Śaṅkhahrada
Śaṅkhahrada · śaṅkha-hrada, “the lake of the conch”
Śaṅkhahrada, “the lake of the conch”, also called Śaṅkhatīrtha, is a tīrtha on the Gautamī, the Godāvarī, where the deity is Bhagavān Vishṇu as Śaṅkha-gadā-dhara, the holder of the conch and the mace. At the beginning of the Kṛta yuga, when rākshasas came to devour Brahmā as he sang the Sāman chants, Bhagavān Vishṇu cut off their heads with his cakra and blew his conch, and the place took its name from the power of that conch. Brahmā tells its account to Nārada in the Gautamī Māhātmya of the Brahma Purāṇa. Bathing there and having darśana of the deity release one from the bondage of saṃsāra, and ten thousand tīrthas that destroy pāpa are found there.
The deity of the tīrtha
Brahmā tells Nārada that the tīrtha where Śaṅkha-gadā-dhara, Bhagavān Vishṇu holding the śaṅkha (conch) and the gadā (mace), is the deity is called Śaṅkhahrada. By bathing there and having darśana (sacred sight) of the deity, one is released from the bondage of saṃsāra (the round of worldly life). Brahmā says he will tell what happened there, and that the account gives both worldly enjoyment and moksha (freedom).
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 86
The conch of Bhagavān Vishṇu
Long ago, at the beginning of the Kṛta yuga, Brahmā was singing the chants of the Sāma Veda. Then rākshasas came to him to devour him. They were born of the Brahmāṇḍa, the cosmic egg; they could take many forms, they were proud of their strength, and they carried weapons.
Brahmā called on Bhagavān Vishṇu, the guru of the universe, for protection, and Bhagavān Vishṇu made ready to slay the rākshasas with his cakra. He cut off their heads with his divine cakra and blew his śaṅkha. Having freed the earth of troublesome beings and svarga of its enemies, Hari filled his conch with great delight, and the rākshasas perished completely.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 86
The name and the phala
Because this happened by the power of Bhagavān Vishṇu‘s conch, the place is called Śaṅkhatīrtha. It gives people peace, safety and happiness.
Brahmā declares its phala:
- it is holy and gives every wish;
- when it is remembered, it gives auspiciousness;
- it gives long life and health, and increases wealth and offspring in quality and number;
- by remembering this account or reading it regularly, one attains every wish.
“O muni,” says Brahmā, “there are ten thousand tīrthas there, and they dispel all pāpas.” Even Maheśvara does not know how to describe their power in full; there is nothing equal to this destroyer of pāpa (sin).
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 86
Sources
- Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 86