Vamana Purana — Nara-Narayana's Tapas, Shloka 31
Nara-Narayana’s Tapas, Indra’s Temptation, and the Burning of Kama: The Origin of Ananga and the Shiva-Linga Episode
तदाप्रभृति कालिन्द्या भृङ्गाञ्जननिभं जलम् आस्यन्दत् पुण्यतीर्था सा केशपाशमिवावने
tadāprabhṛti kālindyā bhṛṅgāñjananibhaṃ jalam āsyandat puṇyatīrthā sā keśapāśamivāvane
Sejak saat itu, air Kālindī mengalir gelap, seperti lebah hitam atau celak; dan sungai itu, sebagai tīrtha yang suci, mengalir di bumi bagaikan jalinan rambut.
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FAQs
Pilgrimage is framed not merely as travel but as contact with storied sanctity: the river’s very appearance becomes a reminder of divine history, encouraging śraddhā (reverent trust) and restraint in one’s interaction with sacred waters.
This is tīrtha-prasaṃśā/mahatmya material (a descriptive continuation of a geographic origin story). It supports dharma (snāna, pilgrimage, reverence) rather than genealogical or cosmic creation cycles.
The ‘collyrium-like’ blackness evokes auspicious beauty and potency (añjana as protective/beautifying), while the ‘braid of hair’ simile subtly aligns the river with Śiva’s iconography (matted hair and the descent of waters), reinforcing sectarian harmony through shared symbolism.