65 - Vānisangama and other Holy Centres

Brahmā said: 

1. The holy centre Vānisangama is (to be) mentioned (next). The lord there is Hara (Siva) Vagiśvara (the lord of speech). That holy centre rids one of all sins. It bestows all cherished desires. 

2-5. By taking holy dip and offering charitable gifts there one can dispel even the sin of Brahmin-slaughter. 

There had started a dispute between Brahma and Vishnu to who was supcrior. In their middle Mahadeva appeared like a column of fiery flame. Dcar son, a splendid divine voices to them as they were arguing "I am great", "I am great." 

"He who sees the limit to this (column of light) is superior (to the other one). Hence, it does not behove you to quarrel and argue over it." At its instance, Vişhnu went below and went up. 

6. Then Vişhnu returned quickly and sat near the column of light. Unable to reach the limit, О sage, I went farther and farther. 

7-8. Then I became tired and returned to lord Isha. At that time this thought occurred to me repeatedly. “The limit of this lord has been seen by me. Hence my superiority over Vişhnu shall be clear." 

Again, O highly intelligent one, I thought as follows: 

9. “Even though I am afflicted how shall I tell a lie through the truthful mouths. Among the different kinds of sins there is no greater sin than telling a lie. 

10-14. How will I tell an untruthful word?" I thought thus and created a fifth face terrible to look at like the face of a donkey. "With that I shall speak an untruthful word”. After meditating thus for a long time. I told Vishņu, the lord of the worlds, who was seated there: 

“The extremity of this fiery column) has been seen by me, O Janardana. Hence my superiority". Even as I was saying thus, both of them, Hari and Sankara assumed a single form like the sun and the moon. On seeing them I was surprised and frightened. I eulogized both of them. Then the infuriated lords of the world spoke to Vác (the divine voice) as follows:

Hari and Hara said: 

O evil lady, you shall become a river. There is no greater sin than falsehood.

Brahmā said: 

15. Then she became agitated and assumed the form river. On seeing it I was surprised and afraid. Then I told them thus. 

16. “Since you uttered a lie, though stationed in the voice of Brahma you shall become invisible. Undoubtedly you are sinful." 

17. On realizing this curse, she bowed down to those two lords and eulogized them again and again pleading for freedom from the curse. 

18. Those two lords of Devas who had been honoured by Devas and requested by her) bccame pleased. Out of affection, Hari and Hara spoke to Vāc thus:

Hari and Hara said: 

19. O gentlc lady, the sanctifier of the worlds, O splendid one, when you get merged in Gangā, your body shall become purc once again.

Brahmā said: 

20-23. Saying "So be it" that divine voice joined Gangā. That divine lady attained her own body after joining Bhagirathi and Gautami. This was an achievement difficult even for gods. That bestower of merit is well known by the name Vani when she joins Gautami. In the Bhāgirathi the same divine lady is called Sarasvati. In both the places the confluence is well known and is honoured by the whole world, viz., the Sarasvatīsangama and the Vanisangama. The divine (river) joined to Gautami is the Vaņi. Otherwise it is Sarasvati. 

24-27. The place where the divine voice worshipped lord Siva, lord of Devas, and got rid of her curse is a holy centre honoured everywhere. Brahmā shook off his wickedness accrued to him due to his (untruthful) speech and went back to his residence. 

Hence, a person who remains pure and takes a holy bath in the confluence and visits Lord Vägisvara shall attain salvation merely due to that. He who performs a holy rite such as charitable gift, Homa, fasting in the holy confluence, shall not be born again in the world. There are one thousand nine hundred holy centres on either side (of the holy river). They dispel sins accumulated in the course of different births.