by admin » Fri Jul 30, 2021 7:08 am
CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN
[The editor of the text of N. P. introduces this chapter with the remark: Henceforth the greatness of Badari is begun.]
The Greatness of Badarikasrama [Mod. Badrinath in Garhwal, (Uttar Pradesh)]
Mohini said:
1. O excellent Brahmana, the greatness of Gangadvara has been recounted. Now narrate the greatness of Badari that is destructive of sins.
Vasu said:
2. Listen, O gentle lady, I shall describe in detail to you the greatness of Badari. On hearing this, a creature (the living soul) is liberated from the bondage of birth and samsara.
3. The holy centre of Hari named Badari is destructive of all sins. It bestows liberation on those men who are afraid of worldly existence and it dispels the defects of Kali Yuga.
4-5. There, lord Narayana and the holy sage Nara who were born of Murti and Dharma, went to Gandhamadana mountain where there is a Badari tree endowed with many fruits of sweet fragrance.
O blessed lady, on that spot, they have been engaged in penance ever since the beginning of Kalpa.
6. They are surrounded by Narada and other excellent sages staying in the village of Kalapa [Puranas like Bh. P. X. 87.7 state that there was a village called Kalapa near Badarikasrama, but now there is no such village. The big plain behind Mucakunda’s cave is regarded by some as the site of Kalapa grama (Kalyana 31.1 P. 60); about other locations vide De, p. 84.] and also by the groups of Siddhas. They stationed themselves there for the sustenance of the world.
7. There is a well known holy centre named Agnitirtha [This is the hot-water spring near Badrinath temple where people take bath. It is below the local Kedaranatha shrine.] (Hot water spring). It yields all Siddhis. Even those who are defiled by great sins become purified by taking holy dip therein.
8. Just as the discoloured gold becomes pure when heated in the fire, so also the embodied soul becomes liberated from sins by plunging into the Agnitirtha.
9. By taking a holy dip in the Agnitirtha a man obtains that benefit which is obtained from thousands of Candrayanas and crores of Krcchras.
10. There are five rocky slabs. [The five rocky-slabs are below the hot-water-spring called Agni Tirtha. The order of slabs to-day is (1) Garuda or Vainateya (2) Narada, (3) Markandeya, (4) Narasimha and (5) Varahi (Kalyanaa 30. 1. p. 59). The order in the NP is as follows: (1) Narada, (2) Vainateya or Garuda 3) Varahi, (4) Narasimha (5) Nara:Narayana Sila on the bank of the hot-spring (Vahni Kunda).] O daughter of Brahma, Agnitirtha is situated in their midst. By its mere sight, it dispels sins.
11. That rocky slab is called Naradi sila where the holy sage Narada performed a terrible penance. By its very sight, it yields liberation.
12-14A. O lady of beautiful eyes, there is the perpetual presence of Hari, there. The Naradakunda (holy pool of Narada) is also there. The man who takes a holy bath there becomes pure. He obtains whatever he desires, such as worldly pleasures, salvation and devotion to Hari. Whatever a man performs here with devotion such as holy bath, charitable gift, worship of Devas, Homa, Japa or other rites are imperishable.
14B-15. There is another splendid rocky slab in that holy centre. It is called Vainateyasila.
It was here that a very severe penance was performed by Garuda of noble soul, for thirty thousand years with the desire for seeing Hari.
16. O auspicious lady, the delighted lord granted him the boon and said, “O dear one, be unconquerable to the host of Daityas, and a terror unto the serpents.
17-18A. Become my vehicle. I am delighted with you. This rocky slab where the penance has been performed by you will become famous over the Earth by your name. By its mere sight it shall be the bestower of merit on men.
18B-19A. In this most important Tirtha on Ganga, with a desire to attain my love (you have performed penance). O blessed one, may it manifest itself as the granter of merits to those who take their holy dip here.
19b-20. He who takes a holy bath in the Pancaganga and performs the rites of Tarpana to the Devas and others, does not return from the eternal world of Brahma.”
After granting this boon, Visnu vanished then.
21-22A. At the behest of Visnu, Garuda attained the state of being the vehicle of Visnu. Thereafter, that holy centre has become destructive of sins.
22B. It is the bestower of merits on being remembered. It yields the goal of Vainateya. There is another auspicious slab of a rock. It is known as Varahi (Sila).
23. It was here that the lord (in the form of a divine Boar) lifted up the Earth after striking down Hiranyaksa and occupied this position in the form of a rocky slab. He is the destroyer of sins.
24. The man who goes there, plunges into the pure waters of Ganga and worships that rocky slab with devotion does not attain misfortunes or hell.
25. There is another rocky slab called Narasimha sila. The lord of Devas killed Hiranyakasipu and rested there on the rock.
26. Later on, his anger was assuaged by the celestial sages. He was requested to stay perpetually there at Visala (i.e. Badarikasrama).
27. The four-armed deity accordingly assumed the rocky form. Engaged in aquatic sports, he permanently stays in the middle of water.
28. The man who takes a holy bath there and worships the rocky slab, attains the abode of Visnu from which rarely does any one return to Samsara.
29. O gentle lady, know the fifth rocky slab situated on the banks of Vahnikupa (i.e. the hot water spring thereof). It is called Naranarayana Sila. I shall explain about it now, listen.
30. In the age called Krtayuga, Hari in the form of Naranarayana stayed there directly visible to all as the bestower of worldly pleasures and liberation.
31. O auspicious lady, in the age named Tretayuga, he is seen by the sages, Devas and Yogins and not by others. He himself adopts the Yogic posture and remains as the sustainer of worlds.
32. When Dvapara Age arrives he is seen by the path of knowledge and not by any other means. In the Tisya (i.e. Kali age) he becomes (completely) invisible.
33. Therefore, Brahma and other Devas, sages and ascetics, eulogised lord Hari with various kinds of praise and propitiated him.
34. Thereupon, an incorporeal voice (from heaven) addressed Brahma and others: “I shall not be visible in the Kali age that is devoid of virtue and piety.
35. O leading Devas, if you have faith in viewing the Mandapa (ceremonial hall) take up my image of rock situated in the Narada Kunda”.
36-37. On hearing those words, Brahma and others became delighted at heart. They took out that divine rock image situated in the Naradakunda and installed it. After worshipping it, they went to their respective abodes. It is in the month of Vaisakha that Devas go back to their abodes.
38-39. They come back again in the month of Karttika and perform the rite of worship. At the beginning of Vaisakha, due to the melting away of snow, the meritorious human beings devoid of sinful actions are able to see the deity. The deity is to be worshipped for six months by Devas and for six months by human beings.
40-41A. It is under these conditions that the image manifested itself from that time onwards. He who devoutly worships the image of Visnu and partakes of Naivedya, certainly attains liberation.
41B-42. These five holy rocky slabs are thus situated in Visala (Badarika). The Naivedya offered to Hari in these places is inaccessible even to Devas. What then to the human beings? If it is partaken of, it is a means to salvation.
43. Even if the boiled rice offered as Naivedya to Visnu at Badari is partaken of, it shall purify sins in the body like the blazing fire that purifies the dross in gold.
44. Thus this is the holy spot of Kapalamocana [It is at a distance of about one and a half furlong from the Agni-Tirtha on the bank of the Alakananda. When god Siva cut off the fifth head of god Brahma, it stuck to his hand, Siva performed pilgrimage to all places but was rid of that sticking head at this Tirtha. Hence it is called Brahma-Kapala. Pilgrims offer here to their ancestors.] which dispels sins. In its midst too, there arr five rocky slabs that dispel sins.
45. O Mohini, listen to another great holy pool here itself. By taking a holy dip here with devotion, the man becomes master of the Vedas.
46. The Asura named Hayasiras, a terror to Devas and others, snatched away Vedas coming out of the mouth of god Brahma.
47. Thereupon, prayed to by Brahma, Visnu manifested himself in the form of a divine Fish. The lord killed the demon and handed over the Vedas to Brahma.
48. That Tirtha is highly meritorious. It illuminates all lores. O blessed lady, it is called Taimingila Tirtha. By its mere vision it is destructive of sins.
49-50. Once again, the unchanging lord Visnu in the form of the horse-necked being, killed the arrogant Asuras, Madhu and Kaitabha who stole the Vedas from god Brahma. He handed the Vedas back to Brahma. O daughter of Brahma that Tirtha dispels sins by a mere holy dip.
51. In both Tirthas, Matsya (i.e. Taimingalla) [According to Kalyana 31. 1 P. 61, it is high up on the mountain behind the Badrinatha temple at a higher altitude than Urva-Kunda.] as well as Hayagriva, the Vedas exist in the liquid form of water perpetually. O gentle lady, that water is destructive of sins.
52. O gentle lady, there is a famous holy centre Indrapada in the south-east corner. By taking a holy dip therein, a man shall attain the region of Indra (or Indra-hood).
53. There is another charming Tirtha there named Manasodbhedaka [At Kesava-Prayaga, near the stone bridge or Bhimasila on the Alakananda, two cascades form this Tirtha. Its water is famous in Garhwal for its health-restorative efficacy.] (resolver of the mind.) It splits the knots in the hearts; it dispels all doubts.
54-55. It dispels all sins also. Hence, it is called Manasodbhedaka.
O fair-faced lady, there is another Tirtha there called Kamakama. It bestows the desired objects on those who have a desire for it and confers salvation on those who have no desires.
O gentle lady, to the west of it is the Tirtha called Vasudhara. [This is a beautiful waterfall at a distance of five miles from Badarinatha shrine.]
56-57. By taking a holy bath therein with devotion, a man obtains the desired benefit (Defective Text). The meritorious persons see the deity, stationed in the middle of waters. On seeing it, the creature does not have the compulsion to stay in the womb (i.e. is not reborn).
Thereafter, in the south-western direction five currents flow down.
58. Their names are Prabhasa, Puskara, Gaya, Naimisaranya and Kuruksetra. By taking a holy dip in every one of them separately, the man obtains the benefit of respective Tirtha.
59-60A. There is another pure Tirtha, the second name of which is Somakunda, By performing severe penance here, Soma (the moon god) became the over-lord of planets and luminaries that move about in the firmament). O gentle lady, by taking a holy bath, a man becomes free from defects and sins.
60B-61a. There is another Tirtha there called Dvadasaditya, (the sacred pool of the twelve sun-gods). It is excessively destructive of sins. By taking a holy dip in it, a man becomes comparable to the sun by means of his refulgence.
61B-62A. There is another Tirtha there called Catuhsrotas. A man who plunges into it attains whatever he wishes from among the Purusarthas viz. virtue, wealth love and liberation.
62B-63. There is another charming Tirtha there named Saptapada. By the very sight of this Tirtha, even great sins definitely perish. O chaste lady, what then if he takes a holy bath therein?
64. In the sacred pools called Trilokakundas, Brahma, Visnu and Mahesvara are stationed. By dying therein the man attains the region called Satya-loka.
65-66A. O auspicious lady, there is another Tirtha in the residence of Naranarayana. Its name is Urvasikunda. [Just behind tlie Badarinatha shrine, high up on the hill there is the Urvasi Kunda. Here Narayana is said to have created Urvasi from his lap and discomfited Indra’s band of tempters.] One who takes bath here becomes endowed with handsome features. He shall be a great favourite of Narayana. He will captivate the universe.
66B. Then to the south of it there is the great Tirtha called Astra.
67-68. It was here that Nara and Narayana deposited their weapons and engaged themselves in the penance. (It is true) O highly blessed lady, since the divine weapons (such as) the conch, discus etc are seen in embodied form by meritorious persons. A man who takes a holy bath there with devotion shall never be afraid of an enemy.
69. There is the holy centre called Merutirtha there. By visiting the bowbearing deity after the holy dip, O auspicious lady, the devotee realises all desires.
70-71 A. There is another Tirtha named after the guardians of quarters. It is an excellent holy centre. It is here that the guardians of quarters performed penance. O gentle lady, the man who performs ablution into the Tirtha attains the benefit of plunging into all Tirthas.
71B-72A. Since it was by striking with his staff that the Tirtha was created by Hari, it has come to be called Dandapuskarini. It yields happiness to the protectors of the worlds (i.e. the guardians of quarters.)
72B-74A. That Tirtha where the Bhagirathi is joined by Alakananda is the most excellent of all holy spots in the sacred Badarikasrama. By taking a holy bath and devoutly performing the Tarpana rites to the Pitrs and Devas and by worshipping them with devotion, the devotee attains the abode of Visnu. He is bowed to by all Devas.
74B-75. O splendid-faced lady, there is Dharmaksetra (the sacred place called Dharma) to the south of the confluence. I consider that holy centre as the most sacred. It is the most excellent of all Tirthas. O gentle lady, by taking a holy bath there, the man becomes one who has reached the vicinity of that which should be accomplished (viz. Moksa).
76. The Tirtha called Urvasisangama, is the dispeller of all sins of man. There is another holy centre called Karmoddhara. It is the sole means to attain Hari’s devotion.
77. The Tirtha called Brahmavarta is the sole cause of attaining the world of Brahma. These Tirthas based on the Ganga have been recounted to you.
78-79A. Even god Brahma is not competent to describe entirely the Tirthas stationed there. He who listens to this and he who narrates this with concentration shall be liberated from all sins. He shall attain the world of Visnu.
79B-80A. The man who stays here for a month and observes holy rites with devotion, will visualize lord Hari, Nara and Narayana directly.
80B. Premature death, mental anguish, physical ailments and fear of serpents shall not befall the abode, O gentle lady, where the greatness of Badarikasrama has been written and preserved. Thanks to Hari’s favour, happiness always abides there. The riches flourish, thanks to the favour of Visnu.