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Badarikāśrama-māhātmya · Chapter 2

Chapter 2

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Badarikāśrama-māhātmya · Chapter 2

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।। स्कंद उवाच ।। ।। कथमेतत्समुत्पन्नं कैर्वा क्षेत्रं निषेवितम् ।। को वा तस्याप्यधीशः स्यादेतद्विस्तरतो वद ।। १ ।। ।। शिव उवाच ।। ।। अनादिसिद्धमेतत्तु यथा वेदा हरेस्तनूः ।। अधिष्ठाता हरिः साक्षान्नारदाद्यैर्निषेवितम् ।। २ ।। पुरा कृतयुगस्यादौ स्वीयां दुहितरं विधिः ।। रूपयौवनसंपन्नां स तां यभितुमुद्यतः ।। ३ ।। तं दृष्ट्वा तादृशं रोषाच्छिरः खड्गेन पञ्चधा ।। चिच्छेदाऽहं कपालं तद्ब्रह्महत्यासमुद्यते ।। ४ ।। हस्ते कृत्वा जगामाशु तत्र तीर्थानि सेवितुम् ।। दिवि भूमौ च पाताले तपश्चरणपूर्वकम् ।। ५ ।। न गता ब्रह्महत्या मे कपालं तादृशं करे ।। तदा वैकुण्ठमगमं द्रष्टुं लक्ष्मीपतिं हरिम् ।। ६ ।। विनयावनतो भूत्वा नमस्कृत्य पुनः पुनः ।। सर्वमाख्यातवांस्तस्मै व्यसनं करुणात्मने ।। ७ ।। तस्योपदिष्टमादाय बदरीं समुपागतः ।। तत्क्षणाद्ब्रह्महत्या मे वेपमाना मुहुर्मुहुः ।। ८ ।। अंतर्हितं कपालं तत्कराद्विगलितं मम ।। ततःप्रभृति तत्क्षेत्रं पार्वत्या सह सादरम् ।।९।। तिष्ठामि तप आस्थाय ऋषीणां प्रीतिमावहन् ।। वाराणस्यां यथा प्रीतिः श्रीशैलशिखरे तथा ।। 2.3.2.१० ।। कैलासे शिवया सार्द्धं ततोनंतगुणाधिका ।। अन्यत्र भरणान्मुक्तिः स्वधर्मविधिपूर्वकात ।। ११ ।। बदरी दर्शनादेव मुक्तिः पुंसां करे स्थिता ।। हरेश्चरणसान्निध्यं यत्र वैश्वानरः स्वयम् ।। १२।। तत्र केदाररूपेण मम लिंगं प्रतिष्ठितम् ।। केदारदर्शनात्स्पर्शादर्च्चनाद्भक्तिभावतः।। १ ३।। कोटिजन्मकृतं पापं भस्मीभवति तत्क्षणात् ।। कलामात्रेण तिष्ठामि तत्र क्षेत्रे विशेषतः ।। १ ४।। कला पंचदशैवात्र मूर्तिमध्ये ह्यवस्थितम् ।। १५।। जितकृतांतभयाः शिवयोगिनः कृतमृगाजिनकृत्तिसुवाससः ।। वरविभूतिजटान्वितभूषणाः स्वयमुपासत एव जटाधरम् ।। १ ६।। फलदलांबुसमीरणतोषिताः शिवमनोजितमृत्युपरिश्रमाः ।। गिरिवरस्थितनिर्जितमानसाः प्रसरनिर्म्मलबुद्धिमहोदयाः ।। १७ ।। कमलकोमलकांतिमुखांबुजाः शिवकृपाजितनिर्भरवैरिणः ।। करधृतांजलिमौलिशिवेक्षणाः शिवमुपासत एव निशामुखे ।। १८ ।। करधृतजपमालाः शांतिसंतोषभाजः कृतनतिपरनित्यप्रार्थनाश्चन्द्रमौलौ ।। हरचरणसरोजध्यानविज्ञानमूर्तिव्यथितजनमनोजाः सर्वभावान्नितांतम् ।। १९ ।। वाराणस्यां मृतानां च तारकं ब्रह्मसंज्ञकम् ।। जनानां पूजनात्तत्र मम लिंगस्य जायते ।। 2.3.2.२० ।। वह्नितीर्थं परिभ्राजद्भगवच्चरणांतिके ।। केदाराख्यं महालिंगं दृष्ट्वा नो जन्मभाग्भवेत् ।। २१ ।। ।। स्कन्द उवाच ।। ।। कथं वैश्वानरः श्रीमान्सर्वलोकैककारणम् ।। बदरीमनुसंतस्थौ तन्मे वद महामते ।। २२ ।। ।। ।। शिव उवाच ।। ।। पुरा समाजः समभूदृषीणामूर्ध्वरेतसाम् ।। गंगा भगवती यत्र कालिंद्या सह संगता ।।२३।। दशाश्वमेधिकं नाम तीर्थं त्रैलोक्यविश्रुतम् ।। बभूव तत्र भगवान्हुतभुक्प्रश्रयानतः ।। ऋषीणामग्रतः स्थित्वा प्रष्टुं समुपचक्रमे ।। २४ ।। ।। वैश्वानर उवाच ।। ।। दृष्ट्वा इहैकदृग्ज्ञाना भवन्तो ब्रह्मवित्तमाः ।। दीनार्थे करुणापूर्णा हृदयार्द्रा दयालवः ।। २५ ।। सर्वदुर्लक्षणोद्भूतपातकालिप्तचेतसः ।। कथं स्यान्निरयान्मुक्तिर्मम ब्रह्मविदुत्तमाः ।। २६ ।। सर्वेषामृषिवर्य्याणामाजगाम मुनीश्वरः ।। गंगांभसि समाप्लुत्य वाक्यं चेदमुवाच ह ।। २७ ।। ।। व्यास उवाच ।। ।। अस्त्येकः परमोपायो भवतः पापनिष्कृतौ ।। सर्वभक्षाख्यदोषस्य बदरीं शरणं श्रय ।। २८ ।। यत्रास्ते भगवान्साक्षाद्देवदेवो जनार्द्दनः ।। भक्तानामप्यभक्तानामघहा मधुसूदनः ।। २९ ।। तत्र गंगांभसि स्नात्वा कृत्वा प्रदक्षिणां हरेः ।। दंडवत्प्रणिपातेन सर्वपापक्षयो भवेत् ।। 2.3.2.३० ।। ततो व्यासमुखाच्छ्रुत्वा ऋषीणामनुवादतः ।। उत्तराभिमुखो वह्निर्गंधमादनमाययौ ।। ३१ ।। ततो बदरिकां प्राप्य स्नात्वा गंगांभसि स्वयम्।। नारायणाश्रमं गत्वा नत्वा प्रोवाच भक्तिमान् ।। ३२ ।। ।। अग्निरुवाच ।। ।। विशुदविज्ञानघनं पुराणं सनातनं विश्वसृजां पतिं गुरुम् ।। अनेकमेकं जगदेकनाथं नमाम्यनंताश्रितशुद्धबुद्धिम् ।। ३३ ।। मायामयीं शक्तिमुपेत्य विश्वकर्त्तारमुद्दिश्य रजोपयुक्तम् ।। सत्त्वेन चास्य स्थितिहेतुमुग्रमथो तमोभिग्रसितारमीडे ।।३४।। अविद्यया विश्वविमोहितात्मा विद्यैकरूपं विततं त्रिलोक्याम् ।। विद्याश्रितत्वात्सकलज्ञमीशं त्वविद्यया जीवमहं प्रपद्ये ।। ३५ ।। भक्तेच्छयाविष्कृतदेहयोगमाभोगभोगार्पितयोगयोगम् ।। कौशेयपीताम्बरजुष्टशक्तिं विचित्रशक्त्यष्टमयेष्टमीडे ।। ३६ ।। अथ प्रसन्नो भगवान्स्तुतः सर्वैर्हृदि स्थितः ।। प्रोवाच मधुरं वाक्यं पावकं पावनार्थिनम् ।। ३७ ।। ।। श्रीनारायण उवाच ।। वरं वरय भद्रं ते वरदोऽहमुपागतः ।। स्तवेनानेन तुष्टोऽस्मि विनयेन तवानध ।। ३८ ।। ।। अग्निरुवाच ।। ।। ज्ञातं भगवता सर्वं यदर्थमहमागतः ।। तथापि कथयाम्येतदीश्वराज्ञानुपालनम् ।। ३९ ।। सर्वभक्षो भवाम्येव निष्कृतिस्तु कथं भवेत् ।। अत्यन्तभयसंपत्तिरेतस्माज्जायते मम ।। 2.3.2.४० ।। ।। श्रीनारायण उवाच ।। ।। क्षेत्रदर्शनमात्रेण प्राणिनां नास्ति पातकम् ।। मत्प्रसादात्पातकं तु त्वयि मास्तु कदाचन ।। ४१ ।। ततः प्रभृति भूतात्मा पावकः सर्वतो भृशम् ।। कलयावस्थितश्चात्र सर्वदोषविवर्जितः ।। ४२ ।। य एतत्प्रातरुत्थाय शृणोति श्रावयेच्छुचिः ।। अग्नितीर्थकृतस्नानं फलं प्राप्नोत्यसंशयम् ।। ४३ ।। इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां द्वितीये वैष्णवखण्डे श्रीबदरिकाश्रममाहात्म्येऽग्निकृतभगवत्स्तुतिवर्णनंनाम द्वितीयोऽध्यायः ।। २ ।।

|| skaṃda uvāca || || kathametatsamutpannaṃ kairvā kṣetraṃ niṣevitam || ko vā tasyāpyadhīśaḥ syādetadvistarato vada || 1 || || śiva uvāca || || anādisiddhametattu yathā vedā harestanūḥ || adhiṣṭhātā hariḥ sākṣānnāradādyairniṣevitam || 2 || purā kṛtayugasyādau svīyāṃ duhitaraṃ vidhiḥ || rūpayauvanasaṃpannāṃ sa tāṃ yabhitumudyataḥ || 3 || taṃ dṛṣṭvā tādṛśaṃ roṣācchiraḥ khaḍgena pañcadhā || cicchedā'haṃ kapālaṃ tadbrahmahatyāsamudyate || 4 || haste kṛtvā jagāmāśu tatra tīrthāni sevitum || divi bhūmau ca pātāle tapaścaraṇapūrvakam || 5 || na gatā brahmahatyā me kapālaṃ tādṛśaṃ kare || tadā vaikuṇṭhamagamaṃ draṣṭuṃ lakṣmīpatiṃ harim || 6 || vinayāvanato bhūtvā namaskṛtya punaḥ punaḥ || sarvamākhyātavāṃstasmai vyasanaṃ karuṇātmane || 7 || tasyopadiṣṭamādāya badarīṃ samupāgataḥ || tatkṣaṇādbrahmahatyā me vepamānā muhurmuhuḥ || 8 || aṃtarhitaṃ kapālaṃ tatkarādvigalitaṃ mama || tataḥprabhṛti tatkṣetraṃ pārvatyā saha sādaram ||9|| tiṣṭhāmi tapa āsthāya ṛṣīṇāṃ prītimāvahan || vārāṇasyāṃ yathā prītiḥ śrīśailaśikhare tathā || 2.3.2.10 || kailāse śivayā sārddhaṃ tatonaṃtaguṇādhikā || anyatra bharaṇānmuktiḥ svadharmavidhipūrvakāta || 11 || badarī darśanādeva muktiḥ puṃsāṃ kare sthitā || hareścaraṇasānnidhyaṃ yatra vaiśvānaraḥ svayam || 12|| tatra kedārarūpeṇa mama liṃgaṃ pratiṣṭhitam || kedāradarśanātsparśādarccanādbhaktibhāvataḥ|| 1 3|| koṭijanmakṛtaṃ pāpaṃ bhasmībhavati tatkṣaṇāt || kalāmātreṇa tiṣṭhāmi tatra kṣetre viśeṣataḥ || 1 4|| kalā paṃcadaśaivātra mūrtimadhye hyavasthitam || 15|| jitakṛtāṃtabhayāḥ śivayoginaḥ kṛtamṛgājinakṛttisuvāsasaḥ || varavibhūtijaṭānvitabhūṣaṇāḥ svayamupāsata eva jaṭādharam || 1 6|| phaladalāṃbusamīraṇatoṣitāḥ śivamanojitamṛtyupariśramāḥ || girivarasthitanirjitamānasāḥ prasaranirmmalabuddhimahodayāḥ || 17 || kamalakomalakāṃtimukhāṃbujāḥ śivakṛpājitanirbharavairiṇaḥ || karadhṛtāṃjalimauliśivekṣaṇāḥ śivamupāsata eva niśāmukhe || 18 || karadhṛtajapamālāḥ śāṃtisaṃtoṣabhājaḥ kṛtanatiparanityaprārthanāścandramaulau || haracaraṇasarojadhyānavijñānamūrtivyathitajanamanojāḥ sarvabhāvānnitāṃtam || 19 || vārāṇasyāṃ mṛtānāṃ ca tārakaṃ brahmasaṃjñakam || janānāṃ pūjanāttatra mama liṃgasya jāyate || 2.3.2.20 || vahnitīrthaṃ paribhrājadbhagavaccaraṇāṃtike || kedārākhyaṃ mahāliṃgaṃ dṛṣṭvā no janmabhāgbhavet || 21 || || skanda uvāca || || kathaṃ vaiśvānaraḥ śrīmānsarvalokaikakāraṇam || badarīmanusaṃtasthau tanme vada mahāmate || 22 || || || śiva uvāca || || purā samājaḥ samabhūdṛṣīṇāmūrdhvaretasām || gaṃgā bhagavatī yatra kāliṃdyā saha saṃgatā ||23|| daśāśvamedhikaṃ nāma tīrthaṃ trailokyaviśrutam || babhūva tatra bhagavānhutabhukpraśrayānataḥ || ṛṣīṇāmagrataḥ sthitvā praṣṭuṃ samupacakrame || 24 || || vaiśvānara uvāca || || dṛṣṭvā ihaikadṛgjñānā bhavanto brahmavittamāḥ || dīnārthe karuṇāpūrṇā hṛdayārdrā dayālavaḥ || 25 || sarvadurlakṣaṇodbhūtapātakāliptacetasaḥ || kathaṃ syānnirayānmuktirmama brahmaviduttamāḥ || 26 || sarveṣāmṛṣivaryyāṇāmājagāma munīśvaraḥ || gaṃgāṃbhasi samāplutya vākyaṃ cedamuvāca ha || 27 || || vyāsa uvāca || || astyekaḥ paramopāyo bhavataḥ pāpaniṣkṛtau || sarvabhakṣākhyadoṣasya badarīṃ śaraṇaṃ śraya || 28 || yatrāste bhagavānsākṣāddevadevo janārddanaḥ || bhaktānāmapyabhaktānāmaghahā madhusūdanaḥ || 29 || tatra gaṃgāṃbhasi snātvā kṛtvā pradakṣiṇāṃ hareḥ || daṃḍavatpraṇipātena sarvapāpakṣayo bhavet || 2.3.2.30 || tato vyāsamukhācchrutvā ṛṣīṇāmanuvādataḥ || uttarābhimukho vahnirgaṃdhamādanamāyayau || 31 || tato badarikāṃ prāpya snātvā gaṃgāṃbhasi svayam|| nārāyaṇāśramaṃ gatvā natvā provāca bhaktimān || 32 || || agniruvāca || || viśudavijñānaghanaṃ purāṇaṃ sanātanaṃ viśvasṛjāṃ patiṃ gurum || anekamekaṃ jagadekanāthaṃ namāmyanaṃtāśritaśuddhabuddhim || 33 || māyāmayīṃ śaktimupetya viśvakarttāramuddiśya rajopayuktam || sattvena cāsya sthitihetumugramatho tamobhigrasitāramīḍe ||34|| avidyayā viśvavimohitātmā vidyaikarūpaṃ vitataṃ trilokyām || vidyāśritatvātsakalajñamīśaṃ tvavidyayā jīvamahaṃ prapadye || 35 || bhaktecchayāviṣkṛtadehayogamābhogabhogārpitayogayogam || kauśeyapītāmbarajuṣṭaśaktiṃ vicitraśaktyaṣṭamayeṣṭamīḍe || 36 || atha prasanno bhagavānstutaḥ sarvairhṛdi sthitaḥ || provāca madhuraṃ vākyaṃ pāvakaṃ pāvanārthinam || 37 || || śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca || varaṃ varaya bhadraṃ te varado'hamupāgataḥ || stavenānena tuṣṭo'smi vinayena tavānadha || 38 || || agniruvāca || || jñātaṃ bhagavatā sarvaṃ yadarthamahamāgataḥ || tathāpi kathayāmyetadīśvarājñānupālanam || 39 || sarvabhakṣo bhavāmyeva niṣkṛtistu kathaṃ bhavet || atyantabhayasaṃpattiretasmājjāyate mama || 2.3.2.40 || || śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca || || kṣetradarśanamātreṇa prāṇināṃ nāsti pātakam || matprasādātpātakaṃ tu tvayi māstu kadācana || 41 || tataḥ prabhṛti bhūtātmā pāvakaḥ sarvato bhṛśam || kalayāvasthitaścātra sarvadoṣavivarjitaḥ || 42 || ya etatprātarutthāya śṛṇoti śrāvayecchuciḥ || agnitīrthakṛtasnānaṃ phalaṃ prāpnotyasaṃśayam || 43 || iti śrīskāṃde mahāpurāṇa ekāśītisāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ dvitīye vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍe śrībadarikāśramamāhātmye'gnikṛtabhagavatstutivarṇanaṃnāma dvitīyo'dhyāyaḥ || 2 ||

English translation

Skanda asked :

1. How did this (holy place) originate? By whom was this holy spot resorted to? Who is its presiding deity? Tell these in detail.

Śiva said :

2. This (sacred place) is beginningless like the Vedas which constitute Hari ’s body. The presiding deity is Hari himself. It is resorted to by Nārada and others.

3. Formerly, in the beginning of Kṛtayuga , Brahmā attempted to have sexual intercourse with his own daughter who was richly endowed with beauty and youth.

4-5. On seeing him like that I cut off his head with a sword into five parts in a great fury. [1] Taking the skull (sticking to) the hand that attempted the murder of Brahmā, I immediately left the place in order to resort to various Tīrthas in heaven, earth and nether worlds and performed penances as well.

6. But (the sin of) the slaughter of Brahmā did not leave me. The skull remained (stuck up) like that on my hand. Then I went to Vaikuṇṭha to see Hari, the Lord of Lakṣmī .

7. Bowing down with humility and saluting him again and again, I mentioned all my distress to that merciful soul.

8-15. On his advice I went to Badarī . At that very moment the (sin of the) slaughter of Brahmā (the skull stuck up to my hand) began to tremble frequently. That skull dropped down from my hand and vanished. [2]

Ever since I respectfully stay there along with Pārvatī , performing penance and causing delight to the sages.

I have infinite times more delight there than what I have in Vārāṇasī , on the peak of Śrīśaila and on Kailāsa along with Pārvatī.

In other holy spots, people attain salvation after death and when their duties have been duly completed. But, merely by visiting Badarī, salvation comes within the reach of all men. Vaiśvānara ( Fire-god ) himself is present where Hari is present. At that place my Liṅga has been installed in the form of Kedāra . By visiting, touching and worshipping Kedāra with devotional feelings, the sins committed in the course of crores of births become reduced to ash instantaneously.

There in that holy spot I stay with only one digit. All (the other) fifteen Kalās (digits) are particularly deposited here in the middle of the idol.

16. Śivayogins themselves worship the Matted-hair-bearing Lord ( Śiva ). They have conquered the fear of the god of Death. Deer-skin and elephant-hide constitute their good clothes. Excellent Vibhūti (holy ash) and matted hair are ornaments unto them.

17. They are contented with fruits, leaves, water and air. With their minds devoted to Śiva they have frustrated the attempt of the god of Death (to get them). Their intellect of great prosperity has surpassed by their quality of clearness the (translucent) Mānasa lake situated on the excellent mountain.

18. Their lotus-like faces have the tender lustre of lotuses. By means of Śiva’s mercifulness they have utterly defeated their enemies. With eyes fixed on Śiva they keep their palms joined together on their heads. Thus they worship Śiva at dusk.

19. They hold the rosaries of beads in their hands. They have perfect calmness and contentedness. They are devoted to the performance of obeisance and daily prayer to the Moon-crested Lord. Since they meditate on the lotus-like feet of Hara , they obtain perfect knowledge and a form that brings in distress to the feelings of love in the people because they have perfect identity with Śarva (Śiva).

20. By the worship of my Liṅga there the people, when they die at Vārāṇasī, are redeemed by the one who is called Brahma .

21. Vahnitīrtha remains shining near the feet of the Lord. By seeing the great Liṅga named Kedāra one does not have any rebirth thereafter.

Skanda said :

22. Why did Vaiśvānara, the glorious and sole cause of all the worlds, station himself at Badarī? [3] Narrate it to me, O one of great wisdom.

Śiva said :

23-24 Formerly there was an assembly of sages who had sublimated their sexual energy, at the place where goddess Gaṅgā had joined Kālindī . It is the holy spot named Daśāśvamedhika well-known in the three worlds . Fire-god was present there bowing down with great humility. Standing in front of the sages he began to ask:

Vaiśvānara asked :

25-26. O sages, you are the most excellent ones among the knowers of Brahman . Your eye of knowledge sees equally what is seen and what is unseen (by ordinary people). You all are full of kindness towards the distressed. Your heart melts with pity. You are all full of mercy. Your minds are not contaminated by the sins arising from all evil characteristics. O most excellent ones among those who know Brahman, how can I get free from hell?

27. There came the prominent sage Vyāsa , the greatest among all excellent sages. After taking his holy dip in the waters of Gaṅgā, he spoke these words:

Vyāsa said :

28-29. There is a very great means for getting free from the sin born of your fault called omnivorousness. Resort to Badarī where Lord Janārdana , the lord of Devas , is himself present. The Slayer of Madhu is the destroyer of the sins of both devotees and non-devotees.

30. There you take your holy bath in the waters of Gaṅgā and circumambulate Hari. Then prostrate yourself like a rod. Thereby, ail the sins will be destroyed.

31-32. On hearing the advice orally given by Vyāsa, which the (other) sages supported, Vahni started towards the North and went to Mt. Gandhamādana .

After arriving at Badarikā , he took his holy bath in the waters of Gaṅgā. He then went to the hermitage of Nārāyaṇa , bowed down devoutly and prayed:

Agni said :

33. I bow down to the sole lord of the universe who is ancient and eternal; who is replete with pure and perfect knowledge; who is the lord and sire of the creators of the universe; who is one as well as many; who is resorted to by infinite number of persons and is of pure intellect.

34. Taking up his Śakti in the form of Māyā (the Lord assumes three forms which I worship). I worship the Lord, the Creator of the universe, who is endowed with Rajoguṇa. I worship the cause of its sustenance by means of Sattvaguṇa . I praise Ugra the annihilator by means of Tamoguṇa.

35. The Lord, the Ātman , enchants the universe by means of Avidyā . The sole form of Vidyā extensively spreads in the three worlds. I resort to the omniscient Lord who is the resort of Vidyā and who becomes Jīva (the individual soul) through Avidyā.

36. I praise the Lord who reveals (himself in) forms in accordance with the wishes of devotees, who adopts the yogic slumber on the vast body (of the serpent-king), who is the power wearing yellow silken clothes and who has eight wonderful powers.

37. The Lord who is stationed in the heart and is eulogized by all became delighted. He spoke these sweet words to Pāvaka (Fire-god) who sought sanctity:

Śrī Nārāyaṇa said :

38. Choose the boon. Welfare unto you. I am the bestower of boons and I have come. I am pleased with this prayer of yours as well as your humility, O sinless one.

Agni said :

39. It is known to you fully why I have come. Still I shall speak it by way of carrying out the behest of the Lord.

40. Indeed I am Sarvabhakṣa (‘consumer of everything’). How can I have redemption? On this account I am excessively frightened.

Śrī Nārāyaṇa said :

41. Merely by seeing the holy spot the sin of living beings ceases to exist. With my favour may you never have any sin.

42. Thereafter, Pāvaka who is present all round in the form of a Bhūta (Element) remained there by means of a single Kalā (digit). He was rid of all defects.

43. He who gets up in the morning and with purity listens to this or recites this, shall undoubtedly attain the merit of a holy bath in Agnitīrtha .

[1]: [1] : Removal of the fifth head of Brahmā by Śiva for his improper behaviour with his daughter is not mentioned in Mbh. In DB the reason of beheading was Brahmā’s arrogance and lust in other Purāṇas.

[2]: [2] : Practically every important holy place claims a Kapāla-mocana Kuṇḍa. Brahmā’s head sticking to Rudra’s hand fell down by the efficacy of the holy Kuṇḍa. Here mere entry into Badarī did the trick. Hence the claim of Badarikāśrama to be the holiest place.

[3]: [3] : In fact the Agni-tīrtha or the hot-water spring at that height of the Himalayas was the main factor in increasing the importance of Badarī. The mythical legend narrated here is just an explanation of its existence and is meant to enhance the importance of Badarī.

Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 22980, revision 71219 (2016-06-14T01:31:07Z). English is G. V. Tagare’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-skanda-purana/d/doc371634.html and the archival publication witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.