Chapter 178 - The Greatness of Gaṅgāvākaka Tīrtha

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Note: Gaṅgā, the most sacred river, gets purified by joining (taking bath in) Narmadā at Śaṅkhoddhāra Tīrtha or Gaṅgāvāha-Tīrtha-syncretism between Śaivism and Vaiṣṇavism attempted here.

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:

1-5. Then, O great king, one should go to the excellent and highly meritorious Gaṅgāvāhaka Tīrtha on Narmada in the vicinity of Bhṛgutīrtha.

There the highly meritorious Gaṅgā performed severe austerities for more than a hundred years observing a great Vrata.

She meditated on the sinless Lord Nārāyaṇa, the source of origin of the universe. O Lord of the world, that river meditated on the greatest splendour, the Supreme Ātman. Thereupon Lord Janārḍana came there and said this:

Viṣṇu said:

O river born of the lotus-like feet of mine, I am pleased with your penance. O fair one, what do you wish from me? Tell me, what shall I do for you?

Gaṅgā said:

6-20. O Lord, I have slipped down from your lotus-like feet and naturally begun to flow. O Lord of the three worlds, incidentally I am being saluted by the heaven-dwellers.

King Bhagīratha, therefore, performed a very difficult penance and propitiated Śaṅkara, the Lord of the universe, the benefactor of the worlds. O holder of the earth, he thus caused me to descend down to the earth.

At the instance of both of you, I got down to the earth. Considering that I pertain to Viṣṇu all the people bathed in me. Those who were Brāhmaṇa-slayers in the world, defilers of preceptor’s bed, those who abandoned their mothers and fathers, men who take away gold, men who slay cows, those who injure living beings, those who carnally visit prohibited women, those who eat prohibited food, an utterer of falsehood, those who commit breach of trust, those who steal the assets of a deity and Brāhmaṇas, those men who censure Devas, Brāhmaṇas, preceptors and women, those who are burnt by the curse of a Brāhmaṇa, those who commit suicide, destroy themselves, those who swerve from the righteous path but indulge in fasts, renunciation, restraints and Vratas, those who drink prohibited beverages, those who prohibit Dāna and those who are averse to the offer of Dāna to deserving persons, those who destroy the Ṛtu-cycle of their own wives, those who are not affectionate towards their parents, those who do not have pity on wretched ones and kinsmen, he who breaks bunds and embankments in fields, one who destroys the earlier pathways, an atheist, one who has given up scriptural studies, a Brāhmaṇa bereft of Sandhyā prayers, one who eats what is not offered in Homa, one who is never satisfied, one who indiscriminately eats everything, one who sells everything, misers, atheists, cruel ones, Brāhmaṇas who are ungrateful, those who indulge in calumny, those who sell juices (liquors), those who are deprived of proper occasions, the base Brāhmaṇas who enjoy women of their own Gotras and of other Gotras—all these sinners come to me and are rid of the series of sins accumulated by them. ī am distressed as though corroded by the acidity of their sins.

Hence, O Lord of the universe, do something so that I will get happiness which I am denied now.”

On being told thus, the Lord of Devas was delighted and he said to Jāhnavī:

Viṣṇu said:

21-29a. I shall always stay here with Gaṅgādhara (Śiva) as my associate. Enter Revā here itself in your own form.

O Triple-streamed One, come to my Sole (of the foot) and flow when you will be carrying the waters of Nairmadā at the time of the flood.

In rainy season you will be completely filled with water. You will then overflow both the banks and reach me residing on the northern bank.

Then you will be flooding the conch held in my hand. That shall be the Vaiṣṇava Parva, excelling a hundred other Parvas (auspicious occasions).

The holy periods of Vyatīpāta, Saṅkrama etc., cannot be on a par with it. It is more meritorious than the most meritorious. Even the two Ayanas (Transits of the Sun) are not like it.

O goddess of Devas, a man who touches the conch on that Parva and takes his holy bath in the mixed waters of Gaṅgā and Narmadā shall certainly effect the destruction of clusters of his sins. It is the most meritorious of all meritorious things; It is the most auspicious of all auspicious things, because it has been held by Viṣṇu. Hence peace emanates. The man should take his holy bath in Śaṅkhoddhāra and offer libations to Pitṛs and Devatās.

29b-32a. The Pitṛs will be pleased for twelve years. They will attain the fulfilment of all cherished desires.

If a devotee offers Śrāddha in Śaṅkhoddhāra in Gaṅgāvāha the Pitṛs dance in full appreciation of that offer of the ball of rice.

O Jāhnavī, a man should take his holy bath in Śaṅkhoddhāra and worship Bala and Keśava. By keeping awake at night he becomes pure.

What you consider as unbearable sins committed by the people of the world they can be eradicated fully by taking holy bath on that Parva.

After saying this, O most excellent one among men, Viṣṇu vanished.

32b-35. Ever since then that Tīrtha is known as the excellent Gaṅgāvāhaka. It is honoured by Brahmā and others as well as by the sages following the tradition thereof O descendant of Bharata, he who devoudy bathes in that Tīrtha is on a par with one who has taken the holy bath in the Gaṅgā Tīrtha.

In regard to the men of purified souls who die there in that Tīrtha, there is no return from Viṣṇuloka at any time. Their departure is ultimate.