Kaṭāha Tīrtha is a supremely sacred tīrtha (pilgrimage place) on the mountain Veṅkaṭādri. It lies to the north of the temple of Bhagavān Veṅkaṭeśvara. Even a single drop of its water, taken with the Ashṭāksharī mantra or the Keśavādi names, destroys brahmahatyā and all the other mahāpātakas (great pāpas).

Location and nature

Kaṭāha Tīrtha lies to the north of the Veṅkaṭeśvara temple on Veṅkaṭādri. Chapter 28 gives its teaching as something Nārada told in brief to the ṛshis at Naimishāraṇya, and Sūta now tells it in full.

Its power is declared in these words. Bhagavān Śiva knows its full greatness, and he told it to Pārvatī alone, in private, as something known only to him. All the tīrthas of the three worlds, the Gaṅgā and the others, come to Kaṭāha Tīrtha to be purified. Anyone who touches its water has his pāpas (sins) removed. (Veṅkaṭācala Māhātmya, Chapter 28)

The chapter says: “Ten thousand brahmahatyās, surāpānas, guru-talpa-gamanas, thefts, and a koṭi of saṃsarga-doshas are destroyed at once by serving this tīrtha.” Daily drinking of its water removes diseases, among them kushṭha (leprosy). Those who drink its water while saying the Ashṭāksharī mantra of Veṅkaṭeśvara gain both bhukti (enjoyment) and mukti (liberation).

How to take the Kaṭāha water

The text gives these ways of drinking the water of Kaṭāha Tīrtha:

The best way is to say the Ashṭāksharī mantra of Veṅkaṭeśvara and then drink.
Another way is to say the twenty-four Keśavādi names of Vishṇu and then drink.
The least is to say even three of the Keśavādi names and then drink.
A person who cannot say mantras says aloud, “Destroy the pāpas I have done in all my earlier births,” and drinks. This too gives moksha.

The text also joins Kaṭāha Tīrtha to the full round of the Veṅkaṭādri tīrtha-yātrā. A bath in Svāmi Pushkariṇī, the darśana of Varāha Svāmī on its west bank, and then a drink of the Kaṭāha water: these three together are called the triad that is “rare in all three worlds”. (Veṅkaṭācala Māhātmya, Chapter 28)

Keśava of Vedapura

Vedapura stands on the bank of the Tuṅgabhadrā river. It is an agrahāra (a village given to brahmins), and all its brahmins knew the Vedas, śabdaśāstra (grammar), jyotisha (the science of the stars), mīmāṃsā, tarka (logic) and vedānta. A brahmin named Padmanābha lived there, and he had a son named Keśava.

Keśava gave up all his karmas (duties). He left his parents and his faithful wife, and he became bound to a veśyā (a courtesan). He spent his money on her. Then he took to theft to keep her. He drank wine with her from the same cup, and he carried on with hunters in dākottī raids. One night he put on the dress of a Kirāta and went into a brahmin’s house. He killed the brahmin with his sword and carried off much wealth.

As Keśava left, the brahmahatyā took a form that could be seen. She was a terrible rākshasī in black clothes, with red eyes and matted hair. She followed him and fastened herself to him. She came after him with a great roar that shook the sky.

Keśava ran home and cried to his father Padmanābha for protection. The brahmahatyā-rākshasī stood before Padmanābha. She told him that his son was a fallen brahmin whose company would make the whole family impure. She warned that she would eat up the whole line if Padmanābha tried to shield his son. She struck Keśava on the cheek while his father looked on, unable to help.

At that moment the great ṛshi Bharadvāja came, as if sent by fate. Padmanābha fell at his feet and told him what had happened. Bharadvāja thought deeply and then gave this direction: “Go to Veṅkaṭādri. To the north of the Veṅkaṭeśa temple is Kaṭāha Tīrtha, which destroys brahmahatyā. Go there with your son and drink its water.”

The family made the journey. They bathed in Svāmi Pushkariṇī, bowed to Varāha Svāmī, and walked around the vimāna (the tower over the shrine) of Veṅkaṭeśa. Then they went to Kaṭāha Tīrtha and drank its water. At once the brahmahatyā-rākshasī vanished. Bhagavān Veṅkaṭeśvara then appeared to Padmanābha and his son at the tīrtha. He said he was glad that they had drunk the Kaṭāha water. (Veṅkaṭācala Māhātmya, Chapter 28)

Sources

Skanda Purāṇa, Vaishṇava Khaṇḍa, Veṅkaṭācala Māhātmya, Chapter 28