157 - Malayärjuna and other Tirthas

Varäha said:

 1. Beyond Yamunä, there is the tirtha called Malayärjuna - a pond near which (the demon in the form of the cart) Shakata was smashed.

2. By fasting and bathing there, immense merit is derived.

3. By bathing and giving gifts there on Dvädašhi day in the bright half of the month Jyeshtha, one can get absolved of all sins.

4. He who takes bath there on this particular day and sees lord Hari in Mathurä, attains beatitude.

5. Bathing in Yamunä with full control of the mind and high purity and worshipping Lord Vishnu properly, brings about final liberation.

6. The manes in the other world always say: “How much we wish that some one born in our family bathes in Yamunä and worships Lord Vishnu in Mathurä after due fasting.”

7. He indeed is a blessed man who worships Janärdana on the Dvädašhi day in the month and offers pinda to the manes in Yamunä.

8. He who bathes in the tïrtha called Bahula in the same Brundävana, gets an exalted place in the world of Rudra.

9. He who bathes there on the Dvädašhi day in the bright half of the month Chaitra, certainly goes to my world.

10. There is the pond called Bhändahrada where the auspicious Ädityas are seen every day.

11. He who bathes in the spot there called Arkasthala, gets freed from all sins and goes to the world of Sürya. 

12. And he who gives up life there, reaches my world.

13. Near Arkasthala there is a well of pure water called Saptasämudrika which is dear even to the gods.

14. By bathing there, one gets the power to go wherever one likes to go. And he who gives up life there, goes to my world.

15. There is the place called Virasthala which is full of lotuses and lilies and where water is very near.

16. He who bathes there after fasting for one night, goes to the world of heroes (Viraloka) by my grace, and he who gives up life there, goes to my world.

17. Then there is the holy Kušhasthala by bathing where one goes to the world of Brahma.

  18. And he who gives up life there, goes to my world.

19. Then there is Pushpasthala where there is an important temple of Shiva. By bathing there one goes to the world of Shiva.

20. There is (a chain of five spots call cd) Pañchadešha capable of removing all sins. By bathing there, O Earth, one enjoys the company of Brahma.

21. There is Gopišhvara with capacity to dispel all sins. Sixteen thousand Gopis were born there for to play with.

22. There by the boy was the pair of Arjuna trees crushed and the (demon in the form of) cart was smashed.

23. While playing with Krishna, the Gopis embraced him but the dharma in this was kept hidden.

24. Mätali carne there at the behest of Devas and performed ceremonial bath to the lord in the form of the cowherd.

25. Water was brought in seven pots containing sacred herbs and gems, and was poured on him in the midst of Gopis.

26. The Gopis were then singing and dancing uttering repeatedly the name of Krishna.

27. After consecrating Lord Gopïšhvara, Mätali made a well also there with the (water in the) auspicious pots.

28. This is the well Saptasämudrika with clean water. In front of the lord there are the cowherds.

29. The manes of one who performs Shräddha in the well Saptasämudrika with ablutions and pinda, get propitiated.

30. He who offers pinda there when the new moon falls on Monday, liberates seventy-seven generations of his ancestors, and they become propitiated for a hundred crores of years.

31. He who dies in the place between the temples of Govinda and Gopišhvara, attains the world of Indra.

32. So too when death occurs in the place between the temples of Bahula, Shiva, and Govinda there, or between those of Gopišha and Brahma.

33. By bath, gift and Pinda in these places, ten generations of ancestors and ten of successors are liberated.

34.. Bath in these leads one to the pleasure of the company of gods, and death there leads one to my world.

35. There is. the great tirtha Vasupatra, and on the southern side of Mathurä, the holy place Phälgunaka.

36. Bathing in them and drinking the water there, lead one to a place of esteem in the world beyond.

37. In Phälguna we get my temple named Vrushabhanjanka.

38. He who bathes there, delights with Devas and he who gives up life there reaches my world.

39. a distance of half a yojana from Mathurä on the western side, we see the place Tälavana held by the asura Dhenuka.

 40. We get there a pond of clear water with lotuses and lilies. By bath and gifts there, one gets whatever is desired.

41. In that place there is the pond called Sampithaka where we get a deep pit full of clear water.

42. He who bathes there after fasting for a night, gets the fruit of Agnishtoma, and he who gives up life there reaches my world.

43. When I took birth as the son of Devaki in the house of Vasudeva, I worshipped the sun.

44. As a result, I got a handsome, virtuous and intelligent son.

45. There I saw the sun-god holding lotus in the hand and effulgent with his rays in the month Bhädrapada.

46. On the Saptamï day in the dark half of the month the sun-god appears there.

47. He who takes bath in this pit on that day, finds nothing beyond his reach in this world by the favour of the sun-god.

48. If this is done when this day happens to be Sunday, the effect is absolutely sure for man as well as woman.

49. King Shantanu performed penance here installing the sun-god in front, and he got as his son the mighty Bhishma.

50. Getting that son, Shantanu went to Hastinapura. Bath and gift there, fulfils one’s desires.