The Skanda Purana

by G. V. Tagare | 1950 | 2,545,880 words

This page describes The Greatness of Savitri Tirtha which is chapter 200 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 two hundredth chapter of the Reva-khanda of the Avantya-khanda of the Skanda Purana.

Chapter 200 - The Greatness of Sāvitrī Tirtha

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:

1-6. Next to it, O son of Kuntī, is the excellent Sāvitrī tīrtha where the highly esteemed Sāvitri, the mother of the Vedas, attained Siddhi.

Yudhiṣṭhira said:

Who is this Sāvitrī, O excellent Brāhmaṇa? How is she propitiated by the learned? On being pleased, what boon does she grant? Do tell me.

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:

Padmā, the Yoginī of lotus, presided over by the Lotus-seated One, resembles the Sun-god in her splendour. Hence she is called Sāvitrī.

The lotus-complexioned, lotus-faced Sāvitrī with the eyes resembling lotus-petals should be always meditated upon duly by Brāhmaṇas, Kṣatriyas and Vaiśyas.

She should never be meditated upon by Śūdras for fear of incurring the sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter. If it is uttered or retained in the mind by a Śūdra he certainly falls in Naraka. It has been decided that for merely pronouncing the Veda (Vedic text by a Śūdra) the tongue of that Śùdra should be cut off by Kṣatriyas who are the protectors of Dharma.

7-18. In the course of the excellent Sandhyā meditation early in the morning, Sāvitrī is to be imagined and meditated upon in the form of a girl resembling the crescent moon, with red garments and red unguents.

At midday Sāvitrī should be imagined and meditated upon as a sweet-faced, auspicious-looking, young woman with large and protruding breasts, richly adorned with all ornaments and wearing white garlands and unguents. She is wearing white clothes and has white Yajñopavīta (sacred thread). She bestows worldly pleasures and salvation.

At dusk, O son of Kuntī, she should be remembered as white-complexioned with grey hair. She protects like a mother in a forest of impassable tracts.

O great king, the excellent Sāvitrī Tīrtha is of special excellence and efficacy. After holy bath, a devotee should duly perform the Ācamana (ritualistic sipping of water). By means of Prāṇāyāma he will destroy many of his sins incurred in the course of seven births mentally, verbally and physically. He should thereby burn all defects.

A person should sprinkle his body with water while uttering the Mantra āpohiṣṭhā, nine, six or three times in that Tīrtha, O excellent king. If the Mantra āpohiṣṭhā etc. is repeated thrice, one is not defiled by the sin of Pratigraha (acceptance of gift from undeserving persons).

If the Mantra of Aghamarṣaṇa consisting of three Ṛks or one from one’s Veda of special study is repeated, one is not defiled by minor sins, like a lotus leaf which is not wetted by water.

Usually the Ācamana is performed three times by a Brāhmaṇa. He shall perform three Ullekhas (scrubbing). He who performs the fourth one dispels the sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter.

The Mantra called Drupada from the Vājasaneyaka Veda (i.e. Vājasaneyī Saṃhitā, Śukla Yajurveda) should be repeated while in water. It destroys all sins.

One should adore Divākara (the Sun-god) with the Mantra beginning with udutyam and then perform the Japa of the holy Gāyatrī, the mother of the Vedas. A Brāhmaṇa who performs the Japa of Goddess Gāyatrī uninterruptedly after the Sandhyā prayers, shall be rid of all sins. He goes to Brahmaloka.

19-27. Gāyatrī quells a sin incurred in the course of ten births if repeated a hundred times. If it is repeated a thousand times, it quells the sins committed before in the course of three Yugas.

A Brāhmaṇa who has only repeated the Gāyatrī and exercises self-control is far superior to a Brāhmaṇa who has learnt all the four Vedas but has no self-control, who eats everything indiscriminately and sells everything indiscriminately.

A man bereft of Sandhyā prayers is always impure. He is disqualified in all sacred rites. If at all he does anything (religious), he does not derive the benefit thereof.

A Brāhmaṇa who does not perform the Upāsti (adoration) of the Sandhyā (twilight) is dull-witted. In this very life, he is on a par with a Śūdra. On death he is reborn as a dog.

A Brāhmaṇa, after reaching the Sāvitrī Tīrtha should perform the Japa of Sāvitrī. Undoubtedly he gets the benefit of studying the three Vedas.

If the devotee takes his holy bath with the Pitṛs in view and offers balls of rice, O king, his grandfathers become satisfied for twelve years.

If after reaching Sāvitrī Tīrtha a person castes off his life, he shall stay in Brahmaloka until the annihilation of all living beings. On the completion of that period he is reborn as a human being. O king, he is reborn in a pure family of a Brāhmaṇa learned in all the four Vedas.

He will be endowed with plenty of money and heaps of grain and have sons and grandsons. Free from ailments and grief, he shall live for a hundred years.

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