Shiva Temples and Sacred Kshetras

Suta said

Wise rishis, hear of the Shiva fields that give liberation. For the welfare of the worlds I will also tell you the practices there. By Shiva's command the earth extends fifty crores of yojanas, covered with mountains, forests and groves, and holds up the world. Shiva's fields lie wherever there are habitations. Out of compassion and a wish to give liberation, the lord himself thought of these divine fields. Some were set up by rishis, others by gods, and others are self-born. All are for the protection of the worlds. In these holy places and fields one must always do bathing, giving and japa; otherwise people will suffer disease, poverty, dumbness and the like. In Bharata Varsha, a man who has lived and died where there is a self-born lingam is born again as a human. Learned ones, a sin committed in a sacred field cannot be shifted. So one living in a sacred field must never sin. A man must make every effort to live in such a field.

There are many sacred fields along the ocean shores and at the confluences of hundreds of rivers. The sacred Sarasvati is said to have sixty such confluences, so a wise person living on her banks gradually reaches Brahma's world. The sacred Ganga flows from the Himalaya with hundreds of mouths, and along her banks are many holy places, Kashi and others. Her banks are particularly praised when Brihaspati is in Capricorn in the month of Margashirsha. The river Shonabhadra has ten auspicious mouths that give all desired fruits; fasting and bathing there one reaches Vinayaka's abode. The great Narmada has twenty-four mouths; fasting and bathing there one reaches Vishnu's abode. Tamasa has twelve mouths and Reva ten. The very sacred Godavari destroys the sin of killing a brahmana or a cow, is said to have twenty-one mouths and gives Rudra's world. The sacred Krishnaveni destroys all sins, is said to have eighteen mouths and gives Vishnu's world. Tungabhadra has ten mouths and gives Brahma's world. Suvarnamukhari is said to be sacred, with nine mouths; those who fall from Brahma's world are born there. Living on the banks of the auspicious Sarasvati, Pampa, Kanya and Shvetanadi, one reaches Indra's world. The very sacred great river Kaveri flows from Mount Sahya; she is said to have twenty-seven mouths that give all desired, and her banks give heaven and the worlds of Brahma and Vishnu. In the same way the river Shaivya gives all desired fruits and Shiva's world.

When Brihaspati and Surya are in Mesha, one should bathe and worship at Naimisha and Badari, which gives Brahma's world. When Surya is in Simha or Karkataka, one should bathe in the Sindhu. A learned person drinks and bathes in the waters of Kedara and gains knowledge. When Brihaspati is in Simha in the month of Simha, one bathes in the Godavari; Shiva himself said long ago that this gives Shiva's world. When Surya and Brihaspati are in Kanya, one bathes in the Yamuna and Shona, which the learned say gives great pleasures in the worlds of Dharma and Dantin. When both are in Tula, one bathes in the Kaveri, which the learned say Vishnu himself said gives all one wishes. In the month of Vrishchika, when Surya and Brihaspati are in Vrishchika, one bathes in the Narmada and gains Vishnu's world. Bathing in the Suvarnamukhari when they are in Dhanus gives Shiva's world, as Brahma said. In Margashirsha, when Brihaspati is in Mriga, one bathes in the Jahnavi, which Brahma said gives Shiva's world; after enjoying the worlds of Brahma and Vishnu, one gains knowledge. In Magha, when Surya is in Kumbha, ancestral rites, offering pinda and giving sesame water save crores of ancestors on both father's and mother's sides. When Surya and Brihaspati are in Mina, bathing in the Krishnaveni is praised and gives Indra's world. A learned person should take refuge in and live near the Ganga and the river that flows from Sahya, and his sins will certainly be cleansed at once. There are many other fields that give Rudra's world. Tamraparni and Vegavati give the fruits of Brahma's world. The holy places on the banks of these two give heaven, and many other sacred places lie between them. The wise who live there gain corresponding fruits, but only through good behaviour, good action and good feeling.

Auspicious deeds in a sacred field yield many kinds of prosperity, but wicked deeds there grow much greater too. If, living there, one does a wicked deed only for subsistence, the consequences are not permanent. Good deeds in thought, word and action are said to give prosperity. Brahmanas, a sin committed in the mind also has consequences like that; a mental sin can smear a person from one kalpa to another and can be destroyed only by meditation. There is no other way to wish to destroy it. A sin committed in words is destroyed by japa, drying up the body and giving wealth; otherwise it cannot be destroyed in crores of kalpas. Sometimes an increase in wicked deeds destroys merit earned earlier. Good deeds and wicked ones each have three stages: the seed part, the growth part and the part where they are enjoyed. While in seed form they can be destroyed by knowledge. In the growth stage they can be destroyed by the steps mentioned. But in the stage of enjoyment they have to be enjoyed; even crores of good deeds will not suffice then. When seeds or sprouts are destroyed, only what remains has to be enjoyed. Worshipping gods, giving to brahmanas and doing austerities make the period of enjoyment easier to bear. So a person who wants happiness must avoid wicked deeds.