History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c74.t2.203

v5.c74.t2.203

Before discussing the most important passage of the Vanaparva (viz. 84. 82-103) we must see what precedes the description of Gayā. Dr. Barua and many of those that have written on this passage have not carefully considered the implications of verses 1-81 of chapter 84 and also of the following chapters. In Vanaparva 84. 1-81 the author makes Dhaumya name about 57 holy places (including such famous ones as Naimiṣa, Sākambharī, Gaṅgādvāra, Kanakhala, the confluence of Gaṅgā and Yamunā, Kubjāmraka) and then comes to speak of the sacred spots in Gayā¹⁴⁷³ It is therefore clear that the intention of the author is not to speak exhaustively about any tīrtha. For this reason some tīrthas are described twice in the Vanaparva. For example Naimiṣa is very highly praised in chap. 84. 59-64 and again in chap. 87. 6-7. The same happens with regard to Gayā in 85.82-103 and 87.8-12. We cannot at all presume from the manner in which tīrthas in Gayā are named and described that the writer of Vanaparva (chap. 84. 82-103) meant to be exhaustive as regards the holy spots in Gayā or the legends about Gayā. This conclusion is very much strengthened by the fact that in the Anuśāsanaparva three sacred spots in Gayā are mentioned which do not occur in Vanaparva 84. 82-103 viz. 'In Gayā a man becomes purified in Aśmapṛṣṭha (the same as Pretaśilā), on the hill Niravinda and of even a third brāhmaṇa murder in Krauñcapadī'.¹⁴⁷⁴ These three, Aśmapṛṣṭha, Niravinda and Krauñcapadī, are in addition to those sacred spots that are mentioned in Vanaparva 84. In Vāyu 109. 15 a hill Aravindaka is said to be a peak of the Śilāparvata and Nāradīya (uttara 47. 83), Vāyu 108. 75 and Nāradīya (uttara 46. 16) mention the hill Krauñcapada (Muṇḍa-pṛṣṭha was so called) Therefore it is clear that three important sites in the Gayāmāhātmya are mentioned by the Anuśāsanaparva.