Chapter 49 - Further discription of pilgrimages

The parts of the country from the Himalayas down to the sea through which. Ganga flows are very sacred, but the places called Ayodhya, Mathura, Maya, Kasi, Kanchi, Avanti and Dvaravati, which are situated in these parts, are the most sacred of all. Ayodhya is the city of Rama, Mathura of Krishna, Maya of Kamarupa, and Kasi belongs to Siva. There are two Kanchi s, viz., Siva Kanchi and Vishnu Kanchi. Avanti is on the seaside, and is presided over by the Lord Purushottama,^[1] and Dvaravati which is in the midst of the sea was founded by Sri Krishna himself.

These seven cities are not parts of the earth. Ayodhya is situated on the pointof Ramchandra’s [Ramachandra’s] bow and Mathura is held on the Lord Kesava’s Sudarsana Chakra^[2]. Maya, which is he;d in reverence by Brahma, Vishnu and the other gods, stands on Sivalingam [Sivalinga]. Kasi is situated on the trident of Siva, and Siva Kanchi and Vishnu Kanchi on his left and right hand respectively. Avanti is situated on the lotus flower of Hari and Dvaravati on his conch known as Panchajanya.

All these places are considered as sacred by the gods as Ganga herself, whose whole course, from beginning to end, lies on Siva’s head.

There is no object of pilgrimage equal to Ganga who is the chief among gods and goddesses. Her banks are fit places for human abode, and she is the highest goal. She exists in heaven on mountains, on the earthy and in Patala.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Jagannatha.

[2]:

See footnote at page 117.