The glory of the tirthas of Narmada river
Suta said, “there is a Naimisa-tlrtha which is famous in the three worlds and is liked by lord Mahadeva. It removes the grave sins.
О Best of the Brahmanas, Brahma had created this place for the Rishis who intended to perform tapas for Shiva in order to have an audience with the lord.
The Rishis bom in the six races, asked him- О Lord, by what means, can we have an audience with the illustrious Isanadeva, the god with matted hair? You please tell us.
Brahma said-All of you getting relieved of all the blemishes of mind and speech, should perform a sacrificial session of one thousand years. I shall point out the place where (this is to be done).
Thus speaking, Brahma then touched the mind wheel and said to the sages, “You should follow this wheel being issued by me. Do not delay.
Wherever this cakra (wheel) gets shattered, it would be the auspicious place for the performing of tapas as well as the yajnas.” Thereafter Brahma released the mind wheel, and they followed it.
The wheel moved quickly and the place where it was shattered, that place came to be known as Naimisa. That auspicious place was adored by all.
It was filled with the Siddhas and Caranas besides was served by the Yaksas and Gandharvas. This Naimisaranya is therefore the auspicious abode of lord Sambhu.
Earlier, The Gods, Gandharvas, Yaksas, Nagas and Raksasas, performed tapas here and had achieved the best of boons.
The Rishis of the aforesaid six races, dwelling in this region, by performing the yajnas with the concentrated minds, and adoring lord Shiva, perceived Mahes'vara.
О Brahmanas, the charities of food given there and the sraddha or tapas or yajna performed there, removes the sins committed in the past seven births.
This is the place where lord Brahma had narrated the Brahmanda Parana sanctified by the description of the Brahman, to the sages who were performing the Satra. Even today, lord Mahadeva of universal vision, sports about alongwith with his spouse Rudrani and Pramathas live here.
The people of the three varnas, when living here, observing the rules and meet with their end, they reach Brahmaloka reaching which, one does not have to be reborn on earth.
There is another tlrtha known as Japyesvara tirtha which is an excellent one, where Nandin, the great Gana, always recites the Rudra stotra.
Getting pleased, the holder of the Pinaka bow, Shiva had appeared with the goddess Parvati here. He bestowed Nandin with the boon of becoming free from death.
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The story of the birth of Nandin is like this. Silada was an immensely learned and religious minded sage. He adored bull-bannered lord Shiva, for having a son.
Performing the tapas, a thousand years elapsed. Ultimately, lord Shiva appeared there with his ganas and said to the sage, “I shall bestow a boon on you.”
Then, Silada asked for a boon from Shiva, the foremost deity, the consort of the daughter of the mountain, “You get me a son like yourself, who should be free from death and should be bom without womb.
Then lord Shiva with Parvati said, “Be it so.” Thereafter, both of them disappeared in full view of the sage.
Thereafter, the religious minded Silada, ploughed the land with the intention of performing a yajna. While ploughing the earth, he found an infant, shining like the Samvartaka fire (fire at the time of dissolution), with beautiful looks, who was illumining all the directions with his lustre, while smiling. The infant was quite handsome like Karttikeya. The infant Nandin then addressed Silada in his deep voice as l4ata" or a father. The same infant came to be known as Nandin, or the one who delights the people.
The delightful son, when found by Silada was embraced by him and he showed him to the Rishis living in the asrama.
Thereafter, the sage performed the post-natal and and all other rites of the child, besides investing him with a sacred thread and taught him the Vedas.
After completing the studies in the Vedas, an idea splashed in the mind of Nandin, that, he, by adoring lord Shiva-Mahesvara, shall overcome death.
With this resolve in his mind, he went to the sacred seashore, and with a devoted mind he started reciting the Rudra-stotra.
After completion of the japam a crore of times, lord Sankara, favourably disposed to his devotees, with Parvati and his ganas appeared before Nandin and said, “You ask for a boon.”
While seeking the boon, Nandin said, “0 Lord I intend to recite the mantra a crore of times further, you kindly grant me a boon that I should have the life upto that length.”
Then lord Shiva, the universal soul said, “Be it so.” Thus speaking, lord Shiva disappeared with ParvatT and his ganas from that place. Thereafter Nandin devoting his mind exclusively to Shiva, performed the japam a crore of times.
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And with the completion of the japam two crores of times, the bull-bannered lord Shiva again appeared before Nandin, with his goblins and said, “I am the granter of boons.”
Then Nandin said, “O Lord Sankara, “I intend to perform the third crore of japam too.” Lord Shiva said, “Be it so.” Thereafter, lord Shiva again disappeared from the scene alongwith the goddess,
When the recitation of three crores of mantras was completed the third time, lord Shiva arrived with his bhtitas, and said, “I shall grant you the boon.”
Nandin said, “By your grace, I would like to perform the mantra recitation for a crore of times further.” At these words of Nandin, Shiva said, “There is no need for you to perform the japam further.
Now you will be deprived of old age and death, remaining with me. You will be treated as the son of Parvati and the chief of my ganas. You will be a Yoges'vara, a great Yogin, lord of the ganas, lord of all the lokas, omniscient, possessing all the fortunes, besides identical with the Yajnas.
The divine knowledge with me, would be accesible to you like the fruit of the myrobalan placed in the palm. You will remain in this form till the time of dissolution, after which you will achieve my region.
Thus speaking, Mahadeva Sankara summoned his own ganas and established Nandin as the chief of the ganas. Then lord Shiva married Nandin with Suyasa, the blessed daughter of the Maruts. He himself attained Visnuloka.
The place where Nandin had performed tapas came to be known as Japyesvara-the place sacred to Shiva. A person, who meets with his end here, he earns grace in Rudraloka.
Chapter 44
Glory of the holy places
Suta said, “Close to Japyes'vara, there is another excellent tirtha known by the name of Pancanada, which is quite sacred and removes all the sins.
A person who fasting for three nights there, performs adoration of Mahesvara, is relieved of all the sins. Then he, becoming the spotless soul is established in Rudraloka.
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There is another tirtha dedicated to Indra, which is known by the name of Mahabhairava. It is the best of the sacred places on the bank of Vitasta river, which also removes all the sins and it itself is bom of the king of mountains.
There is a holy place named Pancatapas, which is dedicated to Shiva of unlimited splendour. It is here that Bhava (Shiva) was worshipped by the overlord of the Devas for the purpose of being mighty.
The pindaddna etc. performed there, bestows everlasting bliss. A person who meets with his end at that place as a result of observance of holy rites, he is adored in the Brahmaloka.
Besides this, there is an auspicious place known by the name of Kayavarohana where the sages had promulgated the holy dharmas or religious doctrines pertaining to lord Mahesvara.
The s'rdddha, charities, tapas, homa, and fasting performed there bestow undecaying reward. By meeting with his end there, one proceeds on to Rudraloka.
There is another excellent place known as Kanya-tlrtha which is better than any other holy centre. A person who dies there, he achieves the everlasting lokas.
There is a tlrlha dedicated to Rama, the son of Jamadagni and of unimpaired activity. By taking a bath in that tlrtha, one achieves merit of donating a thousand cows.
There is another tlrtha known by the name of Mahakala in the three worlds. A person who dies there, he becomes the chief of the Shivaganas.
The mystic NalailIshvara-tirtha there happens to the most sacred of all places. It is the dwelling place of the glorious lord Nakulls'vara.
At the charming peak of Himavan, there is a splendid tlrtha known by the name of Garigadvara, where lord Mahadeva resides with Parvati, surrounded by his disciples.
By taking a bath there and adoring the bull- bannered Mahadeva, a person is relieved of all the sins. After his death, he attains the perfect knowledge.
Another sacred and splendid place of Shiva, the lord of the Devas, is known as BhimesVara. By visiting that place, a person is relieved of all his sins.
Similar is the case with the confluence of the river Candavega, which removes all the sins. By taking a bath there and consuming its water, a person is relieved of the sin of brahmahatya.
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The city of Varanasi, is the best of all the tlrthas. Because of its being divine, it is a ten thousand times, nay, a hundred million times more auspicious than all these holy centres.
Earlier, I had mentioned about its glory. Nowhere else does one attain salvation in a single birth even by means of Yoga.
I have described the selected and prominent tlrthas. They relieve all the people of all the sins. One should visit them and wash out the sins of many births.
But one should be careful, that when he discarding his own dharma, goes on pilgrimage to holy places, for such a person no tlrtha is rewarding in the present life or the life beyond that.
One who is desirous of repentance, or the one who has become a widower, or a wandering mendicant, such a householder and the similar types of people should go to the holy places. The one who is an Agnihotrin, he should go with his wife carrying the sacrificial fires with him and should visit the sacred places, carefully, and by so doing, a person getting relieved of all the sins, achieves the best of deliverance mentioned before.
Or otherwise, a person getting free from all the three debts (to Deva, Pitrs and sages), arranging livelihood for his sons, and entrusting the care of his wife to them, should go on to pilgrimage.
Thus, the glory of the tirthas in the context of the expiatory rites has been spoken out. The one who reads it or listens to it, he is relieved of all the sins.
Chapter 45
Dissolution of the world
Siita said, “Listening to the excellent knowledge from the mouth of Narayana, the sages then asked the lord who had taken to the form of a tortoise.
The sages said, “You have spoken in detail about the dharma, knowledge about the attaining of salvation, the creation of the universe, the genealogies of kings and sages and the Manvantaras in sufficient details. Now, О Lord of the past and future, speak out the details about the dissolution of the world, the subject on which you have already spoken.”
Suta said, “Listening to the words of the sages, lord, the great Yogin, in the form of a tortoise, started speaking about the dissolution of all living beings.
Kurma said, “Four types of dissolutions are there-viz.: Nitya, Naimittika, Prakrta, and Atyantika, as mentioned in this Purana. These are the four types of dissolutions which are described below.
The destruction of the living beings that is witnessed every day in this world is called Nitya dissolution by the sages.
At the end of the kalpa, the dissolution of three worlds by Brahma (due to his sleep at the end of his day), has been called as the Naimittika dissolution by the learned sages.
When the ultimate causes of the universe beginning with Mahat and ending with Visesa undergo dissolution, it is called the Pmbla Pratisarga (natural dissolution) by those who ponder over Kala.
The final absorption of Yogins into the Supreme Atman as a result of the realization {Jnana), the watchers of the Kala, call it the Atyantika Pratisarga (ultimate dissolution).
The Atyantika Pratisarga achieved through Jnana has already been recounted. Now, I shall now speak on the Naimittika pralaya in detail.
At the end of the thousand sets of four Yugas, when the time of dissolution arrives, Prajapati Brahma, thought of absorbing all the people in his own self.
Thereafter, for a period of a hundred years since that time, there had been a terrific draught, as a result of which, all the living being were destroyed.
О lord of the Earth, the beings on earth who are physically weak, got destroyed first of all, and were reduced to Bhiimi (become one with the earth).
Thereafter, the sun with his seven rays, while rising becomes unbearable with the blazing heat. Through them he drinks up all water present on the earth.
In this way, the seven rays of the sun dry up the water from the middle of the ocean. Thanks to this intake, they become brilliant and change themselves into seven suns.
Then, those seven rays (the seven suns), dries up all the lokas in the four directions and starts burning them like the fire.
All the seven suns, by means of their rays penetrating into the upper and lower parts of the earth, bum the earth like the fire of dissolution.
Thus suns, having been illuminated by the water (sucked by them), shed forth thousands of rays, pervading the entire sky forcefully, and put the entire earth in flames.
Thereafter, with the excessive heat of those suns, the burning earth, is deprived of water over the mountains, in the rivers and the oceans etc., besides the islands.
As the burning rays of the sun are spread in all the directions, covering all high and low regions, so powerfully and envelop everything. In this way, due to the fire of the sun rays, all the padarthas of the world are turned into a single mass of fire forming one fiery unit.
This fire of the time of dissolution which destroys all the lokas, takes to a spherical form and reduces to ashes all the worlds with its flames.
Therafler, all the mobile and immobile things are absorbed into that fire, the earth getting deprived of the vegetation and the trees, illumines like the back of a tortoise.
The entire universe, with the sharp rays of the sun falling over it, looks like the frying pan. With those rays, everything bums in flames.
Similarly, in the netherworlds as well as in the great oceans, the creations living there have also to face the dissolution. They cmmble and get mixed into the earth.
The fire god with seven souls (rays), reduces to ashes, all the islands, mountains, regions and the vast oceans.
Besides, it also consume the waters of the oceans and the rivers. The flaming fire, keeps on burning on the earth.
Thereafter, the great Samvartaka fire being ablaze, expanded by the forceful winds, crossing over the mountains, burns down the entire worlds.
The flaming fire, after burning the earth, dries up Rasatala as well. After burning the lower part of the earth, it starts burning the heaven above.
The flames of Samvartaka fire, rises upto the height of hundreds, thousands and ten thousands of yojanas.
With the inspiration of Kalarudra, these flames start burning the Gandharvas, Pisacas, Yaksas, Nagas and the Raksasas.
It appears as if Kalagni-the god of death has taken to the destructive form. Then, this fire completely bums out the regions of Bhurloka, Bhuvarloka and Maharloka.
When the fire of dissolution, spreading on all the sides, rising above, engulfs the entire universe, then all of them start illuming in a huge flame.
Thereafter, the vast and thick clouds known as Samvartaka, having shapes of huge elephants, decorated with the groups of lightnings, rise over the sky.
There arise in the sky the terrible Samvartaka clouds of world destruction. Some of those clouds are dark resembling the blue lotus flowers. Some of them are white like water-lily, some are of smoke colour, some are of yellow colour, and some are of colour like a donkey. Some of them of are of red colour like lac juice.
Some of them are white like the conch or the lotus flowers, some are like the finest variety of collyrium, some are of the colour of red arsenic, white, others have the colour of a pigeon.
Some of them appear like glow-worms, some resemble the yellow orpiment. Some are like rainbows. Such clouds rise up in the heaven.
Some of them are of mountain size, some of them look like the herds of elephants, some of them are like the heaps of burning coal, and some like shoals of fishes.
They have several forms, which are quite terrific. By thundering aloud, they fill up the entire firmament.
Then the clouds-beings the progeny of the sun, turning themselves into seven forms, extinguish the fire on earth with the pouring of the rain water.
Like a flood water gushes out from them as rain. The terrible and inauspicious rain destroys the fire.
Thus, with the pouring of the excessive rain, the earth was filled with enormous quantity of water. On being thus overpowered by water the fire merges into the water.
As a result of the rainfall showered by the clouds, the fire on earth is completely extinguished in hundred of years. The flood envelops the entire universe with huge currents of water.
In this way, at the instance of Brahma, the earth is filled with the water, as the sea shore is submerged with excessive moving of the oceanic waves.
Slowly the earth with the mountains and islands is covered with water, and the water soaked by the sun-rays stays in the clouds.
The same water again is poured on earth and the oceans are so over filled, that, they overflowing the seashores cause a deluge.
Even the mountains become submerged in water besides the earth. All the mobiles and immobiles are destroyed. As a result of which lord Brahma, under the influence of Yoganidra goes to sleep in the ocean. The learned people consider the period a thousand cycles of four Yugas as a Kalpa.
1. Meditation-sleep, the great sleep of Brahma during the period between the annihilation and reproduction of the universe, MW.
Presently the Varaha-kalpa is passing, the details of which have already been spoken by me. The Rishis who are conscious about the Kala (time), they have traced innumerable kalpas in the Puranas. Ali the kalpas resemble Brahma, Visnu and Shiva.
The Sattvika kalpas out of them contain the excessive glory of Visnu, while the one of the lord Shiva is prominent in the Tamasa kalpas. The glory of Brahma is found in the Rajcisa kalpas.
The current kalpa is known as Varaha kalpa, which has been considered to be the Sattvika one. There are other Sattvika kalpas in which I (Kurma Visnu) predominate. The Yogins achieving meditation, penance as well as the divine knowledge, adoring me and Girisa, achieve the great region.
Thus, I, being the illusory one, embracing the great illusion, enjoy the divine sleep of Yoganidra in the oceanic world.
During the period of my sleep, the great sages dwelling in the Janaloka, visualise me with the Yogic vision.
I happen to be the Puranapurusa, besides being the place of origin of Bhuh (earth), and Bhuvah (the ether).
I am all pervading, having thousands of feet, eyes legs, and possessing the enormous beauty.
I am the Mantra, the Brahmanas, the cows, the sacrificial twigs, and the Proksanlya (that which should be sprinkled). I am Soma and the form of vratas. I am Samvartaka-the cloud of the time of dissolution, the great Soul, besides being the auspicious and excellent glory.
I am the intelligence, the lord, the protector of cowherds, and the face of Brahma. I am endless, bestower of salvation on all, besides being a Yogin. I am the goal, the most excellent among those who afford the goal.
I happen to be Harhsa (Swan), Prana (vital breath), Kapila, of universal form, the eternal one, Jlvatma (the immanent soul), Prakrti, Kala (Time), the seed of the universe, the immortal nectar. The mother, father and Mahadeva, I represent all of them. There is nothing beyond me.
I am Narayana, having the complexion of the sun, protector of the universe and the form of Yoga. The Ascetics well-versed in the Yogic practice, can visualise my form. After realising the Atman, they attain my reality.
Chapter 46
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