Māyūreśvara-purī

Māyūreśvara-purī is the holy city of Māyūreśvara, the Tretāyuga avatāra (descent) of Gaṇeśa. It stands where the Bhīmā (Bhīmarathī) and Kṛshṇā rivers meet, in the Dakshiṇāpatha, the southern region of Bhārata.

It was once the capital of the asura king Sindhu. After Māyūreśvara won his victory, it became a seat of divine grace. The Gaṇeśa Purāṇa tells of the victory celebration, the marriage of Siddhi and Buddhi to Māyūreśvara, the pañcāyatana vision, four devīs set up in the city, and a four-day festival in Bhādrapada.

Location

Māyūreśvara-purī stands at the saṅgama (meeting of rivers) of the Bhīmā (Bhīmarathī) and the Kṛshṇā, in the Dakshiṇāpatha. The Bhīmā-Kṛshṇā saṅgama is itself a sacred tīrtha.

The city was formerly Sindhu’s capital, his seat of power while he conquered the three worlds. After his defeat it was renamed and made holy as the city of the victorious Māyūreśvara.

Sindhu’s parents were linked with a different city, Gandakī-nagara. Cakrapāṇi ruled Gandakī-nagara in the Maithila deśa (country).

The victory celebration and the svayaṃvara of Siddhi and Buddhi

After Sindhu was defeated, the devas who had been held prisoner in the city came before Māyūreśvara with joy and reverence. The city became the scene of the great victory celebration.

Here Brahmā held the svayaṃvara (the bride’s own choice of husband) of his daughters Siddhi and Buddhi. Both garlanded Māyūreśvara, and Brahmā performed the full Vedic marriage. Devas, ṛshis, gandharvas, kinnaras and apsarās all celebrated with music, dance and the chanting of hymns. (Gaṇeśa Purāṇa, Krīḍā Khaṇḍa, Chapter 125)

The pañcāyatana darśana

At Māyūreśvara-purī, Māyūreśvara gave the assembled devas and ṛshis a great darśana (sight of the Divine): the pañcāyatana viśvarūpa. In his own form he showed five divine aspects together, each in its own place:

• Gajānana (the Gaṇeśa aspect), at the centre
• Śiva, at the south-east
• Sūrya, at the south-west
• Pārvatī, at the north-west
• Vishṇu, at the north-east

This sight of the whole Pañcadevatā in one form was, in the Tretā Yuga, the teaching that the five are aspects of the one Parabrahman. (Gaṇeśa Purāṇa, Krīḍā Khaṇḍa, Chapter 126)

The four directional devīs

Māyūreśvara also set up four kshetrapālikā devīs (guardians of the place) in the four directions of the city, making a lasting sacred maṇḍala.

(Gaṇeśa Purāṇa, Krīḍā Khaṇḍa, Chapter 126)

The four-day Bhādrapada festival

Māyūreśvara began a four-day yearly festival in this city. It starts on Bhādrapada śukla pratipadā (the first day of the bright half of Bhādrapada) and ends on Bhādrapada śukla caturthī (Gaṇeśa Caturthī). He laid down the full pūjā-vidhi (rules of worship) and the conduct of the festival. This beginning at Māyūreśvara-purī is given as the origin of the yearly Gaṇeśa Caturthī celebration. (Gaṇeśa Purāṇa, Krīḍā Khaṇḍa, Chapter 126)

Māyūreśvara’s departure

After setting up the pañcāyatana, the four devīs and the festival, Māyūreśvara said farewell to the assembled world. He gave his peacock to Kārttikeya and renamed him Māyūradhvaja. Then he departed, his mission in the Tretā Yuga complete. (Gaṇeśa Purāṇa, Krīḍā Khaṇḍa, Chapter 126)

Sources

• Gaṇeśa Purāṇa, Krīḍā Khaṇḍa, Chapters 124–126