Śukratīrtha
Śukratīrtha · śukra-tīrtha, “the tīrtha of Śukra”
Śukratīrtha is a tīrtha on the northern bank of the Gautamī, the Godāvarī, where Śukra, the son of Bhṛgu, praised Bhagavān Śiva and received from him the Sañjīvanī vidyā, the knowledge that revives the dead, unknown even to the devas. The chapter heading also names it Mṛtasañjīvanī-tīrtha. Brahmā tells its account to Nārada in the Gautamī Māhātmya of the Brahma Purāṇa. The tīrtha brings every siddhi, subdues pāpas and destroys disease; it increases life and health, and snāna and dāna there give puṇya that never ends.
Śukra leaves his guru
Brahmā tells Nārada that the tīrtha known as Śukratīrtha brings about all siddhis, subdues pāpas and destroys diseases.
There were two great ṛshis, Aṅgiras and Bhṛgu. Their sons were Jīva (Bṛhaspati) and Kavi (Śukra), both very intelligent and handsome and obedient to their fathers. When the boys had received upanayana (the sacred thread rite), the fathers agreed that only one of them need be the guru. Aṅgiras said he would teach both boys equally, and Bhṛgu entrusted his son Śukra to him.
But Aṅgiras taught the two boys separately, with unequal feeling. After a long time Śukra said to Bṛhaspati: “O guru, every day you teach me with distinction between son and disciple. This is not proper for a guru; there is no end to the pāpas of those who make such distinctions. I bow to you again and again. I shall go to another guru.” Having taken leave, Śukra went away, resolved to go back to his father only after gaining vidyā (sacred knowledge).
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 25
Śukra’s stotra to Bhagavān Śiva
Śukra asked Vṛddha-Gautama, the elder Gautama, who could be his guru, fit to be the guru of all three worlds. Gautama told him to go to Bhagavān Śiva, the guru of the universe: “Remain pure in mind and body at the Gautamī tīrtha and praise Śiva with stotras. Pleased there, the master of the three worlds will give you vidyā.”
Śukra went to the Gautamī, bathed, and, pure, began to praise Bhagavān Śiva:
- “O Śambhu, I take refuge in you, the one refuge of the poor and the helpless.”
- “O you who wear the crescent moon, I am a boy of childish mind; I do not know how to praise you. Namaskāra to you.”
- “I have been abandoned by my guru. I have no friends or companions. In every way you are the master. O master of the worlds, namaskāra to you.”
- “You are weightier than the weightiest and greater than the greatest. I am only a small boy. O you who are one with the universe, namaskāra to you.”
- “It is for vidyā that I have come to you. O master of the devas, I do not know your ways. Look on me with kindness. Namaskāra to you, O witness of the worlds.”
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 25
The gift of the Sañjīvanī vidyā
As Śukra praised him, the master of the devas was pleased. “Welfare to you,” said Bhagavān Śiva. “Choose what you wish, even what is hard for the devas to gain.” With joined palms and a glad heart, Śukra asked for the vidyā that the ṛshis do not have, nor Brahmā and the others: “You are my guru. You are my ishṭa-devatā.” And Bhagavān Śiva granted him the vidyā called Sañjīvanī, unknown even to the devas. Brahmā says: other vidyās are worldly, and Vedic learning is known to many; when Śaṅkara is pleased, what remains unachieved?
Having gained the great vidyā, Śukra went to his father and was honoured for his learning, and he became the guru of the daityas. Later Kaca, the son of Bṛhaspati, gained the vidyā from Śukra, for a very different reason; from Kaca Bṛhaspati gained it, and from Bṛhaspati the devas, each separately. This great vidyā is called Mṛtajīvanī.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 25
The tīrtha and its phala
The place on the northern bank of the Gautamī where Śukra gained that vidyā after worshipping Bhagavān Śiva is called Śukratīrtha. It increases āyus (long life) and health, and snāna and dāna there give akshaya (never-ending) puṇya.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 25
Sources
- Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 25