Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c7.2296

c7.2296

(1) For performing the funeral ceremony of the sons of Sagara whose ashes were lying in Pātāla (Nether world), Bhagīratha performed penance and brought the heavenly river Gaṅgā to the earth. (See under Gaṅgā). The river fell in North India and flowed in torrents to the sea and the surrounding regions were submerged in water. Among the places submerged, there was the important holy place and Bath of Gokarṇa also, lying on the west coast of India. Those hermits who lived in the vicinity of the temple at Gokarṇa, escaped from the flood and went to Mahendragiri and informed Paraśurāma of the calamity of the flood. Paraśurāma went with them to the sea-shore. Varuṇa did not make his appearance. The angry Paraśurāma stood in deep meditation for a little while. The weapons came to his hands. Varuṇa was filled with fear and he instantly appeared before Paraśurāma, who asked him to release the land swallowed by the sea. Varuṇa agreed. Paraśurāma sent his bow and arrow back to the sky. Then he took a winnowing basket (Śūrpa) and threw it at the sea. The sea retreated from the place up to the spot where the winnowing basket fell, and the portion of land including Gokarṇa which had been swallowed by sea was recovered. This land is called Kerala, which is known by the name 'Śūrpāraka' also. (Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa, Chapters 98 and 99).