Śvetatīrtha
Śvetatīrtha · śveta-tīrtha, “the tīrtha of Śveta”
Śvetatīrtha is a tīrtha on the Gautamī, the Godāvarī, at the home of the brāhmaṇa Śveta, the dear friend of Gautama and a devotee of Bhagavān Śiva in thought, word and deed. When his life was over, the messengers of Yama could not even enter his house; Nandin struck down Mṛtyu, and Kārttikeya slew Yama himself, until the devas praised Bhagavān Śiva and he restored Yama with the water of the Gautamī, ruling that Yama has no power over his devotees. Brahmā tells its account to Nārada in the Gautamī Māhātmya of the Brahma Purāṇa, and himself took part in it. Merely remembered, Śvetatīrtha frees people from every pāpa.
Śveta, the devotee of Bhagavān Śiva
Brahmā tells Nārada that the tīrtha known in the three worlds as Śvetatīrtha is very auspicious, and that merely remembering it frees people from all pāpas.
Long ago there lived a brāhmaṇa named Śveta, the dearest friend of Gautama. He lived on the bank of the Gautamī and was devoted to honouring guests. He was devoted to Bhagavān Śiva in thought, word and deed, and he meditated on Śiva and worshipped him to the last days of his life.
When his days were over, the messengers of Yama came to take him away, but they could not even enter his house. When the time had passed, Citraka said to Mṛtyu: “Why has Śveta not come? His span of life has ended, and the messengers have not come back.”
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 24
Mṛtyu and Yama turned back
Mṛtyu, enraged, went himself to Śveta‘s house, and found his messengers standing silent and afraid. “We cannot even look at Śveta, who is protected by Bhagavān Śiva,” they said. “What fear can there be for those with whom Śiva is pleased?”
Then Mṛtyu, noose in hand, entered the place where the brāhmaṇa was worshipping Bhagavān Śiva; Śveta was not even aware of him. Nandin asked Mṛtyu what he was looking for, and Mṛtyu said he had come to take Śveta away. “Go out, go out,” said Nandin. When Mṛtyu cast his noose at Śveta, Nandin struck him with the staff given him by Bhagavān Śiva, and Mṛtyu fell to the ground.
The messengers told Yama. Then Yama, Dharma, whose vāhana is the buffalo, called his host: Citragupta, Kāla, Yamadaṇḍa, the buffalo, the pretas and piśācas, the Ādhis and Vyādhis, the ailments of the eyes, belly and ears, the three kinds of fever, the pāpas and the narakas, each one. “Hurry, hurry,” he said, and went ahead of them to where Śveta was worshipping. Seeing Yama come, Nandin, with his weapons ready, called to Vināyaka, Skanda and Bhūtanātha, who whirled a staff. A battle began that terrified the worlds, and Kārttikeya pierced Yama’s servants with his divine śakti (spear) and slew Yama, the mighty ruler of the southern quarter.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 24
The devas’ stotra and Bhagavān Śiva’s ruling
The surviving followers of Yama told Āditya, the father of Yama. Āditya came to Brahmā with the devas and the guardians of the quarters, and Bhagavān Vishṇu, Indra, Agni, Varuṇa, Soma, Sūrya, the Aśvins, the Maruts and Brahmā all went to Yama, who lay dead on the bank of the Gaṅgā. The oceans, the nāgas, the rivers and all beings came to see him. The devas, afraid, praised Bhagavān Śambhu with joined palms:
- “It is always your nature to love your devotees and to slay the wicked.”
- “O first Maker, namaskāra to you. O blue-throated one, namaskāra to you. O one fond of Brahmā, namaskāra. O one fond of the devas, namaskāra.”
- “Yama and his attendants could not take away the brāhmaṇa Śveta, though his life had ended, because he is your devotee. Truly you love your devotees.”
- “Even Yama cannot look at those who have taken refuge in you, the merciful one; knowing this, they worship you with devotion.”
- “You alone are the master of the worlds and their leader. Without you none is able; who but you could set this order right?”
Bhagavān Śiva appeared before them and asked graciously what he should give. The devas asked him to revive Yama, Dharma, the son of Vivasvat, the guardian of the southern quarter, without whom the work of creation cannot go on. Bhagavān Śiva said he would, if the devas agreed to his word: “Let my devotee not undergo death.” The devas answered that then all beings would become immortal. So Bhagavān Śiva declared: “We are the eternal masters of our devotees, and of the devotees of Vishṇu who take refuge in the Gautamī. Mṛtyu has no lordship over them. Yama shall never speak of them or to them, and no worry or bodily ailment shall touch them. Those who take refuge in Śiva are freed at that very moment, and are worthy to be bowed to by Yama and his followers.” The devas said: “Let it be so.”
Bhagavān Śiva told Nandin, his vāhana, to sprinkle the dead Yama with the water of the Gautamī. Nandin sprinkled Yama and his attendants, and they rose alive and went to their abode. Bhagavān Vishṇu and the devas stayed on the northern bank of the Gautamī, worshipping Maheśvara.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 24
The tīrthas and the phala
On the northern bank tīrthas were established in groups of eighty thousand, fourteen thousand, six thousand and six thousand: one hundred and six thousand tīrthas. On the southern bank there came to be six thousand and thirty thousand: thirty-six thousand tīrthas. The place where Mṛtyu fell is Mṛtyutīrtha; by merely remembering it one lives a thousand years.
The telling of Śvetatīrtha is full of puṇya. Snāna and dāna there destroy pāpas. Hearing, reading or remembering this account removes impurities and gives people both bhukti (worldly enjoyment) and mukti (freedom).
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 24
Sources
- Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 24