Tāpī

Tāpī

The Tāpī is a holy river of Bhārata. The Agni Purāṇa, which Agni Deva taught to Vasishṭha Maharshi, names it in three teachings. In the glory of the tīrthas, Agni Deva counts the Tāpī among the excellent tīrthas (holy places) of the south, with the Godāvarī, the Tuṅgabhadrā, the Kāverī, the Payoshṇī and the Revā. In the description of Bhāratavarsha, the Tāpī is among the rivers that rise from the Sahya, one of the seven chief mountain ranges of the land. And in the mantras for a king’s abhisheka, the Tāpī is one of the holy rivers called on to bathe and protect the king.

An excellent tīrtha of the south

Agni Deva said: “Now I shall tell the glory of the tīrthas, which grants bhukti (enjoyment) and mukti (moksha).” Only he whose hands, feet and mind are held in restraint, and who has learning, tapas and good name, gains the full fruit of the tīrthas. The pilgrim who gives up accepting gifts, eats measured food, keeps his senses in control and is free of pāpa (sin) gains the fruit of all yajñas. The fruit that comes from yajñas comes from tīrtha-yātrā.

Then Agni Deva names the tīrthas of the south: Śrīparvata, Kolācala, Sahyagiri, Malayagiri, the Godāvarī, the Tuṅgabhadrā, the Kāverī who grants varas, the Tāpī, the Payoshṇī, the Revā (Narmadā) and Daṇḍakāraṇya are also excellent tīrthas.

Source: Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 109

A river of the Sahya

Agni Deva describes Bhāratavarsha, the land north of the ocean and south of the Himālaya, nine thousand yojanas in extent. It is the karma-bhūmi, the land of action, for those who wish to attain svarga and moksha. Its seven kula-parvatas (chief mountain ranges) are Mahendra, Malaya, Sahya, Śuktimat, Himālaya, Vindhya and Pāriyātra, and each gives rise to its own rivers. From the Pāriyātra come the Vedasmṛti and others; from the Vindhya, the Narmadā and others; from the Sahya, the Tāpī, the Payoshṇī, the Godāvarī, the Bhīmarathī, the Kṛshṇaveṇī and others; from the Malaya, the Kṛtamālā and others; from the Mahendra, the Trisāmā and others; from the Śuktimat, the Kumārī and others; and from the Himālaya, the Candrabhāgā and others.

Source: Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 118

At the abhisheka of a king

Pushkara taught Paraśurāma the mantras for the abhisheka (consecration bath) of a king. If the kalaśa is filled with water and kuśa and the king is bathed with it, all his wishes are fulfilled. Each mantra is a blessing on the king. After the oceans and the tīrthas, the holy rivers are called on: “May these holy rivers perform your abhisheka and protect you”: the Gaṅgā, Sarasvatī, Śatadru, Gaṇḍakī, Acchodā, Vipāśā, Vitastā, Devikā, Kāverī, Varuṇā, Niścirā, Gomatī, Pārā, Carmaṇvatī, Rūpā, Mahānadī, Mandākinī, Tāpī, Payoshṇī, Veṇā, Vaitaraṇī, Godāvarī, Bhīmarathī, Tuṅgabhadrā, Araṇi, Candrabhāgā, Śivā, Gaurī and the rest.

Source: Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 219

Sources

• Agni Purāṇa, Chapters 109, 118, 219