Chapter 18 - The World of Seven Sages

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Āgastya said:

1-2. Listening thus to the beautiful story, Śivaśarman belonging to Mathurā, who had his holy ablution in Muktipurī, who died in Māyāpurī and who was going ultimately to Vaiṣṇava world because he had visited Viṣṇupurī, saw the region of the Seven Sages.

3-5. He was eulogized by the Cāraṇas and the Māgadhas and requested by the celestial girls: “Stop. Please stop for a while.” Then they stood by heaving sighs, “We are deficient in fortune. Since he is extremely meritorious, he has gone to the meritorious worlds.” While going on in the aerial chariot, he heard these words uttered by them. He was delighted and spoke (to the Gaṇas): “O divine ones, whose is this unrivalled, brilliant and splendid world?”

6-8. On hearing these words of the Brāhmaṇa the excellent Gaṇas said: “O Śivaśarman of auspicious intellect, the Seven Sages devoid of impurities, who were directed by Brahmā to create subjects, live here. They are Marīci, Atri, Pulaha, Pulastya, Kratu, Aṅgīras and the illustrious Vasiṣṭha. They are the mental sons of Brahmā. They have been termed Seven Brahmas in the Purāṇas.

9. Sambhūti, Anasūyā, Kṣamā, Prīti, Sannati, Smṛti and Ūrjā (i.e. Arundhatī) are their wives respectively. They are the mothers of the world.

10. The entire region of the three worlds is held aloft by the power of penance of these. After creating them formerly, Brahmā said to these great sages:

11-13. “O my sons, create subjects of different forms with due effort.”

They resolved to perform penance. After performing obeisance to Brahmā, they went to Avimukta, the holy spot presided over by Kṣetrajña (Śiva in the form of the individual soul) and never forsaken by Śiva for the purpose of securing the liberation of all living beings. They then installed Liṅgas named after them. With great devotion to Śiva, they performed severe austerities.

14-16. Pleased with their penance, Śaṃbhu bestowed on them the region Prājāpatya.

Those who visit the Liṅga Atriśvara etc., in Kāśī scrupulously, stay in this Prājāpatya world with dazzling brilliance.

By visiting Atriśvara Liṅga that has been installed on the western banks of the lake of Gokarṇeśa, one can get one’s Brāhmaṇical brilliance enhanced.

The excellent Kuṇḍa (deep pit) of Marīci is in the northeast of Karkoṭavāpī (well or tank called Karkoṭa).

17. By taking his bath there devoutly, a man shines like the Sun.

The Liṅga named Marīcīśvara has been installed there.

18. By visiting that Liṅga, O Brāhmaṇa, one shall attain the world of Marīci. He becomes the foremost among all men and shines like the Sun of brilliant rays.

19. (The Liṅga) Pulaheśa and Pulastyeśa are on the west of Svargadvāra^[1] (‘Doorway to Heaven’). By visiting them a man is honoured in the Prājāpatya world.

20. By visiting Aṅgiraseśvara in the beautiful Harikeśavana the man shall stay here in this world, O Brāhmaṇa, with fully developed brilliance.

21. By visiting Vasiṣṭheśvara on the beautiful banks of Varaṇā, and Kratvīśvara too there itself one attains residence here.

22. These Liṅgas resorted to by those who wish for splendour and auspiciousness at Kāśī, bestow everything desired in this world and in the other world.

The Gaṇas said:

2S. O Śivaśarman of great fortune, that beautiful lady Arundhatī of great merit engaged in conjugal fidelity, stays here.

24-25. Merely by remembering her, one shall get the benefit of the holy ablution in Gaṅgā.

Lord Nārāyaṇa, accompanied by two or three holy persons of the Antaḥpura, joyously describes her and discusses her story in front of Lakṣmī. He is highly pleased with her chastity.

26-30. “O beautiful Kamalā, no other woman anywhere in the world has such a pure mind as that of Arundhatī. Neither the beauty nor the blameless conduct, neither the nobility nor the skill in arts, nor the eagerness to serve her lord, nor the sweetness, nor the majesty, nor the ability to delight noble persons, any other lady anywhere possesses, O beloved one, as in the case of Arundhatī. Blessed are those women who mention the name of Arundhatī in any context. They are fortunate. They have the purest of intellects.

Whenever there is any discussion on chaste women in our houses, it is she who adorns the first row.”

31. While those Gaṇas of Viṣṇu were recounting the delightful story, the world of Dhruva (Pole Star) that is devoid of annihilation, came into their view.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Svargadvāra is now a temple set into the city several hundred yards uphill from the river Gaṅgā along the lane called Brahma Nālā, which itself was a former rivulet.