The Skanda Purana
by G. V. Tagare | 1950 | 2,545,880 words
This page describes The Greatness of Suvarnabindu Tirtha which is chapter 207 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 hundred seventh chapter of the Reva-khanda of the Avantya-khanda of the Skanda Purana.
Chapter 207 - The Greatness of Suvarṇabindu Tīrtha
[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]
Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:
1-9. In front of it is the sacred Tīrtha well known as Svarṇabinḍu. People who take their holy bath there go to heaven. On death they do not get a rebirth.
O Lord of the earth, listen to the benefit that is cited as arising from the gift of a piece of gold to a Brāhmaṇa after taking holy bath there in the Tīrtha.
Of all jewels, gold is the excellent jewel. It is born of the fiery brilliance of Agni. Hence it is the greatest on the earth.
If a person, therefore, gives a piece of gold, it is as though the entire earth including the cities and towns, mountains, forests and parks has been given.
O descendant of Bharata, by the gift of gold all the sins incurred earlier, whether mental, verbal or physical, perish entirely.
Even if the devotee gives only a piece of gold as little as the tip of a hair, there in the Tìrtha, he goes to heaven on death. There is no doubt about it.
There he occupies an excellent aerial chariot and is worshipped by Vidyādharas and Siddhas. He should stay there until the annihilation of all living beings.
When his period (of stay in heaven) comes to an end, he attains human birth. He is reborn as a Brāhmaṇa in a family possessing crores of gold pieces.
He shall be free from all the ailments. He shall be honoured in all the worlds. He shall live for more than a hundred years and be well known in royal assemblies.