160 - The order of visits in the Tirthas of Mathurä

Varäha said:

1. On the Ashtami day in the bright half of the month Kärttika, one should bathe in the Višhränti tirtha with a view to worshipping the manes and gods.

2. By seeing Višhränti and Vishnu reposing there, the effect of circumambulation is attained.

3. Fasting for the whole day or taking but a little food, the twig for cleaning teeth may be collected in the evening.

4. Spending the night in continence with the resolved mind, (the devotee) should bathe well, put on clean clothes and take the vow of silence.

5. Taking sesamum, rice and Kusha grass and with a lamp in hand he shall go to the forest there for the worship of manes and gods.

6. He shall then start his visits in the order in which they were done by the sages like Dhruva.

7. By doing this full of devotion, he will attain all desires and the fruit of Ašhvamedha.

8. He shall keep awake for the night and on the Navami day, just before sunrise, start journey.

9. The first bath in the morning should be taken in the tirtha (at the southern end).

10. Then washing the feet and performing Ächamana, he shall worship Hanuman, the young Brahmachärin, who confers all auspiciousness.

11. He should be informed of the journey, as difficulties vanish by simply thinking of him and as he brings about success in the attempt.

12. (The prayer is) “You got great success in your journey on behalf of Räma. May you grant me success in this undertaking of mine (to visit the tirthas).”

13. After prayer to Hanuman, perform worship to Ganešha with lamp, flowers and offerings of food.

14. Then Lord Vishnu, reposing there as Padmanäbha, should be informed as he is the dispeller of all fear and the dispenser of all success. The mother goddesses also should be informed.

15. First there is the goddess Vasumaü, then Aparäjitä installed in the armoury who removes all fears.

16. Then there are Kamsaväsanikä, Augrasenä, Charchikä and Vadhüti who annihilate demons.

17. There is also Jayadä. These are goddesses worshipped by the gods. These as well as the goddesses installed in the houses and structures may be worshipped and their permission for the journey sought.

18. He shall go to   without speaking. After taking bath there, libations are to be given to the manes and Lord (Vishnu) should be saluted.

19. Then he is to go to Ikshuvasä worshipped by Lord Krishna and where, as a boy, he played with the cowherds and where the tirthas were established by the great sages.

  20. Vashatputra is to be visited next where we get Arkasthala, Virasthala, Kušhasthala, Punyasthala and Mahästhala.

21. These five spots take away all sins, and their mere sight gives one the company of Brahma.

22. The result is got in full by seeing Shiva (installed as) Siddhamukha there.

23. Then Hayamukti should be visited where the sages speak about an old. incident.

24. That a prince once went there riding on a horse, and then the horse got salvation and the prince alone remained there,

25. Which shows that one should not go there in any vehicle (but walking) if the result is to be achieved.

26. Seeing and touching him (the horse erected) in that tirtha removes all sins. There is the Šhivakunda by bathing in which one attains great results.

27. Seeing the Jasmine of Krishna also produces success, so also by going to the Kadamba grove.

28. On the southern side is the Yogini Charchikä surrounded by other Yoginis, guarding Krishna.

29. There are two mother goddesses named Asprušhyä and Asprušhä, whose sight gives great protection to children.

30. Then he should go to the holy Varshaghata bathe there and offer libations to the manes. That removes all sins.

31. He should then go to the temple where Shiva is enshrined as the protector of the place. That makes the visit to Mathurä fruitful.

32. There is the Krishnakridasetubandha where the Lord made a dam for children to play.

33. He used to play with the cowherd boys there every day. He continues to visit it always.

34. There is Balihrada where the Lord used to play in water. Its very sight takes away all sins.

35. There is the place where Krishna used to play with cocks. By the sight of this (Kukkutakridana) even a heinous man gets salvation.

36. There is a group of pillars with good crests which were anointed with scents and worshipped by Krishna.

37. To circumambulate offer it worship is to get absolved of all sins and go to the world of Vishnu.

38. (The visit to the place) where Väsudeva lay alone for protecting the pregnancy of Devaki, removes all sins.

39. Then he should go to Näräyanasthäna and go round Näräyana and other deities there for liberation.

40. He may then announce his visit to Vinäyaka and also to Kubjikä and Vámanä, the two Brahmanis protected by Krishna.

41. Getting their approval, be may proceed to Gartešhvara to see Shiva there so that the aim of his visit may be accomplished.

42. In that place there is also the goddess Mahävidyešhvari who protects it, protects the devotee and gives him success.

43. By seeing Prabhämalli there, all desires are fulfilled. She remains there for guarding Krishna.

44. There is another goddess who remains there always giving success.

45. She was installed there by Krishna Balabhadra and Gopas when they thought of killing Kamsa and assembled there to consider the strategy.

46. She confers success as well as enjoyment. She is called Siddhešhvari (as she gives siddhi success) and Sañketakešhvari (as she was installed at the Sañketa or the place of their meeting.)

47. There is a deep pit of holy placid water, where we can see Lord Shiva with the name   by whose mere sight one gets rid of all sins.

48. Seeing River Sarasvati there, one derives everything auspicious.

49. Then Ganešha, the remover of all impediments, may be worshipped. Much benefit is got by seeing him.

50. The highly purifying Gañgä is there, whose sight, touch or even thought bestows great benefits.

51. There is the place called Rudramahälaya having the appearance of Shiva’s face. Seeing this confers the same benefit by staying there.

52. At Uttarakoti (the northern end), there is again Ganesha. Here Lord Krishna was playing dice with the Gopis.

53. Merrily playing with them, the Lord won all of them and their wealth in the game. He gave them all to the Gopas who commemorated the event there.

54. The visit to this place where Krishna played in his boyhood, dispels all sins.

55. The sages contemplate on him in the exact form and in the exact deeds of his in his boyhood.

 56. The devotee should go to this Rudramahälaya of pure water in Yamunä, bathe there and give libations to the manes.

57. Then he should go to Gärgyatirtha, Bhadrešhvaratirtha and Somatirtha.

58. After bathing in the Somatirtha, he should worship Somešhvara for the fulfilment of the aim of his visit.

59. At the confluence of Sarasvati, he may do, according to rules, rites in propitiation of gods, manes, sages and men. That will give him merger in Lord Vishnu.

60. He should then go to tirthas Ghantäbharanåka, Garuda, Kešhava, Vaikuntha, Ghandavelaka, Samyamana, Asikunda,

61. Gopa, Muktikešhvara and Vailakshagaruda, all of which are extremely holy.

62. They are as holy as Višhräntitirtha and the devotee may move about here with full control of the senses.

63. After propitiating gods and manes he may pray: “O Lord Avimuktešha, worshipped by seven sages, be pleased to make my perambulations in Mathurä fruitful.”

64. After praying thus to Shiva, the protector of the place, he should go to Višhränti (again) and perform libations to the manes.

65. Then, resting for a while, he should go to the temple of Sumañgalä and bow to her and pray for his success.

66. “O most auspicious goddess, the fulfiller of all desires, may this visit of mine be fruitful by your favour”.

67. Then he is to go to Lord Pippalädešhvara, the Shiva consecrated by the sage Pippaläda, and anoint this deity’s head.

68. The sage was saved by Shiva and so he consecrated him there with his own name.

69. Then, after seeing the serpent Kärkotaka, he may proceed to see the goddess installed by Krishna.

70-71. On hearing about the wicked intentions of Kamsa at first, the cloth over the face of was there for (good) omen.

72. On entering that place, an agreeable sound is heard, and there Krishna has installed his auspicious sister.

73. Out of fear, Krishna invoked the goddess Chandikä also and installed her there with the name Ärtiharä.

74. By seeing this goddess, one becomes very happy.

75. She appeared in the north when Kamsa invoked her for good omen when he started for killing Kamsa. By seeing her all desires are accomplished.

76. In order to kill the wrestlers, invoked Vajränana, and after killing them, he installed him there.

77. And then gave to every deity whatever was sought of him. Everything auspicious was bestowed on them.

78. The (memory of the) deeds of Krishna in his boyhood, (it may be noted), takes away all sins.

79. Finally, after seeing Sürya, the principal deity of the people of Mathurä, and giving gifts there, the visit may be concluded.

80. Visiting the different places in this manner on the Navami day in the bright half of the month Kumuda, one goes to the world of Vishnu with the whole family.

81. As many people in his clan gain permanent abode in Sürya as there are steps in his perambulation in Mathurä.

82. Even those who have committed the murder of Brahmin, taken liquor, stolen wealth, impeded vows, cohabited with prohibited women or carried away the wives of others, get absolved of their sins, if they visit Mathurä in this way.

83-84. Those who live in distant places get cleansed of their sins at the sight of the person who has returned after his ritualistic visit to Mathurä.

85. Even listening to the narration about this by one who has returned from Mathurä removes all evil and leads to heaven.