144 - Greatness of Someshvara, Muktikshetra, Triveni and others

Suta said:

1. Hearing about the greatness of Mandära, Earth, who was desirous of dharma, was full of wonder and asked the Lord.

Earth said:

  2. By your favour I got an idea of Mandära. Be pleased to tell me now about what is even more important than that.

Varäha said:

3. Listen to me, O goddess, for what you wish to know. I shall tell you about Šàlagräma.

4. In Dväparayuga in the clan of Yadus in. which is the leader Šhüra,

5. To whom is born Vasudeva of righteous actions.

6. Whose wife is the highly beautiful Devakï,

7. To her I will be born known as Vãsudeva to the Devas destroying all enemies.

8. In that place of Yädavas was a Brahmasrshi by name Sälañkäyana.

9. He was wandering in all ten quarters to worship me and then performed penance at the peak of Meru for getting a son.

10. He then went to Pindäraka and from there to Lohärgala and so on for a thousand years.

11. As I was in my form together with Šhiva, he could not see me in any of those places.

12. O Earth, I was together with Shiva, and Sälañkäyana was performing penance.

13.’ In that mount Shàlagräma, Shiva united with me remains as a stone.

14. I, of course, remain there in the form of the mount and all the stones there represent me.

15. All these stones are fit for worship, particularly those which have the chakra-marks ‘in them. And Shiva remains in the form of a Liñga in a temple in that hill.

  16. There are stones there marked by the liñga and also those marked by chakra. The hill itself is in the form of a liñga and is lorded by Somešhvara.

17. This is because it was established there by Soma (Moon) and named after himself. He performed penance there for a thousand years for release from a curse. 

18. When he was freed from the curse, he regained his effulgence and strength and then extolled Shiva;

19. Who emerged as a giver of boons from Somešhvara.

Soma said:

20. I bow to Shiva, the lord of Umä, five-faced, blue-necked and three-eyed, calm and eager to bless the devotees; 

21. The divine, adorned by all Devas, having moon on the crest, holding the bow Pinäka in the hand, the lord of gods, the refuge of devotees;

22. Holding the trident, bearing the Damaru and riding the bull, praised by the ganas with different kinds of fierce faces;

23. Mahäkäla, the destoryer of Tripuras, the vanquisher of demons like Andhaka, wearing the elephant’s skin and adorned with the tiger-skin;

24. Having as the Upavita, the serpent’s body, holding the string of rudräksha, lord of all, though without a form assuming forms according to the devotees’ desire;

25.’ Having the sun, moon and fire as the eyes, beyond the reach of words and mind, with prominent matted tresses and shoulders washed by Gañgä;

26. Having Kailäsa as abode and with hermitage in the Himälaya.

Praised thus, Lord Shiva spoke to Soma:

27. Seek a boon of me of what is in your mind, now that you have the rare opportunity of getting me before you.

Soma said:

28. O Lord, if you are pleased to give me a boon let it be that your presence is always there in this liñga known after my name to grant the desires of devotees.

The great lord said:

29. I shall remain in this place for ever where the presence of Vishnu is also there, particularly in this Liñga installed by you.

30. O moon, know that you are only a form of mine. I shall grant boons to all those that worship this Liñga, even more than for the gods.

31. By the power of the penance of sage Sälañkäyana, I am here together with Vishnu.

32. The hill Shälagräma is Vishnu and this Somešhvara is myself. The stones here represent both Vishnu and Shiva.

33. Revä (the river Narmadä) once performed penance to propitiate Shiva that a son like him may be born to her.

34. lam not the son of any and shall not be of any. But the desire of Reva had to be fulfilled.

35. Thinking thus, I spoke to her with pleasant mind:

36. I shall be within you as son, but in the form of the liñga and along with Ganešha.

37. You are really myself in my form as water. We remain together as Shiva and Shakti.

38. Receiving the boon, Revä came to my presence here which came to be known as Reväkhanda thereafter.

39. Gandaki (the river) also formerly performed penance for a thousand divine years, first living on fallen leaves and then on air alone, with a view to propitiate 

40. Then Vishnu who always favours his devotees, appeared there and spoke:

41. O Gandakï, I am surprised and pleased at your penance and unflinching devotion.

42. Please ask what boon you desire. I am ready to grant it.

43. Seeing before her the Lord bearing the conch, disc and mace, she prostrated and began to praise.

44. O great god, I have seen you, difficult to be seen even by the Yogins. The entire world was created by you.

45. You then entered into it and hence you are known as Purusha. In this world which emanated as a result of your lilä (play) who is free?

46. O Vishnu, you are Brahman which is spoken of as without beginning or end and without limit. He who knows you is really the knower of the Vedas.

47. Your supreme power is the Universal Mother. She is called Yogamäyä, Prakruti and Pradhäna.

48. Purusha is without qualities, is indistinct (avyakta), of the nature of knowledge, pure consciousness, actionless and unchanging.

49. By entering Yogamäyä you (Purusha) became the doer. It is Prakruti that (really) creates and you who (simply) see it are called Shäkshi.

 50-51. When Prakruti by the three qualities is performing creation, you become its cause by your presence alone like the red colour in a clear colourless crystal by the presence of a shoe-flower nearby. Its light is because of your lustre. I bow to it.

52. How can I know that form of yours which cannot be known even by such seers like Brahmä?

53. I remain in this stupefied world without knowing anything. I do not know which has merit and which has not. I am simply held by you.

54. I attained a position in this world by your favour alone. now I ask you something out of my ignorance. All the same, it behoves you to give me that.

55. You are indeed very kind and so do not say ‘No’.

56. Then the Lord said: Ask me whatever you like even if it is something which is not normally granted and is difficult for men to get.  

57. who has got his desire not fulfilled after seeing me?

58. O Soma, then that holy Gandaki spoke in sweet words with folded hands: If you are pleased to grant me the boon I ask, then may you enter my womb and be born as my son.

59. The Lord was pleased and he thought:

60. What is it that is asked by this river desirous of constant contact with me? Still, I shall grant boon for the emancipation of the world.

61. So thinking, he told Gandaki:

62. O goddess, listen to me. For the sake of devotees, I have already become your son, as I am lying within you in the form of Salagrama stones.

63. You will become the foremost among rivers because or my presence in you.

64. By seeing you, touching you, bathing in you or drinking your water, you remove all sins acquired through thought, word or deed.

65. He who bathes (in you) according to the prescribed rules and performs oblations to the manes, leads them all to heaven and himself goes to Brahmaloka.

66. And he who gives up life in you while remaining devoted to me, reaches my abode from where he never returns.

67. After giving these boons, he disappeared. From then onwards, O Soma, in this place I and Vishnu reside together in the form desired by the devotees. 

68. So saying the lord (Shiva) blessed Soma and stroked his limbs making them free from all ills.

69. And while he was looking on, Shiva disappeared there.

70. To the south of Someshvara is the holy waterfall that arose as a result of Ravana splitting the mountain there by an arrow.

71. It is known as Banaganga and it is capable of removing all sins.

72. To the east of Someshvara is the penance-grove of Ravana. By spending three days there, one attains the result of penance.

73. This place is known as Nartanacala, because Ravana danced here, and pleased at it Shiva gave him boons.

74. He who bathes in the Banaganga and worships Baneshvara attains the result of bathing in Ganga and delights in heaven like the gods.

75. O Earth, I shall now tell you another secret.

76. Salankayana was performing severe penance at Salagrama desirous of getting a son like Shiva.

77. Knowing this, Lord Shiva assumed the form of a beautiful boy (Nandi) through Yogamaya and stood beside him as his son.

78. Although he was standing close on his right, the sage did not notice him.

79. Shiva (as Nandi) with the power of Maya was there, beautiful, virtuous and shining like the sun, with the trident in hand. But the sage did not notice the son, being immersed in contemplating on me.

80. Then, at the command of Lord Shiva, Nandi told the sage laughing:

81. O great sage, rise up. Your desire has borne fruit. I am your son born of your right side. Tell me what I should do?

82. You started penance with the aim of getting a son like Shiva. None else is there like me. So, I am myself now born to you.

83. Worshipping Lord Vishnu through penance, you have attained your desire, since I am here your son.

84. The sage was extremely glad to hear these words of Nandi.

85. But he was surprised and asked him: If my penance has borne fruit as you say, how is it that Lord Vishnu has not appeared before me?

86. As long as I am not able to see him, I don’t think my penance can come to a close. So, I shall continue to be here till I am able to see Vishnu.

87-88. My son, by the power of your yoga, quickly go to Mathura and bring from there my disciple Amushyayana from my hermitage and the wealth and cows there.

89. At this command, Nandi quickly went to Mathura and reached the hermitage of the sage.

90. He saw Amushyayana there and asked him about the well being of himself and about the wealth and cows.

91. Amushyayana said: ‘Everything is all right because of the blessing of my guru. Tell me how he is and where.

92. Where are you coming from and what is the purpose of your coming?

93. Tell me all this and receive this arghya.

94. So requested, he received the arghya and, after taking rest for a while, told him about his guru and the purpose with which he had been sent.

95. Then he started with him and the wealth and cows and, after a few days, reached the bank of Gandaki. And from there he reached Triveni and felt very happy there.

96. There is the river Devika which arose as a result of the penance of Devas. This joins Gandaki.

97. Another flows by the hermitage of Pulastya and Pulana and this too joins Thus Gandaki becomes Triveni (three-streamed).

98. This confluence is the great tirtha called Kamika, dear to the Pitris. There we get the great Linga called Trijaleshvara.

99. It gives both enjoyment and salvation at its very sight.

Earth said:

100. In Prayaga there is Triveni where Shiva remains with the name Sulatanka and also as Someshvara;

101. Where Vishnu remains with the name Venimadhava, and the rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Sarasvati meet;

102. Where, I have heard, is the presence of all Devas and Sages and all Tirthas;

103. By bathing where one goes to heaven and, dying, gets salvation; which is the king of all tirthas and is one liked by most. 

104. This is the well known Triveni. But now you speak of another and speak of it as a secret.

105. Therefore tell me this out of compassion for me and for the good of the world.

Varaha said:

106. Listen, O goddess, I shall tell you what you seek to know, also a story connected therewith.

107. In days of yore, Vishnu performed penance for the sake of the world in a beautiful mountain, the Himalayas, resorted to by the gods.

108. After a long lapse of time, a great effulgence emanated from him.

109. By its heat profuse sweat emanated in the cheeks, and this formed into a river capable of removing sins.

110. This caused wonder in all the worlds, but none could know its origin.

111. All the gods then went to Brahma full of eagerness, and asked about the source of this.

112. Being affected by the Maya of Vishnu, Brahma too could not know. So he led the gods to Shiva.

113. Seeing him there with the gods, he asked them the cause of their visit.

114. Brahma bowed to the great lord and said: O Maheshvara, there is a wonderful effulgence by which the whole world is affected.

115. But how it came and from where we are unable to know.

116. Shiva then meditated for a while and told Brahma and others that he would show them its source.

117. He then, with Uma and Ganas, led Devas to the place where Vishnu was performing penance.

118. He then asked him: You are the creator of the worlds and their sustainer. With what purpose, then, do you perform this penance?

119. You are the source of everything and the master of everything. What is there difficult for you to obtain?

Lord Vishnu then bowed to him and said:

120. I undertook this presence for the sake of the world, to see you and to get boons from you.

121. Having seen you now, I am fully gratified, O lord of the worlds.

Shiva said:

122. This is Muktikshetra where by the mere sight one gets salvation. Here flows the great river Gandaki which arose from the sweat of checks (ganda).

123. In future you will lodge yourself within it. And then because of your presence there,

124. Myself, Brahma, gods, sages, sacrifices and Tirthas will remain in the Gandaki for ever.

125. He who bathes in it during the whole month of Karttika, becomes free from all sins and attains salvation.

126. This is the tirtha of all tirthas and the most auspicious.

127. By bathing here one gets the merit of bathing in Ganga, and by its thought, sight or touch one gets free of all sins.

128. There is nothing comparable to it other than Ganga. Gandaki is extremely holy and gives enjoyment and salvation.

129. Another by name Devika mingles with Gandaki.

130. Pulastya and Pulaha formerly performed intense penance in separate hermitages for ordering creation and attained the skill therefore.

131. From there arose the holy river Brahmatanaya and it mingles with Gandaki.

132. There is thus, the Triveni which is very holy even for the gods.

133. There were Jaya and Vijaya, sons of sage Trunabindu, a repository of the Vedas, who were engaged for a sacrifice- by a king, but became sinful.

134. They were highly learned in the Vedas and clever in sacrifices.

135. They were worshipping Vishnu with full concentration of mind, and the Lord’s presence was there every day before them being drawn by their intense devotion.

136. These two Brahmins were invited for a sacrifice by king Marutta.

137. At the end of the sacrifice, they were given handsome dakshinas.

138. Reaching home, they thought of dividing dakshina between them and then arose a quarrel.

139. Jaya the elder, was for equal division, while Vijaya, the younger, was for each taking what he had got.

140. Jaya (who had got less) thereby became angry. He said: Since, having received you don’t give me, may you become a crocodile.

141. Vijaya too said: Since you have become blind with the money, may you become an elephant which will be madandha (blind with pride). Thus, they became a crocodile and an elephant by mutual curse.

142. Vijaya became crocodile in Gandaki with memory of his past and in the place Triveni Jaya became elephant playing with female and young elephants.

143. Thousands of years passed for them and the curses were still working on.

144. Once the elephant got down into the stream Triveni along with his herd.

145. He enjoyed himself there playing with the rest, pouring water on the female elephants and drinking water offered by them.

146-147. While he was playing thus, the crocodile, remembering the former enmity, caught hold of his leg firmly by the teeth.

148. The elephant too dragged the crocodile and a fight ensued between them.

149. By the dragging of the elephant and biting of the crocodile in the course of the fight, many other creatures became wounded or dead.

150. Then the king Jaleshvara of the place made a request to the lord (to stop this fight).

151. Thereupon the lord, the protector of the devotees, smashed the mouth of the crocodile with the chakra Sudarshana.

152. While moving around again and again in the water, the chakra hit the stones, and, as a result, they became marked by it.

153. In that place the Vajra worms became abundant and they too made the marks.

154. Thus I have told you about the greatness of Trivenikshetra. You need not have any doubt in this matter.

155. King Bharata worshipped and Trijaleshvara near the hermitage of sage Pulastya.

156. And then he could give up his animal body and become himself again.¹

1. The reference is to the story of Jadabharata narrated in the Bhagavatapurana Skandha 5.

157. The worship of Jaleshvara generates the power of Yoga.

158. O Earth, aware of my presence in this place Salagrama, Jalesha praised me.

159. Then due to my affcction for the devotees, I threw my Sudarshana. The place which it hit first, became the holy Tirtha.

160. By bathing there, one goes to the world of the sun and remains resplendent there, and by dying there, he goes to my world.

161. For protection of my devotee, I directed the Sudarshana. Wherever it rotated, the stones became marked by it.

162. Then spending there five nights according to the rules, he (Nandi) went with the cows and wealth to Harikshetra (i.e. Salagrama).

163. Since lord Hari remains there, it became a place of worship.

164. From the time Nandi with the cows and the trident in hand stood there, the place came to be known as Hariharaprabha.

165. Since Devas frequent there, it also came to be known as Devata. who can adequately describe the greatness of this god?

166. This god with trident in hand and protecting his devotees, is resorted to by sages, gods and Gandharvas.

167. It was in this place that the great god Shiva became son to Salankayana in the form of Nandi.

168. He is a great yogin himself who bestows on others the power of yoga. And he remains in a high pedestal in this tirtha Triveni.

169. Three streams fell down from the three streaks of Shiva’s matted hair and these are Ganga, Yamuna and Sarasvati.

170-171. These three fell from his matted hair when he was sitting in yogic contemplation in the place Salagrama meditating on Vishnu and imparting knowledge to his devotees for release from samsara.

172. He who bathes in this triple stream and performs oblations to the manes and worships the great yogin Shiva, never takes another life.

173. On the east of this place is the Hamsatirtha. I shall tell you something interesting about it.

174. Once, on a Shivaratri day, devotees were performing worship to Shiva with many kinds of naivedyas.

175. Many crows came there with a view to eating these naivedyas. one crow snatched a bit of it and flew into the sky.

176. To snatch it away from this crow, another crow began to fight with it. Then both fell down into a pool below.

177. There they were transformed into Hamsas (swans) lustrous like the moon. Seeing this wonder, the people present there called that pool Hamsatirtha.

178. From then onwards that came to be known as Hamsatirtha.

179. It was originally made by a Yaksha and hence it was known then as Yakshatirtha.

180. He who bathes there gets purified and goes to the world of Yakshas. And he who dies there with devotion to Shiva, crosses   and reaches my world.

181. Of such effect is this tirtha because of the prowess of Mahayogi Shiva. Both I and Shiva are there blessing the world.

182. I have now told you all this secret, O Earth. This kshetra extends over twelve yojanas commencing from Muktikshetra and proceeding to Salagrama.

183. It gives supreme bliss to devotees.

184. This is the secret of all secrets. What else do you wish to know?