Indratīrtha · indra-tīrtha, “the tīrtha of Indra”

Indra Tīrtha has other meanings too: see all meanings of Indra Tīrtha.

Indratīrtha, also called Aindra, is one of six tīrthas on the Gautamī, the Godāvarī, that arose from the aśvamedha of King Abhishṭuta: Bhānutīrtha, Tvāshṭra, Māheśvara, Aindra, Yāmya and Āgneya. Brahmā names them together in the Gautamī Māhātmya of the Brahma Purāṇa and says they destroy every pāpa (sin). At that yajña Indra came with the Maruts and granted the king a vara of friendship and rule over both worlds. One who performs the rite of water libation (tarpaṇa) at Indratīrtha is the most blessed in the mortal world.

Abhishṭuta’s aśvamedha

There was a king of very pleasing appearance named Abhishṭuta. He began to honour the devas with an aśvamedha. Sixteen ṛtvijas served at the yajña, led by Vasishṭha and Atri, and a doubt arose among them: “When a brāhmaṇa takes dīkshā (initiation) for a yajña, the king prepares the yajña ground. When the king himself takes dīkshā, who is to make the vedi (altar)? If a brāhmaṇa did it, it would be a pāpa and bring every kind of misfortune.”

Vasishṭha, best of the knowers of dharma, answered: “When the king has taken dīkshā, Sūrya should be asked to do this work. Let the king pray: ‘O Savitṛ, prepare for me the yajña ground fit for the devas. You are the divine kshatriya, O ruler of beings. Namaskāra to you.’ Asked thus, Savitṛ will surely grant it.” Abhishṭuta prayed with faith to Bhagavān Sūrya, Ravi, who is one with Hari, Śiva and Brahmā: “O Savitṛ, namaskāra to you. Grant us the yajña ground of the devas.” Because Sūrya is the divine kshatriya, he said, “I shall give,” and gave the ground. Brahmā says that one who performs a yajña in this way never meets misfortune. The place where Sūrya came to grant the divine yajña ground is called Bhānutīrtha.

The asuras at the yajña

When the aśvamedha had begun, the daityas, dānavas and other destroyers of yajñas came in the guise of brāhmaṇas. Because they chanted like the Sāma singers, they were not stopped at the entrance. Some mocked the ladle and the vessels, the ring on top of the yūpa (post), the Sāman, the drinking of Soma, the offerings, the priests and the king; others threw the yajña things about; others laughed. No one but Viśvarūpa knew who they were.

Viśvarūpa said to his father Tvashṭṛ: “These are the daityas.” Tvashṭṛ told the devas: “Take water and kuśa grass and sprinkle all round, saying: ‘All who revile the holy yajña, the ladle, the vessel and the Soma have been removed by me.'” The devas did so, and Tvashṭṛ too. The asuras were burned to ashes and fled; those whose lives were crippled went away in anger. The place where Tvashṭṛ, Prajāpati of the worlds, sprinkled the water is Tvāshṭra Tīrtha, which destroys all pāpas.

Then Yama slew the daityas who had fallen at Tvashṭṛ’s words, with three weapons: the Kāladaṇḍa, the Kālapāśa and the cakra. The tīrtha where they were slain is Yāmya, also called Yamatīrtha.

Agni and Indra

The yajña was completed with an offering of amṛta into the fire. The place where Agni was satisfied by the unbroken stream poured into the fire, like a flight of arrows, and was pleased with Abhishṭuta, is Agnitīrtha.

Indra, with the Maruts, spoke auspicious words to the king: “O king, you will become the emperor of both worlds, and without doubt you will be my lasting, dear friend.” This is the Indratīrtha, the Aindra of the six.

Māheśvaratīrtha

The brāhmaṇas, expert in every rite, praised and worshipped Bhagavān Śiva there with devoted minds, and that tīrtha is called Māheśvaratīrtha. The king worshipped Maheśvara with a concentrated mind, with Vedic mantras and other stotras, with dances, songs and music, with pañcāmṛta (the five nectars), prostrations, circumambulations, incense, lamps, flowers, fragrance and naivedya (food offerings). Then the rulers of the devas, delighted, granted him varas with great power, both bhukti (enjoyment) and moksha, and gave the tīrtha its excellent power. From then on that tīrtha is called Śaiva and Vaishṇava, of Bhagavān Śiva and of Bhagavān Vishṇu. In this holy place there are a hundred tīrthas.

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 98

The phala

One who performs the holy rite of water libation at Indratīrtha is the most blessed in the mortal world.
Bhānutīrtha, Tvāshṭra, Māheśvara, Aindra, Yāmya and Āgneya together destroy all pāpas.
A holy bath in Bhānutīrtha especially grants all riches.
Agnitīrtha gives the same fruit as the aśvamedha.
For the satisfaction of the pitṛs one should perform tarpaṇa especially at Yamatīrtha.
A holy bath and gifts of wealth at Māheśvaratīrtha grant every cherished desire.
One who remembers or reads of all these tīrthas is freed from all pāpas and goes to the cities of Bhagavān Śiva and Bhagavān Vishṇu.