Chapter 70 - Index of All Tīrthas (in this Text)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Sanatkumāra said:

1. To the south of Meru and to the north of Dugdhakuṇḍa, there is the excellent mountain Ṛṣabha that is resorted to by Devas and Gandharvas.

2. There is a lake named Ramyasaras, O Brāhmaṇa, at that place. It bestows all desired things. The beautiful wives of Devas sport about there always.

3. By taking his holy bath in the Tīrtha there, a man becomes fortunate and charming. He will be greatly renowned on the earth and will be sporting with Devas.

4-10. If the eighth day of the bright half of the month of Bhādrapada coincides with Maitrarkṣa (Constellation Anurādhā), on that day a person should come here and perform Snāna, Dāna and other rites, O Vyāsa. They (such persons) attain eternal worlds.

To the north-east of Meru, there is a divine Tīrtha of great splendour. It is famous by the name of Bindusaras. It bestows the boon of all desired objects. Gaṅgā, Sarasvatī, the meritorious Sarayū with plenty of water—these excellent rivers go there, O son of Satyavatī.

Siddhas, Sādhyas and ascetics observing great Vratas, perform the worship of that Tīrtha always. By taking his holy bath in that Tīrtha a man certainly attains all objects.

The fourth day in the bright half of Bhādrapada is said to be Siddha (full achievement). That is the day of nativity of Gaṇādhipa. He is reputed as Manaḥkāmeśvara (Lord of all mental desires). He is the bestower of the boon of all desired objects. A man should take his holy bath in the Tīrtha there and visit Lord Gaṇeśvara. He shall obtain hundreds of desires and can move anywhere he pleases.

Vyāsa said:

11-12. How many Tīrthas and shrines of deities are there in this splendid holy spot, the excellent Mahākālavana, O holy Brāhmaṇa? How many of them are well-known? Tell us everything in detail.

Sanatkumāra said:

13-16. Listen, O Vyāsa, O most excellent one among sages, to the great story that dispels sins. O great sage, even the Fourfaced Self-born Lord (Brahmā) cannot by any means describe all the Liṅgas and Tīrthas in Avantī in the course of sixty thousand years.

No one can say how many drops fall down from clusters of clouds, how many blades of grass there are on the earth, how many sand-particles there are on the ground and how many luminaries are there in the sky. O ascetic, there is no limit to the number of Tīrthas and Liṅgas in Avantī.

17-24. This city is one of the Tīrthas both in the sky and on the earth. Everything everywhere is a Tīrtha: the tanks, wells, lakes etc., springs, rivulets, rivers, ponds etc. dug up there are Tīrthas themselves. Still in the context of Devayātrā (pilgrimage) know the relevant ones from me. I shall tell you the chief ones on knowing which you will be liberated from the auspicious and inauspicious things previously contracted.

A person should get up early in the morning regularly and remain pure mentally and physically. Remembering Viṣṇu he should complete the routine duties as he pleases. Then he should take all scents, gingelly seeds, raw rice-grains etc., and take his holy dip in Rudrasaras. There itself he should observe the Vrata.

Devayātrā is praiseworthy in the months of Ūrja and Mādhava, Vaiśākha and Āṣāḍha and especially on Śivarātri day. The holy ablution and the worship of the deity should be performed in the respective Tīrtha and the shrine nearby. He who performs everything in accordance with the injunctions obtains all benefits. Hence one should perform Devayātrā (pilgrimage, religious procession).

Vyasa said:

25. O holy Brāhmaṇa, how should a man perform Devayātrā? O ascetic, I wish to know everything.

Sanatkumāra said:

26. Listen, O Vyāsa; I shall mention a great secret as I have heard from the conversation of Umā and Maheśvara in regard to the rites of Devayātrā etc.

Umā said:

27. O Lord Maheśvara, may the power of this region be told. How many Tīrthas are there, and how many Liṅgas are there? O great one, O eloquent one, tell me from the very beginning.

Īśvara said:

28-33. Listen, O goddess, with concentration to the sin-destroying power. The first Kṣetra, O great goddess, is always a great favourite of mine. It is here that the highly meritorious Śiprā, the divine beloved Navanadī, Nīlagaṅgā confluence and the river Gandhavatī flow. In Kumudvatī, O fair lady of excellent Vratas, these four rivers are my favourites. The Īśvaras are eighty-four; there are eight Bhairavas, eleven Rudras and twelve Ādityas. Here there are six Vināyakas and twenty-four Devīs. That is why, O fair lady, I have come here to the excellent Mahākālavana.

Viṣṇu, Brahmā and others are installed here, O splendid one. O Devī, this holy spot extending to a Yojana is pervaded by Devas.

34-36. Viṣṇu (shrines) are ten. Listen to their names: Vāsudeva, Ananta, Balarāma, Janārdana, Nārāyaṇa, Hṛṣīkeśa, Vārāha, Dharaṇīdhara, Viṣṇu in the form of Vāmana and Śeṣaśāyī the abode of Śrī. These ten Vaiṣṇava shrines are mentioned as great removers of all sins.

Umā said:

37-38. O Lord, I wish to hear in the proper order about all the deities, the Lords of Suras, who are stationed in the beautiful Mahākālavana. Tell the names of all these: Vināyakas, Bhairavas, Devīs, the sons of Pavana (i.e. different shrines of Hanumān), Rudra, Ādityas and others.

Īśvara said:

39-47. There are six great (shrines) of Vināyakas who destroy obstacles: Ṛddhida, Siddhida, Kāmada Gaṇādhīpa, Vighnahā, Pramodī and Caturthīvratakapriya.

The following are eight Mothers: Umā, Caṇḍī, Īśvarī, Gaurī, Ṛddhidā, Siddhidā, Vaṭayakṣiṇī and Vīrabhadrā.

There are various Devīs: Mahāmāyā and Satī are famous. Kapālamātṛkā, Aṃbikā, Śītalā, Ekānaṃśā, Siddhidā, Brahmāṇī, Pārvatī, Yoginī, Yogaśālinī, Kaumārī, Bhagavatī, the six Kṛttikās, the Carpaṭāmātṛkās and Vaṭamātṛs are famous. Sarasvatī and Mahālakṣmī are famous. Yoginīmātṛkās are famous. They are declared as numbering sixty-four. Kālikā, Mahākālī, Cāmuṇḍā, Brahmacāriṇī, Devī called Vaiṣṇavī, Vārāhī, Vindhyavāsinī, Aṃbā, Aṃbālikā and twenty-four others.

The Pavanātmajas are four: Hanumān, Brahmacārī, Kumāra and Mahābalī. They have been mentioned to you by me.

48-52. There are eight Bhairavas famous as great removers of great sins, viz. Daṇḍapāṇi the valorous, Mahābhairavasitāsita, Baṭuka, Bālaka, Nandin, Pañcāśatika (the sixth), Kālabhairava who is very famous and the eighth one Kṣetrapāla.

The Rudras, eleven in number, are mentioned as follows: Kapardī, Kapālī, Kalānātha, Vṛṣāsana, Tryaṃbaka, Śūlapāṇi, Cīravāsas, Digaṃbara, Girīśa, Kāmacārī and Sarva with ornaments in all the limbs. They destroy enemies.

The following are the twelve great Ādityas. They remove all diseases. They (Ādityas) are: Aruṇa, Sūrya, Vedāṅga, Bhānu, Indra, Ravi, Aṃśumān, Suvarṇaretas, Ahaḥkartā, Mitra, Viṣṇu and Sanātana.

53. O daughter of Himācala, listen to the names of the eighty-four Liṅgas, the chief of whom is Agastyeśvara. They are:

54-83. Agastyeśvara has already been mentioned. Thereafter is Guheśvara. Then Ḍhuṇḍheśvara is mentioned. O lady, then Ḍamarukeśvara. Anādikalpeśvara, Śaṃbhu. The great Svarṇajāleśvara. Lord Triviṣṭapeśvara. One called Kapāleśvara. Karkoṭakeśvara Śaṃbhu. Thereafter Siddheśvara, Svargadvāreśvara Rudra. Another one Lokapāleśvara. One famous as Kāmeśvara. Thereafter Kuṭuṃbeśvara. The famous Indradyumneśvara. Thereafter Īśāneśa. One famous as Apsareśvara. Kalkaleśvara. Lord Nāgacaṇḍeśvara. Another one Divāpāpahara. Pratīhāreśvara. Thereafter Kukkuṭeśa. The meritorious Meghanādeśvara. The great Mahākāleśvara. One mentioned as Mukteśvara. Thereafter Someśvara. Lord Anarakeśvara. Thereafter Jaṭeśvara. The great Lord Rāmeśvara. Thereafter Cyavaneśa. One mentioned as Akhaṇḍeśa. Thereafter Pattaneśa is remembered. Then Ānandeśa is mentioned. Thereafter Kanthaḍeśa. One famous as Indreśvara. Then Mārkaṇḍeśa. One mentioned as Śiveśvara. Thereafter Kusumeśa. One famous as Akrūreśa. Thereafter Kuṇḍeśvara. One named as Lumpeśvara. Thereafter Gaṅgeśvara. One famous as Śūleśvara. Then Oṃkāreśa is remembered. The great Rudra Kaṇṭakeśa. Thereafter Siṃheśvara. The great Lord Revanteśvara along with Ghaṇṭeśvara. The great Lord Prayāgeśvara. Thereafter Siddheśvara. The great Lord Mātaṅgeśvara. Then the great Saubhāgyeśa. One famous as Rūpeśvara. Thereafter Brahmeśvara. Then the Lord Jalpeśvara. Kedāreśvara. Piśāceśvaraśaṃbhu; then the great Saṅgameśa. The famous Durdharṣeśa. Then Caṇḍādityeśvara. The great Karabheśvara has been mentioned. Rājasthaleśvara Śiva. Then Vaḍaleśvara is mentioned. Then Aruṇeśa is remembered. Lord Puṣpadanteśvara. Thereafter Avimukteśvara. Lord Hanumanteśvara. Thereafter Viśveśvara. One famous as Svapneśvara. Thereafter the great Siddheśvara. Lord Nīlakaṇṭheśvara. Thereafter Sthāvareśa. One mentioned as Kāmeśvara. Thereafter Pratīhāreśvara. Paśupatīśvara has been mentioned. Thereafter is the great Viśveśvara. Svarṇajāleśvara is mentioned. Thereafter Manaḥkāmeśvara. This deity named Durvāseśvara. Thereafter Nāgacaṇḍeśvara, Kharpareśa is famous. Thereafter Brahmeśvara. Pātāleśvara has been mentioned. Then the great Gupteśvara. One called Kapileśvara. The great Yogayogeśvara. One famous as Bhīmeśvara. Another named Dhanuḥsahasra. Another one is mentioned as Agnīśvara. Then the great Deveśvara. One named Dvādaśārka. Daśāśvamedhikeśvara. Gadādhareśvara is famous. Śaṃbhurāṭ named Vaijanātha. Somanātheśvara is famous. Then the great Ghuṣmeśvara. One named Bhimaśaṅkara. Then the great Ghaṇṭeśvara. One named Ūṣareśvara. The great Candrādityeśvara. Keśavārka is mentioned. The great Śaktibhedeśvara. The great Lord Rāmeśvara, Vālmīkeśvaraśaṅkara. Jvāleśvara Śiva has been mentioned. Then the great Abhayeśa. Vighnahasteśvara has been mentioned. Then the great Cañcaleśa. One famous as Puruṣottama. Then the great Vīreśvara. Karṇeśvara is famous. Thereafter Pṛthukeśa. Ānandeśa is famous. Then the great Koṭeśvara. Avimukteśvara has been mentioned. Hanumatkeśvara is great. One famous as Vimaleśvara. Then the great Candreśvara. Bindukeśa is famous. One named Vālukeśvara. The Lord Bṛhaspatīśvara. Then Asaṃkhyāteśvara.

84. O excellent one, all the Tīrthas and all the Liṅgas installed there should be adored and bowed to.

85-89. The Dvārapālas are known as four (as mentioned) by great men. O excellent Brāhmaṇa, one famous as Piṅgaleśvara is in the eastern gate. Similarly in the southern gate is Kāyāvarohaṇeśvara. One famous as Bilvakeśvara has occupied the western door. Then Dardureśvara is mentioned as stationed in the northern gate. These and many others are the Lords of the universe and are called Liṅgas in the beautiful Mahākālavana. They are sanctifying, sixty crores of thousands and sixty crores of hundreds in number. O Vyāsa, there is no reckoning of the number of Liṅgas in Mahākālavana. Yet they have been mentioned on the basis of their importance.

90. The respective Deva and the Tīrtha attached to him and named as such, should be resorted to. After the holy bath and making the gifts, one shall obtain the benefit of that Tīrtha.

91-94. Then the meritorious nine Planets are mentioned formerly, O sinless one. Listen to their names and the meritorious Tīrthas. They are famous as Narāditya, Someśvara. Then the great one, Maṅgaleśvara has been mentioned; thereafter Budheśvara, Bṛhaspatīśvara is mentioned. Then Śukreśvara Śiva. Mahādeva has been mentioned by the great sages as Sthāvareśvara. Then Rāhu and Ketu are mentioned. They have Tīrthas, O excellent one. By taking the holy dip in the different Tīrthas, one is liberated from all sins.

95. The Planets bestow kingdom. The Planets take away the kingdom. All the three worlds are pervaded by the Planets, the worlds including mobile and immobile beings.

96. A man should take the holy dip in the Tīrthas of the Planets and worship the Planets. He will never be harassed by the Planets.

97. Thus, O Vyāsa, the Devas and Tīrthas have been mentioned by me. The Yātrā is excellent and meritorious, sacred and destructive of sins.

98. The Devayātrā is glorified for redemption from severe afflictions and Planets, poverty and great adversities.

99-101. Those excellent men who always perform the shorter Yātrā within the holy spot (antargṛhī) will not find anything difficult to get in the three worlds.

One without a son gets a son; one devoid of wealth shall get wealth. A Brāhmaṇa becomes learned; a Kṣatriya becomes victorious. His progeny is everlasting (unending) and is honoured in Śivaloka.