Friends and Well-Wishers Came Out to Honour and Respect This Great Vaiṣṇava-Ācārya

C hapter 11 t he G lories of B hu B aneswar

mood of arrogance within me. What can I do? I acted as You desired. “In spite of everything, I committed serious offences at Your lotus feet. Now kindly forgive me and bless me with Your mercy. And I pray for this boon: May I never again develop such evil intelligence. I have been rightly punished for my arrogance. Now kindly tell me where I can stay, for who else but You can I turn to with such problems?”

Lord Kåñëa smiled slightly and spoke kindly. “Listen, My dear Çiva, I am giving you a very beautiful place. Live there with all your associates and followers. This place is known as Ekämra Känana*. In these idyllic surroundings you will appear and be worshipped as Koöidigéçvara. This place is in every way as captivating as Käçé. Besides, this place is also extremely spiritually elevated. This, however, is not known to all.

“Today I will reveal to you the esoteric significance of this place, which is so dear to Me. On the shore of the ocean, covering a very large area is the place known as Niläcala. It is also known as Puruñottama-ksetra. It has a most pleasing and peaceful atmosphere. Even at the time of the cosmic annihilation it remains intact, unscathed. I reside eternally here and daily receive opulent offerings of foodstuffs. This area is spread over eighty square miles. “Through the influence of this place, all living entities living within this area, possess four-handed forms, though this is visible to only the demigods and the residents of Vaikuëöha. The demigods glorify this place as the most auspicious of all places of pilgrimage. The act of sleeping here is equivalent to deep meditation or samädhi. Similarly, lying down accrues the pious result of offering obeisances to the Deity. Simply walking here is the same as circumambulation [parikramä], and all

* Ekämra Känana: ‘The forest that contains a giant mango tree.’