Skandapurana 2.1.28
English (machine translation) 2.1.28
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2.1.28.1
Now begins the māhātmya of Kaṭāhatīrtha.
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The seers said:
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O Sūta, knower of the true nature of all things, master of the Vedas and Vedānta!
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On the glorious Veṅkaṭa mountain is a most purifying sacred ford named Kaṭāha. (1)
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Its māhātmya is heard about and proclaimed in the three worlds.
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O you who were instructed by Vyāsa, tell this to us out of compassion! (2)
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Formerly indeed, the glorious Nārada, son of Brahmā and great seer,
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that best of the twice-born, having seen the Naimiṣa forest, arrived [there]. (3)
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Then, having worshipped that son of Brahmā in the proper manner with auspicious water for arghya, pādya, and the rest,
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and having seated him upon a pure seat of kuśa grass, (4)
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with great devotion, their necks bowed down in humility,
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having bowed, all these great seers petitioned him: (5)
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Except for you, O glorious Nārada, in the three worlds
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there is no teacher of dharma among the great seers—none at all! (6)
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On the holy Veṅkaṭa mountain, served by all the gods,
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divine, descended from Vaikuṇṭha, frequented by Siddhas and Gandharvas, (7)
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describe today the māhātmya of the Kaṭāhatīrtha to the forest-dwellers! (8)
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The glorious Nārada said:
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Listen, all you seers headed by Śaunaka, endowed with great splendor!
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Who in the three worlds knows the māhātmya of the Kaṭāhatīrtha? (9)
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Mahādeva knows the majesty of that sacred ford.
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Whatever holy sacred fords exist within the universe, (10)
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those sacred fords such as Gaṅgā, for the thorough purification of their own sins,
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resort to the Kaṭāhatīrtha, O best of the twice-born! .. 11 ..
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Brahmins, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, śūdras, and other castes
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touch its water—the fool who, thinking thus, does not drink it .. 12 ..
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shall become an outcaste and fall into the Kumbhīpāka hell.
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A student, a householder, a forest-dweller, or a lord of ascetics— .. 13 ..
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by resorting to that sacred ford, he attains the supreme state.
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Praise of that sacred ford in the Śrutis, Smṛtis, and Purāṇas .. 14 ..
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is celebrated in many ways as destroying the five great sins,
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most wonderful, O brahmins, the sole purifier of all worlds. .. 15 ..
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Even ten thousand murders of brahmins, and likewise ten thousand instances of drinking liquor,
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ten thousand violations of the guru's bed that bring about sin, .. 16 ..
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ten thousand thefts of gold, and tens of millions of associations with such persons—
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they quickly vanish through devotion to that sacred ford. .. 17 ..
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Whatever diverse sins there are that are without expiation,
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all of them are destroyed by resorting to this sacred ford. .. 18 ..
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This sacred ford is exceedingly holy, issuing from the Lord's feet.
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Whoever, afflicted with leprosy or other diseases, drinks this every day .. 19 ..
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Now, the attainment of the great hell for those devoid of faith in the glory of the Kaṭāhatīrtha.
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even he, freed from disease, goes to the realm of Viṣṇu.
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In ancient times the Lord, the divine Śaṃkara, in a secret realization, .. 2.1.28.20 ..
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related the majesty of that sacred ford to Pārvatī.
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No doubt should ever be entertained concerning these statements; .. 21 ..
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nor should it ever be said that this is mere eulogy.
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Those atheistic souls who say this is mere eulogy— .. 22 ..
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the servants [of Yama] thrust a red-hot axe into the tip of their tongue.
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Therefore, the Kaṭāhatīrtha should be resorted to with diligence; .. 23 ..
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it calms all sorrows and bestows the fruit of final beatitude,
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drinking where a man with devotion obtains all desires. .. 24 ..
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Having spoken thus, the illustrious one departed for Vārāṇasī, the purifier of the three worlds;
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the glorious Nārada arrived [there], O Sūta, best of Purāṇa reciters! .. 25 ..
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The Lord indeed spoke [about this] in brief in Naimiṣa.
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We now wish to hear the majesty of the Kaṭāha [tīrtha]. .. 26 ..
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Tell it to us in full detail, O Sūta, out of compassion! .. 27 ..
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Now, the method of drinking [the water of] the Kaṭāhatīrtha.
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Śrī Sūta said:
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O all you whose wealth is austerity, dwellers in the Naimiṣa forest,
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hear the māhātmya of the Kaṭāhatīrtha, O best of the twice-born! .. 28 ..
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The Kaṭāhatīrtha, O brahmins, is renowned in all worlds,
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bestowing all prosperity, pure, the destroyer of all sins. .. 29 ..
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Indeed, it dispels bad dreams and destroys the great sins;
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it calms great obstacles and brings great peace to men. .. 2.1.28.30 ..
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Since by mere remembrance it eradicates all the sins of men,
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one should drink that enchanting sacred water with the eight-syllable mantra itself, .. 31 ..
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or one may drink the water with names beginning with Keśava,
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or else one should drink the auspicious sacred water with the three names, .. 32 ..
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or indeed with the eight-syllable mantra of Veṅkaṭeśa.
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One should drink that Kaṭāhatīrtha, which bestows worldly enjoyment and liberation. .. 33 ..
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The brahmin who drinks that supreme sacred water without a mantra,
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[should say,] 'Quickly destroy my great sin committed in other births!' .. 34 ..
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Saying this, he should daily drink the sole means to the path of liberation.
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A ritual ablution in the Svāmipuṣkariṇī, the darśana of Varāha and the Lord of Śrī, .. 35 ..
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and the drinking of the Kaṭāhatīrtha: this triad is rare in the three worlds.
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What need of saying much here? It destroys [the sin of] murdering a brahmin and the like. .. 36 ..
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Now, the narrative of the brahmin named Keśava.
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Formerly, a certain brahmin named Keśava, out of delusion,
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killed a learned man with a sword through foolishness, and incurred [the sin of] murdering a brahmin. .. 37 ..
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Even he, having drunk the unexcelled water in that great sacred ford,
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that great sinner named Keśava was freed from the murder of a brahmin. .. 38 ..
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The seers said:
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Whose son was the one named Keśava? How did he contract that terrifying
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[and] the most terrifying brahmahatyā? You ought to tell us.
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The venerable Sūta said:
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On the delightful bank of the Tuṅgabhadrā, frequented by gandharvas,
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there was a great agrahāra known by the name of Vedāḍhya.
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In that charming Vedapura, there were brahmins who had mastered the Vedas,
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all devoted to grammar and proficient in the science of astronomy.
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They were learned in Mīmāṃsā and logic, and all expounded Vedānta.
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They were devoted to the legal treatises and constantly engaged in giving food.
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All those eminent people in the agrahāra had sons.
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In that Vedāḍhya agrahāra there was one renowned as Padmanābha.
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Now begins the sequence of the brahmin Keśava, lustful for a courtesan, contracting brahmahatyā.
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His son was named Keśava, who was excluded from all rites.
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Abandoning his mother, his father, and even his devoted wife,
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ever attached to a courtesan, he entered the house of a harlot.
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Having enjoyed that harlot for two days, the brahmin then,
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having placed the two niṣkas due into her hand, departed happily.
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When he was without wealth, he was cast off by the harlot, yet he remained solely intent on union with her.
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Stealing much wealth incessantly from here and there,
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he gave it to her, revelled with her for a long time, and ate in her house.
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From a single cup he drank wine together with her.
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Once, that brahmin went with Kirātas to rob wealth.
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Assuming the guise of a Kirāta in the house of a certain brahmin,
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that Keśava, an outcast brahmin, daring and with a sword in hand,
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rashly killed with his sword the brahmin who was the master of that house.
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Taking much wealth, he entered the harlot's house.
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As he went, the terrifying brahmahatyā pursued him,
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dreadful, wearing blue garments, with intensely red hair,
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roaring with mocking laughter, and making heaven and earth tremble.
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Pursued by her, the brahmin wandered across the earth.
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Thus wandering all over the earth, that wicked outcast brahmin
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went in fear to his own village, O Śaunaka and other immensely energetic ones!
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Pursued by her, terrified, he went to his own abode.
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Pursuing him, the brahmahatyā too entered the house along with him.
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Keśava went to his father for refuge, crying, 'Protect me! Protect me!'
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Saying, 'Do not fear,' the father prepared to protect him.
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Now the speech of brahmahatyā when Padmanābha prepared to protect his son.
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That cruel brahmahatyā addressed the father:
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Brahmahatyā said:
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'Do not receive him, O Padmanābha, best of brahmins!
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He is a wine-drinker, a thief, a slayer of a brahmin, and a grievous sinner,
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a traitor to his mother, a traitor to his father, an abandoner of his wife, evil-minded,
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and his heart is attached to a courtesan; release this wicked soul!
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If you harbor your son in vain, O brahmin, this great sinner,
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your wife, his wife, you, this son, O brahmin,
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and your entire lineage I shall devour; therefore release this wicked soul!
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If you abandon this son, I will release all of you right now.
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You ought not to destroy the whole family for the sake of one, O highly intelligent one!'
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Being addressed thus by her there, Padmanābha said to her:
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Padmanābha said:
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'Affection for my son afflicts me; how can I abandon my son?'
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Hearing that, brahmahatyā said to that Padmanābha:
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Brahmahatyā said:
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'This son of yours has fallen; he is excluded from social classes and stages of life.
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Do not show affection for this son; the sight of him is blameworthy.'
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Having spoken thus, that brahmahatyā, while Padmanābha was looking on,
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struck his son named Keśava with her hand.
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He wept, repeatedly saying to his father, 'Father, father!'
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The father, the mother, and the wife of that wicked person wept.
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Now the means of release from brahmahatyā spoken by Bharadvāja to Padmanābha.
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At that time, the illustrious Bharadvāja, the great sage,
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By good fortune, O Śaunaka and others of great splendor, the yogi arrived. (66)
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Then Padmanābha, seeing that great sage Bharadvāja,
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praised him, bowed, and sought refuge for the sake of his son: (67)
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“O greatly fortunate Bharadvāja, you are an direct portion of Viṣṇu.
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The sight of you will never be [granted] to the unvirtuous. (68)
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My son has become a murderer of a brahmin, a drinker of liquor, and a thief.
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Frightful brahmahatyā has arrived to strike down my son. (69)
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[Tell me] how this son of mine may be freed from the great sin,
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and how this terrible brahmahatyā may swiftly perish. (70)
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Speak that means today; have compassion on my son!
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For I have only one son, O sage; I have no other child. (71)
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If my son dies, my lineage will be cut off at the root.
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Then there will certainly be no one to offer rice-balls to the ancestors. (72)
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Therefore, O venerable sage, show mercy to us!”
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Addressed thus, that Bharadvāja, who was a direct portion of Nārāyaṇa,
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meditated for a very long time, and then spoke these words to Padmanābha: (74)
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Bharadvāja said:
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“O Padmanābha, a most cruel sin was committed by your son.
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There can be no expiation of this sin even by ten thousand penances. (75)
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Even so, for the pacification of this sin of your son,
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I shall declare an expiation; listen, O Padmanābha, O brahmin! (76)
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Two hundred yojanas south of the Gaṅgā, O brahmin,
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at a measure of five yojanas west of the eastern ocean, (77)
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and just one krośa north of the bank of the Suvarṇamukharī,
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[there is a mountain] known as Veṅkaṭādri, bowed to by all worlds, (78)
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the son of Meru, greatly holy, praised by all the gods,
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the great pleasure-mountain of Viṣṇu, brought from the realm of Vaikuṇṭha (79)
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by swift Garuḍa to the auspicious bank of the Svarṇamukhī;
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it stands worshipped by hosts of gods and hosts of seers. (80)
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On that king of mountains, Veṅkaṭa, Nārāyaṇa himself in visible form,
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having arrived together with the goddess Lakṣmī, the goddess Bhū, and the goddess Nīlā, (81)
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resides as that Veṅkaṭeśa who directly bestows liberation.
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To the north of the temple of that Lord of Veṅkaṭa, (82)
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there is, O best of brahmins, the Kaṭāhatīrtha, which bestows auspiciousness,
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destroys sins such as brahmahatyā, and bestows desired objects. (83)
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Together with your son, O best of brahmins, drink that charming sacred ford!”
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Having heard those words of Bharadvāja, which were equal to the Veda, (84)
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he bowed his head to him and went to Mount Veṅkaṭa. (85)
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Now, the release of Keśava from brahmahatyā by drinking the Kaṭāhatīrtha according to the instruction of Bharadvāja:
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Having gone to that Mount Veṅkaṭa, in the water of the Svāmipuṣkariṇī,
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the best of brahmins bathed together with his son according to the rules. (86)
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Having bowed to the Lord Varāha, he went to the temple of Śrīnivāsa.
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Then, having circumambulated and bowed down to the vimāna, (87)
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Padmanābha, together with his wicked son Keśava,
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drank that Kaṭāhatīrtha which destroys brahmahatyā. (88)
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At that very moment, that brahmahatyā swiftly perished.
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Then, having gone from there to Veṅkaṭeśa, the treasure of mercy, (89)
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the best of brahmins, Padmanābha, saw [him] together with his son.
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Then the god Veṅkaṭeśa, the treasure of compassion, manifested [himself]; (90)
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pleased by the drinking of the Kaṭāhatīrtha, he spoke [these] words: (91)
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Now, the Lord’s speech to Padmanābha who was accompanied by his son freed from brahmahatyā:
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The Blessed Lord said:
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“O Padmanābha of great intellect, who have reached the far shore of the Vedas and the Vedānta!
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Having reached Mount Veṅkaṭa by the word of Bharadvāja, (92)
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and having drunk the Kaṭāhatīrtha, you have achieved your aim, without doubt.
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Your son named Keśava is freed from brahmahatyā. (93)
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Therefore, the Kaṭāhatīrtha should certainly be resort to with effort.
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- Skandapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit