The Mysteries of the Varshas
Skandha V. Chap. 17-19
Of the nine Varshas, Bhârata is the field of Karma (I must now once for all remind my readers that Bhârata when mentioned as a Varsha means Nâbhi Varsha, the whole of this visible earth from the highest point of the Himalayas downwards). The other Varshas are places of fruition of the merits of those that go to Svarga. Hence they are called terrestrial (Bhouma) Svargas.
(Svarga is of three kinds: —
Divya viz. Svarga proper or Swar Loka.
Bhouma or terrestrial and
Bila or Pâtâlic.
Śridhara.)
Ilâvrita. — The dwellers of this Varsha live for ten thousand years of human measure. They are like Devas. They have the vitality of ten thousand elephants. Their body is strong like the thunderbolt They enjoy with women all their lives and only one year before death do the women bear children. They always live as it were in Treta Yuga.
Nârâyana — the Mahâ Purusha pervades all the Varshas for their good, in different forms of His Chatur Vyûha (Vâsudeva, Sankarshana, Pradyumna and Anirudha).
In Ilâvrita, Bhava or Śiva is the only male. Other males do not enter that Varsha, for they know the curse of Bhâvanî (Durgâ) that whoever should enter the Varsha was to become a female.
Bhava is adored by millions of women. He meditates on the fourth, the Tâmasa Mûrti of Mahâpurusha viz. Shankarshana. He recites the following mantra and runs about: —
“Om Namo Bhâgavate Mahâ Purushâya Sarva-guna Sankhâynâya Anantâya Avyaktâya Namaha.”
“Om, Salutations to Bhagavat Mahâ Purusha, salutations to the manifester of all Gunas, the Endless, the Unmanifested.”
Then follows a prayer to Sankarshana for which readers are referred to the original Bhadtâsva.
Bhadrasravas is the lord of Bhadrâsva. He and his followers dwell there, they meditate on the Hayaśirsha aspect of Vâsudeva, they recite the following mantra and run about.
“Om Namo Bhâgavate Dharmâya Âtmâ-visodhanâya namah.”
“Om salutations to Bhagavat Dharma; salutations to him who purifies the soul.”
Then follows a prayer to Hayagrîva Harivarsha.
The renowned saintly Daitya Prahlâda with the dwellers of this Varsha adore Him and recite the following mantra.
“Om Namo Bhagavate Srî Nara Sinhâya Namastejastejase Âvirâvir bhava vajranakha vajra-danstra Karmâ-Sayân randhaya randhaya tamo grasa om Svâhâ Abhayam Abhoyam Âtmani bhûyisthûh om kshroum.”
“Om salutations to Bhagavat Srî Hrisinha, Salutations to the fire of all fires! Manifest Thyself! Manifest thyself O thunder-nailed! O thunder-toothed! Burn up, burn up all desires! devour Tamas! Om Svâhâ! Freedom from fear, freedom from fear be in us. Om! Kohrâum!”
Ketumâla.
Pradyumna or Kâmadeva presides over Ketumâla in order to please Lakshmî Samvatsara (one year), the daughters of Samvatsara viz: the nights and Sons of Samvatsara viz: the days. The days and nights are 36,000 in number i.e. as many as are contained in the full term of a man’s life (one hundred years). These days and nights are the lords of Ketumâla Lakshmî with whom the dwellers of Ketumâla adore Kâmadeva.
(The mantra and prayer are then given.)
Ramyaka.
Matsya (The Fish Incarnation) presides over Ramyaka. Manu is the King.
(Mantra and prayer follow)
Hiranmaya.
Kûrma (the Tortoise Incarnation) presides over Hiranmaya. Aryaman the chief of the Pitris dwells there with others.
(Mantra and prayer follow)
Kuru.
Varsha or the Boar Incarnation presides over Kuru. Bhûr with the dwellers of Kuru adore him.
(Mantra and prayer follow.)
Kinpurusha.
In Kinpurusha, Hanumân with the dwellers of the Varsha worship the Adipurusha Râma, brother of Lakshamana and husband of Sitâ.
(Mantra and prayer follow.)
Bhârat Varsha.
Nara Nârâyana presides over this Varsha. There are various (castes) and Âsramas in this Varsha. Nârada of great devotion leads the people of this Varsha. His object in so doing is to teach to Sâvarni, the coming Manu, the Sânkhya and Yoga (as related in the Bhagavat Gitâ) together with the full realisation of Bhagavat (as related in the Pancharatras).
[This mission of Nârada is specially noteworthy.]
( Mantra and prayer follow.)
In this Bhârata Varsha there are many mountains and rivers.
Maloya, Mangalaprastha, Mainâka, Trikuta, Rishava, Kutaka, Kōnva, Sahya, Rishyamûka, Srisaila, Venkata, Mahendra, Vâridhâra, Vindhya, Śaktimân, Riksha, Pâripâtra, Drōna, Chitrakûta, Gobardhana, Raivatak, Kakubha, Nila, Gokâmukha, Indrakila, Kâmagiri and hundreds and thousands of other mountains are situated in this Varsha.
The following are the principal rivers Chandvavâsa, Tâmvaparni, Avatōda, Kritamâlā, Vaihâyasi, Kâveri, Venûâ, Payasvini, Sarkarâvartâ, Krishnavenuâ, Bhimrathi, Godâbari, Nirvindhyâ, Payoshni, Tâpi, Revâ, Surasâ, Narmadâ, Charmanvati, Andha, Sōna, Mahânadi, Vedasmriti, Rishikúlyâ, Trisâmâ, Kousiki, Mandâkini, Yamunâ, Sarasvati, Drishadvati, Gomati, Saraju, Aghavati, Shasthavati, Saptavati, Satadru, Sushōma, Chandrabhâgâ, Maruduridhâ, Vitastâ, Asikini and Visvâ.
Those that acquire birth in this Varsha have recourse to Svarga, humanity and Naraka respectively, according as their Karma is White (Sâtvic), Red (Râjasic) or Black (Tâmasic). The People acquire Moksha in this Varsha in accordance with their Varna (Caste). (This is because Karma according to caste prevails in this Varsha, not that Moksha is not otherwise attainable. Śridhara).
And what is moksha in this Varsha? It is the Companionship of Mahâtmâs (Mahâpurushas) brought about by the destruction of the bonds of Avidyâ caused by various births. And that Moksha is in reality unceasing, unselfish devotion to the All-pervading, Indestructible, Causeless Paramâtma Vâsudeva.
Even the Devas say: — “How fortunate are these people of Bhârat Varsha! For Hari is kind to them, even without many performances and they are so adapted for communion with Hari by devotion. We have attained Svarga by the performance of Yajna. But we shall have to be born again after the end of the Kalpa. What good is in this state, which does not bring us in direct communion with Vishnu? These people of Bhârat Varsha even with their short lives acquire the state of Hari. If there be any Karma left to us after the enjoyment of Svarga may we be born as men that we may worship Hari.”
Some say there are eight upadvipas in Jambu Dvipa, formed by the sons of Sagara when they dug up this earth in search of the sacrificial horse. They are Svarna Prastha, Chandra Sukla, Âvartana, Râmanaka, Manda-harina, Panchajanya, Sinhala and Loukâ.