Chapter 82 - The Greatness of Pañca Tīrthas

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:

1-7. Thereafter, O king, one should go to the excellent Vahni Tīrtha where the highly refulgent Hutāśana performed penance and became a Siddha. Formerly he had been made one that eats everything by a (certain) sage in Daṇḍaka. But Hutāśana resorted to the banks of Narmadā and became purified.

One who bathes there in the Tīrtha, worships Maheśvara and enters a blazing pyre attains identity with Agni. One who devoutly takes his holy bath there and offers libations to the Pitṛs and deities, undoubtedly obtains the benefit of Agniṣṭoma Yajña.

The excellent Kaubera Tīrtha is next to it, O king. It was there that Kubera, the Lord of Yakṣas, formerly became a great Siddha.

A man who takes his holy bath there in the Tīrtha and devoutly worships the Lord of the universe accompanied by Umā, becomes rid of all sins.

There one who, after taking bath and standing in water upto the navel, gives gold (as Dāna) to a Brāhmaṇa, will obtain a hundred million times the usual benefit.

8-15. The benefit that is obtained in Dadhiskanda, Madhuskanda, Nandīśa, Varuṇālaya and Agneya is obtained merely by taking holy bath in that Tīrtha. Those by whom the five excessively meritorious Narmadā Tīrthas have been visited, are worthy of being saluted. They are blessed in the world of human beings and their wishes have been fulfilled.

They go to the world of Bhāskara, that is extremely great and destructive of sorrow. From Bhāskara’s world they go to the Loka of Īśvara and from Aiśvara Loka they go to Anivartaka world (that from which there is no return to Saṃsāra). He is taken to the greatest world and stays there till fourteen Indras complete their reign. Thence slipping down from Svarga, the man becomes a righteous king. Free from all sins he will enjoy the entire world consisting of the mobile and immobile beings.

Those residents who always resort to the Narmadā Tīrtha and have Viṣṇu as their deity will undoubtedly be born as heroes with unbroken glory.

Gaṅgā is meritorious at Kanakhala; Sarasvatī in Rurukṣetra; but Narmadā is meritorious everywhere whether in village or in forest.

One should always reside on the banks of Revā. He shall be on a par with one who has bathed in all the Tīrthas and imbibed Soma juice everyday.

All the rivers beginning with Gaṅgā, seas and lakes perish at the end of the Kalpa. But Narmadā does not perish thereby.