30 - kadru-Suparna-Sangama Tirtha

Bralmā said: 

1. There are two holy centres viz. Suparņāsangama and Kädrava Sangama where lord Maheśvara has resorted to the banks of Gangå. 

2. The following holy puddles and deep pitrus are also there viz. Agnikunda, Raudra, Vaisnava, Saura, Saumya, Brahma, Kaumāra and Varuna. 

3. The river Apsarā joins Ganga and that confluence is a holy centre. Merely by remembering that holy centre a man can be assured and become contented, 

1. It quells all sins. Listen, O Nārada, attentively. 

Formerly, Välakhilyas, the great sages, were harassed by Indra. All of them spoke to sage Kaśyapa after giving a moiety of their penance. 

Valakhilyas said: 

5. Beget a splendid son through whom Indra's arrogance can be quelled. We shall give you a moiety of our penance. 

The sage said to them, "So be it". 

6. That Prajapati made Suparņā pregnant. He made Kadrū the mother of Nagas too pregnant. 

7-8. Prajapati who was desirous of going abroad told those two pregnant ladies, "You must not commit any offence. You must not go anywhere. For certain, you will be cursed if you to elsewhere." Brahma said: 

9-13. After saying thus to his wives he went away. When their husband had gone, both of them went to the sacrifice of sages with purified mind. The sacrificial chamber was crowded with groups of brahmins. It was situated on the banks of Gangā. Both of them were arrogant because of their youth and wealth. They were mad too. Though forbidden many times by the sages, the seers of truth, they spoiled the Havi offerings in the sacrifice. Who can prevent the misconduct and evil actions of women? On seeing both of them fallen in the evil path the brahmins became enraged and excited. (They cursed them tlius) "Since you are clinging to the evil path you will become rivers. Thereupon Suparna and Kadrū became rivers. 

14-17. Prajapati Kaśyapa returned home after some time. He heard the details of the incidents in the sessional sacrifice and the curse of those two ladies. On hearing it he was perplexed and thought, "What shall I do?" He told the sages known as Valakhilyas. They said to the brahmin Kaśyapa: "Go to Ganga Gautami and eulogize Maleśäna. They will then become your wives again. You go to that place in the middle of Ganga where lord Maheśvara resides perpetually due to the fear of sin of brahmin slaughter, by the name of Madhyameśvara." 

18. Saying, "So be it" Kaśyapa of holy rites took bath in Gangā and eulogized Maheśvara, the lord of Devas, by means of sacred hymns. 

Kaśyapa said: 

19. He is the sole master of the three worlds but he has not the least feeling of pride of possession. May that Siddhanātha, the maker of the entire Universe and the husband of Sivā, be pleased. 

20. You alone arc competent to dispel the misery of all embodied beings, whether mobile or iminobile, who have been scorched by the sun of therefold misery¹ and who run about here and there. 

1. The there well known miseries are adhyatmika (caused by self), adhi daivika (caused by supernatural beings), and adhibhautika (caused by the great elements); the terms are interpreted with slight differences by different commentators. 

21. The three types of Yoga (contact) of Sattva etc. (Sattva, Rajas and Tainas) of Lord Siva cannot be recounted even by Sakra and others. Considering Soma (i.e. Siva) to be of diverse wonderful activities, an excellent person who is always devoted to charitable gifts is happy always.

Brahma said: 

22. Eulogized by these and other hymns, lord Siva, the beloved husband of Gauri became pleased. Sambhu granted many boons to Kaśyapa. 

23-24. To him who was seeking his wives the lord said: "The two wives of yours will have the forms of rivers. They will reach Gangā, the most excellent river. Due to this mere contact they will regain their own bodies." 

Due to the grace of Gangā they became pregnant once again. 

25. Then the noble-souled Prajapati, became delighted on regaining his wives. He invited thosc brahmins who had resorted to the banks of Gautami. 

26. The delighted Prajapati performed their Simantonnayana rite (parting of hairs on the head ritualistically). He fed the brahmins in accordance with injunctions. 

27-29. The brahmins had their food in the abode of Kasyapa. Kadrū was seated near her husband. Looking at the brahmins she squinted and winked her eye and laughed at them. They became excited (and cursed): “O sinful woman, let that sinning eye of thine with which you winked and laughed be split." Then Kadrū became blind of one eye. She is called the mother of serpents. Then the holy sage Kaśyapa pacified the sages. 

30-33. They were pleased and said: "The Gautami, the most excellent of rivers will protect one from thousands of crimes on being resorted to. Kaśyapa, the excellent sage, did so along with his wives. Thenceforth, they know that their confluence is a holy centre. The river Kadrū is all round and the river Sauparnika is in the East. The holy centre Jaţadhara extends all round from the Kadrū to the east as far as the Sauparņikā river. This holy centre is a bit holier than Vārāṇasi. It suppresses all sins. It bestows the benefit of all sacrifices."