Chapter 39 - The Greatness of Kapilā Tīrtha

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:

1-9. From there, one should go to the excellent Tīrtha called Kapilā Tīrtha. By the holy ablution alone with devotion (in it), a man is liberated from all sins.

Yudhiṣṭhira said:

O excellent Brāhmaṇa, the greatness of Narmadeśvara, the cause of great wonder in all the worlds, has been recounted. Now do narrate to me Kapilā Tīrtha. At what time, in what connection did that excellent Tīrtha originate? O holy Lord, how was the meritorious Tīrtha that destroys all sins, originated?

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:

Listen, O king, O descendant of Bharata, I shall extol the excellent Kapilā Tīrtha, on hearing which your surprise shall vanish entirely. Formerly in the beginning of Kṛtayuga, Brahmā, the grandfather of the worlds, created the entire range of living beings of four types. He was engaged in Japa and Homa thereafter devoutly. He meditated for a short while and stayed there at the sacrificial pit. From the blazing sacrificial pit, Kapilā (a tawny-coloured cow) rose up. Her horns were as refulgent as the flames of fire. The cow yielding good milk had three eyes. She was entirely fiery (in form) with a fiery back with all the limbs fiery. She had all the (good) characteristics. Her voice was as sweet as the jingling sound of a bell. On seeing that highly esteemed Kapilā in the centre of the sacrificial pit, Brahmā, the preceptor of the worlds, bowed down and spoke thus:

10-19. “O meritorious Kapilā, obeisance to you. O auspicious one bowed down to by all the worlds, O divine one, you are conducive to all auspiciousness, inimitable and incomparable in all the three worlds. You are Lakṣmī; you are Smṛti; you are intellect; you are fortitude. O lady of excellent countenance, you are well-known as Goddess Umā. You are Satī. There is no doubt in this. You are the great Goddess Vaiṣṇavī; you are Mahādevī. O lady of excellent countenance, you are Brahmāṇī. O highly esteemed one, you are Kumārī. You are Bhakti (devotion) as well as Śraddhā (faith). You are Kālarātri unto living beings. You are the maiden Parameśvarī. You are the units of time: Lava, Truṭi, Muhūrta, Lakṣa, year, month, Kṣaṇa, entire Kāla. In the whole range of the three worlds consisting of mobile and immobile beings, there is nothing without you.”

On being eulogized thus with honour by Parameṣṭhin, Kapilā said to the highly esteemed Lotus-born Lord: “O Lord of Devas, O preceptor of the universe, I am pleased with your words (Eulogy). What should I do to please you? (Lit ‘what task tleasant to you can I do for you today?’). Tell me everything, O Grandfather.”

Brahmā said:

O Parameśvarī, you have been created by me for the sake of the welfare of the world. Hence, go to the mortal world from heaven with a desire for the welfare of all the worlds. You contain within you all the Devas. You are identical with all the worlds. If people offer (you) in accordance with the injunctions, they will have their residence in heaven.

After saying this^[1] to Brahmā Goddess Parameśvarī came to the surface of the earth, duly venerated by Suras and Siddhas.

Yudhiṣṭhira said:

20-26. When, O dear one, at the instance of Brahmā, the splendid one came here, how were the Devas and the worlds stationed in her limbs? O excellent Brāhmaṇa, how did Kapilā settle herself in the Ūṣara (arid) Kṣetra? Tell me this.

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:

On being told by Brahmā, the creator of the world, from Brahmaloka she went to the meritorious Narmadā, the sanctifier of the worlds. She performed extensive austerities on Narmadā resorting to the banks. Then she wandered all over the earth, including the mountains, forests and parks. Ever since then, O great king, it became well known as the excellent Kapilā Tīrtha, destructive of all sins and resorted to by the groups of sages.

If one takes the holy bath in that Tīrtha in accordance with the injunctions and offers a Kapilā (tawny-coloured) cow, it is as good as the entire earth along with mountains, forests and parks has been gifted by him.

He who devoutly watches that cow being gifted to an excellent Brāhmaṇa, finds his sins accumulated in the course of a hundred years, perished. There is no doubt about this.

27-33a. Those Lokas, viz. Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ, Svaḥ, Mahaḥ, Jana, Satya and Tapas are stationed on her back, O excellent king.^[2]

The Fire-god is stationed in the mouth; the serpents in the teeth; Dhātā and Vidhātā on the lips; Sarasvatī on the tongue; the thousand-rayed Lords, the Sun and the Moon, in the eyes; the Wind-god is stationed, O excellent king, at the centre of the nostrils. Mahādeva is on the forehead; Aśvins in the ears; Nara and Nārāyaṇa in the horns; the Grandfather in the middle of the horns; Kaṃbala and the noose-holding Varuṇa are stationed beneath. Yama, the holy Lord, has resorted to the belly and stationed there. The serpents are stationed in the hoofs; the rays of the Sun at the tip of the tail. Those who keep such a Kapilā in their houses, the Kapilā identical with all the Devas, are really blessed. There is no doubt about this.

33b-38. If anyone circumambulates a Kapilā after getting up early in the morning, it is as good as circumambulating the earth including mountains, forests and parks. One should bathe Śaṅkara with Kapilā-Pañcagavya (five milk-products from a tawny-coloured cow); he should observe fast at that Tīrtha. After taking the holy bath in accordance with the injunctions he should propitiate the Pitṛs and deities. All the members of his family including ten ancestors and ten successors become satisfied and ascend to heaven with his wishes in mind.

Thus the procedure (of pilgrimage) and the origin of Kapilā Tīrtha has been narrated to you as well as the benefit or the merit thereof, O excellent king. It is conducive to the attainment of wealth, fame and long span of life. It is an excellent one destroying all miseries. On listening to it, one is liberated from all sins. There is no doubt about it.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

‘evam uktvā tato devī brahmāṇam,’ This text is corrupt. If emended as ‘evam uktā tato devī brahmaṇā parameśvarī’—‘When addressed thus by God Brahmā etc’, the meaning becomes clear.

[2]:

Verses 27-37a describe how various parts of cow’s body are occupied by Devas. Hence she is said to be “Constituted of Devas”.