||Om Nama: Shivaya||

Chapter – 24 – Vindhyeshwara Samhitha – 12

Kshethre Papasya  Karanam Dhridam Bhavathi Bhoosura: | PUnyakshethre  Nivase Hi  Papamanavapicharathe || Himavath Girija Ganga Punya  Shathamukha Nadhi | Thath Theere Chaiva  Kashyadhi Punyakshethranayanekasha: || Thathra Theeram Prashastham Hi Mrige Mrigabhrigahaspathau| Shonabhadhro Dhashamukha: Punyoabeeshtaphalapradha: || Thathra  Snanepavasena  Padham Vainayakam Labeth | Chathurvimhamukha PUnya Narmada  Cha Mahanadhi || Thasyam  Snanena  Vasena  Padham Vaishnavamapnuyath | Thamasa  Dhvadhashamukha Reva  Dhashamukha Nadhi || Godavari Mahapunya  Bhrama Govadhanashini | Ekavimshamukha Proktha  Rudralokapradhayini || Krishnaveni PUnyanadhi  Sarvapapakshayavaha | Sashtradhashamukha Proktha Vishnulokapradhayini ||Thungabhadhra  Dhashamukha  Bhramalokapradhyini | Suvarnnamukhari Punya Proktha  Navamukha  Thatha ||

Sutha Pauranika speaks “ Oh! Prajja, listen to me carefully, I shall describe the sacred Shivakshethra on the Earth which could provide Mukthi to the worshiper,  you have arrived in the Dharmakshethra Prayagaraj with an intention for the welfare of the Universe.  The fifty crores of Yojanas on the Earth enfold the mountain, dense forest, and forest of shrubs and creepers, at the command of supreme Lord Shiva.  The compassionate Lord Mahadeva established numerous Shivakshethram for the welfare of the living beings on the Earth and showers abundance of grace and Moksham as well.  The Supreme Lord Shiva appeared as a self-manifested Linga in these Shivakshethras, and showered his grace upon all the living beings, Rishis and deities.  The sacred Kshethras are established for the performance of Snana/holy bath, Japa/recitation, Dhanam/performance of charities, etc. otherwise people will undergo various ailments, poverty, blindness, etc.  The people who do not engage in any of the pious deeds meet unexpected death in the shrine of self-manifest Linga Shivashkethra would attain human life once again.  Oh! Bhusura, the performance of sinful deeds in the Shivakshethra would bring endless miseries; therefore no one should engage in sinful deeds in these sacred places.  There are several Shiva shrines located close to rivers and oceans.  Whoever lives close to the river Saraswathi which is surrounded by sacred shrines and perform various austerities would attain Bhramapadham.  The sacred shrine Kashi located on the river banks of Ganga, the place where the daughter of Himavan, Girija resides is considered as one of the sacred shrines on the Earth.  The shrine located on the sacred river bank of  Shonabhadhra where Dhashamukha performed austerities and attained abundance of piousness, therefore whoever perform austerities on the riverbank of Shonabhadhra would become intellectuals and all the desires would get fulfilled.  Whoever undertakes austerities living on the river banks of Mahanadhi Narmada, would obtain the grace of Lord Ganesha and an abundance of piousness.  Whoever undertakes austerities living on the riverbank of Thamasa and Reva would attain the devotion upon the supreme Lord Vishnu.  Whoever undertakes austerities on the river banks of Godavari, would showers abundance of grace/Mahapunya, it relieves the sins of Bhramahathya and killing of cows, ultimately it would provide the Rudraloka to the worshiper.  The sacred river Krishnaveni Punyanadhi would remove all the sins of the worshiper, whoever undertakes austerities living on the riverbank of Krishnaveni would attain the abode of Lord Vishnu.  The river Thungabhadhra is Bhramalokapradhayini, whoever undertakes austerities on the riverbank of Thungabhadhra would attain the abode of Lord Bhrama, the river Suvarnnamukhari is equally capable to provide an abundance of piousness.  The river Saraswathi, Pampa, Kanya Shwethanadhi, are highly auspicious, whoever conducts austerities on these river banks would attain Indraloka.  The rivers located on the Sahyadri hills and river Kaveri are considered as highly auspicious, therefore whoever follows austerities on these sacred river banks would attain commendable meritorious rewards, it would provide heavenly abode and the abode of Bhrama and Vishnu as well.  Whoever performs austerities on the hills of Badari and Naimisharanya would attain the abode of Lord Shiva.  Whoever performs austerities on the riverbank of Sindhu would attain the abode of Lord Bhrama.  The performance of austerities on the river banks of Kedhara and Godavari would provide an abundance of piousness and Shivaloka.  The performance of austerities performed on the river banks of Yamuna, and Shona would bring an abundance of merits, the performance of austerities on the riverbank of Kaveri and worship of Lord Vishnu would fulfill all the desires of the worshiper.  The austerities performed on the riverbank of Narmada would provide Vishnu Loka.  The austerities performed on the riverbank of Suvarnnamukhari would provide the Shivaloka, Bhrama Loka and Vishnuloka respectively.  The performance of austerities on the riverbank of Ganga during the auspicious Magha and Kumbhamela, and perform ancestral rites and Pindadhanam would please the Pithrus.  The performance of austerities on the riverbank of Krishnaveni would bring an abundance of piousness.  The performance of austerities in Ganga and Krishnaveni would bring Indhrapadham.  The performance of the austerities in the sacred Theerthas would provide Rudraloka.  The performance of austerities on the riverbank of  Thamraparnni and Vegavathi would provide Bhramaloka and Swargaloka respectively.  Oh! Deities on the Earth/Bhusura, every sacred land on Earth could provide an abundance of meritorious rewards to the person who undertakes strict austerities, disciplines, and perform Japam and Dhanam.  Therefore, any austerities and charities and rites performed in the Punyakshethra would provide an abundance of piousness, in the same manner, any minor misdeed or sin committed with the mind, body or words, on these Punyakshethra would provide endless miseries.  The worship of supreme Lord Shiva in the Punyakshethra following sincere austerities, without performing any sin by words, mind, or intellect would definitely provide an abundance of meritorious rewards, all the sins committed in the several births would get destroyed.  The performance of austerities followed with Japa and charities in the Punyakshethra is compulsory, it would remove all the sins committed by Manasa Vacha and Karmana, otherwise the sins remain with the individual for several births, the piousness as well as the wisdom would get vanished, ultimately it would push the individual to the cycles of repeated births.  Whoever undertakes extreme pleasure in the material world would accumulate sins, it can get rid only with the performance of noble deeds.  Therefore, whoever performs Devaradhana/worship of deities, charities to twice-born, performs austerities and pious deeds in these sacred shrines would remove all their sins.”