The Skanda Purana
by G. V. Tagare | 1950 | 2,545,880 words
This page describes The Greatness of Punkhila Tirtha which is chapter 210 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 tenth chapter of the Reva-khanda of the Avantya-khanda of the Skanda Purana.
Chapter 210 - The Greatness of Puṅkhila Tīrtha
[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]
Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:
1-8. Next, O dear one, is the excellent Puṅkhila Tīrtha. O son of Kuntī, it was there in that Tīrtha that Puṅkha attained Siddhi.
A holy sage, the son of Jamadagni, the highly refulgent destroyer of Kṣatriyas, performed an elaborate penance there on the northern bank of Narmadā.
Ever since then, O Lord of men, the Puṅkha Tīrtha became well-known. He who takes his holy bath there in that Tīrtha and propitiates Parameśvara, becomes endowed with extraordinary strength in this world and attains salvation in the other world. He who adores Devas and Pitṛs becomes free from indebtedness to Pitṛs.
If a man casts off his life there in the Tīrtha, he will undoubtedly proceed to Rudraloka from where he will have no return.
A man who takes his holy bath there in that Tīrtha, shall obtain the merit, of a horse-sacrifice. If a man feeds a single Brāhmaṇa there in that Tīrtha, it is as good as a crore of Brāhmaṇas are fed.
Whoever worships the Bull-emblemed Lord there in the Tīrtha undoubtedly obtains the merit of a Vājapeya Yajña.