Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c8.2299

c8.2299

The servants of Yama were astonished and they went and reported to Yamarāja this sudden change. Yamarāja was also amazed to hear the news. He immediately rode on his vehicle, the buffalo, to the hell to learn the details personally. He could not find out the cause for the change. The place looked like the Svargaloka of Indra. King Yama sent a messenger to Indra with the news and Indra at first thought that it must be due to some māyā and so came to the place swiftly on his Airāvata. The news spread and one by one Brahmā, Viṣṇu, the Aṣṭadikpālakas (the eight guardians of the quarters) and all such people came to Kumbhīpākanaraka. Nobody could find an explanation for this change and so Mahāviṣṇu accompanied by a few devas went to Kailāsa and reported the matter to Śiva and Śiva said smilingly “Oh Viṣṇu, all this happened because of the greatness of the holy ashes. When the sage Durvāsas bent down to have a good look at the hell, particles of ashes from his body fell into the hell. From that moment onwards Kumbhīpākanaraka became a holy place for the Manes. This hell will henceforth be known as Pitṛtīrtha and those pitṛs who bathe in the holy pond there will become virtuous people. Do install on the shore of this pond an idol of mine, a Śivaliṅga, and by my side the idol of Umā, which is my power in an embodied form.” The devas returned and did as they were directed.