Avimukta (Gautamī)

Avimukta · a-vimukta, “never forsaken”

Avimukta has other meanings too: see all meanings of Avimukta.

Avimukta is a tīrtha on the banks of the Gautamī (the Godāvarī) where Mahādeva, Bhagavān Śiva, installed the fifth head of Brahmā, the skull (kapāla) of Brahmā himself, for the good of the devas. Brahmā tells Nārada the account in the Gautamī Māhātmya of the Brahma Purāṇa, speaking of his own fifth head. When that head, in the terrible form of an ass, rose to devour the devas, Bhagavān Śiva plucked it off with his nails and held it out of compassion for the worlds. The neighbouring tīrthas Brahmatīrtha, Rudratīrtha and Sauryatīrtha arose from the same event. A brahmahan (one who has slain a brāhmaṇa) is purified by visiting the head in Brahmatīrtha and the skull of Brahmā installed in Avimukta.

The fifth head of Brahmā

The devas stood on the banks of the Gautamī; the daityas had fled into the nether worlds and the Mātṛs were pursuing them. Brahmā was seated in the midst of the devas. Then his fifth face, which had the terrible form of an ass (gardabha), spoke: “O daityas, why do you flee? Do not fear. I am coming quickly. I shall devour all the devas who come here.”

Seeing that face hold Brahmā back and make ready to devour them, the devas were afraid and said to Bhagavān Vishṇu: “Save us, O Vishṇu, save us, O Jagannātha. Cut off this face of Brahmā.” Bhagavān Vishṇu, the bearer of the cakra, answered: “I could cut off the head with my cakra, but the moment it is cut off it would destroy the whole universe of moving and unmoving beings. So hear this secret: the three-eyed Bhagavān Śiva is the one to cut off Brahmā’s head. He will surely hold it.”

Then Brahmā praised Śambhu: “A yajña is passing and gives no visible fruit to its performer. Knowing this, people decided that the one with matted hair (Kapardin) is the sure giver of fruit, took refuge in him, and gained realisation.”

Bhagavān Śiva holds the head

Bhagavān Śiva, ruler of the devas, was pleased. To accomplish the devas’ task and to help the people he said, “So be it.” With his nails, sharp as needles, he plucked off that fierce face, which had the form of pāpa and made the hair stand on end, and asked: “Where shall it be placed?”

Bhūmi (the Earth) said: “I cannot hold the head. I would sink down to the nether worlds.” Samudra (the Ocean) said: “I cannot hold it. I would dry up in an instant.” Then the devas said to Bhagavān Śiva: “Out of compassion for the people, you must hold this head of Brahmā.” Seeing that the universe would be destroyed whether the head stayed or was cast away, Bhagavān Śiva, the crescent-crested Candraśekhara, held the head of Brahmā in his hand. Seeing that wondrous and difficult deed on the banks of the Gautamī, the devas standing near Brahmā praised him with love and devotion.

Avimukta and its companion tīrthas

From that event four tīrthas arose on the Gautamī:

• Brahmatīrtha, where to this day the four-faced form of Brahmā stands. One who sees the head there goes to Brahmaloka.
• Rudratīrtha, where Rudra stood when he cut off Brahmā’s head.
• Sauryatīrtha, where Sūrya stays directly, in the form of the devas. It gives the fruit of all yajñas, and one who bathes there and has darśana of Sūrya is not born again.
• Avimukta, where Mahādeva installed the fifth head of Brahmā that he had cut off, and so did what was good for the devas.

The phala

A brahmahan becomes pure if he visits the head in Brahmatīrtha and the skull of Brahmā himself, installed in the tīrtha Avimukta on the banks of the Gautamī.

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 43

Sources

• Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 43