Skip to main content

Puruṣottama-kṣetra-māhātmya · Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Unit 62 of 221Puruṣottama-kṣetra-māhātmya · Chapter 22Puruṣottama-kṣetra-māhātmya · Chapter 221 source entries

Puruṣottama-kṣetra-māhātmya · Chapter 22

Source

।। ।। जैमिनिरुवाच ।। ।। राजाथ तमुवाचेदं निर्लक्ष्य गमनं कथम् ।। अयं पुष्परथोऽस्त्येव मनसो वेगवान्मुने ।। १ ।। एनमारुह्य यास्यावः क्षणं तावत्प्रतीक्ष्यताम् ।। यावदेताननुज्ञाप्य प्रासादे ह्यधिकारिणः ।। २ ।। प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य विभुमायामि मुनिसत्तम ।। नारदोऽपि वचः श्रुत्वा श्रद्दधानो नृपोक्तिषु ।। ३ ।। करेण धृत्वा राजानं महावेदीं प्रविश्य च ।। सहितं रामभद्राभ्यां नत्वा कृष्णं मुहुर्मुहुः ।। अनुज्ञां प्रार्थयामास ब्रह्मलोकगतिं प्रति ।। ४ ।। इन्द्रद्युम्नोऽपि वचसा मनसा वपुषा हरिम् ।। प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य पुनर्नत्वा साष्टांगमुन्मनाः ।। ब्रह्मलोकगतिं विप्रा याचते स्म कृतांजलिः ।। ५ ।। उभौ तौ दिव्ययानेन जग्मतुर्मुनिभूभृतौ ।। प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य रविं व्योममण्डलमध्यगम् ।। उपर्युपरि जग्माते व्यतीत्य ध्रुवमंडलम् ।। ६ ।। जनलोकगतैः सिद्धैः सत्वरावनतोन्मुखैः ।। वीक्ष्यमाणौ मुदा युक्तौ संलपंतौ परस्परम् ।। ७ ।। भगवच्चरितं विप्रा मनोमलविशोधनम् ।। जीवन्मुक्तो मुनिश्रेष्ठः सर्वलोकान्भ्रमन्नयम् ।। यथानुपहतव्रज्यस्तथायं मर्त्यवास्यपि ।। ८ ।। भूपतिः प्रययौ शीघ्रं विष्णुभक्तिप्रसादतः ।। ब्रह्मांडविषये नैतद्दुष्प्राप्यं वस्तु विद्यते ।। ९ ।। विष्णुभक्तेन यल्लभ्यमथवा मुक्तिमेति सः ।। महर्लोकगतैः सिद्धैः सादराभ्यर्चितौ च तौ ।। 2.2.22.१० ।। इन्द्रद्युम्नो न सस्मार पार्थिवं वासमात्मनः ।। क्रमादूर्ध्वगतिर्गच्छन्पश्यन्सौख्यैकभाजनान् ।। ११ ।। निर्द्वंद्वानभिलाषोत्थ तत्क्षणानेकपौरुषान् ।। केवलं भगवत्प्रीत्यै कर्मभूमौ चकार यत् ।। १२ ।। प्रासादं चिंतयामास संपूर्णो वा न वा भवेत् ।। मय्यागते ब्रह्मलोकं शत्रुभिर्वाभिभूयते ।। १३ ।। श्लथादरा वा भूयासुः सेवका द्रव्यलोभतः ।। गृहीतवेतनाः शिल्पिवृंदा मंदक्रियास्तथा ।। न शीघ्रं घटयिष्यंति मयि ब्रह्मक्षयागते ।। १४ ।। यावद्गमिष्ये धातारं गृहीत्वाहं चतुर्मुखम् ।। तावन्न पुनरेव स्यात्प्रासादो मयि दूरगे ।। १५ ।। इहायातास्तु ये पूर्वे न पुनस्ते क्षितिं गताः ।। मन्वाना मम सामंता इत्थं वा दुष्टमानसाः ।। राज्यं ममाहरिष्यंति द्विषतः किमु सांप्रतम् ।। १६ ।। इत्थं सुविग्नमनसा चिंतयानं महीपतिम् ।। अतीतानागतज्ञाननिधिर्मुनिरुवाच तम् ।। १७ ।। किं चिंतयसि राजेंद्र त्वमेवं दीनमानसः ।। यत्र चाभ्यागतावावां न चिंताविषयो ह्ययम् ।।१८।। नाधयो व्याधयश्चात्र प्रभवंति कदाचन ।। न जरा न च वा मृत्युः किमन्यदुःखहेतुकम् ।। १९ ।। कृतार्थोऽसि महाभाग यन्मानुषवपुः स्वयम् ।। ब्रह्मलोकमिहायातः प्रत्यक्षं दृष्टवान्हरिम् ।। 2.2.22.२० ।। इहायाता न शोचंति हेये संसारकल्पके ।। ब्रुवाणमित्थं भूपालस्तमुवाच मुनीश्वरम् ।। २१ ।। शोचामि भगवन्राज्ञः स्वजनबन्धुषु।। समारब्धो भगवतः प्रासादो यो मयाधुना।। २२।। अत्रागतं मां ते ज्ञात्वा नानुतिष्ठंति सेवकाः।। आरब्धस्य प्रतिष्ठा हि कर्तव्या निश्चिता मुने।। २३।। तस्यांतरायं संभाव्य दुःखितं मे मनः प्रभो।। तस्य तद्वचं श्रुत्वा प्रहस्य मुनिरब्रवीत्।। २४।। प्रजापतिसमत्वं हि न तु सामान्यभूपतिः।। केनाप्यपकृतं नैव भूमौ पूर्वैरनुष्ठितम्।। २५।। किं पुनस्तव कृत्यं तु यः सृष्टिस्थितिहानिकृत् ।। ब्रह्मलोकं गतस्याद्य प्रतापयशसा तव ।। २६ ।। त्रैलोक्ये भ्रमतो नित्यं यथा सूर्यनिशाकरौ ।। यस्य कार्येषु भगवान्सहायोऽसौ चतुर्मुखः ।। २७ ।। तेषु किं राजशार्दूल विघ्नशंकापि जायते ।। एष दूरेऽस्ति राजेंद्र प्रत्यक्षं यस्तव द्विषाम् ।। २८ ।। सदोमध्य गतः शक्रः साक्षात्त्रिजगतीपतिः ।। विशेषतो जगन्नाथप्रासादे कः पुमान्नृप ।। २९ ।। निहंतुं मनसापीच्छेत्तत्र शंकास्तु मा तव ।। तदग्रतः पश्य भूप चंद्रकोटिसमत्विषा ।। 2.2.22.३० ।। परितो ह्लादजनकः सुधासागरकोटिवत् ।। यश्चायं तेजसां राशिर्जानीहि ब्रह्मसद्मनः ।। ३१ ।। इत्थमालपतस्तौ तु ब्रह्मलोकांतिकं गतौ ।। शुश्रुवाते सुदूरात्तौ ब्रह्मर्षीणां मुखोद्गतम् ।। ३२ ।। स्वाध्यायशब्दं सुपदं स्पष्टवर्णक्रमस्वरम् ।। इतिहासपुराणानि च्छंदः कल्पानि गाथिकाः ।। ३३ ।। असंकीर्णोज्ज्वलपदं श्रूयते प्रविभागशः ।। अत्रैतद्राजशार्दूल जानीहि ब्रह्मणः पुरम् ।। ३४ ।। सभा हि दृश्यते चैषा यत्र लोकपितामहः ।। सार्द्धं ब्रह्मर्षिमुख्यैश्च सुखासीनश्चतुर्मुखः ।। ३५ ।। नाना चैतन्यशबलैर्जीवन्मुक्तैरुपासितः ।। यत्रागतानि वर्त्तंते न संसाराब्धिसंकटे ।। ३६ ।। सदिति ब्रह्मणो नाम तस्यायं भुवनोत्तमः ।। सत्यलोक इति ख्यातस्तदूर्ध्वं नास्ति किंचन ।। ३८ ।। अस्यैव किंचिदुपरि अधश्चांडकपालतः ।। वैकुण्ठभुवनं राजन्मुक्ता यत्र वसंति वै ।। ३८ ।। यत्र योगीश्वरः साक्षाद्योगिचिंत्यो जनार्दनः ।। चैतन्यवपुरास्ते वै सांद्रानंदात्मकः प्रभुः ।। ३९ ।। यं प्राप्य न निवर्त्तंते मृत्युसंसारवर्त्मनि ।। यमुपास्ते सदा ब्रह्मा जीवन्मुक्तैः स्वमुक्तये ।। 2.2.22.४० ।। कल्पितस्यायुषोन्तेऽसावेभिः सार्द्धं प्रपद्यते ।। स एष स्रष्टा लोकानां मत्स्यकूर्मादिरूपधृक् ।। ४१ ।। रक्षिता रौद्ररूपेण संहर्त्ता लोकभावनः ।। इन्द्रद्युम्नं वदन्नित्थं प्राप ब्रह्मनिकेतनम् ।। ४२ ।। क्षणेन च सभाद्वारि प्रकोष्ठे स न्यवर्तत ।। यत्र तिष्ठन्ति दिक्पालाः शक्राद्याः परितस्तथा ।। ४३ ।। चिरकालं ध्यानपरास्तथा मन्वंतराधिपाः ।। पृथग्जननिभा द्वाःस्थनिषिद्धांतः प्रवेशनाः ।।४४ ।। इन्द्रद्युम्नेन सहितं नारदं प्रविलोक्य सः ।। द्वारपालः सविनयं ननामानतकन्धरः ।। ४५ ।। चतुर्दशानां लोकानां भ्रमणे रसिक प्रभो ।। त्वया विना शोभते नो स्वामिंस्तव पितुः सभा ।। ४६ ।। संत्येव मुनयः श्रेष्ठा ब्राह्मणा ब्रह्मविद्वराः ।। गौतमाद्यास्तथाप्येषा न रम्या ब्रह्मणः सभा ।। ४७ ।। बहुतारा सुरजनी चंद्रेणेव प्रकाशते ।। इति स्तुवन्ददौ तस्य प्रवेशं विनयान्वितः ।। ४८ ।। इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां द्वितीये वैष्णवखण्डे पुरुषोत्तमक्षेत्रमाहात्म्ये जैमिनिऋषिसंवादे द्वाविंशोऽध्यायः ।। २२ ।।

|| || jaiminiruvāca || || rājātha tamuvācedaṃ nirlakṣya gamanaṃ katham || ayaṃ puṣparatho'styeva manaso vegavānmune || 1 || enamāruhya yāsyāvaḥ kṣaṇaṃ tāvatpratīkṣyatām || yāvadetānanujñāpya prāsāde hyadhikāriṇaḥ || 2 || pradakṣiṇīkṛtya vibhumāyāmi munisattama || nārado'pi vacaḥ śrutvā śraddadhāno nṛpoktiṣu || 3 || kareṇa dhṛtvā rājānaṃ mahāvedīṃ praviśya ca || sahitaṃ rāmabhadrābhyāṃ natvā kṛṣṇaṃ muhurmuhuḥ || anujñāṃ prārthayāmāsa brahmalokagatiṃ prati || 4 || indradyumno'pi vacasā manasā vapuṣā harim || pradakṣiṇīkṛtya punarnatvā sāṣṭāṃgamunmanāḥ || brahmalokagatiṃ viprā yācate sma kṛtāṃjaliḥ || 5 || ubhau tau divyayānena jagmaturmunibhūbhṛtau || pradakṣiṇīkṛtya raviṃ vyomamaṇḍalamadhyagam || uparyupari jagmāte vyatītya dhruvamaṃḍalam || 6 || janalokagataiḥ siddhaiḥ satvarāvanatonmukhaiḥ || vīkṣyamāṇau mudā yuktau saṃlapaṃtau parasparam || 7 || bhagavaccaritaṃ viprā manomalaviśodhanam || jīvanmukto muniśreṣṭhaḥ sarvalokānbhramannayam || yathānupahatavrajyastathāyaṃ martyavāsyapi || 8 || bhūpatiḥ prayayau śīghraṃ viṣṇubhaktiprasādataḥ || brahmāṃḍaviṣaye naitadduṣprāpyaṃ vastu vidyate || 9 || viṣṇubhaktena yallabhyamathavā muktimeti saḥ || maharlokagataiḥ siddhaiḥ sādarābhyarcitau ca tau || 2.2.22.10 || indradyumno na sasmāra pārthivaṃ vāsamātmanaḥ || kramādūrdhvagatirgacchanpaśyansaukhyaikabhājanān || 11 || nirdvaṃdvānabhilāṣottha tatkṣaṇānekapauruṣān || kevalaṃ bhagavatprītyai karmabhūmau cakāra yat || 12 || prāsādaṃ ciṃtayāmāsa saṃpūrṇo vā na vā bhavet || mayyāgate brahmalokaṃ śatrubhirvābhibhūyate || 13 || ślathādarā vā bhūyāsuḥ sevakā dravyalobhataḥ || gṛhītavetanāḥ śilpivṛṃdā maṃdakriyāstathā || na śīghraṃ ghaṭayiṣyaṃti mayi brahmakṣayāgate || 14 || yāvadgamiṣye dhātāraṃ gṛhītvāhaṃ caturmukham || tāvanna punareva syātprāsādo mayi dūrage || 15 || ihāyātāstu ye pūrve na punaste kṣitiṃ gatāḥ || manvānā mama sāmaṃtā itthaṃ vā duṣṭamānasāḥ || rājyaṃ mamāhariṣyaṃti dviṣataḥ kimu sāṃpratam || 16 || itthaṃ suvignamanasā ciṃtayānaṃ mahīpatim || atītānāgatajñānanidhirmuniruvāca tam || 17 || kiṃ ciṃtayasi rājeṃdra tvamevaṃ dīnamānasaḥ || yatra cābhyāgatāvāvāṃ na ciṃtāviṣayo hyayam ||18|| nādhayo vyādhayaścātra prabhavaṃti kadācana || na jarā na ca vā mṛtyuḥ kimanyaduḥkhahetukam || 19 || kṛtārtho'si mahābhāga yanmānuṣavapuḥ svayam || brahmalokamihāyātaḥ pratyakṣaṃ dṛṣṭavānharim || 2.2.22.20 || ihāyātā na śocaṃti heye saṃsārakalpake || bruvāṇamitthaṃ bhūpālastamuvāca munīśvaram || 21 || śocāmi bhagavanrājñaḥ svajanabandhuṣu|| samārabdho bhagavataḥ prāsādo yo mayādhunā|| 22|| atrāgataṃ māṃ te jñātvā nānutiṣṭhaṃti sevakāḥ|| ārabdhasya pratiṣṭhā hi kartavyā niścitā mune|| 23|| tasyāṃtarāyaṃ saṃbhāvya duḥkhitaṃ me manaḥ prabho|| tasya tadvacaṃ śrutvā prahasya munirabravīt|| 24|| prajāpatisamatvaṃ hi na tu sāmānyabhūpatiḥ|| kenāpyapakṛtaṃ naiva bhūmau pūrvairanuṣṭhitam|| 25|| kiṃ punastava kṛtyaṃ tu yaḥ sṛṣṭisthitihānikṛt || brahmalokaṃ gatasyādya pratāpayaśasā tava || 26 || trailokye bhramato nityaṃ yathā sūryaniśākarau || yasya kāryeṣu bhagavānsahāyo'sau caturmukhaḥ || 27 || teṣu kiṃ rājaśārdūla vighnaśaṃkāpi jāyate || eṣa dūre'sti rājeṃdra pratyakṣaṃ yastava dviṣām || 28 || sadomadhya gataḥ śakraḥ sākṣāttrijagatīpatiḥ || viśeṣato jagannāthaprāsāde kaḥ pumānnṛpa || 29 || nihaṃtuṃ manasāpīcchettatra śaṃkāstu mā tava || tadagrataḥ paśya bhūpa caṃdrakoṭisamatviṣā || 2.2.22.30 || parito hlādajanakaḥ sudhāsāgarakoṭivat || yaścāyaṃ tejasāṃ rāśirjānīhi brahmasadmanaḥ || 31 || itthamālapatastau tu brahmalokāṃtikaṃ gatau || śuśruvāte sudūrāttau brahmarṣīṇāṃ mukhodgatam || 32 || svādhyāyaśabdaṃ supadaṃ spaṣṭavarṇakramasvaram || itihāsapurāṇāni cchaṃdaḥ kalpāni gāthikāḥ || 33 || asaṃkīrṇojjvalapadaṃ śrūyate pravibhāgaśaḥ || atraitadrājaśārdūla jānīhi brahmaṇaḥ puram || 34 || sabhā hi dṛśyate caiṣā yatra lokapitāmahaḥ || sārddhaṃ brahmarṣimukhyaiśca sukhāsīnaścaturmukhaḥ || 35 || nānā caitanyaśabalairjīvanmuktairupāsitaḥ || yatrāgatāni varttaṃte na saṃsārābdhisaṃkaṭe || 36 || saditi brahmaṇo nāma tasyāyaṃ bhuvanottamaḥ || satyaloka iti khyātastadūrdhvaṃ nāsti kiṃcana || 38 || asyaiva kiṃcidupari adhaścāṃḍakapālataḥ || vaikuṇṭhabhuvanaṃ rājanmuktā yatra vasaṃti vai || 38 || yatra yogīśvaraḥ sākṣādyogiciṃtyo janārdanaḥ || caitanyavapurāste vai sāṃdrānaṃdātmakaḥ prabhuḥ || 39 || yaṃ prāpya na nivarttaṃte mṛtyusaṃsāravartmani || yamupāste sadā brahmā jīvanmuktaiḥ svamuktaye || 2.2.22.40 || kalpitasyāyuṣonte'sāvebhiḥ sārddhaṃ prapadyate || sa eṣa sraṣṭā lokānāṃ matsyakūrmādirūpadhṛk || 41 || rakṣitā raudrarūpeṇa saṃharttā lokabhāvanaḥ || indradyumnaṃ vadannitthaṃ prāpa brahmaniketanam || 42 || kṣaṇena ca sabhādvāri prakoṣṭhe sa nyavartata || yatra tiṣṭhanti dikpālāḥ śakrādyāḥ paritastathā || 43 || cirakālaṃ dhyānaparāstathā manvaṃtarādhipāḥ || pṛthagjananibhā dvāḥsthaniṣiddhāṃtaḥ praveśanāḥ ||44 || indradyumnena sahitaṃ nāradaṃ pravilokya saḥ || dvārapālaḥ savinayaṃ nanāmānatakandharaḥ || 45 || caturdaśānāṃ lokānāṃ bhramaṇe rasika prabho || tvayā vinā śobhate no svāmiṃstava pituḥ sabhā || 46 || saṃtyeva munayaḥ śreṣṭhā brāhmaṇā brahmavidvarāḥ || gautamādyāstathāpyeṣā na ramyā brahmaṇaḥ sabhā || 47 || bahutārā surajanī caṃdreṇeva prakāśate || iti stuvandadau tasya praveśaṃ vinayānvitaḥ || 48 || iti śrīskāṃde mahāpurāṇa ekāśītisāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ dvitīye vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍe puruṣottamakṣetramāhātmye jaiminiṛṣisaṃvāde dvāviṃśo'dhyāyaḥ || 22 ||

English translation

Jaimini said :

1-4. The king told him:

“O sage, why should the journey be a secret one? Here we have the flower-chariot that has a velocity more than that of the mind. We shall get into it and go. Kindly wait for a short while, when I shall instruct the officers in-charge of the Palace after circumambulating the Lord and then come back, O excellent sage.”

Nārada heard his words and believing in the utterance of the king held him by the hand and entered the great Altar. They repeatedly bowed down to Kṛṣṇa along with Balarāma and Subhadrā . Nārada then requested for permission to go to the world of Brahmā .

5. Indradyumna too circumambulated Had after praying to him mentally, verbally and physically. With great eagerness he bowed down to him with the eight limbs (touching the ground). O Brāhmaṇas , with palms folded in reverence, he requested for permission to go to the world of Brahmā.

6-10. Both of them, the sage and the king, went in the divine vehicle. After circumambulating the Sun that was in the centre of the sky, they went up and up crossing the zone of the Pole Star. They were looked at by Siddhas residing in Janaloka with bent and immediately uplifted faces. They were very joyously conversing mutually.

The conduct of the Lord is conducive to the removal of dirt and purification of the mind. Just as the excellent sage, a living-liberated soul, wandered over all the worlds without his movement obstructed anywhere, so also this resident of the mortal world. Thanks to the favour of Viṣṇu , the king proceeded ahead quickly.

In the whole of the Cosmic Egg there was nothing which could not be attained by him if it could be attained by a devotee of Viṣṇu. Or he would attain salvation. Both of them were honoured and adored by the Siddhas residing in Maharloka .

11-17. Indradyumna did not remember his earthly residence while gradually rising up and seeing (the liberated souls), the sole receptacles of happiness, devoid of Dvandvas (mutually opposed pairs like heat-cold etc.) and having many types of human aims realized at the very time when the desires arose. The only thing that he remembered was the Mansion he built in the land of Karmas on the earth for the propitiation of the Lord. He thought about it as follows: ‘Will it be completed or not? Now that I have come to the world of Brahmā I wonder whether it has been attacked by the enemies. The servants and attendants may have lost interest or respect because of their covetousness of wealth. The artisans and masons may be slow in their jobs even after taking the full amount of wages. As I have come to the abode of Brahmā, they may not complete the construction. Until I return to the earth with the four-faced Lord Brahmā, the Mansion will not be complete, as I am far off. Those who had come here before had not returned to the earth once again. Perhaps the vassal kings of wicked minds are thinking thus. Will the enemies seize my realm?’

While the king was thinking thus with a worried mind, the sage, the storehouse of the past and future knowledge, spoke to him:

18-21. “What do you think, O great king, thus with a distressed mind? The place where we have come to is not one where one should be worried. Agonies and ailments never prevail here; neither death nor old age find a place here. What else then is the cause of misery? O highly fortunate one, you are blessed. You have achieved your objectives because you have come to the world of Brahmā here in your human body itself. You have seen Hari directly. Those who have come here do not worry about various worldly affairs that are fit to be discarded.”

As the eminent sage spoke thus, the king spoke to him:

22-24. “O Brāhmaṇa , I do not worry about the kinsmen and the members of the family of the king. I have started construction of the Mansion of the Lord. Knowing that I have come away here, it is possible that the servants and the attendants do not carry out their tasks further. What has been started by me should be completed certainly, O sage. Thinking of a possibility of obstacles coining in the way, O holy Lord, my mind has become unhappy.” On hearing his words the sage said laughingly:

25-31. “You are on a par with Brahmā. You are not an ordinary king. You have never been offended or assailed by anyone on the earth. What is that which has been performed by your predecessors or by yourself which can cause any loss to creation or sustenance? You have come to the world of Brahmā. Your exploits and reputation spread in the three worlds like the Sun and the Moon. In your affairs the Four-faced Lord renders you assistance. Why should there be any suspicion of obstacles in those affairs, O tiger among king?

( Defective Text ) He who is a direct enemy of yours is far off (?) O great king, Śakra who is the lord of the three worlds is seated in the middle of the assembly. Particularly in regard to the Mansion of the Lord of the worlds, O king, which man will even mentally desire (to harm the temple). Let there not be any doubt in you in regard to that.

Look ahead, O king, there is a mass of refulgence with the lustre of a crore of the moons. It generates delight all round like a crore of the oceans of nectar. Know that this mass of refulgence belongs to the abode of Brahmā.”

32-43. Conversing thus they reached the world of Brahmā. Even from afar they heard the sound of recitation of the Vedas issuing from the mouths of Brahminical Sages. The words, the letters and their sequences were clearly audible. Itihāsas , Purāṇas , metres, liturgical texts and songs—all were audible without any mix-up of the sounds or words. They were brilliant and they were heard distinctly. “O tiger among kings, know this as the city of Brahmā. The assembly is seen yonder wheré the Four-faced Grandfather of the worlds is comfortably seated along with the leading Brāhmaṇa Sages. He is attended upon by many living-liberated souls of variegated nature and sound consciousness. Those who come here do not return to the turmoils of the ocean of worldly existence. The word sat is another name of Brahmā. This is his excellent world. Hence it is famous as Satyaloka . There is nothing above it.

Slightly above this and beneath the hemispheroidal lid of the Cosmic Egg is the world of Vaikuṇṭha , O king. It is there that the liberated ones dwell. It is there that Janārdana , the Lord of Yogins , worthy of being contemplated upon by Yogins, himself dwells. Consciousness is his body. The Lord is of the nature of highest bliss. After attaining him they do not return to the path of worldly existence where death prevails. For the sake of his own salvation Brahmā always attends upon him along with the living-liberated ones.

At the end of the tenure of life allotted to him he too resorts to him along with these. He is the creator of the worlds. He assumes the forms of fish, tortoise etc. He is the creator of the worlds, the protector and the annihilator in the form of Rudra .”

Saying thus to Indradyumna he reached the abode of Brahmā. Within a moment he went to the entrance and the Prakoṣṭha (a room near the gate) where Śakra and other Guardians of Quarters stood waiting.

44-48. They were standing there engaged in meditation for a long time. The overlords of Manvantaras were denied entry by the gatekeeper as though they were ordinary people.

On seeing Nārada accompanied by Indradyumna that gatekeeper humbly bowed down to him, bending down his neck: “O holy lord who takes pleasure in wandering over all the fourteen worlds, O master, your father’s assembly does not look nice without you.

Of course, there are Gautama and other excellent sages, Brāhmaṇas, well-versed in the Vedas; still the assembly of Brahmā is not delightful. Though the night may have many stars, yet it is through the Moon that it shines well.”

Praising him thus, he humbly granted him permission to enter.

Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 22934, revision 71099 (2016-06-11T11:03:47Z). English is G. V. Tagare’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-skanda-purana/d/doc370742.html and the archival publication witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.