Chapter 7 - The Seven Holy Cities

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Agastya said:

1. There was a certain Brāhmaṇa, the most excellent of all Brāhmaṇas, in Mathurā. His son of great refulgence is well-known by the name Śivaśarman.

2-7. The Brāhmaṇa Śivaśarman duly studied the Vedas and comprehended the meanings of the texts fully. He read Dharmaśāstra texts and understood the Purānas. He learnt the Aṅgas (ancillary subjects), through discussion and pondered over the texts in logic, went through the two (Pūrva and Uttara) Mīmāṃsā systems and mastered Dhanurveda (‘science of archery’). He worked hard in the art of dance; he acquired (mastery) in many texts on political economy; he comprehended the behaviour of horses and elephants; he practised the various types of arts; he became an expert in the Science of Mantras (magical and mystical spells); he learnt the languages of the different countries and the scripts of alien lands. Through pious and legitimate means, he earned wealth. He enjoyed pleasures as much as he liked. He begot sons of good qualities and divided his assets among them. He then realised that youth is of fleeting nature. He found that old age reached his ears (in the form of greying hairs). Then the excellent Brāhmaṇa felt great anxiety.

8. He thought: ‘My time was spent in reading and learning; then in earning wealth. Lord Maheśāna who is capable of eradicating all karmas was not adored and propitiated.

9. Viṣṇu, Hari, the destroyer of all sins, was not pleased by me; Gaṇeśa, the bestower of all the desires of men, was not adored by me.

10. The Sun-god, the destroyer of masses of darkness, was not worshipped by me anywhere. Mahāmāyā, the creator and sustainer of the universe and the destroyer of worldly bondage, was not meditated upon.

11. The Devas, the bestowers of all prosperity, were not propitiated by all types of Yajñas. Service was not rendered to groves of Tulasī plants for the sake of quelling sins.

12. Brāhmaṇas who are the saviours from adversities here and hereafter, have not been rendered satisfied by me through savoury cooked rice and sweet juices.

13. Trees with plenty of blossoms and fruits, smooth glossy sprouts and ample shade have not been planted by me, an act which could have yielded fruit (viz., happiness) here and hereafter.

14. Noble married women enjoying conjugal bliss, who are capable of providing excellent places of residence here and hereafter have not been adorned (by me) with ornaments for every limb, silk clothes and bodices befitting them.

15. A fertile land (the grant of which) could have warded off (the necessity to go to) Yama’s region has not been gifted to Brāhmaṇas. Gold that utterly removes sins, has not been given to a man of high caste (i.e. Brāhmaṇa)

16. A cow with her calf that removes sins here quickly and accords happiness in the next seven births, has not been bedecked and gifted to a deserving person.

17. No pond, well or lake has been dug in order to wipe off the indebtedness to our mother. No guest, who could have shown the pathway to heaven, has been pleased (by me).

18. No umbrella, pair of sandals, and water pot have been given as gift to a pedestrian, which could have afforded (me) pleasure along the pathway to heaven or while proceeding to Saṃyaminī (i.e. the region of Yama).

19. I have never given monetary help to anyone for celebrating the marriage of (his) daughter, which gift could have increased the happiness here and could have provided one with a celestial virgin (hereafter).

20. Out of covetousness, I did not perform the Vājapeya sacrifice which could have accorded plenty of savoury food and sweet beverages in the course of this birth as well as in the next. Nor did I take the holy valedictory ablution therein.

21. I did not build any splendid temple and install a Liṅga (therein). Had that Liṅga been installed the entire universe would have been stabilized.

22. A holy shrine of Viṣṇu that bestows all prosperities has not been built by me; nor have the idols of the Sun and Gaṇeśa been installed by me.

23. Neither Gaurī nor Mahālakṣmī has been painted even in a picture. If the idols of these are made (the man) never becomes ugly or destitute.

24. For the purpose of obtaining plenty of divine garments, I have not given as gifts fine and glamorous clothes of various colours to Brāhmaṇas.

25. For the cleansing of all sins, gingelly seeds soaked in ghee have not been consigned to the well-kindled holy fire after sanctifying them with Mantras.

26. I have not performed the Japa of (Vedic hymns like) Śrīsūkta, Pāvamanī Ṛks, Brāhmaṇas, Maṇḍalas, Puruṣasūkta and Śatarudriya, the remover of sins.

27. Leaving off Sundays and thirteenth lunar days I have not served (attended upon) the holy fig tree. Indeed it promptly removes sins but not during the night or Fridays.

28. Soft beds with costly cotton have not been gifted along with mirrors and lamps, which are capable of according all prosperities and pleasures.

29-30. None of these things has been given as gifts by me: goat, horse, buffalo, sheep, slave girl, deer’s skin, gingelly seeds, water pots along with curd-soaked wheat flour, seat, soft sandals, massage of the feet, lamp as gift, special arrangement for drinking, water-sheds for pedestrians, fans, garments, betel-leaves etc. together with other things rendering the mouth and breath fragrant.

31-32. The daily Śrāddha offering, oblations to the spirits or living beings, worship of guests were not performed and other praiseworthy things were not given. If one gives all these, one does not enter the region of Yama, nor does one see Yama, his messengers or the torturers in the region of Yama. They (such persons) are meritorious. But I have not done any of these things.

33. Kṛcchra, Cāndrāyaṇa and other expiatory rites, the observance of fast by day and a meal at night etc., cause purity of the body. But these were not at all performed by me.

34. The daily mouthfuls of fodder to the cows were not given; I have not scratched the cows for removing the itching sensation; no cow stuck in the mud has been lifted up by me—an act that would have bestowed happiness on me in the Goloka (Region of Cows).

35. Suppliants have not been rendered satisfied by me through the objects requested for by them. Surely, in the next birth, I shall have to roam about saying, ‘Give! Give!’

36. Neither the Vedas nor the scriptural texts, neither riches nor the wife nor the son, neither the field nor the mansion can take one to the end of Māyā.’

37-38. Śivaśarman thought thus after racking his brains fully. Ultimately he decided thus in his mind: ‘If this is done, it shall be conducive to my welfare. As long as the body is hale and hearty, as long as there is no deficiency in the organs of sense and action, it behoves me to undertake a pilgrimage that can bring about my eternal welfare.’

39-41. The Brāhmaṇa spent five or six days in the house thus. On an auspicious lunar day, when the week day was good and when the Lagna was propitious, the Brāhmaṇa observed fast for the night and performed Śrāddha in the morning. He bowed down to the leaders of the attendants (of Śiva) and the Brāhmaṇas. He came to the decision that pilgrimage is the highest ladder leading to the state of liberation and that it retains all the creatures there. Thereafter the wise Brāhmaṇa took his food and started.

42-43. The Brāhmaṇa went some distance along the way. He then rested on the road for a short while and thought: ‘Where shall I go first? There are many holy places on the earth. The span of life is unsteady. The mind is fickle. So I shall go to the seven (holy) cities because all the holy spots and shrines are present there.’^[1]

44-45. He went to the city of Ayodhyā and took his holy bath in Sarayū. He propitiated the manes by offering balls of rice in the different holy spots. There he stayed for five nights and fed Brāhmaṇas. Thereafter the delighted Brāhmaṇa went to Prayāga, the king of holy places.

46. That is the place where the two excellent rivers of black and white colours, viz., Yamunā and Gaṅgā are present. They are inaccessible even to Suras. By taking his holy ablution there, (even) a sinner realizes the highest Brahman.

47. That is the holy place of Prajāpati inaccessible to all. Only through merits accumulated, is it obtained and not otherwise or through heaps of wealth.

48. It is the place where the sacred celestial river (Gaṅgā) comes and meets the splendid river (Yamunā) having its source in the Kalinḍa Mountain, which suppresses (the evils of) the Kali age and the god of Death.

49. The word Prayāga means that which is superior to all Yāgas (sacrifices). Those who perform sacrifices there and get their bodies made wet by the river are not reborn.

50. The trident and axe wielding Maheśvara is directly present there himself. It is he who points out the path of salvation to the living beings who take their holy dip there.

51. There is an Akṣayya (‘Never-fading’) eternal holy banyan tree^[2] there, with its roots going deep into the seven nether worlds. At the time of the ultimate annihilation, the son of Mṛkaṇḍu (i.e., Mārkaṇḍeya, the sage) climbed it and stayed (free from annihilation).

52. That should be known as Hiraṇyagarbha himself assuming the form of the banyan tree. The devotee, who feeds Brāhmaṇas with faith and devotion near it, attains eternal merit.

53. The Consort of Lakṣmī directly comes there and takes men to the great region of Viṣṇu in the form of Śrīmādhava.

54. The excellent black and white rivers (Yamunā-Gaṅgā) are mentioned in the Vedas. It is certain that those who get their limbs submerged therein attain immortality.

55-57. Residents from all these worlds, viz., those of Śiva, Brahmā, Umā, Kumāra and Lokas like Vaikuṇṭha, Satyaloka, Tapoloka, Jana, Mahar, Bhuvaḥ, Bhū, all the Nāgalokas, all the heaven-dwellers and the mountains the chief of whom is Himvān as well as the wish-yielding Kalpa and other trees come to Prayāga at dawn in the month of Māgha, in order to take the holy bath.

58. The female deities of the quarters request the winds blowing from Prayāga saying, “Even they (the winds) will sanctify us. What shall we do? We are lame.”

59. Formerly horse-sacrifice and other sacrifices were weighed against the dust particles at Prayāga by Brahmā. They (sacrifices) were not equal to the dust particles.

60. The sins embedded in the marrow accumulated over many births become agitated on just hearing the name of Prayāga and get destroyed.

61. This is a perfect Dharmatīrtha. This is a great Arthatīrtha; it is a Kāmikatīrtha; it is certainly a Mokṣatīrtha. (That is, it is conducive to the accomplishment of all the four great human aims.)

62. Brāhmaṇa-slaughter and other sins of embodied beings roar and boast of their powers only so long as they do not take their bath in the month of Māgha at Prayāga, the annihilator of sins.

63. “Wise men always see the greatest region of Viṣṇu”: This is frequently referred to in the Vedas. That is Prayāga itself since it is the giver of salvation.

64. The river Sarasvatī is of the nature of Rajas; the river Yamunā is of the nature of Tamas and the river Gaṅgā here is of the nature of Sattva. All the three together lead (the devotees) to Brahman (the Absolute) which is free from attributes (Rajas etc.)

65. This confluence (of the three rivers) acts as the ladder to the path of Brahman unto a living being whose body is sanctified, whether he takes the holy dip with faith or otherwise or even when he is forcibly dipped into it, and hence proceeds along the path of Brahman.

66. There is a certain noble lady renowned in the worlds as Kāśī.^[3] Eager and enthusiastic Arka (Sun-god) and Keśava constitute her tremulous eyes. Varaṇā and Asi are her two arms. This confluence is her Veṇī (unornamented single braid of hair). This Kāśī is proclaimed as the source of everlasting bliss.

Agastya said:

67. O pious lady, who is competent to describe the good qualities of Prayāga, the king of holy places, served and resorted to by the other holy spots?

68. It is resorted to by the other holy Tīrthas in order to get rid of the accumulated sins of the sinners completely washed of (and left behind in it) by them. Hence Prayāga is superior (to them).

69. Having come to know the good qualities of Prayāga, the wise Brāhmaṇa, Śivaśarman, stayed there for the whole of the month of Māgha and then went to the city of Vārāṇasī.

70-71. At the entrance itself he saw Dehalī Vināyaka^[4] (Lord Gaṇeśa at the threshold) who protects his people (devotees) from great obstacles. With great devotion, he smeared (the idol) with saffron paste mixed with ghee and offered five Modakas (sweetmeats) as Naivedya. Then he entered the inner shrine.

72. After entering, he saw the celestial river that flows towards the north at Maṇikarṇikā, the river that was surrounded by groups of men whose merits as well as sins were washed off and who resembled the attendants of Śiva.

73. That Śivaśarman who knew the details of Karmakāṇḍa (rituals) plunged into the pure waters along with the clothes he wore, O blameless lady, without delay. With his intellect purified he offered libations to gods, sages, human beings, celestial manes and his own manes.

74. He quickly performed the rite of Pañcatīrthikā (five holy waters at Varaṇā, Asi, Pañcanada, Maṇikarṇikā and Daśāśvamedha), propitiated Viśveśvara in accordance with his financial resources and went round the city. On seeing time and again the city of the Enemy of the Three Puras, he wondered, ‘Is this seen by me or not?’

75. If scrupulously examined, even that celestial city (Amarāvatī) cannot be on a par with this city, because of the difference in the creation (of the two cities). The said difference is like the difference of a worthless text and the sacred literature written in excellent characters.

76. Even the water here has such divine properties as are incomprehensible. Though the ambrosia in the heavenly city is good, it is worthless in comparison with this. If this is drunk at any time, there shall not be any opportunity to drink the milk from the breasts of one’s mother. (One gets Mokṣa but Nectar-drinkers have to take birth in Saṃsāra.)

77. By pondering over the Lord of the Vedas, the people here are free from ailments. People performing sacred rites do not do so without referring to Pinākin (i.e. dedicating the fruit thereof to the Lord). They, therefore, imitate the attendants of Śiva in all respects. They attain a status equal to that of the attendants (of Śiva).

78. By whom is this Kāśī not eulogized? At the time of the death, through the fruition of the many merits performed and earned before, the Moon-crested Lord imparts the instruction in Oṃkāra to the embodied beings staying here.

79. The auspicious Lord Śiva, the wish-yielding Cintāmaṇi jewel unto the men of worldly pursuits, whispers the Tāraka Mantra into the (right) ear of good people at the time of death. Hence this holy spot is spoken of as Maṇikarṇikā.^[5]

80. This holy spot is a jewel in the great pedestal of Goddess Lakṣmī of salvation, as well as a pericarp of her lotus-like feet. Hence people call this Maṇikarṇikā.

81. The four types of living beings staying here, viz., the womb-born, the egg-born, the germinating ones and the sweat-born ones, are not on the same footing as the gods to whom salvation is unobtainable. They are superior.

82. “My birth was futile till today, because ill-behaved and ignorant (as I was), I did not perceive Kāśikā, the illuminator of liberation.”

83. Śivaśarman was not fully satisfied even though he frequently made that holy spot the guest of his eyes, the holy spot that is sacred and wonderful.

84-85. “I know that Kāśī is the chief of all the seven (holy) cities, (since) it is efficient in according excellent salvation. Yet, since the other four cities have not been visited by me, I shall go there and learn their greatness and come back once again.”

86. Although he undertook the pilgrimage everyday for a year, he could not visit all the Tīrthas. Indeed, there is a holy spot at every place as small as even a gingelly seed.

Agastya said:

87. O noble lady, though conscious of all the great qualities of this holy spot, the Brāhmaṇa, well-versed in all the means of valid knowledge, did set out (from Kāśī), alas!

88. O fair lady, what can scriptures do though they are authoritative? Who is competent to ward off the inevitable advent of Mahāmāya?

89. Who can cause restraint in the mind which wavers though stationed in an exalted place, or the water though stationed in an elevated place but flows down? The nature of both of them is unsteady.

90. Proceeding from one land to another duly, that Śivaśarman reached the city of Mahākāla (i.e. Ujjayinī) free from the bad effects of Kali and Kāla.

91. He who devours the entire universe in every Kalpa sportingly is Kāla. He who swallows Kāla becomes Mahākāla.

92. The city that saves the universe from sin is called Avantī. In every Yuga, it has a different name. In the Kali age it is called Ujjayinī.

93. A creature in adversity there, even after becoming a corpse, does not emit putrefying smell nor does it become swollen.

94. The messengers of Yama never enter it. There are many millions and millions of Liṅgas there at every step.

95. The self-same fiery Liṅga of refulgence becomes three, viz. Hāṭakeśa, Mahākāla and Tārakeśa and remains pervading the three worlds.

96. The fiery refulgence at Siddhavaṭa is seen by Dvijas (men of the first three castes) or those are the meritorious persons who visit Mahākāla.

97. If that Liṅga of Mahākāla is seen by those who suffer from worldly sorrows, they will never be sullied by great sins; they will never be seen by the arrogant soldiers of Yama.

98. When their backs are stroked by the tips of the banners (fluttering on the tops of the mansions) in Mahākāla, the horses of the Sun in the sky get rid of the pain resulting from the lashes of the whip of Aruṇa.

99. The Father of Smara (Viṣṇu) and the Slayer of Smara (Śiva) always remember those who remember and repeat the name Mahākāla constantly.

100. After propitiating thus Mahākāla, the lord of spirits, the Brāhmaṇa went to the city of Kāntī (Kañcī, Tamil Nadu) that is more brilliant than the three worlds.

101. It is definite that Lakṣmīkānta (Lord Viṣṇu) himself directly makes all the creatures staying here Śrīkāntas (possessors of wealth, identical with Viṣṇu) here and hereafter.

102. By visiting Kāntī (Kāñcī) which is refulgent and which is resorted to by those who are brilliant, that Brāhmaṇa also became resplendent. There is no fading of splendour of anyone there.

103. The Brāhmaṇa conversant with all duties, performed everything that should be done there and stayed there for seven nights. Then he went to the city of Dvārāvatī.

104. There are places and opportunities of entries for all the four aims of life in this city. Hence, it is called Dvārāvatī by learned men who know reality.

105. If the bones of the creatures (dying here) are marked with discus, what wonder is there that they will become Viṣṇus in form, with their hands marked with conch and discus?

106. The god of Death frequently teaches his messengers thus: “They who merely utter the name of Dvārāvatī should be abandoned (by you).

107. Where is that fragrance in sandalwood, where is such a colour in gold, where is that sanctity in (the other) Tīrthas, as is found in the Gopīcandana of Dvārāvatī?

108. O messengers, may all of you hear: He also whose forehead is marked with Gopīcandana, should be kept at a distance like blazing fire.

109. O soldiers, they also should be kept far off and abandoned, those who are adorned with Tulasī, those who repeat the name of Tulasī and those who grow Tulasī plants.”

110. For ages together the ocean has been stealing away the jewels of Dvārāvatī all round and so it is being sung about as Ratnākara (‘storehouse of jewels’).

111. Urged by the god of Death when creatures die at Dvārāvatī, they become Viṣṇu in Vaikuṇṭha endowed with four arms and wearing yellow cloths.

112. There also he (Śivaśarman) offered libations to the manes along with the gods, sages and men. Without lethargy, he took the holy bath in all those Tīrthas.

113. Then he reached Māyāpurī which is inaccessible to sinners and where the Māyā pertaining to Viṣṇu does not fetter the living beings with the nooses of Māyā (those of ‘I’ and ‘mine’).

114. Some call this holy spot Haridvāra; others call it Mokṣadvāra. Some call it Gaṅgādvāra and some call it Māyāpura.

115. It is from here that Gaṅgā originated and became well-known all over the world as Bhāgīrathī. By the utterance of its name, the sin of men gets shattered into thousand pieces.

116. People have called Haridvāra as a single flight of steps to Vaikuṇṭha. Those men who take their holy plunge here go to the greatest region of Viṣṇu.

117-118. He observed the fast customary in a Tīrtha and kept awake at night. In the morning he took his bath in Gaṅgā and offered libations to those who should be offered. When that excellent Brāhmaṇa desired to take food for breaking the fast, he was attacked by cold and fever. Ailing much, he shivered awfully.

119. Alone and a stranger to the place, afflicted with high fever, he was overwhelmed by great anxiety: ‘What is this that has befallen me?’

120. He sank in the ocean of anxious thoughts. He abandoned all hopes of life and wealth like a sea-faring merchant whose ship is wrecked in the deep ocean.

121. Where is this holy spot? Where is my wife? Where are my sons? Where are those assets? Where is that wonderful mansion? Where is that collection of books (of mine)?

122. My age is not so ripe now. Hairs have not turned grey. This sickness is awful. God of Death who knows when to strike is also terrible.

123. Death has settled on my head. My residence is far off. When the house is on fire shall one begin to dig a well?

124. Of what avail are these futile thoughts? They but increase my distress. I shall think about Hṛṣīkeśa or Śiva, the bestower of auspicious welfare.

125. Or one good means of salvation has been performed by me. These seven cities of salvation have been directly visited by me.

126. Either heavenly bliss or salvation, one of these two should be invariably achieved by a learned man. If that has not been acquired, one will surely regret with distress.

127. Or, of what avail is this endless series of thoughts? Death is conducive to welfare either in a battle or in a holy spot like mine here.

128. Am I to die somewhere in the street now like an unlucky fellow? I shall die in the river Bhāgīrathī. Why should I worry like a foolish fellow?

129. I shall certainly achieve salvation by dying with this body, a conglomeration of bones and skin.’

130. While he was thinking thus, he experienced a terrible pain. He fell into that condition which one stung by ten million scorpions falls into.

131. Everything that should have been remembered was forgotten. He did not even know who he was and where he was. After remaining in this condition for fourteen days, he died.

132. By that time, an aerial chariot came there from the region of Vaikuṇṭha. There was a lofty flagstaff therein marked with (the images of) Tārkṣya (Garuḍa).

133. It was very spacious and occupied by a thousand excellent girls with chowries in their hands, wearing golden-coloured silken cloths.

134. It was rendered brilliant by the two attendants Puṇyaśīla (‘of meritorious habits’) and Suśīla (‘of excellent behaviour’) endowed with four arms and excellent countenances. The aerial chariot had garlands of tinkling ornaments.

135. Endowed with four arms and clad in yellow garments, he got into that aerial chariot and adorned the path of the firmament.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The seven cities traditionally regarded as holy and givers of salvation (Mokṣada) are Ayodhyā, Mathurā, Māyā (Haridwar), Kāśī, Kāñci (Tamil Nadu), Avantikā, Dvārāvatī (Dvārakā). The Brāhmāṇa Śivaśarman, therefore, decides to visit them as a pilgrim. Here Prayāga (Allahabad) is added as it is the ‘King of Tīrthas (Tīrtha-rāja). The popular etymology of Prayāga is given in v 49 below. VV 46-69 describe the greatness of Prayāga.

[2]:

This is now located in the fort of Allahabad.

[3]:

Kāśī is regarded as a lady with the Sun-god Lolārka and Ādikeśava (two famous temples at Kāśī) as her eyes. The two rivers Varaṇā and Asi (which form the boundaries of Kāśī) are regarded as her arms. Gaṅgā (which is braided with Yamunā) at Prayāga is her braid of hair.

[4]:

Dehalī Vināyaka (Vināyaka at the threshold) is the guardian of the ‘Western Door’ of Kāśī. It is on the Pañca-Krośī route.

[5]:

Popular etymology of Maṇikarṇikā in vv 79, 80.