Brahm Purana
How were the place of Pilgrimage formed? What is their significance
In Shrimad Devi Bhagwat Purana, Ved Vyas ji calls all the pilgrimages apart from Chitta Shuddhi tirth as useless. He mentions that only Chitta Shuddhi Tirtha is capable of purifying the soul. Given below is an accout from Brahm Puran which gives the description of a Pilgrimage called Pururva Pilgrimage. Once one reads it, one learns how useless these sort of pilgrimages are.
Please read what Shrimad Devi Bhagwat says about these pilgrimage and what is Chitta Shuddhi Tirtha
Pururva Tirtha, Brahm Puran - Gita Press Gorakhpur
Brahm Purana | English
CHAPTER THIRTYONE
Sarasvatsahgama
Brahma said :
1. The holy centre named Pururavas destroys all sins even on being remembered. Why not on being visited? Those who are conversant with the Vedas know it.
2. King Pururavas went to the abode of Brahma. There, by chance he saw the divine river Sarasvatl laughing by the side of Brahma. On seeing her richly endowed with beauty the king asked Urvasi:
The King said :
3. Who is this beautiful saintly lady near Brahma? She is the most excellent lady among all ladies (assembled here). She (seems to) illuminate this assembly.
Brahma said :
4. Urvasi said to the king: “This is the splendid divine river Sarasvati, the daughter of Brahma. She comes here daily and goes back.” On hearing it the king was surprised (and he said), “Bring her near me”
Brahma said :
5-9. Urvasi said again to the king who used to distribute plenty of monetary gifts. UrvaSi said : I shall mention everything to her and fetch her. Brahmd said : Then out of pleasure the king sent Urvasi there. Urvasi then went and repeated the words of the king. Sarasvati agreed to what was mentioned by Urvasi. She promised saying “So be it” and went to the place where Pururavas was staying. He indulged in sexual dalliance on the banks of Sarasvati for many years. Sarasvan was born as (her) son and his (Sarasvan’s) son was Brhadratha.
10-12. I observed Sarasvatl going everyday to the abode of the king. I saw Sarasvan (her son). I saw evidences of similar activities with regard to other persons also. So I cursed her, “Be Mahanadi.” Afraid of my curse Vaglsa (Sarasvat) went to the divine river Gautami, who is the holy mother sanctifying the whole world, who was born of Kamandalu (waterpot), who is the suppressor of the three distresses and who is the bestower of pleasures here and hereafter.
13-16. After going to Gautami, the divine river, she re¬ counted (the story of) my curse from the beginning. Ganga said to me: “It behoves you to make her free from the effects of the curse. It is not proper on your part to have cursed Sarasvatl. This is the nature of women because youthful women desire men. O Brahma, all young women are naturally unsteady. O lotus-seated lord, you are the creator of the Universe. How is it, that you do not know this? Whom does not cupid deceive naturally?” Then I withdrew the curse and said “Sarasvatl shall be visible too.”
17-20. Due to that curse the river Sarasvati is both visible and invisible in the mortal world. Pururavas, the most excellent and virtuous king, went to the place where the divine river (Sarasvatl), agitated due to the curse, joined Ganga. He performed penance and propitiated lord Siddhesvara. He acquired all cherished desires by the favour of Ganga. Thenceforth that holy centre is called Pururavas. It is also called Sarasvatisahgama and Brahmatirtha. The lord there is Siddhesvara and the holy center bestows all cherished things.
References:
Vishnu Purana - Shraadh Analysis of Shrimad Devi Bhagwat Puran
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