Chapter 59 - Impact of the Mahaujasa Tīrtha

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Pulastya said:

1. Then one has to go to that centre of pilgrimage which is a symbol of great victory and the destroyer of all sins called the Mahaujasa. The king, conforming to the religious, ritual of a bath here definitely endows man with brightness. In old time, Indra, tormented with Brahmicide, had made a very pitiable situation for himself.

2. Deprived of the splendour, his body began to give a bad smell. Deserted by all gods, he became very depressed and began to lament.

3. Then the God Indra desired to ask the best Brāhmaṇa Bṛhaspati in this regard. He asked him “O Godly Sage! please tell me as to how could there be an increase in my lustre so that I regained my old form completely.”

4. Bṛhaspati said, “The best of gods, undertake pilgrimage on the surface of Earth for without this it is certain that there would be no enhancement in your lustre.”

5. Then the king, Indra moved about several places of pilgrimage and in course of his journey reached the Arbuda mountain. There, he came across a water pond. Out of exhaustion he entered into the ring of water there for a bath and regained his greater brightness.

6. Then becoming free from the bad smell on his body, he turned back towards the gods and told them in a jocular manner O gods, listen to me.

7. (He said): “Those who take bath here on the eve of day of the festival observed in honour of Indra (i.e., on the twelfth day of the bright period of Moon in the month of Kārtika i.e. October-November) will attain the ultimate passage on the last day of the rising period of moon (i.e., on the Full Moon day) in the same month. They will also be blessed with beautiful bodies for ever in the cycle of repeated births.”