Vaiṇavī-saṅgama
Vaiṇavī-saṅgama · vaiṇavī-saṅgama, “the confluence of the Vaiṇavī”
Vaiṇavī-saṅgama is the confluence (saṅgama) where the river Vaiṇavī joins the Gaṅgā, the Gautamī, and the tīrtha there bears its name. It is one of the confluences of the twenty-five rivers that came to the Gautamī for the sake of Soma, when the devas held a great yajña on the southern bank of the river, at the mountain Devagiri, and bought back Soma from the gandharvas by giving them Vāk, Sarasvatī. Brahmā tells Nārada the account in the Gautamī Māhātmya of the Brahma Purāṇa. Bathing at these confluences, or performing japa, homa and pitṛ-tarpaṇa (water offerings to the ancestors) there, fulfils every cherished desire and gives both bhoga (enjoyment) and moksha; those who read of them or remember them go to the loka of Bhagavān Vishṇu.
How Soma was bought
Brahmā begins with Somatīrtha, which increases the delight of the pitṛs. Long ago Soma, full of amṛta, was the king of the gandharvas and not of the devas. The devas came to Brahmā and said: “Soma, who gives the devas their breath of life, was taken away by the gandharvas. The ṛshis and the devas are greatly distressed. Let a way be found for Soma to be ours.”
Vāk, Sarasvatī, said to the devas: “The gandharvas are passionate for women. Give me to them and bring back Soma.” The devas answered: “We cannot give you away. We cannot live without Soma, nor without you.” Vāk said: “I shall come back here. Let an excellent yajña be performed on the southern bank of the Gautamī, and let the devas come there. The gandharvas are always fond of women: exchange me for Soma.” The devas agreed.
Through messengers they invited the devas, yakshas, gandharvas and nāgas, each separately, to the sacred mountain, and from then on that mountain was named Devagiri, also called Devaparvata. Devas, gandharvas, yakshas, rākshasas, siddhas, ṛshis and the eight kinds of devayonis came. While the ṛshis performed the great yajña on the banks of the Gautamī, Indra, the thousand-eyed, surrounded by the devas, 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 every day she came secretly to the devas, saying, “Let it remain a secret.” So the devas had both Soma and Sarasvatī, and the gandharvas had neither. “That is how, O Nārada, Soma was bought,” Brahmā says. From this comes the rule that one should speak in a low voice while buying Soma.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 35
The rivers that came to the Gautamī
For the sake of Soma all these came to the Gautamī: the cows, the devas, the mountains, the yakshas, rākshasas, siddhas, guhyakas, gandharvas, Maruts and nāgas, the medicinal herbs (oshadhis), the Mātṛs, the guardians of the quarters, the Rudras, Ādityas, Vasus, the Aśvins and the other devas who share in the yajña. Twenty-five rivers joined the Gaṅgā. The place where the full ghee offering (pūrṇāhuti) was given is called Pūrṇatīrtha.
The rivers that joined the Gautamī have tīrthas in their names. In the order Brahmā names them, the tīrthas are:
- 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 Devaparvata for the sake of Soma; others too came to the yajña pavilion, and they joined the Gaṅgā in due order. Some are rivers flowing east, some flowing west; some are lakes and some streams. Each tīrtha is well known by its own name.
Brahmā sums up: twenty rivers have been named between Pūrṇā and Pravarā, and then there are five divine rivers, his own daughters. Twenty-five in all have been described.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 35
The rite and the phala
- Bathing in these tīrthas, or performing japa, homa and pitṛ-tarpaṇa there, fulfils all the cherished desires of men and gives bhoga and moksha.
- Those who read about these tīrthas or remember them are freed from every pāpa (sin) and go to the loka of Bhagavān Vishṇu.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 35
Sources
- Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 35