Chapter 158 - The Greatness of Saṅgameśvara (saṅgama-īśvara-tīrtha)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:

1-9. Thereafter, a devotee should go to another excellent Tīrtha named Sangameśvara Tīrtha on the southern bank of Narmadā. It eradicates the fear of all sins.

Proceeding towards the Kailāsa mountain after his arrival from Pitṛloka, O excellent king, Dhanada had rested there for a short while.

As for the proof, O excellent king, on the earth indeed black stones appear as bright as crystals.

An excellent river Puṇyatoyā (a river of meritorious waters) originating from a spring in the Vindhya mountain enters the waters of Narmadā, destructive of all sins.

One who takes his holy bath at the confluence there and worships Saṅgameśvara, undoubtedly attains the merit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice.

One who offers bells, banners and awning unto the deity, Saṅgameśvara, attains Rudra’s region riding in an aerial chariot fitted with swans and surrounded by hundreds of celestial ladies. He shall become an attendant of Rudra.

One who fills (covers) the Liṅga of the Lord with rice mixed with curds shall stay in Śivaloka for a desired period of as many years as there are grains of cooked rice.

One who covers the Liṅga of Lord Śiva with Śrīphalas in spite of being very poor, goes to Svarga (heaven), O king, and attains the same benefit (as the previous one). For seven births the line of his progeny will not be broken.

10-16. Listen to the meritorious benefit of that person who bathes the Lord of Devas with curds, honey or ghee. When Maheśvara is extremely pleased, those men go to that place where rivers of ghee and milk flow and where trees exude honey.

If a devotee offers even water, a leaf, a flower or fruit unto Maheśvara, he enjoys everlasting benefit for seven births.

Maheśvara is the greatest of all deities worthy of being worshipped. Hence Maheśvara should be worshipped with all effort.

One who steadfastly; observes (the vow of) celibacy forever and worships Lord Śiva, lives here in this world as a great Lord and on death attains the region free from ailments.

O son of Kuntī, by worshipping one eminent Yogin one attains the same benefit as is obtained by learned men when Śiva is worshipped.

Their life is an excellent life and blessed are those noble-souled ones in whose houses men engrossed in devotion to Śiva take food.

17-21- The holy spots of Kurukṣetra, Naimiṣa and Puṣkara are there wherever an ascetic with all the sense-organs perfectly restrained stays. By feeding a single Śivayogin, O son of Kuntī, one attains that benefit which is obtained when Vedic scholars hundreds in number are fed.

The Bull-emblemed Lord of Devas takes food along with his consort there where a person with all his limbs smeared in ash takes food irrespective of his being ignorant or learned.

By offering alms alone to Śivayogins one attains that merit which is obtained by feeding a crore of Brāhmaṇas learned in the Vedas.

If anyone casts off his life after reaching Saṅgameśvara Tīrtha, he never returns from Śivaloka.