Brahmaa's Yagya in Pushkar

Pulastya Jee said to Bheeshm Jee - "When Brahmaa Jee was doing Yagya in Pushkar, it started in early Sat Yug, his all sons including myself came there, 12 Aaditya - Dhaataa, Aryamaa, Savitaa, Varun, Ansh, Bhag, Indra, Vivaswaan, Pooshaa, Twashtaa and Parajanya; 11 Rudra - Mrigvyaadh, Sharv, Nirriti, Ajaikpaad, Ahirbudhnya, Pinaakee, Aparaajit, Bhava, Kapardee, Sthaanu and Bhag; both Ashwinee Kumaar; 8 Vasu;  Marut Gan; Vishwedev; Saadhya Devtaa; descendents of Shesh Naag; children of Vinataa - Taarkshya, Arishtnemi, Garud, Vaaruni, Aaruni; chiefs of Daanav and Daitya; all Devee - Hree, Keerti, Dyuti, Prabhaa, Dhriti, Kshamaa, Bhooti, Neeti, Vidyaa, Mati, Shruti, Smriti, Kaanti, Shaanti, Pushti, Kriyaa; were also there. Seeing Vishnu there all prayed Him.

Daanav said to Brahmaa Jee - "You have created us, gave us the kingdom of three Lok, what can we do for you? What these Devtaa will do for you? They have always been killed by us. Still you are the father of all of us, complete your Yagya along with Devtaa. At this hour we will not quarrel with Devtaa."

Hearing this Vishnu said to Shiv - "These Daanav are trying to create obstacles in this Yagya, but till this Yagya is over we should forgive them. It is sure that after the Yagya they will surely fight. At that time you will have to do something so that none of them is alive on Prithvi. Make efforts for the victory of Indra." Shiv said - "Hearing this these Daanav may be angry, so don't make them angry now. Forgive them for now. This Yagya will be over in the end of Sat Yug, after that I will send all of them from here, then you can do whatever you like." Brahmaa Jee said to Daanav - "At this time do not oppose Devtaa, rather make this Yagya success jointly with Devtaa." Daanav assured him that Devtaa were their younger brothers so they wouldn't create any trouble.

At that time some Rishi came there. They were very disciplined. As soon as they looked their face in the water of Pushkar, they all became very beautiful. Later they went to take bath in Saraswatee River. Saraswatee River flows there in five streams - Suprabhaa, Kaanchanaa, Praachee, Nandaa, and Vishaalaa. The Yagya started. All kinds of materials appeared at the will of the people. At that time Rishi invoked Saraswatee River with the name of Suprabhaa and she appeared there. Who leaves his body on the north bank of Saraswatee River, and does Jap on the banks of Praachee Saraswatee, he never comes back on Prithvi. Who dries up his body by taking regulated food, or by eating only leaves or by fasting, he attains Brahmaa's Lok. Who have donated gold even equal to a sesame seed, their donation becomes as big as Meru Parvat.

In olden times, once Indra asked Saraswatee River to take "Badavaanal" and drop it in western sea, as that would make all Devtaa fearless. Saraswatee said - "Bhagavan, I am not independent, you request to my father Brahmaa Jee." Devtaa said to Brahmaa Jee - "Your daughter is very good, and faultless so we don't see anybody else who can do this work for us." Brahmaa Jee asked her to help Devtaa. She got very sad thinking about the separation from her father, but Brahmaa Jee made her fearless. As she was proceeding, Gangaa followed her, Saraswatee asked her - "Where are you going? I will see you later." Gangaa said - "Now you will see me only when you will come to East." Saraswatee said - "You also be happy by flowing northward." Gangaa said - "I will be considered holier than before when I will flow northward and you will also be considered holier when you will flow eastward."

At this Saraswatee turned into a river and appeared from the roots of a Paakar tree. This tree is the form of Vishnu. Although there is no flower on that tree still it looks bloomed because various birds perched on it. Saraswatee asked Vishnu to give her the Agni. Vishnu gave the Agni to her in a golden pitcher and said - "Do not fear, you will not get burnt from this Agni while carrying it to westward sea." She kept the Agni in her stomach and proceeded towards west. She appeared in Pushkar and flowed through all those places where Brahmaa Jee did Havan.

Who lives in Pushkar, gets water from Jyeshth Kund and dies in that region, he gets Param Gati. Who gives donations after taking bath in Madhyam Kund on Kaartik Poornimaa, he gets the fruit of Ashwamedh Yagya. Six synonyms have been told for Saraswatee - Mati, Smriti, Pragyaa, Medhaa, Buddhi and good speech. Pushkar has been regarded as the highest Teerth because it is the first Teerth on the earth. One should take bath in all the three Kund and circumambulate them. After the bath, one should do Darshan of Brahmaa Jee. One should take bath in Kund serially - first in the small Kund, then in the middle Kund, and then in the large Kund; or vice versa - first in the large Kund, then the middle Kund and then in the small Kund - in this order. There are three summits and three sources (sources of water) there. All are known as Pushkar. One must do Snaan there, especially on Krishn Chaturdashee. After that Saraswatee got disappeared, and proceeded towards west. After a little while she appeared again in a date forest where she got known as Nandaa.

Why Saraswatee is Called Nandaa?-Story of Prabhanjan

Bheeshm Jee asked - "Is Nandaa River separate river than Saraswatee? If not, then how Saraswatee was called Nandaa there? I wish to know this." Pulastya Jee said - "Once upon a time, there was a mighty king named Prabhanjan. One day he was hunting in that forest. He saw that a she-deer was standing in a bush. He shot an arrow at her and pierced her. The she-deer said - "What did you do this? You have committed a great sin. I was feeding my child fearlessly, and you shot me at the same time? You become an animal who eats raw meat. You become a lion."

Hearing this Raajaa got very sad and asked for her forgiveness showing his ignorance about her feeding to her child. Then he asked - "When I will get into my human species back? At least you tell me the term of your Shaap." She said - "Hey Raajan, After 100 years, a cow named Nandaa will come here. When she will talk to you, you will be free from this Shaap." Now Raajaa became lion. His form was very fierce. He started eating wild animals and human beings. He was very sad doing all this thinking that "I cannot do any good with this body."

After 100 years, a herd of cows came in that forest because grass and water were abundantly available there. In that herd there was a very healthy cow whose name was Nandaa. Normally she used to lead the herd. One day she got separated from that herd, and happened to be in front of that lion. Lion shouted - "Just wait there. Today Bhagavaan has given me good food."

Hearing this she remembered her calf and started weeping for him. Lion said - "This is all the result of your actions, so why do you weep?" Nandaa said - "I greet you, O Lion, please forgive my all mistakes. I weep for my calf. He is my first child, that is why I love him very much, so I weep for him. I know that you will not spare me, but how my child will be alive without me? Please let me go for some time so that I can feed him last time. After feeding him and handing him over to my friends I will come back here, then you can eat me."

Lion said - "What will you do of your calf?" Nandaa said - "He is my first child. I will hand him over to my friends then I will come back here, I swear. If I don't come back then I should be the sinner so I will surely come back because if I don't come back, I will be the sinner." Lion believed her and said - "You have shown me the path of Dharm, so do as you wish. Go, and feed your child; and come back soon after seeing your well wishers."

Nandaa went away and came to her calf and said - "My son, you drink my milk, we are meeting now last time. I have to go back to a hungry lion to be his food." The calf said - "How can I live without you so I will also go with you. There is no one else like mother, so let me come with you." Nandaa said - "My son, my Time has come, not yours. Whose Time comes only he goes, not others can go with him. You stay back here and obey my orders."

Then she licked her calf's forehead with a great sorrow and spoke to her mother and friends - "I was grazing that I saw a lion. I have sworn him that I will come back after feeding my child, then only he has spared me. Now I have to go, please take care of my child. Bring up him like your own child. If I have ever offended you, please forgive me that also."

All got very sad and advised her not to return to lion, because her promise was only for her self-protection, and that is the first duty of every living being." Nandaa said - " I cannot lie for my own life. Every living being comes alone and goes alone, and tolerates comfort and sorrows all alone, so I will not tell lies. Because of speaking truth sea always stays in limits, Raajaa Bali went to Paataal Lok after donating Prithvi to Vishnu, the great mountain Vindhyaachal grew so high that he stopped the Sun's path and because of his truth he does not break his promise made to Agastya Muni. I cannot leave truth." Her friends said - "You are respectable for all Devtaa and Daitya. Whoever holds the truth, nothing is unavailable for him in the world."

After this Nandaa went to lion and said - "Hey Lion, I have come, now you may eat me." The lion said - "You are very truthful. I allowed you to go only to test your truthfulness, but you are indeed truthful. Nobody can harm you. Blessed are those who drink your milk. From today, you are my sister and your calf is my nephew. I have started hating my own life seeing that even a cow can be so truthful. Now I will do only those actions which will free me from my all sins. Sister, Please tell me what kind of Tapasyaa should I do? Tell me this in brief, because there is not time now to hear it in detail."

The cow said - "O brother lion, Learned people admire Tap in Sat Yug, Gyaan (knowledge) in Tretaa Yug, Yagya in Dwaapar Yug and but only Daan (donation) in Kali Yug. And only one type of Daan is the greatest among all Daan, that is to make every Bhoot fearless. There is no other greater Daan than this. There is no Tap or Daan like Ahinsaa (non-violence). All Dharm can be attained by following non-violence. Yog is such a tree whose shade removes all three types of Taap (sorrows). Dharm and Gyaan are the flowers of that tree; Swarg and Moksh are its fruits. This is the means of one's welfare, which I have told you in brief. You know everything, still you are asking me."

The lion said - "I was a king in olden times. I had to assume the body of a lion because of the Shaap of a she-deer. Since then I had forgotten everything, now with your company I have recollected everything. Now I would like to know your name. What is your name?" Nandaa said - "The Swaamee of my group is called Nand, he has named me Nandaa."

Pulastya Jee said - "As the king heard that name he got freed from his Shaap and got his king's body back. At the same time Dharm came there and pleased with that cow's truthfulness asked her to ask for any Var. Nandaa said - "If you are pleased with me then I should get the good Lok along with my son after our death. This place should be Teerth for all Muni and this river should be named after me - "Nandaa". Nandaa, then along with her son went to Lok of truth speakers. Prabhanjan also got his kingdom back.

Since Nandaa went to Swarg from the bank of Saraswatee River, that is why learned people named this river Nandaa. Who take bath in Saraswatee River on Ashtamee, they go to Swarg. Saraswatee bestows Saubhaagya (good fortune) to women. If they take bath in her on Triteeyaa they become Saubhaagyavatee.