Studies in the Geography of Ancient and Medieval India c21.11

c21.11

According to this passage, only three places on the earth are the abodes of Viṣṇu and they are : (1) Kokāmukha, (2) Badarī or Badarikāśrama, and (3) Lohārgala, all in the Himalayas. Chapter 141 of the *Purāṇa*, styled *Badarikāśrama-māhātmya-varṇana*, refers to a number of holy spots in the region of the *tīrtha* now known as Badarīnārāyaṇa. They are Brahma-kuṇḍa, Agnisatya-pada, Indraloka, Pañcaśikha, Catuḥ-srotaḥ, Vedadhāra, Dvādaśāditya-kuṇḍa, Lokapāla, Sthala-kuṇḍa amongst hills, Meruvara, Mānasodbheda, Pañca-saraḥ, Somābhiṣeka, Soma-giri, Urvaśī-kuṇḍa, etc. Chapter 151 of the *Varāha Purāṇa*, styled the *Lohārgala-māhātmya-varṇana*, refers to the holy spots belonging to the Lohārgala *tīrtha* in the land of the Mlecchas in the Himalayas.¹