Śrīparṇā-saṅgama
Śrīparṇā-saṅgama · śrīparṇā-saṅgama, “the confluence of the Śrīparṇā”
Śrīparṇā-saṅgama is the confluence of the river Śrīparṇā with the Gautamī, the Godāvarī. Śrīparṇā is one of the rivers that came to the Gautamī for the sake of Soma, when the devas held a great yajña on the southern bank and won Soma back from the gandharvas through the counsel of Vāk (Sarasvatī). Like each of those rivers, it has a tīrtha in its own name. Brahmā tells this to Nārada in the Gautamī Māhātmya of the Brahma Purāṇa. Bathing there, or japa, homa and tarpaṇa to the pitṛs, fulfils every cherished desire and gives both enjoyment and moksha.
How Soma was bought from the gandharvas
Brahmā tells Nārada that long ago Soma, full of amṛta (the nectar of immortality), was the king of the gandharvas and not of the devas; the gandharvas had taken him away. The devas came to Brahmā and said that Soma gives the devas their vital breath, and that without him the ṛshis and devas were in great distress. They asked for a way to make Soma theirs.
Vāk, Sarasvatī, told the devas: “The gandharvas are passionate for women. Give me to them and bring back Soma.” The devas answered that they could not live without Soma, nor without her. Vāk said: “I shall come back. Let an excellent yajña be performed on the southern bank of the Gautamī, and let the devas come there. Exchange me for Soma.” The devas agreed.
Through messengers they invited the devas, yakshas, gandharvas and nāgas to the sacred mountain, and from then on that mountain was named Devagiri. While the ṛshis performed the great yajña on the bank of the Gautamī, Indra, the thousand-eyed, honoured the gandharvas and said in Sarasvatī’s presence: “Exchange your Soma, whose self is amṛta, for Sarasvatī.” The gandharvas gave Soma to the devas and took Sarasvatī. But she came secretly to the devas every day, and so the devas had both Soma and Sarasvatī, and the gandharvas had neither. From this comes the rule that while buying Soma one should speak in a low voice.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 35
The rivers that joined the Gautamī
For the sake of Soma there came to the Gautamī the cows, the devas, the mountains, the yakshas, rākshasas, siddhas and ṛshis, the guhyakas, gandharvas, Maruts and nāgas, the healing herbs, the Mātṛs, the guardians of the quarters, the Rudras, Ādityas, Vasus, the Aśvins and the other devas who have a share in the yajña. Twenty-five rivers joined the Gaṅgā, and each has a tīrtha in its own name. The place where the full offering of ghee was given is the tīrtha of Pūrṇā.
Brahmā names the tīrthas in this order:
- Somatīrtha
- Gāndharva
- Devatīrtha
- Pūrṇatīrtha
- Sala
- Śrīparṇā-saṅgama
- Ilā-saṅgama
- the holy confluence of Kusumā
- Pushṭi-saṅgama
- the auspicious Karṇikā-saṅgama
- Vaiṇavī-saṅgama
- Kruśarā-saṅgama
- Vāsavī-saṅgama
- Śivaśarya
- Śikhī
- Kusumbhikā
- Uparathya
- Śāntijā
- Devajā
- Ajā
- Vṛddhā
- Surā
- Bhadrā
All these joined the Gautamī. These and many other holy rivers of the world went to the Devaparvata mountain for the sake of Soma, and joined the Gaṅgā in due order. Some flow east, some flow west, others are lakes and others streams, and each tīrtha is well known by its own name. Brahmā says that twenty rivers are named between Pūrṇā and Pravarā, and then five divine rivers, his own daughters: twenty-five in all.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 35
The phala
Bathing in these tīrthas, or performing japa, homa and pitṛ-tarpaṇa (offerings of water to the ancestors) there, fulfils all the cherished desires of men and gives both bhoga (enjoyment) and moksha. Those who read about these tīrthas or remember them are freed from every pāpa and go to the loka of Bhagavān Vishṇu.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 35
Sources
- Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 35