Manojava

Manojava was a king who appears in the Maṅgalatīrtha māhātmya (the account of the greatness of a holy place) in the Setu Māhātmya of the Skanda Mahā Purāṇa. He ruled with justice for many years. Then pride (ahaṃkāra) grew in him, and he lost his kingdom. The ṛṣi Parāśara sent him to bathe at Maṅgalatīrtha. There his kingdom was given back to him, and in the end he reached Śivaloka.

Rise and fall

Manojava ruled his kingdom for many years in righteousness, through his own good conduct and the blessings of his line. His people were prosperous and safe, and he ran the affairs of the state with justice. In time, the wealth and power of his long reign gave rise to pride (ahaṃkāra). This pride grew until it overshadowed his good qualities, and as a result he lost his kingdom. (Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Brahma Khaṇḍa, Setu Māhātmya, Chapter 12)

Parāśara’s advice

Manojava was distressed at losing his kingdom, and he went for advice to the great ṛṣi Parāśara, one of the most famous ṛṣis of the Vedic tradition. Parāśara saw the cause of his fall and gave the remedy. The king should travel to the Setu-kṣetra and bathe at Maṅgalatīrtha. (Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Brahma Khaṇḍa, Setu Māhātmya, Chapter 12)

Liberation at Maṅgalatīrtha

Manojava followed Parāśara’s advice. He went to Maṅgalatīrtha in the Setu-kṣetra and bathed there. The power of the tīrtha (holy place) washed away all the pāpa (sin) he had gathered, including the pride that had caused his fall. His kingdom was given back to him. In the end, through the puṇya (merit) of his link with this tīrtha, Manojava reached Śivaloka, the highest abode of Bhagavān Śiva. (Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Brahma Khaṇḍa, Setu Māhātmya, Chapter 12)

Sources

• Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Brahma Khaṇḍa, Setu Māhātmya, Chapter 12