During the millenniums that have elapsed, the 450 miles of her course, from Sahyadri to the eastern sea, have been studded with temples, lingas, kshetras and teerthas, gathering mystic tradition for
purifying the body, illuminating the mind, and liberating the soul. Shiva and Parvati claim that they both got each other by bathing in Cauvery. Harischandra, the victim of Viswamitra, Nala, the victim of Karkotaka, recovered their kingdoms by bathing in the Cauvery. Indra and Chandra, becoming accursed owing to their lapses, bathed in the Cauvery and became normal. Rama made Vibheeshana bathe in the Cauvery in order to wash off the pollution of Ravana's contact. Krishna advised Arjuna to bathe in the Cauvery in order to attain Subhadra. Bhrigu and Kundina become Gotra-Rishis by bathing in her. Yagnyavalkya, Bodhayana, Apastamba attain intellectual illumination through her grace.
Therefore it is rather presumptuous to attempt to speak of her spiritual greatness in less than a quarter of an hour.
The Mahabharata declares,
The Puranas affirm,
"There are five means of wiping out the five capital sins and attaining salvation:
Mahadeva tells sage Gowtama,
Maidens who bathe with due sanctity in the sacred waters where the paschima vAhini (westward flowing branch) mingles with the dakshina vAhini (southward flowing ) on the auspicious day of the week, Friday, and devoutly worship Goddesses Ramaa and Umaa with flowers, will get happily
married, and be blessed with children and grandchildren. And men who bathe in those sacred waters on Sundays in the morning, facing the Sun, will attain all the four vargas, dharma, artha, kama and moksha.
Agneya Purana says,
"If Shesha, with big thousand mouths, spoke for 10,000 years, he could not finish recounting the glory of the Cauvery."
"Just as food is the best of charities, Moon is the best of planets. Sun is the best among the lustrous, Cauvery is best among the rivers."
In an eloquent peroration Agneya Purana says,
"Punya cannot be obtained without straining the body. Therefore he who would bathe in the Cauvery should observe these restraints. Bathing without observing the rules will only remove superficial dirt. The body is like a bubble, and is the abode of much filth. Yama is alert, always watchful for loopholes. Morning and evening are enemies which wear away life. Therefore, you should not, you should not, you should not, waste the day. The body is in your command; the senses are not bad. Rivers are easily accessible, and afford sanctity. Autumn is an auspicious season. The man who fears naraka should drive away the demon of sleep, awake at daybreak, and bathe in the waters of the Cauvery. I tell you again and again, with raised right hand, "Cauvery, best of rivers, flows incessantly, capable of destroying all sins. Those who bathe in it, without worldly desires, will attain Heaven by mere bathing."
purifying the body, illuminating the mind, and liberating the soul. Shiva and Parvati claim that they both got each other by bathing in Cauvery. Harischandra, the victim of Viswamitra, Nala, the victim of Karkotaka, recovered their kingdoms by bathing in the Cauvery. Indra and Chandra, becoming accursed owing to their lapses, bathed in the Cauvery and became normal. Rama made Vibheeshana bathe in the Cauvery in order to wash off the pollution of Ravana's contact. Krishna advised Arjuna to bathe in the Cauvery in order to attain Subhadra. Bhrigu and Kundina become Gotra-Rishis by bathing in her. Yagnyavalkya, Bodhayana, Apastamba attain intellectual illumination through her grace.
Therefore it is rather presumptuous to attempt to speak of her spiritual greatness in less than a quarter of an hour.
The Mahabharata declares,
- Ganges purifies a person in 3 nights,
- Krishnaveni in 4 days,
- Yamuna in 5 nights,
- Hemakoota in 5 nights.
- Goutamee in 7 nights,
- Tunga in 10 nights, and
- The Cauvery purifies immediately even the prospective sins till death.
The Puranas affirm,
"There are five means of wiping out the five capital sins and attaining salvation:
- the Purusha-Sookta among the Vedas,
- the Geeta in the Mahabharata,
- the Gayatri among mantras,
- Ekadasi among Vratas, and,
- among river-baths, bathing in the Cauvery in the month of Tula (Aippisi), in the presence of Ranganatha.
Mahadeva tells sage Gowtama,
Maidens who bathe with due sanctity in the sacred waters where the paschima vAhini (westward flowing branch) mingles with the dakshina vAhini (southward flowing ) on the auspicious day of the week, Friday, and devoutly worship Goddesses Ramaa and Umaa with flowers, will get happily
married, and be blessed with children and grandchildren. And men who bathe in those sacred waters on Sundays in the morning, facing the Sun, will attain all the four vargas, dharma, artha, kama and moksha.
Agneya Purana says,
"If Shesha, with big thousand mouths, spoke for 10,000 years, he could not finish recounting the glory of the Cauvery."
"Just as food is the best of charities, Moon is the best of planets. Sun is the best among the lustrous, Cauvery is best among the rivers."
In an eloquent peroration Agneya Purana says,
"Punya cannot be obtained without straining the body. Therefore he who would bathe in the Cauvery should observe these restraints. Bathing without observing the rules will only remove superficial dirt. The body is like a bubble, and is the abode of much filth. Yama is alert, always watchful for loopholes. Morning and evening are enemies which wear away life. Therefore, you should not, you should not, you should not, waste the day. The body is in your command; the senses are not bad. Rivers are easily accessible, and afford sanctity. Autumn is an auspicious season. The man who fears naraka should drive away the demon of sleep, awake at daybreak, and bathe in the waters of the Cauvery. I tell you again and again, with raised right hand, "Cauvery, best of rivers, flows incessantly, capable of destroying all sins. Those who bathe in it, without worldly desires, will attain Heaven by mere bathing."
