Chapter 1 - Superiority of the Holy Place Badarikāśrama over all Tīrthas

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Salutation to Śrī Gaṇeśa

Obeisance to the Lord of Śrī Badarī

Śaunaka said:

1. Sūta! O Sūta! O illustrious one! The most excellent one among persons conversant with all holy rites and pious activities! O sage equipped with the knowledge of the essence of all the scriptures and fully accomplished in the Purāṇa Lore!

2. Vyāsa, the son of Satyavatī, is the immutable Lord Viṣṇu himself. Since you are his favourite disciple, there is no one else who is a better knower than you.

3. At the advent of the terrible Kali Yuga which is destitute of all the Dharmas, people become perpetrators of vicious actions. They are bereft of all piety.

4. Their span of life is short. They are of little vitality, strength and vigour, penance, holy rites etc. All of them are engaged in sinful activities. They have eschewed the Vedas and scriptures.

5. They are devoid of performance of pilgrimages, penances, charitable rites and devotion to Hari. How can the redemption of these small creatures be effected with small effort?

6. Which is the most excellent Tīrtha? Which is the most excellent holy place? Wherefrom can those who are desirous of salvation achieve the final emancipation? Where is the assembly of sages?

7. Which is that place where austerities and mantras yield fulfilment with a very little effort? Where does the glorious Lord of lords of the worlds dwell, who is the source of blessings and mercy unto the passionately devoted ones?

8. O holy sage highly efficient in blessing the people for the sake of the welfare of all the worlds, tell me this and all other things which are beneficial to others as their highest objective.

Sūta replied:

9. Very well! Very well! O illustrious one, you are devoted to the welfare of others. You have washed off all your mental impurities by means of your loving devotion to Hari.

10. It is as if the son of Devakī (Kṛṣṇa) has occupied my lotuslike heart by association with you, O Brahmanical sage. Rare indeed is contact with saintly people.

11. Association with good men is very difficult to get in this world. It dispels the accumulated mass of sins. It helps the (spiritual) progress of those who have undue attachment to their bodies and of those who have no control over their own self, with the superior merit (of such association).

12. Association with good men is very difficult to have for men in all the three worlds. It removes the bondage of the heart of those people who are afflicted by the bonds of Karmas. It accords lofty regions to those people who take to petty prattles. It affords rest to those who are weary on account of repeated births, deaths and other activities.

Sūta said:

13. O good Sir, this question was put formerly by Skanda to the Lord of the Daughter of the Mountain (Śiva). The place was the beautiful peak of Kailāsa. The sages were listening to it from all around. The purpose of the question was bringing about the salvation of good people.

Skanda asked:

14-15. O Lord, the glorious lord of the men of Yādava clan is the maker, annihilator, protector and preceptor of all the worlds. For the sake of the welfare of all creatures he has resolved to perform penance. Where does that Lord reside now at the advent of the Kali Age which is bereft of (i.e. has no regard for) the Vedas and Scriptures?

16. Which are the meritorious sacred places, Tīrthas and sacred rivers? By whom is the Lord, the Slayer of Madhu, attained directly? O Lord, O father, kindly tell this to me who am full of faith.

Śrī Mahādeva replied:

17-18. There are many Tīrthas and holy places, O Six-faced One, where Hari is desirous of staying. Some of them are capable of yielding the desired objects to seekers of the ultimate truth. Some of them are bestowers of salvation. Some Tīrthas which bestow both the benefits of here and hereafter, yield much merit.

19-22a. (The following are the holy rivers^[1]:) Gaṅgā, Godāvarī, Revā (Narmadā), Tapatī, Yamunā, Kṣiprā, Sarasvatī, the holy Gautamī, Kauśikī, Kāverī, Tāmraparṇī, Candrabhāgā, Mahendrajā (‘rising from the mountain Mahendra’), Citrotpalā, Vetravatī, Sarayū—a meritorious river, Carmaṇvatī, Śatadru, Payasvinī, Atrisaṃbhavā (‘born of Atri’), Gaṇḍikā, Bāhudā, Sindhu and Sarasvatī—all these are sacred and meritorious. When repeatedly served these yield worldly pleasures and salvation.

22b-23. (The holy places^[2] are:) Ayodhyā, Dvārikā, Kāśī, Mathurā, Avantikā, Kurukṣetra, Rāmatīrtha, Kāñcī, Puruṣottama (Jagannātha Purī), Puṣkara, Dardura, the holy spot Vārāha created by Brahmā and the highly meritorious holy place named Badarī which is the means for the achievement of all objectives in life.

24. By duly visiting Ayodhyā, the city which is the sole means of achieving salvation, (devotees) are rid of all their sins. They go to the region of Hari.

25. (Devotees of Hari) (go to Ayodhyā) after leaving their houses. There they engage themselves in worshipping, dancing and singing songs of praise in diverse ways, in the places which Viṣṇu (i.e. Rāma) had previously resorted to and where he had moved about. By meditating on Hari they go to heaven and they frustrate the endeavour of the god of Death.

26 If a person takes his bath at Svargadvāra (i.e. Ayodhyā) and sees the abode of Rāma with purity (of mind and body), he becomes one who has fulfilled his task. Hence I do not see (any need of) further activity for him (for salvation).

27. At Dvārikā Hari never leaves his abode. Even now his mansion is clearly seen by some meritorious persons.

28. If a man takes his holy bath in Gomatī and views the lotuslike face of Kṛṣṇa, he becomes liberated, O Six-faced One, even without Sāṃkhya (i.e. perfect knowledge).

29. Even the immortal Devas wish for death that brings in great benefit in (Vārāṇasī) which extends to five Krośas (i.e. 5x3 = 15 Kms) and lies between (rivers) Varuṇā and Asī. What to say of ordinary human beings?

30. If a man takes his bath in Maṇikarṇī, Jñānavāpī, Viṣṇupādodaka (i.e. Gaṅgā) and the lake Pañcanada (Pañcagaṅgā), he will never drink the breast-milk of a mother.

31. Even if a man casually visits Viśveśa (i.e. Śiva) at Kāśī, O Six-faced One, he becomes liberated without any further birth or death.

32a. Why should I say much? Nowhere is there a holy place like this.

32b. One who performs penance and observes holy fasts in Mathurā and goes to the place of birth (of Kṛṣṇa) becomes rid of all sins.

33. By taking bath in Viśrāntitīrtha in accordance with the injunctions and offering libations to the Pitṛs with gingelly seeds and water, one redeems them from hell and goes to the world of Viṣṇu.

34. If unwittingly a man commits a sin there, it becomes reduced to ash instantaneously, if he has his holy ablution in Viśrānta (Tīrtha).

35. Men who duly take their holy bath in the month of Vaiśākha at Avantī in river Śiprā, will never undergo the state of a ghost even in the course of hundreds of births.

36. By taking holy bath in Koṭitīrtha, visiting god Śiva called Mahākāla and feeding excellent Brāhmaṇas, one is liberated from all sins.

37. This is a holy spot yielding salvation. It is the direct means of attaining my world. By making charitable gifts poverty is eradicated (and there is happiness) here and hereafter.

38. By gifting gold (to Brāhmaṇas) in accordance with one’s capacity at Kurukṣetra in Rāmatīrtha during solar eclipse a man becomes liberated.

39. Men who accept those gifts out of covetousness will never attain manhood even in the course of hundreds and crores of Kalpas.

40. In the holy spot of Hari people should take their bath in the water of his holy feet (i.e. Gaṅgā) and see Hari. By doing so they will be rid of all their sins and will rejoice with Hari.

41. Many groups of Sky-walkers (gods etc.) stay here. Groups of sages eat fruits, roots and leaves. The sages here restrain their breaths and thereby they have gradually subdued the power of sense-organs.

42. In Viṣṇukāñcī Hari is directly present. In Śivakāñcī Śiva himself is present. Since there is no difference between these two, salvation is within the reach of everyone through devotion (to either). If they differentiate between Śiva and Viṣṇu, men will meet with evil results.

43. If a man takes his holy bath in Mārkaṇḍeya Hrada and sees Jagannātha (at Purī) at least once, he shall stop sucking the breasts of a mother even without recourse to Jñānayoga (redeeming knowledge or practice of yoga).

44. On a day in conjunction with the constellation Rohiṇī, one should take holy bath in the ocean or Indradyumna Hrada and then consume the Naivedya of Viṣṇu. Thereby one obtains residence in Vaikuṇṭha.

45. The holy spot (Puruṣottama Kṣetra) extending to ten Yojanas (i.e. 10x12 = 120 Kms) is situated on the conchshell (i.e. a place with the shape of a conchshell). Even worms there will have a form having four arms. There is no doubt about this.

46. On the Kārttikī day one should take bath at Puṣkara, perform Śrāddha with monetary gifts and feed Brāhmaṇas devoutly. Thereby one is honoured in the world of Brahmā.

47. If a man takes his holy bath in the lake at least once, and sees the sacrificial post with great concentration and mental purity, he shall be rid of all sins and will be born as an excellent Brāhmaṇa.

48-49a. The benefit that one obtains by practising Yoga for sixty thousand years, can be obtained by duly taking a bath in Saukara Tīrtha and worshipping Han with purity. The sins committed in the course of seven births perish instantaneously.

49b-50. Tīrtharāja (Prayāga) is of great merit. It is resorted to by all the other Tīrthas. By performing holy rites the desires of all creatures who wish for anything shall be realized. By taking holy bath in Veṇī (Triveṇī, i.e. confluence of Gaṅgā, Yamunā and Sarasvatī) one shall become purified. Thereafter, one should visit Mādhava. Thereby one enjoys the pleasures of meritorious persons and in the end attain the state of Mādhava (himself).

51-52. Merely by reciting the name of Badarī one attains the benefit which a man full of devotion gets by bathing in Triveṇī in the month of Māgha.

The Tīrtha called Daśāśvamedhika yields the benefit of ten sacrifices.

O son, it (i.e. the glory of Tīrthas) has been succinctly spoken. What more do you wish to hear?

Śrī Mahādeva said:

53. The holy spot of Hari named Badarī is difficult of access in all the three worlds. Merely by remembering the holy place men who have committed great sins are immediately absolved of sins. Those who die there attain salvation.

54. Even a mental pilgrimage to Badarī becomes equal to a severe penance performed in other Tīrthas.

55. There are many Tīrthas in heaven, earth and nether worlds, but there never was a Tīrtha like Badarī nor will there ever be (one).

56. Within a moment one gets in Viśālā (i.e. Badarī) that benefit which one derives after performing thousands of sacrifices or a penance with only air as subsistence.

57. This holy spot is called Muktipradā (‘bestower of salvation’) in Kṛtayuga, Yogasiddhidā (‘bestower of yogic powers’) in Tretāyuga, and Viśālā in Dvāpara; and in Kali Age it is called Badarikāśrama.

58. The gross and the subtle body are the dwelling places of the Jīva. Since the holy spot destroys it through perfect knowledge, it is called Viśālā.

59. This holy spot exudes nectar because of the contact of a Badarī tree (jujube tree); so it is called Badarī by wise men, where lives a group of sages.

60. Lord Viṣṇu may abandon all the Tīrthas in the course of different Yugas on different occasions, but he never leaves Badarī.

61. O Guha, by visiting Badarī one obtains that benefit which people derive by taking a plunge in all the Tīrthas or by performing penance, yogic practice and Samādhi (meditation).

62. The benefit obtained by yogic practice in sixty thousand years is obtained in a day by staying at Vārāṇasī and the same benefit by (simply) going to Badarī.

63. It is called Viśālā as it is the abode of all the Tīrthas, all the Devas and all the sages.

Notes regarding Badarikāśrama (Badrīnāth):

Note: Badarikāśrama (mod. Badrīnāth): Also known as Badarī and Viśālā Badarī. This sacred place of Viṣṇu in Garhwal (U.P.) lies on a peak of the main Himalayan range, also known as Gandhamādana. The temple of Nara-Nārāyaṇa is built on the west bank of Alakanandā (Bishengaṅgā) over the site of a hot spring called Agni Kuṇḍa. It is equidistant from the two mountains known as Nara and Nārāyaṇa (De 15). Sages Nara and Nārāyaṇa, sons of Mūrti and Dharma, performed penance here (Mbh, Vana 40.1). Pāṇḍavas performed a pilgrimage here (Mbh, Vana 145). BdP III. 25.67 and VP V. 37.34 repeat the association of Nara and Nārāyaṇa with Badarī. NP II. 67 describes Badarī at length and specifies the sub-Tīrthas. Parāśara, father of Vyāsa, resided here (Parāśara Smṛti 1.5). Everything hereof: the river, rocks in the rivers, Kuṇḍas of water, streams, is sacred—each justified with a mythical legend.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Modern names of the rivers mentioned: Tapatī (Tāpī or Tāptī); Gautamī (Godāvarī) (the name is repeated), Kauśikī (Kosī); Candrabhāgā (Chenab); Citrotpalā (Mahānadī or rather Chittutolā), Vetravatī (Betwa in M.P.) (De 50); Carmaṇvatī (Chambal in Malwa, M.P.); Śatadru (Sutlej); Payasvinī (Paisunī or Pisani, a tributary of Yamunā—De 156); Gaṇḍikā (Gaṇḍak), Bāhudā (Dhumela or Burhā-Raptī a feeder of Rapti in Oudh—De 10).

[2]:

Modern names of the ancient places: Dardura (Nilgiri Hills)—De 53. Varāha-Kṣetra—Baramula in Kashmir. It is on the right bank of Vitastā, at the head of western entrance in Kashmir valley. (HD IV, p. 818)