Vāsishṭha Tīrtha (Gautamī)

Vāsishṭha Tīrtha · vāsishṭha-tīrtha, “the tīrtha of Vasishṭha”

Vāsishṭha Tīrtha is the tīrtha of Vasishṭha Maharshi on the southern bank of the Gautamī (the Godāvarī), the sixth of the six tīrthas that arose from the aśvamedha of King Priyavrata. Brahmā tells Nārada its account in the Gautamī Māhātmya of the Brahma Purāṇa, in the chapter on the Śamī tīrtha. When the dānava Hiraṇyāksha came to the yajña and the devas went into hiding, Vasishṭha, the king’s purohita, took up his staff and stopped the asuras, and the yajña went on to completion. The places where the devas had stayed, and the place of Vasishṭha, became tīrthas that give the fruit of an aśvamedha and every cherished thing.

Priyavrata’s aśvamedha

Brahmā tells Nārada of the tīrtha well known as Śamītīrtha, which subdues all pāpas. There was a kshatriya named Priyavrata, the most excellent of conquerors. On the southern bank of the Gautamī his guru gave him dīkshā (initiation) for an aśvamedha, and Vasishṭha was the purohita of that mighty king. The aśvamedha began, with ṛshis as the ṛtvijas (officiating priests).

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 33

Hiraṇyāksha comes to the yajña

A dānava named Hiraṇyāksha came to the yajña hall. The devas, with Indra at their head, were frightened at the sight of the asura, and each went to a hiding place:

  • Some of the devas went to svarga.
  • Havyavāṭ (Agni) entered the śamī tree.
  • Bhagavān Vishṇu went into the aśvattha, the sacred fig tree.
  • Bhānu (Sūrya) went into the aruka plant.
  • Bhagavān Śiva went into the vaṭa, the banyan tree.
  • Soma went into the palāśa tree.
  • Havyavāhana (Agni) went into the waters of the Gaṅgā.
  • The Aśvins took the yajña horse and went away.
  • Yama turned himself into a crow.

Then the holy ṛshi Vasishṭha took up a yashṭi (a thick staff) and commanded the asuras to stop. The yajña went on again, and the daitya, strong in his own strength, went away.

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 33

The six tīrthas

Thereafter these places became auspicious tīrthas, which give the fruit of ten aśvamedhas. Brahmā names them in order:

  1. Śamītīrtha, the first
  2. Vaishṇava tīrtha, the second, of Vishṇu
  3. Āruka tīrtha, of Sūrya
  4. Śaiva tīrtha, of Śiva
  5. Saumya tīrtha, of Soma
  6. Vāsishṭha tīrtha, of Vasishṭha

These give every cherished thing.

When the great aśvamedha was complete, the devas and ṛshis, full of joy, spoke to Vasishṭha, to Priyavrata the yajamāna (the one who sponsors the yajña), to the trees and to the Gaṅgā: “These have gone here and there for the fulfilment of the aśvamedha. These tīrthas give the fruit of an aśvamedha.”

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 33

The phala

By a holy bath (snāna) and the giving of dāna at these tīrthas one surely gains the fruit of an aśvamedha.

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 33

Sources

  • Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 33