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DECEMBER, 1875.] THE LEGENDARY ACCOUNT OF OLD NEWASA.
THE LEGENDARY ACCOUNT OF OLD NEWASA.
BY SRI KRISHNA SASTRI TALEKAR, DEPUTY EDUCATIONAL INSPECTOR, AHMADNAGAR.
NEWASA is a taluka town in the dis. Sakti (popularly called Mohiniraju) of extra
ordinary power."
trict of Ahmadnagar. It has, like many other places, its own history or legend, which I hope will be of some interest to the readers of the Indian Antiquary.
The gods then immediately resorted to this place. The position given above is exactly that of the present Newâsa.
The legend is given in the Mahalaya Máhatmya (or 'the greatness of Mâhâlaya'), which is a part of the Skanda Purána. The Máhátmya is written in both Sanskrit and Prâkrit. It has not been published, nor is it known except in Newâsa. There are few copies of it even there, and consequently their owners do not trust them to others. I obtained, with difficulty, a copy for perusal, for which I was indebted to a friend. It gives the geographical position of Newasa, and enlarges on the sanctity and legendary history both of the place itself, and of the tirthas named as connected with it. The legend respecting New à sa is as follows:Formerly there was a demon by name Târakâsur, who having pleased Brahmâ and got entrance into heaven through his favour, became so proud that he began to harass the gods, and at last expelled them from heaven. The gods then met together and went to Brahmâ for protection, who mentally invoked Vishnu for assistance. Vishnu forthwith appeared, and having heard the cause of his invocation said to him that Kârtika Svâmî (the commander-in-chief of the celestial armies) was to kill the demon, and that he was yet to be born in the womb of Pârvati from the loins of Sankar. Brahmâ then asked for a place for all the gods to live in till the birth of Kartika Svâmi should take place, where they would suffer no annoyance from the demon. Vishnu then pointed out Newâ sa for them, which he described thus:---
वि यस्य दक्षिणे भागे गोदाया दक्षिणे तटे । पंचकोशात्मकं क्षेत्रं वरा यत्र नदी शुभा । तस्याश्च पूर्वभागे हि वैष्णवी शक्तिरद्रुता ।
"In the country south of the Vindhya mountains, and on the south bank of the God â - vari, there is a holy place of the extent of five kos, where there is the meritorious Varâ; and to the east of the river there is a Vaishnavi
The names of Newâsa used in the Mahalaya Mahatmya are Mahalaya and Nidhiw â sa, and the names of the river, Prava râ, På pharâ, and Varâ. The origin of all these names is given in the Mahatmya by Sanatkumâra to Vyasa. Vyasa asks
महालयं कथं क्षेत्रं निधिवासः कथं हि तत् । प्रवरेति कथं नाम तथा पापहरेति च । वरा च नाम्ना ह्यभवत्कथं सा मुनिसत्तम ।
353
"O greatest of the sages, how did this holy place come to be called Mahalaya, and also Nidhiwa sa? What is the origin of the name Pravara, and of the name Pâphara? Why is the river called Varâ? Sanatkumara
answers:
महतामालयं यस्मात्स्थानमेतद्भविष्यति । महालयमितीदं हि ज्ञानिनो विबुधा विदुः । यस्य देवस्य यद्वस्तु वरिष्ठं तदिहानयत् । निधयो निहितास्तत्र धनदेन महामुने । तस्मान्न चलिता स्थानान्निधयों देवपूजिताः । निधिवासस्ततो लोके ख्यातिमाप शुभां भुवि । आप ऊचुः । माधुर्यैरससंयुक्ताः शुद्धा लोकत्रयप्रभो । सर्वेषामुपजीव्या वे भविष्यामस्तथा कुरु ।
"As this place was a dwelling-place of the great (the gods), wise men called it Mahalaya (maha, great, and alaya, a dwelling-place)." When the gods betook themselves to this place, as advised by Vishnu, "every one of them brought with him whatever he considered most valuable. O great sage, Kuber (the treasurer of the gods) lodged here his (nine) treasures, which were worshipped by the gods and were never removed. Hence the place got the good name of Nidhiwâsa among the people of earth (nidhi, treasures, and wasa, a depository). The waters (of the Pravara) spoke (to the presiding deity): 'O Lord of the three worlds, make us such that we shall become possessed of sweet taste, pure, and sustaining all in life.'
Vaishnavi Sakti-the energy of Vishnu personified as a goddess.
