43 - Greatness of Naimishāranya and Japyeshvara 

 Naimisharanya is in a way the birth-place' of all Puranas. Its importance is described in Bd. P. I. 1. 156-174, Shiva Vayaviya Sarithita 3. 52-63, Va. P. 1, 1. 166-167. KP. endorses what other Puranas state about this. 

Sūta said: 

1. This excellent holy centre Naimisha is well known in the three worlds. Being more liked by Mahādeva (than any other Tirtha), it is destructive of great sins, 

2. O excellent Brāhmaṇas, it is the place created by the highest deity, god Brahma for the performance of penance by the sages desirous of seeing Mahadeva. 

3-4. The six Brāhmaṇa families viz: The Marichis, the Atris, the Vasişhthas, the Kratus, the Bhrugus and the Angiras formerly approached the lotus-born deity Brahmā, the four-faced, the four-formed god who bestows boons on all (or all boons). Bowing down to the unchanging creator of the universe they asked him. Şhatkuliyas2 (the sages belonging to the six families) said: 

2. Şhatkulīyas are Brahmanas belonging to the families of the above mentioned six sages viz. Marichi, Atri, Vasishtha, Kratu, Bhrugu and Angiras. 

5. (Defective verse) O lord, Obeisance to you. Please recount, by what means can we see the only lord Ishāna, the god with matted hair. 

Brahmā said: 

6. “Perform a Satra (a sacrificial session of the duration of one thousand years with your speech and mind free from defects. I shall tell you the place where you will perform the same." 

7. He touched the mind-wheel and let it go. Thereafter, he told them "This wheel has been discharged by me. Follow it. Do not delay. 

8. Where the rim of this wheel gets shattered is the auspicious place for the purpose of penance."3 Thereafter he let the wheel go and they followed it. 

3. Here Naimisha is etymologically connected with nemi 'rim' of a wheel. Bd. P. and other Puranas mentioned above endorse the same. 

Sridhara on Bh. P. I. 1.4 quotes from Vr. P. and states that here Lord Vişhnu killed the army of Asuras within the twinkling of the eye (nimisha) and hence, it came to be called "Naimisha". 

Geographically it is the area round modern Nimsar at a distance of 20 miles from Sitapur and 45 miles to the North west of Lucknow. Nimsar is a railway station. 

But KP emphasises its importance as a sacred place proper for Penance, performance of yajña and other religious rites. 

9. As it rolled on, its rim got shattered at a place which came to be remembered by the name Naimişha. It is very holy and is honoured everywhere. 

10. It is full of Siddhas and Chāraņas. It is resorted to by Yakşhas and Gandharvas. This excellent holy centre Naimisha is the abode of lord Shambhu. 

11. Formerly, Devas, alongwith Gandharvas, Yakshas, serpents and the Rākşhasas performed their penance here and attained excellent boons. 

12. Resorting to this place, the Shatkuliyas (the Brāhmanas of the six families) propitiated the lord of Devas with great concentration, by means of Satra and perceived Maheśhvara. 

13. Each of the following holy rites here shall destroy the sin committed in the course of seven births viz.= the Dāna rite, the penance performed, the Shrāddha offered and the Yajña performed. 

14. Formerly, it was here that the lord, (Brahma) recounted the Brahmānda Purāņa1 purified (sanctified) by the (description of the) Brahman, to the sages who were performing the Satra. 

1. Obviously KP is composed later than the Bramanda Purana.

15. Even till this day, lord Mahādeva of universal vision sports about alongwith his spouse Rudrāņi, while the Pramathas surround him as attendants. 

16. Giving up their lives here by means of observances, the twice-born will go to the Brahmaloka, after which they are not born again. 

17. Another excellent holy centre is what is well-known as Japyeśhvara.1 It was here that Nandin the great Gana (attendant) continuously performed the Japa of Rudra. 

1. The location of Japyeśhvara or Jāpyeśhvara is doubtful. According to De, P. 81, Japyeśhvara of the LP I.ch. 43 & Shiva P. is the same as Jalpišha of the Kalika P. (ch. 77) and is situated to the west of the river Tista in the Jalapaiguri dist, of Bengal. Kalika Purana locates it to the northwest of Kāma-rūpa and the five rivers forming Pancha-nada are Jätodakā, Trisrotā, Vruşhadvani, Svarnodaka and Jambunadi. But KP, hints (v. 29) that it is near the sea. In that case Pancha-nada must be taken as the land of five rivers (Punjab) where the five rivers meet. But the Tirtha must be near the sea where Sindhu falls in the sea as Nandin went near the sca (v. 29) for his Japa. 

18. Mahadeva, the Pinaka-bearing lord, became pleased with him alongwith the goddess. He granted him similarity with himself and ability to defy death. 

19. There was a virtuous pious-souled sage named Shilada. In order to acquire His blessing, he worshipped the the bull-bannered Mahādeva. 

20. At the end of a thousand years since (Shilada) he began his austere penance. Sharva, the sustainer of the universe, came to him accompanied by Uma and surrounded by the Gaņas and spoke—"I am the granter of boons." 

21. Of iśhāna, the foremost deity, the consort of the daughter of the mountain, he begged as follows: I request for a son like you who is not born from a womb and who is deathless (immortal). 

22. Lord Maheśhvara accompanied by the goddess said- "So be it'. Even as the Brahminical sage was looking on, Hara vanished from the scene. 

23-25. Shilada,2 the most excellent among the knowers of Dharma, made use of that land. He ploughed the ground with a ploughshare. Breaking open the ground a splendid son with the brilliance of Samvartaka fire (i.e., the fire at the time of dissolution) came into view. He was smiling as it were. With this lustre he illuminated the quarters. He was richly endowed with handsome features and comeliness. He was on a par with Kumāra (Kārttikeya). With a grave tone Nandin repeatedly said to Shilāda "O father, O father." 

2. For the story of Shilāda cf. L.P. I. chs. 41-44. But according to L.P. I. 42. 11-15, it was god Shiva who was born as Nandin. 

26. On seeing that son born, Silāda embraced him. He showed him to the sages who resided in the hermitages there. 

27. He performed the post-natal and all other rites for him. After investing him with a sacred thread in accordance with the Shāstras, he taught his son the Vedas himself. 

28. Holy lord Nandin, after the study of the Vedas came to an excellent decision. "After seeing lord Maheśhvara, I will conquer Mrutyu (death)." 

29. Endowed with faith and concentration of the mind, he went to the holy ocean and continuously performed the Japa of Rudra with his mind attached to Mahesha. 

30. When he had completed a crore of Japas, Shankara, favourably disposed to his devotees, came there accompanied by all his Gaņas and said "I am the granter of boons." 

31. He requested lord Mahadeva the supreme God. Please grant me the boon. I shall perform again a crore of this Japa, which will completely consume worldly existence. 

32. After saying "So be it's the lord vanished from the scene. The holy one (i.e. Nandin) performed a crore of Japa with his mind centred on him. 

33. When the second crore was completed, the bull bannered lord came there surrounded by the groups of Bhūtas (goblins) and said "I am the granter of boons”. 

34. (Nandin said) “O Shankara, I wish to perform the third crore of Japa too" The Atman of the universe said "So be it." and vanished alongwith the goddess. 

35. When the third crore of Japa was completed, the lord was much delighted in the mind. He came there surrounded by the Bhūtas and said "I am the granter of boons". 

36. (Nandin said), "I shall perform a crore more of the Japa with thy brilliance". When this was said the lord said: You must not perform the Japa further. 

37-38. You shall be immortal and devoid of old age. You shall stay at my side forever. You shall be the great chieftain of the Gaņas, the son of the goddess. You shall be a great lord, the lord of Yoga, a great Yogin and the chief lord of Ganas. 

You shall be glorious and the overlord of the worlds. You will be the benefactor, identical with the Yajñas. 

39. The perfect knowledge pertaining to me and named after me shall be accessible to you as easily as the fruit of the myrobalan in the palm. You will be alive till the dissolution of all living beings. Thereafter you shall attain my region." 

40-41. After saying this, Mahādeva Shankara called the Ganas together and got Nandīśhvara duly crowned and consecrated. The Pinäka-bearing lord himself made him marry the blessed daughter of the Maruts (Suyaśhā according to Shivapurāna). He himself attained Vishnuhood. 

42. This Japyeśhvara is the abode of the trident-bearing lord of Devas. The man who dies here is honoured in the Rudra-loka.