SRI VADIRAJA VIRACHITA “TEERTHA PRABANDHA” ಶ್ರೀ ವಾದಿರಾಜ ವಿರಚಿತ “ತೀರ್ಥ ಪ್ರಬಂಧ”

SRI  VADIRAJA VIRACHITA “TEERTHA PRABANDHA”

ಶ್ರೀ ವಾದಿರಾಜ ವಿರಚಿತ “ತೀರ್ಥ ಪ್ರಬಂಧ”

Triveni Prayaga Kshetra/ತ್ರಿವೇಣಿ ಪ್ರಯಾಗ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರ

ತ್ರಿವೇಣೀಯಮಘಶ್ರೇಣೀಕೃಪಾಣೀ ಮುಕ್ತಿಕಾರಿಣೀ|

ಮಮಾನೀಹಿತಮಾದಹ್ಯಾದ್ಧಿಮಾನೀಮಂಶುಮಾನಿವ||13||

TrivENeeyamaGhashrENeekrupANee muktikAriNee|

MamAneehitamAdahyAdDhimAneemamshmAniva||13||

त्रिवॆणीयमघश्रॆणीकृपाणी मुक्तिकारिणी।

ममानीहितमादह्याद्धिमानीमंशुमानिव॥13||  

SUMMARY: May this Triveni, union of three sacred rivers, who is like scissors that cut the heritage of sins and the provider of salvation or Moksha, eradicate my sins like the Sun evaporates the mist!

While having bath every morning, there is a tradition of reciting “TeertharAjAya namaha” where “TeerTharAja” refers to Prayaga or Triveni.

In one of the hymns in Rig Veda, it is stated:

“SitAsitE saritE yatra sangatE tatrAplutAsO divamutpatanti”

ಸಿತಾಸಿತೇ ಸರಿತೇ ಯತ್ರ ಸಂಗತೇ ತತ್ರಾಪ್ಲುತಾಸೋ ದಿವಮುತ್ಪತಂತಿ

“सितासितॆ सरितॆ यत्र संगतॆ तत्राप्लुतासॊ दिवमुत्पतंति”

Anyone having bath in the Triveni Sangam or the union of three holy rivers of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati will secure heavens as well as salvation.

The greatness of Triveni finds citations in Padmapurana, Vanaparva in Mahabharata, Matsya Purana, Kurma Purana, Agni Purana, Garuda Purana, PrayamAhAtmya, ShatAdhyAyi and several other holy scriptures.

BrAhmeenaputreetripathAstrivENee samAgamEnAkShatayOgamAtrAn|

YatrAplutAn Brahmapadam nayanti sa teerTharAjO jayati prayAgaha||

ShyAmO vaTO(s)shyAmaguNam vruNOti swachChAyayA shyAmalayA janAnAm|

ShyAmaha shramam krutanti yatra druShTaha sa teerTharAjO jayati prayAgaha||

ब्राह्मीनपुत्रीत्रिपथास्त्तिवॆणी समागमॆनाक्षतयॊगमात्रान्।

यत्राप्लुतान् ब्रह्मपदं नयंति स तीर्थराजॊ जयति प्रयागः॥

श्यामॊ वटॊ(s)श्यामगुणं वृणॊति स्वच्छायया श्यामलया जनानां।

श्यामः श्रमं कृतंति यत्र दृष्टः स तीर्थराजॊ जयति प्रयागः॥

ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮೀನಪುತ್ರೀ ತ್ರಿಪಥಾಸ್ತ್ರಿವೇಣೀ ಸಮಾಗಮೇನಾಕ್ಷತಯೋಗಮಾತ್ರಾನ್|

ಯತ್ರಾಪ್ಲುತಾನ್ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಪದಂ ನಯಂತಿ ಸ ತೀರ್ಥರಾಜೋ ಜಯತಿ ಪ್ರಯಾಗಃ||

ಶ್ಯಾಮೋ ವಟೋsಶ್ಯಾಮಗುಣಂ ವೃಣೋತಿ ಸ್ವಚ್ಛಾಯಯಾ ಶ್ಯಾಮಲಯಾ ಜನಾನಾಂ|

ಶ್ಯಾಮಃ ಶ್ರಮಂ ಕೃತಂತಿ ಯತ್ರ ದೃಷ್ಟಃ ಸ ತೀರ್ಥರಾಜೋ ಜಯತಿ ಪ್ರಯಾಗಃ||

 The above hymn is an excerpt from Padma Purana, which means:

The sacred place where Saraswati, Yamuna and Ganga join together, where the devotees leading a life that is restricted by knowledge and strict traditional practices will be carried on the path of Brahmapada after taking a dip in that spot, where the sacred Banyan Tree (Ficus Indica) spreads its shadow and bestows upon those coming under that shadow with pure traits (Satva Guna), where Sri Prayaga Madhava clears the sins and pains of those taking his Darshan, is supreme of the highest order.

Like the Sun is supreme among planets, moon among stars, Teertha Prayaga is supreme among all Teertha Kshetras or holy places. At the time of Great Deluge “Pralay”, Lord Vishnu lies on the leaf of this very Banyan Tree and therefore Darshan of Sri Madhava in this place destroys the sins, including the Capital Sin called Brahmahatya. Having bath in Prayag during Magha Maas (January-February) is most beneficial. The Scriptures describe the Seven Grand Cities, including Ayodhya, as the queens of the King of Cities called Prayaga and that is why Prayaga is known as TeertharAja. The Puranas divide Prayaga into three major parts. The middle of this is considered to be the union of Ganga and Yamuna, which is called as GArhaptnyAgni; the opposite banks of Ganga is known as AahavaneeyAgni and the banks of Yamuna is known as Dakshinagni. Spending a night in each of these three places is as sacred as offering worship to three types of Fire.

During Magha Maas every year, annual festival is held. Once in every twelve years, Jupiter enters the house of Taurus (Spring – April-May) and the Sun enters Capricorn (Autumn, Winter – December-January) Kumbhamela occurs in Prayaga  and once in every six years “Ardhakumbh” (Quasi Kumbh) is held. Historically, it is said that Emperor Harshavardhana used to organize Dharmasabha (Religious Conference) during these festivals and donate everything.

Prayaga is well connected by surface transport.

Another stanza on Prayaga by Sri Vadirajaru will be explained in the next episode.

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