The Bridge to the Three Holy Cities

In the Hindu tradition, the study of holy sites and pilgrimages is considered tirtha in the Dharmasastra. The Trishthalisetu, or bridge to three holy cities of Narayana Bhatta is the most authoritative and standard text in the vast tirtha literature. It was written in Varanasi during the 16th century A.D. The chapters that follow provide an overview of tirthas and describe how to make a pilgrimage from the point of arriving at tirtha. The General Section contains detailed descriptions of each tirtha ritual, as well as lengthy and complicated considerations of minor ritual points. The sraddha rituals are the most detailed. More than a third of the General Section is devoted to the tirtha-sraddha discussion and its details. Other main rituals that are discussed in detail include the fast, tonsure and bathing, as well as tarpana. The section ends with a description of the ritual of throwing the bones of one’s parents into the water of a tirtha. The present volume contains a critical edition and an annotated translation of the Samanyapraghattaka text. This text provides a wealth information to help you understand the pilgrimage tradition of Hinduism.