By Sri Chiraan
Shri Suta continues, "hey all muni gathered kindly listen to Shatabindu and his father’s story, interesting and ashcharykara [exhilarating]. In tretayuga, Sahasrabindu sat for a difficult penance on the peaks of Rushyashringa parvat. He undertook severe austerities to commence the penance, in summer, he kept gazing at the sun and continued tapasya, in rains he stood in the open ground to continue the tapasya, in winter surrounded himself with snow, and yet continued the tapasya. The snow that was around his neck melted to give way for a river. This river is known as Kumardhara. Sun impressed with Sahasrabindu appeared before him to give him a boon. Sahasrabindu asked for a son. Surya [Sun] told him look this river, which has originated from your body will assume another form as your son. That son became famous as Shatabindu".
Rudra continues to tell Shanmukha,"In another yuga Shatabindu was born and he to please Agni undertook severe tapasya. But his tapasya caused strife to devatas in suryamandal. Everyone was unable to bear the heat of that tapasya, as it was emanating a huge flames towards the sun. The devatas, siddha sadhya, chanar, gandharva, birds, animals and men all were unable to carry out day to day activities due to this tapasya. Thus saptarishis, Kashyap, Atri, Bharadwaj, Shatanand, Gautam, Vaikhanas, Valkhilya maharshi all went to Shatabindu and asked him "why he was undertaking this tapasya that is inconvenience to others, good people do not do karma going against the humanity". Just as they were speaking these words, a huge flame was engulfing them, seeing this Shatabindu stopped his tapasya. But the sweat from his body flew as a river all around. This came to be known as Kanishtha.
Agni appeared before Shatabindu and urged him to ask a boon. Shatabindu said I would want this river to wipe off the sins however grave they may be for those who bathe here. Anyone who might have committed, bramhhatya, go hatya, bhrunhatya, streehatya or engaged in drinking alcohol, or debauchery all such people too, if they take dip in this river be relieved off the sins and become pure. In hemant rutu margashirsha shahti, or any other punya yoga on panchami or chaturthi, one be relieved off skin diseases. Agni obliged.
Shatabindu prayed, "Garhapatye, dakshinagnaye, avahaneeya namaha, jwalatmane namaha" and Agni disappeared. Thus these rivers were known as Jyeshta Kanishtha, Kumardhara and flowing before Subramhanyam, it is cleansing the sins of the devotees and purifying their minds enables them to attain sadgati.
Krishnarpana
