Chapter 222 - The Greatness of Tilādeśvara (tilāda-īśvara-tīrtha)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:

1-10. Next to it within a Krośa (3 Kms.) is the excellent Tilāda Tīrtha where a devotee should go thereafter. It was there that Jābāli gained purity by eating gingelly seeds.

He was full of defects and faults. He had abandoned his father and mother. He coveted the wife of his brother. He was a sinful seller of his son. He deceived his preceptor. Being full of such sinful faults, wherever he went he was insulted and rejected by good people, O descendant of Bharata. No one cared to associate with him even in the assemblies.

Thus the Brāhmaṇa became excessively ashamed, O king. He worried over this for a long time because he was not aware of any means of attaining sanctity.

He performed pilgrimages to all the Tīrthas. He took his bath in Ṛevā, after reaching Arṇavopānta (the vicinity of the sea) on the southern bank of Narmadā. There, O son of Kuntī, Jābāli stayed and began eating gingelly seeds.

He started by eating gingelly seeds once a day; then on alternate days; and gradually once in three days, six days, twelve days, fifteen days and a month.

He observed the vows of Kṛcchra, Cāndrāyaṇa etc. with gingelly seeds. Thus a regular gingelly seed eater, he reached the seventy-second year.

As time passed on Īśvara became pleased with him and granted him purity here and hereafter and also Sālokya salvation (the state of being present in the same world as the Lord).

That Lord was installed, O foremost one among the descendants of Bharata, by him. The deity was called after his own name. The deity got the name Tilādeśvara all over the world.

11-16. Ever since then, this Tīrtha became very famous as being destructive of sins. A person should take his holy bath there in that Tīrtha on the eighth and fourteenth lunar days. He should observe fast on Harivāsara (i.e. eleventh day). He must perform Homa with Tila (gingelly seeds). He shall smear himself with gingelly seeds instead of unguents. He must use gingelly seeds for bath and offer gingelly seeds with water. He must give gingelly seeds as gifts and eat gingelly seeds. (Thus) he is rid of different kinds of sins.

He must fill the Liṅga with gingelly seeds. He must offer lamps with the gingelly oil. He attains Rudra Loka. He sanctifies his family till the seventh generation.

O excellent king, by offering the balls of gingelly seeds at the time of Śrāddha all the ancestors who had committed prohibited actions (Vikarmasthas) attain the desired goal.

Those who are staying in Svargaloka derive everlasting satisfaction and rejoice as a result of the Śrāddhas and Brāhmaṇa-feeḍing. They rejoice for many years.

The man takes the members of the three families viz. that of father, that of mother and that of wife, to heaven after redeeming them.