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9-Shalya Parv, 35-53  
Stories-MBH - 6-War - page 38

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Balaraam's Pilgrimage-4

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Balaraam's Teerth Yaatraa-4
Ch  48-51
Branched from  G-5-Prewar/22  and   G-6-War-50-battle-18      Page 1    Page 2    Page 3   Page 4    Page 5

In Mahaabhaarat many pilgrimages have been done by many people at time to time. Teerth places have their own importance that is why they are called Teerth. At some places in Mahaabhaarat their importance is also given. When it was decided that there was no other alternative other than the war between Kaurav and Paandav, Balaraam asked Krishn to be in favor of Kaurav, but Krishn didn't listen to it, so He got angry and proceeded for pilgrimage saying that He didn't want to be anyone's side. This is the description of his pilgrimage.


Agni Teerth

After that Balaraam proceeded towards Agni Teerth. Here the eater of clarified butter (Agni Dev) disappeared in Shamee woods. So the light of all the world was gone, Then Devtaa came to Brahmaa - "Agni has disappeared, let not all the creatures destroyed." Why did Agni Dev disappear?

Agni was frightened with the Shaap of Maharshi Bhrigu, so he hid in Shamee woods. Then Devtaa came out in search of him and saw him lying in the woods. They got happy to find him and came back to their places. By Bhrigu's Shaap Agni became the eater of everything (read Birth of Chyavan).

Then Balaraam came to Brahmyoni where Brahmaa exercises his function of creation. After bathing there, Balaraam came to Kauveraa where Ailaavilaa performed severe Tap and obtained the Lordship over all treasures. There he took bath and saw the woods of Kuber. There Kuber got several Var - the Lordship over all wealth, the friendship of Shiv, the status of a Devtaa, Lord of North direction, a son named Nalkuber, and a Vimaan (airplane) [called Pushpak Vimaan].

Then Balaraam came to Badraapaachan where the fruits and flowers of all seasons are always there in abundant. There the daughter of Bharadwaaj Muni, Shruvavatee did severe Tap to get Indra as her husband. After long time Indra got pleased with her Tap and gave her many Var. Then he came to her Aashram in the form of regenerated Vashishth. She worshipped him and said - "What can I do for you? I cannot give you my hand because I am worshipping Indra to get him as my husband." Indra smiled and said - "Tap is very good. Everything is possible with Tap. You take these five Jujoobaa fruits and boil them." And he went away mentally reciting certain Mantra at a certain place. That place became Teerth after the name of Indra. Of course this was done by Indra to test her devotion.

The girl started her task of boiling Jujoobaa. The day was waning, the wood was finished but those Jujoobaa were not yet softened. So she began to burn her own body parts, First she burned her feet. While her feet were burning she did not mind it at all, because she wanted to please her guest. In the last Indra got very pleased with her and gave her Var that she would always live with him after she has left that mortal body. And this Aashram will become a great Teerth in the world. And it shall be praised by great Rishi. H told her a story also -

Once seven Rishi left Arundhatee (wife of Vashishth) there and went Himvant to gather fruits and roots to eat. While they lived there, a drought occurred there, it continued for 12 years. Arundhatee was doing Tap where she was left. Mahaadev got very pleased with her Tap and appeared before her in a form of Braahman and desired for alms. Arundhatee said - "Because of draught we do not have any food, do you eat jujoobaa?" Mahaadev said - "Cook these Jujoobaa." She got busy in cooking them according to Braahman's wish. As she was doing this she heard sacred discourse from Braahman's lips. The terrible period of drought of 12 years passed as if it was one day or Arundhatee, without taking food, listening to discourse, and cooking Jujoobaa. Rishi also came back from the mountain.

Mahaadev said - "I am very pleased with your Tap, meet them as usual." and then said to Rishi - "I think she has earned much more than you have earned on mountain." Then again he addressed Arundhatee - "Ask me anything you want." Arundhatee said - "If you are pleased with me then this spot be a Teerth known as Badaraapaachan in which whoever observes fast, and lives for three days after cleansing himself obtains the fruit of 12 years fast." Mahaadev went away saying "Let it be so." Rishi got very happy to see Arundhatee as same as they left her there.

Indra said - "I give you another Var that is superior to the Var given to Arundhatee, that whoever will pass a night here and bathe in meditation he will get many regions of blessedness after casting off his mortal body." And Indra went back to his Lok. After she left her body, she lived with Indra for ever and ever. Who was Shruvavatee? and who brought her up? Once Maharshi Bharadwaaj's semen fell seeing the Apsaraa Ghritaachee. He held it in his hand and kept in a bowl made of leaves. This girl was born in that bowl. He kept the girl in the Aashram and he himself went to forest.

Then Balaraam proceeded towards Sakra (Indra's another name) Teerth. Indra did there a Yagya in which he sacrificed 100 horses, since then Indra was named as Shatkratu and this place was known as Indra Teerth. After that Balaraam proceeded towards Raam (Parashuraam) Teerth. Here Parashuraam also did the 100 horse sacrifice Yagya and a Vaajpeya Yagya through the assistance of Maharshi Kashyap and gave him the whole Earth with her oceans as its Dakshinaa. Then he proceeded towards the Teerth Yamunaa. Varun, the son of Aditi and Kashyap, once did here a Raajsooya Yagya here after defeating Devtaa, Raakshas, men and Gandharv. Then he proceeded towards the Teerth called Aaditya. There Soorya did a Yagya and got the Lordship over all luminous bodies and acquired his great energy. Devtaa, Pishaach, Marut etc all live there always. Vishnu killed Madhu and Kaitabh Rakshas here also in this Teerth of Saraswatee. Vyaas and Asit-Deval Rishi also got their Yog power after taking bath in this Teerth.

Once Asit-Deval received a guest Rishi named Jaigishavya. In a short time Jaigishavya became the leader of the Rishi there. Deval always kept an eye on him and never neglected him any time. But once he lost the sight of Jaigishavya. While he was taking his dinner a Rishi came and asked for alms. Deval welcomed him and honored him according to his capabilities. He stayed there. After many years of service to him, Deval thought, "What is this type of man? During these years he has not spoken a word to me." So he went to Ocean and came there, and Deval saw Jaigishavya there. Deval was very surprised to see him there as how he arrived there before him. Deval finished his Poojaa and came back to his Aashram. But as he entered there he saw Jaigishavya seated there. Witnessing this power through Yog Deval thought, "How could he arrive here before me?"

So he went into sky, who Jaigishavya was really? He saw Jaigishavya there also and all Siddh were worshipping him. Deval got jealous at this sight. Then he saw Jaigishavya going towards Heaven, then Pitar Lok, then Yam Lok, then Chandra Lok performing certain rigid sacrifices. Then he saw him going in many other Lok performing many other sacrifices. In the last he arrived at a Lok which was reserved for Pativrataa women, there Deval lost his sight. Then he came to Siddh in the region of Brahmshaastree and politely asked - "Where that Rishi Jaigishavya is? I want to know." They replied - "He has gone to Brahm's region." Hearing this Deval tried to go there but fell down, those Siddh said - "Deval, you cannot go there where Jaigishavya has gone."

So he came down to his Aashram, but as he entered his Aashram he saw Jaigishavys seated there. Then Deval taking all this in right direction, said to him - "I want to learn the path of Moksh." Jaigishavya taught him everything. When Deval was to get Moksh, all creatures started weeping saying "Now who will give us food?" At this Deval renounced Moksh, but then all fruits and roots started weeping with the fear of cutting, so once more Deval decided to take the path of Moksh. Celestials then applauded both, but Naarad sad - "There is no Yog power in Jaigishavya by which he surprised Deval." Then the celestials said - "Do not say so about Jaigishavya. He is the foremost Yogee. There is no comparison to him. This is the place for these two."

 

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Created by Sushma Gupta On 03/09/02
Contact: sushmajee@yahoo.com
Modified on 11/30/12