Chapter 149 - The Greatness of Liṅga Vārāha Tīrtha

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:

1-6. Next to it is the holy spot well-known as Liṅgeśvara where by visiting the Lord of Devas, sins perish.

O Yudhiṣṭhira, after working terrible havoc among Dānavas, the Lord assumed the form of a boar and stationed himself on Narmadā.

One who takes his holy bath there in the Tīrtha and venerates the Lord, O excellent king, is rid of great sins committed earlier.

On the twelfth day of the dark half as well as the bright one, one should observe fast and then worship the Lord of the universe with fragrant garlands, O son of Pāṇḍu.

O blessed one, he should honour Brāhmaṇas through Dāna, special devotion and gift of foodstuff. Listen to the meritorious benefit thereof.

By feeding Brāhmaṇas there, the devotee gets the same benefit as a person attains through the performance of a Sattra extending to twelve years.

7-15. After due offering of libations to the Pitṛs and Devas and taking a holy dip, the person should concentrate his mind therein and repeat the twelve names of the Lord while sitting before him. This should be done every month on the twelfth day, O scion of the family of Kuru.

A wise devotee should always worship Keśava in the Mārgaśīrṣa month. He worships Lord Nārāyaṇa in the month of Pauṣa and Mādhava in the month of Māgha. He should adore Govinda in the month of Phālguna and Viṣṇu in Caitra. In the month of Vaiśākha he worships Madhuhantṛ (Madhusūdana, the slayer of Madhu) and Lord Trivikrama in the month of Jyeṣṭha. In the month of Āṣaḍha, he should worship Vāmana and remember Śrīdhara in the month of Śrāvaṇa. He should worship Hṛṣīkeśa in the month of Bhādrapada and Padmanābha in that of Āśvina. One who glorifies Dāmodara in the month of Kārttika never gets feeble and tired. (The above are the first twelve names of Viṣṇu.)

By glorifying the names in different months a sin committed earlier perishes, whether it be verbal, mental or due to physical activities. There is no doubt about it.

He should be alert always, whether winking or opening the eyes. He shall take food looking over it quickly. Then he should utter the name without (any other) Mantra.

This is the natural reaction of a creature caught in a great disaster, that he utters the name of Lord Viṣṇu, the ruling deity of different months, which is appropriate to that particular month.

Those nights, those days, those months and those years of men are fruitful wherein Lord Hari is remembered.

16-22. If from the lotus-like heart of the devotee, though he is in the midst of great disaster, Lord Janārdana does not move away, he is undoubtedly a Yogin.

Those who are devoid of devotion to Lord Ananta are unwise. They are on a par with brutes. Those unfortunate people are really worthy of being pitied. They have come to the earth only to add to the burden of the earth.

Those who are equipped with devotion to Lord Ananta, are persons who have fulfilled tasks on the earth; they sanctify the universe when their limbs come into contact with it. They are clever, they are the veritable ornaments unto the universe.

If Lord Janārdana is present in one’s mind, words and body, he alone is meritorious. He has secured the fruit of the tree of his life.

This excellent Tīrtha is meritorious, for it has Janārdana as the Liṅga. After deceiving the enemies in the battle in the guise of Boar, the eternal Lord (is installed here).

A pure man should offer here water mixed with gingelly seeds to the Pitṛs on the following occasions: during the eclipses of the Sun and the Moon, on the Aṣṭaka days and during the two Ayanas.

May Lord Hari in the form of Boar make you quiescent (by blessing you). With his curved fangs he made a series of holes in Meru. He is like a raft unto those who sink down in the ocean of misery. His hoofs were partially immersed in the vast expanse of mud that came out from the bowels of Rasātala (nether worlds). When he produced a hissing snort, it nudged the wind in the atmosphere which split the trumpeting sound of the Elephants of Quarters. The reputation of his stiffened physical form has been dealt with in the Śrutis. May that Lord Hari give you peace and quiescence.