Viśvadhara

Viśvadhara · viśva-dhara, “the bearer of the world”

Viśvadhara was a vaiśya of great wealth. In his old age a fine son was born to him, and that son died untimely. The lament of Viśvadhara and his wife moved Yama to compassion, and Yama left his city to perform tapas on the bank of the Godāvarī, which led to the glory of Cakratīrtha.

His son and the lament

Brahmā tells Nārada of Cakratīrtha on the Gautamī, where Bhagavān Hari’s cakra appeared. Viśvadhara, a vaiśya of great wealth, had a son when he was far advanced in age. The boy had every good quality; he was very handsome, fond of play and splendid to look at, and he was dearer to his parents than their own life. That son died untimely (akāla-mṛtyu).

Seeing him dead, the parents were overcome with grief and wished to die with him. They cried: “O son, you were in the prime of youth, an ocean of virtue, and still the evil-minded deva of death has taken you away. You were dearer to us than our very breath.” Such were the harsh words their grief spoke against Yama.

Yama’s compassion

Hearing the piteous cry of the couple, Yama’s heart was overwhelmed with compassion. He left his city, went to the Godāvarī, sat on its bank and meditated on Janārdana, Bhagavān Vishṇu. While he sat in tapas no creature died, and the Earth grew heavy with the old. Indra, fearing that Yama sought his place, came with the deva army, and Bhagavān Hari sent his cakra to guard Yama; the place where the cakra appeared is Cakratīrtha. The gaṇikā Kshamā, sent by Indra, turned Yama from his tapas, and Sūrya sent him back to his work.

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 18

Sources

• Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 18