Purushottam Mas Katha: Adhyaya 1 | पुरुषोत्तम मास कथा: अध्याय 1

Description of the spiritual dialogue in Naimisharanya between the sages gathered for a yajna, the welcome of Sutaji and Shukdevji, their divinity, devotion, knowledge, and the importance of pilgrimage.

I bow to Lord Purushottam, the lord of the beauty of Vrindavan, who is like a wish-fulfilling tree for his devotees, and who astonishes the entire world with his extraordinary deeds.

I bow to Narayan, Nara, Narottam, Goddess Saraswati, and Shri Vyasji, and desire victory.

Many sages came to the supremely sacred Naimisharanya with the desire to perform a yajna. Such as Asit, Deval, Pail, Sumantu, Pippalayan, Sumati, Kashyap, Jabali, Bhrigu, Angira, Vamadeva, Sutikshna, Sharabhanga, Parvat, Apastamba, Mandavya, Agastya, Katyayan, Rathitar, Rbhu, Kapil, Raibhya, Gautam, Mudgal, Kaushik, Galav, Kratu, Atri, Babhru, Trit, Shakti, Badhu, Baudhayan, Vasu, Kaundinya, Prithu, Harit, Dhrum, Shanku, Sankriti, Shani, Vibhandak, Pank, Garg, Kanad, Jamadagni, Bharadwaj, Dhumap, Maunabhargava, Karkash, Shaunak, and the great ascetic Shatananda, Vishal, Vriddhavishnu, Jarjar, Jai, Jangam, Paar, Pashadhar, Poor, Mahakaya, Jaimini, Mahagriva, Mahabahu, Mahodar, Mahabal, Uddalak, Mahasen, Aart, Aamalakpriya, Urdhvabahu, Urdhvapad, Ekpad, Durdhar, Ugrashil, Jalashi, Pingal, Atri, Rbhu, Shandir, Karun, Kaal, Kaivalya, Kaladhar, Shwetabahu, Rompad, Kadru, Kalagnirudrag, Shvetashwar, Aadya, Sharabhang, Prithushravas, etc.

All these sages, along with their disciples, were knowers of the Vedas with their limbs, devoted to Brahman, doing good to the world and benevolent, always engaged in the welfare of others, performing Shrauta and Smarta karmas. They came to Naimisharanya to perform a yajna. Meanwhile, Sutaji, with the desire to go on a pilgrimage, left his ashram and, while wandering the earth, came to Naimisharanya and saw all the sages with their disciples. To pay homage to those sages who ferry people across the ocean of the world, the cheerful Sutaji reached the place where they were gathered.

After this, wearing the red bark of a tree, with a cheerful face, peaceful, expert in the ultimate truth, endowed with all virtues, full of all joys, wearing Urdhvapundra, marked with the Ram name, divine with Gopichandan clay, bearing the imprint of the conch, chakra, adorned with a garland of Tulsi, adorned with a matted crown, protecting from all calamities, showing extraordinary miracles, chanting the supreme mantra of God, knowing the essence of all scriptures, engaged in the welfare of all beings, self-controlled and having conquered anger, liberated while living, like Jagadguru Shri Vyas and possessing the same qualities of detachment, etc., seeing him, all the great sages residing in Naimisharanya suddenly stood up.

They began to express their desire to hear various kinds of wonderful stories. Then, the humble Sutaji, pleased, repeatedly bowed down to all the sages with folded hands.

The sages said, 'O Sutaji! May you be long-lived and a devotee of God. We have placed a beautiful seat suitable for you. O great one! You are tired, please sit here.'

So said all the Brahmins. After saying this for sitting, when all the ascetics and all the people sat down, Sutaji, with humility, took permission from all the elders and ascetics to sit, and happily sat on the seat.

Thereafter, seeing Sutaji comfortably seated and free from fatigue, all the sages, desiring to hear virtuous stories, said, 'O Sutaji! O great one! You are fortunate. By the grace of the guru, you know the heartfelt meaning of the words of Lord Vyas. Are you well? How did you come to this forest after so many days? You are worthy of praise. O crest jewel of Vyas's disciples! You are venerable.

In this insubstantial world, there are thousands of subjects worth hearing, but tell us that which is auspicious, concise, and essential. O great one! Tell us that which is definite in your mind, which ferries those drowning in the ocean of the world and gives auspicious results.

O you who give the eye of knowledge to those blinded by the darkness of ignorance! Quickly tell us the essence of the story, which is filled with the nectar of God's pastimes, the cause of supreme bliss, and like a panacea in removing the disease of the world.'

When the Shaunak and other sages asked in this way, Sutaji, with folded hands, said, 'O all sages! Please listen to the beautiful story told by me. O Brahmins! First, I went to Pushkar Tirtha, bathed there, and satisfied the holy sages, gods, and ancestors with offerings, then I went to the banks of the Yamuna, which removes all obstacles, then gradually went to other Tirthas and reached the banks of the Ganga. Again, after coming to Kashi, I went to Gayatirtha. After performing the Shradh of the ancestors, I went to Triveni. Thereafter, after Krishna, I bathed in Gandaki and went to the ashram of Pulah Rishi.

After bathing in Dhenumati, I went to the banks of Saraswati, where, O Brahmins! After fasting for three nights, I went to Godavari. Then I went to the rivers Kritmala, Kaveri, Nirvindhya, Tamraparnika, Tapi, Vaihayasi, Nanda, Narmada, Sharmada. Again, after bathing in Charmanvati, I reached Setubandha Rameshwar. Thereafter, I went to Badari Van to see Narayan. Then, after seeing Narayan, congratulating the ascetics there, again bowing to Narayan and praising him, I reached Siddha Kshetra. In this way, wandering in many Tirthas, wandering in Kuru Desh and Jangal Desh, I went to Hastinapur again.

O twice-born! There I heard that King Parikshit had renounced the kingdom and gone to the supremely virtuous banks of the Ganga with many sages, and on that bank of the Ganga, many Siddhas, whose ornaments are Siddhis, such Yogis and Devarshis had come there, some without food, some eating air, some drinking water, some eating leaves, some taking only breath as food, some eating fruits, and some eating foam.

O twice-born! In that society, with the desire to ask something, I also went. There came Shri Shukdev Ji, the embodiment of Brahman, the great sage, the son of Vyas, with great radiance, great glory, bearing the lotus feet of Shri Krishna in his mind. Seeing that 16-year-old Yogiraj, with a conch-like throat, with a long, smooth hair-covered face, with strong shoulder joints, with shining radiance, in the form of an Avadhuta, the embodiment of Brahman, surrounded by spitting boys, surrounded by women holding dust in their hands, just as a majestic elephant is surrounded by flies, the great sage Shukdev, covered in dust all over his body, all the sages joyfully stood up with folded hands.

Seeing Lord Shukdev honored by the great sages in this way, the women who were repenting (regretting) and the children who were teasing him, stood at a distance and, after bowing to Lord Shukdev, went to their respective homes.

Here, the sages spread a very high and excellent seat for Shukdev. The sages surrounded Lord Shuk, seated on that seat, just as lotus leaves surround the pericarp of a lotus.

Here, seated, the moon of the ocean of knowledge, Lord Shukdev, the son of the great sage Vyas, accepting the worship done by the Brahmins, was shining like the moon surrounded by stars.

Thus ends the first chapter of Shri Purushottam Mahatmya in Brihannaradiya ॥1॥