Chapter 209 - The Greatness of Bhārabhūti Tīrtha

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:

1-9. Next to it, O son of Kuntī, is the excellent Puṣkalī Tīrtha. A man who takes his holy bath there in that Tīrtha shall get the benefit of a horse-sacrifice.

O Lord of the earth, thereafter a person should go to the Tīrtha well- known in all the three worlds. It is resorted to by Devas, Dānavas, Gandharvas and celestial damsels.

There stays directly Rudra, the great Lord of Devas. He is remembered as Bhārabhūti because he manifested himself with a great burden.

Yudhiṣṭhira said:

I wish to hear about the Tīrtha well -known as Bhārabhūti. It is endowed with all good features. O leading Brāhmaṇa, my eagerness is very great.

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:

O most excellent one among the sons of Pāṇḍu, listen to the origin of (the name) Bhārabhūti the way it was explained earlier by Lord Śaṃbhu in detail.

In Kṛtayuga, there was a Brāhmaṇa who had mastered the Vedas and Vedāṅgas. He was well-known by the name Viṣṇuśarman. He was perfectly conversant with the topics of all the scriptural texts.

He had the full complement of all good qualities such as forbearance, self-control, compassion, munificence, truthfulness, cleanliness, fortitude, learning, perfect knowledge and piousness.

O excellent king, only those Brāhmaṇas who have qualities of this type redeem the Pitṛs fallen into terrible Narakas.

Those Brāhmaṇas who ardently long for the pleasures of senses are deluded through sins, O excellent king. They fall into terrible Raurava Naraka.

10-15. Those Brāhmaṇas who have forbearance and self-control, whose ears are filled with Śruti sounds, who have conquered the sense-organs, who desist from killing living beings and the finger ends of whose hands shrink from accepting gifts, are capable of redeeming (others).

A Brāhmaṇa, endowed with such sterling qualities stayed on the banks of Narmadā along with other Brāhmaṇas. The means of his sustenance was gleaning of the ears of corns.

On coming to know of such a Brāhmaṇa, Maheśvara, the Lord of Devas, assumed the form of a Brāhmaṇa and personally went direct to his hermitage.

On meeting the Brāhmaṇa reciting the Veḍic Mantras in the Pāṭha called Pada and Krama along with the other Brāhmaṇas, he made obeisance to the Brāhmaṇa. He was also honoured with due formalities of reception.

After a short while, the Brāhmaṇa who was taken by surprise asked: “O Brāhmaṇa boy, what is it you desire that I can do for you?”

The Baṭu (Brāhmaṇa boy) said: “O excellent Brāhmaṇa, take me to be a disciple having come to you. If you impart instruction, I shall stay in your house.”

The Brāhmaṇa said:

16-26. O Baṭu, you hail from the most excellent Gotra of all Brāhmaṇas. The greatest of all Dānas is the Dāna of Vidyā. How can it be given? By service rendered to the preceptor or by ample fee paid. Or Vidyā can be fruitful by another Vidyā (in return)?

The Baṭu replied:

Just as other boys who are duly initiated serve you day and night, similarly I too shall serve you along with other boys.

The eminent Brāhmaṇa said, “So it shall be” and began teaching him everyday along with the other disciples. He too (i.e. the Baṭu) regularly brought the gleanings of the ears of corn.

After a few days Īśvara (the Lord in the form of the Baṭu) was told by the other pupils: “O Baṭu, it is your turn now. Do the work of cooking etc.”

After saying “So it shall be” the Lord of Devas went off to Bhāragrāma village. Meditating on all vegetables (and their presiding deities) he spoke these words:

“By the time the Brāhmaṇa returns to the abode along with the disciples, the cooked food should be kept ready by you all remaining invisible.”

After saying thus to all of them, the Cosmic-formed Maheśvara took the guise of the Baṭu separately and went there to play.

On seeing him come in the guise of a Baṭu separately, they censured him in harsh words in the presence of the Giri (Guru: probable reading):

“Fie upon you! The throats of all of us are parched with hunger. We thought that going to our abode we shall get satisfaction by the food cooked by you. O Brāhmaṇa, by your coming here (to play) you have frustrated our expectations. O Brāhmaṇa, you have come away after making a false promise. You have committed a foul act.”

The Baṭu said:

27-39. O bulls among Brāhmaṇas, you need not have any exasperation or regret in the matter of food. You will be going back to the abode where you will find the food ready.

The other Baṭus said:

Everyday while we cook food, it does or does not become ready in the remaining part of the day. Here it is completely uncooked (you have not cooked at all). But what is not ready is being cited by you as ready. After going there and proving your lie, we will bind you and cast you into the waters.

The Baṭu said:

O excellent Brāhmaṇas including the preceptor, listen ye all to my solemn, irrefutable declaration. On hearing it you may perhaps be dismayed. If every item of food you find ready and cooked in the hermitage of our preceptor, all of you will be bound and should be hurled by me into the waters of Narmaḍā. Or if the food is not ready I should be bound Firmly by you all and hurled into the whirlpool of Narmaḍā even as the preceptor is watching us.

They all assented to this stipulation in the presence of the preceptor. They concluded their holy bath, Japa etc., in accordance with the injunctions and went back to the Bhūtagrāma village.

On seeing an elaborate presentation of the articles of food, they were surprised agreeably. O excellent king, they ate all the items with six tastes severally. Then the delighted and well-nourished excellent Brāhmaṇa spoke these words: “O dear child, I am ready to grant you any boon whatever may appeal to you. All the Vedas with their Aṅgas and Upāṅgas and the different scriptural texts will manifest themselves to you. They will manifest of their own accord to you. Let this be my boon unto you.” The boy bowed down and went about playing happily with the other Baṭus.

The next day, O Yudhiṣṭhira, all of them went to the waters of Narmadā for sporting about. Then recollecting the wager and cautioning all of them the Lord (in the form of the Baṭu) bowed down to the preceptor and said with palms joined in reverence: “O holy Lord, I shall hurl into water all the Baṭus who have lost the wager.”

40-52. On hearing the words of the Lord, O king, even as the preceptor was watching the other Baṭus dispersed running in all the directions.

The Lord rushed at them with the speed of wind all round and caught hold of them. Tying them up into a weighty bundle the Lord who both curses and blesses, hurled them into the water as though within the house.

The preceptor saw them in the waters of Narmadā and told the Baṭu: “Why did you commit this rash deed? If their parents or the other women in the houses of these boys were to ask me, shall what I tell them? Where have they gone? This being the case, O fair Sir, if any one dies, you will have to make it up with your own life. If those Brāhmaṇa children die, it is certain that I too will die. When I die, many sins of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter will assail you. Even if a single Brāhmaṇa is bound, the assailant will certainly fall into Naraka. O base Brāhmaṇa, I do not know what you will face after death.”

On being told thus, Maheśvara, the Lord of Devas smiled and raised up the Brāhmaṇas from the Bhārabhūteśvara Tīrtha.

The weights attached were taken away. A Liṅga called Bhārabhūta was installed there.

Seeing the dead ones coming back as the former Brāhmaṇas, the sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter was removed. All the five hundred Brahmahatyās disappeared.

On seeing those boys, the preceptor became amazed. He came to know that except for the great Lord Īśvara, no one else can have such a power.

Realizing that it was the Lord of chiefs of Devas, the Brāhmaṇa bowed down to him and said: “O Parameśvara, whatever has been said by me displeasing you, was due to my ignorance and whatever has been done by me which was not to your liking should be forgiven, O Lord.”

The Deva said:

53-57. O holy Sir, you are my preceptor. You are my Lord. You are my grandfather, O Vedagarbha (‘one who has mastered the Vedas by heart’), obeisance to you. There is nothing out of the way.

The progenitor, the priest who invests with the sacred thread, the preceptor who imparts learning, he who gives food and he who provides succour from fear—these five are remembered as Fathers (Protectors).

After saying thus to Viṣṇuśarman, the Lord of the universe bowed down to him there in that Tīrtha and quickly went away to the Kailāsa mountain.

Ever since then, that Tīrtha is famous as Bhārabhūti. It is reputed in all the worlds as destructive of great sins.

I shall tell you another event that happened there in the Tīrtha. It is a great legendary event that is divine and destructive of all sins. Listen to it with an attentive mind.

58-68. Formerly, at the beginning of Kṛta Yuga, there was a high-minded Vaiśya well known as Sukeśa. That large-eyed Vaiśya passed away. His son well- known as Somaśarmā was highly pious and righteous. He formed friendship with one poverty-stricken son of a Vaiśya known as Sahadeva. He was very efficient in all activities.

Once he thought of a partnership deal with him. “Friend, with my money as the capital we shall buy and take with us much merchandise. We shall go on voyage in a ship with auspicious embarkation. We shall go to the other shore (country). The profit will be equal between us.”

Thus they took counsel together in regard to what they planned. Taking all the requisites for the voyage, they rode (set sail) on the salt sea.

They went to the other shore and sold their wares in a city there. Much gold and different kinds of jewels were acquired by them.

The boat was made fit for the voyage and they got into it.

It was midnight. Sahadeva observed that the boat fully laden with gold was sailing on the high sea and that Somaśarmā, with full trust in him was sleeping with his head placed on his lap. He thought thus: ‘This fellow has gone to sleep with his very life in my hand. The entire proceeds (gold etc.) are in his possession. It is not sure that he will give me half the profit after going there. He may or he may not.’

On coming to this conclusion, the sinful wretch hurled Somaśarmā into the salt sea.

69-79. Taking the entire wealth, he crossed the ocean by means of that boat. After a few days, he met with his death.

He was seized by the servants of Yama and taken to the terrible city of Yama. He was taken along that path where the Sun had grown twelve-fold and was blazing as though at the time of the ultimate dissolution of the universe. There were many extremely sharp thorns, hideous dogs, great serpents with sharp fangs, tigers, and huge wolves. There the sands were excessively hot. There was hunger, thirst and pitch darkness. There was no talk (i.e. trace, or drop) of water, no shade or hermitage anywhere. Any food along with water, turns into poison.

If people request for shade, the fire burned all the more hot. The wretched inhabitants who were burned lamented again and again.

They cried, “Alas, mother! Alas, brother! Alas, son!” and fell into swoon on the way. That (Sahadeva) was led through the path of such nature by the servants of Yama.

The servants of Yama left (produced) him at the door of the palace where Lord Yama, the controller of the subjects, was staying. After tying tightly a rope round the neck of the betrayer of his friend they reported: “Listen, O Lord of Devas. You know what should be done thereafter.”

Yama said:

The face of those who commit breach of trust has never been seen by me. There are clever and efficient sages appointed here for the purpose of deliberating and deciding what punishment should be meted out to the sinners perpetrating breach of trust to their friends. Cast this fellow over there where they order you to cast him. You need not think about it further.

80-92. Ordered thus the servants of Yama hastened to the great sages along with him. Producing him before them as per order of Yama, they reported with reference to him:

“By this fellow, out of greed for wealth, his own friend who trusted him and was asleep at night was murdered. What should be the punishment for this crime?”

The sages said:

The face of the murderer of friends has never been seen by us before. Keep him hooded with a screen. You can hear later what his punishment shall be.

Those sages pored over the scriptural texts and discussed mutually. The leading Brāhmaṇas then summoned the messengers of Yama and told them:

“The scriptural texts were gone through; the Vedas with their Aṅgas, the Smṛti texts, the Purāṇas, and Mīmāṃsā texts have been consulted by us.

Means of expiation have been laid down in the scriptures in regard to Brāhmaṇa-slaughter, imbibing liquor, theft and carnal approach to the wife of preceptor but there is no way of atonement for the ungrateful (one who kills his friend).

Means of expiation have been prescribed in regard to those who kill women, preceptors, Brāhmaṇas and children. But there is nothing by way of expiation for the ungrateful. Means of expiation have been enjoined in regard to those sinners who demolish tanks, wells and lakes, to those wicked people who cut off and demolish gardens and parks, to those who burn forests, to those who injure lives, to those who administer poison, who deceive their masters, who forsake parents and preceptors, who find fault with others, to a woman who is disloyal to her husband, to a woman who destroys foetus, to a woman bereft of discrimination, who takes food without taking bath, who takes two meals on the Vaiṣṇavavāsara (on the eleventh lunar day) etc. A way of acquittal by expiation is seen in regard to all those women but not to those who betray trust and to men who are inimical to their friends. They have no salvation (expiation) according to the Vedas. What need one say of the Purāṇas! In the case of such sinners there is no way of expiation.

93-103. No other way of salvation has been heard by us for killers of friends and of those who have trusted.

O messengers of Yama, take this betrayer of trust from this place. Let him be cast into all the Narakas numbering thirty crores severally and by turns, for a period of hundred crores of Kalpas. You need not hesitate in this respect.

On hearing these words, the servants bound him and took him to cast him into the terrible Narakas. At the outset they took him to the terrible hell named Raurava.

They hurled the great sinner there. As soon as he was put there, a great uproar of protest was heard from the creatures suffering in that Naraka: “This sinner should not be left here. Merely by touching him, our pain increases hundred-fold as though we are cut with swords or burned with well-kindled fuel. What dirty thing did he commit? Just as a good man is reduced to a low status due to association with an evil one, so is the case with the proximity of this fellow. It is like sprinkling acid on a wound. May this favour be done. Let him be taken to another Naraka.”

On being requested thus by them, they went towards Aśuci. The residents of that hell shouted like those in the previous ones. All those servants wandered from hell to hell. Thus that evil-minded sinner had no place of rest even in Naraka. The situation being such, all of them took him to the presence of Yama. They told him whatever was voiced by the residents of those hells and asked him: “Tell us. What should be done with that fellow who has no place even in hell?”

Yama said:

104-109. Let this foulest sinner fall into brutish wombs for periods of time as mentioned by the sages. Let him be forced into the wombs of brutish creatures.

When these words were uttered by the Controller of subjects (i.e. Yama), the fellow attained birth successively as worms living in feces. Thereafter he became a fly, mosquito, ant, louse, bug etc., by turns and then a bird.

Thereafter, he became an immobile being (like a tree) and then he attained the state of a rock. Then he became a reptile, python, boar, deer, elephant, wolf, dog, mule, camel, pig, domestic animals, ass and buffalo and other similar wombs of brutish creatures successively. At the end he became a beast of burden in the abode of a righteous king of great fame.

110-117. Once that excellent king noted that Kārttikī (the full-moon day in the month of Kārttika) was imminent. He summoned his priest and many other Brāhmaṇas and said: “This I have heard often that Kārttikī festival should not be celebrated at home. Tell me, O excellent Brāhmaṇas, where we all shall go in a body. It is the injunction of the Śruti. ‘He who spends the Kārttikī day without holy bath, Dāna and other rites loses the Puṇya performed in the course of a year.’ Hence we shall assiduously go in a body to a Tīrtha with all good features in order to take the holy bath and make gifts in accordance with our capacity.”

When these words were uttered by the king, the excellent Brāhmaṇas said: “O excellent king, on the northern bank of Revā, there is a Tīrtha yielding salvation, well-known as Bhāreśvara Tīrtha. We shall all go there. It is capable of wiping off all sins.”

On being told so, the king took with him plenty of money and filled a cart with all this. That beast of burden was Sahadeva who after committing the murder of his friend, had now reached the species of a bull. He was yoked to the cart.

118-127. Thus he reached the excellent Tīrtha on the banks of Narmadā. After going there, he waited patiently for the fast on the fourteenth lunar day.

The procedure of worship (verses 119-145)

On that day, he went to the banks of Narmadā uttering the name of Rudra many times attentively. Thereafter, uttering the following Mantra he took some mud from a clean place: “You were lifted up by the Boar and the hundred-armed Rudra. I shall also lift (you) up along with the progeny and the binding.”

After taking the mud and casting it down on the northern bank, he looked at the Sun. Then with the following Mantra he applied the mud over the body: “O Earth trodden over by horses, traversed over by chariot, walked over by Viṣṇu, O Earth, dispel my sin acquired in the course of hundred crores of births.”

Afterwards entering into the water he uttered the following Mantra: “O Narmaḍā of meritorious waters, your water has originated from Śaṅkara. May it dispel the sins incurred by me even as I take my holy bath.”

After performing the holy ablution as per this procedure, he offered libations to Pitṛs and Devas, went to the shrine taking with him the requisite offerings.

In his presence he devoutly meditated upon Śaṅkara, the benefactor of the world.

In accordance with the injunctions laid down in the Purāṇas, he began the worship. Fourfold worship of the Lord during Śivarātri is being prescribed.

In the first Yāma (Watch) (a period of 3 hours) the king bathed Śaṅkara with Pañcagavya. The filling-up was afterwards performed with ghee by the excellent king.

128-138. At the outset incense and lights were offered with due Saṅkalpa (ritualistic utterance of what is proposed to be done). Arghya was offered to the Lord of Devas, Śaṅkara, with the Mantra recited as:

“Obeisance to you, O Lord of the chiefs of Devas, O Śaṃbhu the ultimate cause. O Lord, accept this Arghya and remove the sin in the form of Saṃsāra (mundane existence). Gold consecrated with Mantras has been given according to the financial capacity. Agni alone represents all the Devas and gold is (obtained) from fire. Hence all Devas may become pleased by the gift of gold. May Śaṅkara be always pleased with the person offering Arghya

According to this procedure Śiva was worshipped by him in the first Yāma.

The procedure at the outset is the same for the second Yāma.

(The king) bathed the Slayer of Tripuras with cow’s milk. The filling-up of the Liṅga of the Trident-bearing Lord was later performed with raw rice grains.

Following the procedure mentioned earlier a pair of white cloth was given because a pair of white cloth is very dear to Śaṅkara. Śaṃbhu becomes pleased when white cloth is offered.

On observing that the third Yāma had arrived, the excellent king bathed the Lord with honey and filling-up was done by means of gingelly seeds.

Uttering the following Mantra, a Droṇa (a measure) of gingelly seeds should be offered: “Whether the gingelly seeds are white or black, they dispel all sins. May my bond be cut off by this gift of a Droṇa of gingelly seeds.”

According to this procedure the king concluded the worship of that Yāma of the night. Then he performed the rite of Jāgaraṇa along with entertainments and the chanting of the Vedic passages. The adoration of Śaṃbhu, which is a source of acquiring much merit, was done.

139-147. O son of Kunth even Yajvins (those who perform Yajñas) do not get the goal which those persons get, the persons who auspiciously abide by the Jāgaraṇa (keeping awake) rite of the Three-eyed Lord, during Śivarātri in a shrine of Bhava (Śiva). Whatever may be the sins, sins acquired in the course of crores of births, if Jāgaraṇa of Hara and Keśava is performed and the devotees take holy bath, those sins perish.

O king, the devotees derive the benefit of an Aśvamedha for each of the moments spent during the night in the rite of Jāgaraṇa. No one shall obtain the same goal even if people are engaged in the observance of fasts, staying in the shrines, listening to pious narratives, meditating on Hara and Keśava or in performing Kratu (sacrifice) with much gold (given as gift). The Tithi (lunar day) of Śivarātri is meritorious and Kārttikī is specially so; the northern bank of Revā and Bhāreśvara Tīrtha too are so.

How can then the sin of one who keeps awake not perish? Thus that Lord of men kept awake during Śivarātri. When it dawned bright, he went to the excellent banks of Narmadā and thought: ‘It was through the help of these animals that pulled the carts etc., that I could come to the Tīrtha and have my holy bath. I shall, therefore, make them also have the (benefit of) the bath.’

Then all the vehicles, elephants etc., were thus bathed by him. The merchant who passed through the various births of creatures etc. and was standing in the middle was also bathed.

148-159. With these in view, he made some gifts in accordance with his capacity. By means of this rite, a man becomes rid of the defects (sins) brought about through (riding) the vehicles. Otherwise the profit (benefit) acquired solely goes to them.

After bathing them, the king himself took his holy bath in accordance with the injunctions; offered libations to Pitṛs and Devas, performed the Śrāddha rite duly, offered balls of rice to Pitṛs, ritualistically released a bull endowed with all good characteristics, went to the holy shrine, bathed Lord Śaṅkara successively with the waters of the Tīrtha, Pañcagavya, Pañcāmṛta, waters containing all medicinal herbs and finally with pure water.

Then Śaṅkara was smeared with sweet-smelling sandal-paste. The fourth filling-up of the Liṅga was performed with saffron, camphor, diverse kinds of scents and clusters of fragrant flowers by the excellent king who followed the previous procedure.

Afterwards gift of a cow was made in accordance with the rites laid down in the scriptural injunctions (uttering the following Mantra): “O cow, you are of the form of Rudra. You have been created by Rudra. Redeem me from falling into unfathomable ocean of mundane existence.”

A well-adorned cow should be gifted with this procedure. After requesting the Lord of the chiefs of Devas for pardon, the devotee should feed many Brāhmaṇas with six types of foodstuff. They should be honoured with clothes. After adoring them with diverse kinds of monetary gifts, the devotee requests them for forgiveness.

The Lord of the Earth did everything and took food himself later along with his attendants. He stayed there for that night. Even as he spent the night there thus, he heard the utterance of a divine voice in the sky at mid-night.

The Voice said:

160-168. O king, the benefit will accrue to the world all round now. Wicked souls that had fallen into the ocean of mundane existence derive benefit merely by their being present (in the Tīrtha). How it is so is being described, if it can be cause of elation to one born in the family of Śantanu (Dharmaputra).

Now in your house there is a beast of burden. By this fellow the sin of killing a friend and committing breach of trust was incurred in a previous birth, with more than a thousand other rebirths intervening. He was stationed in Narakas due to the sin. Then he was born and reborn into thousands of wombs of creatures. That wicked fellow finally was born as a bull in your abode. In the course of the present religious festival, he was bathed in the Tīrtha by you. He witnessed the worship performed by you and also kept awake. Thereby he has become rid of sins. In front of you, O king, he will cast off his body and go to heaven seated in an aerial chariot.

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:

As soon as this was uttered, the bull, the beast of burden, fell dead. Instantly he was seen seated in an aerial chariot. He bowed down to the leading king and said smilingly:

The Vṛṣa (Bull) said:

169-179. O most excellent one among eminent kings, indeed the efficacy of the Tīrtha is very great, since a man like me is rid of all sins. I have realized completely. There is no other sinner like me, on a par with me.

Henceforth what more shall I do except glorifying the Tīrtha? You are my mother. You are my brother. You are also my grandfather. I should be excused. I am bowing down to you. It is such a splendid Tīrtha where people like me attain a bright status. I do not know what your fate would be.

You have propitiated Maheśāna after adoring him duly. What would be the fate in your case! O Lord, grant me permission to go. These groups of divine beings stationed in heaven are prompting me to hurry up. Hail unto you! I shall go.

After saying this, he vanished in a moment.

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:

When the bull vanished there the king was amazed. He went to his city extolling the incomparable greatness of the Tīrtha.

Such is that Tīrtha situated on Narmadā, destructive of all sins, excellent, dispelling all miseries.

Minor sins perish merely on account of holy bath, O descendant of Bharata. On the fourteenth lunar day in the month of Kārttika, a devotee should observe fast and fill the Liṅga in four ways. Listen to the benefit of that merit.

By the power of these four the great sins perish, viz. those of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter, imbibing liquor, stealing and carnally approaching the wife of preceptor. He gets the excellent benefit of an Aśvamedha Yajña.

One who has observed fast on the fourteenth lunar day in the bright half of the month of Kārttika should make the gift of gold in that Tīrtha. He gets the benefit of Yajña.

180-186. On the eighth and fourteenth days of the month of Vaiśākha too (observe) as before. By making a lamp of flour-cake the devotee causes salvation to Pitṛs.

Whatever is given as Dāna there, even if it be as little as the tip of a hair, shall have everlasting benefit. So says Maheśvara.

O king, men who die in Bhārabhūti become purified in their souls. They will reach the goal of Śivaloka from where there is no return.

Or for the sake of the growth in avocation of the world, he will desire to conquer the mortal world. He is reborn in a pure family of Brāhmaṇas who have mastered the Vedas with their Aṅgas. He will live for a hundred years rich with wealth and food-grain and possessing Vedic lore. He will be free from all ailments.

Again he will come to that Tīrtha and attain the eternal region. Thus, O descendant of Bharata, O excellent king, the meritorious story destructive of sins has been recounted to you. Next to it listen to another great narrative.