Markandeya Maharshi greeted Devi Saraswati who was frustrated and as Vegavati merged with River Payoshni but having departed from the latter after fifteen yojanas made her Sangama (final fusion) with the Eastern Ocean; Vegavati was also reputed as ‘Punyakoti’ since is she entered the Punya Koti Kshetra. As she had the ‘Maanabhanga’ by her view of Vishnu’s nakedness, she went to Paataala and resorted to a highly austere Tapasya to Narayana with the request to him to absolve her from the sins of disrupting her ‘Pativratya’ and ‘Maanabhanga’ and purify her body and mind; she prayed to Vishnu to give her the boons of ‘PavitraTatwa’and attainment of normalcy in her strained relationship with her husband Brahma. The ever-merciful Narayana assuaged Saraswati’s wounded feelings and stated that she should leave her ego and repent for her arrogant deeds of fighting with Brahma and even himself, that she was after all of his ‘Amsha’, that she should merge with the Saagara and at that very time she would be blessed with his boons so that Chaturmukha would possess her back as his own and everything would be a closed Chapter. Thus Saraswati secured the pardon of Brahma and Vishnu and they both gave boons to Vegavati as whosoever bathed and swam in that River would pave their paths to Moksha eventually.
An illustration was narrated by Markandeya Maharshi to King Surata about a Brahmana named Dhoumya of Gangaapura on the banks of Ganges who no doubt was an erudite scholar of Sama Veda and rich but was a womaniser and a victim of venereal diseases; eventually he changed his life-style out of remorse and came to know that a visit to Hari Kshetra and bathing in the Sacred Vegavati River would cure him of his diseases and destroy his sins. Accordingly he undertook a journey to Hari Kshetra for a holy dip in the River Vegavati and darshan of Varadaraja Swami. On his return to Gangapura he was a fully transformed person physically and mentally and at the termination of his life secured Vishnupada.
Markandeya recommended to the devotees of posterity that recitation of the following Dwadasha Slokas while taking bath in the Sacred Vegavati River followed by Hari Kshetra Darshana would readily obtain ‘Baahyaantara Shuchi’ (physical and internal cleanliness):
Gangaayaa Dakshiney bhaagey yojanaanaam Shatadwaye, Pancha yojana maatrena Purvaambhodestu Paschimey/
Vegavatuttarey theerye Punyakotyaam Hariswayam, Varadassarvabhutaanaa madyaapi paridrusyatey/
Vapaa parimalollaasa Vaasitaadhara pallavam, Mukham Varada Raajasya Mugdhasmitamupaasmahey/
Yo dadaati Harikshetrey daanam yaadharthya bhavatah, Koti Yagjna phalam labdhwaa Vishnulokam sa gacchati/
Yo Vasey Harikshetrey Kshaanaarthwam vaa tadarthakam, Muktassa Sarva Paapebhyassaakshaat Vishnurnaraakrutih/
Punyakoti vimaanaankam Tatwa Sopaana bhushitam, Nrisimhaadhishtitaguham Hastishailam Namaamyaham/
Ekaadashyaamahoraatram Vishnossamkeertanenacha, Yatphalam tadbhavey Nrunaam Hasti Shailasya darshanaat/
Brahmayagjna samudbhutam Divya Maanikya Sundaram, Jagadaadi Gurum Devam Varadam ta Maham bhajey/
Harijanmadiney kaamchyaam Ghrita dhaaraa sahasrakaih, Varadam yobhishimcheta Koti Yagjna phalam bhavet/
Koti Brahma pratishthaayaam yat phalam labhatey narah, Tatphalam samavaapnoti Sakrudvarada sevayaa/
Namastey Brahma Patni! Twaam Saridrupaam Sarasvateem, Sarva paapa prasamaneem Vegavatyabhidhaam stumah/
Yah Pumaan Praatarutthaaya Snaana Kaaley Pathecchhuchih, Shloka dwaadasha paathena taduktaphalamaapnuyaat/
(Whosoever would recite or hear the ‘Vegavati Prabhaava’ as above would secure the ‘Vegavati Nadi Snaana phalam’).
Markandeya Maharshi greeted Devi Saraswati who was frustrated and as Vegavati merged with River Payoshni but having departed from the latter after fifteen yojanas made her Sangama (final fusion) with the Eastern Ocean; Vegavati was also reputed as ‘Punyakoti’ since is she entered the Punya Koti Kshetra. As she had the ‘Maanabhanga’ by her view of Vishnu’s nakedness, she went to Paataala and resorted to a highly austere Tapasya to Narayana with the request to him to absolve her from the sins of disrupting her ‘Pativratya’ and ‘Maanabhanga’ and purify her body and mind; she prayed to Vishnu to give her the boons of ‘PavitraTatwa’and attainment of normalcy in her strained relationship with her husband Brahma. The ever-merciful Narayana assuaged Saraswati’s wounded feelings and stated that she should leave her ego and repent for her arrogant deeds of fighting with Brahma and even himself, that she was after all of his ‘Amsha’, that she should merge with the Saagara and at that very time she would be blessed with his boons so that Chaturmukha would possess her back as his own and everything would be a closed Chapter. Thus Saraswati secured the pardon of Brahma and Vishnu and they both gave boons to Vegavati as whosoever bathed and swam in that River would pave their paths to Moksha eventually.
An illustration was narrated by Markandeya Maharshi to King Surata about a Brahmana named Dhoumya of Gangaapura on the banks of Ganges who no doubt was an erudite scholar of Sama Veda and rich but was a womaniser and a victim of venereal diseases; eventually he changed his life-style out of remorse and came to know that a visit to Hari Kshetra and bathing in the Sacred Vegavati River would cure him of his diseases and destroy his sins. Accordingly he undertook a journey to Hari Kshetra for a holy dip in the River Vegavati and darshan of Varadaraja Swami. On his return to Gangapura he was a fully transformed person physically and mentally and at the termination of his life secured Vishnupada.
Markandeya recommended to the devotees of posterity that recitation of the following Dwadasha Slokas while taking bath in the Sacred Vegavati River followed by Hari Kshetra Darshana would readily obtain ‘Baahyaantara Shuchi’ (physical and internal cleanliness):
Gangaayaa Dakshiney bhaagey yojanaanaam Shatadwaye, Pancha yojana maatrena Purvaambhodestu Paschimey/
Vegavatuttarey theerye Punyakotyaam Hariswayam, Varadassarvabhutaanaa madyaapi paridrusyatey/
Vapaa parimalollaasa Vaasitaadhara pallavam, Mukham Varada Raajasya Mugdhasmitamupaasmahey/
Yo dadaati Harikshetrey daanam yaadharthya bhavatah, Koti Yagjna phalam labdhwaa Vishnulokam sa gacchati/
Yo Vasey Harikshetrey Kshaanaarthwam vaa tadarthakam, Muktassa Sarva Paapebhyassaakshaat Vishnurnaraakrutih/
Punyakoti vimaanaankam Tatwa Sopaana bhushitam, Nrisimhaadhishtitaguham Hastishailam Namaamyaham/
Ekaadashyaamahoraatram Vishnossamkeertanenacha, Yatphalam tadbhavey Nrunaam Hasti Shailasya darshanaat/
Brahmayagjna samudbhutam Divya Maanikya Sundaram, Jagadaadi Gurum Devam Varadam ta Maham bhajey/
Harijanmadiney kaamchyaam Ghrita dhaaraa sahasrakaih, Varadam yobhishimcheta Koti Yagjna phalam bhavet/
Koti Brahma pratishthaayaam yat phalam labhatey narah, Tatphalam samavaapnoti Sakrudvarada sevayaa/
Namastey Brahma Patni! Twaam Saridrupaam Sarasvateem, Sarva paapa prasamaneem Vegavatyabhidhaam stumah/
Yah Pumaan Praatarutthaaya Snaana Kaaley Pathecchhuchih, Shloka dwaadasha paathena taduktaphalamaapnuyaat/
(Whosoever would recite or hear the ‘Vegavati Prabhaava’ as above would secure the ‘Vegavati Nadi Snaana phalam’).
