History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c74.t3.12

v5.c74.t3.12

For want of space only a few verses about Mathurā will be set out here. The Padma (Ādikhaṇḍa 29. 46–47) says 'Yamunā gives mokṣa when united with Mathurā; Yamunā gives rise to great merit in Mathurā and when united to Mathurā it bestows devotion to Viṣṇu'. In the Varāhapurāṇa (152. 8, 11) Viṣṇu says 'There is no place either in the nether regions or on the earth or in mid air as dear to me as Mathurā. Mathurā is a famous kṣetra of mine that confers *mukti*; no place is to me higher than it. It is my birth-place and it is lovely, commendable and dear to me'. The Padma says '*Māthuraka* is a name extremely dear to Viṣṇu'. The *Harivaṁśa* contains a fine description of Mathurā, one verse from which may be quoted here 'Mathurā is the hump (i. e. the most eminent spot) of Madhyadeśa, it is simply the abode of the goddess of wealth, it is the horn (i. e. the most prominent part) of the earth, there is nothing like it and it is endowed with abundant wealth and agricultural produce'.¹⁵⁶⁶