Vana Parva, Mahabharata/Book III Chapter 86

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Mahabharata - Vana Parva


Vana Parva, Mahabharata/Book III Section 88:English

SECTION LXXXVIII
mentions the sacred tirthas of the south

"Dhaumya continued, 'Listen, O Bharata, I shall now narrate to thee in detail according to my knowledge, the sacred tirthas of the south. In that quarter lieth the sacred and auspicious river

  • Godavari (गॊदावरी) (III.86.2), full of water abounding in groves and frequented by ascetics. In that direction also are the rivers
  • Venna (वेण्णा) (III.86.3) and
  • Bhimarathi (भीम रथी) (III.86.3), both capable of destroying sin and fear, and abounding in birds and deer, and graced with abodes of ascetics. In that region also, O bull of the Bharata race, is the tirtha of the royal ascetic,
  • Nriga (नृग) (III.86.4) viz., the river
  • Payoshni (पयॊष्णी) (III.86.4), which is delightful and full of waters and visited by Brahmanas. There the illustrious
  • Markandeya (मार्कण्डेय) (3.86.5), of high ascetic merit sang the praises in verse of king Nriga's line! We have heard respecting the sacrificing king Nriga that which really took place while he was performing a sacrifice in the excellent tirtha called
  • Varaha on the Payoshni. In that sacrifice Indra became intoxicated with quaffing the Soma, and the Brahmanas, with the gifts they received. The water of the Payoshni, taken up (in vessel), or flowing along the (p. 201) ground, or conveyed by the wind, can cleanse a person from whatever sins he may commit till the day of his death. Higher than heaven itself, and pure, and created and bestowed by the trident-bearing god, there in that tirtha is an image of Mahadeva beholding which a mortal goeth to the region of Siva. Placing on one scale Ganga and the other rivers with their waters, and on the other, the Payoshni, the latter, in my opinion would be superior to all the tirthas, together, in point of merit! Then, O foremost of the Bharata race, on the mountain called
  • Varunasrotasa (वरुण सरॊतस) (III.86.7) is the sacred and auspicious wood of
  • Mathara (माठर वन) (III.86.7) abounding in fruits and roots, and containing a sacrificial stake. Then, O king, it is said that in the region on the north of the
  • Praveni (प्रवेणी) (III.86.8), and about the sacred asylum of
  • Kanwa (कण्वाश्रम) (III.86.8), are many woody retreats of ascetics. And, O child, in the tirtha called
  • Shurparaka (शूर्पारक) (III.86.9) are two sacrificial platforms of the illustrious Jamadagni, called Pashana and Punaschandra, O Bharata! And, O son of Kunti, in that spot is the tirtha called
  • Asoka (अशॊक तीर्थ) (III.86.10) abounding in woody retreats of ascetics. And, O Yudhishthira, in the country of the
  • Pandyas (पाण्ड्य) (III.86.10) are the tirthas named
  • Agastya (अगस्त्य) (III.86.10) and
  • Varuna (वारुण) (III.86.10) And, O bull among men, there, amongst the Pandavas, is the tirtha called the
  • Kumari (कुमारी) (III.86.11). Listen, O son of Kunti, I shall now describe
  • Tamraparni (ताम्रपर्णी) (III.86.11) . In that asylum the gods had undergone penances impelled by the desire of obtaining salvation. In that region also is the lake of
  • Gokarna (गॊकर्ण) (III.86.12) which is celebrated over the three worlds, hath an abundance of cool waters, and is sacred, auspicious, and capable, O child, of producing great merit. That lake is extremely difficult of access to men of unpurified souls. Near to that tirtha is the sacred asylum of Agastya's disciple, the mountain
  • Devasabha (देवसभ) (III.86.14) , which abounds in trees and grass, and fruits and roots. And there also is the
  • Vaiduryya (वैडूर्य) (III.86.15) mountain, which is delightful abounding in gems and capable of bestowing great merit. There on that mountain is the asylum of Agastya abounding in fruits and roots and water.'"

Rivers and lakes belonging to the Surashtra

"I shall now, O lord of men, describe the sacred spots, and asylums, and rivers and lakes belonging to the
  • Surashtra (सुराष्ट्र) (III.86.16) country! O Yudhishthira, the Brahmanas say that on the sea-coast is the
  • Chamasonmajjana (चमसॊन्मज्जन) (III.86.17), and also
  • Prabhasa (प्रभास) (III.86.17), that tirtha which is much regarded by the gods. There also is the tirtha called
  • Pindaraka (पिण्डारक) (III.86.18), frequented by ascetics and capable of producing great merit. In that region is a mighty hill named
  • Ujjayanta (उज्जयन्त) (III.86.18) which conduceth to speedy success. Regarding it the celestial Rishi Narada of great intelligence hath recited an ancient sloka. Do thou listen to it, O Yudhishthira! By performing austerities on the sacred hill of Ujjayanta in Surashtra, that abounds in birds and animals, a person becometh regarded in heaven. There also is
  • Dwaravati (द्वारवती) (III.86.21), producing great merit, where dwelleth the slayer of Madhu, who is the Ancient one in embodied form, and eternal virtue. Brahmanas versed in the Vedas, and persons acquainted with the philosophy of the soul say that the illustrious Krishna is eternal Virtue. Govinda is said to be the (p. 202) purest of all pure things, the righteous of the righteous and the auspicious of the auspicious. In all the three worlds, He of eyes like lotus-leaves is the God of gods, and is eternal. He is the pure soul and the active principle of life, is the Supreme Brahma and is the lord of all. That slayer of Madhu, Hari of inconceivable soul, dwelleth there!"

Vana Parva, Mahabharata/Book III Chapter 86:Sanskrit

1 [धर्म]
     दक्षिणस्यां तु पुण्यानि शृणु तीर्थनि भारत
     विस्तरेण यथाबुद्धिकीर्त्यमानानि भारत
 2 यस्याम आख्यायते पुण्या दिशि गॊदावरी नदी
     बह्व आरामा बहु जला तापसाचरिता शुभा
 3 वेण्णा भीम रथी चॊभे नद्यौ पापभयापहे
     मृगद्विजसमाकीर्णे तापसालयभूषिते
 4 राजर्षेस तत्र च सरिन नृगस्य भरतर्षभ
     रम्यतीर्था बहु जला पयॊष्णी दविज सेविता
 5 अपि चात्र महायॊगी मार्कण्डेयॊ महातपाः
     अनुवंष्यां जगौ गाथां नृगस्य धरणी पतेः
 6 नृगस्य यजमानस्य परत्यक्षम इति नः शरुतम
     अमाद्यद इन्द्रः सॊमेन दक्षिणाभिर दविजातयः
 7 माठरस्य वनं पुण्यं बहुमूलफलं शिवम
     यूपश च भरतश्रेष्ठ वरुण सरॊतसे गिरौ
 8 परवेण्य उत्तरपार्श्वे तु पुण्ये कण्वाश्रमे तथा
     तापसानाम अरण्यानि कीर्तितानि यथा शरुति
 9 वेदी शूर्पारके तात जमदग्नेर महात्मनः
     रम्या पाषाण तीर्था च पुरश्चन्द्रा च भारत
 10 अशॊक तीर्थं मर्त्येषु कौन्तेय बहुलाश्रमम
    अगस्त्यतीर्थं पाण्ड्येषु वारुणं च युधिष्ठिर
11 कुमार्यः कथिताः पुण्याः पाण्ड्येष्व एव नरर्षभ
    ताम्रपर्णीं तु कौन्तेय कीर्तयिष्यामि तां शृणु
12 यत्र देवैस तपस तप्तं महद इच्छद्भिर आश्रमे
    गॊकर्णम इति विख्यातं तरिषु लॊकेषु भारत
13 शीततॊयॊ बहु जलः पुण्यस तात शिवश च सः
    हरदः परमदुष्प्रापॊ मानुषैर अकृतात्मभिः
14 तत्रैव तृणसॊमाग्नेः संपन्नफलमूलवान
    आश्रमॊ ऽगस्त्यशिष्यस्य पुण्यॊ देव सभे गिरौ
15 वैडूर्य पर्वतस तत्र शरीमान मणिमयः शिवः
    अगस्त्यस्याश्रमश चैव बहुमूलफलॊदकः
16 सुराष्ट्रेष्व अपि वक्ष्यामि पुण्यान्य आयतनानि च
    आश्रमान सरितः शैलान सरांसि च नराधिप
17 चमसॊन्मज्जनं विप्रास तत्रापि कथयन्त्य उत
    परभासं चॊदधौ तीर्थं तरिदशानां युधिष्ठिर
18 तत्र पिण्डारकं नाम तापसाचरितं शुभम
    उज्जयन्तश च शिखरी कषिप्रं सिद्धिकरॊ महान
19 तत्र देवर्षिवर्येण नारदेनानुकीर्तितः
    पुराणः शरूयते शलॊकस तं निबॊध युधिष्ठिर
20 पुण्ये गिरौ सुराष्ट्रेषु मृगपक्षिनिषेविते
    उज्जयन्ते सम तप्ताङ्गॊ नाकपृष्ठे महीयते
21 पुण्या दवारवती तत्र यत्रास्ते मधुसूदनः
    साक्षाद देवः पुराणॊ ऽसौ स हि धर्मः सनातनः
22 ये च वेदविदॊ विप्रा ये चाध्यात्मविदॊ जनाः
    ते वदन्ति महात्मानं कृष्णं धर्मं सनातनम
23 पवित्राणां हि गॊविन्दः पवित्रं परम उच्यते
    पुण्यानाम अपि पुण्यॊ ऽसौ मङ्गलानां च मङ्गलम
24 तरैलॊक्यं पुण्डरीकाक्षॊ देवदेवः सनातनः
    आस्ते हरिर अचिन्त्यात्मा तत्रैव मधुसूदनः