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20-Shiv and Brahmaa
When Shiv Jee was married to Paarvatee Jee all Devtaa, Rishi, Gandharv,
Siddh, Chaaran, Yaksh etc gathered together. Brahmaa, the creator
of the Universe, seeing the beauty of Paarvatee, had a discharge of semen. Shiv
observing this, offered him water of Gangaa, the purest water and said, - “You
will wipe off your sin by this water”. Brahmaa kept the holy water in his Kamandal
(a particular container made out of dried fruit carried by Saadhu) and was purified
by its bath.
This legend is associated with
Tryambakeshwar Temple.
Brahmaa Jee used the same water to wash Vishnu's foot when it reached Brahm Lok while He was measuring Tri-Lok at the time of donation of Bali's
three feet land to Him.
Descent of Godaavaree
Once
River Gangaa was enjoying with Shiv
in the form of a woman,
Paarvatee Jee noticed it. She planned to drive Gangaa away from her husband.
Paarvatee and her son Ganesh came to live in Gautam's Aashram with Paarvatee's
friend Jayaa with a plan. There was a famine of 24 years and people were
affected by the pangs of hunger. However, Varun - the God of Rains, pleased with
Sage Gautam arranged rains every day in Gautam's Ashram (dwelling place) which
was in Tryambakeshwar. Gautam used to sow rice in the surrounding fields of his
Aashram in the morning, reap the crop in the afternoon and with it fed a large
group of Rishi, who took shelter in his Aashram on account of the famine in the
evening. The blessings of the group of Rishi increased the merit (Punya) of
Gautam.
Seeing this
Indra got very worried because Gautam's merit was increasing. So Indra
ordered clouds to rain all over Tryambakeshwar, so that the famine be over and
Rishi can go back and the increasing merits of Gautam will be weakened. Although
by these rains the famine was over, Gautam still urged the Rishi to stay back
and kept on feeding them and gaining merit. Once he saw a cow grazing in the
paddy field and he drove her away by throwing a blade of Darbhaa (sharp pointed
grass) grass. The slender cow died as the blade hit her. It was in fact Jayaa -
Paarvatee's friend, who had taken the form of a cow. This news upset the Rishi
and they refused to eat at his Aashram. Gautam requested Rishi to show a way to
come out of this sin. He was advised to approach Shiv and request him to release
Gangaa, that a bath in the Ganges would set him free of his sins.
Gautam then practiced penance by going to the peak of Brahmgiri. Shankar
was pleased by his worship and gave him the Gangaa. However, Gangaa was not
prepared to part with Shiv, which irritated Shiv Jee. He danced his Taandav
Nritya (dance) on the peak of Brahmgiri and dashed his Jataa there. Frightened
by this action, Gangaa appeared on Brahmgiri. Later on Gangaa appeared in the
Tryambak Teerth also. Gautam praised her but she appeared off and on on the
mountain at various places and disappeared in anger. Gautam could not bathe in
her waters. Ganges then appeared in Gangaadwaar, Varaah Teerth, Raam-Lakshman
Teerth, Gangaa Saagar Teerth. Still Gautam could not bathe in her waters. Then
Gautam surrounded the river with enchanted grass and put a vow to her. The flow
stopped there and the Teerth thus came to be called Kushaavart. It is from this
Kushaavart that the river Godaavaree flows up to the sea. Gautam wiped off his
sin of killing a cow by taking bath here.
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