Agnikuṇḍa (Gautamī)

Agnikuṇḍa · agni-kuṇḍa, “the pool of Agni”

Agnikuṇḍa is one of the holy pools (kuṇḍas) at the tīrtha of the Kadrū-Suparṇā confluence on the Gautamī (the Godāvarī), where Bhagavān Maheśvara came to dwell on the banks of the Gaṅgā. Brahmā names eight pools there: Agnikuṇḍa, and the Raudra, Vaishṇava, Saura, Saumya, Brāhma, Kaumāra and Vāruṇa pools. The tīrtha is where Kadrū and Suparṇā, the two wives of Kaśyapa, became rivers through a śāpa and regained their bodies when they reached the Gaṅgā. It is a little holier than Vārāṇasī and gives the fruit of all yajñas. Brahmā tells Nārada its account in the Gautamī Māhātmya of the Brahma Purāṇa.

The pools and the confluences

Brahmā says there are two tīrthas, Suparṇāsaṅgama and Kādravasaṅgama, where Maheśvara has come to dwell on the banks of the Gaṅgā, and that these holy pools are there: Agnikuṇḍa, Raudra, Vaishṇava, Saura, Saumya, Brāhma, Kaumāra and Vāruṇa. The river Apsarā also joins the Gaṅgā there, and by merely remembering that confluence a man becomes assured and content.

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 30

Kadrū and Suparṇā become rivers

Long ago the Vālakhilyas, the great ṛshis, were harassed by Indra. They gave half of their tapas to the ṛshi Kaśyapa and asked him to beget a splendid son who would humble Indra’s pride. Kaśyapa agreed, and his wives Suparṇā and Kadrū, the mother of the nāgas, conceived. Before leaving home he told them not to go anywhere or commit any offence, or they would surely receive a śāpa.

When he had gone, both went to the yajña of the ṛshis on the banks of the Gaṅgā. Proud of their youth, they spoiled the havis of the yajña though the ṛshis forbade them again and again. The brāhmaṇas pronounced a śāpa: “Since you cling to the wrong path, you will become rivers.” And Suparṇā and Kadrū became rivers.

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 30

Kaśyapa’s stotra and Śiva’s vara

When Kaśyapa returned and heard what had happened, the Vālakhilyas told him to go to the Gautamī and praise Maheśāna, in the middle of the Gaṅgā where Bhagavān Maheśvara dwells for ever by the name Madhyameśvara. Kaśyapa bathed in the Gaṅgā and praised Śiva as the sole master of the three worlds, free of all pride of possession, Siddhanātha, maker of the universe and husband of Śivā, who alone dispels the threefold misery of all beings.

Bhagavān Śiva, the husband of Gaurī, was pleased and granted him many varas. “Your two wives, in the form of rivers, will reach the Gaṅgā, the most excellent of rivers, and by that contact alone they will regain their own bodies.” So it happened, and by the grace of the Gaṅgā they conceived again. Kaśyapa invited the brāhmaṇas of the Gautamī’s banks, performed the sīmantonnayana rite for his wives and fed the brāhmaṇas. At the meal Kadrū winked and laughed at the brāhmaṇas, and by their śāpa she became blind in one eye. Kaśyapa pacified them, and they said: “The Gautamī, when resorted to, protects one from thousands of wrongs.” Kaśyapa resorted to the Gautamī with his wives.

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 30

The tīrtha and its phala

From then on the confluence of the two rivers is known as a tīrtha. The river Kadrū is all round, and the river Sauparṇikā is to the east; the tīrtha Jaṭādhara extends from the Kadrū eastward as far as the Sauparṇikā.

• The tīrtha is a little holier than Vārāṇasī.
• It suppresses all pāpas.
• It gives the fruit of all yajñas.

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 30

Sources

• Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 30