81 - Sacred Places

Suta said:

1-2. I shall enumerate the holy places and sacred rivers. Gangå is the holiest of the holy rivers. Gangå is easy of access everywhere but in three places it is of very difficult access, viz., in Haridvåra1 (at the source), Prayāga (at the confluence with Yamuna) and Gangasagarasangama (where it falls into the sea). Prayaga is a very holy place conducive of worldly enjoy ments and salvation to those who die there.

1. Spelt Haradvåra now-a-days.

3. By resorting to it (by taking a dip therein) it dispels sins; those to whom oblations are offered there enjoy all desires. Varanasi is the holy place where Lord Keśhava has taken the form of Viśveśa (Lord Shiva). 

4. Kurukshetra is a holy place. By acts of charity at this place it is conducive to worldly enjoyınent and salvation. Prabhasa2 is a very holy place. Lord Somanātha is installed there.

2. Prabhisapattana in Gujrata. Recently the Soinanátha temple has been re-built here.

5. Dvårakā is a beautiful city. It affords worldly pleasures and salvation. The eastern Sarasvati is holy. The surrounding territories known as Saptasarasvata are very holy. 

6. Kedāra3 dispels all sins. Shambhala4 village is an excellent holy place. Nårāyana is a great holy place. For salvation Badarikāśhrama is the most suitable place.

3. Modern Kedåranātha in the Himalayas.

4. Modern Shambala in Uttara Pradesh.

7. Shvetadvipa, city of Máyánaimișha and Puşhkara are all great holy places. Ayodhyā, Āryatirtha, Chitrakuta5 and Gomati are all holy.

5. A town in the Banda district of Uttara Pradesh.

8. The holy place of Vaināyaka, and Rainagiri-Ashrama6 are sacred most places. The city of Kanchi1, the river Tunga bladrā, Shrishailam2 and Setubandhana are holy places. 

6. The Ramtek-hill near Nagpur in the Maharastra State.

1. Modern Kanjeevaram in South India.

2. A sacred hill near Karnal, on the bank of Krapa.

9. Ramešhvara is a great holy place, similarly Kärttikeya is an excellent holy place. Bhrgutunga, Kamatirtha, and Amarakantaka3 are equally holy places.

3. A place in Madhya Pradesh, the source of Narmadă river.

10. Mahakala (Lord Shiva) is the deity in Ujjain; (Lord Hari in the form of Sridhara is the deity in Kubjaka4; Kubjámraka is a great holy place; Kalasarpi5 yields all desires. 

4. Modern Kannauja in Uttara Pradesh.

5. Not identifiablc. 

11. Mahakesi6, Kaveri, Chandrabhågå along with Vipāśha are great holy rivers. Ekámra7, Brahmatirtha8, Devakotaka9 are all greal holy places.

6. Not identifiable.

7. Not identifiable

8. Not identifiable.

9. Not identifiable.

12. Mathura is a beautiful city; Shona is a great holy river, Jambūsaras10 is a great holy pool;

10. Not identifiable.

13. Wherever the idols of Sun, Shiva, Gaņeśha, goddess and Lord Vişhņu are installed shall be considered sacred places. In all these and other similar sacred places, performance of holy dip, giving of gifts, recital of prayers, austerities,

14. Worship, Shraddha and food oblations become everlasting in their efficacy. Shālagråma is a holy place yielding everything; Pashupati's (Lord Shiva's) Tirtha11 is a holy place.

11. Not identifiable.

15. Similarly, the Tirthas of Kokāmukha12, Våraha13, Bhandira14 and Svåmitirtha15 are holy places. MahäVişhnu in Mohadanda16 and Madhusudana in Mandara17 are holy installations. 

12. Not identifiable.

13. Not identifiable.

14. Not identifiable

15. Not identifiable.

16. Not identifiable.

17. Not identifiable.

16. Kámarūpa1 is a holy place where goddess Kåmåkhyå is the presiding deity. Pundravardhanaka is a holy place where Kårttikeya is installed. 

1. Modern Agam.

17. Virajas2 is a great Tirtha as well as Shripuruşhottama3.  Mahendra is a holy mountain and Käveri is a holy river.

2. Not identifiable.

3. Modern Puri in Orina.

18. Godavari is a holy river; Payoşhni is a river that accords boons. Vindhya is Holy Mountain dispelling sins; Narmada is an excellent holy river.

19. Gokarna4 is a holy place; so is the city of Mähismati5 a holy place; Kalañjara6 is a great Tirtha; Shukratirtha7 is a holy place than which there is no other more sacred place.

4. A place in the North-Kanara district of Karnataka. 

5. Identified in north Onkar Mandhata on the bank of Narmada river. Some identify it in north Mahesvara, south of Indore in Madhya Pradesh. 

6. There is a hill and a fort of this name in Central India. 7. Not identifiable.

20. Lord Vişhnu abides nearby, hence the place affords salvation even if a person defiles it. Viraja8 is a holy place that accords everything; Svarnákşha9 is an excellent Tirtha. 

8. Not identifiable.

9. Not identifiable. 

21. Nanditirtha10 accords salvation yielding fruits of a crore of holy places. Násikya11 is a holy place and Govardhana12 is beyond that.

10. Probably the same u the famous Nandigräma of the Rāmāyana. It is now known as Nandgaon, South of Fyzabad in Uttara Pradesh. 

11. Modern Näsika in Maharastra.

12. Most probably some other Govardhana than the one near Mathura.

22. Krishna, Veņi, Bhimaratha, Gandaki13, Irávati14 are holy rivers. Bindusaras15 is a sacred pool where water from Lord Vişhnu's feet flows. 

13. Modern Gandaka.

14. Modern Ravi.

15. Not identifiable.

23. The meditation on Brahman is on a par with sacred places; control of sense organs, subjugation of mind and purity of thought have also on a par with these places.

24. He who takes a holy dip in the Tirtha of Manasa that has the eddy of Jñana (pure knowledge) and the pure water of Dhyana (meditation) that removes the dirt of Råga (passion) and Dveşha (hatred) attains the supreme goal.

25. The demarcation of places particularly holy or otherwise is for only those people who differentiate things and places saying "This is a holy place; this is not." He who identifies everything with Brahman will not find a place not holy. 

26. All rivers and all mountains are holy places frequented by gods and others. Taking a holy dip, making gifts and performance of Sraddha and Pindadana in these places have endless benefit. 

27. Sriranga1 is a holy place of Lord Vishņu; Tapi is an excellent pious river. Territories surrounding Godavari called Saptagodāvara are holy places and Konagiri2 is a great sacred place.

1. The same as Shri-ranga-patanam near Tirichinapalli in Tamilnadu.

2. Probably the place known as Konärka in Orissa.

28. The great river Praņită flowing from Sahyadri with the shrines of Mahālakṣhmi3, Ekavira4, the lord of lords and Sureśvari5, are the holiest of holy.

3. Probably the temple of Mahālakṣhmi in Kolhảpur in Maharastra.

4. The temple of the Goddess in Goa.

5. Not identifiable.

29. He who takes a holy dip in Gangadvaras6, Kuśhāvarta7 and Kanakhala8, in the mountains of Vindhya and Nilaparvata9 is not born again. 

6. Modern Haridvår.

7. Not identifiable.

8. Situated in Saharanpur District of Uttara Pradesh.

9. Modern Nilgiri.

Suta said:

30. After hearing the details of the Tirthas from Lord Hari, Brahmă addressed Vyasa, Daksha and others. 

31. After mentioning the Tirthas he spoke about Gayā the foremost among Tirthas which affords to the devotee the attainment of Brahmaloka for ever.