Indian Antiquary Vol 46

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 386

38
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
A bath in the waters of a holy river washes off the sins of the bather. It is also meritorious to repeat the names of the several holy rivers.2 The performance of Shraddha ceremonies on the banks of a holy river secures the felicity of deceased ancestors in heaven,1 At the time of performing Shraddhas at a holy place, Hindus shave their moustaches, bathe in the sacred waters, and then go through the necessary ceremonies, in the course of which pindas are offered to the Pitars (spirits of dead ancestors). Brahmans are feasted after the ceremonies, and dakshina is given to them." Tarpan or an offering of water with flowers, ointment, red lac, cocoanuts, and betel, is frequently made to the river on the banks of which the ceremonies are performed. The bones of a deceased person, left unburnt after cremation of the body, are gathered together and thrown into holy rivers such as the Ganges, the Jumna, and the Godavari, for the purification of his soul.5
When heavy floods threaten a village or a city with serious injury, the king or the headman should go in procession to propitiate the river with flowers, cocoanuts, and other offerings in order that the floods may subside. A story is related of the occurrence of heavy floods in a village in the Jatalpur Taluka, when a certain lady placed an earthen vessel (ordinarily used for curdling milk), containing a ghi lamp, afloat on the floods, whereupon the waters were at once seen to reccdc.7
Besides the holy rivers, there are numerous kunds or sacred pools which are regarded with equal reverence, and in which a bath has the same efficacy for destroying sin. Similarly, they are equally suitable places for the performance of Shraddha ceremonies.
These kunds are the subject of numerous beliefs, and each of them has a certain. māhātmya or peculiar merit of its own. Six miles to the east of Dwarka, near the seacoast, there is a kund called Pind-tarak, where many persons go to perform the Shraddha and the Narayan-bali ceremonies. They first bathe in the kund: then, with its water, they prepare pindas, and place them in a metal dish: red lac is applied to the pindas, and a piece of cotton thread wound round them; the metal dish being then dipped in the kund, when the pindas, instead of sinking, are said to remain floating on the water. The process is believed to earn a good status for the spirits of departed ancestors in heaven, It is further said that physical ailments brought on by the avagatidegradation or fallen coudition-of ancestors in the other world, are remedied by the performance of Shraddha on this kund.s
The Damodar kund is situated near Junagadh. It is said that if the bones of a deceased person which remain unburnt after his cremation are dipped in this kund, the soul of that person obtains moksha (or final emancipation).1
There is a vav or reservoir on Mount Girnar, known as Rasakupika-väv. It is believed that the body of a person bathing in it becomes as hard as marble, and that if a piece of stone or iron is dipped in the väv, it is instantly transformed into gold. But the väv is only visible to saints and sages who are gifted with a supernatural vision.
Kashipuri (Benares) contains a väv called Gyan-vav, in which there is an image of Vishweshwar (the Lord of the universe, ie., Shiva). A bath in the water from this väv is believed to confer upon a person the gift of divine knowledge.1
1 Mr. D. K. Pandya, Dhhank.
The Schoolmasters of Dhhank, Vanod, and Kolki, 5 The Schoolmaster of Dadvi.
Mr. K. D. Desai.
Mr. D. K. Pandya, Dhhank, and the Headmistress of Gondal Girls' School.
Mr. D. K. Shah, Charadwah, Mr. M. R. Raval.
The Schoolmaster of Limbdi Taluka,
Mr. Jairam Vasaram, Jodia.