108 Divya-deshams: Thirupparamapadham (Vaikuntha)

BY: SUN STAFF - 12.8 2024

Vishnu and Lakshmi - Vaikuntha Darshana
Painting - Brooklyn Museum

The last stop on our tour of the 108 Divya-desams, the divine abodes of Lord Vishnu and Lakshmi.

Vaikuntha is the preeminent abode of Lord Vishnu and His consort, Lakshmi, and the last of the 108 Divya Deshams. Vaikuntha is known as the Parama Padam or Nitya Vibhuti, an "eternal heavenly realm", and is the "divine imperishable world that is God's abode". In Vaishnava literature, Vaikuntha is described as the highest realm above the fourteen lokas (worlds), and the place devotees attain once liberated.

HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami describes Vaikuntha:

"In the Vaikuṇṭha world all the living entities are in oneness with the Supreme Godhead because they never defy His orders. Here in the material world, however, they are not sammata, agreeable, but always asammata, disagreeable. This human form of life is a chance to be trained to be agreeable to the orders of the Supreme Lord. To bring about this training in society is the mission of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, the laws of material nature are very strict; no one can overcome the stringent laws of material nature. But one who becomes a surrendered soul and agrees to the order of the Supreme Lord can easily overcome those stringent laws. The example of Dhruva Mahārāja is very fitting. Simply by becoming agreeable to the orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and by developing love of Godhead, Dhruva got the chance to personally meet the confidential servants of Lord Viṣṇu face to face. What was possible for Dhruva Mahārāja is possible for everyone. Anyone who very seriously engages in devotional service can obtain, in due course of time, the same perfection of the human form of life." (SB 4.12.22 Purport)

Vaikuntha is guarded by the twin deities, Jaya and Vijaya, the dvarapalakas, or gatekeepers of Vaikuntha. The army of Vishnu stationed in Vaikuntha is led by Vishvaksena. The planets of Vaikuntha are described as being full of golden palaces and hanging gardens that grow fragrant fruits and flowers. The Vaikuntha planets begin 26,200,000 yojanas (209,600,000 miles) above Satyaloka. In most of the extant Puranas and Vaishnava traditions, Vaikuntha is located in the direction of the Makara rashi, which corresponds with the constellation of Capricorn. One version of the cosmology states that Vishnu's eye is present at the south celestial pole, from where he watches the cosmos. (Wikipedia)

A verse in Rigveda mentions Vishnu's feet as a desired abode:

tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ

The gods are always looking towards the Supreme feet of Vishnu. (Rigveda 1.22.20)

Vaikuntha and its characteristics are described in the Bhagavata Purana. The text speaks of Vaikuntha, adorable to all the worlds (X.12.26), as the highest realm where Vishnu resides (XII.24.14). This, too, is the highest region (IV.12.26); beyond the world of darkness and samsāra (the cycle of birth and death) (IV.24.29; X.88.25); the destination of those who have transcended the three Gunas even while they are still alive (XI.25.22); and beyond which there is no higher place (II.2.18, II.9.9). The peaceful ascetics who reach that place never return (IV.9.29; X.88.25-6). The residents of Vaikuntha do not have material bodies but have pure forms (VII.1.34). These forms are like that of Vishnu (III.15.14ff.), also known as Narayana. Vishnu/Narayana resides in Vaikuntha with Lakshmi, the goddess of fortune, in palaces with crystal walls. The parks there shine like final liberation itself and contain wish-fulfilling trees, which blossom all year-round. There are fragrant winds, and creepers dripping with honey near bodies of water. Cries of exotic birds mingle with the humming of bees, and magnificent flowers bloom everywhere. Devotees of Vishnu along with their beautiful wives travel in aerial vehicles made of jewels, emeralds and gold, but the beautiful smiling residents of this realm cannot distract the minds of the opposite sex, since everyone is absorbed in Krishna (III.15.14-25).

The Narayana Upanishad mentions the Vaikuntha abode:

pratyag ananda brahma purusam pranava svarupam
a kara u karo ma kara iti
ta anekadha sam etad om iti
yam uktva mucyate yogi
janma samsara bandhanat
om namo narayanayeti mantropasakah
vaikuntha bhuvanam gamisyati
tad idam pundarikam vijnanan ghanam
tasmad taridabha matram
brahmanyo devakiputro brahmanyo madhusudanah brahmanyah
pundarikakso brahmanyo visnur acyuta iti
sarva bhuta stham ekam narayanam
karana rupam akaranam param brahma om

The syllable "om" is directly the Supreme Lord full of bliss. Composed of three sounds "a", "u" and "m", the pranava becomes "om". The yogi who utters the pranava many times becomes free from the bondage of repeated material birth. One who worships the Lord with this mantra Om Namo Narayanaya will certainly go to the transcendental realm of Vaikuntha, which is a lotus full of consciousness shining effulgently. The transcendental Lord is known as the son of Devaki, as Madhusudana, as Pundarikaksa, as Visnu and Acyuta. The one Narayana is situated in all living entities. He is the cause of all causes, the supreme brahman. (Narayana Upanishad)

The Brihad Bhagavatamrita describes Lord Vishnu's activities in Vaikuntha:

kadāpi tatropavaneṣu līlayā tathā lasantaṃ niciteṣu go-gaṇaiḥ |
paśyāmy amuṃ karhy api pūrvavat sthitaṃ nijāsane sva-prabhuvac ca sarvathā || 112 ||

Sometimes the Lord would go to the gardens in Vaikuṇṭha where He would enact pastimes similar to those of Vraja, and I would see the gardens full of cows. Other times I would see Him sitting majestically on His throne as before. At that time, He would appear just like my Lord Gopāla in all respects. (Brihad Bhagavatamrita 2.4.112)

This concludes our survey of the 108 Divya Desham abodes of Lord Visnu.