munaya UcuH


pRthivyAmuttamAM bhUmi dharmmakAmArthamokSadAm | tIrthAnAmuttamaM tIrthaM brUhi no vadatAMvara || 1

The Munis said: `Which is the worlds` most exalted territory giving liberation, motivation, aspiration and custom? And of the holy places, saying the best of those tell us the chief holy place.

lomaharSaNa uvAca


imaM praznaM mama guruM papracchurmmunayaH purA | tamahaM samprakSayAmi yatpRcchadhvaM dvijottamAH || 2


svAzrame sumahApuNye nAnApuSpopazobhite | nAnAdrumalatAkIrNe nAnAmRgagaNairyute || 3


puMnAgaiH karNikAraizca saraDairdevadArubhiH | zAlaistAlaistamAlaizca panasairdhavakhAdiraiH || 4


pATalAzokabakulaiH karavIraiH sacampakaiH | anyaizca vividhair vRkSair nAnApuSpopazobhitaiH || 5


kurukSetre samAsInaM vyAsaM matimatAM varam | mahAbhAratakartAraM sarvazAstravizAradam || 6


adhyAtmaniSThaM sarvajJaM sarvabhUtahite ratam | purANAgamavaktAraM vedavedAGgapAragam || 7


parAzarasutaM zAntaM padmapattrAyatekSaNam | draSTum abhyAyayuH prItyA munayaH saMzitavratAH || 8

Lomaharshana said: `Best brahmans! The Munis of old asked this question of my preceptor, I explain that which was asked. Sitting in his own hermitage in the field of the Kurus, very greatly auspicious, decorated in different flowers, filled with different tree plants, possessed of troops of various deer, decorated by punnagas, karnikaras and saradas, devadarus, shals, palmyras, tamalas and breadfruits, dhavas, acacias, patalas, ashokas, bakulas, oleanders with campakas and other divers trees and different flowers, Vyasa, best of the wise, author of the Mahabharata, conversant with all the rules, situated in the Supreme Spirit, all-knowing, disposed to the welfare of all beings, speaker of the tradition of history, mastered of auxilliary knowledge, gentle son of Parashara and seeing as the lotus leaf is sharp, was approached amicably by the Munis prepared for service.

kazyapo jamadagniz ca bharadvAjo`tha gautamaH | vasiSTho jaiminir dhaumyo mArkaNDeyo`tha vAlmikiH || 9


vizvAmitraH zatAnando vAtsyo gArgyo`tha AsuriH | sumantur bhArgavo nAma kaNvo medhAtithir guruH || 10


mANDavyaz cyavano dhUmro hyasito devalas tathA | maudgalyas tRNayajJaz ca pippalAdo`kRtavraNaH || 11


saMvartaH kauziko raibhyo maitreyo haritas tathA | zANDilyaz ca vibhANDaz ca durvAsA lomazas tathA || 12


nAradaH parvataz caiva vaizaMpAyanagAlavau | bhAskariH pUraNaH sUtaH pulastyaH kapilas tathA || 13


ulUkaH pulaho vAyur devasthAnaz caturbhujaH | sanatkumAraH pailaz ca kRSNaH kRSNAnubhautikaH || 14


etair munivaraiz cAnyair vRtaH satyavatIsutaH | rarAja sa muniH zrImAn nakSatrair iva candramAH || 15


tAn AgatAn munIn sarvAn pUjayAmAsa vedavit | te `pi taM pratipUjyaiva kathAM cakruH parasparam || 16


kathAnte te munizreSThAH kRSNaM satyavatIsutam | papracchuH saMzayaM sarve tapovananivAsinaH || 17

Kashyapa, Jamadagni and Bharadvaja, then Gautama, Vasishtha, Jaimini, Dhaumya, Markandeya, then Valmiki, Vishvamitra, Shatananda, Vatsya, Gargya, now Asuri, Sumantu, Bhargava by name, Kanva, Medhatithi, Guru, Mandavya, Cyavana, Dhumra, Asita, Devala in that manner, Maudgalya, Trinayajna and Pippalada, Akritavrana, Samvrata, Kaushika, Raibhya, Maitreya, Harita in that manner, Shandilya and Vibhanda and Durvasa, Lomasha in that manner, Narada, Parvata and certainly Vaishampayana Galava, Bhaskira, Purana, Suta, Pulastya, Kapila in that manner, Uluka, Pulaha, Vayu, Devasthana, Caturbhuja, Sanatkumara, Paila and Krishna, Krishnanubhautika, by these best Munis and others the chosen son of Satyavati, the Muni, appeared beautiful like the moon is made by the stars. The brahman knowing the vedas made honor to all those arrived Munis and they returned the honor to him, then made mutual conversation. At the end of the conversation, they, the dwellers of the grove in all doubt asked the son of Satyavati:

munaya UcuH


mune vedAMzca zAstrANi purANAgamabhAratam | bhUtaM bhavyaM bhaviSyaM ca sarvaM jAnAsi vAGmayam || 18


kaSTe`smin duHkhabahule niHsAre bhavasAgare | rAgagrAhAkule raudre viSayodakasaMplave || 19


indriyAvartakalile dRSTormizatasaMkule | mohapaGkAvile durge lobhagambhIradustare || 20


nimajjaj jagad Alokya nirAlambam acetanam | pRcchAmas tvAM mahAbhAgaM brUhi no munisattama || 21


zreyaH kim atra saMsAre bhairave lomaharSaNa | upadezapradAnena lokAn uddhartum arhasi || 22


durlabhaM paramaM kSetraM vaktum arhasi mokSadam | pRthivyAM karmabhUmiM ca zrotum icchAmahe vayam || 23


kRtvA kila naraH samyak karmabhUmau yathoditam | prApnoti paramAM siddhiM narakaM ca vikarmataH || 24


mokSakSetre tathA mokSaM prApnoti puruSaH sudhIH | tasmAd brUhi mahAprAjJa yat pRSTo `si dvijottama || 25


zrutvA tu vacanaM teSAM munInAM bhAvitAtmanAm | vyAsaH provAca bhagavAn bhUtabhavyabhaviSyavit || 26

The Munis said: `Muni! Of the veda and its teachings, the historical tradition of the story of Bharata, all that was, is and will be whose essence is speech, you know. In this evil worldly ocean, full of trouble and worthless, with planets seized by fierce redness and the elements deluged in water, in this play of clouds belonging to Indra manifested as a hundred confused waves of existence mixed in mired perplexity, confusion expanded as to be invincible and beholding the world sun sunk down, friendless, senseless, we ask of you most highly fortunate, speak to us best of the Munis. Lomaharshana! With respect to frightful transmigration, what is preferable? You are able to bestow advice rescuing us from this world. Of the rarest, remotest and most fertile place giving liberation you are able to say, and of the region of religious action in the world it is our great wish is to hear. A man assuredly having done accurately in the field of action as mentioned before, attains highest perfection, and perverting is directed to hell. The person of good sense in the field of liberation in that manner attains liberation. Highest brahman! What you are asked, about that speak. Having heard the expression of those meditative Munis, the gracious Vyasa knowing past, present and future declared:

vyAsa uvAca


zRNudhvaM munayaH sarve vakSyAmi yadi pRcchatha | yaH saMvAdo`bhavat pUrvam RSINAM brahmaNA saha || 27


merupRSThe tu vistIrNe nAnAratnavibhUSite | nAnAdrumalatAkIrNe nAnApuSpopazobhite || 28


nAnApakSirute ramye nAnAprasavanAkule | nAnAsattvasamAkIrNe nAnAzcaryasamanvite || 29


nAnAvarNazilAkIrNe nAnAdhAtuvibhUSite | nAnAmunijanAkIrNe nAnAzramasamanvite || 30


tatrAsInaM jagannAthaM jagadyoniM caturmukham | jagatpatiM jagadvandyaM jagadAdhAram Izvaram || 31


devadAnavagandharvair yakSavidyAdharoragaiH | munisiddhApsarobhiz ca vRtam anyair divAlayaiH || 32


kecit stuvanti taM devaM kecid gAyanti cAgrataH | kecid vAdyAni vAdyante kecin nRtyanti cApare || 33


evaM pramudite kAle sarvabhUtasamAgame | nAnAkusumagandhADhye dakSiNAnilasevite || 34


bhRgvAdyAs taM tadA devaM praNipatya pitAmaham | imam artham RSivarAH papracchuH pitaraM dvijAH || 35

Vyasa said: `Munis! Listen to all I speak, if asked, what the conversation was before by Brahma with the Rishis. At the height of Meru it is covered with the decoration of different gems, filled with different tree plants, decorated in different flowers and different enjoyable birds, bearing forth different assemblages, filled with many similar entities, connected with different marvels, filled with different colored stones decorated in different stratums and filled with the births of different Munis connected with different austerities. In that place is seated the four-faced world-lord, the source of the world, world-master adored by the world and support of the world. The Supreme Being surrounded by Devas, Danavas, Gandharvas, by Yakshas, Fairies, divine serpents, by Munis, divine beings, nymphs and by others dwelling in the sky, some praising him and some singing of Devas in the front and some coming after reporting on musical instruments and some dancing. Thus in gladsome time did all beings come together and rich in the fragrance of different flowers visited by the south winds with Bhrigu at the head and bowing respectfully, of him at that time, of the Deva, of the great father this purpose was asked by the chosen Rishis, oh brahmans!

RSaya UcuH


bhagavaJ zrotum icchAmaH karmabhUmiM mahItale | vaktum arhasi deveza mokSakSetraM ca durlabham || 36

The Rishis said: `Bhagavan! Our wish is to hear of the land of action on the surface of the earth. Chief of Devas! You are able to say of the difficult to obtain field of liberation.

vyAsa uvAca


teSAM vacanam AkarNya prAha brahmA surezvaraH | papracchus te yathA praznaM tat sarvaM munisattamAH || 37

Vyasa said: `Best sages! Giving ear to their expression, Brahma, lord of the gods, told all of which inquiry that they asked.