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and immortality, all well-conducted and of excellent vows, wait upon Varuna, the wielder of the
noose (as his weapon). There wait upon him the four oceans, the rivers Bhagirathi, the Kalindi, the
Vidisa, the Venva, the rapid Narmada, the Chandrabhaga, the Sarasvati, the Iravati, the Sindhu, the
Godavari, the Krishna, the Kaveri, the great Sone, the Sarayu, the red Mahanadi, the Gomati, etc.,
all other rivers, sacred Tirthas, lakes, wells, springs, tanks, large and small, all in their personified
forms, the points of heavens, the earth, all the mountains, every species of aquatic animals, wait
upon the illustrious Varuna. The Gandharvas and Apsaras, experts in vocal and instrumental music,
wait upon Varuna, singing his eulogistic songs. All the charming mountains, that are rich in jewels,
are present there engaged in sweet conversation. Varuna s minister, named Sunava, surrounded by
his sons and grandsons, wait upon him along with the Pushkara Tirtha, called Go . All these in their
personified forms worship Varuna.
Kubera Loka
The greatly effulgent assembly-hall of Vaisravana (Kubera) is one hundred Yojanas in
length and seventy Yojanas in breadth. It was built by Kubera himself by his ascetic powers. It is
like the peak of Kailasa (mountain) and it outshines the brilliancy of the moon herself. Being
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LOKAS OR PLANES
supported by the Guhyakas, it looks as if it is attached to the firmament. Being adorned with
celestial-made large palaces of gold, it displays great beauty.
It is extremely delightful and rendered fragrant with celestial perfumes. It is ornamented
with many great jewels. Resembling the peaks of a mass of white clouds it seems to float in the sky.
It is painted with colours of celestial gold, and therefore it appears as if it is adorned with streaks of
lightning. Here sits on an excellent seat, which is as bright as the sun and which is covered with
celestial carpets and furnished with beautiful footstools, the handsome king Vaisravana attired in
excellent robes and adorned with costly ornaments and brilliant earrings, and surrounded by his one
thousand wives.
Salubrious and cool breeze blowing through the generous forests of Mandaras and carrying
the fragrance of the field of jasmine and also of the lotuses on the breast of the Alaka (the celestial
river) and of the gardens of Nandana (the celestial wood) wait upon Kubera.
There sing the celestials with the Gandharvas surrounded by various tribes of Apsaras in
notes of celestial sweetness. Misrakesi, Rambha, Urvasi, Lata, and a thousand other Apsaras and
Gandharvas, all great experts in music and dance wait upon the lord of wealth. That assembly-hall
filled with the notes of instrumental and vocal music and with the sounds of various Gandharvas
and Apsaras is extremely charming and magnificent.
The Gandharvas named Kinnaras and others, Hamsachura, Vrikshavaspa and many other
Yakshas by hundreds and thousands always wait upon Kubera. The illustrious Lakshmi and also
Nala Kubera always remain there (in that Sabha). Many others often go there. Many Brahmana
Rishis and celestial Rishis always go there; many Rakshasas and Gandharvas wait there. There wait
upon his friend, the lord of wealth, being ever cheerful and knowing no fatigue, the illustrious
(deity), the husband of Uma, the Lord of all creatures, the three-eyed God, accompanied by His
wife and surrounded by innumerable spirits, some of dwarfish stature, some of fearful face, some
with blood-red eyes some feeding upon fat and flesh, and all armed with various weapons and
possessed of the speed of wind.
With cheerful heart hundreds of Gandharva chiefs attired in their respective robes worship
Kubera. The chief of the Vidyadharas, Chakradhamana with his followers wait upon Kubera. Many
Kinnaras, innumerable kings with Bhagadatta at their head, and the chief of Kimpurushas, Druma,
the chief of the Rakshasas, Mahendra, all wait upon Kubera.
The virtuous Vivishana waits upon his elder brother Kubera. The mountains (Himalayas),
Paripatra, Vindhya, Kailasa, Sunava, and many others in their personified forms with Meru at their
head wait upon Kubera.
The illustrious Nandisvara Mahakala, many spirits with arrowy ears and sharp pointed
mouths and the deep-roaring white bull of Siva, many other Rakshasas and Pisachas wait upon
Kubera. The son of Kubera surrounded by his attendants, always with his permission, formerly
used to worship by bowing his head to Siva, the Creator of the three worlds. One day the
high-souled Bhava (Siva) made friendship with Kubera, and from that day He is always present in
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WHAT BECOMES OF THE SOUL AFTER DEATH
the assembly-hall of Kubera. Those princes of all wealth, Sankha and Padma (in their personified
forms) accompanied by gems, wait upon the lord of wealth.
The assembly-hall of Kubera is capable of moving in the firmament.
Goloka
Kine form the support of all creatures. Kine are the refuge of all creatures. Kine are the
embodiments of virtue. Kine are sacred and kine are purifiers of all. They have excellent forms and
qualities.
Kine form high and excellent energy. The gift of kine is highly spoken of. Those good men,
who, shorn of pride, make gift of kine, are considered as doers of righteous deeds and as givers of all
articles. Such men acquire the highly sacred region of kine.
The trees there yield sweet fruits. Indeed, those trees are always bedecked with excellent
flowers and fruits. Those flowers have celestial fragrance.
The entire soil of that region is formed of gems. The sands there are all gold. The climate
there possesses the excellences of every season. There is no mire, no dust. It is indeed highly sacred.
The rivers there shine resplendent with the red lotuses blossoming upon their bosoms, and
the jewels, gems and gold that are on their banks which display the effulgence of the morning Sun.
There are many lakes also on whose breasts are many lotuses, mixed here and there with
Nymphaeu stellata, and having their petals made of costly gems and their filaments gold-hued.
They are also bedecked with flowering forests of the Nerium odorum with thousands of
beautiful creepers twining around them, as also with forests of Santanakas bearing flowers.
There are rivers whose banks are variegated with many bright pearls and shining gems and
gold.
Parts of those regions are covered with excellent trees that are decked with jewels and gems
of every sort. Some of them are made of gold and some of them are effulgent like fire.
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