Saint Angirasa(First Guru of Shukra and Brihaspati)
“O Grandisre Bhishma! Kindly let me know about pilgrimage to holy places.” asked Dharmaja.
“Dharmaja! I now tell you what has been told by Angirasa to Goutama.
Who observe fasting on the banks of River Chandrabhaga and Vitasta will be equivalent to a saint. Who drinks water in the rivers flowing in Kashir attains heaven. Who takes holy bath in Pushkara tirtha, Prabhasa Tirtha, Naimisaranya, Indramarga, devika and Svargabindu attains the companionship of apsarasas. Who observes fasting on the banks of Rivers Indra Toya and Karatoya and takes holy bath, they attain the fruits of performing Asvamedha Yaga.
Who takes holy bath in Rivers Kanakhala, Gangadvaara, Kusavartha, Bilvaka, all their sins vanish.Who takes holy bath in River Ganga flowing near Kailasa Sikhara, he attains divinity. Who performs Agnihotra without taking food for one month; he attains all Siddhis. Who observes fasting and takes bath in Bhrugutunga, Brahma Hatya sin vanishes. Who takes holy bath in Sundarika tank, he attains beautiful body in next birth.
Who takes holy bath in Vaimanika Tirtha, he attains heaven. Who serves Krittika and Angaraka, he attains Svargaloka. Who takes holy bath for three days in River Vipasa, he does not have next birth. Who offers Pitara Tarpana in Krittika Ashram, he attains the presence of Lord Siva. Who visits Dronasarma and Sarastambha thirthas and Devadaru Vana, they are blessed with beautiful wives.
Who visits Chitrakuta and Janasthana, he attains royal pleasures. Who observes fasting for one month in Shyama Ashram, they attain the fruits of inward thinking. Whoever spends 21 days in silence without food, he attains moksha. Who spends one night in Matanga Vaapi, he becomes Sidha. Who stays in Naimisaranya for one month he attains the fruits of performing Purushamedhi.Who takes bath on Kalanjana mountain at Prayaga, he attains liberation.
Who takes bath in Vaivasvata Thirtha, he gets enormous wealth. Who spends one month in Prayaga, he attains Moksha. Who observes fasting for one month at Brahma Kapala, he attains Chandraloka.Who takes holy bath in Ashtavakra, Kalavinka, Devahrada, he attains Brahma Loka. Fasting for 12 days in Ramahrada vanishes all sins. Who takes holy bath in River Narmada will have royal birth. Who stays 91 days in Jamboo Dveepa, he attains all Siddhis.
Who takes holy bath in River Gokamukha and stays in Tandulika Ashram, consuming vegetarian food, he becomes the husband for ten virgin girls.Who observes meditation for three days in Kulya Thirtha, he attains the fruits of performing Asvamedha Yaga. Who takes bath in Ujjaanaka Thirtha at Arshisena Ashram; all his sins vanish. Who spends one night at Pindaraka he attains the fruits of performing Agnishtoma. One who takes bath in Brahma Sarassu at Dharmaranya, he gets the fruits of performing Pundareeka Yaga. One who serves the sages and saints in Himalayas, he attains all Siddhis.
O Dharmaja! while making pilgrimages, one should keep his mind peaceful, uninfluenced by anger, greediness and pride. Then only he attains the fruits of pilgrimages.
Dharmaja! in fact, all the Thirdhas and holy places are in our body. Controlling sense organs, performing Tapas and controlling mind are equal to visiting holy places. Without purity of mind, taking holy bath in rivers is nothing but taking bath everyday. It only cleans the body but not the mind.
O Dharmana! without worrying for the things which we do not have; without developing more affection on which we have; if one controls his sense organs, he need not visit any holy place or take any holy dip in any river. Such people remain purified always. One need not visit, all the way, all the Thirthas and holy places by spending money and time. It is sufficient if he feels visiting those places in his mind. This is what all I know about holy places and their visits.” said Bhishma.
“O Grandsire! You told me so many places of visit and so many rivers to have a holy dip. Kindly tell me in brief which are the holiest places amongst them.” asked Dharmaja.
“O Dharmaja! in this connection I tell you a story. A sidha visited the house of a poor brahmin as guest. The Brahmin worshipped the guest and offered him food according to his might. After taking food, while Sidha was taking rest, the Brahmin asked Sidha the same question. The sidha answered thus:
“The places through which River Ganga passes, those places are holy places. A dip in River ganga attains the fruits of performing Yajnas, observing Brahma Charya, Tapas and making charities. Even if the water of Ganga touches the body, all his sins vanish. Whatever be the sins committed by him, if he takes a holy dip in Ganga, he goes to heaven. For how many years the bones of a man soak in Ganga, for such number of years he enjoys heavenly pleasures. Place without Ganga, Yajna without Soma, night without moon, day without sun, Ashram without Dharma are equal to trees without flowers.
Even performing one hundred Chandrayana Vratas is not equal to consuming Ganga Water. Human beings regard Ganga water as Amrutha. Rubbing the sand of Ganga on head and taking holy dip in Ganga removes all his sins. Even the air coming from Ganga is suffient to vanish all the sins. A holy dip in Ganga attains higher regions to Pitaras. While taking bath in any place, feeling in mind that he is taking bath in River Ganga, is suffient to attain the fruits of holy dip in Ganga.
One who beholds Ganga is human being and the others are equal to beasts and blind. Thinking about Ganga at the time of death attains him liberation. While Ganga was coming from heaven to earth, in between Lord Siva held it on his head. When the sons of Sagara were reduced to ashes as a result of the curse of a saint, Saint Bhagiratha, while bringing Ganga from heaven to earth, made Ganga to flow on their ashes, as a result they attained higher regions. Ganga had its way from heaven to Moon, from moon to Sun, from Sun to Vishnu, fromthe feet of Vishnu, Ganga landed on the head of Siva and from there to earth through Himalayas.
Whoever worships Ganga with devotion, he will be blessed with all riches and at last liberation. O brahmin! This much I know about Ganga” said the Sidha to Brahmin.
Dharmaja! this is the answer to your question.” said Bhishma to Dharmaja.
“O Grandisre Bhishma! Kindly let me know about pilgrimage to holy places.” asked Dharmaja.
“Dharmaja! I now tell you what has been told by Angirasa to Goutama.
Who observe fasting on the banks of River Chandrabhaga and Vitasta will be equivalent to a saint. Who drinks water in the rivers flowing in Kashir attains heaven. Who takes holy bath in Pushkara tirtha, Prabhasa Tirtha, Naimisaranya, Indramarga, devika and Svargabindu attains the companionship of apsarasas. Who observes fasting on the banks of Rivers Indra Toya and Karatoya and takes holy bath, they attain the fruits of performing Asvamedha Yaga.
Who takes holy bath in Rivers Kanakhala, Gangadvaara, Kusavartha, Bilvaka, all their sins vanish.Who takes holy bath in River Ganga flowing near Kailasa Sikhara, he attains divinity. Who performs Agnihotra without taking food for one month; he attains all Siddhis. Who observes fasting and takes bath in Bhrugutunga, Brahma Hatya sin vanishes. Who takes holy bath in Sundarika tank, he attains beautiful body in next birth.
Who takes holy bath in Vaimanika Tirtha, he attains heaven. Who serves Krittika and Angaraka, he attains Svargaloka. Who takes holy bath for three days in River Vipasa, he does not have next birth. Who offers Pitara Tarpana in Krittika Ashram, he attains the presence of Lord Siva. Who visits Dronasarma and Sarastambha thirthas and Devadaru Vana, they are blessed with beautiful wives.
Who visits Chitrakuta and Janasthana, he attains royal pleasures. Who observes fasting for one month in Shyama Ashram, they attain the fruits of inward thinking. Whoever spends 21 days in silence without food, he attains moksha. Who spends one night in Matanga Vaapi, he becomes Sidha. Who stays in Naimisaranya for one month he attains the fruits of performing Purushamedhi.Who takes bath on Kalanjana mountain at Prayaga, he attains liberation.
Who takes bath in Vaivasvata Thirtha, he gets enormous wealth. Who spends one month in Prayaga, he attains Moksha. Who observes fasting for one month at Brahma Kapala, he attains Chandraloka.Who takes holy bath in Ashtavakra, Kalavinka, Devahrada, he attains Brahma Loka. Fasting for 12 days in Ramahrada vanishes all sins. Who takes holy bath in River Narmada will have royal birth. Who stays 91 days in Jamboo Dveepa, he attains all Siddhis.
Who takes holy bath in River Gokamukha and stays in Tandulika Ashram, consuming vegetarian food, he becomes the husband for ten virgin girls.Who observes meditation for three days in Kulya Thirtha, he attains the fruits of performing Asvamedha Yaga. Who takes bath in Ujjaanaka Thirtha at Arshisena Ashram; all his sins vanish. Who spends one night at Pindaraka he attains the fruits of performing Agnishtoma. One who takes bath in Brahma Sarassu at Dharmaranya, he gets the fruits of performing Pundareeka Yaga. One who serves the sages and saints in Himalayas, he attains all Siddhis.
O Dharmaja! while making pilgrimages, one should keep his mind peaceful, uninfluenced by anger, greediness and pride. Then only he attains the fruits of pilgrimages.
Dharmaja! in fact, all the Thirdhas and holy places are in our body. Controlling sense organs, performing Tapas and controlling mind are equal to visiting holy places. Without purity of mind, taking holy bath in rivers is nothing but taking bath everyday. It only cleans the body but not the mind.
O Dharmana! without worrying for the things which we do not have; without developing more affection on which we have; if one controls his sense organs, he need not visit any holy place or take any holy dip in any river. Such people remain purified always. One need not visit, all the way, all the Thirthas and holy places by spending money and time. It is sufficient if he feels visiting those places in his mind. This is what all I know about holy places and their visits.” said Bhishma.
“O Grandsire! You told me so many places of visit and so many rivers to have a holy dip. Kindly tell me in brief which are the holiest places amongst them.” asked Dharmaja.
“O Dharmaja! in this connection I tell you a story. A sidha visited the house of a poor brahmin as guest. The Brahmin worshipped the guest and offered him food according to his might. After taking food, while Sidha was taking rest, the Brahmin asked Sidha the same question. The sidha answered thus:
“The places through which River Ganga passes, those places are holy places. A dip in River ganga attains the fruits of performing Yajnas, observing Brahma Charya, Tapas and making charities. Even if the water of Ganga touches the body, all his sins vanish. Whatever be the sins committed by him, if he takes a holy dip in Ganga, he goes to heaven. For how many years the bones of a man soak in Ganga, for such number of years he enjoys heavenly pleasures. Place without Ganga, Yajna without Soma, night without moon, day without sun, Ashram without Dharma are equal to trees without flowers.
Even performing one hundred Chandrayana Vratas is not equal to consuming Ganga Water. Human beings regard Ganga water as Amrutha. Rubbing the sand of Ganga on head and taking holy dip in Ganga removes all his sins. Even the air coming from Ganga is suffient to vanish all the sins. A holy dip in Ganga attains higher regions to Pitaras. While taking bath in any place, feeling in mind that he is taking bath in River Ganga, is suffient to attain the fruits of holy dip in Ganga.
One who beholds Ganga is human being and the others are equal to beasts and blind. Thinking about Ganga at the time of death attains him liberation. While Ganga was coming from heaven to earth, in between Lord Siva held it on his head. When the sons of Sagara were reduced to ashes as a result of the curse of a saint, Saint Bhagiratha, while bringing Ganga from heaven to earth, made Ganga to flow on their ashes, as a result they attained higher regions. Ganga had its way from heaven to Moon, from moon to Sun, from Sun to Vishnu, fromthe feet of Vishnu, Ganga landed on the head of Siva and from there to earth through Himalayas.
Whoever worships Ganga with devotion, he will be blessed with all riches and at last liberation. O brahmin! This much I know about Ganga” said the Sidha to Brahmin.
Dharmaja! this is the answer to your question.” said Bhishma to Dharmaja.
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