Lomaśa Tīrtha-Yātrā

The ṛshi Lomaśa came to the Pāṇḍavas in their forest camp with a message from Indra. Arjuna was in Indra’s realm learning divine astras, and Indra asked the other Pāṇḍavas to go on a tīrtha-yātrā (a pilgrimage to holy places). Lomaśa then guided them through the sacred places of Bharatavarsha and told the story of each place. This is told in Chapters 91 to 100 of the Vana Parva of the Mahābhārata, after Dhaumya’s list of tīrthas.

Lomaśa arrives with Indra’s message

The divine ṛshi Lomaśa came to the Pāṇḍavas’ forest camp straight from Indra’s svarga (heaven). He brought Indra’s message to Yudhishṭhira. Arjuna was in Indra’s realm and was doing well in gaining divyāstras (divine weapons) from the great devas. Arjuna had received the Brahmaśiras astra and the Raudra astra from Śiva. He had also received astras from Yama, Kubera, Varuṇa and Indra himself. Indra said that when Arjuna returned, his brothers should already have gained puṇya (merit) fitting their station. The way set down for this was a tīrtha-yātrā.

Indra asked Lomaśa in particular to guide the Pāṇḍavas, to protect them on the journey (above all from unearthly dangers at the powerful tīrthas), and to tell the upākhyānas (stories) of each place. Lomaśa agreed and became the Pāṇḍavas’ guide on the pilgrimage. (Vana Parva, Chapter 91)

The journey begins

The Pāṇḍavas set out under Lomaśa’s guidance. They were Yudhishṭhira, Bhīma, Nakula, Sahadeva and Draupadī, with Dhaumya and a company of brāhmaṇas. The pilgrimage covered a great stretch of the holy lands of Bharatavarsha. It went through forest retreats, river banks, mountain places and tīrthas by the sea.

At each main place Lomaśa stopped the party. He told them the history and holiness of the place, and he told the upākhyāna that made that tīrtha holy. Because of this, the Lomaśa tīrtha-yātrā is the richest part of the Vana Parva’s teaching on tīrthas. It is not only a list. It is a pilgrimage with a story at every stop. (Vana Parva, Chapters 91–92)

Key places and their stories

Agastya’s āśrama in the Daṇḍaka forest. Lomaśa told the Agastya, Ilvala and Vātāpi upākhyāna. It tells of the making of Lopāmudrā, her marriage to Agastya, his bhikshā journey to three kings, the digestion of Vātāpi, and the birth of Dṛḍhāsyu. The Pāṇḍavas were shown the places linked with these events and bathed in the holy waters there. (Vana Parva, Chapter 96)

Vadhūsarā Tīrtha (Dīpodama). Here Lomaśa told how Paraśurāma lost his tejas. Daśaratha’s son Rāma took away Paraśurāma’s gathered teja (radiance) with an arrow. Paraśurāma won it back at this very tīrtha, on the advice of his pitṛs (ancestors). (Vana Parva, Chapter 99)

Gayā. At the holy place of Gayā on the river Phalgu, the ṛshi Śamaṭha told the account of King Gaya’s great yajña (fire ritual). Gaya was the son of Amūrtarayas. His yajña was on a cosmic scale, and it made Gayā holy for all time as the foremost tīrtha for śrāddha (rites for the ancestors). (Vana Parva, Chapter 95)

Dadhīca’s tīrtha. Near the place linked with Dadhīca’s greatest offering of himself, Lomaśa told how the Vajra was made. Brahmā told the devas to seek Dadhīca’s bones. Dadhīca gladly left his body through yoga. Tvashṭā then forged the Vajra, with which Indra killed Vṛtra. (Vana Parva, Chapter 100)

Lomaśa as narrator and protector

Lomaśa had two roles on the pilgrimage. As narrator, he made each tīrtha come alive with the story of its beginning. In this way the Pāṇḍavas understood why they were there and what puṇya their visit earned. As protector, he shielded the party from the dangers of visiting very powerful tīrthas: fierce ascetics, unearthly beings, and the great spiritual power of certain ancient places, which could harm those who were not ready. At some powerful places Lomaśa’s presence was needed to keep Bhīma and Draupadī safe, since they might not have been able to enter alone. (Vana Parva, Chapter 91)

Arjuna rejoins his brothers

The pilgrimage of Chapters 91 to 100 is the first stage of a longer journey. That journey brings the Pāṇḍavas to the Himālaya and later back to the plains. It leads to the time when Arjuna, having finished gaining astras in Indra’s realm, comes down and rejoins his brothers. (Vana Parva, Chapter 91)

Sources

  • Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapters 91–100
  • Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapter 91 (Indra’s message, Lomaśa’s guidance and protection)
  • Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapter 95 (Gayā)
  • Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapter 96 (Agastya’s āśrama)
  • Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapter 99 (Vadhūsarā Tīrtha)
  • Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapter 100 (Dadhīca and the Vajra)