The Antiquities of Orissa v2.c17.39.3

v2.c17.39.3

“Formerly in the Tretā Yuga”, said Bharadvāja, “when the great Lord Maheśvara dwelt in the city of Benares, he once thus addressed the pre-eminently holy sage Nārada: ‘We shall no longer reside in the city, for now it will surely be destroyed. It has become greatly over-crowded and injurious to devotion. It is not proper to live in a place which has become over-crowded. Disturbances occur there, caused by atheists and men bereft of sense; and no virtue can abide in a locality occupied by atheists. Through vice, O chief of sages, the offering of clarified butter ceases. Formerly this place was prepared very carefully for Pārvatī, and whatever Pārvatī is pleased with that is gratifying to me. But now my mind is not encouraged to dwell here. Tell me, therefore, O noblest of sages, where there may be a secret, and excellent retreat for me?’ Nārada replied: ‘On the shore of the Salt Sea, there is the best of hills the Blue Hill (*Nīla Śaila*) and to the north of that, O lord, is the noted grove of one mango tree; and there alone, in the lovely forest, doth the spiritual lord of the universe, the husband of Ramā, along with Ananta, flourish under the name of Vāsudeva. That place is great secret; even Prajāpati (Brahmā) does not know of it: even your excellency does not know of it; to say nothing of the other gods. This solitary mango, Śaṁkara, is a great secret; even the daughter of the ocean, (Lakṣmī), seated on the lap of the mysterious Jagannātha, does not know of it.