Gautamī Tīrthas
Gautamī Tīrthas · gautamī-tīrtha, “the tīrthas of the Gautamī”
The Gautamī Māhātmya of the Brahma Purāṇa is the account of the Godāvarī, the Gaṅgā of the south, and of the tīrthas (holy places) on her banks. Brahmā (Pitāmaha) tells it to Nārada Maharshi. Gautama Maharshi brought her down from the matted hair of Bhagavān Śiva to Mount Brahmagiri by his tapas and his stotra, and so she is called the Gautamī; the descent is told in Gautama and the Descent of Gautamī (Chapters 5–7). From Brahmagiri she flows through the Daṇḍaka forest to the eastern sea, which she enters in seven streams named after the seven ṛshis, as told in The Gautamī and the Ocean: the Seven Streams.
At Gautama‘s request Bhagavān Śiva is present all along the river, so that every place on her is a tīrtha (Chapter 105). Devas, ṛshis, kings, Śrī Rāma himself, birds, nāgas and rivers come to her to be freed from pāpa, from a śāpa, from poverty or from naraka, and Brahmā tells Nārada, chapter by chapter, how each tīrtha arose, who dwells there, and what a bath, dāna or śrāddha there gives. The whole section is described in Gautamī Māhātmya.
Each tīrtha below has its own full page. Below, each is given a short account with a link to it, in the order of the chapters, from the tīrthas near Brahmagiri to those where the river meets the sea.
Brahmagiri, Gautama’s āśrama and Janasthāna (Chapters 9–24)
Varāha Tīrtha lies at the Gaṅgāsravaṇa, the flowing place of the Gaṅgā near Mount Brahmagiri. When the rākshasa Sindhusena carried Yajña down to Pātāla, Bhagavān Vishṇu took the form of Varāha, went down to Rasātala by the path of the Gaṅgā, slew the rākshasas and came up with Yajña in his mouth. A bath and dāna there give the fruit of all yajñas, and one who remembers his ancestors there frees his pitṛs from every pāpa (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 9).
Varāhakuṇḍa is the spot at the Gaṅgāsravaṇa where Bhagavān Vishṇu as Varāha washed his limbs after he came up from Rasātala bearing Yajña in his mouth. It is part of the Varāha tīrtha, the holiest of tīrthas, where the pitṛs of one who remembers them are freed and go to svarga (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 9).
Kapotatīrtha takes its name from a pigeon (kapota) who, with his wife, gave his own body to feed a cruel hunter who had come to their tree as a guest. The two pigeons rose to svarga on a vimāna, and the hunter, at their word, bathed in the Gautamī, was freed of his pāpas and followed them. All rites done there bear everlasting fruit (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 10).
Kārttikeya Tīrtha, also called Kaumāra, belongs to Subrahmaṇya. Here Kārttikeya vowed before the river that everything bearing a feminine name would be to him his mother, and here Bhagavān Śiva granted varas at his request for the welfare of the worlds. Merely hearing its name gives nobility of birth and beauty (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapters 11–12).
Kṛttikā Tīrtha lies beside the Kārttikeya Tīrtha. The six Kṛttikās, cast off by their husbands after Kārttikeya was born from them, bathed here and worshipped Maheśvara at Kārttikeya’s word, and by Bhagavān Śiva’s grace were received home again. A bath here on the full moon of Kārttika in the Kṛttikā nakshatra gives the fruit of all yajñas (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 12).
Daśāśvamedha is where King Bhauvana, by the grace of his guru Kaśyapa and of the Gautamī, performed a single aśvamedha and gained the fruit of ten; Brahmā himself sent the king to the river. Hearing its name gives the puṇya of an aśvamedha, and a bath there gives the fruit of ten (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 13).
Paiśāca Tīrtha (Añjanā), also called Añjana Tīrtha, lies on the southern bank beside Brahmagiri, at the Añjana mountain. Here the apsarās Añjanā and Adrikā, wives of Kesarī, who bore the faces of a vānara and a cat by Indra‘s śāpa, were bathed in the Gautamī by their sons Hanūmān and Adri, king of the piśācas. Near the mountain of Brahmā, it yields all desired things (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 14).
Kshudhā Tīrtha, “the tīrtha of Hunger“, is where the ṛshi Kaṇva, afflicted by hunger, praised the Gautamī and Kshudhā together. The Gaṅgā gave him wealth, long life, bhukti and moksha, and Kshudhā promised never to touch him or his family; the place is called Kaṇva, Gāṅga and Kshudhā. It dispels all pāpas and delights the pitṛs (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 15).
Ahalyā-saṅgama, also called Indra Tīrtha, is where the river Ahalyā met the Gautamī near Gautama‘s āśrama on Brahmagiri. Ahalyā, made a river by Gautama’s śāpa, regained the form Brahmā had first given her when she reached the Gautamī, and Indra, bathing at the same confluence, was freed from his pāpa and became thousand-eyed (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 16).
Cakratīrtha (Yama’s tapas) is where the cakra of Bhagavān Hari appeared to protect Yama while he performed tapas on the bank of the river. One who bathes there with devotion reaches Vishṇuloka (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 18).
Gaṇikā-saṅgama, at Cakratīrtha, is where Kshamā, a gaṇikā (courtesan) of Indra’s court sent to break Yama’s tapas, melted into a river, joined the Gautamī and rose to svarga. Sūrya and Yama bathed here before Yama returned to his work. One who fasts on the bright ekādaśī and bathes here attains the everlasting region (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 18).
Aruṇā-Varuṇā-saṅgama is the confluence of the rivers Aruṇā and Varuṇā with the Gautamī in Janasthāna, holier than Lake Mānasa, Prayāga and the Mandākinī. Its origin is the account of Ushā, the daughter of Tvashṭṛ, and Bhagavān Sūrya, which also gave the neighbouring Aśvabhānu Tīrtha its names (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 19).
Aśvabhānu Tīrtha, in Janasthāna near the Aruṇā-Varuṇā confluence, is called Aśva Tīrtha because Ushā, as a mare, met Bhagavān Sūrya, who came as a horse, and the Aśvins were born in the Gaṅgā; it is called Bhānu Tīrtha where the āśrama of the five banyans stands. Twenty-seven thousand tīrthas of the devas are there, and bath and dāna give everlasting puṇya (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 19).
Garuḍa Tīrtha is where Garuḍa regained his body and strength. He had seized the nāga Maṇināga, whom Bhagavān Śiva had freed from fear of him, and when he boasted of his power Bhagavān Vishṇu crushed him with his little finger; at Devī Śrī’s plea and Śiva’s counsel he plunged into the Gautamī and was made whole. The tīrtha destroys all obstacles (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 20).
Govardhana Tīrtha, “the increase of cows”, is where the devas performed the Gosava yajña and the vanished cattle of the worlds increased again. Its presiding deity is Bhagavān Śiva as Gautameśvara, and it dispels pāpa even when only remembered (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 21).
Pāpapraṇāśana Tīrtha, also called Dhautapāpa and Gālava-tīrtha, lies at the āśrama of Gālava Maharshi. Here the brāhmaṇa Sanājjāta and his mother Mahī, who had come together without knowing each other, bathed at Gālava’s word and were freed of every pāpa by the grace of the Gaṅgā (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapters 22–23).
Pitṛtīrtha of Rāma lies south of Pāpapraṇāśana. It is named for the pitṛs, because there Śrī Rāma, with Sītā, propitiated his ancestors (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 23).
Viśvāmitra Tīrtha is where, in a terrible drought, Viśvāmitra had a dead dog cooked as an offering for the devas, ṛshis and pitṛs; Indra as a śyena brought the pot back filled with honey, and when the ṛshi would not eat alone while the people suffered, Indra showered amṛta. It is remembered as Viśvāmitra, Madhutīrtha, Aindra, Śyena and Pārjanya, and here Śrī Rāma honoured Viśvāmitra (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 23).
Mṛtyutīrtha, beside Śvetatīrtha, is where Mṛtyu fell when Nandin struck him with his staff for casting his noose at Śveta, a devotee of Bhagavān Śiva. By merely remembering it one lives up to a thousand years (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 24).
Śvetatīrtha is at the home of the brāhmaṇa Śveta, friend of Gautama and devotee of Bhagavān Śiva. When Yama’s messengers could not enter his house, Nandin struck down Mṛtyu and Kārttikeya slew Yama, until the devas praised Śiva and he restored Yama with the water of the Gautamī, ruling that Yama has no power over his devotees. Merely remembered, it frees one from every pāpa (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 24).
From Śukratīrtha to Ṛṇamocana (Chapters 25–29)
Śukratīrtha, also named Mṛtasañjīvanī-tīrtha, lies on the northern bank. Here Śukra, the son of Bhṛgu, praised Bhagavān Śiva and received the Sañjīvanī vidyā, the knowledge that revives the dead. It destroys disease and increases life and health (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 25).
Indratīrtha (Siktā Saṅgama), the Aindra tīrtha, is at the confluence of the river Siktā. When Indra was pursued by brahmahatyā after slaying Vṛtra, Brahmā, Bhagavān Vishṇu, the ṛshis and the devas bathed him with the water of the Gautamī, and from Brahmā’s kamaṇḍalu the rivers Puṇyā and Siktā arose. It destroys the pāpa of brahmahatyā, and seven thousand tīrthas arose there (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 26).
Puṇyasaṅgama is the confluence of the river Puṇyā, which rose from the water of Brahmā’s kamaṇḍalu when Indra was bathed free of brahmahatyā. The Aindra tīrtha at the Siktā’s confluence lies beside it, and a bath and dāna here give everlasting fruit (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 26).
Paulastyatīrtha, also called Dhanada and Vaiśravasa tīrtha, is where Dhanada, driven out of Laṅkā by Rāvaṇa, bathed and praised Bhagavān Śiva at the word of his grandfather Pulastya Maharshi, and was made the protector of wealth and guardian of the northern quarter. It can give back a lost kingdom (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 27).
Āgneya Tīrtha (Agnitīrtha) is one of the seven hundred tīrthas at Agnitīrtha, where Agni entered the waters of the Gaṅgā after his brother Jātavedas was slain and the devas drew him out and consecrated him (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 28).
Agnitīrtha (Vahnitīrtha) lies near the āśrama where Jātavedas was slain. The devas, ṛshis and pitṛs praised Agni, gave him long life and his share of every yajña, drew him out of the water and consecrated him, and Agni established a multicoloured liṅga there. It gives the fruit of all yajñas and removes all obstacles (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 28).
Devatīrtha (Agnitīrtha) is named with Āgneyatīrtha and Jātavedasa among the seven hundred tīrthas at Agnitīrtha. A self-controlled man who bathes or gives dāna there gains the fruit of an aśvamedha and more (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 28).
Jātavedasa Tīrtha is another of the tīrthas at Agnitīrtha, the place where the devas drew Agni out of the Gaṅgā and gave him his powers. It gives the fruit of all yajñas and removes every obstacle (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 28).
Ṛṇamocanatīrtha, “release from debt”, is where Pṛthuśravas, son of Kakshīvān, who had turned away from marriage, bathed and offered tarpaṇa at the word of his pitṛs and was freed from his debt to them. Whoever bathes or gives dāna there is freed from every debt, Vedic and ordinary (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 29).
The Kadrū and Suparṇā confluences, Pañcatīrtha and Priyavrata’s yajña (Chapters 30–33)
Kādrava-saṅgama is where the river Kadrū joins the Gautamī. Kadrū, mother of the nāgas and wife of Kaśyapa Prajāpati, became a river by the śāpa of the brāhmaṇas and regained her body by touching the Gaṅgā through the vara of Bhagavān Śiva. The tīrtha is a little holier than Vārāṇasī (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 30).
Suparṇāsaṅgama is the confluence of the river Suparṇā, also called Sauparṇikā, Kaśyapa’s other wife, who was freed in the same way. With Kādravasaṅgama it is one of the two tīrthas where Maheśvara came to dwell, and it gives the fruit of all yajñas (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 30).
Madhyameśvara is Bhagavān Śiva as he dwells for ever in the middle of the Gautamī. The Vālakhilya ṛshis sent Kaśyapa there; he bathed and praised Śiva, and by Śiva’s vara his wives regained their bodies (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 30).
Jaṭādhara Tīrtha stretches from the river Kadrū eastward as far as the river Sauparṇikā. It suppresses every pāpa and gives the fruit of all yajñas (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 30).
Agnikuṇḍa is the first of the eight holy pools Brahmā names at the Kadrū-Suparṇā confluence: Agnikuṇḍa and the Raudra, Vaishṇava, Saura, Saumya, Brāhma, Kaumāra and Vāruṇa pools (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 30).
Raudra Kuṇḍa, “the pool of Rudra”, is the second of the eight pools at the confluences, where Maheśvara has come to dwell (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 30).
Vaishṇava Kuṇḍa, “the pool of Vishṇu“, is the third of the eight pools; the tīrtha around it quells every pāpa (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 30).
Saura Kuṇḍa is the fourth pool in Brahmā’s list at the Kadrū-Suparṇā confluence (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 30).
Saumya Kuṇḍa is the fifth pool in the same list (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 30).
Brāhma Kuṇḍa is the sixth of the eight pools at the confluence where Bhagavān Śiva dwells (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 30).
Kaumāra Kuṇḍa, the pool of Kumāra, is the seventh of the eight pools at the twin tīrthas of Suparṇā-saṅgama and Kādrava-saṅgama (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 30).
Vāruṇa Kuṇḍa, the pool of Varuṇa, is the last of the eight. Like the whole tīrtha, it removes every pāpa and gives the fruit of all yajñas (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 30).
Apsarā-saṅgama (River Apsarā) is where the river Apsarā joins the Gautamī. Merely by remembering it a man becomes assured and content (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 30).
Purūravastīrtha, also called Sarasvatīsaṅgama and Brahmatīrtha, is where a river Sarasvatī joins the Gautamī. King Purūravas, who had seen the divine Sarasvatī in Brahmaloka, performed tapas here and worshipped Siddheśvara, and by the grace of the Gaṅgā gained all he desired. It destroys all pāpas even when remembered (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 31).
Siddheśvara (Purūravas Tīrtha) is Bhagavān Śiva, the Īśvara of the siddhas, as the deity of Purūravas Tīrtha, worshipped there by King Purūravas. The tīrtha gives all cherished things (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 31).
Pañcatīrtha, “the five tīrthas”, is where five rivers join the Gautamī: Sāvitrī, Gāyatrī, Śraddhā, Medhā and Sarasvatī, the five eldest daughters of Brahmā. Bathing there and drinking the water releases one from all pāpas, and what is done in these rivers gives moksha (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 32).
Gāyatrī Tīrtha is one of the five tīrthas of Pañcatīrtha, where Gāyatrī, a daughter of Brahmā, flowed as a river and joined the Gaṅgā (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 32).
Sarasvatī Tīrtha (Pañcatīrtha) is the chief of the five, where Sarasvatī joined the Gaṅgā with her sisters (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 32).
Mṛgavyādha Tīrtha is the tīrtha of Bhagavān Śiva as Mṛgavyādha, “the hunter of the stag”, at Pañcatīrtha. It bears the fruit of svarga and moksha and yields the fruit of Brahmatīrtha (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 32).
Śamī Tīrtha, on the southern bank, is the first of six tīrthas that arose at the aśvamedha of Priyavrata. When the dānava Hiraṇyāksha came to the yajña hall and the devas scattered, Agni entered the śamī tree. It subdues all pāpas, and with the other five gives the fruit of an aśvamedha (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 33).
Vaishṇava Tīrtha (Priyavrata’s Aśvamedha) is the second of the six, where Bhagavān Vishṇu went into the aśvattha tree while Vasishṭha drove the asura away with his staff (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 33).
Śaiva Tīrtha is the fourth of the six, where Bhagavān Śiva went into the banyan tree (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 33).
Saumya Tīrtha is the fifth of the six, where Soma went into the palāśa tree (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 33).
Āruka Tīrtha belongs to Bhagavān Sūrya, who went into the aruka plant at Priyavrata’s yajña. It is one of the six tīrthas that give the fruit of an aśvamedha (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 33).
Vāsishṭha Tīrtha is the sixth, the place of Vasishṭha Maharshi, the king’s purohita, who took up his staff and stopped the asuras so that the yajña went on to completion (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 33).
Hariścandra’s yajña: the twenty-two thousand tīrthas (Chapter 34)
Twenty-two Thousand Tīrthas lie on the southern bank, where King Hariścandra of the Ikshvāku line completed his naramedha without killing the brāhmaṇa boy Śunaḥśepa. Hariścandra gained his son Rohita from Varuṇa, promised to offer him and put off the yajña again and again; Rohita bought Śunaḥśepa from his father Ajīgarta; a voice from the sky sent the king to the Gautamī, Viśvāmitra pleaded for the boy, and the devas declared the yajña complete. A bath and dāna there give the fruit of a naramedha, and hearing the account with bhakti gives a son to one who has none (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 34).
Viśvāmitra Tīrtha (Hariścandra’s Yajña) is the first of the fifteen tīrthas Brahmā names there, for the ṛshi whose plea saved Śunaḥśepa and who then made him the eldest of his own sons (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 34).
Hariścandra Tīrtha is named after the king who received Rohita from Varuṇa on the Gautamī and whose naramedha was completed there by the grace of the devas and ṛshis (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 34).
Śunaḥśepatīrtha is named after the brāhmaṇa boy bound to the yūpa as the offering and set free unharmed (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 34).
Rohitatīrtha is named after Rohita, Hariścandra’s son, who took his divine bow and went away to the forest when his father called him, and in the sixth year bought Śunaḥśepa to take his place (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 34).
Vāruṇa Tīrtha, fifth in the list, belongs to Varuṇa, who gave Rohita by his vara, struck the king with illness when the yajña was put off, and with the devas let it be completed (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 34).
Brāhma Tīrtha is the sixth of the fifteen tīrthas of the place (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 34).
Āgneya Tīrtha (Hariścandra’s Yajña) is the seventh of the fifteen (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 34).
Aindra Tīrtha (Hariścandra’s Yajña) is the eighth of the fifteen (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 34).
Aindava Tīrtha is the ninth of the fifteen (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 34).
Aiśvara Tīrtha is the tenth of the fifteen (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 34).
Maitra Tīrtha is the eleventh of the fifteen (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 34).
Vaishṇava Tīrtha (Hariścandra’s Yajña) is the twelfth of the fifteen (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 34).
Yāmya Tīrtha (Hariścandra’s Yajña) is the thirteenth of the fifteen (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 34).
Āśvina Tīrtha is the fourteenth of the fifteen (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 34).
Auśana Tīrtha is the fifteenth and last (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 34).
The Soma yajña on Devagiri and its confluences (Chapters 35–38)
Somatīrtha (southern bank) is where the devas won Soma back from the gandharvas. On the counsel of Vāk (Sarasvatī) they held a great yajña on the southern bank and exchanged her for Soma; she came back to them in secret, and so they had both. For Soma’s sake the devas, ṛshis, rivers and all beings came to the Gautamī, and the tīrtha delights the pitṛs (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 35).
Twenty-five Confluences are the places where twenty-five rivers joined the Gautamī for Soma’s sake at the yajña on the mountain Devagiri; each has a tīrtha in its name. Bath, japa, homa and pitṛ-tarpaṇa there fulfil every desire and give bhoga and moksha, and those who read of them or remember them go to the loka of Bhagavān Vishṇu (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 35).
Gāndharva Tīrtha is named second, right after Somatīrtha, among the tīrthas that arose at that yajña (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 35).
Devatīrtha (Soma Yajña) is named third, before Pūrṇatīrtha (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 35).
Pūrṇatīrtha (southern bank), the tīrtha of Pūrṇā, is where the pūrṇāhuti, the full and final offering, was given in the yajña on Devagiri. It marks the start of the twenty rivers that lie between Pūrṇā and the Pravarā (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 35).
Devajā-saṅgama is the confluence of the river Devajā, one of the rivers that came for Soma’s sake (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 35).
Ilā-saṅgama is the confluence of the river Ilā, one of the twenty-five (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 35).
Karṇikā-saṅgama, “the auspicious Karṇikā-saṅgama”, is the confluence of the river Karṇikā (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 35).
Kruśarā-saṅgama is the confluence of the river Kruśarā (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 35).
Kusumā-saṅgama is the confluence of the river Kusumā (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 35).
Kusumbhikā-saṅgama is the confluence of the river Kusumbhikā (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 35).
Pushṭi-saṅgama is the confluence of the river Pushṭi (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 35).
Sala-saṅgama is the confluence of the river Sala and the tīrtha that bears its name (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 35).
Śrīparṇā-saṅgama is the confluence of the river Śrīparṇā (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 35).
Uparathya-saṅgama is the confluence of the river Uparathya (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 35).
Vaiṇavī-saṅgama is the confluence of the river Vaiṇavī (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 35).
Vāsavī-saṅgama is the confluence of the river Vāsavī (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 35).
Bhadrā Saṅgama is the confluence of the river Bhadrā, named last in the list of the rivers that came to the Gautamī for Soma’s sake (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 35).
Vṛddha-saṅgama is where the river Vṛddhā joins the Gautamī and where Bhagavān Śiva is present as the liṅga Vṛddheśvara, installed by the ṛshi Vṛddha-gautama. The river was born of the abhisheka by which the Gautamī gave youth and beauty to the aged wife of Gautama, and bath, dāna and homa there give beauty, fortune, sons, long life and health. The Vṛddhā is also one of the rivers that came for Soma’s sake (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapters 35, 37).
Pravarā-saṅgama, on the southern bank, is where the body of the asura Rāhu fell after the churning of the ocean. The Pravarā was born of the amṛta drawn from Rāhu’s body by Śiva’s Śakti, and the place is also called Amṛtā, Preritā and Nivāsapura. All who bathe there gain bhukti and moksha (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 36).
Siddheśvara (Pravarā-saṅgama) is Bhagavān Śiva as he presides over the Pravarā confluence and helps all his devotees; Śiva and Śakti dwell there for ever (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 36).
Ilātīrtha is where King Ila, who had been turned into the woman Ilā, bathed and became a man again by the grace of Devī Gaurī and Bhagavān Śiva. Bhagavān Śambhu is worshipped there as Ileśvara, and the sixteen thousand tīrthas of Ila lie on both banks. It purifies even those guilty of brahmahatyā (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 38).
Nṛtyā-saṅgama is the confluence of the river Nṛtyā, “Dance”, one of three rivers that flowed out of Ilā’s body when she regained manhood, carrying the arts the Yakshiṇī Samā had taught her. A bath and dāna at these confluences give the kingdom of the devas (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 38).
Gītā-saṅgama is the confluence of the second of those rivers, the Gītā, “Song” (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 38).
Saubhāgyā-saṅgama is the confluence of the third, the Saubhāgyā, “good fortune in marriage” (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 38).
Cakreśvara, Pippala and the head of Brahmā (Chapters 39–43)
Cakratīrtha is where Bhagavān Vishṇu worshipped Bhagavān Śiva to get back his cakra, and Śiva, with Bhavānī, granted him darśana and gave it back. The tīrtha destroys pāpas as grave as brahmahatyā and bears the mark of a cakra to this day (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapters 39–40).
Cakreśvara (Pippaleśvara) is a tīrtha of Bhagavān Śiva in the Daṇḍaka forest, at the place called Pippala. Śiva is Cakreśvara there because Bhagavān Hari received his cakra there, and Pippaleśa because the ṛshi Pippalāda, raised by the pippala trees, asked that the tīrtha bear their name; it is also called Pratishṭhāna, for Sūrya was installed there. Even Śesha cannot tell its full glory (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 40).
Pippalatīrtha (Pippaleśa), also simply Pippala, is the tīrtha next after Cakratīrtha, the place where Śambhu was pleased with Bhagavān Vishṇu. Its deity is Bhagavān Śiva as Cakreśvara and Pippaleśvara (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 40).
Pāpanāśana Tīrtha (Cakreśvara) is one of three tīrthas that came forth from Cakreśvara. Here the devas, who had taken the bones of Dadhīci Maharshi to make their weapons, bathed at Śiva’s word and were freed of their pāpas; a bath and dāna there destroy even brahmahatyā (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 40).
Gotīrtha, “the tīrtha of the cows”, is the second of the three, where the cows were purified at the end of the account of Dadhīci and his son Pippalāda. A bath there gives the fruit of a go-yajña (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 40).
Pitṛtīrtha of Cakreśvara is the third, where the bones of Dadhīci were washed and became sacred. Any being whose ashes, bones, nails or hair fall into it stays in svarga as long as the moon, sun and stars last (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 40).
Nāga Tīrtha (Bhogavatī) is where Bhagavān Śiva is present as Nāgeśvara, installed by Bhogavatī. She and her husband, a prince born as a serpent, bathed and worshipped Śiva, who freed him from an old śāpa and gave them both divine forms. Snāna and dāna there give the fruit of all yajñas (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 41).
Mātṛtīrtha, “the tīrthas of the Mothers”, are the places where the Mātṛs were born or stayed. They were born from the drops of sweat that fell from Bhagavān Śiva’s brow as he fought the asuras, and they followed the enemies of the devas into pātāla and slew them. Remembering the tīrtha frees one from every ailment of the mind (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 42).
Brahmatīrtha is where Bhagavān Śiva removed the fierce fifth head of Brahmā and held it in his hand out of compassion for the worlds; Brahmā himself tells it. A four-faced form of Brahmā stands there to this day, and one who sees the head there goes to Brahmaloka (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 43).
Rudratīrtha is the place where Rudra stood when he cut off that head. When Brahmā’s fifth face, in the form of an ass, cried that it would devour the devas, Bhagavān Vishṇu told them that only the three-eyed Bhagavān Śiva could cut it off and hold it (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 43).
Saurya Tīrtha, beside Brahmatīrtha, is where Bhagavān Sūrya stays in visible form. It gives the fruit of all yajñas, and one who bathes there and has darśana of Sūrya is not born again (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 43).
Avimukta is where Mahādeva installed the skull of Brahmā’s fifth head for the good of the devas. A brahmahan is purified by visiting the head in Brahmatīrtha and the skull in Avimukta (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 43).
From Avighna to Bharadvāja’s āśrama (Chapters 44–51)
Avighnatīrtha, on the northern bank, is where a yajña of the devas could not be completed because Vināyaka raised obstacles. At Brahmā‘s word the devas bathed and praised Gaṇeśa as Vighnarāja with a stotra of thirteen verses, and he declared that every undertaking of those who bathe there and give dāna with devotion would succeed (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 44).
Śesha Tīrtha, later called Nāgatīrtha, is where Śesha praised Bhagavān Śiva and received a divine triśūla; Śiva is present there as Śesheśvara. Gaṅgā water flows up from Rasātala through a chasm, a fire burns always in the homa-kuṇḍa, and the water is hot. Bath and dāna there give moksha (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 45).
Vaḍavā-saṅgama is the confluence of the river Vaḍavā, where the liṅga installed by Mṛtyu is called Mahānala. When the ṛshis of Naimisha made Mṛtyu the śamitṛ of their yajña, they fled with him to the Gautamī and Bhagavān Śiva protected the yajña; the water of the crowning of the kṛtyā Vaḍavā as Mṛtyu’s wife became the river. It removes death and old age, and a thousand tīrthas line its banks (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 46).
Ātmatīrtha is where Datta, the son of Atri, praised Bhagavān Śiva as Somanātha with a stotra of eleven verses and received the knowledge of the ātmā. One who bathes there and gives dāna attains moksha (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 47).
Jñāneśvara (Ātmatīrtha), “the Īśvara of knowledge”, is the name of Bhagavān Śiva at Ātmatīrtha, which gives bhukti and moksha (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 47).
Aśvatthatīrtha is named after the rākshasa Aśvattha, a son of Kaiṭabha, who stood as an aśvattha tree to devour the brāhmaṇas at Agastya Maharshi‘s yajña until Śani burned him to ash from within by his gaze. By Śani’s vara, those who touch the aśvattha on Saturday with his mantra have no trouble from him or from the grahas (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 48).
Pippalatīrtha (North Bank) is named after Aśvattha’s brother Pippala, who devoured the brāhmaṇas in the guise of a brāhmaṇa until Śani burned him too. Bathing and dāna there give the fruit of all yajñas (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 48).
Mandatīrtha is named with Aśvattha and Pippala among the tīrthas “in the north”. The text gives no separate account of it (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 48).
Agastya Tīrtha arose from the year-long yajña of Agastya Maharshi, where Śani destroyed the two rākshasas. With it arose the tīrthas Aśvattha, Pippala, Śani, Sāttrika, Yājñika and Sāmaga, sixteen thousand and eight in all (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 48).
Śanitīrtha is named for Śani, the son of Sūrya, who slew Aśvattha and Pippala at Agastya’s yajña (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 48).
Sāttrika Tīrtha is named for Agastya’s sattra, the yajña that lasted a year (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 48).
Yājñika Tīrtha is another of the tīrthas of Agastya’s yajña, where bathing and dāna give the fruit of all yajñas (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 48).
Sāmaga Tīrtha recalls Pippala’s disguise as a sāmaga, a chanter of the Sāmaveda, who devoured his own disciples. When the ṛshis gave Śani the fruit of their tapas, he let each rākshasa swallow him and burned him from within (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 48).
Somatīrtha of the Oshadhis is where the oshadhis, the healing plants, Brahmā’s divine mothers, asked for a king; Brahmā sent them to the Gautamī, and Gaṅgā gave them Soma. Bathing and dāna there give the fruit of soma-pāna and raise one’s pitṛs to svarga (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 49).
Dhānya Tīrtha, also called Aushadhya, Saumya, Amṛta, Vedagāta and Mātṛtīrtha, is where the oshadhis, with Soma as their king, taught that one who gives land full of plants near the Gaṅgā attains every desire. Bath, japa, homa, tarpaṇa and anna-dāna there bring endless fruit, and sixteen hundred tīrthas stand on both banks (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapters 49–50).
Revatī-saṅgama lies near Bharadvāja Maharshi‘s āśrama on the southern bank. The river arose from the abhisheka of Revatī, Bharadvāja’s sister, when the young ṛshi Kaṭha, who had married her as his guru-dakshiṇā, worshipped Bhagavān Śiva for her sake and she became beautiful beyond compare. It gives beauty and happiness in marriage (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 51).
Vidarbhā-saṅgama is the confluence of the river Vidarbhā, born of the water Kaṭha sprinkled over Revatī with many kinds of darbha grass. One who bathes there with full faith gains bhukti and moksha at once (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 51).
Pūrṇatīrtha, Rāmatīrtha and Putratīrtha (Chapters 52–57)
Pūrṇatīrtha (northern bank) lies at the confluence of the river Maṅgalā, where Bhagavān Vishṇu with the cakra and Bhagavān Śiva with Pināka both dwell. It joins two accounts: King Dhanvantari, who won the kingdom of the devas by praising Bhagavān Vishṇu, and Indra, thrown from his kingdom three times, who praised Hari and Hara with Bṛhaspati and was made stable for ever; the Maṅgalā arose from Indra’s abhisheka. One who hears or remembers its greatness regains a lost kingdom (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 52).
Govinda-tīrtha is where Bṛhaspati praised Bhagavān Śiva as Someśvara so that Indra’s kingdom might be stable. Its deity is the liṅga Siddheśvara, and bath, dāna and every act of puṇya there bear everlasting fruit (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 52).
Siddheśvara (Govinda-tīrtha) is the liṅga of Bhagavān Śiva at Govinda-tīrtha, worshipped by the devas (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 52).
Indratīrtha (near Pūrṇatīrtha) lies beyond Pūrṇatīrtha and Govinda-tīrtha, with the Bārhaspatya tīrtha. These tīrthas are very dear to the pitṛs (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 52).
Bārhaspatya Tīrtha is where the devas worshipped Bṛhaspati, their guru, and he performed various yajñas. Merely remembering it brings graha-śānti; the deity there is Siddheśvara, Vishṇu and Govinda (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapters 52, 104).
Rāma Tīrtha is where Śrī Rāma bathed with Sītā and Lakshmaṇa during his years in the forest, offered piṇḍa of iṅgudī oil-cake to his father and freed King Daśaratha from naraka and from three brahma-hatyās. There Śrī Rāma installed Maheśvara, praised him and received four varas from Bhagavān Śiva for all who come after. There is no tīrtha anywhere equal to it (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 53).
Śavatīrtha is where the dead body fell when Śrī Rāma offered the piṇḍa for Daśaratha, who rose to svarga on a vimāna. Even remembering it dispels the gravest pāpas (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 53).
Bāṇatīrtha (Lakshmaṇa’s Arrow) is where the arrow fell from Lakshmaṇa’s hand when Daśaratha came in his body of torment to his sons and Sītā. It dispels all adversities (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 53).
Lakshmaṇatīrtha is where Lakshmaṇa bathed and worshipped Śaṅkara. With Sītātīrtha it dispels pāpas of many kinds (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 53).
Sītātīrtha is named after Sītā, one of the tīrthas that arose when Śrī Rāma freed his father on the Gautamī (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 53).
Putratīrtha, “the tīrtha of the son”, is where by Śiva’s vara bathing gives a virtuous son. Diti kept a twelve-year vrata to bear a son who would conquer the worlds; Indra entered her womb and cut the child into forty-nine pieces, who lived as the Maruts; Kaśyapa praised Bhagavān Śiva on the Gautamī, and Śiva gave the Maruts a share in every yajña and granted Diti’s prayer for the tīrtha. A hundred thousand tīrthas are there (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 54).
Diti-saṅgama is where a stream named Diti meets the Gautamī, the place of the chief rite of Putratīrtha: one bathes there and worships Śiva as Siddheśvara, and gains sons and, at death, the city of Śiva (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 54).
Siddheśvara (Diti-saṅgama) is the liṅga of Bhagavān Śiva at that confluence, whose pūjā Śiva himself ordained. One who worships him daily and praises him with Kaśyapa’s stotra gains a hundred sons (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 54).
Mitra Tīrtha is where the friendship of Indra and the Maruts came about, one of four tīrthas that give every cherished desire (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 54).
Kamala Tīrtha is where Indra obtained his glory (śrī), named with Putratīrtha, Mitratīrtha and Śakratīrtha (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 54).
Yamatīrtha of the Pigeon and the Owl lies on both banks, at the āśramas of the pigeon Anuhrāda and Ulūka, king of owls. In a war between their families the pigeon fought with Yama’s weapons and the owl with Agni‘s fire; their wives saved them by stotras, and the birds asked only that their āśramas become tīrthas. It is known as Yāmya, Āgneya, Kapota, Ulūka and Hetyulūka tīrtha (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 55).
Tapastīrtha, also called Satratīrtha, Agnitīrtha and Sārasvatatīrtha, is where the ṛshis performed tapas to learn whether the waters or fire is greater, and where the river Sarasvatī flows into the Gaṅgā. The voice of Sarasvatī answered that the waters are greater, for they are the mothers, above all the mother of fire (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 56).
Devatīrtha (northern bank) is where Bhagavān Śiva appeared to the brāhmaṇa boy Devāpi, whose father Upamanyu had been carried off with King Ārshṭisheṇa by the dānava Mithu. Śiva sent Nandin with his śūla; Nandin slew Mithu, and the aśvamedha was completed on the Gautamī. Fifteen thousand one hundred and eight tīrthas arose on both banks (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 57).
Tapovana, Abjaka and Indreśvara (Chapters 58–59)
Tapovana, “the forest of tapas”, on the southern bank, is where Agni performed tapas. Agni, carrying the tejas of Bhagavān Śiva, became the father of the twins Suvarṇa and Suvarṇā; when the devas and asuras pronounced a śāpa on them, he praised Maheśvara at the Gautamī and Śiva turned the śāpa into glory. Between Tapovana and Śārdūla lie many tīrthas whose greatness no one can tell (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 58).
Nandinī-saṅgama is where the river Ānandā or Nandinī meets the Gautamī on the southern bank. It arose from the tears of joy of Agni and Dharma when Bhagavān Vishṇu brought Suvarṇā back from the netherworlds, and Suvarṇā is present there even today (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 58).
Siddheśvara (south bank) is one of the four very holy tīrthas of the southern bank, with Tapovana, Nandinī-saṅgama and Śārdūla. Merely listening to their account rids one of all pāpa (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 58).
Śaṅkara-tīrtha, also Vaishṇava-tīrtha and Siddha-tīrtha, is where Bhagavān Vishṇu’s cakra was washed after it cut off the head of Śārdūla, lord of the dānavas, who had carried off Suvarṇā (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 58).
Śārdūla Tīrtha lies on the southern bank, west of Abjaka, and Brahmā declares it superior to all tīrthas such as Vārāṇasī. One who bathes there and offers tarpaṇa is honoured in the world of Bhagavān Vishṇu (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 58).
Abjakatīrtha lies on the southern bank facing Indreśvara, with Śārdūla to its west; Bhagavān Vishṇu dwells there as Trivikrama and Janārdana. It is named after Abjaka, “the one born of water”, who rose from the Gautamī and slew the daitya Mahāśani for Indra (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapters 58–59). It is known by four names, Mārjāra, Hanūmanta, Vārshākapa and Abjaka. The great ṛshis call it the heart of the Godāvarī, the resting place of Īśa, Vishṇu and Brahmā (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapters 14, 58–59).
Hanūmanta Tīrtha, also called Vṛshākapi, lies near the confluence of the Phenā, beyond Mārjāra, where the apsarā Adrikā, stepmother of Hanūmān, was freed. A bath and dāna in this group of tīrthas free one from return to saṃsāra (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapters 14, 59).
Phenā-saṅgama, on the southern bank, is the confluence of the river Phenā, named from the foam with which Indra slew the dānava Namuci: the foam became the vajra, pierced the earth, and Gaṅgā water rose from pātāla along its path. It destroys all pāpas like the confluence of the Gaṅgā and the Yamunā (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapters 14, 59).
Indratīrtha (Indreśvara) heads the group of Indratīrtha, Vṛshākapatīrtha, the Phenā confluence and Abjaka. Indra, captured and mocked by the daitya Mahāśani, came to the Gautamī on Indrāṇī’s counsel and praised Bhagavān Śiva, Devī Pārvatī and Bhagavān Vishṇu, and by their grace and the Gaṅgā’s, Abjaka Vṛshākapi rose from the water and slew his enemy (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 59).
Indreśvara, on the northern bank, is where Bhagavān Śiva dwells, facing Bhagavān Vishṇu as Janārdana at Abjaka. At Indra’s request the devas and ṛshis granted that the tīrthas of the two banks give moksha (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 59).
The Daṇḍaka forest: the cows of the devas and Yamatīrtha (Chapters 60–64)
Āpastamba Tīrtha, in the Daṇḍaka forest, is where Bhagavān Śiva dwells as Somanātha. The ṛshi Āpastamba learned from Agastya Maharshi that the three Devas are one reality and that all is gained through Śiva, and praised Somanātha here; Śiva granted that all who bathe here and have his darśana gain their desires. It dispels the darkness of avidyā (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 60).
Bāṇatīrtha (Vaishṇava-tīrtha), on the northern bank, also called Vaishṇava-tīrtha and Gotīrtha, is where Bhagavān Vishṇu, bearing the divine bow Śārṅga and riding Garuḍa, slew the daityas and rākshasas who had carried off the cows of the devas. Those who bathe there and remember Śārṅgapāṇi never know poverty (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 61).
Yajñatīrtha, also Devayajana, is the island in the middle of the river that the devas made as a resting place for the recovered cows, and on which they performed their yajña. One who circles the island after bathing gains the fruit of circling the whole earth (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 61).
Brahmatīrtha (by Gotīrtha) is named with Gotīrtha near the island of the cows. One who bathes there, bows to Brahmā and goes round the island gains the fruit of going round the earth of seven dvīpas (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 61).
Gorakshatīrtha, “the protection of the cows”, lies on the southern bank beyond Yajñatīrtha (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 61).
Yamatīrtha of Saramā is where Yama worshipped on both banks to free Saramā, the mother of his two dogs, from Indra‘s śāpa. It increases the joy of the pitṛs, and by bath, dāna, japa and stotra there even pitṛs of evil deeds attain moksha (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 61).
Yameśvara is the deity of Yamatīrtha. One who bathes there and has his darśana makes the puṇya of his pitṛs everlasting (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 61).
Yakshiṇī-saṅgama is the confluence of the river Yakshiṇī, once Pippalā, sister of Viśvāvasu, made a river by the śāpa of the ṛshis and freed when her brother made her join the Gautamī. Bath and dāna there give every desire (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 62).
Yaksheśvara is the deity of Yakshiṇī-saṅgama. Bathing where he dwells gives the fruit of a satrayāga, and his darśana gives bhukti and moksha (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 62).
Durgātīrtha, also called the Śaiva tīrtha, is where Bhagavān Śiva with Devī Śivā was pleased with Viśvāvasu. The Purāṇa calls it the greatest of the Śaiva tīrthas, giving every siddhi (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 62).
Śukla Tīrtha, “the white tīrtha”, in the Daṇḍaka forest, is where Bharadvāja sprinkled the dark rākshasa Havyaghna, born from the smoke of his yajña, with Gaṅgā water, and the rākshasa, the yūpa and every vessel became white, freeing Havyaghna from Brahmā’s śāpa. Bharadvāja’s yūpa stands in the river even today (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 63).
Cakratīrtha (Daṇḍaka) is where the Sudarśana cakra was washed after it protected the satra of the seven ṛshis led by Vasishṭha. Bathing and dāna there give the fruit of a satra (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 64).
From Vāṇīsaṅgama to Narasiṃhatīrtha (Chapters 65–79)
Vāṇīsaṅgama is where Vāc, as the river Vāṇī, joins the Gautamī; its deity is Hara as Vāgīśvara. When Brahmā spoke an untrue word about the column of light, Hari and Hara made the speech that spoke it a river, to regain her body on joining the Gaṅgā; in the Bhāgīrathī she is called Sarasvatī. It rids one even of brahmahatyā (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 65).
Vishṇutīrtha, also Maudgalya, is where the ṛshi Maudgalya worshipped Bhagavān Vishṇu every day, and Vishṇu came to him on Garuḍa, taught him the power of dāna given in his remembrance and filled his house with wealth for seven generations. Eleven thousand tīrthas lie on its banks (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 66).
Lakshmītīrtha is where Gautamī herself decided the dispute between Lakshmī and Daridrā, praised Lakshmī and sent Daridrā away. Bath and dāna there bring wealth, and six thousand tīrthas are gathered there (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 67).
Bhānutīrtha (Mṛtasañjīvana), also Śāryāta and Madhucchandas, is where King Śaryāti gave his life in the fire so that the wife of his purohita Madhucchandas might live, and Madhucchandas praised Sūrya until Sūrya restored the king. Three thousand tīrthas are there (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 68).
Khaḍgatīrtha, on the northern bank, takes its name from the sword of jñāna with which the brāhmaṇa Pailūsha, son of Kavasha, cut through every bond and gained moksha. It is also called Jñānatīrtha, Kavasha and Pailūsha, and snāna and dāna there give moksha (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 69).
Anvindratīrtha, also Ātreyatīrtha and Daiteya, on the northern bank, is where the ṛshi Ātreya had Tvashṭṛ build a copy of Indra‘s world, which the daityas came to fight; when Ātreya returned to tapas, the devas declared that those who bathe here at once become Indras. It can give back a lost kingdom (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 70).
Kapilā-saṅgama is where King Pṛthu, brought forth from Vena‘s body on Kapila‘s counsel, milked the great herbs from the Earth in the form of a tawny cow; the milk became a river that joined the Gautamī. Eighty-eight thousand tīrthas are there (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 71).
Devasthāna, “the place of the devas”, is where the devas and ṛshis granted the daitya Meghahāsa, son of Rāhu, all he asked as he performed tapas. Within it are Devatīrtha and eighteen tīrthas honoured by the daityas, and bathing and dāna there destroy great pāpas (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 72).
Devatīrtha (Devasthāna) is the spot within Devasthāna where the chief of the devas stayed. It is hard to reach even for the devas (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 72).
Siddhatīrtha is where Rāvaṇa, returning from Kailāsa, worshipped Bhagavān Śiva as Siddheśvara with Gaṅgā water, perfected the mantra of Śiva’s hundred and eight names that Brahmā had given him, and received a sword from Śiva. It is frequented by all the Siddhas (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 73).
Parushṇīsaṅgama is where Ātreyī, wife of the fiery ṛshi Aṅgiras, at the word of Agni became water and flowed over her husband; both grew calm in the Gaṅgā and she became the river Parushṇī. Bath and dāna there give more than a hundred Vājapeya yajñas (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 74).
Mārkaṇḍeya Tīrtha, on the northern bank, is where Bhagavān Śiva answered the great ṛshis on the means to moksha, declaring that everything is gained through karma; it is named after Mārkaṇḍeya, chief of those ṛshis. It gives the fruit of all yajñas (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 75).
Yayāta Tīrtha, on the southern bank, where Bhagavān Śiva is called Kālañjara, is where Puru performed tapas to end the old age he had taken from his father Yayāti, and Śiva destroyed it and freed Puru’s brothers from their father’s śāpas. It bears the names Kālañjara, Yayāta, Nāhusha, Paura, Śaukra and Śārmishṭha, and it dispels untimely old age (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 76).
Apsaroyuga-saṅgama, on the southern bank, is where two rivers, once the apsarās Gambhīrā and Atigambhīrā, made water by Viśvāmitra‘s śāpa, meet each other and the Gaṅgā. Bhagavān Śiva dwells there, and a woman who bathes there gains a son (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 77).
Koṭitīrtha, on the southern bank, where Koṭīśvara presides, gives a crore-fold fruit to everything done there. It arose by the puṇya of the ṛshi Kāṇva, whose fire went out between two offerings and who was taught by a divine voice to offer into the embers; two crores of tīrthas are there (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 78).
Narasiṃhatīrtha, on the northern bank, is where Bhagavān Narasiṃha slew the daitya Ambarya after conquering the daityas of every world. As no deva equals Hari, so no tīrtha equals it, and even its name destroys all pāpas (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 79).
From Paiśāca Tīrtha to Devāgama (Chapters 80–90)
Paiśāca Tīrtha (Ajīgarti), on the northern bank, is where Ajīgarti, who had sold his son Śunaḥśepa and been born a piśāca, was freed when Śunaḥśepa, now Viśvāmitra‘s son, bathed in the Gautamī and offered tarpaṇa to him. It is famous as the destroyer of the piśāca state (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 80).
Nimnabheda, also Ailatīrtha, Purūravas-tīrtha and Vāsishṭha, on the northern bank, is where King Purūravas, grieving for Urvaśī, was brought back to steadiness by Vasishṭha Maharshi and performed many yajñas on an island in the river. What was low in the king was broken there, and so it is called “the breaking of what is low” (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 81).
Vedadvīpa, also Yajñadvīpa, is the island at Nimnabheda where Purūravas performed his yajñas. By visiting it one becomes learned in the Vedas, and Urvaśī comes to it on every full-moon night (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 81).
Nanditaṭa, also called Ānanda, is named for Nandin, who is installed there. Here Tārā, wife of Bṛhaspati, bathed with her husband and was made pure, and Bṛhaspati granted the Gautamī that all holy waters would come to her when he is in Siṃha (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 82).
Bhāvatīrtha is where Bhava, Bhagavān Śiva, is himself present, and where by his grace a son, Mahiman, was born to King Prācīnabarhis from the splendour of Śiva’s third eye. Seventy tīrthas are there (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 83).
Sahasrakuṇḍa is where Śrī Rāma, with Vasishṭha and the great ṛshis, offered a homa in a thousand kuṇḍas with an unbroken stream of gold, after the vānaras and rākshasas, finding Sītā gone, had come to the Gautamī to give up their lives. A holy dip and dāna there give a thousandfold fruit (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 84).
Kapilātīrtha, on the southern bank, also Āṅgirasa, Āditya, Saiṃhikeya, Gotīrtha and Kapilā-saṅgama, is where the Āṅgirasas received the Earth as dakshiṇā; she became a lioness, and the Ādityas took her back for a tawny cow, from whose gift-water the river Kapilā flowed. Bhagavān Vishṇu stands there in his own form (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 85).
Śaṅkhahrada, “the lake of the conch”, is where Bhagavān Vishṇu, at the beginning of the Kṛta yuga, cut off the heads of rākshasas who came to devour Brahmā and blew his conch. Bathing there and having darśana of Śaṅkha-gadā-dhara release one from saṃsāra (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 86).
Kishkindhā-tīrtha is where Śrī Rāma, returning from Laṅkā in the Pushpaka with Sītā, Lakshmaṇa, Vibhīshaṇa and the vānaras, came down to the river and stayed five days. It is named for the vānaras of Kishkindhā who resorted to it (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 87).
Siddheśvara (Kishkindhā-tīrtha), near Kishkindhā-tīrtha, is the liṅga by whose grace Rāvaṇa became powerful. Hanumān could not move the liṅgas installed there even with his tail, for no one can shake the liṅga of Maheśa once it is established (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 87).
Vyāsa Tīrtha, also Prācetasa, is where the ten Āṅgirasas, five on each bank, performed tapas at the word of Agastya Maharshi; they are the Dharma-Vyāsas and Veda-Vyāsas, born whenever dharma declines. Bhagavān Śiva is present there out of compassion for all beings (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 88).
Vañjarā-saṅgama, on the southern bank, is the meeting of the Gaṅgā of the nether worlds with the Gaṅgā of the mortal world. Garuḍa brought Gaṅgā water from Pātāla to revive Kadrū‘s sons, scorched near the sun, and that water became the river Vañjarā; a hundred and twenty-five thousand tīrthas are counted there (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 89).
Devāgama Tīrtha, also Devapriya, is where the devas gathered before their war with the asuras and won by the grace of Hari and Hara. Eighty thousand Śiva-liṅgas are there (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 90).
Brahmā’s yajña ground and the lower river (Chapters 91–101)
Kuśatarpaṇa, in the Daṇḍaka forest, stands on the ground of Brahmā‘s first yajña of creation. The spot where the kuśa with which Brahmā wiped the Praṇītā vessel fell is Kuśatarpaṇa, and the Purāṇa calls it more excellent even than Vārāṇasī (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 91).
Praṇītā-saṅgama is the confluence of the river Praṇītā, born of the water of the vessel of Brahmā’s yajña of creation, in which Bhagavān Vishṇu, Yajñapati, appeared in the three fires. Brahmā calls it the secret of secrets, and a bath and dāna there lead to the supreme region (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 91).
Akshayavaṭa, the undecaying banyan, was once the yūpa Brahmā set up for that yajña; when it was cast off it became free from decay, a resort of Bhagavān Vishṇu. Merely remembering it gives the merit of yajñas (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 91).
Manyu Tīrtha is where the devas, defeated by the dānavas, received from Bhagavān Śiva Manyu, born of Śiva’s own tejas, to lead their army. Śaṅkara is always present there in the form of Manyu (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 92).
Pushpotkaṭa is a place on the southern bank, named as the landmark of Mount Śubhra, which lies to its east (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 93).
Sārasvata Tīrtha, at Mount Śubhra, is where Devī Sarasvatī appeared to the rākshasa Paraśu after he bathed at the word of the ṛshi Śākalya, in whom he had seen the universal form of Bhagavān Vishṇu. It gives bhukti and mukti (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 93).
Ciñcikā Tīrtha, on the white mountain on the northern bank, where Bhagavān Vishṇu dwells as Gadādhara, is where the two-beaked bird Ciñcika, once a double-tongued brāhmaṇa, was brought by King Pavamāna, bathed and went to svarga. A rite done there gives crores of times its fruit (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 94).
Bhadra Tīrtha is where Bhagavān Vishṇu dwells as Bhadrapati. Harshaṇa, youngest son of Vishṭi, bathed and praised Hari, who granted welfare to them all, and so Vishṭi became Bhadrā; the tīrtha prevents all ill omens (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 95).
Patatri Tīrtha, “the tīrtha of the winged ones”, is where Sampāti and Jaṭāyu, their wings burnt near Sūrya, were revived at Aruṇa‘s plea and consoled by Garuḍa and Bhagavān Vishṇu. It destroys ailments, pāpas and poison (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 96).
Vipratīrtha, also Nārāyaṇatīrtha, is where Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa slew the rākshasī Kaṅkālinī with the Sudarśana cakra to save the young brāhmaṇa Āsandiva, whom she had carried off from Antarvedī. Desired things are gained there by bath, dāna and pūjā (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 97).
Bhānutīrtha (Abhishṭuta’s yajña) is where Sūrya granted King Abhishṭuta the ground for his aśvamedha, the first of six tīrthas from that yajña: Bhānutīrtha, Tvāshṭra, Māheśvara, Aindra, Yāmya and Āgneya. A bath there grants all riches (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 98).
Tvāshṭra Tīrtha is where Tvashṭṛ sprinkled water with kuśa and drove away the daityas who had come in disguise to spoil the yajña (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 98).
Māheśvaratīrtha, also Śaiva and Vaishṇava, is where Abhishṭuta offered Bhagavān Śiva a great pūjā and the rulers of the devas granted him bhukti and moksha (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 98).
Indratīrtha (Bhānutīrtha), also Aindra, is where Indra came with the Maruts and granted the king friendship and rule over both worlds (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 98).
Yāmya Tīrtha (Bhānutīrtha), also Yamatīrtha, is where Yama slew the disguised daityas; tarpaṇa for the pitṛs is to be done there above all (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 98).
Agnitīrtha (Abhishṭuta’s yajña), also Āgneya, is where the aśvamedha was completed with amṛta offered into the fire and Agni was pleased with the king. It gives the fruit of an aśvamedha (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 98).
Bhillatīrtha, on the southern bank in the northern region of Śrīgiri, is where Mahādeva is present as the liṅga Ādikeśa. It is named after a Bhilla, a forest hunter whose simple and complete bhakti won Bhagavān Śiva’s grace (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 99).
Cakshustīrtha, on the southern bank, where Bhagavān Hari is Yogeśvara, is where the vaiśya Maṇikuṇḍala, robbed of his wealth, hands and eyes by his false friend Gautama, was made whole by a branch of the tree where Hanumān had let fall the herb Viśalyakaraṇī. It gives beauty and saubhāgya (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 100).
Urvaśī Tīrtha, where Maheśvara and Bhagavān Vishṇu are the deities, is where the young Sumati, on Madhucchandas‘s counsel, bowed to Vishṇu, worshipped Śiva and performed tapas, and so freed his father, the emperor Pramati, bound by the gandharva Citrasena after Pramati had won Urvaśī from Indra at dice. Bath and dāna there give the fruit of an aśvamedha (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 101).
Where the Gautamī meets the sea (Chapters 102–104)
Samudratīrtha is where the Gautamī meets the eastern ocean, entering it in seven streams named after the seven ṛshis. The Ocean took bodily form to welcome her and, at her request, brought the seven ṛshis with Arundhatī and their wives, so that she could divide herself; no tīrtha is greater for the destruction of pāpa (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 102).
Ṛshisatra, also Bhīmeśvara-tīrtha, is where the seven ṛshis held a great satra and divided the river into seven streams; Bhagavān Śiva is called Bhīmeśvara there. Viśvarūpa came to the satra seeking a son invincible to the devas, learned from Viśvāmitra that karma bears fruit according to its bhāva, and Vṛtra was born. One who sees Bhīmanātha never again enters saṃsāra (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 103).
Gaṅgā-sāgara-saṅgama is the confluence of the Gautamī with the eastern sea, where the Gautamī Māhātmya ends its account of the river. Seeing the river meet the sea, Bhagavān Śiva and Bhagavān Hari revealed themselves to the ṛshis and are ever established there; whoever bathes there redeems his pitṛs from naraka and goes to the city of Śiva (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapters 52, 59, 103–104).
Gautameśvara Tīrtha is named first among the tīrthas of the sea-confluence. Maheśvara is called Gautameśvara there, and Mādhava is ever present with Ramā (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapters 103–104).
Somatīrtha (Someśvara), near the sea, where Śiva is Someśvara, is where the devas and ṛshis prayed to Soma for Indra with the Ṛk mantras ending Indrāyendo parisrava, and Indra completed his hundred yajñas (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 104).
Āgneya Tīrtha (Gautamī’s Mouth), in front of Somatīrtha, is where Agni performed great yajñas and obtained his desire by Brahmā‘s grace. Brahmā, Vishṇu and Śiva dwell there for ever (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 104).
Āditya Tīrtha, just beyond Āgneya, is where Bhagavān Sūrya comes every day for pūjā, and at midday in some other guise; so everyone present there at midday is to be bowed to (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 104).
Adritīrtha, on the mountain Indragopa, is where Himālaya installed a great liṅga of Bhagavān Śiva. A bath and dāna there fulfil cherished desires (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 104).
Aindra Tīrtha (Hayamūrdhaka), also Hayamūrdhaka, is where Bhagavān Vishṇu is installed as Hayamūrdhan, the horse-headed, with the devas dwelling above it (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 104).
Cakrapāṇi is where Brahmā and the devas praised Bhagavān Vishṇu as Cakrapāṇi, who is present there with the devas and the Maruts (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 104).
Brahmeśvara is the form of Bhagavān Śiva at the sea-confluence that Brahmā himself installed “for helping all people” (Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 104).
Sources
- Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapters 5–7, 9–105
” show-all-children=”no”]