Alābu Tīrtha (Virajā)
Alābu Tīrtha · alābu-tīrtha, “the tīrtha of the gourd”
Alābu Tīrtha is a tīrtha of Virajā-kshetra in Utkala, the fourth of the eight tīrthas of that kshetra. Brahmā, continuing his account to the munis, tells of Virajā-kshetra in Chapter 42 of the Brahma Purāṇa. He names its eight tīrthas in order: Kapila-tīrtha, Gograha, Soma, Alābu-tīrtha, Mṛtyuñjaya, Kroḍa, Vāsuka and Siddhakeśvara, and says, “these eight tīrthas”. The text gives no story of its own for Alābu Tīrtha; one who bathes in the eight tīrthas with the senses restrained and bows to the devatās is freed of all pāpa and is honoured in Brahmā’s loka.
The rite and the phala
A wise man who, restraining the senses, bathes duly in these eight tīrthas and bows to the devatās is freed of all pāpa (sin). He mounts a divine vimāna while the gandharvas sing his praise, and he is honoured in Brahmā‘s own loka.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 42
Virajā-kshetra
In the kshetra named Viraja the Mother named Virajā, Sarasvatī Devī, is well installed. By seeing her a man purifies seven generations; one who even once sees, worships and bows to that Devī uplifts his lineage and goes to Brahmā‘s own loka. Many other Lokamātās, Mothers of the world, dwell in that kshetra; they take away all pāpa, are tender to their devotees and give varas. There flows the river Vaitaraṇī, which takes away all pāpa; the best of men who bathes in it is freed of all pāpa. Right there Hari, Bhagavān Vishṇu, dwells as the Varāha mūrti, and those who see him with bhakti and bow attain Vishṇu the Paramātmā.
Piṇḍas offered to the pitṛs in Virajā-kshetra give them undying satisfaction (akshaya-tṛpti). Brahmā says, “Those who leave the body in this, my kshetra, are freed.” One who bathes in the ocean here and takes darśana of Bhagavān Vishṇu named Kapila and of the devatā named Vārāhī attains svarga. There are many more puṇya tīrthas and temples here; one should learn of them at the time of the yātrā and visit them.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 42
Sources
- Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 42