Somakānta

Somakānta was the king of Devapura. He is the main figure in the outermost frame of the Krīḍā Khaṇḍa of the Gaṇeśa Purāṇa. He had a severe leprosy, the result of pāpa (sin) from an earlier birth. He met the ṛshi Bhṛgu, who told him the Gaṇeśa Purāṇa for one full year. At the end of the year he was fully cured, and his body shone with divine light. A vimāna (a heavenly flying car) sent by Bhagavān Gaṇeśa came for him. Somakānta then shared the puṇya (merit) he had gained from hearing the Purāṇa with his whole city. All of Devapura rose together to the dhāma (divine abode) of Bhagavān Gaṇeśa. This included his son Hemakantha, his wife Sudharmā, his ministers and all the people. The last chapters of the Purāṇa are told in and around this ascent.

Affliction with leprosy

Somakānta was a righteous king. But he carried serious pūrvajanma-pāpa (sins of an earlier birth). The ṛshi Cyavana saw this burden through yogic insight and showed him a remedy. The pāpa showed itself on the outside as a severe galat-kushṭha, a leprosy in which the affected parts of the body slowly fall away. Somakānta’s body gave off a bad smell, and he was disfigured. His wife Sudharmā and his ministers went with him out of the city on a journey to find a cure.

The meeting with Bhṛgu

On the journey, Somakānta, Sudharmā and the ministers Subala and Jñānagamya grew tired and rested near a large lake. The ṛshi Bhṛgu came to the lake for water and met the king. Through the vision of his tapas (austerity) he knew Somakānta’s burden from a past life. Bhṛgu agreed to tell him the Gaṇeśa Purāṇa as the best remedy.

The rule was exact. Somakānta would hear the Gaṇeśa Purāṇa for one full year. Each day he would pour the puṇya of that day’s hearing into the ground at the foot of a dry mango tree near the āśrama (hermitage). When the tree came alive again, with new leaves, flowers and fruit, the pāpa-purusha (the sins in the form of a person) inside his body would be fully consumed, and the leprosy would be cured.

Bhṛgu first performed a preparatory rite. He bathed Somakānta with the ashṭottaraśata nāmas (the 108 names) of Gaṇeśa and drew the pāpa-purusha out of his body. It was a terrible figure, and it ate the dry mango tree. Over the year, the daily puṇya-arpaṇa (offering of puṇya) fed the pāpa-purusha with the ash of the tree, until it was satisfied.

The cure and the arrival of the vimāna

At the end of the year the mango tree was fully alive again, with new leaves, flowers and fruit, just as it had been before. At the same moment Somakānta’s body was fully healed. The leprosy was gone and his skin shone. His form was as bright as the sun and the moon, and a divine fragrance spread in all ten directions. People who saw him were amazed at the change brought about by Gaṇeśapurāṇa-śravaṇa (hearing the Gaṇeśa Purāṇa).

Then a bright divine vimāna appeared, blazing like koṭi sūryas (ten million suns). It was full of the gaṇas (attendants) of Gaṇeśa, and of kinnaras and their daughters who sang and danced. Divine music rang from it. The gaṇas said that Bhagavān Gaṇeśa Himself had remembered Somakānta and sent the vimāna for him.

The ascent of the whole city

Somakānta boarded the vimāna, and it rose and passed over his own city of Devapura. Sudharmā saw their son Hemakantha below and wept. Somakānta was torn. The gaṇas were moved by compassion and brought the vimāna down to the north of Devapura for a short reunion.

Hemakantha ran to the vimāna to hold his father and mother. The whole city followed: men, women, children and the old, all the citizens. They wept and begged not to be left behind. They said that they could not live without their king. Somakānta was torn between his dharma toward his son and the call of the vimāna.

At that moment Somakānta passed the puṇya of his full year of hearing the Gaṇeśa Purāṇa to the gathered people through water. He touched water filled with his puṇya to the hands of each person. All who received this water became nirāpa and puṇyadeha (sinless, with bodies of puṇya). The gaṇas were moved by this sudden grace shared with all, and they said that all of them were worthy to go up.

The entire city of Devapura boarded the vimāna together: every man, woman, child and old person. A few had refused the water or had run away. The gaṇas dragged them back and brought them in by force. Somakānta gained the rare fruit of bringing his whole city to the dhāma of Bhagavān Gaṇeśa.

The 56 Vināyakas of Kāśī

On the way to the dhāma of Bhagavān Gaṇeśa, Somakānta asked the gaṇas about the Gaṇeśas of Kāśī. These are the ones linked with Viśveśvara, whose darśana (sight) gives every siddhi (perfection). The gaṇas told him the full list of the 56 Vināyakas in the seven āvaraṇas (rings) around Viśveśvara. They also named four more Vināyakas of Kāśī: Bhagīratha, Hariścandra, Kapardī and Bindu. This telling is Chapter 154 of the Purāṇa.

Arrival at the dhāma of Gaṇeśa

All arrived safely at the eternal dhāma of Bhagavān Gaṇeśa, which is called Svānandabhuvana. The citizens gained sāmīpya (nearness to Gaṇeśa, living in His divine realm). Somakānta himself gained sāyujya (full union with Gaṇeśa). This was the fruit of his great piety and of giving his puṇya to his whole city. As they arrived, a shout was heard from the vimāna: “Jayatu Māyūreśa! Jayatu Māyūreśa!”

Family and companions

• Sudharmā was his devoted wife. She went with him through all his illness and journey, boarded the vimāna with him, and gained sāmīpya.
• Hemakantha was his son. He ruled Devapura well while his father was away for the year, and he too went up with the city.
• Subala and Jñānagamya were his two loyal ministers. They went with him to Bhṛgu and took part in the ascent.

Sources

• Gaṇeśa Purāṇa, Krīḍā Khaṇḍa, Chapters 149–155