akṣayavaṭa

a-kṣaya-vaṭa m. ‘undecaying Banyan’, N. of a very ancient sacred tree, RTL. 337.

akṣayavaṭa m. N. pr. eines tīrtha, Komm. zu Viṣṇus. 85, 5.

Akṣayavaṭa — in Gayā;¹ the fruits of anna śrāddha at.² [Footnote] 1) Vā. 105. 45; 109. 16. [Footnote] 2) Vā. 111. 79 & 83.

AKṢAYAVAṬA . A sacred lake. When the Pāṇḍavas

during their exile went to Pulastyāśrama sage Pulastya

gave a description of all the sacred lakes in India. He

says, “After reaching Mārkaṇḍeya lake you should visit

the meeting place of the rivers Gaṅgā and Gomatī.

Then when you reach Gayā you will find there a lake

called Akṣayavaṭa. If you bathe in that lake you will

get salvation”. In the Navama Skandha of Devī Bhāga-

vata you find the following about Akṣayavaṭa: “Puṣpa-

bhadrā is one of the famous sacred rivers in India. This

river starts from the Himālayas with the name Śarāvatī

and flowing for 500 yojanas (One yojanam is equal

to about 8 miles) on the left side of river Gomatī reaches

the western ocean. There is an āśrama called Akṣaya-

vaṭa on the shores of this beautiful river which always

carries crystal clear water. The āśrama got that name

because of a big banyan tree standing near it. Kapila,

the great sage, did penance sitting here for a long time.

Lord Śiva, Bhadrakālī and Skanda used to come and

sit underneath this banyan tree.

Akṣayavaṭa m.: Name of a tree, also

referred to as akṣayyakaraṇo vaṭaḥ (3. 85.

8; 13. 88. 14).

A. Location: Near Gayā (3. 82. 71-

72; 13. 88. 14; 3. 85. 8); near the river

Mahānadī and the lake Gayaśiras 3. 85. 8;

3. 93. 10 (where the lake Brahmasaras is

also mentioned). B. Description: great

(mahant) 3. 93. 13; famous in the three

worlds (triṣu lokeṣu viśrutaḥ) 3. 82. 72;

famous in the worlds (prathito lokeṣu) 13.

88. 14; praised by the Vipras (kīrtyate

vipraiḥ) 3. 85. 8. C. Explanation of the

name: Since food offered to manes near

this tree becomes inexhaustible (akṣaya),

the tree is so called 13. 85. 8 (for citation

see below section D.). D. Importance:

Food offered to manes near this tree becomes

inexhaustible (pitṝṇāṃ tatra vai dattam

akṣayaṃ bhavati prabho) 3. 82. 72; (yatrā-

sau kīrtyate viprair akṣayyakaraṇo vaṭaḥ/

yatra dattaṃ pitṛbhyo 'nnam akṣayaṃ

bhavati prabho//) 3. 85. 8; the Brāhmaṇas

who came there in hundreds offered the Cātur-

māsya sacrifices according to the ancient

prescription (ārṣeṇa vidhinā) and told pious

tales of the high-souled in the sadas (kathāḥ

pracakrire puṇyāḥ sadaisithā mahātma-

nām) 3. 93. 14-15. E. Epic event:

The Pāṇḍavas offered there the Cāturmāsya

sacrifices and the great sacrifice to the ṛṣis

(tatra te pāṇḍavā vīrā cāturmāsyais tade-

jire/ṛṣiyajñena mahatā yatrākṣayavaṭo

mahān) 3. 93. 13.