The Gautami Mahatmya

by G. P. Bhatt | 1955 | 127,137 words

This is the English translation of the Gautami-Mahatmya, which forms the fourth part of the Brahma-purana. The Gautamimahatmya narrates the legends and merits of the various holy places (tirthas) situated around the bank of the Godavari river in 105 chapters. It can be seen as distinct work by itself, and was declared as a “highly meritorious puran...

Chapter 59 - Holy Centres Indratīrtha etc.

(description of Indra-tirtha)

Brahmā said:

1-2. A holy bath and distribution of charitable gifts in these holy centres prevents return to the worldly existence. The holy centres are Indratīrtha, Vṛṣākapatīrtha, the confluence of Phenā where there is the holy centre of Hanūmanta, and the holy centre Abjaka where the lord is Trivikrama.

3. I shall mention what has transpired on the southern bank of Gaṅgā. On the northern bank there is the holy centre named Indreśvara. Listen with devotion observing holy rites with controlled senses.

4. The excessively arrogant enemy of Indra named Namuci was very strong. He fought with Indra Indra removed his head with Phena (watery foam).

5-7. That foam of waters assumed the form of Vajra (thunderbolt) and it cut off the head of his enemy Namuci. Thereafter, the foam fell on the ground on the southern bank of Gaṅgā. After piercing the Earth it entered the nether worlds. The sacred water of Gaṅgā originating from the nether worlds came to the Earth’s zone through the path pointed out by the thunderbolt. That water followed the river Phenā called after the name Phena, i.e. foam.

8. Its confluence with Gaṅgā is holy and well known throughout the worlds. It is conducive to the destruction of all sins like the confluence of Gaṅgā and Yamunā.

9-11. The holy centre where the step-mother of Hanumān became free from the state of a cat merely because of a holy dip there due to the grace of Viṣṇu is called Mārjāra. This has been previously recounted to you. It is also called Hanūmanta. The narrative has been mentioned before. It is also called Vārṣākapa and Abjaka. Listen to it with attention.

There was a strong ancestor of Daityas well known as Hiraṇya.

12. By performing penance he became invincible to all Devas. He became very terrible. His son also was very powerful, difficult to be conquered by Devas.

13-16. He was known as Mahāśani. His wife was Aparājitā. A long-drawn continuous battle ensued between him and Indra. On all occasions Mahāśani of great virility used to conquer Indra in the battlefield along with his elephant and hand him over to his father. After binding him he used to see him devoid of strength and forsake cruelty and hand him over to Hiraṇya. The father of Mahāśani was superior to Devas and he used to put Indra in the nether worlds under surveillance.

17. After conquering Indra Mahāśani marched against Varuṇa in order to conquer him. Varuṇa of great intellect offered his daughter to Mahāśani.

18. Varuṇa gave his own abode in ocean to Mahāśani. Friendship was generated between Varuṇa and Mahāśani in this way.

19-20. Varuṇa’s daughter Vāruṇī married Mahāśani. In all the three worlds Mahāśani the great Daitya was incomparable in virility, fame, heroism and strength. When the universe was devoid of Indra, Devas had mutual consultation.

Devas said:

21. Viṣṇu alone shall be the person to restore Indra. He alone is the slayer of Daityas. He alone shall be the seer of Mantras. He will create another Indra.

Brahmā said:

22-23. After having consultation together thus, Devas intimated this to Viṣṇu.

Saying, “Mahāśani, the great Daitya, cannot be killed by me” Viṣṇu went to the lord of waters, Varuṇa, his father-in-law. After going to Varuṇa, Keśava said to him about the defeat and discomfiture of Indra.

24-26. (He said) “You must do something whereby Indra comes out”. At those words of Viṣṇu, O sage, the lord of the waters hurriedly went to the valorous Mahāśani, the husband of his daughter, and the son of Hiraṇya. Lord Varuṇa was excessively honoured by his son-in-law. The Daitya then humbly asked his father-in-law (the reason of) his arrival. Varuṇa mentioned to the Daitya the reason of his arrival.

Varuṇa said:

27-28. O mighty-armed one, give me Indra who has been conquered by you before. Dear friend, the overlord of Devas has been imprisoned in the nether worlds. He is worthy of our honour always. O slayer of enemies, give him to me. If the enemy is released (voluntarily) after being imprisoned, it will confer great glory on good men.

Brahmā said:

29-30. With very great difficulty the lord of the Daityas said “So be it” and gave to Varuṇa Indra, the husband of Śacī, along with his elephant. He appeared excessively majestic in the midst of Daityas. With diverse ways and modes of worship Mahāśani honoured Indra in the presence of the lord of Waters (Varuṇa).

Mahaśani said:

31. By whom have you been created, O Indra? Your valour is useless. Wherefore do you boast so much? You are being tormented by enemies in the battlefield. Still you continue to be Indra. This is ridiculous.

32. If any woman is imprisoned by a man it is proper on the part of her husband to set her free. Women are always dependent on men (So are you). O my good Indra, you shall also be a man!

33. You have been caught and imprisoned by me in the battle along with your vehicle. Your miraculous weapon (Thunderbolt) of uncontrollable power has been (cast off) somewhere. Fie upon your life! After being set free through the intercession of the lord of waters you still wish to live despite the fact that you have lost the costly jewel, Cintāmaṇi, the park Nandana, the celestial damsels, fame, strength and everything that could be enjoyed by the lord of Devas.

34. “That which is the storehouse of fame is life, that which is antagonistic to fame is death”—even after knowing this, O Indra, how did you get yourself released through the intercession of the lord of Waters? Why don’t you feel ashamed?

35. You were staying in heaven surrounded by Devas fanned by your beloved wife and eulogized by the celestial damsels. I think, indeed, bashfulness is afraid of you.

36. “You are the slayer of Vṛtra, killer of Namuci, breaker of cities; with the thunderbolt in your hand you have split the mountains”. Thus Devas honour you. Hence, O victorious one! abandon all these.

37. How is it that the maker of people like you, the lord born of the imperishable lotus, did not get his heart broken? People like you continue to live, continue to mix with the people of the world even after getting insult and injury from enemies.

Brahmā said:

38. After saying this, the lord of Daityas gave Indra to the noble-souled Varuṇa. Thereafter, he said these words again.

Mahāśani said:

39. From now onwards Indra shall be the disciple and Varuṇa the preceptor—Varuṇa who is my father-in-law and through whom, O Indra, you have attained freedom.

40. In the same manner you shall behave like a servant unto Varuṇa. Otherwise, I will be obliged to imprison you and hurl you into the nether worlds.

Brahmā said:

41. After rebuking Indra thus and laughing again and again he took leave of Varuṇa and said (to Indra) “Go, go”.

42. Indra then reached his abode completely overwhelmed by shame. He told his wife the details of his defeat and discomfiture at the hands of the enemy.

Indra said:

43. I have been told thus and treated thus, O lady of splendid face. O fortunate lady, tell me whereby I can console my soul.

Indrāṇī said:

44. O Indra, the slayer of Bala, I know the origin of Dānavas, their Māyā, mortification, grant of boons as well as their death.

45. Hence, I shall say for your satisfaction everything necessary for the death or defeat of that demon.

46. He is the heroic son of Hiraṇya. He is the powerful son of my paternal uncle (Puloman). Hence, he is my brother (cousin). He became arrogant due to the boons granted to him.

47. He propitiated Brahma by means of penance and observances. He acquired a great power like this. What is it that cannot be achieved by means of penance?

48. Hence, no undue worry or wonder should be entertained by you. Listen. This must be pursued as it is overdue.

Brahmā said:

49-52. After saying thus, the daughter of Puloman said to Indra in great humility.

Indrāṇī said:

There is nothing which cannot be achieved by penance. There is nothing which cannot be achieved by sacrificial rites. There is nothing which cannot be achieved by devotion to Viṣṇu and Śiva, the lord of worlds. Again dear husband, this extremely splendid thing has been heard by me. O overlord of Devas, only women know the nature of women. Hence, O lord, there is nothing which cannot be achieved by the Earth and waters. It is through them only that penance or sacrificial rite can take place.

53. There too you shall go to that land which has become a holy centre. There you will attain all cherished desires by worshipping Viṣṇu and Śiva.

54. Again this has been heard by me. Only those women who are chaste ladies know everything. The world consisting of the mobile and immobile is sustained by them.

55. The forest of Daṇḍaka is in the middle of the Earth and is its essence. Gaṅgā, the mother of the universe flows there. O lord, worship Śiva there.

56-57. Or worship Viṣṇu, lord of the worlds, the lord who dispels the agony and the grievance of the wretched and the distressed. The sole refuge of helpless men who are drowned in the ocean of misery is lord Śiva or lord Viṣṇu or Mother Gaṅgā. There is no other refuge anywhere. Hence by all means satisfy these with mental purity and concentration.

58. By means of devotion, penance or prayer perform the rite of propitiation along with me. Then you will attain welfare by the favour of lord Śiva and lord Viṣṇu.

59. If a man performs a good rite unknowingly the lord gives him as much benefit as he deserves; but if he performs it knowingly it shall be hundred times more beneficial. If a man performs a holy rite along with his wife it has everlasting benefit.

60. In every performance of a man it is the wife who assists him. Even if the tasks are very small they are not fruitful without her.

61. If a man does anything alone he gets only half the benefit, but if he does it along with his wife, O lord, the man gets abundant benefit.

62. This idea occurs in the Vedas too, which say that one who has understood holy rites very well takes the help of his wife.

It is heard that there is one excellent river Gautamī in Daṇḍaka forest.

63. It subdues sins entirely. It bestows all cherished desires. Hence, go there along with me. Perform meritorious rites yielding great benefit.

64-66. Then you will get profuse happiness after slaying the enemies in battle.

Brahmā said:

Saying “So be it” the lord of hundred sacrifices went to Gaṅgā well known as Gautamī along with his wife and preceptor. He went to Gautamī, the mother of the universe, flowing in the middle of Daṇḍaka forest. The delighted Indra went there with an intention to perform penance unto Śambhu, the lord of Devas.

67. At the outset he bowed down to Gaṅgā. After taking the holy bath he joined his palms in reverence. Seeking sole refuge in Śiva he recited the following prayer:

Indra said:

68. May that Pināka-bearing lord be pleased with us—the lord who creates, protects and devours the entire universe consisting of the mobile and immobile beings through his own Māyā but does not get entangled in it; who is single, who is independent and who is of the nature of non-dual knowledge and happiness.

69. May that consort of Pārvatī be pleased with me, the lord whose reality even Sanaka and others conversant with the esoteric doctrine of Vedānta, do not know; who is the bestower of all cherished desires and who is the enemy of Demon Andhaka.[1]

70. The self-born lord created Brahmā and saw his terrible head. He plucked it off with the tips of his nails. He hurled it when it stuck to his nails and from it the three objects[2] of worldly existence, viz., virtue, love and wealth, originated.

71. Sin, poverty, greed, begging, delusion and adversity were born therefrom. Many other endless things also took shape from them. They became influential. They had the features of worldly misery. This entire visible world is pervaded by them.

72. On seeing everything, the lord of Devas became bewildered and said to the goddess: “The whole universe is crumbling down. O goddess of the worlds, protect it. O mother of the worlds, the sole refuge, O gentle lady, O fortunate one.

73. O bestower of boons, the foundation of the universe, be victorious. You are the enjoyment of worldly pleasures, you are the concentration, you are the highest liberation. You were Svāhā, Svadhā, Svasti (hail), the primordial spiritual achievement, the speech and the intellect, O immortal goddess, devoid of old age.

74. At my behest you accord protection to the three worlds. They shall be created by you alone as variegated and wonderful as the one created by Prakṛti.”

75. On being told thus by lord Śiva, the beloved wife of the lord became eager to embrace and chat lovingly to the lord. When she became tired she closely clung to half of the body of Śiva and discharged drops of sweat from the tips of her fingers.

76-78. From that, Virtue (Dharma) was the first to appear; then followed Lakṣmī, Dānam (charitable gift), good rain, the animals of rich variety, lakes, grains, flowers, fruits, the articles conducive to conjugal felicity, good bearing, dress and demeanour, great medicines linked with amorous toilet and sport, dances, songs, nectar, Purāṇa, Vedas, Smṛti texts, polity, food, beverages, weapons, scriptures, domestic utensils etc., miraculous arrows etc., holy centres, forests, sacrifices, social services, auspicious vehicles, splendid ornaments and elegant seats.

79-81. Due to contact with Bhava and on account of your fire, laughter, excellent perspiration, gentle talk and other secret activities and modes the world consisting of the mobile and immobile beings became devoid of sins, O goddess. Everything born therefrom also became so.

Happiness is abundant. Auspiciousness shines perpetually. This is because of your feelings, O goddess. Hence, O mother of the universe, O chief of the worlds, save me. I am afraid of worldly existence. There are some people who become silly due to abstruse arguments. Others get merged there. I bow down to that non-dualistic beautiful body of Śiva and Śakti.

Brahmā said:

82-86. Even as he was eulogizing thus, Śiva appeared in front of him.

Śiva said:

O Indra, what is that thing you desire and seek from me? Tell me the best thing that you require.

Indra said:

My enemy is very powerful. He appears like thunderbolt. I have been imprisoned, abducted, taken to the nether worlds and harassed in many ways. I have been pierced by words sharp like arrows. This endeavour of mine is for the purpose of killing him. For that purpose, O lord, O lord of worlds, give me that virility whereby I will be able to conquer my enemy. Grant me other things too which will destroy the enemy. If that person from whom defeat and discomfiture had been experienced, is destroyed, I will consider myself born again. Renown is better than victory and splendour.

Brahmā said:

87-93. Śiva said to Indra thus:

“Your enemy cannot be slain through me alone. Hence you propitiate Viṣṇu, the unchanging lord also. With your intellect concentrated on nothing else, propitiate lord Janārdana Nārāyaṇa, the sole refuge of the three worlds. Propitiate him along with your wife. Then, O Indra, you will acquire what is pleasing to you through him and through me”.

Lord Maheśvara, the primordial Maker, said again:

“Practice of Mantras, penance and Yogic exercises bestow spiritual achievement even if they are carried on at any confluence. The sages know it. What then if these things are practised at the confluence of Gautamī with the ocean! or in the caves of mountains or at the confluence of rivers!

There is a brahmin, a great sage named Āpastamba on the southern bank of Gaṅgā. His mind remains fixed on the feet of Mukunda. I am pleased with him also, O slayer of Bala. Therefore you propitiate the club-bearing lord along with your wife.”

Brahmā said:

94-95. After taking bath in the sacred confluence of Phenā and the Gaṅgā he eulogized the lord on the southern bank of Gaṅgā along with Āpastamba. With great purity of mind he eulogized lord Janārdana by reciting various kinds of Vedic Mantras. He propitiated him through penance also.

96. Then Viṣṇu became pleased and spoke, “What should be given?”

Lord Indra said:

“Give me a slayer of my enemy”.

97-99. Janārdana said to him, “Know that it is already granted.”

By the grace of Śiva, Viṣṇu and Gaṅgā a person rose up from the water. He had the form of Śiva and Viṣṇu. He was having trident and discus in his hands. He went to the nether worlds and killed Mahāśani, the enemy of Indra. He is called Abjaka. He is Vṛṣākapi. He became a friend of Indra.

100. Though he was a resident of heaven, Indra used to follow Vṛṣākapi always. Seeing him attached to another person, Śacī became angry due to her love. The lord of hundred sacrifices laughingly consoled Śacī and said thus:

Indra said:

101. O Indrāṇī, I do not seek refuge except in my friend Vṛṣākapi. Either libation of water or the Havis offering in fire had been my favourite always.

102. I do not go anywhere else. My beloved one, I swear so by your body. O beautiful lady, it does not behove you to think suspiciously about me.

103. You are a chaste lady and my beloved one. You assist me in the performance of holy rites and advise me (on important matters). You have children. You are of noble birth. Who else can be my beloved?

104-106. Hence, at your suggestion I reached the great river Gaṅgā. By the favour of the discus-bearing Viṣṇu, the lord of Devas, by the favour of Śiva, the lord of Bhūtas, by the favour of Vṛṣākapi, my friend Abjaka who was born of water and who is well known in the world. I have overcome my miseries, O fortunate lady. I am Indra here, the unfallen one. What cannot be achieved if a wife acts according to her husband’s wish!

107. It may be difficult to attain liberation there (in a householder’s life) but, O splendid lady, the three things beginning with wealth (i.e. wealth, virtue and love) are possible. A wife who desires welfare in the two worlds is the greatest friend.

108. If she is of noble birth, if she always speaks pleasing words, if she is chaste, if she is richly endowed with good qualities and beauty and if she has equanimity during affluence and adversity, what is it that cannot be achieved by her in the three worlds!

109. It is because of your ideas that, my beloved wife, this auspicious thing has happened. Hereafter, I have to do only what is ordered by you and nothing else.

110. For practice of piety and attainment of other world there is nothing equal to a good son. To a distressed man there is no other curative remedy than his wife.

111. There is nothing like Gaṅgā for the attainment of salvation as well as for relief from sins. Listen to another thing also, O lady of splendid face.

112. There is nothing other than the realization of non-difference of Śiva and Viṣṇu for the achievement of virtue, wealth, love and salvation and for getting rid of sins.

113. Hence, O chaste lady, due to your intellect all these mentally cherished things have been obtained by the grace of Śiva, Viṣṇu and Gaṅgā.

114. It is on account of this that my position as Indra has become stable again by the power of my friend, I think. O beautiful lady, Vṛṣākapi who was born of waters and is my friend.

115. You are my perpetual dear companion. There is nothing more endearing to me.

Among holy waters Gautamī and Gaṅgā are the best and among Devas Hari and Śaṅkara are the best.

116. Hence, by the grace of all these I have acquired everything desired by me. This holy centre well known in the three worlds is pleasing to me.

117. Hence, I will request Devas for only this: Let them in due order permit this. Let the sages, Gaṅgā, Devas, Hari and Śaṅkara permit this.

118. O Devas, on either bank of the river, there is Śaṅkara in Indreśvara and lord Janārdana in Abjaka on the other side.

119. Viṣṇu, Trivikrama, directly sanctifies the Daṇḍaka forest. Whatever holy centres are in between are the bestowers of everything meritorious.

120-124. Merely by taking bath here all of them will attain liberation along with their ancestors of five generations. If anything is given to the suppliants here, even if it be as little as a sesamum seed, it accords everlasting benefit to the donors. It bestows all cherished desires. It yields salvation. The narrative ofViṣṇu and Śambhu is conducive to the attainment of wealth, fame, longevity, health and merit. It yields salvation through knowledge and holy dip. Those who read or listen to the glory of this holy centre shall acquire merit. They will attain the power of memory of Śiva and Viṣṇu that causes the total destruction of all sins. It is this, that even the sages who have conquered their sense-organs and mind, seek.

Brahmā said:

125-127. Devas and sages spoke to him, ‘It will be so’.

There are, on the northern bank of Gautamī, seven thousand holy centres that bestow salvation and that are worthy of being resorted to by Devas, sages and Siddhas. Similarly, on the southern bank there are eleven thousand holy centres. Abjaka is mentioned as the heart of Godāvarī by great sages. It is the abode of rest of Īśa, Viṣṇu and Brahmā.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

A demon with a thousand arms and heads, two thousands eyes and feet, so called because he walked like a blind man; killed by Śiva when he attempted to carry off the Pārijāta tree from Svarga.

[2]:

Trivarga, i.e. the three supreme objects desired by worldiy persons, viz., Dharma, Artha and Kama. The fourth is Mokṣa or ultimate deliverance from the world of transmigration. All the four together are know as caturvarga i.e. four kinds of highest objects or Puruṣārthacatuṣṭaya i.e. four supreme objects of human endeavour.

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