Utpalāraṇya

Utpalāraṇya · utpala-araṇya, “the forest of lotuses”

Utpalāraṇya is a forest renowned on earth, the dwelling of Maharshi Vālmīki. The Pratisarga Parva of the Bhavishya Purāṇa tells that it came to be filled with utpalas (lotuses) by the power of his japa, when he was the hunter-vipra Mṛgavyādha, and that it took its name from them. In the first Satya Yuga of the Vaivasvata manvantara Brahmā performed a yajña there, and Sarasvatī Devī came there as a river.

How it got its name

The Pratisarga Parva tells that Mṛgavyādha, seeking the destruction of his pāpas, was taught the name of Rāma by the munis, who told him to do japa of it until they returned. He did japa of “marā-marā” ceaselessly for a thousand years. By the power of his japa that forest came to be filled with utpalas, and from that time the place has been renowned on earth as Utpalāraṇya. Then the Saptarshis came to him, removed the soil of the valmīka (anthill) that had formed over him, saw him as a pure vipra and named him Vālmīki.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Pratisarga Parva, Khaṇḍa 4, Chapter 10

The yajña of Brahmā

In the first Satya Yuga of the Vaivasvata manvantara, Brahmā came to Utpalāraṇya and performed a yajña. At that time Sarasvatī Devī came there as a river. Then Brahmā brought forth the brāhmaṇas, kshatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras, and by his command Daksha became the Prajāpati of those beings on earth and lived there, intent on yajña.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Pratisarga Parva, Khaṇḍa 4, Chapter 10

King Śūrasena at Utpalāvarta

The Pratisarga Parva tells that Śūrasena, king of Madhyadeśa, once came hunting to the forest named Utpalāvarta, the dwelling of Maharshi Vālmīki. There on Caitra śukla navamī he duly kept the Śrī Rāmanavamī utsava, the festival of Śrī Rāma’s birth, and kept night-vigil in the hut of Maharshi Vālmīki. By the puṇya of hearing the gāthā full of Śrī Rāma he became the vidyādhara Jīmūtavāhana, son of Jīmūtaketu.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Pratisarga Parva, Khaṇḍa 2, Chapters 1–23

Bhaṭṭoji at Utpalāraṇya

The Pratisarga Parva names Utpalāraṇya as the place to which Bhaṭṭoji went, with a red tripuṇḍra on his head and a rudrāksha garland on his neck, constantly doing japa of the name Viśvanātha.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Pratisarga Parva, Khaṇḍa 4, Chapter 21

Sources

• Bhavishya Purāṇa, Pratisarga Parva, Khaṇḍa 2, Chapters 1–23; Khaṇḍa 4, Chapters 10, 21