CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
The Prayers Offered to the Lord
by the Residents of Jambidvipa
In this chapter Sukadeva Gosvami describes the different varsas of Jam-
bidvipa and the incarnation of the Supreme Lord worshiped in each. The
predominating ruler of Bhadrasva-varsa is Bhadrasrava. He and his
many servants always worship the incarnation known as Lord Hayagriva.
At the end of each kalpa, when the demon Ajfidna steals the Vedic
knowledge, Lord Hayagriva appears and preserves it. Then He delivers it
to Lord Brahma. In the land known as Hari-varsa, the exalted devotee
Prahlada Maharaja worships Lord Nrsitmhadeva. (The appearance of
Lord Nrsimhadeva is described in the Seventh Canto of Srimad-
Bhagavatam.) Following in the footsteps of Prahlada Maharaja, the in-
habitants of Hari-varsa always worship Lord Nrsimmhadeva to receive
from Him the benediction of being engaged in His loving service. In the
tract of land known as Ketumala-varsa, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead (Lord Hrsikesa) appears in the form of Cupid. The goddess of
fortune and the demigods living there engage in His service day and
night. Manifesting Himself in sixteen parts, Lord HrsikeSa is the source
of all encouragement, strength and influence. The conditioned living en-
tity has the defect of being always fearful, but simply by the mercy of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, he can rid himself of this defect of
material life. Therefore the Lord alone can be addressed as master. In the
tract of land known as Ramyaka-varsa, Manu and all the inhabitants
worship Matsyadeva to this very day. Matsyadeva. whose form is pure
goodness, is the ruler and maintainer of the whole universe, and as such
He is the director of all the demigods, headed by King Indra. In Hiran-
maya-varsa Lord Visnu has assumed the form of a tortoise (Karma
marti) and is worshiped there by Aryama, along with all the other resi-
dents. Similarly, in the tract of land known as Uttarakuru-varsa. Lord
Sri Hari has assumed the form of a boar, and in that form He accepts ser-
vice from all the inhabitants living there.
155
