Amarnath yatraanantara Peetha Daana Vidhana and Mahima

Devi Parvati enquired about the procedure of Peetha Daana and Maha Bhairava replied as follows:  Palapapanchaka maadaaya yava pishtasya Sundari, Suchaturbhadrakam kritwaa lepayitwaatu kunkumaih/ Karpura chandanaivaapi Mrigasjaischa Maheshwari, Chatushkoneshu samstthaapya suvarnaanaam chathustayam/ Athavaa repya mudraanaam panchakam Manujeshwari, Archayitwaa Gandha Pushpai Brahminaaya samarpiyet/(Sundari! Having drawn chatur bhujas or four segments on a ‘Pancha Pallava Peetha’ or base smeared with Kesara, Karpura, Chandana and Kasturi Lepanas, place four golden items and a gold and pearl in the center –or alternatively silver mudras-and Gandha Pushpaakshas should be given away as daana to a Sad-Brahmana) Aadhara Shaktyadibhi nantraih pujayitwaa suvaasayet, Vastraih shwata patai daivastyaa yagjnopaveetakaih, Dakshinaabhi bhakt purva mantenam samuccharet/ (Adhaara Shakti Mantras be recited, puja be performed with Sugandha, Sweta Vastras and Yagnopaveeta, besides ‘Dakshina Daana’and the following Mantras be recited too:

Yatraa saaphalya hetoscha Amareshasya agjnayaa, Peetham mayaarchitam divyam suvaasobhiralamkritam/ Mrityunjaya Maha Devabhi Samsaara saagaraat, Architam twaswarupaaya Braahmanaaya mamatmane/ (With a view to reap the Maha Phala of Amarnath Yatra, this Divya Peethika Puja has been successfully concluded with the blessings of Maha Bharaiva. Mriyunjaya! Maha Deva! With the unique aspiration of crossing this ‘Samsara Samudra’ without fear and with total faith, this Divya Peethika is being offered as a token of dedication to you in favour of this learned Brahmana. Then the following be recited: Idam grihaana Vipresha swarupinava shaasinaat, Peethamhyaamare –shasya Mahaapaapa nivrittasye/ (Brahmanottama, undern insructions from Maha Deva, do kindly accept this Divya Peethika as a token of gratitude with your blessings to destroy all my erstwhile sins).

Thus, Maha Bhairava Deva continued his narration to Maha Devi as follows: Yanmaya dushkruta kinchit- ktrutam Gurvaannyathaapivaa, Bhrunahatyaadikam paapam Brahma hatyaadikatathaa/Guru hatya -adikam paapam Maatru haytaaikam cha yat, Suvarnastyedaakim paapam Suraapaanamapeeshwari/ Gohatyaanrita bhashitwa krodham lobhamadhaapivaa,Bhatruhatyaagaadanyamrityu krita cheshyaya/ Paradaaraabhigamitwaan Para vaadam parasyava, Bhartrusdyaanyadaa saktam kritaamchesyaat Sureswari/ Laghu sukshma brihadwaapi yatkrutam paapamuttamam,Tatsarvam naashayaayaatu peetha daanaan maheshwari/ Iti Mantrena Deveshi peetham Vipraaya charpayat/ (Sureshwari! The following Mantra be recited with faith while executing the Peetha Daana: ‘May Sins and Patakas of varying dimensions perpetrated by youngsters or elderly like Bhruna-Go-Brahmana-Guru- Matru-Bhatru hatyas; swarna harana, suraa paana, Anrita Bhaashana, Krodha, Lobhaadi arishad vargas, Para daara preeti or desire for men other than one’s own husband and so on as also small, medium and huge Maha Patakas be dissolved with this Peetha Daana!’) Tathaa maya proktamivum tatraanaghe daanamva peethyasya para rahasyam, dadaswa Deveshi param kmanyrdaanah Kaler kalpa phala pradaishcha/ Idam rahasyam Paramam naasyeyam yasya kasyachit, Gopaneeyam visheshena Kale siddhi pradamnanaam/(Anaghe! The detail of Peetha Daana has thus been conveyed to you. What indeed is the value of any number of charities in Kali Yuga otherwise! This information is confidential and of high relevance and utility otherwise!) Lakshmyaah kritamidam daanam Parvataacha Majheshwari, Saayujya mapi tatkshan praputah Parameshwari/ (Maheshwari, Lakshmi Devi and Parvati too performed this Peetha daana and they too attained Shiva Sayujya!)

Having explained the procedure and phala of Peetha Daana, Maha Bhairava gave detailed instructions to Devi Parvati to spread the message of the Amarnath yatra’s unique significance to the inhabitants of Maamala Graama as follows: Tato paapaan mahaagraame Maamalaakhye Maheshwari, Pashupahaarai pushpancha pujaneeyah prayatnatah/ Praasaadya Ganapam tatra naanaa balyupahaarakah, Shraayaanna vadale Gangaa yashtim tatraarruyd Budhah/ Yashte hyaadhaara bhutasya Saakshi bhutaasi vaivatah, Yaatkarmanascha teerthasya yaatraam mama nivedaya/Yashte!Srishti Swarupasi sthiti pralaya kaarini, Yashte Vishnu prayaasi twam Shiva Shakti swarupini/Tasmaanme paapa sandhaanscha hitwaa mahiswakam padam, Gange Priyaahi Devasywa Shirasi Dhurjate Priye/ Purato Deva Devasya maatraam mama nivedaya/ (Maheshwari! Do visit Maamala Graama, feed the cows, perform pushpa puja formally, execute Bali haaras, worship Ganeshwara to please him, go upto Ganga Tirtha, invite a sizeable congregation of Vidwans and as you yourself are the ready evidence of the happenings at Amaranadha, do sensitise them about the unique significance of the Yatra in great detail. Indeed you are also the Srishthi- Sthiti-Pralaya kaarini, Shiva Shakti Swarupini, Vishnu Priya too besides being the beloved of Dhurjati who is the companion of Ganga retained on his head; indeed you are the Supreme Spokeswoman who has the capacity and power of conviction to popularize the message of Amaranatha Yatra Visesha so that large number of common men and women tormented by sins of varying proportions could be relieved and be blessed for Shiva loka prapti!)

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]