Origin and significance of Pancha Tarangini

Vada satyam Maha Deva punyam Panchatarangnim, Yaam drushtwa Mukti maapnoti janmasta bhavairamai/(Devi Parvati requested Maha Deva to convey the essence of Pancha Tarangini, on hearing about which the pataka mukti of human beings would be assured). Punyamakshaya maapnoti yamamedhaadikam priye, Puraatandava lagnasya nritya maanasya Dhurjeteh, Kapardhah shtili bhutah Panchathaa cha Sureshwari/ (Devi! Once Shiva was performing Tandava Nritya, one of his jatajutas got loosened and there were outpours of five water flows.) Tatovaai Panchadha Devi pradurbhutaa Kapartahatah, Ganga Bhavati Devi Maha Patakanashani/( Then ‘paapaharini’ Mother Ganga originated Pancha Tarangini which first fell on Maha Deva’s feet as five Sacred Flows) Ya Panchadhaa Meheshaani Kapardaat Panchadhaabhavat, Saina proktaa Puraavidbhirnadi Pancha Tarangini/(Maheshaani! As the five flows of Ganga got divided from Maha Deva’s feet, ‘Purana Tatwavettas’ named the flows as Pancha Taranginis.) Nadyaam Pancha taranginyaam snaanam kurvaadatinidratah, Muchyate paatake ghorai Brahmahatyaadi kotibhih/(Whoever take sacred baths in the Pancha Tarangini, would be freed from crores of Brahma hatya paatakas) Goghnah kritaghno Deveshin bhrunahaa Guru talpam, Snaatwaa datwaa cha vidhivat sadyo muccheta Sundari/ (Those who might have perpetrated Gohatya, Kritaghnatwa, Bhruna hatya or Guru Talpa shayana are purified by mantra purvaka snaana and daana prakriyas instantly) Kurukshetre Payaagecha Gangaa yaam Naimishe dhavaa Snaatwa datyaacha vidhivadhyaphalah labhate narah/ Tatphalam samavaapnoti snaatwaa Pancha tarangineem/ The phala that accrued by mantra purvaka snaana- daanaas at Sacred Places like Kurukshetra, Prayaga, Ganga Tiraa, Naimisha and so on tantamounts to such duties at Pancha Tarangini) Shraaddam cha vidhinaam kuryaat Pinda daanamathaapiva, Pitarah tasyatrupyanti shata kalpam na shamshayah/ (Those who execute shraaddha-pinda daana karmas formally should have the Pitru Devatas contented for hundred kalpas undoubtedly) Gaam hiranyam suvaasascha kshemam chandanamevacha, Kumkumaagaru karpuram Mriga naabhimpeeshwari, Yoo dadaati Dwijendraaya sa shaivam lokamaapnuyaat/(Those Dwijas who perform charities at Pancha Tarangini of cows, gold, good quality silk clothes, kesari-Agaru-Karpura- Mriga naabhi chandana and such sugandha materials would be qualified to attain Shiva loka). Maha Pataka yuktovaa yuktovaaghypa paatakaih, Sadyah pramuchyate jantuh snaatwa Pancha taranginim/ (Praanis who would have committed Maha Patakas or Upa Patakas and suffer from troubled consciences are advised to attain ‘mukti’ from these with retrospective effect of earlier births too by pavitra snaanas at Pancha Tarangini).

Sri V.D.N.Rao and Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham

Kamakoti.org presents the Essence of Puranas in English, condensed by Sri. V.D.N.Rao, devotee of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam. Compiled, Composed and Interpreted by V.D.N.Rao, Former General Manager, India Trade Promotion Organisation, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi Ministry of Commerce, Govt. of India The author can be contacted at [email protected]