The Candrabhāgā is a sacred river that flows through the northern part of the Sindhu region (Sindh). The Purāṇas praise it as a place of great upāsanā (devoted worship) of Sūrya. On its bank stands Sāmbapura, also called Mitravanā. It is one of the four foremost Sūrya kshetras in Jambūdvīpa. Bhagavān Sūrya, pleased by the tapas (austerity) of Sāmba, agreed to live here for ever in his Mitra form.

The four Sūrya kshetras of Jambūdvīpa

King Śatānīka asked Sumanta Muni which are the foremost places for the worship of Sūrya in Jambūdvīpa. Three were named: Indravana, Muṇḍīra and Kālipriya. But Brahmā himself has named a fourth, the Candrabhāgā tīrtha, made holy by the tapas of Sāmba, son of Śrī Kṛshṇa.

This fourth place is said to be especially powerful. Bhagavān Sūrya lives here at all times and receives every act of worship in person. In other places he is present only at certain times of the day. Here he is present always (sarvakāla-sānnidhi). (Bhavishya Mahā Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapters 72–73)

Sāmbapura and Mitravanā

Sāmbapura is named after Sāmba, who did his fierce tapas here. The pratimā (image) of Sūrya that he set up is in the Mitra form, the twelfth of the twelve divine forms of Sūrya. The text names Vishṇu as the twelfth form of Sūrya. It says this same Vishṇu came as Vāsudeva Kṛshṇa, whose son is Sāmba. So the son of Vishṇu’s human avatāra set up the image of Vishṇu in his form as Sūrya.

Mitravanā (the grove of Mitra) was already a well-known Sūrya kshetra when Sāmba came. His tapas, and the image that then came to him from the river, made it the greatest Sūrya tīrtha of all Jambūdvīpa. (Bhavishya Mahā Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapters 72–73, 127–129)

Sāmba’s tapas at Candrabhāgā

Durvāsa had cursed Sāmba (śāpa) with a disease that could not be cured. Nārada had told Sāmba the glory (māhātmya) of Sūrya. Then Sāmba came to the Candrabhāgā tīrtha.

Here he did extreme tapas. He fasted completely and gave himself only to the worship of Sūrya, until his body was reduced to bones. Each day he recited the Sāmba-Stava-rāja, asking Sūrya to have pity on the sick and suffering. Bhagavān Sūrya appeared in person, took away his disease, gave him several varas (boons), and declared that he would live at this place for ever. (Bhavishya Mahā Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapters 127–129)

The image from the river

After he had received the grace of Bhagavān Sūrya, Sāmba went into the Candrabhāgā to bathe. As he meditated on the maṇḍala (disc) of Sūrya, a brilliant image of Sūrya appeared floating on the surface of the river and came straight towards him. Sāmba took it from the water and later set it up with full rites at Mitravanā.

The image told its own origin. Viśvakarmā had made it from the wood of the Kalpavṛksha in Śākadvīpa. Bhagavān Sūrya himself had asked Viśvakarmā to turn aside the divine tejas (radiance), which was too fierce even for the devas to look at. Viśvakarmā then sent this image down the Candrabhāgā river for Sāmba. (Bhavishya Mahā Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 129)

The holiness of this place

Bhagavān Sūrya himself spoke of the special standing of this tīrtha:

This place is very beautiful and supremely auspicious. My presence here is at all times (sarvakāla). Elsewhere, I am present only at certain times.

Anyone who does pūjā at this Sūrya kshetra on the Candrabhāgā has the worship received in person by Bhagavān Sūrya in his Mitra form. The name Sāmbapura will last as long as the world lasts, as an eternal memorial to Sāmba’s devotion. (Bhavishya Mahā Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapters 72–73, 129)

Sources

Bhavishya Mahā Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapters 72–73, 127–129
Mahābhārata, Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 146

Candrabhāgā Tīrtha