The Skanda Purana
by G. V. Tagare | 1950 | 2,545,880 words
This page describes The Greatness of Moksha Tirtha which is chapter 160 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 one hundred sixtieth chapter of the Reva-khanda of the Avantya-khanda of the Skanda Purana.
Chapter 160 - The Greatness of Mokṣa Tīrtha
[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]
Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:
1-9. Thereafter, O son of Pāṇḍu, one should go to the excellent Mokṣa Tīrtha which is resorted to by Devas, Gandharvas, sages and ascetics.
Many who have been deluded by Viṣṇu’s Māyā do not know that Tīrtha. Here blessed sages and ascetics have become Siddhas. Pulastya, the learned Pulaha, the highly intelligent Kratu, Prācetasa, Vasiṣṭha, Dakṣa, Nārada and many other fortunate ones, more than seven thousand in number, have attained salvation along with their sons. Hence that Tīrtha is the bestower of salvation.
River Tamahā flows into the stream of that Tīrtha. The confluence there is a Tīrtha that quells all sins.
By a perfect Japa of Gāyatrī in accordance with the injunctions at that Tīrtha, one will obtain that benefit which is obtained when the Vedic passages of Ṛk, Yajus and Sāman are repeatedly recited.
What is given as a religious gift, whatever is consigned to the holy fire in Homa, the Mantras and holy names uttered as Japa—the benefit obtained from all these shall be everlasting and shall be the excellent means of attaining salvation.
If Brāhmaṇas who have renounced the world as Sannyāsins die there in the Tīrtha, their departure shall be one without any return, due to the power of Mokṣatīrtha. Thus the procedure has been succinctly recounted to you by me, O sinless one. The benefit from this Tīrtha is very great and it has been mentioned in the Purāṇa.