Lolajihva and Satya Mandira

Dharmāraṇya was the holy city and kshetra (sacred ground) of the brāhmaṇas and vāṇikas (merchants). This account from the Skanda Mahā Purāṇa tells how its vāṇika families were born from the cow Kāmadhenu. It tells how the rākshasa Lolajihva ruined the city in the Tretā Yuga and how Bhagavān Vishṇu slew him with the Sudarśana cakra. It ends with the rebuilding of the city under the new name Satya Mandira, and the four sacred presences placed in its four directions.

The vāṇika families are born from Kāmadhenu

Bhagavān Vishṇu had placed 18,000 brāhmaṇas in Dharmāraṇya, and their 24 gotras were set up. Then Brahmā called Kāmadhenu, the wish-fulfilling cow of svarga (heaven), to give the city its merchant people. From Kāmadhenu were born 36,000 vāṇija (merchant) families. They settled in Dharmāraṇya beside the brāhmaṇas. So the city was full of both learned people and traders.

To complete the households of the city, the 60,000 gandharva daughters of the gandharva king Viśvāvasu were married to the vāṇikas. The city was filled with wealth and celebration.

Lolajihva comes in the Tretā Yuga

In the Tretā Yuga a rākshasa of great power named Lolajihva came down on Dharmāraṇya. He aimed at the most sacred city in the kshetra. He let loose his terrible power on it. He burned the buildings, drove out the people and defiled the holy places. The brāhmaṇas and vāṇikas ran in all directions and left the city. All the people of Dharmāraṇya were scattered, and the great holy city lay in ruins.

Bhagavān Vishṇu slays Lolajihva

The brāhmaṇas and vāṇikas cried out to Bhagavān Vishṇu for protection. He is the protector of all who follow dharma. He came quickly to Dharmāraṇya, carrying the Sudarśana cakra, which blazed with limitless tejas (radiance). The Sudarśana cut down Lolajihva, and the rākshasa fell. With the rākshasa slain, the danger was gone and the sacred kshetra was safe again.

The rebuilding and the name Satya Mandira

After Lolajihva’s death the brāhmaṇas and vāṇikas came back to Dharmāraṇya. Together they rebuilt the city. They laid new foundations with bricks. They raised prākāras (enclosing walls) and maṇḍapas (halls). They made royal roads hung with flags and toraṇas (decorated gateways), and they rebuilt the houses.

When the work was done, the whole community gave the renewed city a new name: Satya Mandira, the abode of truth.

The sacred layout of Satya Mandira

The brāhmaṇas and the kājeśas laid out Satya Mandira with four main sacred presences in the four directions:

• East: Dharmeśvara, the Śiva liṅga set up through the tapas (austerity) of Dharma.
• South: Gaṇādhipati (Gaṇeśa), who was set up later by the devas.
• West: Bhānu (Sūrya, the son of Kaśyapa).
• North: Svayambhū, the self-manifested presence of Bhagavān Vishṇu.

Inside the prākāra-maṇḍala (the walled enclosure) the houses of the brāhmaṇas stood on a beautifully made platform.

Sources

• Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Brahma Khaṇḍa, Dharmāraṇya Khaṇḍa, Pūrvārdha, Chapter 10
• Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Brahma Khaṇḍa, Dharmāraṇya Khaṇḍa, Pūrvārdha, Chapter 11
• Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Brahma Khaṇḍa, Dharmāraṇya Khaṇḍa, Pūrvārdha, Chapters 11–12