Chapter 191 - The Greatness of Dvādaśāditya Tīrtha

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:

1-6. Thereafter, one should go to the Siddheśvara Tīrtha very near it. That is the first Liṅga of the Self- born Lord. It exudes nectar. Immediately on being seen, the man becomes free from indebtedness.

Formerly the twelve Ādityas propitiated Parameśvara for more than a hundred years and acquired the greatest Siddhi. Hence the deity is called Siddheśvara. He is the bestower of Siddhis on those who yearn for them.

Yudhiṣṭhira said:

O excellent Brāhmaṇa, I have become excessively surprised on hearing that the Āḍityas have attained Siddhi. How did they attain it in the Siddheśvara Tīrtha? What was the purpose for which the Āḍityas were engaged in the severe penance? O excellent Brāhmaṇa, they attained their desired Siddhi. I have put the question briefly, O Brāhmaṇa. Do recount it in detail.

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:

7-17. The twelve Ādityas beginning with Śakra were born of Aditi. They were Indra, Dhātṛ, Bhaga, Tvaṣṭṛ, Mitra, Varuṇa, Aryaman, Vivasvān, Savitṛ, Pūṣan, Aṃśumān and Viṣṇu. All these twelve Ādityas desired the position of Bhāskara (the illuminator). So they came to the banks of Narmadā and established themselves in severe penance. O great king, the noble-souled sons of Kaśyapa collectively known as Dvādaśāditya attained great Siddhi at Siddheśvara Kṣetra. Divākara, the supporter of the universe, was installed with their respective parts in that Tīrtha by them.

Ever since then, O king, that Tīrtha became renowned in the world. At the end of the (four) Yugas when dissolution becomes imminent, twelve suns issue from Dvādaśāditya.

Indra blazes in the eastern part, Dhātṛ in the south-east, Gabhastipati (i.e. Bhaga) in the south, Tvaṣṭṛ in the face (direction) of the south-west, Varuṇa in the western part, Mitra in the north-west, (Viṣṇu) in the north and Vivasvān in the north-east.

Savitṛ blazes above and Pūṣan below, drying (everything). Aṃśumān and Viṣṇu burn the universe issued forth from the mouth. They all wandered here and there so that they burn the entire universe, O great king.

So also the twelve Ādityas facilitate the fulfilment of the desires of devotees. Listen to the benefit of that person who gets up early in the morning, takes his holy bath and visits the Lord of the chiefs of Devas, named Dvādaśāditya.

18-24. All the sins committed earlier, whether verbal, mental or physical, perish instantly, as soon as Dvādaśāditya is seen.

O descendant of Bharata, if a devotee circumambulates that Lord, then undoubtedly the whole earth is circumambulated by him.

The benefit one derives through a fast on the seventh lunar day in that Tīrtha may or may not be obtained through the same for seven Saptamī days elsewhere.

If a devotee, after visiting Dvādaśāditya on a Sunday coinciding with the sixth lunar day, circumambulates the deity, his sin perishes. He will be free from ailments for seven births.

One who circumambulates devoutly a hundred times every day, all scabs, white patches, tumours, nay all skin diseases, perish like serpents at the sight of Garuḍa. He will beget a son by resorting to the Tīrtha for sixty days.