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Teerth or Teerth Sthaan

Holy place such as Badareenaath, Raameshwaram, Tirupati etc, or the banks of a Holy river or pond, such as Sangam (at Prayaag), Vaaranasee, Pushkar Jee, etc where Hindoo go on pilgrimage are called Teerth or Teerth Sthaan. Most of these locations are considered sacred because they contain a temple or temples or some of them are holy rivers or ponds where taking bath in them is considered auspicious. There are many reasons of visiting these places - (1) worshipping a special image of God, or (2) asking forgiveness or blessings or favor in a special temple, (3) or to complete the funeral rites, or (4) to complete the performance of a sacrament. The most favored holy places are - Amarnaath in Kaashmeer, Badareenaath, Haridwaar, Kaashee (Vaaraanasee), Kedaarnaath, Mathuraa, Trivenee (Sangam) at Ilaahaabaad, Vrindaa Van - they all are in UP; Ujjain in MP; Dwaarakaa in Gujaraat; Puree in Udeesaa; Tirupati in Aandhra Pradesh; Naathdwaaraa and Pushkar Jee in Raajsthaan; Kurukshetra in Hariyaanaa; Naasik in Mahaaraashtra; and Kaancheepuram and Raameshwaram in Tamilnaadu.

There are seven sacred places - (1) Ayodhyaa (in UP), (2) Mathuraa (in UP), (3) Dwaarakaa (in Gujraat), (4) Maayaa Pur (Haridwaar in UP), (5) Kaanchee (Kaancheepuram in Tamilnaadu), (6) Kaashee (Vaaraanasee or Banaaras in UP), and (7) Ujjain or Ujjayinee (in MP).

And seven sacred rivers - (1) Gangaa in UP; (2) Yamunaa in UP; (3) Sindhu (now in Paakistaan), (4) Saraswatee (now extinguished), (5) Godaavaree, (6) Kaaveree, and (7) Narmadaa

Teerth Yaatraa

Pilgrimage. Going to some religious place is called Teerth Yaatraa. Five types of people are not eligible for fruits of pilgrimage - who do not have Shraddhaa, who are sinners, or atheists, or doubtful, and who always use logic in everything. That is why fish, animals, birds etc, since they do not have the feeling of Bhakti, in spite of living in Teerth places, do not get fruits of living there. One should always go to such places with Bhakti.
(Naarad Puraan, 2/14)

Teerth Yaatree

Pilgrim. Who goes to holy places, is called Teerth Yaatree. Sometimes this traveling is referred to as Yaatraa only, and the pilgrim as Yaatree only.

Teerth Snaan

Vashishth Jee said to King Dileep - " Any water body outside the city is good for Maagh Snaan, they all are like Gangaa water. Still there are some other Teerth which I describe to you - the first one is Prayaag, after that Naimish Aranya, Kurukshetra, Haridwaar, Ujjain, Sarayoo, Yamunaa, Dwaarakaa, Amaraavatee, Sangam of Saraswatee and sea, Gangaa Saagar Sangam, Kaanchee, Tryambak, Kaalanjar, Prabhaas, Badarik Aashram, Omkaar Kshetra, Purushottam Kshetra - Jagannaath Puree, Gokarn, Pushkar, Tungbhadraa, Kaaveree, Krishnaa, Vegvatee - all are good Teerth. Gayaa is good for Pitar.

All above listed are Teerth on Prithvi, now I tell you about Maanas Teerth - speaking Truth, forgiveness, controlling Indriyaan, kindness to everybody, simplicity, donation, control on mind, contentment, Brahmcharya, discipline, Mantra Jap, speaking favorably, Gyaan, patience, Ahinsaa (non-violence), meditation and Shiv's remembrance - these all are Maanas Teerth. Purification of mind and g=heart is the best Teerth. Only dipping in water is not called Snaan, who has controlled his mind, in fact, his Snaan is more useful. Whose mind and heart are unclean, unholy, undisciplined, unkind, they are sinners in spite of taking bath in rivers. Creatures who live in waters, take birth in water and die in water, this does not take them to Swarg.
[Padm Puraan, 5/35]
 

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