Vaitarna River

Vaitarna River

Vaitarna or Vaitarani (Vaitaraṇî) river, as mentioned in the Garuda Purana and various other Hindu religious texts, lies between the earth and the infernal Naraka, the realm of Yama, Hindu god of death and is believed to purify ones sins. Further while the righteous see it filled with nectar like water, the sinful see it filled with blood. The sinful souls are supposed to cross this river after death. According to the Garuda Purana this river falls on the path leading to the Southern Gate of the city of Yama. It is also mentioned that only the sinful souls come via the southern gate.

However, other texts like the Harihareshwara Mahatmya in the Skanda Purana, mentions a physical river as well, that joins in eastern ocean and he who bathes in it is forever free from the torment of Yama. It first appears in the TirthaYatra Parva (Pilgrimage Episode) of the Mahabharat, where it is mentioned to be rising from the Vindhyas and falling into the Bay of Bengal after passing through Orissa as present Baitarani River. Apart from that it appears in Matsya Purana, and Vamana Purana, lastly it is the Padma Purana which reveals the etymology of Vaitarani in Vaitarani Mahatmya, where it is defined as Vai (truly) tarini (saving) and that related the legend wherein it was brought on to the earth from Patala, due to the penance of Parashurama resulting in a boon from Shiva.

It is equivalent to the Styx river in Greek mythology and associated with the Vaitarani Vrata, observed on the eleventh day of the Dark phase of the moon, Krishna Paksha of Margashirsha month in Hindu calendar, wherein a cow is worshipped and donated, which is believed to take one across the dreaded river as mentioned in Garuda Purana, verse 77-82.