Bhagīratha’s Tapas in the Nārada Purāṇa

Bhagīratha was a king of the Sūryavaṃśa. He wished to bring Gaṅgā to the earth to free his forefathers, the sixty thousand sons of Sagara. On the way to the Himālaya he learned two Vishṇu mantras from Bhṛgu Maharshi on the bank of the Godāvarī. Then he did tapas for sixty thousand years at Nādeśvara, and Brahma gave him the vara (boon) he asked for.

This is the account of the Nārada Mahā Purāṇa. It names the sacred place (kshetra) of his tapas, the length of the tapas, and the teaching he first received from Bhṛgu.

Background

Bhagīratha was the son of Dilīpa and the grandson of Aṃśumān. The sixty thousand sons of Sagara had been burned to ash by the look of Kapila Maharshi in Pātāla. Dilīpa and Aṃśumān both tried to bring Gaṅgā to the earth to free them. Neither of them succeeded, and both died without finishing the task. The task passed to Bhagīratha, who decided to do what three generations had not done.

Meeting Bhṛgu Maharshi at the Godāvarī

Bhagīratha wore bark-cloth and matted hair (jaṭā) and set out for the Himālaya. On the way he came to the bank (tīra) of the Godāvarī. There, deep in the forest, he found the āśrama of Bhṛgu Maharshi. It was a beautiful place, full of peacocks, deer, elephants and humming bees, with many trees and creepers in flower. Groups of munis were chanting the Veda (Veda-ghosha).

Bhagīratha went in and saw Bhṛgu Maharshi sitting in meditation with his disciples, shining like the sun. He bowed down and took the ṛshi’s feet in namaskāra. Bhṛgu received him with the honour due to a guest (atithi-maryādā) and asked him to sit.

With folded hands Bhagīratha asked for teaching (upadeśa): “O Maharshi, you know all dharmas and all śāstras. Tell me the cause (kāraṇa) by which human beings cross saṃsāra, and the karma by which Śrī Mahāvishṇu is pleased.”

Bhṛgu’s upadeśa

Bhṛgu was pleased with the king’s question and gave a full teaching.

  • Satya (truth). To speak what exists as it truly is, in a way that is not against one’s dharma and is for the good of all. This is satya.
  • Ahiṃsā. Never to cause suffering to any living being under any circumstance. This is ahiṃsā. It fulfils all desires.
  • Sarvabhūtahita (the good of all beings). To help in what must be done and to hold back from what must not be done. This is welfare for all.
  • Asatya (untruth). To speak without knowing dharma from adharma. This is against all śreyas (good).
  • Durjanas (wicked people). Those who hate all people and all things, the fools who follow evil paths.
  • Sajjanas (good people). Those who follow the path of the Veda with the discernment of dharma (dharma-viveka), wishing the good of all beings.
  • Puṇya. That which brings devotion to Śrī Hari and brings joy to good people (satpurushas).
  • Vishṇu-smaraṇa (remembering Vishṇu). The knowledge: “This whole world is Vishṇu. The cause of all is Vishṇu. I too am Vishṇu.”
  • Śānti (peace). An equal eye toward enemies and friends, control of the senses (indriya-jaya), and contentment with what daiva (fate) gives.

The Ashṭāksharī and Dvādaśāksharī mantras

Bhṛgu then gave Bhagīratha the two highest Vishṇu mantras. He said that they give equal fruit.

  • Ashṭāksharī: Oṃ Namo Nārāyaṇāya. It has eight syllables. It is dear to Vishṇu, removes all pāpa and gives all siddhis.
  • Dvādaśāksharī: Oṃ Namo Bhagavate Vāsudevāya. It has twelve syllables. It gives the same fruit as the Ashṭāksharī, both for the path of action (pravṛtti) and for the path of withdrawal (nivṛtti).

Bhṛgu also gave a verse of meditation (dhyāna-śloka) on Vishṇu. It says: “The one who holds the conch (śaṅkha) and the discus (cakra); free of change; peaceful; with Lakshmī at his left; giving fearlessness; adorned with a crown, a circle of light and ornaments; wearing the Kaustubha jewel; with Śrīvatsa on his chest; wearing yellow cloth (pītāmbara); worshipped by suras and asuras alike; with no beginning and no end; the one who fulfils all desires; the inner ruler (Antaryāmin); of the nature of knowledge (jñāna-svarūpa); complete (paripūrṇa); ancient (sanātana). This is the form to meditate on.”

He blessed Bhagīratha and sent him on his way.

Tapas at Nādeśvara

Bhagīratha reached the Himālaya and settled at a pure and beautiful sacred place (kshetra) on the mountain called Nādeśvara. There he began hard tapas (kaṭhora tapas). He bathed three times a day and ate only roots and fruits. He served guests and meditated on Nārāyaṇa. Three times a day he worshipped Śrī Hari with leaves, flowers, fruit and water.

In time he decided to perform prāṇāyāma-pūrva tapas, which means to live without breathing at all. For sixty thousand years, holding his breath, he meditated on Śrī Mahāvishṇu, the unending and unconquered. A great fire rose from the openings of his nostrils and frightened the three worlds.

The devas were afraid of the heat and fire of his tapas. They fled to the northern shore of the Kshīrasāgara (the ocean of milk), bowed before Śrī Mahāvishṇu and prayed to him for protection.

Brahma’s vara and Gaṅgā’s descent

Brahma was pleased with Bhagīratha’s tapas. He appeared before him and gave the vara he asked for: that Gaṅgā would come down to the earth to free his forefathers.

Gaṅgā, however, spoke of her worry about the force of her fall. Śiva kindly agreed to receive her in his matted hair and let her go gently. So Gaṅgā came down to the earth through the matted locks of Śiva. She followed the chariot of Bhagīratha and flowed to the place in Pātāla where the ash of the sixty thousand sons lay. The touch of her waters made all of them pure, and they rose to Brahmaloka.

Sources

  • Nārada Mahā Purāṇa, Poorvardha, Chapters 15–16