Chapter summary
पुलिनालयक्षेत्रमाहात्म्यम् Pulinālaya Kṣetra Māhātmyam
The Greatness of the Sacred Place Pulinalaya
**Shri Sadguru said:**
Once, the Supreme Lord Vishnu, whose eyes resemble the petals of a lotus, journeyed through the realms mounted upon His divine eagle, Garuda, accompanied by Śrī Devī and Bhū Devī. Resplendent in His yellow garments, He held the conch, discus, and mace, bore the auspicious Śrīvatsa mark and the Kaustubha gem, and was adorned with a tilaka of musk. Anointed with camphor and sandalwood, and garlanded with fragrant Mālati and Mallikā flowers, He beheld the exceedingly beautiful sandbank (pulina) of the Tamraparṇī river. (v.1-3)
Desiring to sport in that very spot, He swiftly descended from His vehicle, Garuda, along with the goddess Kamalā (Lakshmi). Upon that enchanting sandbank, He delighted in divine sport with Śrī. Thus, that sacred place became renowned as Pulinalaya, "the abode on the sandbank." (v.4-5)
Even today, Lord Vishnu is seen here in the form of an *arcā-avatāra* [an iconic manifestation of the Lord, accessible to devotees], worshipped by Indra, the king of the gods, and other celestial beings, ever granting the desired fruits to His devotees. (v.6)
On one occasion, Indra, the king of the gods, seized by a desire for the hunt, rode his horse through the forest bordering the Tamraparṇī. This bank of the Tamraparṇī is so delightful that it captivates even the gods; indeed, it surpasses the celestial gardens in beauty, so what need is there to speak of its charm for humans? (v.7-8)
Wandering through that forest—filled with the humming of intoxicated bees, the sweet calls of impassioned cuckoos, the delightful dance of peacocks, and adorned with Mandāra trees—Śakra (Indra) spotted a deer on his path. Overcome by the thrill of the chase, the god playfully struck it. (v.9-10)
Unbeknownst to Indra, a certain Brahmin, a sorcerer endowed with immense power from his penances, had assumed the form of a deer and was sporting there, desiring union with a doe. The divine *Māyā* [the Lord's mysterious power of illusion] of Vishnu, which deludes even great yogis, had bewildered him. Thus, the Brahmin, having taken the form of a deer, sought to sport with a doe. To ensure the expenditure of his accumulated spiritual power, Manmatha (the god of love) further deluded him. It was precisely at the moment of his seed's expenditure that Purandara (Indra) struck the deer-like form. (v.11-13)
Upon seeing the deer abandon its form and lie dead as a Brahmin, Purandara was overwhelmed by the terrifying sin of killing a Brahmin. To atone for this grave offense, he established a sacred bathing place (*tīrtha*) in his own name and worshipped Govinda, the Lord residing in Pulinalaya. (v.14-15)
Then, the Lord, being pleased, granted him His divine vision. The husband of Śachī (Indra), with hands joined in reverence above his head, offered praise. (v.16)
**Indra said:**
Salutations, salutations to You, O Lord of all worlds! O Nārāyaṇa, Ananta, Mukunda, Vishnu! Brahmā, Rudra, and I, the lord of the gods, constantly carry out Your supreme command. (v.17)
Your divine abode is not attainable through worldly actions; it is non-material (*aprākṛta*), eternal, infinite, and primeval. Living beings, freed from the bonds of worldly existence, worship there, having attained Your grace through devotion alone. (v.18)
Having performed various actions in this world solely with the desire to consume their respective fruits, even ascetics wander through the worlds and fall into the clutches of death again and again. (v.19)
Seeing their futile efforts, and desiring to dislodge them from my own position, I create obstacles in their penance. Yet, it is only through this very process that they come to know my true nature. (v.20)
Angered, they bestow a curse upon me and again perform severe penance. I, in turn, again create an obstacle in their penance, and thus, again and again, their accumulated spiritual wealth is lost. (v.21)
Indeed, in this world, there is certainly an expenditure of wealth acquired through one's own actions. But those virtuous ones who know You, the imperishable wealth situated within the heart, they alone are truly blessed. (v.22)
The saints do not desire in their hearts universal sovereignty, nor the heavens, nor the position of Brahmā, nor yogic powers, nor even liberation. They constantly delight in You alone. (v.23)
I am the destroyer of the penance of ascetics; I know this to be my only offense, O Lord. Forgive my sin, O Master, and compel me into Your service. (v.24)
**Shri Sadguru said:**
Thus praised, Śrīnātha, the Lord of the universe, who is ever affectionate to His devotees, consoled the lord of the gods, the wielder of the thunderbolt, the husband of Śachī. (v.25)
Having bowed to Vishnu, Śakra, his affliction gone, returned to heaven. The Lord Hari had taken away his sin of killing a Brahmin and all other such transgressions. (v.26)
Out of compassion for the devotees who come, the Lord resides eternally with Ramā (Lakshmi) in Pulinalaya, on the bank of the Tamraparṇī. (v.27)
Thus, the thirteenth chapter, named 'The Greatness of the Sacred Place Pulinalaya', in the Fifth Part of the 'Divyadeśavaibhavam' composed by Śrī Kṛṣṇapremi Mahāprabhu.
