Chapter 82 - Origin of Cakratīrtha

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

The Devī said:

1. O Bull-emblemed One, what is that Tīrtha mentioned by you by the name Cakratīrtha? Where is that Tīrtha situated? What is its power? Do tell me.

Īśvara said:

2. Formerly, in the battle between Devas and Asuras, Janārdana killed the Daityas and thereafter washed his blood-stained discus there.

3. Hari brought there himself, eight crores of excellent Tīrthas and set them up in this Tīrtha. After cleansing Sudarśana, he gave the name Cakratīrtha unto it whereby it became well-known.

4. There is no doubt, O great goddess, that in Cakratīrtha, there are altogether eight crore eight hundred thousand Tīrthas.

5. An excellent man who takes his holy bath there with single-minded attention, attains the full benefit of ablution in all the Tīrthas.

6. O lady of excellent countenance, eight crores of (extra) Tīrthas remain there particularly on the Ekādaśī day as well as during solar and lunar eclipses.

7-8. O great goddess, by taking the holy bath there, one obtains the benefit of a crore of Yajñas. Listen to its own names in different Kalpas. I shall enumerate them to you. It was Koṭitīrtha in the earliest Kalpa, Śrīnidhāna in the second, Śatadhāra in the third, and Cakratīrtha in the fourth Kalpa.

9. Thus all the previous Kalpa names have been told to you. In a similar manner, other names should be understood by learned men in the proper order.

10. There is no limit unto the Dāna that is offered there. Viṣṇukṣetra is said as extending to half a Krośa (3 Kms.).

11-14. It is the truth that has been mentioned by me. The Sin (Demon) of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter does not approach him.

A person can perform all these rites there: monthly fasts, Agnihotra, observance of holy vows with self-control, self-study of the Vedas, performance of Yajñas, Tapas, Cāndrāyaṇa etc., offering libations to the Pitṛs, performing Śrāddha unto them with due observance of regulations, single-night rites, three-night rites of Kṛcchra and Sāntapana and other holy rites. Whatever a man does after coming to the Daityārikṣetra shall yield merit a crore times more than in the other holy Kṣetras.

15. One who desires the benefit of perfect pilgrimage should perform Godāna (gifting cows) in the excellent Sudarśana Kṣetra for the eradication of all sins.

16-17. A dog-cooking Cāṇḍāla or a creature of the lower strata, meeting with death in that holy spot shall attain the world of Acyuta. Thus the greatness of Cakratīrtha has been briefly told. It is destructive of all sins. It yields all desired benefits.