Pramāṇa · Search · About · API

History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c74.t6: Godāvarī

History of Dharmaśāstra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c74.t6

Language
English

Contents

Godāvarī

v5.c74.t6.1.1

No mention of Godāvarī has so far been found in the Vedic Literature. In Buddhist works there are traditions about Bāvarī, who was a purohita of Mahākosala and then of Pasenadi, who resided in Assaka's territory in the vicinity of Aḷaka on the Godāvarī and who is said to have sent several disciples to Buddha at Śrāvastī (vide Suttanipāta, S. B. E. vol. X part 2 pp. 184 and 187). The Vārtika 'Saṅkhyāyā nadī-godāvarībhyāṁ ca' on Pāṇ. V. 4 75, expressly mentions Godāvarī and has in view 'Saptagodāvara'. The two Epics and Purāṇas contain numerous references to it. The Vanaparva¹⁶⁰⁹ mentions it as a holy river in the south, abounding in gardens and full of water and resorted to by hermits performing austerities. The Araṇyakāṇḍa of the Rāmāyaṇa (13.13 and 21) speaks of the country well-known as 'Pañcavaṭī' frequented by herds of deer which is near the Godāvarī and about two yojanas from Agastya's hermitage. It is in the Brahmapurāṇa that the Godāvarī and the subsidiary tīrthas on it have been lauded at great length in chapters 70-175. The Tīrthasāra (a part of Nṛsiṁhaprasāda) quotes about 60 verses from chapters 89, 91, 106, 107, 116-118, 121, 122, 128, 131, 144, 154, 159, 172 of the Brahmapurāṇa, which fact shows that the chapters on Gautamī in the present Brahmapurāṇa were part of the Brahmapurāṇa at least some centuries before 1500 A. D. Vide my paper in J.B.B.R.A.S for 1917 p 27-28.

v5.c74.t6.1.2

The Brahmapurāṇa generally refers to the Godāvarī as Gautamī.¹⁶¹⁰ It is stated by the Brahmapurāṇa that the Ganges to the south of the Vindhya mountain is called Gautamī and to its north Bhāgīrathī. The Godāvarī is said to be 200 yojanas long and there are three crores and a half of tīrthas on it.¹⁶¹¹ Daṇḍakāraṇya is said to be the seed (source or cause) of dharma and *mukti* and the country embraced by the Gautamī is specially the holiest.¹⁶¹² A verse occurring in several purāṇas states 'These countries (of Madhyadeśa) are immediately next to the mountain Sahya: thereon is Godāvarī and that country is the most charming in the whole world. There is Govardhana there which is (like) Mandara and Gandhamādana'.¹⁶¹³ Brahmapurāṇa (chapters 74-76) narrates how Gautama brought the Ganges from the matted hair of Śiva to Brahmagiri where he had his hermitage and how Gaṇeśa helped in the task by means of a ruse. The Nāradapurāṇa (uttarārdha 72) narrates that no rain fell for 12 years while Gautama practised *tapas*, that owing to famine all sages came to Gautama's hermitage, that he brought Gaṅgā to his hermitage, that he sowed śāli grains in the morning and reaped the crop by midday, that this went on till there was plenty of rain and crops, that Śiva appeared to him, that Gautama prayed that Śiva should stay near his hermitage and that hence the hill on which Gautama had his hermitage came to be called Tryambaka (verse 24). Varāha (71.

v5.c74.t6.1.3

37-44) also says that Gautama brought Jāhnavī to Daṇḍaka and the river became Godāvarī. The Kūrma (II. 20. 29-35) mentions a long list of rivers and other sacred places and winds up by saying that the Godāvarī is pre-eminently a place for performing śrāddha. It is stated in the Brahmapurāṇa that for the removal of all kinds of distress two alone are declared (as the means) viz. the holy river Gautamī or Śiva who is full of compassion.¹⁶¹⁴ The Brahmapurāṇa describes about a hundred tīrthas on the Godāvarī, such as Tryambaka (79.6), Kuśāvarta (80. 1-3), Janasthāna (88.1), Govardhana (chap. 91), Pravarāsaṅgama (106) and Nivāsapura¹⁶¹⁵ (106. 55), Vañjarāsaṅgama (159) but they have to be passed over from considerations of space. A few words must, however, be said about Nasik, Govardhana, Pañcavaṭī and Janasthāna. Nasik must have existed at least 200 years before Christ. An Inscription on one pillar of the railing at Bharhut stūpa (about 200 B. C.) records the gift of Gorakṣitā of Nasik, the wife of Vasuka.¹⁶¹⁶ This is the earliest certain historical reference to Nasik discovered so far. The Mahābhāṣya¹⁶¹⁷ speaks of Nāsikya as a city. The Vāyupurāṇa (45.130) mentions Nāsikya as a country. The Nasik Inscriptions in the Pāṇḍuleṇā caves (Bombay Gazetteer vol. 16 pp. 544-639 and E. I. vol. VIII pp. 59-96 edited by Senart) establish that Nasik was a prosperous place in the centuries before and after Christ. Ptolemy (about 150 A. D.) mentions Nasika (Ptolemy p. 156).

v5.c74.t6.1.4

It is not possible for reasons of space to go into the detailed history of Nasik, its bathing places and pools, its temples, pilgrimages and rites of worship. For these one may consult the Bombay Gazetteer, vol. 16 (for Nasik District). That volume states that there are about 60 temples in Nasik (pp. 503-512) and 16 in Pañcavaṭī and one the left bank of the Godāvarī (pp. 512 ff). But hardly any really old temple has survived. In 1680 A. D. twenty-five temples at Nasik were destroyed by the Deccan Viceroy of Aurangzeb Almost all the large temples that adorn Nasik were built during the times of the Peshwas of Poona (1750-1818). Three temples are specially worthy of mention, viz. the the Rāmji temple in Pañcavaṭī and Nāro Shankar's temple (or Bell temple) on the left bank of the Godāvarī near the first crossing and that of Sundara-nārāyaṇa in Āditwar Peth at Nasik (p. 503). The Sītā-gumphā (Sītā cave) in Pañcavaṭī close to some very old and tall Banyan trees that are believed to have sprung from the five trees that gave the name to the place is a much frequented place. Not far from the Sītā-gumphā is the temple of Kālā Rāma, one of the finest modern temples in Western India. There are numerous bathing places and sacred pools (*kuṇḍas*) between Govardhana (6 miles to the west of Nasik) and Tapovana (1½ miles to south-east of Nasik). Vide Bombay Gazetteer vol. 16 pp.

v5.c74.t6.1.5

522-526 The holiest spot in Nasik is the Rāmakunda near the left bank of the Godāvarī where it takes its first bend to the south For the Kālārāma daily services and the rites pilgrims have to perform at Nasik, vide Bombay Gazetteer vol 16 pp 517-518 and 529-531 respectively. Rāmanavamī is one of the great religious festivals at Nasik.

v5.c74.t6.2

¹⁶⁰⁹ यस्यामाख्यायते पुण्या दिशि गोदावरी नदी। बद्दारामो बहुजला तापसाचरिता शिवा ॥ वनपर्व 88 2, इतो द्वियोजने तात बहुमूलफलोदकः। देशो बहुमृग. श्रीमान् पञ्चवट्य-भिविश्रुत ।... गोदावर्या. समीपे च मैथिली तत्र रंस्यते॥ रामायण III 13. 13 and 21.

v5.c74.t6.3

¹⁶¹⁰ विन्ध्यस्य दक्षिणे गङ्गा गौतमी सा निगद्यते। उत्तरे सापि विन्ध्यस्य भागीरथ्य-भिधीयते। ब्रह्म 78. 77 q. in तीर्थसार p. 45

v5.c74.t6.4

¹⁶¹¹ तिस्रः कोट्योऽर्धकोटी च योजनानां शतद्वये। तीर्थानि मुनिशार्दूल सम्भविष्यन्ति गौतम। ब्रह्म० 77. 8-9.

v5.c74.t6.5

¹⁶¹² धर्मबीजं मुक्तिबीजं दण्डकारण्यमुच्यते। विशेषाद्गौतमीश्लिष्टो देशः पुण्य-तमोऽभवत्॥ ब्रह्म० 161.73.

v5.c74.t6.6

¹⁶¹³ सह्यस्यानन्तरे चैते तत्र गोदावरी नदी। पृथिव्यामपि कृत्स्नायां स प्रदेशो मनोरमः॥ यत्र गोवर्धनो नाम मन्दरो गन्धमादनः। मत्स्य 114.37-38 = वायु 45.112-113 (reads सह्यस्य चोत्तरार्धे तु and नाम सुरराजेन निर्मितः) = मार्कण्डेय 54. 34-35 = ब्रह्माण्ड II. 16.43 (सह्यस्य चोत्तरान्तेषु and तत्र गोवर्धनं नाम पुरं रामेण निर्मितम्). ब्रह्म 27 43-44 read सह्यस्य चोत्तरे यस्तु and गोवर्धनपुरं रम्यं भार्गवस्य महात्मनः।

v5.c74.t6.7

¹⁶¹⁴ सर्वदुःखापनोदाय द्वयमेव प्रकीर्तितम्। गौतमी वा पुण्यनदी शिवो वा करुणाकरः॥ ब्रह्म. 124, 93.

v5.c74.t6.8

¹⁶¹⁵ शिवशक्त्योर्यतस्तस्मिन्निवासोऽभूत्सनातन । अतो वदन्ति मुनयो निवासपुरमित्यदः। प्रवराया पुरा देवाः सुमीतास्ते वरान् ददुः ॥ ब्रह्म. 106 53-54. निवासपुर is Newasa on the Pravarā which falls into the Godāvarī at the sacred place called Toka. The great Marathi poet and saint Jñāneśvara wrote his commentary on the Gītā at Newasa.

v5.c74.t6.9

¹⁶¹⁶ Vide Bharhut stūpa (by Cunningham) p. 138 'नासिक-गोरखिताय धमो दानं वसुक्स भारियाय' (No 87).

v5.c74.t6.10

¹⁶¹⁷ नासिक्यं नगरमिति सङ्काशादिषु पाठः करिष्यते। महाभाष्य vol III p. 42 on पा VI 1. 63. सङ्काश occurs as one among many ganas in पा IV. 2. 80. नासिक्य is derived from नासिका (nose) and was probably so named because the nose of Sūrpanakhā was cut off by Lakṣmaṇa there.

v5.c74.t6.11

Govardhana town occurs several times in the long and famous Nasik Inscription of Uṣavadāta (No. 10 in Bombay Gazetteer vol. 16 p. 569-70).¹⁶¹⁸ As regards Pañcavaṭī the place still goes by the same name. It is to be noted that in the Rāmāyaṇa III. 13. 13 Pañcavaṭī is styled a *deśa* (country). Janasthāna was in Daṇḍakāraṇya according to the Śalyaparva 39. 9-10, Rām. III. 21. 19-20, Nāradīya-purāṇa II. 75. 30 and Agni 7. 2-3¹⁶¹⁹ and Pañcavaṭī was part of Janasthāna. Janasthāna is said to be four yojanas in extent, and it is further stated that it was so called because kings of the Janaka line secured *mukti* there through the favour of the Godāvarī.¹⁶²⁰

v5.c74.t6.12

¹⁶¹⁸ Nasik Cave Inscription No 20 is नासिककनं धंभिकगामम दानं (gift of Dhambhika village by the inhabitants of Nasik). Vide Bom. G. vol. XVI p. 590, E. I. vol. VIII at p. 72. Inscription No 22 is सादवाहनकुले कन्हे राजिनि नासिककेन समणेन महामातेण लेण कारितं 'this cave was caused to be constructed by the great minister who is (now) a śramaṇa, an inhabitant of Nasik, in the reign of king Kṛṣṇa of the Sātavāhana family.' Vide Bom. G. vol. 16 p. 592. These two are the oldest inscriptions in the Pāṇḍuleṇa caves dating from at least 100 B C. राज्ञ क्षहरातस्य क्षत्रपस्य नहपानस्य जामात्रा दीनीकपुत्रेण उषवदातेन ... भरुकच्छे दशपुरे गोवर्धने शोर्पारगे च चतुःशालावसधप्रतिश्रय-प्रदेन...पीण्डीतकावडे गोवर्धने सुवर्णमुखे शोर्पारगे च चरकपर्यद्भ्यः.. द्वात्रिंशन्नालिगेरमूल-सहस्रप्रदेन गोवर्धने त्रिरश्मिषु पर्वतेषु धर्मात्मना इदं लेणं कारितम् (Ins. No 10 in Bom G. vol. 16 pp. 569-70 and E. I. vol. VIII at p. 78. गोवर्धन is at present a village near Nasik. Vide Bom. G. vol 16 p 636 for a note on गोवर्धन.

v5.c74.t6.13

¹⁶¹⁹ (राम.) धनुः सज्यं च सम्प्राप्य दण्डकारण्यमागतः ॥ जनस्थाने पञ्चवट्यां स्थितो गोदावरीतटे । अग्नि 7. 2-3.

v5.c74.t6.14

¹⁶²⁰ तथा जनकराजानो बहवस्तत्र कर्मणा ॥ मुक्तिमाप्युर्महाभागा गौतम्याश्च प्रसादतः । ततः प्रभृति तत्तीर्थ जनस्थानेति विश्रुतम् ॥ जनकानां यज्ञप्रदो जनस्थान बभौगणम् चतुर्योजनविस्तीर्णं स्मरणात् सर्वपापयत् ॥ ब्रह्म. 88. 22-24.

v5.c74.t6.15

A bath in the Godāvarī when Jupiter enters the sign of Leo has been regarded even up to the present day as very meritorious.¹⁶²¹ The Brahmapurāṇa says that three crores and a half of tīrthas that exist in the three worlds come for a bath in the Gaṅgā when Jupiter is in Leo and that bathing in the Bhāgīrathī (every day) for sixty thousand years (is equal) to bathing only once in the Godāvarī when Jupiter is in the Zodical sign Leo.¹⁶²² It is stated in the Varāhapurāṇa that when a man repairs to the sacred Godāvarī in *siṃhastha* year, takes a bath and offers *tarpaṇa* (and śrāddha) to his pitṛs the latter go to heaven if they are in hell and they attain final release if they are already denizens of heaven. Jupiter is in Leo for one year once in twelve years. Crowds of pilgrims throng at Nasik in their thousands from all parts of India in the *siṃhastha* year.

v5.c74.t6.16

¹⁶²¹ अत्र सिंहस्थे गुरौ गोदावरीस्नानं कन्यागते कृष्णस्नानं महापुण्यम् । गोदावरीयात्रिकाणां मुण्डनोपवासावावश्यकौ न तु तत्तीरवासिनाम् ॥ धर्मसिन्धु p 7.

v5.c74.t6.17

¹⁶²² तिस्र. कोट्योर्धकोटी च तीर्थानि भुवनत्रये। तानि स्नातुं समायान्ति गङ्गाया सिंहगे गुरौ ॥ षष्टिवर्षसहस्राणि भागीरथ्यवगाहनम्। सकृद्गोदावरीस्नानं सिंहयुक्ते बृहस्पतौ ॥ ब्रह्म० 175 83-84, vide also ब्रह्म. 152. 38-39; सिंहस्थे च गुरौ तत्र यो गच्छति समाहित । स्नात्वा च विधिना तत्र पितॄंस्तर्पयते तथा॥ स्वर्गं गच्छन्ति पितरो निरये पतिता यदि । स्वर्गस्था. पितरस्तस्य मुक्तिभाजो न संशय ॥ वराह 71 45-46.

Linked texts (13)