Apart from "Shree VenkataChala-Mahatmya" (about Bhagavan Shree BalaJi also known as Shree VenkatEshwara) "Shree Skanda-Purana" also contains "Shree Purushottama-Kshetra-Mahatmya" (about Bhagavan Shree Jagannatha) with......"out of the blue" plot twist telling about the vision of ShwetaDvipa!
Actually, it is a kind of hidden Chapter in "Shree Skanda-Purana".
"Shree Padma-Purana" and "Shree Skanda-Purana" have a lot of hidden chapters of this kind, that's why an explorer of these brilliant Puranas is similar to a treasure hunter who suddenly reveals very Siddhantic gems!
The chapter about ShwetaDvipa is interesting not only due to ShwetaDvipa itself, but also because of very Siddhantic references to the rules from Vaishnava-Agamas and Vaishnava-Vedanta (see Verses 132-139 below).
The Siddhanta is the following:
1. All the dreams are granted to us by Bhagavan Shree Vishnu (this is Siddhanta from "Shree Vedanta-Sutra", 3.2.1 and further).
2. You should never
divulge your divine dreams to anybody (except your Vaishnava-Guru). This is an orthodox rule from Vaishnava-Agamas.
3. For those ones who follow to Vaishnava-Agamas (Vaishnava-Tantras) all the dreams have special meaning. Based on your dreams you can understand will your Vaishnava-sadhana be effective or futile (or even destructive).
Please see #"PARAMA-SAMHITA OF THE PANCHARATRA" [Sanskrit-Eng]# and the Chapters in which Bhagavan Shree Narayana tells about dreams and their meanings for further details.
"SHREE SKANDA-PURANA", VAISHNAVA-KHANDA, "SHREE PURUSHOTTAMA-KSHETRA-MAHATMYA":
99-100. In this holy place Purushottama at the behest of Brahma king Indradyumna performed Yajnas in order to propitiate the Lord of the universe. In due order the king concluded a thousand sacrifices short by one. All of them were duly performed in accordance with the injunctions.
101-103. Then the king began his thousandth horse-sacrifice. Day by day, the king acquired more and more spiritual merit. On the night of the sixth day from that of the extraction of Soma juice during the fourth prahara (prahara = period of 3 hrs.) he meditated on the Immutable Bhagavan Shree Vishnu.
Very fortunately in the course of his meditation the king saw, as if in direct perception, the island of Svetadvipa made of bright crystals.
104-106. He saw the Milk Ocean that stood encircling the island all round. There were great Kalpa trees (all round) that had rendered all the quarters fragrant by the sweet scent of the flowers.
Everywhere within and without those trees, on their fruits, sprouts and barks, there were the bright red-coloured Murtis of Lord Vishnu which were marked with conch and discus and which were brilliantly adorned with all the ornaments. In the middle he saw an excellent Pandal (मण्डप - maNDapa) made of divine jewels.
107. The Pavilion was refulgent with a throne, in the centre that shone like the sun and that was studded with gems. It was very fascinating as a gentle, cool breeze blew over the waves of the Milk Ocean.
VISION OF BHAGAVAN SHREE VISHNU:
108-109. In its centre he saw Bhagavan Shree Vishnu holding Lotus, Conch, Chakra and Iron Club. Lord Vishnu resembled a blue cloud. He was adorned with garlands of sylvan flowers.
Divine ornaments were worn by Him. He seemed to surpass and put to shame all the abodes of loveliness and the houses of beauty and splendour by means of His Body.
VISION OF BALARAMA:
110-113. Then king Indradyumna saw Ananta standing, supporting the earth. He had the splendour of a crore of moons.
He had the lustre resembling that of the mountain Himalaya. He was charming with the crowned hoods spreading over Him like an umbrella.
He had a pair of jewel-set ear-rings. He had put on a beautiful blue upper garment. In His 4 Hands shone palm tree, plough, conch and discus. He was adorned with necklaces, armlets, bangles and rings. He had a waist-band and a girdle.
He had decorated himself with divine jewels. His physical body was inebriated due to divine liquor called Hala. He had pleasing smiles and brilliant eyes.
VISION OF SHREEMATI LAKSHMI-DEVI:
114-115. He saw Lakshmi of splendid features stationed on the right side of Bhagavan Shree Vishnu. Goddess Shri had a lotus in Her Hand and held Her fingers in the position of granting of boons as well as freedom from fear (that is Varada-Mudra and Abhaya-Mudra).
Shree Kamala-Devi had the lustre of saffron. She had bright eyes. Her wonderful body was a model for all the young women in the three worlds.
116. He saw Pitamaha (Brahma) standing in front of him with palms joined in reverence. He saw The Sudarshana Chakra full of gems stationed on the left side of Bhagavan Shree Vishnu.
117. On seeing the Lord of the universe eulogized by Sanaka and other prominent sages in his dream, О excellent Brahmanas, the king became extremely delighted.
118. Standing there in contemplation, he eulogized in words choked with tears of joy, the infinite Lord of a Fiery Form never seen before.
Note by Vishnudut1926: In subsequent 12 Verses king Indradyumna recites a Stuti, dedicated to Bhagavan Shree Vishnu, I omit these Verses - no sense to publish them in English, because (as any other Vaishnava-Stuti) they must be read in beautiful Sanskrit.
At the end of the meditation king Indradyumna woke up and understood everything. At the end of the dream Indradyumna remembered the Supreme Soul by means of his own soul.
132-135a. After seeing this extremely mysterious dream the eminent king considered himself to be one who has fulfilled his task. He thought that all his thousand horse-sacrifices had become fruitful and his good luck was imminent.
He thought thus: ‘Indeed the words of the Celestial Sage can never be in vain. Now how will the Lord be directly perceptible to me?’
INSTRUCTION BY NARADA-MUNI (ACTUALLY THEY ARE BASED ON VAISHNAVA-AGAMAS AND VAISHNAVA-VEDANTA):
In this anxious state the king spent the remaining part of the night. Then he told Narada the details of the dream experienced by him.
135b-136. Narada told him: “O king, your grief has come to an end, since you saw the Lord at the time of dawn. A dream at that time, О excellent king, yields the benefit within 10 days.
137-139. At the end of the sacrifice the Lord will be visible to you here as ParaBrahman, The Sire of the mobile and immobile beings, conveyed to you through my words.
That Creator of the universe also was seen by you in this dream. Therefore, let the Yajna be performed. Do not divulge this to anyone else.
О tiger among kings, this dream has been brought about by Bhagavan Shree Hari in an inscrutable manner.
But only to a fortunate one shall a dream like this occur".
Cited from
pages 106-109 from 5th Volume of
"Shree Skanda-Purana", English,
Motilal Banasirdass, 1950-2003 -
OCR by Vishnudut1926,
Moscow, September 2017
