The Five Southern Coastal Tīrthas are a group of sacred places on the western sea-coast in the Kaumārika region. They are Kumāreśa, Stambheśvara, Barkaraśvara, Mahākāla and Siddheśa. They lie in the wider zone of the Mahīsāgara Saṃgama, where the river Mahī meets the western sea, and they are linked with the glory of Kumāra (Skanda).

The Purāṇa declares that these five tīrthas together give the combined puṇya (merit) of all tīrthas. The Kaumārika Khaṇḍa opens with the account of how Arjuna freed five apsarās who had been cursed to live as crocodiles in their waters.

The five tīrthas

1. Kumāreśa Tīrtha

Kumāreśa is the foremost of the five and is sacred to Kumāra (Skanda). It is called the supreme tīrtha of the group. Its presiding deva is Kumāranātha, whose glories frame the whole Kaumārika Khaṇḍa. Nārada and other great ṛshis say that a pilgrimage to Kumāreśa gives puṇya that nothing else equals.

2. Stambheśvara Tīrtha

Stambheśvara is described as dear to Saubhadra Muni. At this tīrtha Arjuna first entered the water. Here the first of the five crocodile-apsarās was freed: Varcā, a companion of Kubera. She regained her divine form when Arjuna lifted her out of the water.

3. Barkaraśvara Tīrtha

Barkaraśvara is described as dear to Paulomī, who is Indrāṇī, the wife of Indra. A cursed apsarā waited here for her freedom. When Arjuna lifted the crocodile out of the waters of Barkaraśvara, Sāmeyī was freed.

4. Mahākāla Tīrtha

Mahākāla is described as dear to King Karandama. Budbuda was freed here when Arjuna lifted her out of the water.

5. Siddheśa Tīrtha

Siddheśa is described as dear to Bharadvāja Muni. It is the last of the five. Latā was the apsarā freed here.

Why the tīrthas were empty

Arjuna came to these five tīrthas during his twelve-year tīrtha-yātrā (pilgrimage). He found them deserted, which was strange for places of such holiness. The ascetics living nearby told him why. Five large crocodiles lay in the waters. They seized and killed every ascetic who entered. Many kings and ṛshis had already been dragged under.

The crocodiles were really five apsarās, companions of Kubera. A brāhmaṇa ṛshi had cursed them (śāpa) because they tried to disturb his tapas (austerity) with dancing and singing. His tapas could not be shaken. But he was angry at their boldness, and his curse was that they must live as crocodiles for one hundred years.

How Arjuna freed the apsarās

After the curse, the apsarās surrendered to the brāhmaṇa. They learned that they would be freed when a man lifted them out of the water. Nārada then sent them to the five tīrthas. He foretold that Arjuna would come on his tīrtha-yātrā and free each one.

The ascetics nearby warned Arjuna, but he entered each tīrtha in turn. He said that a life given up for dharma is no loss. He lifted each crocodile out of the water. The moment each one rose above the surface, she became a shining apsarā in divine ornaments. The five were Varcā, Saurabheyī, Sāmeyī, Budbuda and Latā. They blessed Arjuna with victory and rose to svarga (heaven).

Combined merit

The five tīrthas together are declared to give the combined puṇya of all tīrthas. They lie in the zone of the Mahīsāgara Saṃgama, as a group of sacred coastal places linked with the glory of Kumāra on the western sea-coast.

Place in the Kaumārika Khaṇḍa

The Kaumārika Khaṇḍa begins with the freeing of the five apsarās. After that, Nārada tells Arjuna the glories of these tīrthas.

Sources

Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Māheśvara Khaṇḍa, Kaumārika Khaṇḍa, Chapter 1