Śāntijā (River)
Śāntijā · śānti-jā, “born of peace”
Śāntijā 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 names it to Nārada in Chapter 35 of the Gautamī Māhātmya of the Brahma Purāṇa, among the twenty-five rivers that joined the Gaṅgā when the devas won Soma back from the gandharvas 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.”
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: “I shall come back here. Let an excellent yajña be performed on the southern bank of the Gautamī, and exchange me for Soma.” The devas agreed. Through messengers they invited the devas, yakshas, gandharvas and nāgas to the sacred mountain, which from then on was named Devagiri.
While the ṛshis performed the great yajña on the bank of the Gautamī, Indra, the thousand-eyed, 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; 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, devas, mountains, yakshas, rākshasas, siddhas, guhyakas, gandharvas, Maruts, nāgas, the oshadhis (healing herbs), the Mātṛs, the Lokapālas, the Rudras, Ādityas, Vasus, the Aśvins and the other devas who share in the yajña. Twenty-five rivers joined the Gaṅgā there, and each has a tīrtha in its name. The place where the full ghee offering (pūrṇāhuti) was given is called Pūrṇatīrtha.
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 is well 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.”
The phala
Bathing in these tīrthas, or performing japa, homa and pitṛ-tarpaṇa (water offerings to the pitṛs) there, fulfils every cherished desire and gives both bhoga (enjoyment) and moksha. Those who read of these tīrthas or remember them are freed from all pāpas and go to the loka of Bhagavān Vishṇu.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 35
Sources
- Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 35