Jātavedasa Tīrtha
Jātavedasa Tīrtha · jātavedasa tīrtha, “the tīrtha of Jātavedas”
Jātavedasa is a tīrtha at Agnitīrtha, also called Vahnitīrtha, on the Gaṅgā, the Gautamī. Brahmā tells Nārada in the Gautamī Māhātmya of the Brahma Purāṇa that Devatīrtha, Āgneyatīrtha and Jātavedasa are all there, at the place where Agni entered the waters of the Gaṅgā after his brother Jātavedas was slain, and where the devas drew him out and gave him his powers. The place gives the fruit of all yajñas and removes every obstacle.
Agni and his brother Jātavedas
Agni had a brother well known as Jātavedas, the bearer of havya (the offerings to the devas), skilful and very dear to him. As Jātavedas was carrying havya to the devas and had come to the āśrama of the ṛshis on the banks of the Gautamī, Madhu, the powerful son of Diti, killed him while the chief ṛshis and the devas looked on, and the devas no longer received their havya.
When his dear brother died, Agni, overcome by anger, entered the waters of the Gaṅgā. Then the devas and human beings began to lose their lives, for their life is in Agni. The devas, the ṛshis and the pitṛs went to the place where Agni had entered the water and praised him: “Revive the devas with havya and the pitṛs with kavya (the offerings to the pitṛs); revive all human beings by the cooking of food and the sprouting of seeds.”
Agni answered that he was not eager to work for them, fearing his brother’s fate. The devas and ṛshis promised him four gifts: long life, love for his work, the power to move everywhere, and the prayājas and anuyājas, the fore-offerings and after-offerings of the yajña. “You are the excellent mouth of the devas. All āhutis (offerings into the fire) are given to you first, and we shall partake of what you give.”
Agni was pleased, gained the power to move everywhere, and became able to carry havya to the devas and kavya to the pitṛs. The Purāṇa names him Jātavedas, Bṛhadbhānu, Saptārcis (the seven-flamed), Nīlalohita, Jalagarbha (the one who hid under the water), Śamīgarbha (the one hidden in the śamī tree) and Yajñagarbha. The devas drew him out of the water and performed his abhisheka; he became Sarvaga, the one who moves everywhere, with two abodes, one on earth and one in svarga.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 28
The tīrthas of the place and their phala
This tīrtha is called Vahnitīrtha, and about seven hundred tīrthas of great puṇya arose there. Devatīrtha, Āgneyatīrtha and Jātavedasa are all there. There is also a multicoloured liṅga established by Agni; by the darśana of that liṅga one gains the fruit of all yajñas.
- Agnitīrtha gives the fruit of all yajñas and removes all obstacles.
- A self-controlled man who bathes or gives dāna there gains the fruit of an aśvamedha and more, splendid and without any lack.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 28
Sources
- Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 28