Devagiri (Gautamī)
Devagiri · deva-giri, “the mountain of the devas”
Devagiri, also called Devaparvata, is a sacred mountain by the Gautamī. The Brahma Purāṇa tells, in its Gautamī Māhātmya, that the devas held a great yajña on the southern bank of the Gautamī to win back Soma from the gandharvas, and invited devas, yakshas, gandharvas and nāgas to the mountain; from then on it was named Devagiri, “the mountain of the devas”. There Soma was bought in exchange for Vāk (Sarasvatī), and the holy rivers of the world came to the Devaparvata for Soma and joined the Gaṅgā. Brahmā tells the account to Nārada as the glory of Somatīrtha.
How Soma was bought
Brahmā tells Nārada of Somatīrtha, which increases the delight of the pitṛs. Formerly 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 prāṇas to the devas, has been taken away by the gandharvas. The ṛshis and devas are greatly distressed. Let some means be found so that Soma can be ours.”
Vāk (Sarasvatī) said to the devas: “The gandharvas are madly fond of women. Give me to them and bring back Soma.” The devas replied: “We cannot give you away. It is impossible to live without Soma, and impossible to live without you.” Vāk said: “I shall come back here. Let an excellent yajña be performed on the southern bank of the Gautamī. If the devas are ready, let them come there for the yajña. Exchange me for Soma.” “So be it,” said the devas.
Through messengers they invited the devas, yakshas, gandharvas and nāgas, each separately, to the sacred mountain. From then on, Brahmā says, that mountain was named Devagiri. There came devas, gandharvas, yakshas, rākshasas, siddhas, ṛshis and the eight kinds of devayonis.
While the ṛshis were performing the great yajña on the banks of the Gautamī, the thousand-eyed Indra, 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 while she stayed with them, she came secretly to the devas every day, saying, “Let it remain a secret.” So the devas had both Soma and Sarasvatī, and the gandharvas had neither. “That is how, Nārada, Soma was bought,” says Brahmā; and so, when buying Soma, one should speak in a low voice.
The rivers that came to the Devaparvata
For the sake of Soma all these came to the Gautamī: cows, devas, mountains, yakshas, rākshasas, siddhas, guhyakas, gandharvas, Maruts, nāgas, the medicinal herbs, the Mātṛs, the guardians of the quarters, the Rudras, the Ādityas, the Vasus, the Aśvins and the other devas who share in the yajña. Twenty-five rivers joined the Gaṅgā there. The place where the full ghee offering (pūrṇāhuti) was given is called Pūrṇatīrtha.
The tīrthas named there, in order, 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 and Bhadrā; all these joined the Gautamī. These and many other holy rivers of the world went to the Devaparvata for the sake of Soma, and others came to the yajña pavilion; in due order they joined the Gaṅgā. Some flow east, some west, some are lakes and some streams, and each tīrtha is known by its own name. “Twenty rivers have been named between Pūrṇā and Pravarā,” Brahmā says. “Then there are five divine rivers, my daughters. All together twenty-five have been described.”
The phala
Bathing in these tīrthas, or performing japa, homa and pitṛ-tarpaṇa (water offering to the pitṛs) there, fulfils every cherished desire and gives bhoga (enjoyment) and moksha. Those who read of these tīrthas or remember them are freed from all pāpa and go to the loka of Bhagavān Vishṇu.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 35
Sources
- Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 35