Bhadra Tīrtha (Gautamī)
Bhadra Tīrtha · bhadra-tīrtha, “the tīrtha of welfare”
Bhadrā has other meanings too: see all meanings of Bhadrā.
Bhadratīrtha is a tīrtha on the Gautamī (the Godāvarī) where Bhagavān Vishṇu dwells as Bhadrapati, master of welfare. It prevents all ill omens, destroys all pāpas and brings great tranquillity. Brahmā tells Nārada its origin in the Gautamī Māhātmya of the Brahma Purāṇa. Vishṭi, the terrible daughter of Sūrya and sister of Śanaiścara, was married to Viśvarūpa, the son of Tvashṭṛ, and bore him seven sons. The youngest, the gentle Harshaṇa, learned from his uncle Yama how to bring blessing to his family; he bathed in the Gautamī and praised Hari, and Hari granted welfare (bhadra) to them all. So Vishṭi became Bhadrā, and the tīrtha is called Bhadratīrtha.
Vishṭi, daughter of Sūrya
Ushā, the chaste daughter of Tvashṭṛ, was the beloved wife of Āditya (Sūrya). Chāyā too was Sūrya’s wife, and her son was Śanaiścara. His sister was Vishṭi, terrible and fearful in appearance. Sūrya wondered to whom he should give her; whoever he thought of, on hearing of it, would say: “What shall we do with this wife? She is terrible.”
Then the girl spoke to her father on the giving of a daughter in marriage. A father who gives his daughter, while she is still a child, to a handsome man is blessed; one who does not falls into naraka. After her fourth year and before the end of her tenth, the father must carefully arrange her marriage, to a groom who is prosperous, learned, young, of noble family, famous, generous and whose father is alive. A good girl, well adorned and without blemish, balances the whole earth with its mountains and forests. One who sells a daughter, a horse, a cow or sesame has no prāyaścitta (atonement) that saves him from Raurava and the other narakas. A daughter’s marriage must never be put off; what is given for a daughter’s sake has endless fruit, and “he who makes his daughters happy shall have riches.”
Sūrya answered: “What shall I do? People look at lineage, beauty, age, wealth, learning, conduct and good habits. We have everything except beauty in you. Where can I give you? If you agree, I shall give you today to whomever I think fit.” Vishṭi said: “Husband, sons, wealth, happiness, long life, beauty and joy come according to one’s former puṇya. A father should only avoid his own fault and give his daughter as his family’s custom (kula-ācāra) requires. The rest is in the hands of daiva (fate).” So Sūrya gave Vishṭi to Viśvarūpa, the son of Tvashṭṛ, who was equally terrible in form. The two matched each other in conduct and in form, and they had seven sons: Gaṇḍa, Atigaṇḍa, Raktāksha, Krodhana, Vyaya, Durmukha and, the youngest, Harshaṇa.
Harshaṇa and Yama
Harshaṇa was meritorious, well behaved, calm, fortunate and pure of mind. Once he went to the abode of Yama, his uncle, and saw there beings in svarga and beings in misery. He bowed and asked to be taught the sanātana dharma: “Who are those who enjoy happiness, and who are those who rot in naraka?” Dharmarāja told him the whole course of karma: “Those who never transgress the injunctions (vidhi) never see naraka. Those who do not honour the śāstra, good conduct (sadācāra) and men of great learning, and who transgress the injunctions, dwell in naraka.”
Harshaṇa said: “Tell me the holy rite by which my terrible father, my terrible mother Vishṭi and my brothers may become noble, calm, handsome, givers of auspiciousness and free from blemish. I shall perform it; otherwise I will not go back to them.” Yama said: “Truly you are Harshaṇa, the one who delights. There may be many sons, but he alone is the true son who upholds the family, pleases his parents and redeems his pitṛs; one who is not so is an ailment. You have spoken what pleases your mother’s father, Sūrya. Go to the Gautamī, bathe there, and with a joyful and restrained mind praise Bhagavān Vishṇu, the benign origin of the universe. If he is pleased, he will grant you all you desire.”
Hari’s blessing
Harshaṇa went to the Gautamī, bathed, and praised Hari, and Hari, ruler of the devas, was pleased. He granted welfare to every member of Harshaṇa’s family, saying: “Let there be welfare (bhadra) unto you, and the prevention of all harm and injury.” Therefore Vishṭi is called Bhadrā, the auspicious; as the father became auspicious, so did the sons. From then on the tīrtha is called Bhadratīrtha.
The rite and its phala
The rite Yama taught Harshaṇa:
- Go to the Gautamī at Bhadratīrtha.
- Bathe there.
- With a joyful and restrained mind, praise Bhagavān Vishṇu.
The tīrtha prevents all ill omens, destroys all pāpas and brings great tranquillity. It bestows auspiciousness on men and yields all siddhis to those who resort to it. Hari there is Bhadrapati, master of welfare; Vishṇu, ruler of the devas, is himself the one storehouse of auspiciousness.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 95
Sources
- Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 95