71 - The Greatness of Pushkara

Mohini said: 

1. O excellent Brāhmaṇa, the greatness of Prabhāsa that is extremely conducive to the attainment of merit has been heard. Now I wish to hear the glory of Pushkara. ¹ 

1. A sacred place, a lake (or rather three lakes) six miles from Ajmer (Rajasthan). It is the first among all Tirthas (Mbh. Vana 82.35). The Mbh (ibid vv. 22 ff) waxes so eloquent in its glorification that other holy places pale into insignificance the epic style of exaggeration. It is called Pushkara as according to the Pd. P., the lake was created out of a lotus-flower thrown by god Brahmå to kill a demon Vajranabha. Brahma selected this place for performance of sacrifice and it is the western Vedi (altar of a sacrifice) of Brahmā. This lake is regarded as next to the Manasa lake in the order of sacredness, the other three being Bindu (near Sitapur NW of Ahmedabad), Nārāyana at the mouth of the Indus in western Runn of Kaccha, and Pampā (near Anagondi, Karnatak). The temple of god Brahma is the special feature of this holy place. 

2. It is the first one among the Tirthas. It is sacred and destructive of sins. It is the abode of the Yajña of my father. Kindly narrate it to me in detail. 

Vasu said: 

3. O gentle lady, I shall recount to you the meritorious greatness of Puśhkara. Listen. It yields the desired benefits to all men always. It has within it many Tirthas. 

4-6. Indra and other Devas have settled here along with Viśhņu. The elephant-faced lord, the sun-god, Kumāra and Raivata are present here. So also goddess Shivadūti always stays here. She brings about the happiness of the holy centre. He who stays in the forest of Pushkara ¹ in the holy month of Jyeśhtha, without exerting himself in worldly activities shall undoubtedly attain the merit of Yoga consisting of eight subdivisions. In this world there is no other centre holier than this. 

1. It appears that there was a forest in this region as Nakula is said to have conquered the forest-dwellers of Puśhkara (Mbh. Sabha 32.8, also vide Pd. P. V. 18.217) The Práchi Sarasvati flowed through it. 

7-8. Hence, this must be resorted to by excellent men with all possible efforts. The Brāhmaṇas, Kşhatriyas, Vaiśhyas and Shūdras whoever stay in the holy centre, are devotees of Brahmå in all respects. They bless all living beings. They go to the world of Brahma where Yogins go. 

9. The merit that a man obtains by plunging into all Tirthas is derived by the man who takes the holy dip but once in the Jyeśhtha Kunda (a holy pool of that name). 

10. After reaching the forest of Puşhkara where the river Eastern Sarasvati flows, a man is endowed with intelligence, memory, mercy, judgement, retentive power and comprehension. 

11. Those who stand on the banks of these rivers and merely look at the waters, attain the benefit of a horse-sacrifice and derive happiness. 

12. There are three famous and pure peaks. There are three springs. There are three lakes also which are called Jyeshtha, Madhya and Kanishtha. ¹ 

1. Both the NP and Pd. P. mention three lakes-Jyestha, Madhya and Kanishtha Puşhkara. Uśhavadāta’s Nasik Inscr. No. 10 mentions his having donated gifts on their banks (Bombay Gaz. XVI p. 570). Now-a-days these three lakes are assigned to the trinity of gods (Brahmă, Vişhnu and Rudra). Bd. P. III. 34.11 and Vm. P. 65.31 refer to the Madhyama Pushkara, Bd. P. III. 35.39 states that Kaniśhtha Puşhkara is 2 Yojanas from Madhyama Pushkara and Jyeshtha Pushkara was two miles to the West of Madhyama Pushkara. The Sarasvati is said to have flowed from this lake to the sea. 

13-14. There is another very great Tīrtha called Nanda Sarasvati, O chaste lady, to the west of that lake, about a Yojana from it. By taking the holy dip therein in accordance with the injunctions, and by making a gift of a milch cow to a Brāhmaṇa who is a Vedic Scholar, the man shall attain the abode of Brahmă. 

15. There is a Koțitīrtha here where a crore of sages had come. By taking a holy dip there and by worshipping Brāhmaṇas, the devotee is liberated from all sins. 

16. By resorting to the hermitage of Agastya, ² by taking the holy clip there and by worshipping the pitcher-born sage Agastya, the devotee becomes long-lived and enjoys pleasures. On death he attains heavenly goal. 

2. The hermitage of Agastya and the sacred pool named after him are near Yajña Parvata. The pilgrimage to Puşhkara becomes complete after bath in the Agastya Kunda (Kalyana 31. 1. 290). 

17. The devotee should then go to the hermitage of seven sages. With the intellect not turned to anything else he should take a holy bath there and worship them with devotion. Thereby, he attains the same world as they. 

18. By taking a holy dip in the hermitage of the Manus, the devotee is worshipped from all quarters. By taking a holy bath at the source of Gangā, he attains the benefit of a holy dip in Gangā itself. 

19. By performing ablution in the Jyeśhtha Pushkara lake and by making a gift of a cow to a Brahmaņa, the devotee enjoys all pleasures here and is honoured in the world of Brahma. 

20. By taking a holy dip in the Madhyama (middle) Puşhkara lake and by giving a plot of land to a Brāhmaṇa, the devotee attains the world of Vishņu riding in an excellent aerial chariot. 

21. A man who takes a holy dip in the Kanişhtha Puşhkara lake and gives gold as a gift to a Brahmaņa attains all desired benefits and in the end is honoured in the world of Rudra. 

22. By taking a holy dip in Viśhnupāda and by giving something as gift to a Brāhmaṇa, the devotee attains all desired benefits, thanks to the grace of Viśhnu. 

23. By taking a holy bath in the Nägatirtha, by worshipping the Nāgas (Serpents) and by giving gifts to Brāhmaṇas, he rejoices in heaven for the period of a Yuga. 

24. By performing ablution in the Piśhāchatirtha and by giving food to a Brāhmaṇa, the devotee avoids the state of becoming a Piśhācha (ghost). He shall go to heaven. 

25. By taking a holy dip in the Shivadūtīhrada (the deep pool of that name), by worshipping Shambhu and by feeding the Brāhmaṇas on sweet cooked rice, the devotee is honoured in the heavenly world. 

26. By taking a holy bath in the Ākāśha Puśhkara ¹ that yields the benefit of thic Mantras and Yogas, the man attains liberation, Truth; the truth has been stated to you. 

1. A sub-Tirtha of Puśhkara; it is not mentioned elsewhere though Närada praises it highly. 

27. He who meditates on the deity abiding in Ākāśha (a holy lake of that name) after taking a holy bath in Puşhkarāraṇya uttering the Mantras Apo hi şhthå etc. attains the eternal region. 

28. If the constellation pertaining to fire-god coincides with the full moon day in the month of Kārttika, that Tithi is very great. The holy dip on that day in Akāśha Puśhkara is meritorious. 

29. The man who takes a holy dip in the Madhyama Puśhkara lake when the constellation pertaining to Yama coincides with the full moon day in the month of Kārttika derives the same benefit as originates from the holy lake Ākāśha pushkara. 

30. The man who takes a holy dip in the Kanishtha Puşhkara lake when the constellation pertaining to the deity Prajapati (Rohiņi?) coincides with the full moon day in the month of Kārttika derives the same benefit as originating from bathing in the holy lake Akäśha Puśhkara. 

31. When the sun is with the constellation Bharaņi, the Jupiter is associated with Kruttikā and the moon is with the constellation Rohiņi and it is the Nandā tithi, a bath taken at Puşhkara gives the full benefit of ablution in the Ākāśha Pushkara. 

32. When the sun is in the constellation Vishakhā and the moon is in Kruttikå (the constellation Pleiads), that conjunction (yoga) is called Akāśha Puśhkara-A person taking bath (in the Puşhkara lake at this juncture) goes to heaven. 

33. This is an auspicious Tirtha belonging to Brahmā. It has descended from the firmament. Those men who take a holy dip therein shall have the worlds of great rise and prosperity. 

34. O chaste lady, many Tīrthas and shrines have been created by the sages and Siddhas in the forest of Puşhkararanyaka in the Sarasvati of Panchasrotas (five currents). 

35. It should be known that the Sarasvati river is the cause of virtue and piety in all these. The charitable gifts of gold, plots of land and girls eight years of age in those Tirthas yield great benefit. 

36. He too who gives gifts of grains, gingelly seeds etc. to an excellent Bråhmaņa in this holy centre derives worldly pleasures in this world. That man attains excellent state in the other world. 

37. He who takes a holy dip in the confluence of Ganga and the Sarasvati and worships Brahmaņas attains the highest goal after enjoying the desired pleasures in this world. 

38. The man who takes a holy bath in the tank called Aviyoga (non-separation) and offers Piņdas in accordance with the injunctions, leads the Pitris to the heaven. 

39. By taking a holy bath in the well called Saubhāgyakūpa and by performing the Tarpaņa rite to the ancestors, the man attains good goal as well as unequalled good fortune on the earth. 

40. By taking a holy dip near, by touching and by worshipping the two mountains of delimitation of the boundary, the devotee attains the desired worlds as well as the benefit of pilgrimage with all its ancillaries. 

41. By resorting to the deity śhiva called Ajagandha and by worshipping the lord in accordance with the injunctions, the devotee derives the desired benefits in this as well as in the other world. 

42. He who worships Savitri ¹ installed on the mountain to the south of the lake shall be the knower of reality (of the principles) of the Vedas. 

1. According to a legend, Savitri, the consort of god Brahmå did not arrive at his sacrifice in time. In order not to miss the proper muhūrta, Brahma married a cowherd’s daughter Gayatri and commenced the sacrifice. On her arrival Savitri found a rival-a co-wife-occupying her position near god Brahma and got infuriated. She went up that hill where a temple is built for her on the top. 

43-45a. O Mohini, there are separate Tirthas pertaining to Varāha, Nrusimha, Brahmā, Hari, Shiva, Sūrya (the Sun-god), Soma (Moon god), Guha, Parvati and Jvalana (fire-god). O blessed lady, by taking a holy bath with great concentration and by making charitable gifts to Brahmaņas, the devotee attains good goal. 

45b-46a. It is rare that people get opportunity of taking the holy dip, or performing penance, or making charitable gifts or staying in Pushkara. 

46b-47a. Even if one is stationed a hundred Yojanas away from Pushkara but if one remembers Puşhkara devoutly at the time of bathing, the devotee shall attain the benefit of a holy dip in Pushkara itself. 

47b. Mankaņa and others who attained Siddhi by their penance resorted to Pushkara with delight. 

48-50. In whatever place he may go, at Pushkara, the pilgrim attains Siddhi desired by him. He too who mentions the name of Pushkara, O daughter of Brahmā, derives the merits of taking a holy bath in Pushkara. There is no doubt about this. He who listens to the greatness of Pushkara with devotion shall attain the merit of holy ablution therein. He rejoices in heaven like a Deva.