Chapter 69 - The Greatness of Karkarāja Tīrtha

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Sanatkumāra said:

1. Listen further to the description of a great Tīrtha that accords the benefit of all Tīrthas. Formerly it was gloriously described by Brahmā when Markaṇḍeya asked him about it.

2. Listen, O dear one. There is a very divine river on the earth named Śiprā. The excellent Tīrtha well-known as Karkarāja is on its banks.

3-7. By merely visiting it, great sins can be destroyed. All mental aberrations too are destroyed. Candra is born of Mānasa. The Sun during his southern transit went to his (i.e. of the Moon) place. The three Ṛtus covering this period are collectively called Vidhūmrārcis. Those who die then even if they are Yogins, do not get salvation. They become active in this world itself. Those men who do not perform Vratas during the four months when Hari is asleep, O dear one, never attain good goal. I tell you the truth. It is to redeem those who die during the Cāturmāsya period (four months) and in Dakṣiṇāyana (southern transit of the Sun) that this Tīrtha has been created. This Tīrtha is well-known and praised in all the worlds. It is named Karkarāja.

Mārkaṇḍeya said:

8-9. O holy Sir, everything here, the entire world consisting of the mobile and immobile beings, has been created by you who have the Cosmic form, O Lord of the Cosmos. There are certain injunctions in the Smṛti texts regarding the holy rites to be performed during Cāturmāsya when Hari is asleep, O most excellent one among the knowers of Brahman. I wish to hear about them from you.

Brahmā said:

10. Listen, O dear one, to the great merit, the splendid benefit derived from Cāturmāsya. On hearing this, salvation cannot be inaccessible to men in Bharat Khaṇḍa.

11. This Lord is the bestower of liberation. He is the cause of redemption from worldly existence. Merely by remembering him, all sins can be destroyed.

12. Human birth is very difficult to obtain. There too nobility of birth. There again the state of having control over sense-organs and there the splendid association with the good.

13. Where there is no association with saintly people, the devotion to Viṣṇu and Vratas is impossible. Particularly in Cāturmāsya, a person who observes Viṣṇu Vrata is auspicious.

14-15. Futile indeed is the merit of that person who does not observe Vrata in Cāturmāsya. When Cāturmāsya has arrived all the Tīrthas and meritorious shrines are stationed (function) with the support of Viṣṇu. That Viṣṇu always depends upon the excellent Tīrtha Karkarāja.

16. Splendid indeed is the life of that person with a well-nourished body by whom Hari is always adored when Cāturmāsya has arrived.

17-22. The Devas remain contented and delighted with him and they bestow boons on him as long as he lives. After attaining a human body, if one is averse to Cāturmāsya (Vrata), they say that undoubtedly he will incur hundreds of sins located in his body.

Human birth is rarely achieved in the world and devotion to Hari is still rare. Further (rarer) (is it) in Cāturmāsya, particularly when Lord Janārdana is asleep.

O excellent Brāhmaṇa, after taking the holy bath in Cāturmāsya in Karkarāja, a man attains the benefit of all Kratus and rejoices in heaven like a Deva.

The special opportunity to take the holy bath when the Sun is in Cancer (zodiac) is inaccessible to all creatures including Suras, Asuras and human beings.

One can attain the path of salvation by purifying the body at the outset and that too in a rivulet, well, tank or lake. Hence that has been considered more meritorious by Suras and Asuras. If a person regularly takes his holy bath there, his sins get destroyed.

23-27. It has been proclaimed by Suras and Asuras that a river is more meritorious than that (i.e. tank etc.). If a person takes his holy bath in Cāturmāsya in Puṣkara or Prayāga or wherever there is a great water reservoir, his merit is said to be more than that.

If a person can take his holy bath at least one day during Cāturmāsya, in Revā, in the holy spot of Bhāskarakṣetra or in the confluence with the sea in the east, he will never experience misery.

If a person takes his holy bath for three days with great mental concentration and purity in Narmadā when Lord Jagannātha is asleep, his sin goes away in a thousand pieces. A person who takes his holy bath at sunrise in Godāvarī for a fortnight, breaks through his body born of Karma and attains the same world as that of Viṣṇu. That in Karkarāja in Avantī will transform the man into Viṣṇu himself. One should not waste even a moment or half of a moment during Cāturmāsya.

28. I do not know adequately how much more will be his merit. What and of what nature is the benefit declared by sages, if a person takes bath with gingelly seeds water mixed with Āmalaka (Indian gooseberry) and Bilva leaves as well?

29. If a person regularly goes near a well and remembers Gaṅgā, it becomes Gaṅgā-water and he should take his holy bath thereby.

30. Gaṅgā flows from the great toe of the foot of the Lord of Devas. It is declared as the destroyer of sins forever and particularly so during Cāturmāsya.

31. During Cāturmāsya, Lord Nārāyaṇa stays in water. That holy bath which is in contact with a part of the refulgence of Viṣṇu is superior to (one) in all other Tīrthas.

32. Snāna has to be performed in ten ways. It is of great benefit when done with (the utterance of) the name of Viṣṇu, particularly when the Lord is asleep. The man attains Devahood.

33. A holy rite, a pious activity, if performed without a bath becomes futile to a Brāhmaṇa. Rākṣasas take it (the fruit) over.

34. Through Snāna one attains the truth. The eternal Dharma (piety) lies in truth. After attaining the path to salvation through Dharma, one never suffers again.

35. People may be meritorious and knower of the spirit (soul); they may be masters of Vedānta; still their activities, making gifts (etc.); become purified through Snāna only.

36. Indeed Hari occupies the body of one who has taken his holy bath. All the rites yield full benefit only (through Snāna).

37. Taking bath in water during Cāturmāsya is conducive to the destruction of all sins and propitiation of all deities. It causes the destruction of all sins.

38. One should not take bath at night nor in Sandhyā (dusk) except when there is an eclipse. One should not take bath with hot water at night. No purity accrues (results) thereby.

39. In all rites purification occurs as laid down, through viewing the Sun. Particularly during Cāturmāsya purity occurs through water.

40. When one is not physically strong, one becomes pure by means of Bhasmasnāna (bath through ash smeared over the body). O eminent Brāhmaṇa, he may become pure through Mantra Snāna or the water from the feet of Viṣṇu.

41. Snāna should be taken in front of Nārāyaṇa in a holy spot, Tīrtha and rivers, particularly in the excellent Tīrtha named Karka on Śiprā.

42. A man who regularly bathes, goes to the region of Viṣṇu. Hence, O excellent Bhārgava, go there. Do not tarry long.

43. All the Tīrthas and holy shrines all over the earth lie (exist) always in the waters of Karkarāja.

44. If men perform Snāna when the Sun is in Cancer (zodiac) they will never come back (from salvation) even after hundreds of crores of Kalpas.

45. When Cāturmāsya comes, I stay there itself. There is no river as meritorious as Revā in the whole of the Cosmic Egg (or) on the earth.

46. There is no Lord other than Maheśa; there is no other bestower of salvation than Janārdana; there is no city equal to Ujjayinī bestowing the boon of whatever is desired.

47. O dear one, there is no other Tīrtha on a par with Karkarāja on the earth. By the mere vision thereof, a man attains salvation.

48. Thus, O Vyāsa, it was narrated by Brahmā to Bhārgava. Hence, with all effort, go to Mahākālavana.

49. To us also staying there alone is highly splendid during the Cāturmāsya when Hari is asleep, till Prabodhinī arrives (eleventh day in the bright half of Kārttika).

50-52. Till then undoubtedly there is salvation there. If one gives up the body during Cāturmāsya when Hari is asleep, one will stay in Yamaloka for a long time. There is no doubt about it. Hence, O excellent Brāhmaṇa, till the Prabodhinī Dvādaśī (twelfth lunar day) comes, one shall stake the soul in a part of Tulasī leaf or Śāligrāma or a temple and unite it therewith.

53-57. Afterwards he should redeem himself by offering ghee or gold. The fault arising from Cāturmāsya does not affect a man who takes his holy bath in the waters of Śiprā in Karkarāja. Thus, O Vyāsa, this excellent Tīrtha yields the benefit of all the Tīrthas. All the Tīrthas, rivers and seas on the earth come here during Cāturmāsya, O excellent Brāhmaṇa. Hence that Tīrtha Karkarāja is proclaimed as the most excellent Tīrtha.

If people listen to or narrate this meritorious story, they will never have the fault arising from Cāturmāsya.