As soon as Kalabhairava arrived at the city of Varanasi, the head (kapala) got dislodged (mochana). A tirtha is a place of pilgrimage. The exact spot where this wonderful happening took place is accordingly known as Kapalamochana tirtha.

There are many other tirthas that the Kurma Purana describes, Among these are Prayaga, Kurukshetra, Gaya and Madhuvana (Mathura), The glories of the river Narmada are also described. The waters of the river Sarasvati purify a sinner after three days of bathing, while the waters of the river Yamuna takes an entire week. The mere touch of a drop of water from the river Ganga purifies a sinner. But as for the river Narmada, the sight of the waters alone is enough.

Nandi

There used to be a sage named Shilada. He was righteous and learned in the shastras.

To obtain a son, Shilada began to pray to shiva. The tapasya went on for a thousand years and shiva appeared before Shilada.

“I am pleased with your meditation.” said shiva, “what boon do you desire?”

“Please grant me the boon that I may obtain a son who will not be born from a mother. “ replied Shilada, ”And my son should be immortal.”
Shiva granted the desired boon.

When shilada was ploughing the land, a handsome boy suddenly appeared on the top of his plough. The four directions shone with the boy’s radiance and the boy began to address shilada as “father”.

The son studied the shastras and became learned. He was given the name of Nandi.

Nandi wished to see shiva and he also wished to become immortal. He therefore went to the shores of the ocean and started to pray to shiva. He chanted the required mantra one crore times.

When Shiva appeared and wished to grant a boon. Nandi said. “Please grant me enough of life so that I can chant the mantra one crore times more.”

Shiva appeared once again, and Nandi desired the same boon.

When this had happened three times. Shiva said, “Enough is enough. There is no need for any more chanting of incantations. I make you immortal, I also make you a ganapati, lord over the ganas. You will be my constant companion.”

The place where Nandi chanted the incantation has become famous as japyeshvara tirtha.

The maruts had a daughter named Suyasha. Shiva himself arranged that Nandi should be married to Suyasha.

Epilogue

Vishnu completed his recital of the Kurma Purana and the sages saluted him. they sung his praise.

The Kurma Purana is most sacred. a person who reads it attains Brahmaloka. A person who reads only one chapter of the text is forgiven all his sins. Undying punya is attained by an individual who donates this Purana to brahmanas in the months of Vaishakha or Kartika. Particularly sacred is the part that is known as the brahmi samhita.

But the text should never be read or recited in the presence of shudras. A person who ignores this injunction will surely go to hell. there is also a similar injunction about reciting the text to those who are disbelievers (that is, those who do not believe in the Vedas), a person who violates this injunction will be born as a dog in his next life.

You will almost certainly not be interested in donating the Kurma Purana to brahmanas in the months of Vaishakha or Kartika. But I hope you have found the stories interesting enough for you to which to read the text in the original.