Indian Antiquary Vol 48

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

Page 316

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Chitabhumi-Baidyanath or Deoghar in the Santal Pargana, containing the temple of
Baidyanatha, one of the twelve Great Lingas of Mahadeva (Śiva P., Bk. I. chs. 38, 55). The Mahadeva there is said to have been established by Ravana. The place contains also the temple of the goddess Pârvati, the consort of the god Baidyanatha It is said to be one of the fifty-two Pithas (Hardapitha), as Sati's heart fell at this place. In the Uttara Purana cited by Francklin in his Site of Ancient Palibothra, p. 21, Baidyanatha is called Pampapuri or Palu-gaon, which is perhaps a corruption of Paralipura or Parali-grama of the Siva Purana. For a description of the temples of Baidyanatha or Deoghar, see JASB., 1883, p. 164—'On the temples of Deoghar' by Dr. R. L. Mitra.' In the Maha-Lingesvara Tantra in the 'Hundred Names of Siva', it is mentioned that Baidyanatha and Vakreśvara Mahadevas are situated in Jhára khanda, Siddhina tha and Târakeśvara Mahadevas in Rada, Ghaộtesvara Mahadeva on the banks of the river Ratnakara (now called Kâng-nadi in the district of Hooghly), and Kapáleśvara Mahadeva on the banks of the Bhagirathi. Rêvana, while he was carrying Mahideva from Kailâsa, felt a very uneasy sensation when he came to Haritakîyana, the ancient name of Baidyanátha, as Varuna, the god of the waters had entered his belly. In order to relieve himself, he placed the god in the hand of Vishņu disguised as a Brahman, and retired to the northeastern corner of Deoghar called Hårlâjudi (a corruption of Haritaki-vana) to relieve himself, and the result was the Karmanâsâ rivulet flowing by the north of Hârlâjudi. In the meantime, Vishnu put down Mahadeva at Deoghar and disappeared (Siva P., BaidyanathaMâhât., ch. 4). The Trikûța hill, 6 miles to the east of Baidyanatha, contains a spring of water. The Tapovana hill where Råvaņa performed asceticism (Śiva P., Bk. I, ch. 55;
Brihat Siva P., II, 20) and which is about the same distance, contains a natural cave. Chitrakata_Kimptânith-giri in Bundelkhand: it is an isolated hill on a river called
the Paisuni (Payas viní) or Mandakini, where Râma dwelt for some time during his oxile (Ramayana, Ayodh. K., ch. 55). It is about four miles from the Chitrakut station
of the G. I. P. Railway. Chitrakųţa-Same as Payasvini ( 2 ): the river Paisuni (Vamana P., ch. 13, v. 26). Chitraratha-The river Chitrarathi, a tributary of the Northern Pennai (Mbl.,
Bhishma, ch. 9). Chitropala—The river Mahanadi in Orissa below its junction with the Pyri (Mbh.
Bhishma, ch, 9 and Asia. Res., Vol. XV; Brahma P., ch. 46). But it appears to be the Chittutola (Chitrot palá), a branch of the Mahanadi (see Hamilton's Gazetteer. 8.0. Mahanuddy). Chitrotpala-Same as Chitropala (Markandeya P., ch. 57; Arch. S. Rep., vii., 155; xvii. 70). The river Mahânadi in Orissa. It was crossed over by Chaitanya after leaving
Puri on his way to Bengal ( Chaitanya-charitamrita, Pt. II, ch. 16). Chittambalam--Chidam varam in south Arcot district, about one hundred and
fifty miles south of Madras, and seven miles from the coast. It contains the celebrated temple of Kanakasabh&pati, the name of a Mahadeva. The celebrated Sankaracharyya is said to have been born at Chidamvaram (Ananda Giri's Sankaravijaya) and he died at Kanchipura at the age of thirty-two. According to another account, he is said to have been born at a village called Kalati on the Pârņa in Kanara (see Kerala) and to have died at Kedarnath in Garwal. It is now certain that Sankara was born at Kalati or Kaladi in Kerala during the reign of Råjanšekhara (Madhavâchâryya's Sankaravijaya).