Skandapurana 2.1.26

Now, the greatness of the Tumburu (Ghoṇa) sacred ford.

Śrī Sūta said:

“Here I shall proclaim, O Śaunaka and other [sages] of great splendour,

the māhātmya of the Ghoṇatīrtha, which destroys all sins.”

For people, a ritual ablution there yields the fruit of austerities performed in another birth.

On the full moon festival day of the bright fortnight conjoined with Uttarāphalgunī,

when the sun resides in Pisces, all the sacred fords everywhere,

the Gaṅgā and others in the three worlds, arrive in the afternoon at Tumbu's sacred ford.

The seers said: / O venerable Sūta, omniscient one, master of the meaning of all sacred treatises,

all the rivers beginning with Gaṅgā, at the exceedingly purifying Ghoṇatīrtha—

for what purpose do they perform ritual ablution there when the sun resides in Pisces?

The venerable Sūta said:

"Indeed, all sinful mortals diligently bathe in us;

casting off their webs of sin, people depart fulfilled.

How can that web of our sins be completely destroyed?"

Having thus reflected, the sacred fords headed by Gaṅgā, with great effort,

remembering the enchanting and divine speech of the great-souled Nārada,

the son of Brahmā, which eradicates all sins,

having gone to Mount Śrīveṅkaṭa, which dries up [sins such as] the murder of a brahmin,

and having bathed there in the waters of the Svāmipuṣkariṇī, the foremost of sacred fords,

thereafter, O brahmins, at the exceedingly purifying Ghoṇatīrtha,

on the festival day of the bright fortnight conjoined with Uttarāphalgunī,

all the sacred fords bathe when the sun resides in Pisces.

Who in the three worlds knows the greatness of that sacred ford?

Now the description of the great faults of those averse to bathing in Ghoṇatīrtha:

Therefore, O best of the twice-born, Ghoṇatīrtha is the most sacred of sacred fords.

One who destroys groves, is cruel, sells daughters and horses,

and has abandoned the bath at Ghoṇa—they call him a murderer of a brahmin.

One who plunders property of the gods as well as one who seizes what was given,

and has abandoned the bath at Ghoṇa—they call him a murderer of a brahmin.

One who breaches reservoirs and dams, one who lusts after intercourse with another's wife,

and has abandoned the bath at Ghoṇa—the wise call him a thief.

That vile materialist who, having said to a twice-born, "I give,"

[does not,] and has abandoned the bath at Ghoṇa—the wise know him as a drinker of liquor.

One who is hostile to gurus and twice-born folk, devoted to self-praise,

and has abandoned the bath at Ghoṇa—the wise call him a thief.

One who eats unconsecrated food, one who consumes food left over from ancestral rites,

and has abandoned the bath at Ghoṇa—the twice-born call him a thief.

One who gives food left over from ancestral rites [to others], one who opposes mother and father,

and has abandoned the bath at Ghoṇa—the wise call him a thief.

One intent on union with another's wife, fond of pleasure with a brother's wife,

and has abandoned the bath at Ghoṇa—they call him a violator of the guru's bed.

A twice-born who speaks with an outcaste, who constantly lacks kuśa grass in hand,

and has abandoned the bath at Ghoṇa—contact with him is indeed the fifth [great sin].

One who eats food after hearing the voice of a menstruating woman, a dog, or an outcaste,

and has abandoned the bath at Ghoṇa—contact with him is indeed the fifth [great sin].

One who causes obstacles to the Purāṇas, marriages, sacred thread ceremonies, and other religious duties,

and has abandoned the bath at Ghoṇa—they call him a slaughterer of cattle.

One who slays someone who has sought refuge, one turned away from all sacred fords,

and has abandoned the bath at Ghoṇa—the wise call him a killer of an embryo.

One who has neglected ancestral sacrifices, abandoned his wife, the lowest of his lineage,

and has abandoned the bath at Ghoṇa—they call him a killer of cows.

The minor sins that are equal to great sins,

O best of the twice-born, attach to one who has abandoned the bath at Ghoṇa.

Now the description of the removal of all sins by the bath at Ghoṇa:

O brahmins, even one addicted to great sins, a dog-cooker or the lowest of his family,

cruel, a destroyer of his lineage, miserable, ungenerous, devoid of righteous rites,

a slayer of animals, devoted to hostility toward others, and likewise a slanderer,

a speaker of untruth, deceitful, and attached to another's wife,

a betrayer of friends, an ungrateful man, a killer of an embryo, and an extreme sinner,

delighting in another's wife, wicked, an informant regarding others' wealth,

false, engaged in agriculture, treacherous to his master, and a deceiver,

greedy, a killer of his father, turned away from all gods,

praising himself, creating obstacles to righteousness, dishonest—

the one who spends wealth on the unworthy, who breaks up harmony,

the cutter of trees endowed with fine shoots and fruits,

the betrayer of trust, and the one devoted to slaying warriors,

one who maintains no sacred fire, who has no son, one who employs poison,

one who hates the guru, the sinner who brings discord between husband and wife,

one who exercises lordship over a village or likewise over a temple,

a brahmin who makes a display for hire, one intent on cruel deeds,

one who has made a habit of a multitude of sins, one devoted to secret vices,

one who commits sin through ignorance, or who does wicked deeds knowingly—

all these, O foremost of brahmins, the charming Ghoṇatīrtha

purifies through ritual ablution, drinking, and the like. Ah, the grandeur of the sacred ford! // 36

Now begins the story of the gandharva named Tumburu.

Śrī Sūta said:

Here I shall relate an ancient legend, destroying sin,

calming all evils, bestowing the fruit of liberation. // 37

Formerly, Gārgya, endowed with great splendor, skilled in all branches of learning,

all-knowing, moral, a brahmin of controlled senses, spoke thus: // 38

Bowing to the great-souled Devala, his mind serene, [he said:]

“Relate [it], O fortunate one; be compassionate to me!

Tell of the auspicious māhātmya of Ghoṇatīrtha, which takes away all sins.” // 39

Devala said:

A gandharva named Tumburu, having cursed his devoted wife,

bathed here and worshipped Veṅkaṭeśa, the ocean of mercy, // 40

and attained the realm of Viṣṇu, free from return [to rebirth]. // 41

Gārgya said:

“For what reason, O seer Devala, did the gandharva named Tumburu,

skilled in all branches of learning, // 42

curse his beautiful wife, a woman endowed with all virtues? By what fault [did this happen]?

Tell that, O fortunate one, for my curiosity to hear is great.” // 43

Now begins the manner of the rule of the Māgha ablution taught by Tumburu to his wife.

The gandharva named Tumburu spoke lovingly to his wife:

“Perform with me the bath that removes impurities during the three [critical days of] Māgha. // 44

In the month of Māgha, when the sun has risen, destroying all sins,

smear this bank with cow dung for the worship of Viṣṇu. // 45

With colored powders and minerals, [draw] white lotuses and svastikas.

Serve me and Viṣṇu in this auspicious month. // 46

In this Māgha, prepare a lamp-wick for this Mādhava;

with devotion offer before Hari fire along with incense. // 47

Having become pure, cook food for the great-souled Mādhava.

With circumambulations and prostrations, with devotion along with me in Māgha, // 48

perform daily worship to Viṣṇu, the God of gods.

Unwearied, listen constantly to the Purāṇa of Viṣṇu. // 49

Having bathed every day, drink with diligence Hari's foot-water.

‘Kṛṣṇa! Viṣṇu! Mukunda! Nārāyaṇa! Janārdana! // 50

Acyuta! Ananta! Soul of all!’—chant thus unceasingly.

Abandoning anger, jealousy, greed, and the like, observe the vow. // 51

Thereby liberation will be yours, and the eternal realm of Viṣṇu.”

Now begins the manner of the curse given by Tumburu to his wife and the liberation from it.

Hearing what her husband said thus, the gandharva's beloved,

in anger, spoke unbearable [words] to her husband that lead to misfortune: // 52

“When intense cold has arisen in Māgha, and the sun has risen faintly in the morning,

how could one plunge into [water] in this Māgha that brings torment from cold, O sinless one? // 53

The rites mentioned by you cannot be performed by me repeatedly.

O husband, I will not take a bath with you in the morning. // 54

If I die from extreme cold, you will not be my protector!”

Hearing what was spoken thus, her husband, the gandharva lord, // 55

though peaceful, then cursed his wife who spoke unpleasant words.

A son averse to righteousness, a wife who speaks unpleasant words, // 56

and a king hostile to brahmins—one should punish them immediately with a curse.

Considering this maxim, he then cursed the faithful wife thus: // 57

"On the highly meritorious Veṅkaṭādri, which destroys all sins,

and near Ghoṇatīrtha, inside the hollow of a pippala tree,

there, devoid of water, O foolish woman, become merely a frog!"

Hearing such words of her husband, the beloved of the gandharva,

falling at his feet, the chaste woman begged Tumburu.

Her husband Tumburu then declared the counter-curse:

"Indeed, Agastya, the greatly fortunate ascetic whose senses are conquered,

having bathed in the excellent Ghoṇatīrtha on the great lunar day of the full moon,

when, beside that aśvattha tree, to his disciples

the best of brahmins speaks the māhātmya of Ghoṇatīrtha,

then you, attentive inside the hollow of the pippala tree,

having heard the liberation-granting māhātmya of Ghoṇatīrtha,

having shaken off all sins, will delight with me."

Thus addressed, the lawful, faithful wife then fell silent.

From her husband's curse, she entered the most terrible body of a frog.

On that summit of Śeṣādri, to the south of Ghoṇatīrtha,

the woman went very slowly into the hollow of the pippala tree.

Ten thousand years passed for her inside the hollow of the aśvattha tree.

Then, after a period of time, Agastya went to the enchanting Veṅkaṭādri,

and, having bathed according to the rules in the sacred Śrīsvāmitīrtha,

having bowed to the god Varāhasvāmin to the south of the sacred ford,

having gone to the abode of Veṅkaṭeśa, to Śrīnivāsa, the treasure-house of compassion,

to the eternal God of gods, whose eyes are large, who is known through the Vedas,

having bowed down, the greatly fortunate Agastya then went to Ghoṇatīrtha.

Having bathed there in that best of sacred fords with his disciples, the best of yogins,

under the shade of the pippala tree, with devotion to his disciples,

the māhātmya of Ghoṇatīrtha, which destroys the murder of a brahmin,

bestows all auspiciousness, is meritorious, and grants all prosperities,

the foremost among yogins, the blessed seer Agastya, proclaimed.

Now, at Ghoṇatīrtha, through the darśana of Agastya, the cessation of Tumburu's wife's state as a frog:

Then, having heard [it], the female frog, at the feet of that yogin

fell, having perceived the glory of the sage through the lamp of knowledge.

Having attained her former form, the captivating form of a woman,

"O Agastya, foremost of yogins, protect, protect, O ocean of mercy!

Protect me with compassion, O brahmin, who opposed the words of her husband!"

Having said this to him, the large-eyed woman then fell silent.

Agastya said:

"Who are you, O fair-hipped lady? May there be auspiciousness to you. What sin in a previous birth

bestowed the birth of a frog? Tell that, and do not delay."

The woman said:

"There is a gandharva named Tumburu, skilled in all fields of knowledge.

I am his wife, O brahmin, O Agastya, who are attended by sages!

My husband knows all duties, Tumburu, the best of sages.

'Perform all lawful duties constantly together with me, O charming lady!'

Hearing then that command of my husband, which was beneficial for the other world,

an unbearable and extremely harsh statement, leading indeed to a bad destination,

was spoken by me through foolishness, O father, best of sages!"

Now the duties of devoted wives spoken by Agastya:

Agastya said:

"Your husband of razor-sharp intellect cursed you, filled with anger.

Thus, a curse was quite fitting for one opposing her husband's words.

She who, disregarding the words of her husband, acts according to her own will,

that woman falls into a dreadful hell as long as the moon and the stars endure.

Women have no independence; the speech of the husband must not be transgressed.

Through devotion to the husband, through merit, and through service to the husband,

women go to the abode of Viṣṇu, and not even by other noble vows.

The husband is mother, the husband is Viṣṇu, the husband is Brahmā, the husband is Śiva,

the husband is teacher, the husband is the sacred ford—so the wise know for women.

Rejecting the husband's words, that woman who with other good deeds

is always engaged, even she would never become pure at all."

Now, a woman who is without a husband, by [the instruction of] elders who know the highest duty,

she, being grateful, may perform a vow that bestows the fruit of righteousness.

She who is directed by her husband, devoted to her husband's thought,

who bathes in the sacred ford of her husband's lotus-feet, is dear to Hari;

she has bathed in all sacred fords, such as the Gaṅgā—of this there is no doubt.

Therefore, the fault committed by you came back to you, and as its fruit

was being experienced by you here while hearing the majesty of the Ghoṇatīrtha,

liberation occurred, and that beautiful-limbed female form [was restored] as before.

Therefore, the renown of the Ghoṇatīrtha in this world

came to be as 'Tumbutīrtha.' Oh, the majesty of the sacred ford!

Now, the attainment of various fruits by those who bathe in the Ghoṇatīrtha:

Śrī Sūta said:

In the most holy Ghoṇatīrtha, which destroys all sins,

those who bathe on the full-moon day, O Śaunaka and others of great splendor—

theirs is the holy fruit of a sacrifice, the fruit of ten thousand sacred fords.

He who gives a thousand tawny cows day after day,