Cakratīrtha (Gautamī, Yama’s tapas)

Cakratīrtha · cakra-tīrtha, “the tīrtha of the cakra”

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

Cakratīrtha is a great tīrtha on the bank of the Godāvarī, the Gautamī, where the cakra of Bhagavān Hari appeared to protect Yama while he performed tapas. Near it is the confluence where the apsaras Kshamā, a gaṇikā (courtesan) of Indra‘s court, became a river and joined the Gautamī. Brahmā tells Nārada its account in the Gautamī Māhātmya of the Brahma Purāṇa. One who bathes at Cakratīrtha with devotion reaches Vishṇuloka, the world of Bhagavān Vishṇu.

Yama’s tapas

There was a vaiśya of great wealth named Viśvadhara. When he was far advanced in age, an excellent son was born to him, handsome, full of good qualities, fond of play and dearer to his parents than their own life. The son died before his time, and his parents, overcome with grief, wished to die with him. They lamented: “O son, in the prime of youth, an ocean of virtue, you have been taken away by the evil-minded Yama. You were dearer to us than our very breath.”

Hearing their piteous cry, Yama was overwhelmed with compassion. He left his city, went to the Godāvarī, and sat on its bank in dhyāna (meditation) on Janārdana, Bhagavān Vishṇu. Within a short time every creature everywhere grew old, very old, and no living being died. The whole earth was so full of the aged that they quarrelled over space, saying, “My ground reaches this far. Who has filled it?” The earth was overburdened.

Indra and the earth

Then Bhūdevī, the devī of the earth, went to Indra, who sat with the devas, and Indra bowed to her and asked why she had come. She said: “O Indra, I am afflicted by a heavy burden, because there is no death. I have come to ask the cause.” Indra said he would find it, for he was ruler of all the devas, and the Earth asked that Yama be ordered to take away the creatures. Mahendra sent the Siddhas and Kinnaras to bring Yama quickly, but they searched his city and did not find him. Indra asked Savitṛ, Bhagavān Sūrya, Yama’s father, “Where is Yama?” Sūrya said: “O Indra, Yama is on the bank of the Godāvarī performing very severe tapas. I do not know why.”

Indra grew suspicious: “Alas, my lordship of the devas has come to an end. Yama is performing tapas at the Godāvarī; surely he wishes to seize my place.” He called the apsarās and asked which of them could spoil the tapas of his enemy Yama on the bank of the Gautamī. No one answered. Then Indra, in great rage, said: “No one has answered me, so we ourselves shall go. Let all the devas make ready with their armies. We shall slay our enemy, who wishes to rule svarga by his tapas.” The army of the devas appeared there.

The cakra appears

Knowing Indra‘s intention, Bhagavān Hari, the bearer of the cakra and the protector of the worlds, sent his cakra to protect Yama. The place where the cakra appeared is the excellent tīrtha called Cakratīrtha.

Kshamā becomes a river

Then Menakā, anxious about what would happen, said to Indra: “O ruler of the devas, none of us can even look at Yama. It is better to die at your hands than at Yama’s. Among us the gaṇikā Kshamā is proud of her beauty and youth. Ask her and send her to turn Yama back, if you think it right.” Indra honoured Kshamā and said: “O gaṇikā, go and do my work, beautiful one. If you succeed and return, you will be as dear to me as Śacī.”

Kshamā flew across the quarters and in a moment came near Yama, lighting up the ten directions. She sang the sweet Hindolaka song with exquisite grace. Yama’s mind was moved; he opened his eyes and gazed at her, as if with the fire of desire. At once the woman melted and became a river, and that gaṇikā joined the river Gautamī. The gaṇas and kiṅkaras sang her praises, and by the power of the tīrtha she rose to svarga seated in a vimāna (a divine chariot). Yama saw her go and was greatly astonished.

Sūrya’s counsel

Then Bhagavān Sūrya came and said to Yama: “Dear son, do your duty of taking away the creatures. See the wind that always blows, Brahmā who creates the creatures, the Earth who bears them, and me, who wander over the three worlds.” Yama said: “I shall not do this despicable work. It does not become you to command me to do so cruel a task.” Sūrya said: “O Yama, how is your duty despicable? It is right for you to do it. Did you not see the gaṇikā plunge into the waters of the Gautamī and go at once to svarga, while the gaṇas and kiṅkaras sang her praises? O son, you have performed severe tapas, very hard to do, and I see no end to it. So go to your city.”

Saying this, Bhagavān Sūrya bathed and went to svarga. Yama too bathed at the confluence, cast off his doubts, and went to his city. Seeing Yama go, the cakra went back to Govinda, adorned with his garland of forest flowers.

The phala

  • One who bathes at Cakratīrtha with devotion obtains Vishṇuloka.
  • One who fasts on the ekādaśī (eleventh day) of the bright fortnight and bathes at the Gaṇikā-saṅgama attains the everlasting region.
  • One who reads or listens to this account obtains long life, and all his adversities perish.

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 18

Sources

  • Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 18