Sāttrika Tīrtha
Sāttrika Tīrtha · sāttrika-tīrtha, “the tīrtha of the sattra”
Sāttrika Tīrtha is a tīrtha on the Gautamī, the Godāvarī, one of the tīrthas that arose at the place where Agastya Maharshi performed his year-long sattra (a yajña lasting a year) and where Śani, the son of Sūrya, slew the rākshasas Aśvattha and Pippala. Brahmā names it to Nārada in the Gautamī Māhātmya of the Brahma Purāṇa, together with the tīrthas Śani, Agastya, Yājñika and Sāmaga. Bathing in these tīrthas and giving dāna give the fruit of all yajñas.
Agastya’s sattra on the Gautamī
Brahmā tells Nārada that long ago the devas urged Agastya Maharshi, the holy ṛshi of the southern quarter, to make a request of the Vindhya mountain, which was rising higher and higher to surpass Mount Meru and Sūrya. Agastya, the husband of Lopāmudrā, came to the mountain with a thousand ṛshis, praised it and said: “I am going on a tīrtha-yātrā to the south. Give me the way, and until I return, stay as you are.” Vindhya said, “So be it,” and Agastya went south. Slowly he came to the Gautamī, took dīkshā (initiation) for a yajña, and surrounded by the ṛshis performed a sattra for a year.
Śani slays Aśvattha and Pippala
Kaiṭabha had two sons given to pāpa, the rākshasas Aśvattha and Pippala, eager to destroy the yajña. Aśvattha took the form of an aśvattha tree and devoured whoever touched it; Pippala, the younger, took the form of a brāhmaṇa, a chanter of the Sāman, and devoured his disciples. The ṛshis saw their numbers dwindling and went to Śanaiścara, the son of Sūrya, who was performing tapas on the southern bank of the Gautamī. He said he could not slay the rākshasas until his tapas was complete, and the ṛshis gave him the fruit of their own tapas.
Śani, in the guise of a brāhmaṇa, walked around the tree in pradakshiṇa and was swallowed by it; inside the rākshasa he looked at his entrails, and under Śani’s gaze Aśvattha was reduced to ashes, like a mountain struck by the vajra. In the same way he went to Pippala humbly, as a disciple to his guru, was devoured, and by his gaze burned Pippala to ashes. The ṛshis, with Agastya at their head, granted varas to Śani, and Śani in turn gave varas for the good of people.
The tīrthas and their phala
From then on these tīrthas are known as Aśvattha and Pippala. Other tīrthas arose there too: Śani, Agastya, Sāttrika, Yājñika and Sāmaga. In all, sixteen thousand and eight (16,008) tīrthas arose in this way. Bathing there and giving dāna (gifts) give the fruit of all yajñas.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 48
Sources
- Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 48