Chapter 2 - Satyaloka

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Vyasa said:

1-2. The Sun who is the soul of mobile as well as immobile beings and who is the enemy of darkness, rose up on the Udaya Mountain. With his widespread pure rays, he encouraged the religious rites of the good (Vedic rituals etc.) and dispelled the Tāmasa characteristics (of the bad ones). He also made the clusters of lotuses that are dear to him, but that were closed up during the night, full-blown once again.

3. He inspired people to maintain the regularity in offering Havyas (oblations to gods), Kavyas (oblations to manes) and Bhūtabali (oblations to the spirits, elements etc.) to gods etc. He demarcated the timings of religious rites to be performed at forenoon, midday and after-noon.

4. He allocated the retention of darkness (evil qualities) to the hearts and faces of the wicked. He resuscitated the universe that was engulfed by (darkness) during night.

5-6a. When the Sun rose Puṇyajanas (righteous persons) rose in prosperity. Thereby the fact that he helped others had its immediate good effect. Had that not been the case, how could the Sun that vanished in the evening come back to life once again in the morning?

6b-13. Prācī (the eastern direction which is likened to be the wife or beloved of the Sun), on the arrival (rise) of the Sun in the morning, is comparable to a woman whose husband spends his night outside with another woman and arrives in the morning (and hence she is naturally smarting from the infidelity of her husband). With a loving touch of his hands (rays) the Sun consoled Prācī and enjoyed her for a short while (i.e. dispelled the darkness and accorded her protection). Similarly he enjoyed Āgneyī (the south-eastern direction) that had been blazing as if with the painful fire of separation.

Thereafter, the Sun proceeded towards the Dakṣiṇā Āśā^[1] (the southern direction assumed here to be a heroine or beloved) which was scented with cloves, cardamoms, musk and camphor and smeared with sandal-paste (these bring the products of the southern region). Her lips were rendered red with betel leaves. She possessed splendid breast-nipples in the form of the bunches of grapes. Her arms were like the Lavalī (a very tender creeper) creeper. She had tender, sprout-like fingers like those of the Kaṅkolī (Aśoka) sprouts. Malaya wind represented her breath and sighs. The Milk Ocean served the purpose of her excellent garment. The gold and gems that abound in Trikūṭa were the ornaments on her limbs The Suvela Mountain appeared like her buttocks. The rivers Kāverī and Gautamī (Godāvarī) represented her calves. The land of Cola served as her silken blouse. The mountains Sahya and Dardura appeared like her fully developed breasts. The city of Kāntī (Kāñcī) adorned her like a girdle. She was charmingly eloquent in the language of Mahārāṣṭra. Even today the deity Mahālakṣmī (of Kolhapur) has not left her. Thus the southern direction is an expert in religious rituals like Śrāddha.

The horses of the Sun who playfully traverse the sky, could not proceed ahead. Then Anūru (Aruṇa, the charioteer of the Sun-god) submitted to the Sun-god.

Anūru said:

[Note: Aruṇa is the charioteer of the Sun-god. He is ‘thigh-less’ (an-ūru) as his mother Vinatā, out of jealousy to her co-wife Kadrū, broke the egg before the complete development of the foetus and he was born a permanently disabled thighless bird (Mbh, Ādi, 16.16-23).]

14. O Sun-god, the Vindhya mountain rising up in his arrogance stands obstructing the pathway of the sky. (Evidently) he competes with Meru and is desirous of getting your circumambulation.

15. On hearing the words of Anūru, the Sun thought within himself with great surprise: ‘Oh, even the pathway of the sky is being blocked!’

Vyāsa said:

16. What could even the heroic Sun do, being held up in the desolate pathway? A man may be in great haste, but (if) single-handed, how can he traverse the obstructed path?

17. He does not remain inactive even for a moment, though distressingly held within the arms of Rāhu (during an eclipse). But on being obstructed in the path of the void what can he do? Fate is all-powerful.

18. He who traverses in half the time of the twinkling of the eye two thousand two hundred and two Yojanas according to human calculation, is also held up for a long time!

19. When much time passed, the people in the East and North were extremely distressed, because the fierce rays of the Sun oppressed them with heat.

20. The people in the West and South kept their eyes closed in heavy sleep. They continued to see the star-and-planet-spangled sky, while they continued to lie down.

21. “This is not day because there is no Sun. This is not night because there is no Moon.” In the sky with the stars set, it was not possible to decide the time of the day.

22. Will the entire cosmos get dissolved all of a sudden? But how can it happen? The clouds of the time of Pralaya (deluge) do not flood the earth with their downpour.

23. The whole space of the earth became bereft of the utterance of Svāhā, Svadhā and Vaṣaṭ (i.e., rituals came to a stand-still). Since the five Yajñas (those of the gods, the manes, the spirits, Brahma and human beings) became defunct, all the three worlds began to tremble.

24. Indeed, only when the Sun rises do the performance of Yajñas and all other holy rites commence. By means of those Yajñas gods become pleased. The Sun is the cause thereof.

25. AH, beginning with Citragupta, recognize (calculate) the time (of the day) from the Sun. The Sun alone is the cause of creation, sustenance and annihilation (of the world).

26. Since the movement of the Sun was obstructed, all the three worlds became stunned and stuck up. Everything became as though painted in a picture, because it remained where it was originally.

27. On one side it was due to the nocturnal darkness; on the other side it was due to the oppressive heat of the day. Many things got dissolved. The entire universe became terribly frightened (unable to know which way to run).

28. Thus, the entire world consisting of human beings, serpents, Suras and Asuras became agitated. “Alas! What has happened unaccountably and at a wrong time.” All the subjects shouted thus and fled here and there.

29. Then all of them saw Brahmā and sought refuge in him. They eulogized him with different hymns and prayers. “Save us! Save us!” They shouted.

The Devas said:

(Eulogy called Abhīṣṭada)

30. Obeisance to Hiraṇyagarbha (One having the golden Cosmic Egg in the womb). Obeisance to Brahmā in the form of Virāṭ Brahman. Obeisance to the Absolute, to the incomprehensible Being, of the form of Kaivalya (Salvation) and Amṛta (Nectar).

31. Obeisance to that Ātman in the form of Consciousness which the Devas do not comprehend, where the mind is impeded and dulled, where speech does not spread (i.e., who is beyond the ken of mind and speech).

32. Obeisance to that glorious Brahman which the steady-minded Yogins perceive in the form of refulgence in the firmament of the heart through meditation.

33. Obeisance to the Being beyond time, who is the ultimate destroyer, who assumes the form of the individual soul by his own will. Obeisance to one whose form constituted the three Guṇas. Obeisance to the being in the form of Prakṛti (Māyā).

34. Obeisance to the Lord, the cause of creation, sustenance and annihilation, who is Viṣṇu in the form of Sattva, Vedhas (Brahmā) in the form of Rajas and Tamas in the form of Rudra (i.e., Rudra, in the form of Tamas).

35. Obeisance to the Being in the form of Buddhi (the principle Mahat, Cosmic Intelligence) who is the egoistic principle of Ahaṃkāra in three ways (Guṇa-wise viz. Vaikārika, Taijasa and Tāmasa). Obeisance to the Being in the form of Pañcatanmātras (the material essences of the five elements). Obeisance to the Being in the form of the five organs of action.

36. Obeisance to the Being in the form of mind, in the five forms of the five sense s. Obeisance to the Being identified with the sense-objects.

37. Obeisance to the Being in the form of the Cosmic Egg; to the one immanent therein. Obeisance to thee in the form of the present-day world and that of the past.

38. Obeisance to the Being of the impermanent form; to the Being of permanent form. Obeisance to the Lord of Sat and Asat (the gross and the subtle). Obeisance to the Being who has revealed his form of his own will, out of compassion for all the devotees (of four types, viz., the distressed, the one eager to know, the one desirous of wealth and the one who has understood everything).

39. The Vedas have come out of your breath; your sweat is the entire universe; all the living beings are your feet; the firmament originated from your head.^[2]

40. The ether came out from your navel; the vegetable kingdom constitutes your hairs; the Moon was born of your mind; O Lord, the Sun was born of your eyes.

41. You are all. O Lord, everything is in you. You alone constitute the eulogizer, eulogy and the one eulogized here. O Lord, all this visible universe is pervaded by you. Obeisance to you again and again; obeisance is made to you.

42. After eulogizing Brahmā thus, the Devas prostrated themselves on the ground like a long straight wood. Brahmā who was pleased then replied to the heaven-dwellers.

Brahmā said:

43. I am delighted at this eulogy conforming to reality. O Suras who bowed to me, get up. I am pleased. Choose an excellent boon.

44. If anyone praises daily by means of this prayer with faith and purity, either me or Hara or Viṣṇu, we all shall always be delighted with him.

45. We shall grant him all his desires, sons, grandsons, cattle and ready cash, all luck, longevity, health, fearlessness and victory in war.

46. (We shall grant him) all pleasures and enjoyments here and hereafter as well as everlasting salvation. Whatever is thought or desired by him shall become fulfilled.

47. This eulogy will be known as Abhīṣṭada (‘that which gives the desired things’). It will bestow all super-natural powers. This excellent prayer should be read (recited) with all efforts.

48. Again Vedhas spoke to the Suras who prostrated before him and then got up:

“Oh! Ye all be happy and steady. Why are you bewildered even here (in Satyaloka)?”

49. These are all the personified forms of the Vedas, Vidyās (fourteen lores), Yajñas inclusive of the monetary gifts, truth, piety, austerity and self-control.

50. This is the disciplined life of celibacy; this is the benign Bhāratī (Goddess of Speech); these are the persons of well-accomplished objectives according to the Śrutis, Smṛtis and Itihāsas.

51. None of the following are present here: Anger, rivalry, covetousness, lust, want of fortitude, fear, violence, crookedness, pride, censure and the impure one.

52-53. O Suras^[3], see. These are the Brāhmaṇas engrossed in the (study of) the Vedas and austerities; these are ascetics whose sole wealth is their penance; these are the persons who regularly observed various vows such as the monthly fasts, the half-yearly fasts, and the vows of Cāturmāsya (‘four months’); these are the women wedded to chastity; these others are celibate religious students; and these are the honest fellows behaving like eunuchs towards other men’s wives (i.e., who have controlled their passions).

54-55. These are the persons who devoutly served their mothers and fathers. These are the ones who were killed in trying to protect cows. These are the persons who never yearned for the benefits accruing from vows, gifts, Japas, Yajñas, study of the Vedas, propitiating Brāhmaṇas, libations to be offered by Brāhmaṇas, holy spots, austerities, helping others and the regular habits and practices of the dignified and exalted persons.

56. These are the persons who regularly performed the Japa of Gāyatrī-mantra; here are those who regularly performed Agnihotras; these are the persons who gifted away Dvimukhī Gaus (cow with two faces, cow at the time of calving before the calf touched the ground); these are the persons fond of gifting Kapilā (brown in colour or according to others completely white) cows.

57. These are the persons who cherish no desires; these are those who regularly drink Soma juice; these are the persons who imbibe the water washing the feet of Brāhmaṇas; these are those who died in the holy river Sarasvatī; and these are those who served arid attended upon Brāhmaṇas.

58. These are my favourite Brāhmaṇas who could have accepted monetary gifts but did not, who abstained scrupulously from accepting monetary gifts at holy spots and shrines.

59. These are the perfect ones with solar brilliance and pure souls, who took early morning baths for the whole month of Māgha (Jan-Feb) at Prayāga when the Sun is in Capricorn.

60. These are those meritorious persons of pure bodies free from impurities, who have taken their holy dips in Vārāṇasī and Pañcanada (at Pañcagaṅgā Ghāṭ?) for three days in the month of Kārttika.

61. These are those persons who took their holy baths in Maṇikarṇikā and who pleased Brāhmaṇas with monetary gifts. They are sure to enjoy all pleasures and they will stay in my city for the period of a Kalpa.

62. Impelled by that merit, they will reach Kāśī and, undoubtedly, attain salvation, by the grace of Viśveśvara (Lord of the Universe, Śiva).

63. Holy rites performed in Avimukta by men, though they may be very slight, will yield welfare. Its fruit is liberation in the course of other births.

64. Oh, there is no fear of death in the holy spot of Viśveśvara where all await death as a favourite guest!

65. These persons of limbs free from impurities, who stand near me are those by whom unsullied (got by pure means) wealth was distributed among Brāhmaṇas at Kurukṣetra.

66. These are the grandfathers of those persons by whom the grandfathers are propitiated through a Brāhmaṇa whom they approached as a grandfather.

67. O Devas, my region is not attained through holy dip, or monetary gift, by Japa, or by adoration. It is attained through the propitiation of a Brāhmaṇa by means of libations of water.

68. These are the palaces of those persons by whom houses furnished with mortar, pestle and other things along with beds were given as gifts.

69-70. Those persons who make halls for the study of the Vedas, who teach the Vedas, who make a gift of learning, who narrate and expound the Purāṇas, who give away the Purāṇa and other texts, who gift away Dharmaśāstra (scriptural texts) do have their residence here in my city.

71. Those who give unlimited wealth to a Brāhmaṇa for the sake of Yajña, marriage or holy vows shall remain here as brilliant as fire.

72. He who builds a hospital and is interested in patronising a physician, stays here till the end of the Kalpa, enjoying all types of pleasures.

73. Those who make holy spots free from the harass-merits of the wicked are honoured persons in my inner apartments like my own bosom-born children.

74. Brāhmaṇas are indeed great favourites of Viṣṇu or Śaṃbhu or me. We freely roam about on the earth in their form.

75. Brāhmaṇas and cows constitute one unit divided into two sections, the Mantras remaining on one side (viz. that of Brāhmaṇas) and the Havis (ghee-offering) on the other.

76. The Brāhmaṇas are mobile holy spots and sacred rivers created for the sake of the entire earth. Merely by the waters of their wise speech impure persons become pure.

77. Cows are sacred and unparalleled excellent auspiciousness.^[4] The dust particles rising from their hoofs are on a par with the waters of Gaṅgā.

78. All the holy spots are at the tip of their horns; all the mountains are at the tip of their hoofs. In between the two horns is Gaurī, the great goddess.

79-80. Great-grandfathers dance on seeing a cow being gifted away. All the sages are delighted. Along with the deities, we become pleased (when a cow is being gifted). The sins continuously cry. So also does poverty along with ailments. Cows are mothers who nurse the entire world in every respect like the real mother.

81. If a man eulogizes, bows to and circumambulates cows, it amounts to the circumambulation of the entire earth consisting of the seven continents.

82. Goddess Lakṣmī in the form of cows, who lives in all living beings and who is stationed in all gods, may be pleased to dispel all my sins.

83. It is she who is Lakṣmī on the chest of Viṣṇu, Svāhā of the Fire-god and Svadhā of the chiefs of the Pitṛs. That cow is always the bestower of boons.

84. Cow-dung is verily Yamunā itself; cow’s urine is the splendid Narmadā; cow’s milk is Gaṅgā. What else can be more sacred than this!

85. ‘All the fourteen worlds reside in the limbs of the cows. Hence, may it be auspicious unto me here in this world or hereafter.’

86. Uttering this mantra, a person should gift away one or more cows to an excellent Brāhmaṇa. That person shall become more distinguished than all.

87. The good qualities of a cow have been considered by me and the great sages along with Viṣṇu and Śiva and then this prayer is composed.

88. ‘Let there be cows in front of me. Let there be cows behind me. Let the cows be in my heart. I shall stay in the midst of cows.’

89. If any person lustrates his limbs with the touch of the tail of a cow, he shall become rightly fortunate. Ill-luck, quarrel and ailments go away from his limbs.

90. The earth is held aloft and sustained by seven—by cows, Brāhmaṇas, Vedas, chaste women, men of truthful speech, persons with no greed and liberal-minded donors.

91-92. The region above my region is known as Vaikuṇṭha. Above that is the region of Kumāra (i.e. Kārttikeya). Beyond that is the region of Umā. Śiva’s region is above it and Goloka (‘Region of Cows’) is nearby. The cow-mothers Suśīlā and others are there. They are the favourites of Śiva.

93. Those who tend and attend upon cows, and those men who gift away cows, shall stay in one of these worlds with all flourishing prosperity.

94. Those who gift away cows go to that place where rivers flow with milk, where milk pudding forms the sediments and where no old age torments them.

95. Those who are well-versed in Śrutis, Smṛtis and Purāṇas are glorified as (real) Brāhmaṇas. The others simply bear the name (of Brāhmaṇas). They act according to the directions of the former.

96-98. Śruti and Smṛti are the two eyes. Purāṇa is spoken as the heart. One who is devoid of Śruti and Smṛti is blind. If he is devoid of one of them, he is blind of one eye. The blind ones of single eye or both the eyes are better than the heartless one devoid of Purāṇas. The sacred rites and pious practices mentioned in Śruti and Smṛti are elaborated in Purāṇa.

A cow should be given as a gift to that real Brāhmaṇa by anyone desirous of happiness everywhere. It should not be given to a mere bearer of the name Brāhmaṇa. He may lead the donor to downfall.

99-100. If one has an eager desire for knowledge of pious practices and sacred rites, it one is afraid of sins, one should listen to the Purāṇas, which are the roots of pious and scared rites. Purāṇa is the excellent illuminating lamp among the fourteen lores. Due to its brilliance, even the blind shall not fall into the sea of mundane affairs anywhere.

101. By those who desire to attain my region, the Purāṇas should be always listened to. They must live on the banks of Gaṅgā and they must propitiate Brāhmaṇas always.

102. O Suras, thus in general the conventions and arrangements in the Satyaloka have been narrated by me. It accords freedom from fear to those who are distressed with fear. You need not be afraid.

103. Creating obstacles in the path of the Sun, Vindhya competes with Meru. You all have come here in that connection. I shall point out to you the means thereof.

104. There is a great sage of excessive austerities named Agastya. He is the son of Mitra and Varuṇa and he has directed his mind towards Lord Viśveśvara.

105-106. He is now in the great holy shrine of Avimukta that can bring about liberation of everyone and that is presided over by Viśveśa himself, who is about to impart instruction in Tāraka (Praṇava). You go there and request him. He will carry out your task. Once by swallowing Vātāpi, brother of Ilvala, (or by killing both Vātāpi and Ilvala) he saved the entire world.

107. The refulgence of the sage born of Mitra and Varuṇa surpasses the brilliance of the Sun. Ever since that day, there is none in the world who does not fear sage Agastya.”

108-109. After saying this Vedhas (God Brahmā) vanished. The delighted Devas with beaming faces spoke to one another: “Oh, we are indeed highly blessed. Incidentally, we shall visit Kāśī and the presiding deities Śiva and Gaurī. How wonderful it is that after many days our desire is about to fructify!”

110-112. After coming to a decision like this, the Suras seeking merit spoke thus: “Only those feet are blessed which walk in the direction of Kāśī. We shall reach Kāśī today due to the merit accruing from our listening to the story narrated by Brahmā. It is only due to the weight of merit that one is able to accomplish a single task serving two purposes.”

Speaking thus to one another, the delighted Suras came to Kāśī.

Vyāsa said:

113-114. Those men who listen to this meritorious narration shall be able to shake off all their sins. They will enjoy all pleasures along with their sons and wives. After establishing the lineage here, they will go to Satyaloka and stay there for a long time. Thereafter, they will attain eternity (Mokṣa).

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The Purāṇa-writer seems to be a Southerner. His affectionate references to important features of South India here (and to flora and fauna of the South) and elsewhere leads one to believe this. The mountains mentioned here: ‘Trikūṭa’ is in Ceylon and ‘Dardura’ is the Nilgiri Hills (De 208, 53). Kāñci means ‘a girdle’ and the city of the same name is in Tamil Nadu. ‘Kāntī[?]’ in the text is probably a misreading by the scribe. The flattering reference, “Charmingly eloquent”, to Māhārāṣṭrī is the unanimous tribute of Alaṅkāra-writers and Grammarians to that Prakrit speech ‘Māhārāṣṭrī’. It probably shows that Prākrits were spoken at the time of this Purāṇa.

[2]:

39b & 40 are echoes of the Puruṣa-Sūkta (RV X.90)

[3]:

VV 52-73 enumerate the acts, vows and observances which lead to Satyaloka (God Brahmā’s Region).

[4]:

VV 77-94 glorify cows and the fruit of serving them and gifting them to Brāhmaṇas.