Priyavrata (Gautamī Aśvamedha)
Priyavrata · priya-vrata, “the one who loves his vows”
Priyavrata has other meanings too: see all meanings of Priyavrata.
Priyavrata is a kshatriya, the most excellent of all conquerors, who performed an aśvamedha on the southern bank of the Gautamī with Vasishṭha as his purohita. From his yajña came Śamītīrtha and the tīrthas around it, which give the fruit of an aśvamedha.
His aśvamedha
Brahmā tells Nārada of the tīrtha well known as Śamītīrtha, which subdues all pāpas. There was a kshatriya named Priyavrata, the best of conquerors, and his guru gave him dīkshā (initiation) for an aśvamedha on the southern bank of the Gautamī. Vasishṭha was the purohita of that king of powerful arms, and ṛshis were the ṛtvijas.
The aśvamedha began, and the dānava Hiraṇyāksha came to the yajña hall. The devas with Indra at their head were frightened and each went to a hiding place. Some went to svarga. Havyavāṭ (Agni) entered the Śamī tree; Bhagavān Vishṇu went into the Aśvattha; Bhānu (Bhagavān Sūrya) went into the Aruka plant; Bhagavān Śiva went into the Vaṭa tree; Soma went into the Palāśa tree; Havyavāhana (Agni) went into the waters of the Gaṅgā; the Aśvins took the yajña horse and fled; and Yama turned himself into a crow.
Then Vasishṭha took up a yashṭi (a thick staff) and commanded the asura to stop. The yajña went on again, and the daitya went away. Those places became auspicious tīrthas, which bestow the fruit of ten aśvamedhas: Śamītīrtha, the Vaishṇava tīrtha, Āruka, Śaiva, Saumya and Vāsishṭha. They grant every cherished desire.
When the aśvamedha was complete, the devas and ṛshis spoke with great joy to Vasishṭha, to Priyavrata the yajamāna, to those trees and to the Gaṅgā: “These have gone here and there for the fulfilment of the aśvamedha. These tīrthas bestow the fruit of an aśvamedha.” So one who bathes and gives dāna in these tīrthas surely gains the fruit of an aśvamedha.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 33
Sources
- Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 33