Skandapurana 2.1.28

Now begins the māhātmya of Kaṭāhatīrtha.

The seers said:

O Sūta, knower of the true nature of all things, master of the Vedas and Vedānta!

On the glorious Veṅkaṭa mountain is a most purifying sacred ford named Kaṭāha. (1)

Its māhātmya is heard about and proclaimed in the three worlds.

O you who were instructed by Vyāsa, tell this to us out of compassion! (2)

Formerly indeed, the glorious Nārada, son of Brahmā and great seer,

that best of the twice-born, having seen the Naimiṣa forest, arrived [there]. (3)

Then, having worshipped that son of Brahmā in the proper manner with auspicious water for arghya, pādya, and the rest,

and having seated him upon a pure seat of kuśa grass, (4)

with great devotion, their necks bowed down in humility,

having bowed, all these great seers petitioned him: (5)

Except for you, O glorious Nārada, in the three worlds

there is no teacher of dharma among the great seers—none at all! (6)

On the holy Veṅkaṭa mountain, served by all the gods,

divine, descended from Vaikuṇṭha, frequented by Siddhas and Gandharvas, (7)

describe today the māhātmya of the Kaṭāhatīrtha to the forest-dwellers! (8)

The glorious Nārada said:

Listen, all you seers headed by Śaunaka, endowed with great splendor!

Who in the three worlds knows the māhātmya of the Kaṭāhatīrtha? (9)

Mahādeva knows the majesty of that sacred ford.

Whatever holy sacred fords exist within the universe, (10)

those sacred fords such as Gaṅgā, for the thorough purification of their own sins,

resort to the Kaṭāhatīrtha, O best of the twice-born! .. 11 ..

Brahmins, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, śūdras, and other castes

touch its water—the fool who, thinking thus, does not drink it .. 12 ..

shall become an outcaste and fall into the Kumbhīpāka hell.

A student, a householder, a forest-dweller, or a lord of ascetics— .. 13 ..

by resorting to that sacred ford, he attains the supreme state.

Praise of that sacred ford in the Śrutis, Smṛtis, and Purāṇas .. 14 ..

is celebrated in many ways as destroying the five great sins,

most wonderful, O brahmins, the sole purifier of all worlds. .. 15 ..

Even ten thousand murders of brahmins, and likewise ten thousand instances of drinking liquor,

ten thousand violations of the guru's bed that bring about sin, .. 16 ..

ten thousand thefts of gold, and tens of millions of associations with such persons—

they quickly vanish through devotion to that sacred ford. .. 17 ..

Whatever diverse sins there are that are without expiation,

all of them are destroyed by resorting to this sacred ford. .. 18 ..

This sacred ford is exceedingly holy, issuing from the Lord's feet.

Whoever, afflicted with leprosy or other diseases, drinks this every day .. 19 ..

Now, the attainment of the great hell for those devoid of faith in the glory of the Kaṭāhatīrtha.

even he, freed from disease, goes to the realm of Viṣṇu.

In ancient times the Lord, the divine Śaṃkara, in a secret realization, .. 2.1.28.20 ..

related the majesty of that sacred ford to Pārvatī.

No doubt should ever be entertained concerning these statements; .. 21 ..

nor should it ever be said that this is mere eulogy.

Those atheistic souls who say this is mere eulogy— .. 22 ..

the servants [of Yama] thrust a red-hot axe into the tip of their tongue.

Therefore, the Kaṭāhatīrtha should be resorted to with diligence; .. 23 ..

it calms all sorrows and bestows the fruit of final beatitude,

drinking where a man with devotion obtains all desires. .. 24 ..

Having spoken thus, the illustrious one departed for Vārāṇasī, the purifier of the three worlds;

the glorious Nārada arrived [there], O Sūta, best of Purāṇa reciters! .. 25 ..

The Lord indeed spoke [about this] in brief in Naimiṣa.

We now wish to hear the majesty of the Kaṭāha [tīrtha]. .. 26 ..

Tell it to us in full detail, O Sūta, out of compassion! .. 27 ..

Now, the method of drinking [the water of] the Kaṭāhatīrtha.

Śrī Sūta said:

O all you whose wealth is austerity, dwellers in the Naimiṣa forest,

hear the māhātmya of the Kaṭāhatīrtha, O best of the twice-born! .. 28 ..

The Kaṭāhatīrtha, O brahmins, is renowned in all worlds,

bestowing all prosperity, pure, the destroyer of all sins. .. 29 ..

Indeed, it dispels bad dreams and destroys the great sins;

it calms great obstacles and brings great peace to men. .. 2.1.28.30 ..

Since by mere remembrance it eradicates all the sins of men,

one should drink that enchanting sacred water with the eight-syllable mantra itself, .. 31 ..

or one may drink the water with names beginning with Keśava,

or else one should drink the auspicious sacred water with the three names, .. 32 ..

or indeed with the eight-syllable mantra of Veṅkaṭeśa.

One should drink that Kaṭāhatīrtha, which bestows worldly enjoyment and liberation. .. 33 ..

The brahmin who drinks that supreme sacred water without a mantra,

[should say,] 'Quickly destroy my great sin committed in other births!' .. 34 ..

Saying this, he should daily drink the sole means to the path of liberation.

A ritual ablution in the Svāmipuṣkariṇī, the darśana of Varāha and the Lord of Śrī, .. 35 ..

and the drinking of the Kaṭāhatīrtha: this triad is rare in the three worlds.

What need of saying much here? It destroys [the sin of] murdering a brahmin and the like. .. 36 ..

Now, the narrative of the brahmin named Keśava.

Formerly, a certain brahmin named Keśava, out of delusion,

killed a learned man with a sword through foolishness, and incurred [the sin of] murdering a brahmin. .. 37 ..

Even he, having drunk the unexcelled water in that great sacred ford,

that great sinner named Keśava was freed from the murder of a brahmin. .. 38 ..

The seers said:

Whose son was the one named Keśava? How did he contract that terrifying

[and] the most terrifying brahmahatyā? You ought to tell us.

The venerable Sūta said:

On the delightful bank of the Tuṅgabhadrā, frequented by gandharvas,

there was a great agrahāra known by the name of Vedāḍhya.

In that charming Vedapura, there were brahmins who had mastered the Vedas,

all devoted to grammar and proficient in the science of astronomy.

They were learned in Mīmāṃsā and logic, and all expounded Vedānta.

They were devoted to the legal treatises and constantly engaged in giving food.

All those eminent people in the agrahāra had sons.

In that Vedāḍhya agrahāra there was one renowned as Padmanābha.

Now begins the sequence of the brahmin Keśava, lustful for a courtesan, contracting brahmahatyā.

His son was named Keśava, who was excluded from all rites.

Abandoning his mother, his father, and even his devoted wife,

ever attached to a courtesan, he entered the house of a harlot.

Having enjoyed that harlot for two days, the brahmin then,

having placed the two niṣkas due into her hand, departed happily.

When he was without wealth, he was cast off by the harlot, yet he remained solely intent on union with her.

Stealing much wealth incessantly from here and there,

he gave it to her, revelled with her for a long time, and ate in her house.

From a single cup he drank wine together with her.

Once, that brahmin went with Kirātas to rob wealth.

Assuming the guise of a Kirāta in the house of a certain brahmin,

that Keśava, an outcast brahmin, daring and with a sword in hand,

rashly killed with his sword the brahmin who was the master of that house.

Taking much wealth, he entered the harlot's house.

As he went, the terrifying brahmahatyā pursued him,

dreadful, wearing blue garments, with intensely red hair,

roaring with mocking laughter, and making heaven and earth tremble.

Pursued by her, the brahmin wandered across the earth.

Thus wandering all over the earth, that wicked outcast brahmin

went in fear to his own village, O Śaunaka and other immensely energetic ones!

Pursued by her, terrified, he went to his own abode.

Pursuing him, the brahmahatyā too entered the house along with him.

Keśava went to his father for refuge, crying, 'Protect me! Protect me!'

Saying, 'Do not fear,' the father prepared to protect him.

Now the speech of brahmahatyā when Padmanābha prepared to protect his son.

That cruel brahmahatyā addressed the father:

Brahmahatyā said:

'Do not receive him, O Padmanābha, best of brahmins!

He is a wine-drinker, a thief, a slayer of a brahmin, and a grievous sinner,

a traitor to his mother, a traitor to his father, an abandoner of his wife, evil-minded,

and his heart is attached to a courtesan; release this wicked soul!

If you harbor your son in vain, O brahmin, this great sinner,

your wife, his wife, you, this son, O brahmin,

and your entire lineage I shall devour; therefore release this wicked soul!

If you abandon this son, I will release all of you right now.

You ought not to destroy the whole family for the sake of one, O highly intelligent one!'

Being addressed thus by her there, Padmanābha said to her:

Padmanābha said:

'Affection for my son afflicts me; how can I abandon my son?'

Hearing that, brahmahatyā said to that Padmanābha:

Brahmahatyā said:

'This son of yours has fallen; he is excluded from social classes and stages of life.

Do not show affection for this son; the sight of him is blameworthy.'

Having spoken thus, that brahmahatyā, while Padmanābha was looking on,

struck his son named Keśava with her hand.

He wept, repeatedly saying to his father, 'Father, father!'

The father, the mother, and the wife of that wicked person wept.

Now the means of release from brahmahatyā spoken by Bharadvāja to Padmanābha.

At that time, the illustrious Bharadvāja, the great sage,

By good fortune, O Śaunaka and others of great splendor, the yogi arrived. (66)

Then Padmanābha, seeing that great sage Bharadvāja,

praised him, bowed, and sought refuge for the sake of his son: (67)

“O greatly fortunate Bharadvāja, you are an direct portion of Viṣṇu.

The sight of you will never be [granted] to the unvirtuous. (68)

My son has become a murderer of a brahmin, a drinker of liquor, and a thief.

Frightful brahmahatyā has arrived to strike down my son. (69)

[Tell me] how this son of mine may be freed from the great sin,

and how this terrible brahmahatyā may swiftly perish. (70)

Speak that means today; have compassion on my son!

For I have only one son, O sage; I have no other child. (71)

If my son dies, my lineage will be cut off at the root.

Then there will certainly be no one to offer rice-balls to the ancestors. (72)

Therefore, O venerable sage, show mercy to us!”

Addressed thus, that Bharadvāja, who was a direct portion of Nārāyaṇa,

meditated for a very long time, and then spoke these words to Padmanābha: (74)

Bharadvāja said:

“O Padmanābha, a most cruel sin was committed by your son.

There can be no expiation of this sin even by ten thousand penances. (75)

Even so, for the pacification of this sin of your son,

I shall declare an expiation; listen, O Padmanābha, O brahmin! (76)

Two hundred yojanas south of the Gaṅgā, O brahmin,

at a measure of five yojanas west of the eastern ocean, (77)

and just one krośa north of the bank of the Suvarṇamukharī,

[there is a mountain] known as Veṅkaṭādri, bowed to by all worlds, (78)

the son of Meru, greatly holy, praised by all the gods,

the great pleasure-mountain of Viṣṇu, brought from the realm of Vaikuṇṭha (79)

by swift Garuḍa to the auspicious bank of the Svarṇamukhī;

it stands worshipped by hosts of gods and hosts of seers. (80)

On that king of mountains, Veṅkaṭa, Nārāyaṇa himself in visible form,

having arrived together with the goddess Lakṣmī, the goddess Bhū, and the goddess Nīlā, (81)

resides as that Veṅkaṭeśa who directly bestows liberation.

To the north of the temple of that Lord of Veṅkaṭa, (82)

there is, O best of brahmins, the Kaṭāhatīrtha, which bestows auspiciousness,

destroys sins such as brahmahatyā, and bestows desired objects. (83)

Together with your son, O best of brahmins, drink that charming sacred ford!”

Having heard those words of Bharadvāja, which were equal to the Veda, (84)

he bowed his head to him and went to Mount Veṅkaṭa. (85)

Now, the release of Keśava from brahmahatyā by drinking the Kaṭāhatīrtha according to the instruction of Bharadvāja:

Having gone to that Mount Veṅkaṭa, in the water of the Svāmipuṣkariṇī,

the best of brahmins bathed together with his son according to the rules. (86)

Having bowed to the Lord Varāha, he went to the temple of Śrīnivāsa.

Then, having circumambulated and bowed down to the vimāna, (87)

Padmanābha, together with his wicked son Keśava,

drank that Kaṭāhatīrtha which destroys brahmahatyā. (88)

At that very moment, that brahmahatyā swiftly perished.

Then, having gone from there to Veṅkaṭeśa, the treasure of mercy, (89)

the best of brahmins, Padmanābha, saw [him] together with his son.

Then the god Veṅkaṭeśa, the treasure of compassion, manifested [himself]; (90)

pleased by the drinking of the Kaṭāhatīrtha, he spoke [these] words: (91)

Now, the Lord’s speech to Padmanābha who was accompanied by his son freed from brahmahatyā:

The Blessed Lord said:

“O Padmanābha of great intellect, who have reached the far shore of the Vedas and the Vedānta!

Having reached Mount Veṅkaṭa by the word of Bharadvāja, (92)

and having drunk the Kaṭāhatīrtha, you have achieved your aim, without doubt.

Your son named Keśava is freed from brahmahatyā. (93)

Therefore, the Kaṭāhatīrtha should certainly be resort to with effort.