40 - The Fruit of Ablution in Different Holy Centres

Vasu said:

1. O woman of beautiful thighs, henceforth I shall recount to you the benefit of ablution in Gañgâ on special occasions. Listen attentively.

2. The man who continuously takes bath in the Gañgä in the month of Mâgha shall stay in the world of Indra (i.e. heaven) for a long time along with all the members of his family.

3-4. Thereafter, he goes to the city of god Brahmà and stays there for hundreds and crores of Kalpas. The man who continuously takes bath duly in the Gañgâ for six months taking meals only once a day, or the man who takes bath once in the Gañgà during Uttarâyana (northern transit of the sun) goes to Vishnu’s region, redeeming hundred members of his family.

5. The man who takes bath in the waters of the Gañgâ in the course of all the Sañkräntis (transits of the sun from one sign of the zodiac to another) goes to the abode of Vishnu, seated in chariot having the lustre of the sun.

6. There have been announced (in scriptures) special benefits (in taking baths) during the equinoxes and tropical transits. They know that the benefit of ablution in the Gañgà during the month of Kârttika is like that of performing a penance.

7. O Mohinï, the lotus-seated deity (god) Brahmä and others say that the holy dip in the Gañgã when the sun enters the Aries or on the full moon day in the month of Kärttika is superior to the holy bath during the month of Mägha.

8. Your father has stated that the benefit of ablution for the whole of the year is obtained if the bath is taken on the Akshaya tithi (i.e. third day in the bright half of Vaišhäkha), the month of Kàrttika or the month of Vaišhäkha.

9. O wife of my Yäjya, the benefit obtained by taking bath in the course of the three months (i.e. Mägha, Kârttika and Vaišhãkha) is the same as that of the bath in the Gañgä water on the Manvâdi days and the Yugãdi days (i.e. days marking the anniversary of Manvantaras and Yugas).

10. Rare indeed is a holy bath in the Gañgâ when Shravana constellation coincides with Dvädašî, or Pushya star is in conjunction with Ashtami (eighth day) or the Ärdrä star is in conjunction with Chaturdašhï (fourteenth day) of the lunar fortnight.

11. The full moon day in the month of Vaišhäkha is highly meritorious; so also in the months of Kärttika and Mägha. Rare indeed are the new moon days in these months for the holy bath in the Gañgâ.

12a. If the merit in all the Parvans is hundred-fold, that on the Ashtami day in the dark half (of Bhâdrapada) is a thousandfold.

12b-14. O Chaste lady, on the New Moonday and the eighth day in the dark half of the month of Mägha, there is a special hundredfold merit. There is the Ardhodaya Parva * on the New moon day of Mägha and when there is a slight deficiency (when one of the requirements for the Ardhodaya Parva is lacking), there is the Mahodaya Parva. The bath at Mahodaya Parva yields hundred-fold merits, whilst that at the time of the Ardhodaya Parva is stated as yielding a hundred thousand-fold benefit in merits. O gentle lady, if the bath is taken in the waters of the Gañgâ during the eclipse of the sun or the moon, it yields high benefits. If the bath is taken in the months of Phälguna and Ashadha. it has the benefit of ablution for three months.

*According to the Mbh. quoted in the Nirnaya Sindhu 211, when there is Shravana Nakshatra and Vyatipäta yoga on the new Moon day of Pausha (according to Amanta reckoning) or Mägha (according to Pürnimänta reckoning which the NP follows), that is called Ardhodaya. When one of above requirements is absent it Mahodaya—Parva-kriyå-sara-Samucchaya, p. 30.

15. If the bath is taken in the Gañgä devoutly, when the constellation under which one is born, occurs on the day, sins accumulated since one’s birth are annihilated.

16. For taking ablutions in the Gañgä, rare indeed is the Yoga (specific astronomical period) called Vyatïpäta* on the fourteenth day in the dark half of the month of Mägha; so also is rare the Vaidhruti Yoga**especially on the Krishnashtamï (the eighth day in the dark half of Bhädrapada.)

*There are two types of Vyatipätas: (1) The one in the dark half is the New Moon day on Sunday, the moon being on the first quarter of any of the following Nakshatras—Ashvini, Shravana, Dhanishtha Äshleshä. (ii) The second is on the 12th day, the day’s Nakshatra being Hasta, the planets Jupiter and Mars in the Leo and the Sun in the Aries.

**“Vaidhrti is the 27th Yoga similar to Vyatipåta, with a difference (vide Shiva Siddhanta XI.I)

17-18a. If a man takes bath every day at dawn throughout the month of Mägha in accordance with the injunctions, he shall become Jätismara (one who can recall incidents of the previous births). He shall certainly become perfectly conversant with the scriptural topics and also free from ailments.

18b-20a. If a man willingly takes bath in the Gangã during the days of transit, during the last days of the fortnights and during the eclipses of the sun and the moon, he shall attain the abode of Brahma. The benefit of the (bath at the time of Lunar eclipse is a hundred thousand times and that at the time of the solar eclipse is ten times that. But if it is performed on the banks of the Gañgä, the benefit of the lunar eclipse is a crore times and that of the solar eclipse is ten times that.

20b-c. If the thirteenth day in the dark half of the month of Chaitra accompanied by the constellation pertaining to Varuna viz. Shata-bhishaj is obtained in the Gañgä, it is their equal to hundreds of solar eclipses.

21. It was on the tenth day in the bright half of the month of the Jyeshtha when the day of the week was Tuesday and the constellation was Hasta, that Gañgã descended to the mortal world. On that Tithi, Gañgä dispels sins. It yields merits hundred times those of horse sacrifices.

22. (The devotee must say thus) “O Gañgã, I have come on the day of Govinda Dvädašhï, dispel the multitudes of great sins that I have.”

23-24. When the constellation is Maghä and it is the full moon day and the moon and Jupiter are in the same zodiac, that Tithi is stated to be great. If the day is obtained in the Gañgã (i.e. if the ablution in the Gañgà is possible on that day) it is on a par with hundreds of solar eclipses.

Henceforth, the benefit of the holy dip (in Tïrthas) in different lands is being mentioned:

25.¹ Bath in the Gañgä may be taken anywhere at random; it has ten times the benefit (if taken at) Kurukshetra; in the place where it is associated with the Vindhya, it has hundred times the benefit of Kurukshetra.

         1. Mt. P. 106.54;        I. 37.54.

26-27. The Gañgä at the city of Käšhï has the merit hundred times than that of Vindhya. The Gañgä is difficult of access everywhere. In three places it is all the more so, viz. in Gañgädvâra, in Prayäga and at the place where it meets with the ocean. Those who take bath in these places go to heaven. Those who die here are not reborn. (i.e. attain Moksha)

28. Listen to the meritorious benefit of ablution in the Gañgâ at Gañgädvära, and Kušhävarta. It is the same as that of seven Räjasüya sacrifices or two horse sacrifices.

29.Learned men know that by residing there for half a month, one derives the benefit of six ‘Višhvajit’ sacrifices or that of the charitable gift of a hundred thousand cows.

30.By worshipping etc. Lord Vishnu at the excellent lake (Kušhävarta) and god Rudra who abides at Kanakhala or by taking bath into the Gañgä at these places, one attains inexhaustible fund of merits.

31. O auspicious lady, listen. There is the highly meritorious holy centre named Šhaukara wherein formerly Achyuta manifested himself in the form of a Divine Boar.

32.By visiting this holy centre and bathing therein a man attains the benefit of a hundred ‘Agnichit’ sacrifices (Agnihotras) or two Jyotishtomas or a thousand Agnishtomas.

33. If a man takes bath there itself in the Tirtha of Brahmâ, he obtains the merit of ten thousand Jyotishtomas and three-horse sacrifices.

34. O Mohinï, the Tïrtha (holy centre) named Kubjä is a pure one. All ailments perish here. So also the sins committed throughout life, perish there.

35. There is another Tirtha here called Käpila. O auspicious lady, a man who takes bath here derives a benefit equal to that of religious gift of eighty thousand Kapilâ (tawny-coloured) cows.

36. By taking holy dip in Gañgä-Dvâra Kušhävarta, Bilvaka, Nïlaparvata and in Kanakhala, a man shakes off his sins and attains heaven.

37. Thereafter is the holy centre designated as ‘Pavitra’. It is the most excellent of all excellent Tîrthas. By taking holy dip there, a man obtains the benefit of two ‘Višhvajit’ sacrifices.

38. Thereafter is the holy centre called Venirajya where the highly meritorious Sarayü joins the holy Gañgä like a sister meeting with her sister.

39. The Gañgà has become the celestial river inasmuch as it washes the right foot of Hari resembling a lotus. The Sarayü born of the Mânasa lake* originates from his left foot.

40. Worshipping Rudra or Vishnu in that holy centre the worshipper shall attain oneness with Vishnu. The holy dip there is glorified as yielding the benefit of five horse-sacrifices.

41.Thereafter is the holy centre Gapdaka and (the river) Gandaki flow there (in the Gañgä). The charitable gift of a thousand cows and the holy dip there—both are equal.

42-44a. Thereafter is the holy centre Rämatïrtha. Vaikuntha is near it. Thereafter is the holy centre Somatirtha, where sage Nakula worshipped and meditated on Shiva and attained a position as the attendant of Šhiva. Then there is the meritorious holy centre Champaka where the Gañgã flows in a northerly direction. It is equal to Manikarnikâ and is destructive of great sins.

44b-45a. Thereafter is the holy centre Kalašha. Sage Agastya born of a Kalašha (pot) worshipped Rudra there and became an excellent sage.

45b-46a. The holy centre Somadvïpa is highly meritorious and is equal to Vârânasï. Soma (the moon) worshipped Isa (Rudra)there and so was held by him on his head.

46b-47a. Višhvämitra’s sister, Satyavati (?) mingled with the Gañgâ there. The man who takes holy dip there, shall be the favourite guest of Indra.

47b-52a. O Mohinï, the man who takes holy dip in the great Tirtha called Jahnuhrada** certainly becomes the redeemer of twenty-one generations of his family. Thereafter is the holy centre called Adititïrtha. It was here that Aditi bore Hari to Kašhyapa. O blessed lady, they say that the holy dip there is Mahodaya (having great rise) (i.e. yielding great results). Then there is the great holy centre called Shilocchaya where people perförm penance and go to heaven. Even the grasses there, in view of their being supported by a number of holy centre attain heaven. Thereafter is the holy centre called Indränï Tirtha where Indränï performed penance and obtained Indra as her husband. This holy centre must be resorted to like Prayäga. Then there is the holy centre Snãtaka that yields merits. It was here that Višhvämitra performed penance and although he was a Kshatriya, he derived the status of a Brâhmana sage by resorting to the holy centre.

*Though the Sarayü rises in the mountains of Kumaun, according to a legend in the Mbh-Anušhasana 155.23-24, while the Gañgä was going to Kailäsa, Vasishtha brought her to the Mänasa lake. But the Gañgå broke the bank of the lake and flowed forth. Hence it came to be known as the sarayü:

‘saro bhinnas nadya sarayuh sa tato’ bhavat| Ibid 24a.

**Prob. at Jahnu’s Äshrama at Sultangunj to the west of Bhagalpur B.C. Law (Historical Geography of Ancient India, p. 223,

52b-54. Then the holy centre Pradyumna Tirtha is famous. By means of his penance here, Kama became the son of Hari by the name Pradyumna. Thereafter is the holy centre Dakshaprayãga which is very great and which yields great prosperity. This extends from Gañgã to Yamunä (?) By taking the holy dip therein ever-lasting merit is obtained as one gets at Prayäga.