Chapter Fourteen Śrī Ratnākara-raivata-kācala-māhātmya The Glories of Ratnākara, Raivata, and Kācala

tasya dehe trayo devā nivasanti mahī-pate yasya darśana-mātreṇa naro yāti kṛtārthatām mādhavyām—in the month og Mādhava; pūrṇimāsyām—on the full-moon day; yaḥ—who; vratī—following vows; snātvā—bathing; nadī-patim—the king of rivers; natvā—bowing down; sampūjya—worshiping; vidhivat—properly; ratna-dānam—gift of jewels; karoti—does; yaḥ—who; tasya—of him; dehe—in the body; trayaḥ—three; deva—demigods; nivasanti—reside; mahī-pate—O master of the earth; yasya—of whom; darśana—seeing; mātreṇa—simply by; naraḥ—a person; yāti—attains; kṛtārthatām—the goal of life. A religious person who in the month of Mādhava (April-May) bathes in the ocean by Dvārakā, bows down before it, properly worships it, and then gives jewels in charity to the brāhmaṇas, finds that the three great demigods reside in his body. Simply by seeing him one attains the goal of life.

tasya dehe trayo devā nivasanti mahī-pate yasya darśana-mātreṇa naro yāti kṛtārthatām mādhavyām—in the month og Mādhava; pūrṇimāsyām—on the full-moon day; yaḥ—who; vratī—following vows; snātvā—bathing; nadī-patim—the king of rivers; natvā—bowing down; sampūjya—worshiping; vidhivat—properly; ratna-dānam—gift of jewels; karoti—does; yaḥ—who; tasya—of him; dehe—in the body; trayaḥ—three; deva—demigods; nivasanti—reside; mahī-pate—O master of the earth; yasya—of whom; darśana—seeing; mātreṇa—simply by; naraḥ—a person; yāti—attains; kṛtārthatām—the goal of life. A religious person who in the month of Mādhava (April-May) bathes in the ocean by Dvārakā, bows down before it, properly worships it, and then gives jewels in charity to the brāhmaṇas, finds that the three great demigods reside in his body. Simply by seeing him one attains the goal of life.

Simply by tyouching his body one becomes free of the sin of killing a brāhmaṇa. Any place he visits becomes sacred and auspicious.

By seeing him even a sinner who by killing everyone in the world has become like a walking corpse becomes free of sin and attains liberation.

O respectful one, please hear the story of Mount Raivata's glories, a sacred story that removes all sins, brings happiness in this life, and awards liberation at the end.

There was a Vaiśṇava named Medhāvī, who was very intelligent and was the son of Gautama Muni. For one million years he performed austerities in the Vindyā mountains.

One day Apāntaratama Muni came to see him. Rapt in performing austerities, Medhāvī did not rise from his seat to greet him.

Filled with anger, Apāntaratama Muni cursed him, “Sinner, you have no devotion and respect for saintly persons. You are very proud of the power of your austerities.

“You simply sit motionless like a mountain. Fool, become a mountain, then!" After speaking these words, Apāntaratama Muni left.

Because of this Medhāvī became a mountain. Born as the son of Mount Śrī Śaila, he could, because of the power of his devotion to Lord Viśṇu, remember his previous birth.

One day he heard from my mouth the glories of Dvārakā City. Then he said to me, “Please go to King Raivata at once.

tena nītasya me vāso bhaviśyati hareḥ puri iti śrutvā mayā viśṇu- bhaktānāṁ śānti-kāriṇā raivatāyāśu kathitaṁ tathoktaṁ paramaṁ vacaḥ sa prasannaḥ prāha rājann atra ko 'pi na parvataḥ tat-sthāpanaṁ kariśyāmi samutpatya bhujābalāt samunnīya dvārakāyāṁ pratijṣām akarod imām vada—please tell; mat-prarthanām—my request; uktām—said; tvam—you; mahā-dīna-vatsalaḥ—kind to the wretched; saḥ—he; ayam—he; mahā-balaḥ—very powerful; rājā—king; prasannaḥ—pleased; yadi—if; vā—or; bhavet—may be; tena—by him; nītasya—brought; me—of me; vāsaḥ—the residence; bhaviśyati—will be; hareḥ—of Lord Kṛśṇa; puri—in the city; iti—thus; śrutvā—hearing; mayā—by me; viśṇu-bhaktānām—of the Vaiśṇavas; śānti-kāriṇā—pacifying; raivatāya—to King Raivata; āśu—at once; kathitam—spoken; tathoktam—as said; paramam—great; vacaḥ—words; sa—he; prasannaḥ—pleased; prāha—said; rājann—O king; atra—here; ko 'pi—any; na—not; parvataḥ—mountain; tat-sthāpanam—placing it; kariśyāmi—I will do; samutpatya—lifting; bhujābalāt—by the power of my arms; samunnīya—bringing; dvārakāyām—to Dvārakā; pratijṣām—promise; akarot—did; imām—that. “Please tell him my request. You are very kind to the fallen. Tell him, `If the powerful king is pleased with me, then he will give me a home in Lord Kṛśṇa's city.' " Hearing this, I, who always wish to please the Vaiśṇavas, went to King Raivata and repeated these words. Pleased, the king promised, “There is not a single mountain in this place. With the strength of my arms I will personally pick up that mountain and bring it here to Dvārakā."

tena nītasya me vāso bhaviśyati hareḥ puri iti śrutvā mayā viśṇu- bhaktānāṁ śānti-kāriṇā raivatāyāśu kathitaṁ tathoktaṁ paramaṁ vacaḥ sa prasannaḥ prāha rājann atra ko 'pi na parvataḥ tat-sthāpanaṁ kariśyāmi samutpatya bhujābalāt samunnīya dvārakāyāṁ pratijṣām akarod imām vada—please tell; mat-prarthanām—my request; uktām—said; tvam—you; mahā-dīna-vatsalaḥ—kind to the wretched; saḥ—he; ayam—he; mahā-balaḥ—very powerful; rājā—king; prasannaḥ—pleased; yadi—if; vā—or; bhavet—may be; tena—by him; nītasya—brought; me—of me; vāsaḥ—the residence; bhaviśyati—will be; hareḥ—of Lord Kṛśṇa; puri—in the city; iti—thus; śrutvā—hearing; mayā—by me; viśṇu-bhaktānām—of the Vaiśṇavas; śānti-kāriṇā—pacifying; raivatāya—to King Raivata; āśu—at once; kathitam—spoken; tathoktam—as said; paramam—great; vacaḥ—words; sa—he; prasannaḥ—pleased; prāha—said; rājann—O king; atra—here; ko 'pi—any; na—not; parvataḥ—mountain; tat-sthāpanam—placing it; kariśyāmi—I will do; samutpatya—lifting; bhujābalāt—by the power of my arms; samunnīya—bringing; dvārakāyām—to Dvārakā; pratijṣām—promise; akarot—did; imām—that. “Please tell him my request. You are very kind to the fallen. Tell him, `If the powerful king is pleased with me, then he will give me a home in Lord Kṛśṇa's city.' " Hearing this, I, who always wish to please the Vaiśṇavas, went to King Raivata and repeated these words. Pleased, the king promised, “There is not a single mountain in this place. With the strength of my arms I will personally pick up that mountain and bring it here to Dvārakā."

tena nītasya me vāso bhaviśyati hareḥ puri iti śrutvā mayā viśṇu- bhaktānāṁ śānti-kāriṇā raivatāyāśu kathitaṁ tathoktaṁ paramaṁ vacaḥ sa prasannaḥ prāha rājann atra ko 'pi na parvataḥ tat-sthāpanaṁ kariśyāmi samutpatya bhujābalāt samunnīya dvārakāyāṁ pratijṣām akarod imām vada—please tell; mat-prarthanām—my request; uktām—said; tvam—you; mahā-dīna-vatsalaḥ—kind to the wretched; saḥ—he; ayam—he; mahā-balaḥ—very powerful; rājā—king; prasannaḥ—pleased; yadi—if; vā—or; bhavet—may be; tena—by him; nītasya—brought; me—of me; vāsaḥ—the residence; bhaviśyati—will be; hareḥ—of Lord Kṛśṇa; puri—in the city; iti—thus; śrutvā—hearing; mayā—by me; viśṇu-bhaktānām—of the Vaiśṇavas; śānti-kāriṇā—pacifying; raivatāya—to King Raivata; āśu—at once; kathitam—spoken; tathoktam—as said; paramam—great; vacaḥ—words; sa—he; prasannaḥ—pleased; prāha—said; rājann—O king; atra—here; ko 'pi—any; na—not; parvataḥ—mountain; tat-sthāpanam—placing it; kariśyāmi—I will do; samutpatya—lifting; bhujābalāt—by the power of my arms; samunnīya—bringing; dvārakāyām—to Dvārakā; pratijṣām—promise; akarot—did; imām—that. “Please tell him my request. You are very kind to the fallen. Tell him, `If the powerful king is pleased with me, then he will give me a home in Lord Kṛśṇa's city.' " Hearing this, I, who always wish to please the Vaiśṇavas, went to King Raivata and repeated these words. Pleased, the king promised, “There is not a single mountain in this place. With the strength of my arms I will personally pick up that mountain and bring it here to Dvārakā."

tena nītasya me vāso bhaviśyati hareḥ puri iti śrutvā mayā viśṇu- bhaktānāṁ śānti-kāriṇā raivatāyāśu kathitaṁ tathoktaṁ paramaṁ vacaḥ sa prasannaḥ prāha rājann atra ko 'pi na parvataḥ tat-sthāpanaṁ kariśyāmi samutpatya bhujābalāt samunnīya dvārakāyāṁ pratijṣām akarod imām vada—please tell; mat-prarthanām—my request; uktām—said; tvam—you; mahā-dīna-vatsalaḥ—kind to the wretched; saḥ—he; ayam—he; mahā-balaḥ—very powerful; rājā—king; prasannaḥ—pleased; yadi—if; vā—or; bhavet—may be; tena—by him; nītasya—brought; me—of me; vāsaḥ—the residence; bhaviśyati—will be; hareḥ—of Lord Kṛśṇa; puri—in the city; iti—thus; śrutvā—hearing; mayā—by me; viśṇu-bhaktānām—of the Vaiśṇavas; śānti-kāriṇā—pacifying; raivatāya—to King Raivata; āśu—at once; kathitam—spoken; tathoktam—as said; paramam—great; vacaḥ—words; sa—he; prasannaḥ—pleased; prāha—said; rājann—O king; atra—here; ko 'pi—any; na—not; parvataḥ—mountain; tat-sthāpanam—placing it; kariśyāmi—I will do; samutpatya—lifting; bhujābalāt—by the power of my arms; samunnīya—bringing; dvārakāyām—to Dvārakā; pratijṣām—promise; akarot—did; imām—that. “Please tell him my request. You are very kind to the fallen. Tell him, `If the powerful king is pleased with me, then he will give me a home in Lord Kṛśṇa's city.' " Hearing this, I, who always wish to please the Vaiśṇavas, went to King Raivata and repeated these words. Pleased, the king promised, “There is not a single mountain in this place. With the strength of my arms I will personally pick up that mountain and bring it here to Dvārakā."

As King Raivata set out to kidnap that mountain, I raced ahead and quickly entered the city of Mount Śaila.

Fond of a quarrel, I approached noble-hearted Mount Śaila and told him how King Raivata was about to kidnap his son.

śrī-śailaḥ prāha dharmātmā putra-sneha-samākulaḥ eko daivena datto 'yaṁ na putrā bahavaś ca me śrī-śailaḥ—Mount Śaila; putra-mohena—bewildered with love for his son; nirbhartsya—rebuking; iti—thus; kva—where; yāsi—will you go; hi—indeed; sumerum—to Mount Sumeru; giri-rājam—the king of mountains; ca—and; himavantam—to the Himalayas; nageśvaram—the king of mountains; śrī-śailaḥ—Mount Śaila; prāha—said; dharmātmā—pious; putra-sneha-samākulaḥ—overcome with love; ekaḥ—one; daivena—by fate; dattaḥ—given; ayam—he; na—not; putrāḥ—sons; bahavaḥ—many; ca—and; me—of me. Overcome with love for his son, Mount Śaila rebuked him, “Where will you go?" Then Mount Śaila went to regal Mount Sumeru and regal Mount Himālaya and, overcome with love for his son, said to them, “Destiny has given me only one son. I do not have many sons.

śrī-śailaḥ prāha dharmātmā putra-sneha-samākulaḥ eko daivena datto 'yaṁ na putrā bahavaś ca me śrī-śailaḥ—Mount Śaila; putra-mohena—bewildered with love for his son; nirbhartsya—rebuking; iti—thus; kva—where; yāsi—will you go; hi—indeed; sumerum—to Mount Sumeru; giri-rājam—the king of mountains; ca—and; himavantam—to the Himalayas; nageśvaram—the king of mountains; śrī-śailaḥ—Mount Śaila; prāha—said; dharmātmā—pious; putra-sneha-samākulaḥ—overcome with love; ekaḥ—one; daivena—by fate; dattaḥ—given; ayam—he; na—not; putrāḥ—sons; bahavaḥ—many; ca—and; me—of me. Overcome with love for his son, Mount Śaila rebuked him, “Where will you go?" Then Mount Śaila went to regal Mount Sumeru and regal Mount Himālaya and, overcome with love for his son, said to them, “Destiny has given me only one son. I do not have many sons.

“When powerful and noble-hearted King Raivata comes he will take my son to a another country far away.

“I am overcome with love for my son. I take shelter of you both. Please defeat King Raivata and give me my son."

Because they were his kinsmen, Mount Sumeru and Mount Himālaya, bringing with them a hundred thousand mountains, came at once to engage in the fight.

As Hanumān lifted a great mountain before, King Raivata lifted that mountain with his own arms. Then the king decided to leave.

When the king saw that many weapon-bearing mountains had suddenly come before him, He laughed with a laugh like thunder.

That laugh echoed through the entire universe, filling the seven planetary systems and the emptinesses of outer space. At once the weapons fell from the mountains' hands.

Now weaponless, the mountains screamed and wailed again and again. As King Raivata was taking the young mountain, the mountains hit them again and again with their fists and knees.

As before they had followed powerful Hanumān, the mountains followed King Raivata and attacked him again and again. Still, the king never let the young mountain fall from his hand.

āgatyākāśa-mārge 'pi dāttvā tejaḥ svakaṁ param mā bhaiśṭety abhayaṁ dāttvā tvaram āntaradhīyata mat—my; mukhāt—from the mouth; śrī-hariḥ—Śrī Kṛśṇa; śrutvā—hearing; śaila—of the mountain; udyogam—effort; nṛpopari—on the king; sadyaḥ—at once; bhakta-sahāyārtham—to help a devotee; bhagavān—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhakta-vatsalaḥ—who loves His devotees; āgatya—coming; ākāśa-mārge—in the sky; api—also; dāttvā—placing; tejaḥ—power; svakam—own; param—great; ma—don't; bhaiśṭa—fear; iti—thus; abhayam—fearlessness; dāttvā—giving; tvaram—at once; āntaradhīyata—disappeared. From my mouth hearing how King Raivata was struggling on the young mountain's behalf, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who loves His devotees, came at once to help. Appearing in the sky, He gave His own transcendental power to King Raivata, reassured him by saying, “Don't be afraid." and then suddenly disappeared.

āgatyākāśa-mārge 'pi dāttvā tejaḥ svakaṁ param mā bhaiśṭety abhayaṁ dāttvā tvaram āntaradhīyata mat—my; mukhāt—from the mouth; śrī-hariḥ—Śrī Kṛśṇa; śrutvā—hearing; śaila—of the mountain; udyogam—effort; nṛpopari—on the king; sadyaḥ—at once; bhakta-sahāyārtham—to help a devotee; bhagavān—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhakta-vatsalaḥ—who loves His devotees; āgatya—coming; ākāśa-mārge—in the sky; api—also; dāttvā—placing; tejaḥ—power; svakam—own; param—great; ma—don't; bhaiśṭa—fear; iti—thus; abhayam—fearlessness; dāttvā—giving; tvaram—at once; āntaradhīyata—disappeared. From my mouth hearing how King Raivata was struggling on the young mountain's behalf, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who loves His devotees, came at once to help. Appearing in the sky, He gave His own transcendental power to King Raivata, reassured him by saying, “Don't be afraid." and then suddenly disappeared.

sumeruṁ santatāḍāśu vajrīva balavattaraḥ tasya muśṭi-prahāreṇa merur vihvalatāṁ gataḥ gate harau bhagavati—when Lord Hari had gone; bhagavat-tejasānvitaḥ—now possessing the Lord's potency; eka-haste—with one hand; girim—the mountain; dhṛtvā—holding; muśṭinā—with a fist; vajra-ghātinā—like a thunderbolt; sumerum—Sumeru; santatāḍa—struck; āśu—at once; vajrī—a thunderbolt; iva—like; balavattaraḥ—very powerful; tasya—of him; muśṭi-prahāreṇa—with a punch; meruḥ—Meru; vihvalatām—agitation; gataḥ—attained. After the Supreme Lord had disappeared, King Raivata, now strong as a thunderbolt for he possessed the Lord's own strength, shifted the young mountain to a single hand and with the other punched Mount Sumeru with a punch like a thunderbolt, a punch that overwhelmed Mount Sumeru.

Wildly passionate in the fight, King Raivata violently threw Mount Himālaya to the ground. With his feet he crushed Mount Vindhyā and the other mountains.

Wounded by King Raivata's ferocious kicking, Mount Vindhyā and all the other terrified mountains fled in the ten directions.

Defeating the host of mountains in this way, King Raivata, who was like a mountain himself, amid many shouts of “Victory!", placed the young mountain in the land of Anarta.

The mountain was named Mount Raivata after King Raivata. A great devotee and the best of mountains, Mount Raivata was splendidly manifested in Dvārakā.

Simply by seeing Mount Raivata one becomes free from the sin of killing a brāhmaṇa. Simply by touching Mount Raivata one attains the result of having performed a hundred yajṣas.

A person who goes on a pilgrimage to Mount Raivata, with bowed head circumambulates Mount Raivata, and then feeds a brāhmaṇa, goes to Lord Viśṇu's transcendental abode.