Ajā (River)
Ajā · a-jā, “the unborn one”
Ajā is a holy river that came to the Gautamī for the sake of Soma and joined her, and its confluence with the Gautamī is a tīrtha known by its name. Brahmā tells Nārada of it in the Gautamī Māhātmya of the Brahma Purāṇa, in the account of how the devas won Soma back from the gandharvas through Vāk (Sarasvatī), at the great yajña on the southern bank of the Gautamī. Bathing at this tīrtha, with japa, homa and offerings of water to the pitṛs, fulfils every desire and gives both enjoyment and moksha.
How Soma was bought from the gandharvas
Brahmā tells Nārada that 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 prāṇas to the devas, was taken away by the gandharvas. The ṛshis and the devas are greatly distressed. Let some means be found so that Soma may be ours.”
Then Vāk, Sarasvatī, said to the devas: “The gandharvas long for women. Bring Soma back by giving me to them.” The devas answered: “We cannot give you away. We cannot live without Soma, and we cannot live without you.” Vāk said again: “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. Devas, gandharvas, yakshas, rākshasas, siddhas, ṛshis and the eight kinds of devayonis came there. While the ṛshis performed the great yajña on the bank of the Gautamī, Indra, the thousand-eyed, surrounded by the devas, honoured the gandharvas and said before Sarasvatī: “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,” says Brahmā; and so, while buying Soma, one should speak in a low voice.
The rivers that came to the Gautamī
For the sake of Soma there came to the Gautamī the cows, the devas, the mountains, the yakshas, rākshasas, siddhas, guhyakas, gandharvas, Maruts and nāgas, the oshadhis (healing herbs), the Mātṛs, the Lokapālas, the Rudras, the Ādityas, the Vasus, the Aśvins and the other devas who have a share in the yajña. Twenty-five rivers joined the Gaṅgā there. The place where the full ghee offering (pūrṇāhuti) was given is called Pūrṇatīrtha. Each river that joined the Gautamī has a tīrtha in its name.
Brahmā names them in order: Somatīrtha, Gāndharva, Devatīrtha, Pūrṇatīrtha, Sala, the Śrīparṇā-saṅgama, the Ilā-saṅgama, the holy confluence of Kusumā, the Pushṭi-saṅgama, the auspicious Karṇikā-saṅgama, the Vaiṇavī-saṅgama, the Kruśarā-saṅgama, the 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 joined the Gaṅgā in due order. Some flow east, some west, some are lakes and some are streams, and each tīrtha is known by its own name. Brahmā says: “Twenty rivers have been named between Pūrṇā and Pravarā. Then there are five divine rivers, my daughters. All together twenty-five have been described.”
Rites and their phala
Bathing in these tīrthas, or performing japa, homa and pitṛ-tarpaṇa (offering water to the pitṛs) there, fulfils all the cherished desires of men and gives bhoga (enjoyment) and moksha. Those who read of these tīrthas or remember them are freed from every pāpa and go to the loka of Bhagavān Vishṇu.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 35
Sources
- Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 35