The Skanda Purana
by G. V. Tagare | 1950 | 2,545,880 words
This page describes The Greatness of Brahmavarta which is chapter 31 of the English translation of the Skanda Purana, the largest of the eighteen Mahapuranas, preserving the ancient Indian society and Hindu traditions in an encyclopedic format, detailling on topics such as dharma (virtous lifestyle), cosmogony (creation of the universe), mythology (itihasa), genealogy (vamsha) etc. This is the thirty-first chapter of the Reva-khanda of the Avantya-khanda of the Skanda Purana.
Chapter 31 - The Greatness of Brahmāvarta
[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]
Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:
1-6a. Thereafter one should proceed to the Tīrtha well-known in all the three worlds as Brahmāvarta [1]. It is destructive of all sins. There, O Yudhiṣṭhira, Brahmā is always present as a perpetual worshipper. With the arms lifted up and without any support he continues to move around perpetually. For twelve years he remained as a Mahāvratī (observer of great holy vows), taking food only once (a day). He remained in this Tīrtha meditating on Maheśvara in accordance with the injunctions. Hence, O Lord, that meritorious Tīrtha came to be called Brahmāvarta. One should take one’s ablution there in accordance with the injunctions and propitiate the Pitṛs and deities. He should worship Īśāna, the Lord, or Viṣṇu, the great Lord. By the power of that Tīrtha he obtains that benefit which usually accrues from all Yajñas performed with due monetary gifts.
6b-10. Every Tīrtha becomes well known in the world after the name of a Deva, Dānava or Dvija who has attained spiritual enlightenment there. It is also great. Neither water nor ground, neither fertile field nor arid ground attain sanctity without the (spiritual) efforts of men. People achieve spiritual perfection through their power, resoluteness and fortitude, O king.
Due to blunders as well as covetousness people certainly fall into hell. Wherever a sage resides after restraining his sense-organs, there springs up a Kurukṣetra, Naimiṣa or Puṣkara.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
This is not the famous Brahmāvarta, the region between Sarasvatī and Dṛṣadvatī, which later became known as Kurukṣetra. The author wants to bring all famous sacred places to the banks of Narmadā.