Chapter 21 - The Greatness of Ākāśagaṅgā

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

[The Episode of Brāhmaṇa Rāmānuja]:—

Note: This Rāmānuja is a mythological person different from the founder of Viśiṣṭādvaita school of Vedānta. The personal name Rāmānuja was popular iṇ Tamil Nadu in the 11th and 12th centuries CE, which may give some clue to the date of this Māhātmya.

Śrī Sūta said:

1. O ye ascetics, all residents of the Naimiṣa forest, I shall recount the greatness of Ākāśagaṅgā Tīrtha.

2-3. Near Ākāśagaṅgā a certain devotee of Viṣṇu, well-known as Rāmānuja, performed penance. He was a master of all the contents of all scriptures. He had conquered all his sense-organs. He was a virtuous soul closely following the advices of anchorites. During summer he seated himself in the middle of five fires and engaged himself in the meditation of Viṣṇu.

4-5. He repeated the eight-syllabled Mantra^[1] (Oṃ namo Nārāyaṇāya) and meditated on Janārdana in his mind. During rainy season he stayed out under the open sky and during (early) winter he constantly remained in water. He thought of the welfare of all living beings. He had perfect control over the sense-organs. He was free from (the effect of) all the mutually opposed pairs (such as pleasure-pain). For many years he lived on old and decaying leaves.

6. For some time he took only water as his food. For many years only air was his intake.

[Pleased with Rāmānuja’s Penance the Lord Manifests Himself on the Bank of Ākāśagaṅgā]:—

7-9. The Lord, affectionate to his devotees, was delighted by his penance. He appeared directly before him holding the conch, the discus and the iron dub. His eyes were like the petals of a full-blown lotus. His lustre was equal to that of a crore of suns. He rode on Garuḍa. He was rendered splendid by means of the umbrella and the chowries. He was bedecked in necklace, armlets, crown, bracelets etc. He was surrounded by Viṣvaksena, Sunanda and other attendants.

10. Nārada and others who played on flutes, lutes, Mṛdaṅga-drums and other instruments sang songs in his praise. He shone in his yellow robes.

11. On his chest Lakṣmī shone brilliantly. He had the blue lustre of a cloud. On his either side he was attended upon by Sanaka and other great Yogins.

12-13. With his gentle smile he fascinated the three worlds. Honouring (everyone) he rendered all the ten directions brilliant with his refulgence. Thus Lord Veṅkaṭeśa, the storehouse of mercy, easily accessible to good devotees, appeared before that great sage Rāmānuja.

14-15. On seeing Śrīnivāsa, the storehouse of compassion, the Lord clad in yellow robes, who appeared before him then, the great sage attained great delight. Endowed with the greatest devotion, he eulogized the Lord of the universe.

[Hymn to the Lord Composed by Brāhmaṇa Rāmānuja]:—

Rāmānuja prayed:

16. Obeisance to the over-lord of Devas holding the conch, the discus and the iron club. Bow to you, the eternal one, the purest one, the Lord of Veṅkaṭa.

17. Obeisance to the dispeller of the agony of devotees. Hail to you, having the form of Havya and Kavya! Obeisance to you of three forms, the cause of creation, sustenance and dissolution (of the universe).

18. Obeisance to the greatest Lord, Bow to the Lord of great bounty and abundance. Obeisance to the Lord of Lakṣmī, to the creator. Hail to the Lord with the sun and the moon for his eyes! Obeisance to you respectfully bowed to by Brahmā and others.

19. Obeisance to that destroyer of Daityas who has none of these diversities, such as name and caste and other things, who is devoid of all defects and who dispels the fears of the entire universe.

20. Obeisance to the Lord who can be known only through the Upaniṣads. Obeisance to the Lord of Ramā, to the resident of Vṛṣādri, to the father of Brahmā. Obeisance, obeisance to the dispeller of the agony of all the people. Obeisance to Nārāyaṇa of unmeasured valour.

21. Obeisance to you, to Lord Vāsudeva wielding the Śārṅga bow. Repeated obeisance to you, to the resident of Veṅkaṭādri.

22. After eulogizing Śrīnivāsa, the Lord of Veṅkaṭa, the preceptor of the universe thus, sage Rāmānuja, the excellent Brāhmaṇa, remained silent.

23. On hearing this eulogy of that noble soul, pleasing to the ears, the Lord of Veṅkaṭācala who was eulogized, attained deep satisfaction.

24-25. The delighted Lord Śauri embraced the sage with his four arms and spoke to him, “Let the boon be chosen. O great sage, I am delighted at your penance, eulogy and obeisance. I am pleased. I have come here as the bestower of boons on you.”

[Brāhmaṇa Rāmānuja’s Request to the Lord]:—

Rāmānuja said:

26-27. O Nārāyaṇa, O Lord of Ramā, O Śrīnivāsa identical with the universe, O Janārdana having the universe for your abode, O Govinda, O slayer of Naraka, I am satisfied and blessed on seeing you. O crest-jewel of Veṅkaṭādri, persons of virtuous nature bow down to you because you are the protector of virtue.

28. I know you, the Supreme Soul whom neither Bhava (Śiva) nor Brahmā know, nor do the three Vedas know. What else is greater than you?

29. I see the Supreme Soul whom Yogins do not see and whom those who are exclusively devoted to the performance of religious rites do not see.

30-31. I am contented and blessed with this, O Veṅkaṭeśa, the Lord of the universe, that I perceive Janārdana, merely by recollecting whose name men of very great sins attain salvation. Let my devotion to your lotus-like feet be firm and steady.

[The Auspicious Time for Holy Bath in ākāśagaṅgā as Described by the Lord]:—

Śrī Bhagavān said:

32-36. Let your devotion to me be firm and steady, O Rāmānuja of great intellect. Listen to another statement of mine, O Brāhmaṇa. Those people who take their holy bath at the time of the transit of the Sun to the Zodiac Aries in conjunction with the Constellation Citrā or on the Full-Moon day in (Ākāśa) Gaṅgā, attain the highest region from which there is no return.

You do stay, O Brāhmaṇa Rāmānuja, near Viyadgaṅgā (i.e. Ākāśagaṅgā). When this body (of yours) that has begun (to experience the results of Karmas) perishes, you will attain my form (i.e. Sārūpya type of liberation).

Of what avail is much talk? All those people who take their holy bath in the auspicious waters of Viyadgaṅgā are excellent Bhāgavatas (‘Devotees of the Lord’). O tiger among sages, there need be no doubt in this.

Rāmānuja said:

37. What are the characteristics of Bhāgavatas? By what action are they known? I wish to hear this since I am very eager and earnest.

[The Characteristics of Bhāgavatas as Described by the Lord]:—

Śrī Veṅkaṭeśa said:

38-40. Listen to the characteristics of Bhāgavatas,^[2] O excellent sage. Even in crores of years their power cannot be described.

Those who are devoid of hostility and jealousy, those who are wise, calm and free from vulgar desires and those who wish for the welfare of all living beings are indeed excellent Bhāgavatas.

41. They never give pain to others physically, verbally and mentally. They habitually refrain from accepting gifts and owning properties. They are indeed excellent Bhāgavatas.

42. Indeed those whose Sāttvika intellect is engrossed in listening to stories of saintly people and who are devoted to my lotus-like feet are excellent Bhāgavatas.

43. Those excellent men who render service to their parents, those who are engaged in worshipping gods, those men who aspire for godliness and those who rejoice on seeing worship of the deity are indeed excellent Bhāgavatas.

44. Those who sincerely render service to religious students and ascetics and those who never indulge in censuring others are indeed excellent Bhāgavatas.

45. Those who always speak words conducive to the welfare of others, those excellent men in the world who accept (and appreciate) the good qualities of others are indeed excellent Bhāgavatas.

46. Those excellent men who see all living beings as their own selves, those who behave equally towards enemies and friends are indeed remembered as (i.e. said to be) Bhāgavatas.

47. Those who expound Dharmaśāstras (Codes of Laws and Ethics), those who are devoted to truthful statements, and those who render service to them are indeed excellent Bhāgavatas.

48. Those who expound the Purāṇas, those who listen to them and those who are devoted to the expounders of Purāṇas are indeed excellent Bhāgavatas.

49. Those men who perpetually render service to cows and Brāhmaṇas and those who are devoted to pilgrimages are indeed excellent Bhāgavatas.

50. Those men who rejoice at the prosperity of others and those who are devoted to (recitation of) the names of Hari are indeed excellent Brāgavatas [Bhāgavatas?].

51. Those who are engaged in growing and developing parks and gardens, those who maintain lakes and those who build and dig wells and lakes are indeed excellent Bhāgavatas.

52. Those who make big water-reservoirs, those who build shrines for deities, those who are engaged in repeating the Gāyatrī Mantra are indeed excellent Bhāgavatas.

53. Those who rejoice on hearing the names of Hari, those who are overjoyed on hearing the names of Hari and get the hair on their body stand through thrill of joy are indeed excellent Bhāgavatas.

54. Those men who bend down their heads on seeing a bed of holy basil plants and those who place a small piece of holy basil on their ears are indeed excellent Bhāgavatas.

55. Those who are delighted in inhaling the fragrance of the holy basil and those who smear themselves with the mud taken from its root are indeed excellent Bhāgavatas.

56. Those who are engaged in the conduct of life ordained for their stage in life and those who worship guests and those who expound the meanings of Vedic passages are indeed excellent Bhāgavatas.

57. Those who explain to others the scriptures known to them and those who appreciate virtues everywhere are indeed excellent Bhāgavatas.

58. Those who are engaged in making gifts of water, those who are engaged in making gifts of food and those who are devoted to the holy rites of Ekādaśī (i.e. fast etc. on the eleventh lunar day) are excellent Bhāgavatas.

59. Those who are engaged in gifting cows, those who are engaged in making gifts of virgins (by way of marriage) and those who are engaged in activities for my sake are indeed excellent Bhāgavatas.

60. Those whose minds dwell on me, those who are my devotees, those who eagerly desire (to perform) my worship, and those who are absorbed in remembering my names are indeed excellent Bhāgavatas.

61. Of what avail is much talk? I shall tell you succinctly. Those who strive for virtuous deeds are indeed excellent Bhāgavatas.

62. Of those Brāhmaṇas who are Bhāgavatas a few have been glorified here. They cannot be described even by me in the course of hundreds of crores of years.

63. O Rāmānuja of exalted magnificence, O highly intelligent one, the characteristics of my devotees have been spoken out of love and affection for you, my devotee.

Śrī Sūta said:

64. Thus, O Brāhmaṇas, Śaunaka and others of great prowess, the excellent greatness of Viyadgaṅgā Tīrtha on Vṛṣādri has been spoken to you all.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

This is the Pañcarātra Mantra; may be due to the influence of that system on this chapter.

[2]:

VV 38-61 detail the chracteristics of a Bhāgavata or a devotee of Bhagavān or Viṣṇu.