Florida Shirdi Sai Temple

Shri Guru Charitra
Chapter XV

Principal Holy Places of Bharat

Shri Guru lived at Arogya Bhavani secretly because many persons approached him at any time. These included the good and bad, honest and dishonest, cunning, rich and poor, diseased men of all castes, cults, sex, and ages. Parshuram killed Kartikeya (Arjuna) and gave the earth in charity to the Brahmins. Still the Brahmins approached him and asked for more. So Parshuram lived in the sea secretly. Similarly Shri Guru sent all his disciples on pilgrimage and himself livd secretly.

The disciples asked, 'Gurudeo, why are you indifferent with us. Vedas and Shastras say that- all the holy places are at thy feet? When Kalpataru is near us, why should we go elsewhere?' Shri Guru- As you are Sanyasis, you should visit different holy places and make your mind firm. I shall go to Shri Shailya in Bahudhanya Sanwatsar. You should come and see me there.

The disciples - one disobeying Shri Guru has to go to hell. So we go to the holy places as per your instructions but kindly tell us to which places we should go.

Shri Guru - Kashi is a famous holy place on earth. It is on the bank of Bhagirithi (ganga). You travel 60 yojans (yojan-2miles) by its bank and observe 60 Krishhra prayashchittas. Then go to Prayag (allahabad) and observe 120 Krichhras. There are 25 gram (town) on the bank of Yamuna and 40 on the bank of Saraswati. Take bath in the river daily. This is like performing a sacrifice. One attains Brahma in the end.

Travel by the tank of rivers as Varuna, Kushavarti, Krishnaveni, Vitasta, Sharaswati, Marudvriddha, Asikni, Madhumati, Payasvini, Ghritvati, Deonadi etc. At every place take bath and Prayashchitta. Even sin of Bramahatya is wiped off. Travel by the banks of Chadrabhaga, Revati, Sharyu, Gouthami, Vedika, Koushiki, Mandakini, Sahasravakra, Purna Bahuda, Aruna. Bath at a sangam confluence of rivers is like that of Prayag.

There are other holy places as Pushkar, Vairochani, Falgu, Tirth at Gaya, Setubandha, Rameshwar, Shri Rang Padmanabh, Purushottam, Nemisharanya, Badri Narayan, Kurukshetra, Shri shailya, Pitru Tirth, Kedar, Koti. Narmada, Matrukeshwar, Kunj, Kokamukhi, Prabhas, gokarna, Shankh-Karna, Ayodhya, Mathura, Kanchi, Dwarka. Gaya, Shaligram and Shambalgram are the 7 cities giving liberation.

Traveling by the bank of Godavary gives fruit of doing Vajpeya sacrifice. Visit Bhimeshwar, Vajra sangam and Kush. Travel by the bank of Purna, Krishnaveni, Tungbhadra, Bhima. Visit Pampa saroval, Harihar, Pandharpur, Matruling, Ganagapur, Near Bhima Amarja-sangam. There is an Ashwattha on the Amarja and in the north is Varanashi, in the east are Papivashi Rudrapad, Chakratirth, Kesheodeo, Vinayak, Kotitirth, Mammath, Kallwshwar. See Varada Malprabha sangam and Nivritti sangam.

When The Guru (Jupitar) is in the Sinha (leo) all the rivers have union with Bhagirathi. When guru is in Kanya (Vibro) bhagirathi comes in Krishna. Have bath in Patalganga and see Mallikarjuna. Baths at Kaveri sangam, Payaswini and bhavanashini are virtuous. See places like Samudraskanda, Sheshadri, Shri Rangnath, Padmanabha, Shrimat Anant, Trimamalla, Kumbhakonam Kanyakumari, Matsyatirth, Pakshitirth, Rameshwar, Dhanushkoti, Mahalakshmi at Kolhapur, Mahabaleshwar, origin of Krishna. Bahe, Narsinhadeo at Kolegaon Bhuvaneshwari at Bhilawadi, Shrupali, Chhaya Bhagwati (Vishwamitra's place) Shweta Shring, whence Krince flows northwards, Kalyan etc.

A river is said to be in menses when she gets new rain water and so bath in the river is not desirable on that day.

All the disciples then bowed to Shri Guru and departed for visiting the various holy places.