Chapter 45 - Greatness of Tripuṣkara

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Note: Puṣkara lake is near Ajmer in Rajasthan. It is glorified in Mbh and ocher Purāṇas. God Brahmā performed a sacrifice here. This Purāṇa claims the existence of this holy place at Camatkārapura as well.

Sūta said:

1-2 O excellent Brāhmaṇas, there itself is the highly meritorious group of three Puṣkaras where penance was performed formerly by the king of Ānarta. One who takes his holy bath there at midday in the month of Kārttika when the Moon is in the constellation Kṛttikā (i.e. on the full-moon day) attains the greatest goal.

The sages said:

3. O son of Sūta, do tell us how the highly meritorious group of three Puṣkaras happened to be there? At what holy spot should it be identified? What are the signs thereof.

Sūta said:

4. I shall describe unto you how the intelligent sage Viśvāmitra saw (recognized) the group of the three Puṣkaras formerly by what indicators.

5. Formerly when the excellent sage Viśvāmitra was staying there, the meritorious Kārttikī (full-moon day in the month of Kārttika) arrived when the constellation was Kṛttikā.

6. The storehouse of penance, the son of Gādhi, realized that the holy spot consisted of all the Tīrthas. Then he thought thus in his mind.

7-9. ‘It happens that today is the highly meritorious Kārttikī with the Kṛttikā constellation. On this day, if men take their holy bath in the waters of Puṣkara, welfare is attained by them. The primordial Puṣkara is very far off. It is not possible to go there now. So, I shall take the holy bath in the Tīrtha situated here.’

After resolving thus with the mind sanctified by ardent faith, he began to search for the Puṣkaras all round. Due to the multiplicity of the Tīrthas, he could not come to a decision.

10. Wherever he saw a pool of water, he took his holy bath there. Wandering here and there he became tired.

11. He came to the root of a tree. Standing there on the ground and remaining pure he faithfully eulogized Tripuṣkara:

12. “Svarga is within a Yojana from the middle Puṣkara and half a Yojana from the least (smallest) one. Splendid souls have proclaimed that Svarga is within the reach of a hand from the greatest Kuṇḍa (holy pit).

13. Other Tīrthas indeed sanctify the devotees undoubtedly who take holy plunge and perform Dāna. But, one is rid of sins merely by a visit to Puṣkara.

14. After arriving at the forest region of Puṣkara if one feeds a single Brāhmaṇa with greens, roots and fruits, it is as effective as though a core of Brāhmaṇas are fed.

15. It is very difficult (to get the opportunity of) having a holy plunge in Puṣkara; penance at Puṣkara is rarely achieved. Residence at Puṣkara is also very rare. Everything in Puṣkara is rarely achieved.

16. A man who takes his holy bath in Puṣkara on the occasion of Kārttikī along with the Kṛttikā constellation is instantly rid of sins incurred ever since birth and till death.

17. A man who takes but a single holy plunge in the morning in the biggest Puṣkara, at midday in the middle Puṣkara aṇd after sunset in the smallest Puṣkara shall attain Svarga.

18. Sin abides in the bodies of the embodied beings only until they take their holy bath in the waters of Puṣkara.

19. Just as darkness touched by the rays of the sun gets dissolved, so also sin vanishes quickly after coining into contact with the waters of Puṣkara.

20. Even after committing Brāhmaṇa-slaughter and other sins on the earth, a person becomes free from defects (sins) if he bathes in Puṣkara on the Kārttikī day.

21. Of what avail is Dāna? Of what importance is Homa? Of what avail is elaborate Yajña? The benefit of all these is achieved through a holy baths in Puṣkara on the Kārttikī day.

22. If this statement perfectly uttered by me is true, let Puṣkara be seen immediately.”

23. Even as the intelligent Viśvāmitra was saying thus, O excellent Brāhmaṇas, there arose an unembodied voice from the sky.

24. “O Viśvāmitra, O most excellent one among sages, my perpetual residence is in the sky excepting the single occasion of Kārttikī accompanied by the Kṛttikā constellation.

25. Therefore on this day I certainly come to the earth in this very meritorious forest. Therefore you perform the rite of holy bath.”

Viśvāmitra said:

26. We hear that this place is a supporting base in the case of all Tīrthas. O Lord of all the Tīrthas, how can I identify you stationed here itself.

27. Then, O excellent Brāhmaṇas, a loud voice originating in the aerial space rose up once more, delighting Viśvāmitra, the most excellent one among sages:

28-31. “Not far from this forest there are (three) watery expanses (lakes). In one of them there is a lotus with face stooping down. In the second it has the face lifted up. In the third the face is turned sideways. Among them the Jyeṣṭha Puṣkara (the greatest Puṣkara) should be identified through the lotuses with faces lifted up.^[1]

O excellent Brāhmaṇa, the identification mark of the middle one is the lotuses with faces turned sideways. The smallest Puṣkara should be identified through the lotuses with faces downwards. O excellent Sage, after identifying them through these signs do perform your holy bath.”

On hearing it the sage got up and went away quickly.

32-35. Those lakes were seen with such lotuses. On seeing them the sage endowed with ardent faith performed the holy bath in due order. Then he offered libations to the Pitṛs in accordance with injunctions. Thereby, O excellent Brāhmaṇas, he performed in accordance with the injuctions the rite of Śrāddha through greens, roots and Nīvāra rice-grains together with fruits. Thereafter he stood on the bank itself and began to look around with mental concentration. He was keen to see the signs of identification of the conjunction of Kṛttikā constellation with the Kārttikī day.

The Brāhmaṇas said:

36. Of what nature is the sign in the greatest Puṣkara on the Kārttikī day when there is the conjunction of Kṛttikā constellation. Describe everything to us quickly.

Sūta said:

37. On the Kārttikī day when the Moon comes into contact with Kṛttikā constellation, an excellent lotus comes up from the middle of water.

38. Within it a being of the size of thumb is seen by the people endowed with ardent faith, who have taken their holy bath duly. Thereafter, a devotee obtains the merit of pilgrimage to the Tīrtha.

39. It was for this reason that the great sage Viśvāmitra strenuously looked around for the expected sign after his holy bath.

40. Even as the intelligent Viśvâmitra was watching thus, King Bṛhadbala, the overlord of Ānarta, came there.

41-42. He was extremely tired after hunting herds of deer, bears, boars, stags and Saṃbara bucks, lions tigers, wolves and other wild beasts of prey. He reached that place at midday along that path.

43. Near a tree he saw Viśvāmitra, the leading sage. He was seated there after his holy bath keenly watching the lake before him.

44. The king got down from the horse and bowed down to the sage. The excellent king was excessively tired and so entered the water of the lake.

45. In the meantime that lotus came up from the water. It had a thousand petals and its lustre was similar to that of twelve Suns.

46. On seeing that large wonderful lotus, the king was curious and he caught hold of it with his left hand.

47. O excellent Brāhmaṇas, hardly had the lotus been touched When a loud report was heard which filled the entire universe.

48. On hearing that sound, the king swooned and fell into the water. The lotus vanished.

49. With very great difficulty, he was pulled out of the water by his attendants miserable and grief-stricken uttering cries of “Hā! Hā!"

50. After reaching the banks, he regained consciousness with great difficulty. As he glanced over his body he found it affected by leprosy.

51. The nose, the hands and the feet were badly affected and decayed. His voice was gruff. He became sad and gloomy.

52. Approaching Viśvāmitra, the king uttered wretched, feeble words choked with tears.

53-54. “O holy sage, see how despicable my body has become all of a sudden as I went into the water. O leading sage, could it be any defect of the water or the soil beneath, that my body has suddenly attained this serious mal-transformation?”

Viśvāmitra said:

55. This is a solar lotus. Within it Lord Sun himself is present. But you touched it with an Ucchiṣṭa (impure) body.

56. O king, when in the month of Kārttika the Moon comes into conjunction with Kṛttikā constellation, this comes up from the waters of the Puṣkara.

57. This Puṣkara is the Jyeṣṭha (greatest) which you got into on being weary. Today is the Full-Moon day in the month of Kārttika and there is the conjunction of Kṛttikā constellation.

58. After seeing this a man with ardour and faith should take his holy bath. He shall attain the greatest goal.

59. It was only to pluck it out, O king, that you touched the lotus and that too when you were Ucchiṣṭa (impure). Therefore this is the result.

Bṛhadbala said:

60. O excellent sage, how can I get rid of this fell disease of leprosy? Could it be through penance, observance of restraints and holy vows?

Viśvāmitra said:

61. Propitiate the Thousand-rayed Lord in this holy spot, O king. You will attain good result, ease and comfort arising from the destruction of (perfect cure from) leprosy.

62. On hearing the words of the sage, King Bṛhadbala immediately installed an idol of Sun-god.

63-64. With great ardour and faith, he regularly adored the idol in accordance with the injunctions with flowers, incense and unguent. On Sundays he conducted special worship after observing fast. He faithfully adored with red flowers along with red sandal-paste.

65-66. At the end of a year, the king experienced complete relief from the disease of leprosy. He regained the refulgence of twelve suns. Thereafter, he went back to his kingdom and enjoyed many pleasures. On death he attained the world of the Sun-god.

Sūta said:

67. O excellent Brāhmaṇas, it was thus that the intelligent Viśvāmitra made the three Puṣkaras manifest and accessible to all the people of the world.

68. A man who takes his holy bath there on days with Kṛttikā constellation, or on the full-moon day in the month of Kārttika goes to Brahmaloka.

69. A man who visits Bhāskara (the Sun-god) installed by Bṛhadbala on all Sundays for a period of one year celebrating great festivals therein, shall be rid of all ailments he may be suffering from.

70. A man without ailments immediately attains whatever he desires mentally with the favour of the Hot-rayed One. One without desires attains salvation.

71. One who performs the rite of Vṛṣotsarga (ritualistic releasing of a bull as dedication unto the deity) on the Kārttikī day when there is the conjunction of Kṛttikā constellation in the highly meritorious Puṣkaras, shall get the merit of a horse-sacrifice.

72. One should desire to beget many sons so that one may go to Gayā, one may perform a horse sacrifice or one may ritualistically dedicate a ‘blue’ bull.

73. All the Tīrthas or all the Dāna rites may be put on-one pan of the balance and in the other one, the dedication of a bull. Both are on a par with each other.

74. One who listens to this always or reads with ardent faith, attains all desires and is honoured in Brahmaloka.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Puṣkara means a lotus. The association of Lotuses with the Tīrtha is significant (PE p. 622).