Devatīrtha (Agnitīrtha)
Devatīrtha · deva-tīrtha, “the tīrtha of the devas”
Deva-tīrtha has other meanings too: see all meanings of Deva-tīrtha.
Devatīrtha is one of the tīrthas at Agnitīrtha, also called Vahnitīrtha, on the bank of the Gaṅgā, the Gautamī. The Brahma Purāṇa names it with Āgneyatīrtha and Jātavedasa tīrtha among the seven hundred tīrthas of great puṇya that arose at the place where Agni entered the waters of the Gaṅgā after his brother Jātavedas was slain, and where the devas drew him out and gave him his place at the head of every yajña. Agnitīrtha gives the fruit of all yajñas and removes every obstacle. A self-controlled man who bathes or gives dāna (gifts) there gains the fruit of an aśvamedha and more. Brahmā tells Nārada the account.
How Agni entered the waters
Brahmā tells Nārada that Agni had a brother well known as Jātavedas, the bearer of havya, the offerings to the devas. He was Agni’s excellent, skilful brother, and very dear to him. Once, as Jātavedas was carrying havya to the devas and was at the āśrama of the ṛshis on the bank of the Gautamī, Madhu, the powerful son of Diti, slew him, while the chief ṛshis and the devas looked on. With Jātavedas dead, the devas no longer received their havya.
Overwhelmed by anger at the death of his dear brother, Agni entered the waters of the Gaṅgā. When Agni entered the waters, the devas and human beings began to lose their lives, for they are agnijīvas, beings whose life is in Agni. The devas, the ṛshis and the pitṛs went to the place where Agni had entered the water. “Without fire we will not live,” they said, and they praised Agni. They said: “O Agni, revive the devas with havya and the pitṛs with kavya (offerings to the ancestors). By the cooking of food and the sprouting of seeds, revive all human beings.”
Agni said to the devas: “My brother, who was very strong, is gone. While your work is being done, my end may be the same as his. Jātavedas always did his duty for you, and this is how he ended; I do not know what my end will be. So I am not eager to work for you. Besides, I may not have the power to move from world to world, and if your work is not done by me regularly, my fate may be the same.”
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 28
The gifts of the devas
Then the devas and ṛshis said: “Long life, love for your work and the power to move everywhere will be given to you. O havyavāhana, carrier of oblations, we shall give you the prayājas and anuyājas (the fore-offerings and after-offerings of the yajña). You are the excellent mouth of the devas. Every āhuti will be offered to you first, and we shall partake of what you give.”
Agni was pleased at the words of the devas. He gained the power to move everywhere and became able to carry havya to the devas and kavya to the pitṛs. At the bidding of the devas he became powerful and fearless everywhere. His names, the Purāṇa says, are Jātavedas, Bṛhadbhānu, Saptārcis (the seven-flamed), Nīlalohita (blue-red), Jalagarbha (he who hid in the waters), Śamīgarbha (he who lies hidden in the śamī tree) and Yajñagarbha (he who lies hidden in the yajña).
The devas drew Agni out from under the water and performed his abhisheka (consecration). From then on Agni became Sarvaga, the one who moves everywhere, and he received two abodes, one on this earth and one in svarga. Then the devas went back to their own abodes. That tīrtha is called Vahnitīrtha.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 28
Devatīrtha and the tīrthas of Agni
About seven hundred tīrthas of great puṇya arose there. Devatīrtha, Āgneyatīrtha and Jātavedasa tīrtha are all there. There is also a many-coloured liṅga established by Agni; by the darśana of that liṅga one gains the fruit of all yajñas.
- Agnitīrtha gives the fruit of all yajñas and removes every obstacle.
- If a self-controlled man takes the holy bath (snāna) or gives dāna in this tīrtha, he gains the fruit of an aśvamedha and even more, splendid and without any lack.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 28
Sources
- Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 28