Brahma Purana

In a sacred and renowned field known as Puruṣottama, King Śveta offered heartfelt praises to the divine. He invoked salutations to the Creator and Giver of wealth, to the Embodiment and Lord of sacrifice, and to the supreme Yogi. He bowed to the Lord who inspires both renunciation and yoga, who bears the limbs of sacrifice, to Saṃkarṣaṇa, and to the Slayer of Pralamba. Śveta honored the One who wields the plough swifter than thunderclouds, who is wisdom among the wise, and whose devotion is ever fixed upon Nārāyaṇa. With deep humility, Śveta confessed that apart from the Lord, he had no friend who could deliver him from the torments of hell. He bowed with all his being to the Lover of those who bow. He addressed Keśava, declaring that whether impurity arises from body or mind, only Acyuta, the Lord of gods, could cleanse it. Abandoning all other ties, Śveta had come to Keśava alone, seeking union for the attainment of the Self. Śveta acknowledged the terrible suffering of worldly existence, afflicted by the threefold miseries, and sought refuge in Keśava. He recognized how the world is deluded by desires through the Lord’s māyā, drawn by greed and similar forces, and thus he took shelter in Him. Śveta declared that for embodied beings dwelling in saṃsāra, there is no happiness; but as the mind turns toward Viṣṇu, the Lord of sacrifice, supreme happiness arises. He spoke of attaining ultimate happiness, free from worldly rewards, though he himself was bereft of discernment and saw only suffering in the world. Śveta pleaded with Govinda to save him from saṃsāra, for only Puṇḍarīkākṣa could rescue him from the unfathomable ocean of delusion. Moved by Śveta’s praises, Hari, the god of gods and teacher of the world, surrounded by all the deities, appeared before the king. Hari’s form was splendid: dark as a rain cloud, with lotus-wide eyes, wise, holding the glowing Sudarshana discus at his fingertips. His body shone like the waters of the milk ocean, radiant as the moon, and in his left hand he held the mighty Panchajanya conch. He bore the banner of the king of birds, and held mace, bow, and sword. Hari spoke: “Well done, O king! Your mind is noble. Ask for whatever you desire. Blessings to you—I am pleased with you, O sinless one.” Hearing these nectar-like words, Śveta bowed his head and replied, “If I am your devotee, O Lord, grant me the highest boon: the imperishable Vaishnava abode, above even Brahma’s realm. I wish to reach that pure, stainless, spotless place, free from worldly bonds, by your grace, O Lord of the world. That place which gods, sages, and accomplished yogis do not attain, which is delightful, supreme, and free from affliction.” Hari assured Śveta, “You will attain the supreme state, worship the nectar of sovereignty, and, surpassing all worlds, you will reach my realm. Your fame, O king of kings, will spread through all three worlds, and my presence here with you will always remain. All gods and demons will sing of you as Shvetaganga; even a blade of grass touched by Shvetaganga’s water will be praised. Those devoted to me who touch this water with concentration will attain heaven; whoever approaches this image named Madhava, shining like the moon, resembling conch and cow’s milk, destroying all sins, and bows with devotion, whose eyes are like lotuses, will leave all worlds behind and be honored in my realm, surrounded by divine maidens for the duration of a Manvantara. Praised sweetly and served by accomplished Gandharvas, he enjoys abundant pleasures as he wishes, together with mine. When he falls from there and returns to earth, he becomes a human, a Brahmin, learned in the Vedas and their branches, prosperous, enjoying pleasures, and long-lived. He is rich in elephants, horses, chariots, vehicles, wealth, and grain, pure, handsome, very fortunate, accompanied by sons and grandsons. Having again attained the Supreme Person, at the banyan tree or at the ocean, abandoning the body and remembering Hari, he then reaches the peaceful state.” The narrative continues: Having seen the white Mādhava and, nearby, the fish-formed Mādhava—who once, in the waters of the primeval ocean, assumed the form of a red fish—Śveta beheld the Lord established in the netherworld for the purpose of recovering the Vedas, having thoroughly contemplated the earth and remaining at that very place. By bowing down and becoming devoted to that first incarnation—the Mādhava in the form of a fish—one is freed from all suffering. He attains the supreme abode where Lord Hari himself resides; and, when the time comes, returning here, he becomes a king upon the earth. By approaching the calf-form Mādhava, a man becomes invincible, generous, an enjoyer, a performer of sacrifices, a devotee of Viṣṇu, and steadfast in truth. Having attained union with Hari, he then obtains liberation. Thus, the greatness of the fish-formed Mādhava was fully recounted, and by seeing him, O best of sages, one attains all desires. The sages then asked, “O Lord, we wish to hear about the purification performed at Varuṇa’s abode—about bathing, giving gifts, and so on—please tell us its complete merit.” The Lord replied, “Hear, O best of sages, the proper method of purification; by performing it with devotion and focused mind, one attains the highest merit. Bathing in the Mārkaṇḍeya pool in ancient times is highly praised, especially on the fourteenth day, as it destroys all sins. Likewise, bathing in the ocean is always praised; especially on the full moon, one obtains the fruit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice.” Thus, the story reveals the profound blessings bestowed upon Śveta, the greatness of the Lord’s incarnations, and the merits of devotion and sacred purifications, all leading to liberation and supreme happiness.