Viśvāmitra Tīrtha (Gautamī)
Viśvāmitra Tīrtha · viśvāmitra-tīrtha, “the tīrtha of Viśvāmitra”
Viśvāmitra has other meanings too: see all meanings of Viśvāmitra.
Viśvāmitra Tīrtha is a tīrtha on the Gautamī (the Godāvarī) where Śrī Rāma, son of Daśaratha, honoured Viśvāmitra Maharshi together with the ṛshis. It gives great puṇya and is frequented by ṛshis. Brahmā tells Nārada its account, as the expounders of the Vedas tell it, in the Gautamī Māhātmya of the Brahma Purāṇa: in a terrible drought Viśvāmitra came to the Gautamī with his household, and when his starving disciples could find nothing but a dead dog, he had it cooked as an offering for the devas, the ṛshis and the pitṛs; Indra, in the form of a śyena, carried off the pot and brought it back filled with honey, but Viśvāmitra would not eat alone while the people suffered, and Indra showered amṛta from the clouds. So the place where amṛta was offered without meat is remembered by five names: Viśvāmitra, Madhutīrtha, Aindra, Śyena and Pārjanya. A bath and dāna here give the fruit of all yajñas.
The great drought
Long ago there was a great drought (anāvṛshṭi), terrible for all beings. The wise Viśvāmitra went to the Gautamī with his disciples. Seeing his disciples, his sons and his wife lean and suffering from hunger, the glorious ṛshi was distressed and said to his disciples: “Bring something to eat, whatever it is and however much, by any means and from wherever it can be found. Bring it as it is, and do not delay.”
The hungry disciples hurried off. Wandering here and there, they found only a dead dog, and they brought it running to their guru. “Good, well done!” he said, and took it in his hand. “Cut the flesh, wash it with water, cook it duly with mantras and offer homa into the fire as the rules direct. When we have satisfied the devas, the ṛshis, the pitṛs, the guests, the gurus and the others, all of us shall eat what remains.”
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 23
Indra and the pot of honey
The disciples did exactly so. While the flesh was cooking, Agni, the messenger of the devas, went to the abode of the devas and told them everything: “The ṛshi has offered dog’s flesh, and the devas must take it.” At Agni’s words Indra took the form of a śyena, a great bird of prey, flew through the sky and carried off the closed pot of flesh. The disciples told their guru that a senseless bird had carried off the pot. The holy ṛshi blazed with anger and was ready to pronounce a śāpa on Indra. Learning this, Indra filled the pot with honey (madhu) and brought it back.
Seeing the pot, Viśvāmitra said in fury: “Give us the dog’s flesh alone. You may take away your amṛta. If not, I shall burn you to ashes.” Indra, frightened, said: “Offer the honey in homa duly and drink it with your sons. What use is this impure flesh to you, great ṛshi?”
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 23
The rain of amṛta
Viśvāmitra answered: “No. If I alone take it, what is gained? The people are exhausted and suffering, O Indra; what use is that honey to me? If the people get amṛta, I too shall take it. Or else, when the divine pitṛs have eaten the flesh, I shall eat it. I do not speak untruth; believe me.”
Then the thousand-eyed Indra, frightened, quickly called the clouds and showered amṛta. With the holy amṛta given by Indra the brāhmaṇa Viśvāmitra first satisfied the devas, then the three worlds, and then he ate with his disciples and his wife.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 23
The names and the phala
From then on the tīrtha is spoken of as giving great puṇya to men: it is the place where Indra came and where amṛta was offered without meat. It is remembered by five names:
- Viśvāmitra, after the ṛshi
- Madhutīrtha, the tīrtha of honey
- Aindra, of Indra
- Śyena, after Indra’s bird form
- Pārjanya, of the rain-clouds
A bath (snāna) and dāna there give the fruit of all yajñas.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 23
Sources
- Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 23