Purushottama-kshetra

In the Bhāratīya tradition, Bhūloka is referred to as a karma-bhūmi or the region in which one can engage in (puṇya) karmā; and as a yoga-bhūmi or the region in which one can find union with the Supreme. As an attestation to this claim, Purāṇas describe three distinct phenomena — how celestials descend to earth when they desire to engage in penance, how cursed beings fall upon earth to absolve themselves of sins (that led to the curse in the first place), and how beings descend to earth to be irrevocably liberated from saṁsāra. To establish bhūloka as the sphere of redemption, Purāṇas also describe how the avatāras of the Supreme descend upon earth, sanctifying the places they physically touch with their divine vibrations. In the tradition, these places become centres of spiritual power, which can potentially liberate mankind, even long after the avatāras have withdrawn themselves. The sacred cities of Mathurā and Ayodhyā fall under this category. There are, however, other centres of spiritual potency that are considered equally efficacious in bestowing liberation upon man. A traditional śloka enumerates seven such centres, including Ayodhyā and Mathurā, which are charged with the power to cut the shackles of saṁsāra as under – अयोध्या मथुरा माया काशी काञ्ची अवन्तिका। पुरी द्वारवती चैव सप्तैता मोक्षदायिकाः॥ ayodhyā mathurā māyā kāśī kāñcī avantikā | purī dvāravatī caiva saptaitā mokṣadāyikāḥ || Ayodhyā, Mathurā, Māyā, Kāśī, Kāñcī, Avantikā, and Dvāravatī – These seven cities are the bestowers of liberation1. 1 Here Māyā stands for Haridvār, Kāśī for Vārāṇasī, Kāñcī for the southern city of Kāñcipuram, Avantikā for Ujjain, and Dvāravatī for Dvārakā. Some also state that Māyā stands for Māyāpur, the village where Śrīkṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahaprabhu was born. The cities other than those physically touched by a vibhavāvatāra, are also sacred in the tradition, owing to the different representations of the Supreme. In most cases, these representations are the idols of the Supreme or an arcāvatāra, as they are called in the Śrīvaiṣṇava philosophy. These arcāvatāras are said to be surcharged with spiritual potency, either by virtue of being self-born or by virtue of being worshipped by a being of great spiritual power, namely an extraordinary devotee. The Śivaliṅga at the sacred city of Kāñcī, for instance, is described in the Skānda-purāṇa to have been fashioned by goddess Pārvatī herself and to have been adored by her with ardent fervour. The city is thus described to be replete with the power of Pārvatī’s penance, as much as it is replete with the power of the Śivaliṅga. The beauty of the Bhāratīya tradition is that it does not restrict the mokṣapurīs or centres with the potential to liberate to these seven aforementioned places. While acknowledging these as the primary seven, the tradition also admits to the redeeming nature of other places and water bodies that are imbued with the potency of the Supreme and with the power of the penance of extraordinary devotees. One such centre is the Purī-Jagannātha, or Puruṣottama-kṣetra, as it is referred to in the Purāṇas. The presiding deity of the temple is Śrīkṛṣna. The unique feature of the temple is that the lord presents himself as a dāru-mūrti (a personification of wood), in the company of Balabhadra (Balarāma) and Subhadrā. The temple is best known for the Rathayātra (chariot festival) held in the Sanskrit month of Āṣāḍha (corresponding to the Gregorian months June–July). The Skānda-purāṇa describes the Puruṣottama-kṣetra and elaborates a scintillating tale that bears testimony to its redeeming nature. The account is as follows – After the great deluge, the Supreme Being raised the earth from the bowels of the ocean on his pearly tusk as Varāha. He then levelled the surface of the earth and balanced it by besetting earth with various mountains. Lord Brahmā then created everything, just like in the previous epoch. Having completed his task, he wondered, ‘What can I do to ensure that I do not have to create ever again?’ Thinking for a while, he decided to extoll lord Nārāyaṇa to be blessed with a solution. By firmly fixing his heart on the substrate of all creation, lord Brahmā began glorifying the lord earnestly. Pleased with the eulogy, the lord appeared before the creator mounting upon his avian chariot, Garuḍa; his arms replete with his divine weapons and his eyes charming as petals of a lotus. The lord stood before Brahmā, his lips athrob as if desirous of speaking. With a smile that lit up his eyes, he said to lord Brahmā, “O’ self-born one, the intent of your eulogies cannot be achieved. Creation is firmly rooted in the beginningless Avidya (ignorance). When that is the case, how can the cycle of birth and death cease to be? O’ Sinless one! I shall, however, tell you of the means to redemption. There is a place on the southern banks of river Mahānadī, which holds the potency of all the sacred centres of pilgrimage. Men born there enjoy the fruits of merits of past lives, and those who have no merits from the deeds of the past are not born there. I dwell in Puruṣottama-kṣetra. My shrine and the very centre of Puruṣottama are not affected by cataclysm. Mount Nīla is in this sacred place and upon it lies a sacred water body, Rauhiṇa. I stand upon its banks.” Lord Nārāyaṇa added further, तत्तीरे निवसन्तं मां पश्यन्तश्चर्मचक्षुषा॥ तदम्भसा क्षीणपापा मम सायुज्यमाप्नुयुः॥ tattīre nivasantaṁ māṁ paśyantaścarmacakṣuṣā || tadambhasā kṣīṇapāpā mama sāyujyamāpnuyuḥ || “Those who behold me by standing upon those banks, attain absolute identification with me, with their sins obliterated by those waters.” - Vaiṣṇava-khaṇḍa, Skānda-purāṇa Having stated thus, lord Nārāyaṇa urged Brahmā to resort to Puruṣottama-kṣetra. He assured the creator that he would be blessed with His vision, which he had just enjoyed. Thrilled with what he had heard, lord Brahmā summarily hastened to the Puruṣottama-kṣetra, his heart aflutter with the desire to feast his eyes upon the divine person of lord Nārāyaṇa. Upon reaching the Puruṣottama-kṣetra, lord Brahmā beheld the lord in the form that he perceived earlier (at the end of his eulogy). Immense knowledge swelled within him, and he sang paeans of the lord yet again; when, all of a sudden, a crow arrived there. Just as Brahmā looked on, it plunged into the sacred water. The crow looked upon the form of the lord and shed its body. Lord Brahmā was astounded by what he had just beheld. A lowly crow had, upon taking a dip in the sacred Rauhiṇa tank, set its eyes on the lord and had shed its physical body at will! It slowly dawned upon lord Brahmā that the cycle of birth and death would indeed cease to slow, as stated earlier by lord Nārāyaṇa. He exclaimed, अहो क्षेत्रस्य माहात्म्यं काकस्यापि विमुक्तिदम्। किं पुनः सततं शान्तिवैराग्यज्ञानसंयुजाम्॥ aho kṣetrasya māhātmyaṁ kākasyāpi vimuktidam| kiṁ punaḥ satataṁ śāntivairāgyajñānasaṁyujām|| Oh! How great the kṣetra is, to grant salvation even to a crow! What then could be said in the case of those endowed with tranquillity, detachment, and wisdom?! - Vaiṣṇava-khaṇḍa, Skānda-purāṇa As lord Brahmā stood there transfixed by the magnitude of the realisation, lord Yama, the lord of manes, arrived there distressed. His authority challenged, and his face lacklustre with gloom, Yama prostrated before the lord and extolled him earnestly, with his hands clasped in reverential salute. As Yama completed his eulogy, lord Nārāyaṇa signalled to the graceful Śrī, who stood by his side with a lute in her hands, to address Yama. Impelled by the enchanting play in the eyes of lord Nārāyaṇa, which commanded her to speak, goddess Śrī said to Yama, “O’ son of Sun, the object of your glorification can never be achieved. We will never abandon this place. Lord Brahmā, who is an adept in the endless cycle of karmā and consequences, watched in mute admiration as a crow attained absolute identification with the Supreme in this place. This kṣetra does not fall under karma-bhūmi for which you are the lord. Those who are subject to karmā and its consequences are never born here. Those who are liberated even while alive and those who desire liberation upon death alone are born in this sacred kṣetra.” Hearing the universal mother speak thus, Yama said in response, “O’ compassionate one! I am ignorant of what you had just related. The same lord who engenders bondage in creation, grants liberation elsewhere (here). The will of the Supreme is absolute and can be circumvented under no circumstance. Please enlighten me on the greatness of this kṣetra.” Requested thus, goddess Śrī related how this kṣetra was protected by the will of the Supreme and how it was not subject to ruination even during the cataclysm. She added further that the māyā of creation is rendered futile there, by the shield of the lord’s discus. She then revealed that in the Satya-yuga, a king by name Indradyumna would be born. He would arrive at the Puruṣottama-kṣetra and perform several austerities. She stated further, “O’ Brahmā, a tree will be split into four. From those pieces, the celestial architect, Viśvakarmā, will design the idols of the Supreme. You, O’ Brahmā, would be assigned with the responsibility of installing these idols at Puruṣottama-kṣetra”. Hearing the account of this tale from the lips of the goddess, both Brahmā and Yama were filled with delight. They returned to their respective abodes, their hearts consumed by the greatness of the Puruṣottma-kṣetra.

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