Prayers to the Four Vishkambha Mountains
Vishkambha Parvata Prārthanā · vishkambha-parvata prārthanā, “the prayers to the four supporting mountains”
The prayers to the four Vishkambha mountains are the four prayers with which the yajamāna honours the four mountains set around the central Meru in the gift of the Dhānyaśaila, the mountain of grain. Śrī Kṛshṇa gives them to Yudhishṭhira in the Uttara Parva of the Bhavishya Purāṇa.
The setting
The four Vishkambha mountains are set in the four directions, each from a fourth part of the Meru. Mandarācala in the east bears a golden image of Kāmadeva, a silver forest and the lake Aruṇoda of milk; Gandhamādana in the south, built of wheat, bears a golden Yajñapati and a lake of ghee; Vipula in the west, of sesame, bears a golden pippala, a golden haṃsa and the lake Sitoda of curd; Supārśva in the north, of urad, bears a golden vaṭa, a golden cow and the lake Bhadrasara of honey. After the Meru has been invoked and worshipped, the four are worshipped and prayed to in turn.
The four prayers
- “Mandarācala, since you are graced by the Caitraratha forest and the Bhadrāśva varsha, quickly become the giver of contentment to me.”
- “Gandhamādana, since you are the crest-jewel of Jambūdvīpa, may my fame be sung by the gandharvas and apsarās.”
- “Vipula, since you are graced by the Ketumāla varsha and the Vaibhrāja forest, and your stone is golden, give me strength.”
- “Supārśva, since you are ever graced by the Uttara Kuru varsha and the Sāvitra forest, give me undecaying Lakshmī.”
At dawn the central mountain is given to the guru and the four Vishkambha mountains to the four ṛtvijas, with a gift of cows.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 195
Sources
- Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 195