1 From Bhãdarvã sud 1 to Bhãdarvã sud 11, Samvat 1863 [11 to 21 November 1806], Shreeji Mahãrãj sat under the harmo tree in Bhakti-Bãg, in Gadhadã, and dictated a letter to Shuk Muni addressed to His bhaktas. The letter included a description of pruthvi, the dvips and the khands; the time span of the yugs; and a narration of the various types of destruction in reference to the rarity of attaining a human birth in Bharat-Khand. It incorporated the message of being determined to attain kalyãn rather than engaging too deeply in worldly activities. A similar letter is also noted in the Shree Hari Leelãmrut.
2 “The Shreemad Bhãgvat and other sacred shãstras state that it is extremely rare to receive a human birth in Bharat-Khand, and that it can be equalled to receiving a chintãmani. In fact, even Indra and other devs long for a human birth. The vishays, the riches, and luxuries, as well as the lifespan of the devs greatly exceed that of humans, yet they have no means of attaining moksh in their own loks. Only after receiving a human birth in Bharat-Khand can a jeev attain moksh. In no other place and with no other body is kalyãn possible. For this reason, attaining a human birth in Bharat-Khand is better than being born in any of the other region of Mrutyu-Lok. Therefore, there is no place in the fourteen loks that can compare with Bharat-Khand.
3 “Here are the names of those fourteen loks, of which six are above Mrutyu-Lok: Firstly, there is Bhuvar-Lok, where impure devs reside. Second is Svarg-Lok, where Indra and other devs reside. Third is Mahar-Lok, where Aryam and other ancestral devs reside. Fourth is Jan-Lok and, fifth is Tap-Lok. Bhrugu and other rushis stay in these two loks. Finally, the sixth and highest lok is Satya-Lok, where Brahmã resides. These are the seven loks including Mrutyu-Lok.
4 “Below Mrutyulok there are a further seven loks. In Atal, Vital, and Sutal, the demons reside. Below them are Talãtal, Mahãtal, and Rasãtal, in which nocturnal beings reside. Finally, Pãtãl is the seventh lok, where serpents reside. These seven loks are below Mrutyu-Lok. This makes fourteen loks in total, of which Mrutyu-Lok is the best.
5 “Mrutyu-Lok comprises of seven spherical dvips:
“In the centre is Jambu-Dvip, which is 100,000 yojans in size. It is surrounded by an ocean of salt-water that is also 100,000 yojans in size.
“The second dvip is Plaksh-Dvip, which is 200,000 yojans in size. It is surrounded by an ocean of ikshu (sugarcane juice), which is also 200,000 yojans in size.
“The third dvip is Shãlmali-Dvip, which is circular, and is 400,000 yojans in size. It is surrounded by an ocean of surã (alcohol), which is also 400,000 yojans in size.
“The fourth dvip is Kush-Dvip, which is also circular, and is 800,000 yojans wide. It is surrounded by an ocean of ghrut (ghee), which is also 800,000 yojans in size.
“The fifth dvip is Kraunch-Dvip, which is 1,600,000 yojans in size. It is surrounded by an ocean of kshir (milk), which is also 1,600,000 yojans in size.
“The sixth dvip is Shãk-Dvip, which is 3,200,000 yojans wide. It is surrounded by an ocean of dadhi-mandod (yoghurt), which is also 3,200,000 yojans in size.
“Finally, the seventh dvip is called Pushkar-Dvip, which is 6,400,000 yojans in size. It is surrounded by an ocean of sweet sudhã (amrut), which is also 6,400,000 yojans in size.
“These are the seven dvips that make up Mrutyu-Lok, of which Jambu-Dvip is the best.
6 “Jambu-Dvip itself comprises of nine khands. At the centre is the golden Mount Meru. Surrounding its base on all four sides is the landmass called Ilãvart-Khand, where Sankarshan is worshipped, and Shivji is the main bhakta. To the west of Meru is Ketumãl-Khand, which is also called Subhag. There, Pradyumna is worshipped, and Lakshmiji is the main bhakta.
“To the north of Meru, there are three khands: Ramyak-Khand – where Matsya is worshipped, and Sãvarni Manu is the main bhakta; north of that is Hiranyamay-Khand – where Kurma is worshipped, and Aryamã is the main bhakta; and north of that still is Kuru-Khand- where Varãh is worshipped, and Pruthvi is the main bhakta. This makes five khands.
“To the east of Meru there is the khand called Bhadrãshva-Khand – where Hayagriv is worshipped, and Bhadrashravã is the main bhakta. South of Meru, there are a further three khands: Harivarsh-Khand – where Nrusinh is worshipped, and Prahlãd is the main bhakta; south of that is Kimpurush-Khand – where Rãm is worshipped, and Hanumãn is the main bhakta; and further south of that is Bharat-Khand – where Nar-Nãrãyan is worshipped, and Nãradji is the main bhakta. These are the nine khands of Jambu-Dvip. Of these, Bharat-Khand is the best because although the other eight have a greater extent of worldly pleasures to indulge in, a person cannot attain kalyãn there – activities for kalyãn are only possible in Bharat-Khand. For this reason, there is no place in the fourteen loks equal to Bharat-Khand.
7 “Within Bharat-Khand, there are thirteen regions which are anãrya (immoral). They are: [1] Bangãl, [2] Nepãl, [3] Bhut, [4] Kãmãkshi, [5] Sindh, [6] Kãbul, [7] Lãhor, [8] Multãn, [9] Irãn, [10] Astambol, [11] Arbastãn, [12] Svãl, and [13] Pilpilãm. These thirteen are impure. It is very difficult for someone who has taken birth there to attain the association of a sadguru (the granter of moksh) and to understand the nature of moksh.
8 “Twelve-and-a-half regions in Bharat-Khand are said to be ãrya (sacred). These are: [1] Purva, [2] Vraj, [3] Mãlav, [4] Mãru, [5] Panjãb, [6] Gujarãt, [7] Dakshin, [8] Malbãr, [9] Tilang, [10] Drãvid, [11] Bãrmalãr, [12] Sorath, and half of Kutch. These twelve-and-a-half regions are superior. There, the sadguru –who is a knower of brahm – is always present. Whoever receives a human birth in these regions is able to understand dharma, gnãn, vairãgya, and bhakti, and is able to realise the path to kalyãn. How does he come to realise this? Well, these regions are called the best because of the many avatãrs of Bhagvãn that take birth there. Therefore, all humans of Bharat-Khand can attain kalyãn if they make an effort; if they do not make an effort, they will not attain kalyãn. Therefore, a person who is wise should abandon violence and other such vicious natures, abandon evil influences, and seek the refuge of the sadguru, who is a knower of brahm, and perform his sevã.
9 “The sadguru, whose characteristics are noted in the sacred shãstras, is someone who is gifted with the noble gun of dharma, gnãn, vairãgya, and bhakti. After recognising that sadguru, a person should seek his refuge, keep his body, indriyas, and antah-karans in accordance with his ãgnã, and engage in the worship of Bhagvãn. This is the only means for attaining kalyãn. Whoever has done this in the past, is presently doing so, or will do so in the future, should be regarded as a person who has best made use of his durlabh human body, as a person who has true understanding, and as a person who is renowned. Conversely, a person who does not understand this, wastes such a durlabh human birth by craving the insignificant pleasures of the world, and by having faith in the words of a hypocritical, misleading guru – who himself is prey to death. Even though this person may be called understanding, renowned, wise among the bhaktas, and highly respected, his respect and fame are merely like a dream. Those who assume such fame and respect to be true and are obsessed by them, but do not understand the path to kalyãn, are called fools and self-destroyers by a sant and by the sacred shãstras. They would then have to wait a great deal of time before receiving another human birth in such a place where kalyãn can be attained.
10 “The duration of this time is stated in the shãstras. One lav of Brahmã is equal to 666 human years and eight months. Sixty lav equal one nimish, which is equivalent to 40,000 human years. Sixty nimish equals one pal, which is the equivalent of 2,400,000 human years. Sixty pal equal one ghadi, which is 144,000,000 human years. Thirty ghadi make a day of Brahmã, which is the equivalent of 4,320,000,000 human years.
11 “The passing of four yugs is called a chokadi. Satya-Yug lasts for 1,728,000 human years; Tretã-Yug lasts for 1,296,000 human years; Dvãpar-Yug lasts for 864,000 human years; and Kali-Yug lasts for 432,000 human years. This means one chokadi is completed in 4,320,000 years; and the one thousand chokadi pass in one day of Brahmã. In one day of Brahmã, fourteen Manus and fourteen Indras reign and die. Each Manu and Indra reign for 308,571,428 years, six months, twenty-five days, forty two ghadi, fifty one pal, twenty-five nimish, and forty two and 12/14 lav. Fourteen such Manus and Indras are created and destroyed during one day of Brahmã. Countless creatures die throughout the day of Brahmã. This is called nitya-pralay.
12 “When one night of Brahmã passes and he retires to sleep, the ten loks between Svarg-Lok, Mrutyu-Lok, and Pãtãl are destroyed. Brahmã’s night is as long as his day. Therefore, one of Brahmã’s night and day together lasts for 8,640,000,000 human years. The lower ten loks of the brahmãnd are therefore destroyed daily. At the end of the day, a new set of loks are created, which in turn will be destroyed as well. This is called nimit-pralay, which is the duration of Brahmã’s whole day.
13 “Thirty days of Brahmã make one month; twelve months make one year; and a hundred years is the lifespan of Brahmã. When Brahmã dies, the brahmãnd, which consist of the fourteen loks, is destroyed. Then, all the entities that have evolved out of Prakruti are absorbed back into Prakruti. This is called prãkrut-pralay.
14 “The fourth type of destruction is ãtyantik-pralay. This is when countless millions of brahmãnds are destroyed. At that time, even Prakruti-Purush draws countless brahmãnds within itself, and is then eclipsed by the light of Akshar. This is called ãtyantik-pralay.
15 “At the time of creation, everything evolves from Prakruti-Purush in the exact reverse order from which it was absorbed during the time of destruction. I have therefore described the four types of destruction.
16 “The third type of destruction, prãkrut-pralay, is the end of the lifespan of Brahmã. A jeev misuses its human body, which it receives after 350,000,000 prãkrut-pralays, for the sake of worthless worldly pleasures and by the refuge of a false guru. As a result, it has to suffer the torments of Yam-Rãj and the agonies of the pits of Narak. Moreover, it receives another human birth in a place where kalyãn is attainable only after passing through the sufferings of the cycle of 8.4 million life forms (after another 350,000,000 prãkrut-pralays). This is the interval before a jeev receives a human birth again.
17 “Therefore, having understood this today, and having sought the refuge of a sadguru, who is the granter of kalyãn, and having kept your body, indriyas, and antah-karans in accordance with his wish, make every effort for the benefit of your ãtmã and reach the dhãm of Bhagvãn. If you do not realise this fact today and waste this human body, which is instrumental in attaining moksh, you will have to wait for the aforementioned time before you receive another chance like this. Only after such suffering and only at the end of that interval will you receive another opportunity to attain moksh, and that too if you make every effort for it. If you do not, you will not attain moksh. This is a fundamental principle. The wise should think about this. On the other hand, fools will never understand this since they have no respect for the Shrutis or Smrutis.”
Bhugol Khagol ||