Chapter summary
भगवन्नियमनम् Bhagavan Niyamanam
The Lord's Decree
Śrī Sadguru speaks: At that moment, Vibhīṣaṇa, the king of the Rākṣasas, arrived swiftly, having bathed in the sacred waters of the Sahya's daughter, the Kāverī river, to perform his evening worship. Beholding the Chola king engaged in the adoration of Lord Raṅganātha, he paused for a moment, then, with humility and folded hands, addressed him. (v.1-2)
Vibhīṣaṇa speaks: "Lord Raṅganātha is indeed the refuge for all beings across all worlds, impartial and benevolent to all. Without a doubt, He is to be worshipped by everyone. Nevertheless, this great treasure, this very deity, was bestowed upon me by Śrī Rāmacandra Himself. He is unquestionably my personal deity; you are not worthy to worship Him. O king, I shall take Him with me to Laṅkā, and there, having installed Him according to scriptural rites, I shall perform His worship." (v.3-5)
Dharmavarmā speaks: "Long ago, I myself journeyed to Ayodhyā and, with profound devotion, implored King Daśaratha to grant me that very Lord Raṅganātha. However, the king would not part with Lord Raṅganātha, who was his own family deity. Thereafter, O night-wanderer [Vibhīṣaṇa], I came to this very place and undertook severe penance. Know, O night-roamer, that the arrival of Lord Raṅganātha today upon these banks of the Sahya's daughter [Kāverī] is solely the fruit of my arduous penance. You are merely the divine vehicle, just as Lord Garuḍa serves. The Lord of Raṅga has come here only to bestow His grace upon me." (v.6-9)
Śrī Sadguru speaks: Thus addressed, the king of the Rākṣasas, accompanied by Dharmavarmā, approached the divine presence of Hari and directly questioned the Lord Himself. (v.10)
Vibhīṣaṇa speaks: "O Lord of Śrīraṅga, You were personally given to me by Rāghava. Yet, even before that, You were earnestly prayed for by King Dharmavarmā. O Lord, to whom do You truly belong? By whom do You wish to be worshipped? O You who are ever affectionate to Your devotees, please quickly declare Your will to us with Your own divine mouth." (v.11-12)
The Supreme Lord speaks: "I belong to all people in the three worlds, and I desire any worship that is performed with genuine faith. Dharmavarmā is a devoted servant, and you, Vibhīṣaṇa, are one who has surrendered to Me. You both are objects of My compassion, and I shall not abandon either of you. This Dharmavarmā is a human king; he is unable to come to your city every day to worship Me there. You, Vibhīṣaṇa, are a Rākṣasa who travels through the sky; therefore, you yourself must come here daily and worship Me. O night-wanderer, come here every day during the night and worship Me with faith. Thus, I shall always be pleased with you. O ocean of mercy, show compassion to the great King Dharmavarmā. Understanding My resolve, now depart to your city of Laṅkā." (v.13-18)
Śrī Sadguru speaks: Thus spoken to by Raṅganātha, Vibhīṣaṇa, the devoted follower of Viṣṇu, bowed his head to the Lord and departed once more for his own city. Taking leave of King Dharmavarmā with affection, and entrusting Lord Raṅganātha to his care, he set off again for his homeland. The king, in turn, worshipped Vibhīṣaṇa, who stood before him, embodying *sāttvika* [pure, virtuous] qualities, supremely tranquil, and recognized as the foremost among the Lord's great devotees. Those two, the king of Rākṣasas and the king of men, having developed deep affection for each other, continued to worship Lord Raṅganātha with love day after day. (v.19-22)
Thus, in the work "Divya Deśa Vaibhavam" composed by Śrī Kṛṣṇapremi Mahāprabhu, in the Fourth Volume, the twenty-sixth chapter named "The Lord's Decree".
