Bahūdaka Tīrtha, the tīrtha of abundant water, is a sacred pool within Guptakshetra at the Mahīsāgara Saṃgama. The Kapīleśvara Liṅga stands here. The ṛshi Kapila installed it after his long tapas (austerity) at the Saṃgama. The four Śaktis and nine Durgās told of in the Kaumārika Khaṇḍa are also set here. The merchant Nandabhadra worshipped the Kapīleśvara Liṅga here three times a day. At the Bahūdaka Kuṇḍa, Bhagavān Sūrya appeared as a leprous boy of seven years, Bālāditya, to enlighten Nandabhadra in his crisis of faith.

The Kapīleśvara Liṅga

At Bahūdaka Tīrtha the ṛshi Kapila did tapas for many years. As a result of his tapas he installed a Liṅga called Kapīleśvara, the Liṅga of Kapila’s Īśvara. This Liṅga became the presiding deva of the Bahūdaka area within Guptakshetra. The merchant Nandabhadra worshipped this Liṅga three times a day with steady devotion.

The Bahūdaka Kuṇḍa

The Bahūdaka Kuṇḍa (the pool of abundant water) is the bathing pool of this tīrtha. At this pool a leprous boy of seven came to Nandabhadra on the fourth day of his fast. The boy was Bhagavān Sūrya in disguise. He taught Nandabhadra the nature of suffering, of affection and of tṛshṇā (craving).

The Bālāditya form of Bhagavān Sūrya (the child sun) is closely linked with the Bahūdaka Kuṇḍa and with the nearby Barkarika Tīrtha.

The four Śaktis and nine Durgās

Chapter 47 of the Kaumārika Khaṇḍa tells how the four Śaktis (four forms of the divine feminine power) and the nine Durgās were established at Bahūdaka Tīrtha. They were set here by divine arrangement. So Bahūdaka Tīrtha is a Śaiva place through the Kapīleśvara, a Saurya place through Bālāditya, and also a Śākta place of the highest order.

Sources

Skanda Mahāpurāṇa, Māheśvara Khaṇḍa, Kaumārika Khaṇḍa, Chapters 45–47 (Chapter 45: Kapīleśvara Liṅga; Chapter 46: Bahūdaka Kuṇḍa and Bālāditya; Chapter 47: four Śaktis and nine Durgās)