Godavari River/Gautami

The Godavari River is sacred river and has several Pligrimage centers on its banks. It has been held as a special place of pilgrimage for many thousands of years. Many famous personalities, including Baladev (5000 years ago) and more recently Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (500 years ago) have bathed in her waters as an act of worship.
Godavari is considered the Dhakshin (Southern) Ganga and Draksharama Dhakshin Kasi. Every twelve years, Pushkaram fair is held on its banks of the river. Crores of people have a holy dip in the sacred waters of the river to purify themselves of all their sins.

Legend has it that Sage Gautama lived on the Brahmagiri Hills at Trayambakeshwar with his wife Ahalya. The rishi kept his stock of rice in a granary. Once, a cow entered his granary and ate up the rice. When the rishi tried to ward the cow away with Durbha grass, it fell dead. The rishi wanted to relieve himself of the sin of ‘Gohatya’. He worshipped Lord Shiva and requested him to bring the Ganga to purify his hermitage. Lord Shiva pleased with the rishi appeared as Triambaka and brought along the river Ganga. Since the Ganga was brought down to Triambakeshwar by Sage Gautama, it is known here as Gautami. It is also known as Godavari because the river helped Sage Gautama to relieve his sins.

The banks of Godavari river has many pilgrimage sites.
* Trimbakeshwar, One of the twelve Jyotirlingas and ancient temple of Lord   Shiva .
* Nashik – One of the four Sinhastha Kumbh Mela
* Paithan – Saint Eknath’s native place, famous Jayakwadi dam , and a beautiful garden – Sant Dnyneshwar Udyan.
* Nanded – Takht Sri Hazur Sahib, One of the five most sacred places in Sikhism
* Basar – Sri Gyana Saraswati temple is situated on the banks of Godavari.
* Dharmapuri, Andhra Pradesh – Hindu Temple of Lord Narasimha
* Kaleshwaram – Sri Kaleswara Mukhteswara swamy Temple on Triveni sangamam of godavari and pranahita.
* Bhadrachalam – Hindu Temple of Lord Rama.
* Rajahmundry – Center for Telugu Literature.
* Pattiseema – A village where a Hindu temple is located on a small hill on an island in the river.
* Antarvedi – Laxmi Narasimha Swamy temple.
* Konaseema – Picturesque delta of Godavari.

The tributaries of Godavari River are  Pravara, Indravati , Wainganga , Wardha, Pench, Kanhan and Penuganga rivers, discharge an enormous volume of water into the Godavari system. Its tributaries include Indravati, Manjira River, Bindusara River and Sabari River

Prtha/Kunti

Queen Kunti/Prta invokes the Sun God

Daughter of Maharaja Surasena and sister of Vasudeva, Lord Krsna’s father. Later she was adopted by Maharaja Kuntibhoja, and hence she is known as Kunti. She is the incarnation of the success potency of the Personality of Godhead. The heavenly denizens from the upper planets used to visit the palace of King Kuntibhoja, and Kunti was engaged for their reception. She also served the great mystic sage Durvasa, and being satisfied by her faithful service, Durvasa Muni gave her a mantra by which it was possible for her to call for any demigod she pleased. As a matter of inquisitiveness, she at once called for the sun-god, who desired couplement with her, but she declined. But the sun-god assured her immunity from virgin adulteration, and so she agreed to his proposal. As a result of this couplement, she became pregnant, and Karna was born by her. By the grace of the sun, she again turned into a virgin girl, but being afraid of her parents, she quitted the newly born child, Karna. After that, when she actually selected her own husband, she preferred Pandu to be her husband. Maharaja Pandu later wanted to retire from family life and adopt the renounced order of life. Kunti refused to allow her husband to adopt such life, but at last Maharaja Pandu gave her permission to become a mother of sons by calling some other suitable personalities. Kunti did not accept this proposal at first, but when vivid examples were set by Pandu she agreed. Thus by dint of the mantra awarded by Durvasa Muni she called for Dharmaraja, and thus Yudhisthira was born. She called for the demigod Vayu (air), and thus Bhima was born. She called for Indra, the King of heaven, and thus Arjuna was born. The other two sons, namely Nakula and Sahadeva, were begotten by Pandu himself in the womb of Madri. Later on, Maharaja Pandu died at an early age, for which Kunti was so aggrieved that she fainted. Two co-wives, namely Kunti and Madri, decided that Kunti should live for the maintenance of the five minor children, the Pandavas, and Madri should accept the sati rituals by meeting voluntary death along with her husband. This agreement was endorsed by great sages like Satasrnga and others present on the occasion.
Later on, when the Pandavas were banished from the kingdom by the intrigues of Duryodhana, Kunti followed her sons, and she equally faced all sorts of difficulties during those days. During the forest life one demon girl, Hidimba, wanted Bhima as her husband. Bhima refused, but when the girl approached Kunti and Yudhisthira, they ordered Bhima to accept her proposal and give her a son. As a result of this combination, Ghatotkaca was born, and he fought very valiantly with his father against the Kauravas. In their forest life they lived with a brahmana family that was in trouble because of one Bakasura demon, and Kunti ordered Bhima to kill the Bakasura to protect the brahmana family against troubles created by the demon. She advised Yudhisthira to start for the Pancaladesa. Draupadi was gained in this Pancaladesa by Arjuna, but by order of Kunti all five of the Pandava brothers became equally the husbands of Pancali, or Draupadi. She was married with five Pandavas in the presence of Vyasadeva. Kuntidevi never forgot her first child, Karna, and after Karna’s death in the Battle of Kuruksetra she lamented and admitted before her other sons that Karna was her eldest son prior to her marriage with Maharaja Pandu. Her prayers for the Lord after the Battle of Kuruksetra, when Lord Krsna was going back home, are excellently explained. Later she went to the forest with Gandhari for severe penance. She used to take meals after each thirty days. She finally sat down in profound meditation and later burned to ashes in a forest fire.

SB 1.13.3-4