The Sacred Tirthas of Ancient India
"The rishis have recounted in the Vedas, all the fruits from sacrifices, exactly as they occur in this life and the afterlife. O, Lord of the Earth! The poor cannot perform these sacrifices. Sacrifices require many objects and a lot of ingredients in large quantities. Kings can attain them and so can some rich men. They cannot be attained by those without riches, without objects, without means and those who are alone. O, Lord of men! But listen to what the poor can obtain, the supreme equal of the fruits of sacred sacrifices. O, supreme among those of the Bharata lineage! This is the supreme mystery of the rishis, the pure merit from visiting tirthas, superior even to sacrifices."
- Rishi Pulastya to Bhishma
I'm currently reading Volume 3 of the BORI Critical Edition of the Mahabharatha. I am a little over a quarter way through the Tirtha Yatra Parva - the section where the sacred sites located in Ancient India, are described in great detail.
This section is replete with geographical references, which give us a good idea about what India (aka Bharata) looked like, before and during the time of the Mahabharata time period.
Many academicians and researchers agree that, unlike the Ramayana, the Mahabharatha offers a better and more authentic profile of the geography of ancient India. This is because, many of the places mentioned in the latter, are still in existence (and some even bear the same name) even today.
By charting the locations mentioned in the Mahabharatha, we can narrow down - with some degree of accuracy - the exact regions within present-day India, where many of the events in this great epic took place. We can also develop a deep understanding of the way Hinduism developed in Ancient India, in terms of its relationship with nature, the elements and the land.
Why study these sacred tirthas?
As I sat reading about these sacred sites, I wanted to record these names and make them available to as many people as I could. In a way, writing down these names made them more real to me. They brought myriad beautiful and never-before-seen places alive in my mind's eye and took me back to a time and place that was wild and tame, scary and soothing, at the same time.
Another reason I wanted to make this record - for posterity. The unfortunate truth is that, despite having their names on record, more than half of these tirthas are not known to present-day researchers and academicians. This could be due to a number of reasons -
- The names of these locations changed over time and we don't know what these new names are.
- These tirthas represent something metaphorical, whose symbolism we haven't understood and therefore, are unable to tag to a real location.
- The tirthas were destroyed or have disappeared due to time and human activity.
The few tirthas which we can place on today's map with certainty, are at immense risk of disappearing or being destroyed themselves, given the reality of climate change, pollution and environmental degradation.
So, recording the names of these tirthas from ancient India is the right thing to do. Many years from now, our descendants can read about them and envision the expansiveness of Bharata and also revel in the love that our ancients had for Mother Nature.
The tirthas mentioned in the Mahabharatha
Here is a list of the tirthas - sacred sites - from Ancient India, mentioned in the Mahabharatha. It is important to note that ancient India encompassed a very vast geography, spanning across South Asia and some parts of South-East Asia. While most of the tirthas mentioned below do fall within the geographical boundaries of present-day India (2023), some do not.
Additionally, while some of the tirthas are named, others are called by the names of the deities who are worshipped in that location. For example, while "Pushkara" is the name of a particular place ( a river/lake), "Surya tirtha" refers to a tirtha where Lord Surya (the sun) was worshipped. Similarly, "Shri" tirtha refers to a place with a Goddess Shri/Lakshmi temple.
Another point to note is that many times, the tirtha route either loops back towards locations already mentioned or there are multiple locations with the same name, across the country. For example, there is more than one location that is considered "Agastya's hermitage" in India. However, "Dashashvamedhika" is a single place that is visited multiple times.
For more information about these tirthas, you can refer to the translation of the BORI Critical Edition of the Mahabharatha by Bibek Debroy (or, also by translators - Manmath Nath Dutt or Kisari Mohan Ganguli).
The main list of Tirthas
The following tirthas were listed, earlier by Rishi Pulastya to Bhishma, and then later by Rishi Narada to Yudhishthira. Here they are, in the order in which these tirthas must be visited -
- Pushkara
- Jambumarga
- Tundalikashrama
- Agastya's lake
- Kanva's hermitage
- Where Yayati fell (River Para)
- Mahakala
- Kotitirtha
- Bhadrarata
- River Narmada
- Charmanvati
- Arbuda
- Pingatirtha
- Prabhasa (aka, Pindaraka)
- River Sindhu (where river Saraswati meets the ocean)
- Drimi
- Vasudhara
- Sindhuttama
- Brahmatunga
- Kumarika
- Renuka
- Panchanada
- Bhimasthana
- Yoni
- Girimunja
- Vimala (Lake Varaha tirtha)
- Malada
- Vastrapada
- Manimat
- Devika
- Kamakhya
- Yajana
- Yaajana
- Brahmavaluka
- River/lake Pushpam
- Dirghasatra - A prolonged time of making sacrifices to the Gods and donating riches and cows to Brahmanas, Rishis and Siddhas. (place not mentioned)
- Vinasana
- Chamsa (aka, Chamsodbheda)
- Shivodbheda
- Nagodbheda
- Shashayana
- Kumarakoti
- Rudrakoti
- Satravasana (another location where the river Saraswati meets the ocean)
- Kurukshetra (aka, Brahmakshetra)
- Satata
- Pariplava
- Prithivi
- Shalukini
- Dashashvamedhika
- Sarpadevi
- Tarantuka
- Panchanada
- Kotitirtha
- Ashvins
- Varaha (aka, Mula)
- Somatirtha in Jayanti
- Ekahamsa
- Kritashoucha
- Munjavata
- Yakshi
- Samanta Panchaka
- Vamshamulaka
- Kayashodhana
- Lokaddhara
- Shri
- Kapila
- Surya tirtha
- Govambhavana
- Shankhini
- Arantuka
- Brahmarata
- Sutirta
- Ambuvashya
- Matri
- Shitavana
- Shvanalomapanayana
- Dashashvamedhika
- Manusha
- Apaga
- Brahma's Udumbara
- Kedara (aka, Kapisthala)
- Lake of the Saptarishis
- Saraka
- Rudrakoti
- Ilaspada
- Kimdana
- Kimjapya
- Kalashi
- Anajanma
- Pundarika
- Trivishtapa
- River Vaitrani
- Phalakivana
- Dhrishtadvati (river?)
- Panikhata
- Mishraka
- Vyasa's grove
- Manojava
- Madhuvati
- Where river Koushiki meets the river Dhrishtadvati
- Vyasasthali
- Kimdatta
- Ahas
- Sudina
- Mrigadhuma
- River Ganga
- Devatirtha
- Vamanaka
- Kulampuna
- Pavana/Vayu's Lake
- Shalishurpa
- Naimisha Aranya (forest)
- Kanyatirtha
- Brahma's supreme region (location not specified)
- Somatirtha
- Saptasarasvata
- Oushanasa (aka, Kapalamochana)
- Agnitirtha
- Vishvamitra's tirtha
- Brahmayoni
- Prithudaka
- River Madhusrava
- Confluence of river Saraswati and river Aruna
- Avatirna
- Shatasahasraka
- Sahasraka
- Renuka tirtha
- Vimochana
- Panchavata
- Oujasa (aka, Aditya)
- Kuru tirtha
- Svargadvara
- Anaraka
- Svastipura
- Ganga and the sacred well with 3 crore tirthas within it
- Sthanuvata
- Badaripachana
- Vasistha's hermitage
- Indra's path
- Ekaratra
- Surya's hermitage
- Somatirtha
- Dadhicha's tirtha
- Kanyashrama
- Samnihiti
- Kotirupa
- Ganga
- Dharmatirtha
- Karapatana
- Sougandhika forest
- Plaksha
- Ishanadhyushita
- Sugandha
- Shatakumbha
- Panchayajna
- Trishulakhata
- Shakambhari
- Suvarnaksha
- Dhumavati
- Rathavarta
- Dhara
- Gangadvara
- Kotitirtha
- Saptaganga
- Triganga
- Shakravarta
- Kanakhala
- Kapilavata
- Lalitika
- Confluence of river Ganga, river Yamuna and river Saraswati
- Suganda
- Rudravarta
- Confluence of river Ganga and river Saraswati
- Bhadrakarneshwara
- Kubjamraka
- Arundhativata
- Samudraka
- Brahmavarta
- Yamunotri glacier
- Darvisamkramana
- Source of the Sindhu river (near Manasa Sarovara)
- Vedi
- Rishikulya
- Vasistha
- Bhrigutunga
- Virapramoksha
- Krittika
- Magha
- Vidyatirtha
- Mahashrama
- Vetasika
- Sundarika
- Brahmani
- Naimisha Aranya
- Gangobheda
- River Saraswati
- Bahuda
- Chiravati
- Vimalashoka
- Gopratara
- River Gomati
- Shatasaharika
- Bhartri
- Kotitirtha
- Varanasi
- Kapila (pond)
- Markandeya's tirtha at the confluence of river Ganga and river Gomati
- Gaya
- Akshayavata
- River Mahanadi
- Dhenuka
- Gridhravata
- Mount Udyanta
- Yonidvara
- Gaya
- River Phalgun
- Dharmaprastha
- Brahmatirtha
- Rajagriha (aka, Grirvraja)
- Goutama's forest
- Ahalya's lake
- Shri (hot spring)
- Janaka's well
- Vinashana
- Gandaki
- Adhivamshya
- River Kampana
- River Vishala
- Mahesvari (rivulet)
- Maheshvara Pada
- Narayana's region (location not mentioned)
- Jatismara
- Vateshvarapura
- Vamana
- Bharata's hermitage
- River Koushiki
- Champaka forest
- Jyeshthila
- Kanyasamveda (Land of Manu)
- River Nishchira
- Vasistha's hermitage
- Devakuta
- Koushika's lake
- Virashrama
- Agnidhara
- Brahma's lake in the mountains (perhaps in the Himalayas)
- Kumaradhara stream
- Gouri's mountain peak
- Stanakunda lake
- Tamraruna
- Nandini (Well)
- River Kalika - Confluence of river Koushiki and river Aruna
- Urvashi tirtha
- Hermitage of the Moon
- Kumbhakarana's hermitage
- Kokamukha
- Nanda
- Rishabha island
- Ouddalaka tirtha
- Dharmatirtha
- Champa
- Bhagirathi
- Dandarka
- Lavedika
- Samvedya
- Louhitya
- Karatoya
- Confluence of river Ganga and the ocean
- Sagar island
- Vaitarani
- Viraja
- Confluence of river Shona and (river?) Jyotirathi
- Vamshagulma
- Rishabha tirtha in Kosala
- Kala tirtha
- Pushpavati
- Badarika tirtha
- Mahendra (mountain?)
- Kedara
- Mount Shri
- Mount Rishabha
- Kaveri
- Kanyatirtha
- Gokarana
- River Gayatri
- Samvarta's pond
- Venna
- River Godavari
- Confluence of Varada river (a tributary of the river Tungabhadra)
- Kushapalavana
- Source of the river Krishna
- Jatimatra lake
- River Payoshi
- Dandaka Aranya
- Sharabhanga's hermitage
- Shukra's hermitage
- Shurparaka
- Saptagodavari
- Tungaka Aranya
- Medhavika
- Kalanjara peak
- River Mandakini
- Chitrakuta mountain
- Bhartri
- Kotitirtha
- Jyeshthasthana
- Shringaverapura
- Prayaga
- Bhogavati
- Hamsaprapatana
- Dashashvamedhika
Which were the most important tirthas?
- Prithudaka
- Samnihiti
- Prayaga
Tirthas in different directions
Apart from the above list, we see a second list of tirthas being listed by Rishi Dhoumya, the preceptor of the Pandavas. Here, we see a list of the main tirthas located in the four primary directions (East, West, North and South), which can be visited if a person cannot visit all of the tirthas in the first list. While some of the tirthas listed here in this second list are new, others are repeated from List 1.
(Please note, there is no clarity about the orientation of the directions; i.e., what is the central place from which the eastern, western, northern and southern directions are charted. It may be assumed (based on some of the places listed), that the directions roughly represent what we consider today to be South India, North India, East India and West India, respectively.)
Tirthas in the East
- Naimisha Aranya
- River Gomati
- The sacrificial ground of the Gods (location not listed)
- Vivasvata's sacrificial site
- Brahma's sacred lake
- Gaya
- River Mahanadi
- Gayashira
- Akshayakarana
- River Phalgu
- Confluence of river Ganga and river Yamuna
- Utpala in Panchala
- Kanyakubja
- River Ganga
- Prayaga
- Agastya's hermitage
- Hiranyabindu on Kalanjara
- Mahendra mountain
- River Brahmashala
- Kedara
- Kundala mountain
- River Bahuda
- River Nanda
Tirthas in the West
- Avanti
- River Narmada
- Vaishravana's hermitage
- Kubera's birthplace
- Vaiduryashikhara
- River Para
- Vishvamitra's river
- Mount Mainaka
- Mount Asita
- Kakshasena's hermitage
- Chyavana's hermitage
- Jambhumarga
- Ketumala
- Gangaranya
- Saindhava forest
- River Pushkara
Tirthas in the North
- River Saraswati
- River Yamuna
- Plakshavatarana
- Agnishira
- Sarakasta's hermitage
- Dhrishadvati
- Vishakhayupa
- Palashaka
- Gangadvara
- Puru mountain
- Bhrigutunga hermitage
- Badari
Tirthas in the South
- River Godavari
- River Venna
- River Bhimarathi
- Payoshni
- Varunasrotasa
- Mathara forest
- Praveni
- Kanva's hermitage
- Shurparka
- Pashana
- Puraschandra
- Martya
- Ashoka
- Pandya
- Agastya
- Varuna
- Kumari
- Tamraparni (either the name of a river or the ancient name of Sri Lanka)
- Gokarana
- Mount Devasabha
- Trinasomagri
- Mount Vaidurya
- Agastya's hermitage
- Surashtra
- Chamasonmajjana
- Prabhasa
- Pindraka
- Mount Ujjayanta
- Dvaravati
A note on River Saraswati
As you may have noticed, the River Saraswati plays a very important role in the life of ancient Indians. It is a source of life - both physical and spiritual.
It is important to note that extensive research shows that the River Saraswati dried up and went extinct somewhere between 4000 and 6000 years ago. For a very long time, researchers have struggled to find any evidence of the Saraswati - both on the field and on the map. This lack of evidence prevented many academicians, geologists and archeologists, amongst others, from accepting the River Saraswati as a real geological feature in ancient India.
However, tremendous efforts have been made in the past few centuries to prove the existence of this sacred river. The Rigveda states that the Saraswati was a "great and holy river in North-Western India" and the "Mother of Rivers". In later-Vedic and post-Vedic texts, we read about Saraswati's decline into a "a terminal lake". In even later works, such as the Jaiminiya Brahmana and Tandya Brahmana, it is mentioned that the River Saraswati had "dried up in a desert". Vedic descriptions of the course of the river show that the Saraswati might have flowed in the region between the rivers Yamuna (in the East) and Shutudri/Sutlej (in the West), marking its approximate route along present-day Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Pakistan.
The advent of the 19th Century brought some exciting news about the River Saraswati. Researchers, with help from scientists at ISRO, narrowed down on the Ghaggar-Hakra River system (which flows through current-day Northwestern India and Eastern Pakistan), as being the ancient Saraswati River. Research shows that between 8000 & 10,000 years ago, the River Sutlej - which was the predominant waterbody feeding the Ghaggar-Hakra River System - diverted its course. As a result, the Ghaggar-Hakra started to dry up and became dependent on the monsoons for its showers. However, around 5000 years ago, this region began to receive lighter showers and more infrequent monsoons, causing the Ghaggar-Hakra to dry up further. Today, many of the tributaries of the Ghaggar-Hakra River have completely dried up, resulting in its nickname, the "Dead River". Which other river is considered "dead" in India today? The Saraswati.
However, despite the promising Ghaggar-Hakra River System theory, things aren't as watertight as we'd prefer. The clue lies within the very Vedic texts which we use to prove the relationship between the Saraswati and the Ghaggar-Hakra rivers.
If the Rigveda and other Vedic texts are to be believed, the Saraswati had already dried up between 4000 & 6000 years ago - potentially, a millennium or more before the Rigveda was even compiled. Additionally, more details provided in the Rigveda, about the course followed by the Saraswati and her characteristics, don't match the course and characteristics of the Ghaggar-Hakra river. The timelines get messier, if we consider the theory of the Indo-Aryan migration, believed to have occurred between 1900 BCE and 1400 BCE. How could the Vedic people have seen Saraswati in its heyday as a mighty and full river, when they arrived many millennia after it dried up?
Another theory that is actively considered by academic circles, is that the River Saraswati could be the Helmand River, originating in the Sanglakh Range of the Hindu Kush mountains, in present-day Afghanistan. Both historical and mythological records show that ancient Indias were familiar with the Hindu Kush region. Additionally, ancient descriptions of a tributary of the Helmand River in The Avesta (the Iranian/Zoroastrian religious text), seem to match the early descriptions of Saraswati in the Rig Veda. This tributary - then called Haraxvati - might be the Saraswati of yore. It is therefore possible, that the Helmand River was the "Nadimata Saraswati" (Mother of Rivers) that people referred to in the first few books of the Rigveda.
In later Rigvedic texts, the moniker of "Nadimata" is given to the River Sindhu/Indus. These later texts were written closer to the Indo-Aryan migration and the rise of the Harappan civilization when the Indus River was at its mightiest. By this time, the Saraswati had all but left the vocabulary of the sacred texts, with only an honorary title bestowed upon a rivulet located close to the civilization. We do, however, see references to this effect, in the "Vinasana Saraswati" (the disappeared or that which is underground) in the final few Rigvedic texts. Some researchers believe this might be the by-then-dried-up Ghaggar-Hakra river at whose banks Harappa was located. Over time, as people moved further east across the Gangetic plains, the ancient Saraswati was replaced by the Indus, Yamuna and Ganga.
We also have a third theory that is equally probable. Some researchers believe that the River Saraswati might actually have been two different rivers, which were confusedly or mistakenly conflated into a single waterbody. The multiple references to the River Saraswati, across ancient texts, seem to describe two different rivers altogether. Are these the Helmand and the Ghaggar-Hakra or two other as-yet-unknown rivers from the past?
These contradictory theories, coupled with the lack of any new evidence, have brought the search for the Saraswati to a temporary halt. For now, we must be content worshipping a mythical river that remains hidden - perhaps lost - within the deep folds of time.
The loins of the world and the altars of Prajapati
Another really interesting piece of information that I found out in this Parva, was that the ancient Indians had identified certain places, which they dubbed as - "the loins of the world" and "the altars of Prajapati".
The loins of the world refer to the confluence of the River Ganga and the River Yamuna. To me, they represent the womb of the Indian civilization, the place where Indian and Hindu life took root and flourished initially. This might even be another example (perhaps evidence) of the Saraswati having been forgotten or overshadowed by the time the Mahabharatha was widely told.
The altars of Prajapati, are very sacred and energetically strong sites, which are considered spiritually powerful and perhaps even suitable for religious activities. Perhaps, these sites were some of the earliest cradles of Hindu philosophy and spiritual thought & practice. (Of course, there is no such evidence in the book to support this, only my hypothesis.) These altars include locations like -
- Prayaga
- Pratishthana
- Kambala
- Ashvatara
- Bhogavati
Nature = God = Prosperity & Good Fortune
Interestingly, Dhoumya ends this account of the tirthas by saying, "He who awakens in the morning and recites the account of all the tirthas as told by the devarshi, is freed from all sins."
To me, this sentence encapsulates the biggest, most powerful and most freeing truth about Hinduism - Nature is God and worshipping the natural landscapes, elements and nature spirits, is akin to prayer.
We don't need to rote-learn and recite pages-upon-pages of prayers to feel more connected with the divine. We can spend time in or just meditate upon nature and we'll find ourselves in the womb of the divine, safe, secure and loved.
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