Chapter 187 - The Greatness of Kālāgnirudra Tīrtha

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:

1-9. Thereafter, a person should go to Jāleśvara, the First Liṅga of the Self-born Lord. It is well-known as Kālāgnirudra and it is well-established in Bhṛgukaccha.

It suppresses all the sins. It destroys all calamities. It has sprung up for the destruction of sins in holy spots.

It has sprung up out of the compassion (of the Lord). In an earlier Kalpa, all the three worlds were overrun by groups of Asuras. Dharma (piety) became extinct, since all the Vedic rites became defunct. Celestial sages, ascetics and Siddhas, of course, retained their greatest faith. At that time a column of smoke originated from Kālāgnirudra as though issuing from the god of Death himself.

From the column of smoke issued forth the Liṅga piercing through the seven nether worlds. Making a depression in the south, the Liṅga stood there itself.

There in the Tīrtha, O excellent king, there is a Kuṇḍa (Pit) from which sparks of fire arose. It was here that the sparks fell even as Śiva was burning the city (of the Tripuras). There the Avaṭa (depression) occurred. Thereafter there arose a spiralling column of smoke therefrom.

He who takes his holy bath there in the Kuṇḍa in the waters of Narmadā, performs Śrāddha unto the Pitṛs and worships the Three-eyed Lord attains the greatest goal in the world of Kālāgnirudra.

Any rite with some cherished desire, or an Abhicārika rite (of black magic), or a rite bringing about destruction of enemies or any rite for the acquisition of a progeny, becomes fruitful ere long provided it is performed in this Tīrtha here.