Mudgala in Yamaloka
Mudgala in Yamaloka · mudgala, yama-loka, “Mudgala in the loka of Yama”
Mudgala has other meanings too: see all meanings of Mudgala.
The Mudgala Ākhyāna is the account of the mahātmā Mudgala Ṛshi, who remembered his past births, and his visit to Yamaloka. Bhagavān Śrī Kṛshṇa tells it to Mahārāja Yudhishṭhira in the Uttara Parva of the Bhavishya Purāṇa, on the glory of the jala-dhenu dāna, the gift of a dhenu established in a kalaśa of water. Wandering about, Mudgala comes to Yamaloka, and at the sight of him the pain of the jīvas in naraka ceases. Yama tells him that this is the power of the jala-dhenu he gave in three births, and declares that he himself is restrained by Śrī Kṛshṇa. Hearing this, the jīvas remember Bhagavān Vishṇu. The fire of naraka turns cool, the Gaṅgā flows in the rivers of pus and blood, and all the jīvas go to svarga in divine vimānas. Mudgala returns, reflects on the māyā of Bhagavān Vishṇu, and with raised arms calls on all people to worship Śrī Vishṇu and give the jala-dhenu.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 153
The jala-dhenu dāna
Śrī Kṛshṇa first tells the rite by which Bhagavān Vishṇu, the Devādhideva, is pleased. A kalaśa of good water is set up with pañcaratna, grain, dūrvā, herbs and other materials, adorned with white cloths, a yajñopavīta and garlands, and set on a seat of kuśa. Silver vessels of tila, curds, ghee and honey are placed in the four directions. A dhenu with her calf is imagined in the kalaśa and established by a mantra, Bhagavān Vishṇu is worshipped with all upacāras, and the jala-dhenu is given to a brāhmaṇa for the pleasure of Bhagavān Keśava, with a calm mind and free of attachment. After the dāna one keeps go-vrata that day.
The giver obtains every joy and lasting, incomparable peace, and all his wishes are fulfilled. “There is no doubt in this,” says Śrī Kṛshṇa. Then he says that an ākhyāna is heard on this matter.
Mudgala sees naraka
Once the mahātmā Mudgala Ṛshi, who remembered his past births, went wandering to Yamaloka. There he saw jīvas burdened with pāpa suffering in Kumbhīpāka and other dreadful narakas, and the terrible dūtas of Yamarāja giving them many kinds of pain.
On seeing Mudgala Muni, the pain of the jīvas in naraka ceased. They were greatly glad and began to feel happiness. Seeing the jīvas happy, the muni was astonished, and he asked Yamarāja the reason.
Yama’s answer
Yamarāja told him that the gladness of the jīvas had this cause: in three births Mudgala had given the jala-dhenu by the rite, and by its power his darśana gladdens all. Those who have his darśana, meditate on him or hear talk of him, and those whom he sees or remembers, will also have happiness, peace and joy. One who gives the jala-dhenu has no affliction for thousands of births, and no other deed gives more joy than this.
Yama asked him to accept arghya, pādya and the rest and to go to his own abode. Then he spoke of Śrī Kṛshṇa:
- Those who have taken refuge in Bhagavān Śrī Kṛshṇa are not for Yama to restrain.
- One who performs pūjā and vrata of Śrī Kṛshṇa, meditates on him daily, and constantly utters his names Kṛshṇa, Acyuta, Ananta, Vāsudeva and the rest does not come to this loka.
- One who gives dāna saying acyutaḥ prīyatām (may Acyuta be pleased) does not come to Yama’s loka.
- “That Bhagavān Śrī Kṛshṇa is the master of the whole world, and we are all under his command. I restrain the worlds, and Bhagavān Śrī Kṛshṇa restrains me.”
Naraka is changed
Hearing Yamarāja’s words, all the jīvas in naraka, tormented by fire, weapons and the rest, began to praise Bhagavān Vishṇu and remember his holy names. As soon as Bhagavān Vishṇu was remembered, by the power of that puṇya deed:
- the fire of naraka became cool;
- all the weapons of Yamarāja lost their power;
- the darkness went away and light spread everywhere;
- the Yamadūtas fell unconscious;
- a cool, gentle, fragrant breeze blew, and sweet sounds arose;
- in the rivers of pus and blood the excellent water of the Gaṅgā flowed;
- all the jīvas, released from suffering, were adorned with fine clothes, ornaments and garlands, and were freed from the three pāpas.
Seeing this wonder, Dharmarāja began to honour those jīvas with pādya and the rest. Understanding this to be the glory of Bhagavān Vishṇu, he bowed to him again and again. While Yamarāja was thus offering stuti, before his eyes all the jīvas of naraka sat in divine vimānas and went to svarga.
Mudgala’s teaching on māyā
Mudgala Ṛshi, having seen all this, returned to his own place, recalling again and again the power of Bhagavān Vishṇu and the māhātmya of the jala-dhenu dāna. He said:
- How wonderful and hard is the māyā of Bhagavān Vishṇu, deluded by which a being does not recognise Parameśvara.
- For this reason jīvas wander through births as worm, louse, moth, tree, creeper, beast, bird and so on, and make no effort for their own mukti.
- It is a wonder that one deluded by māyā does not recognise his own good.
- Though the māyā of Bhagavān Vishṇu is most wonderful, one who takes refuge in him removes that māyā.
- One who, even having obtained a human birth, does not worship Bhagavān Vishṇu is born as a man in vain.
- Who is so unfortunate as not to worship him, when even a little pūjā done with bhakti makes Bhagavān Vishṇu do him good in this world and the next?
- Bhagavān Vishṇu needs no wealth, cloth or ornaments. He wants only the bhakti of the heart and pure love. “So, jīva, why do you stay far from him?”
- After thousands of births, whoever is born in this karmabhūmi in the rare human form and does not worship Śrī Vishṇu and give the jala-dhenu, his birth is in vain, and he remains in the net of māyā.
Mudgala’s cry to all people
Mudgala Ṛshi raised both arms and said: “People! I cry aloud to you: for good in both worlds, you should worship Śrī Vishṇu and give the jala-dhenu. The torment of naraka is most painful; I have seen it with my own eyes. On reflection it is plainly true that to escape that suffering one should set one’s mind on Bhagavān Vishṇu. This is the best way.”
The phalaśruti
One who gives the jala-dhenu has no affliction for thousands of births. Those who have the darśana of Mudgala, meditate on him or hear talk of him will have happiness, peace and joy.
Sources
- Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 153