfold greater still is the bliss of the Devas [gods]. A hundred times that is the bliss of Indra, and from there, a hundred times more is the bliss of Bṛhaspati, the preceptor of the Devas. A hundredfold beyond that is the bliss of Prajāpati, and a hundredfold further still is the bliss of Brahmā. Thus, all such happiness is inherently limited and perishable." (v.3-6)
"Only that Supreme Brahman—which is Truth, Knowledge, and Infinite—is eternal. By knowing it, one undoubtedly attains supreme peace. (v.7) Alas, even mighty beings like Kārtavīrya Arjuna, who possessed the eight great yogic powers, experienced fear and sorrow at the hands of Paraśurāma and others in ages past. Even the immortals, the ageless dwellers of heaven like Indra, were gripped by great fear from beings such as Hiraṇyakaśipu and Rāvaṇa. Some individuals, having attained immortality and heavenly abodes through their virtuous actions, eventually fall back to the mortal world, accompanied by their residual karmic tendencies, once their accumulated merit is exhausted. Immortality attained through karma is, by its very nature, impermanent. That which is impermanent is ultimately mortal; reflect deeply on this truth, O great-minded one." (v.8-11)
"Even for Brahmā, the lord of the universe, whose lifespan spans two *parārdhas* [an immense cosmic period], time is undeniably finite, as it is for all who dwell in his realm. Pondering repeatedly on the relative nature of all forms of immortality, a wise person should cultivate dispassion even for the exalted positions of the various gods. (v.12-13) Everything, from Brahmā down to one's own physical body, is impermanent. Only Brahman is eternal, truth, pure consciousness, and supreme bliss. By knowing that Brahman as one's own true nature, guided by the words of a Guru, one conquers death and realizes one's own supreme, immortal essence. For one who constantly abides in the knowledge of their true nature, there is neither birth nor death. That which is born, dies; but what of the Supreme Self, which is never born? For those who aspire to immortality without first knowing this true nature, such immortality remains unattainable, even across crores [tens of millions] of cosmic ages. (v.14-17) The draught you consumed on your journey, O child, was not the true nectar. Worship the Lord of Vaikuṇṭha; He alone will grant you true immortality." (v.18)
**Śrī Sadguru spoke:**
Thus instructed, the disciple, now imbued with firm dispassion, began to worship Lord Viṣṇu, the sovereign of Vaikuṇṭha. (v.19) Through long years of arduous penance and unwavering devotion, the foremost of sages beheld and praised the Supreme Person, Puruṣottama. His divine form was reflected in the shining jewels adorning the thousand-hooded canopy of Ananta. He reclined upon Ananta's fragrant, cool, soft, and coiled body, a sight that brought delight to the eyes of all who beheld it. The Lord, holding the conch and discus, rested one lotus-hand upon His knee, while His lotus-feet were reverently held by the assembled devotees who had sought refuge in Him. His face was serene and peaceful, His eyes like lotus petals, and His heart moist with compassion, ever affectionate to those who surrender to Him. His chest, eternally embraced by Lakṣmī, shone resplendent with the Kaustubha gem, and He was accompanied by the flawless Nīlā, Śrī, and Bhūmi Devīs. (v.20-25)
**Utaṅka spoke:**
"O Lord," Utaṅka began, "Your devotees always behold that supreme abode of Viṣṇu, a realm unseen even by Brahmā, Rudra, or other gods and sages. O Hari, all worlds, even up to the realm of Brahmā, are subject to return [to the cycle of birth and death]. But that supreme abode of Yours is one from which, once attained, there is no return. (v.26-27) That supreme state is not attained through ritualistic actions (*karma*) or through progeny. It is gained solely through true renunciation (*sannyāsa*) and the complete abandonment of all worldly attachments. (v.28) Abandoning all worldly goals and all conventional means, I, who yearn for liberation, take refuge in You alone, the supreme bestower of *mokṣa* [liberation]. (v.29) By Your very name, You are Mukunda, the giver of liberation to those who bow before You. The eternal Vedas themselves proclaim Your abode to be the supreme one. (v.30) Manu declared, 'One should seek knowledge from Śaṅkara, and liberation from Janārdana.' It is for this reason that I have come to You for refuge. (v.31) O Lord, O generous one, in times past, You bestowed the supreme state upon a courtesan, Ajāmila, the vulture (Jatāyu), and the elephant (Gajendra). (v.32) Brahmā and other gods, along with all the sages like Vasiṣṭha, did not attain this supreme state. What then can be said of a humble person like me? (v.33) In this world, various auspicious destinies, each progressively higher than the last, are prescribed. People undoubtedly attain these through their respective *karmas*. You, who behold all equally, yet observe the hierarchy among those who follow their respective *karmas*, graciously bestow upon them their suitable positions. (v.34-35) Or do You, O Lord, observing the hierarchy of devotion, bestow birth in Your divine abodes, in sacred places like the Ocean of Milk? Or, as the Lord whose movements are of Your own free will, do You Yourself, accompanied by Your divine attendants, grace various places with Your presence? (v.36-37) However it may be, O Viṣṇu, reveal Your own pure, supreme, and eternal nature, and likewise, my own nature, which is pure consciousness. Now that You, the great Lord, have been seen, the knot of my heart is split, all doubts are sundered, and my *karmas* are destroyed. Having realized the identity of the individual self and the Supreme Self, there remains nothing further to be attained or to be known." (v.38-40)
**The Lord spoke:**
"What you have said is indeed true, O fortunate one, there is no doubt," the Lord affirmed. "You are I, and I am you, O great sage, by virtue of our shared nature as pure consciousness. Realizing the Self as one, supreme, eternal, immutable, all-pervading, great, and omnipresent, the wise person transcends all grief. This, indeed, is the supreme knowledge; this, indeed, is the supreme state. There is nothing higher to be attained than this, and nothing higher to be known." (v.41-43)
**Śrī Sadguru spoke:**
Having spoken thus, Lord Hari immediately vanished from that very spot. This hermitage of Utaṅka is indeed that supreme place. One who beholds the Lord of Vaikuṇṭha on the bank of the Utaṅka Tīrtha becomes freed from the bonds of *saṃsāra* [the cycle of birth and death] and attains the supreme state. (v.44-45)
Thus ends the forty-first chapter, entitled "The Glory of Śrī Vaikuṇṭhapura," in the Third Volume of the Divyadeśavaibhavam, composed by Śrī Kṛṣṇapremi Mahāprabhu.
