Saumya Tīrtha

Saumya Tīrtha · saumya-tīrtha, “the tīrtha of Soma”

Deva-tīrtha has other meanings too: see all meanings of Deva-tīrtha.

Saumya Tīrtha is a tīrtha on the southern bank of the Gautamī, the Godāvarī, and it belongs to Soma, the Moon. It arose at the aśvamedha of the kshatriya Priyavrata, when the dānava Hiraṇyāksha came to the yajña hall and the devas scattered, and Soma went into the palāśa tree. Brahmā tells Nārada its account in the Gautamī Māhātmya of the Brahma Purāṇa. It is the fifth of six tīrthas that arose there, which give the fruit of an aśvamedha and every cherished thing.

Priyavrata’s aśvamedha

There was a kshatriya named Priyavrata, the most excellent of conquerors. His guru gave him dīkshā (initiation) for an aśvamedha yajña on the southern bank of the Gautamī, and Vasishṭha was the purohita of that mighty-armed king. The aśvamedha began, with ṛshis as the ṛtvijas, the officiating priests.

Then a dānava named Hiraṇyāksha came to the yajña hall. Seeing that asura, the devas led by Indra were frightened. Each went to his own place:

  • some of the devas went to svarga;
  • Havyavāṭ (Agni) entered the śamī tree;
  • Bhagavān Vishṇu went into the aśvattha, the sacred fig;
  • Bhānu (Bhagavān Sūrya) went into the aruka plant;
  • Bhagavān Śiva went into the vaṭa, the banyan;
  • Soma went into the palāśa tree;
  • Havyavāhana (Agni) went into the waters of the Gaṅgā;
  • the Aśvins took the horse of the yajña and fled;
  • Yama turned himself into a crow.

Then the holy ṛshi Vasishṭha took up a thick staff (yashṭi) and commanded the asuras to stop. The yajña went on again, and the daitya, strong in his own strength, went away.

The six tīrthas

Those places became auspicious tīrthas, which give the fruit of ten aśvamedhas. Brahmā names them in order:

  1. Śamītīrtha, the first.
  2. The Vaishṇava tīrtha, the second.
  3. Āruka, which belongs to Sūrya.
  4. Śaiva, which belongs to Śiva.
  5. Saumya, which belongs to Soma.
  6. Vāsishṭha, which belongs to Vasishṭha.

These give every cherished thing.

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 33

The rite and its phala

When the great aśvamedha was complete, the devas and ṛshis were pleased, and with great joy they spoke to Vasishṭha, to Priyavrata the yajamāna, to those trees and to the Gaṅgā: “These went here and there for the completion of the aśvamedha. These tīrthas give the fruit of an aśvamedha.” Therefore, by a holy bath and the giving of dāna (gifts) in these tīrthas, one surely gains the fruit of an aśvamedha.

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 33

Sources

  • Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 33