The Sacred Importance of Pilgrimage Places and Holy Shrines

In the 43rd chapter of the *Gurucharitra*, Lord Dattatreya explains that daily worship of Lord Shiva or any chosen deity brings spiritual upliftment and ultimately liberation. In life, everyone must face difficulties and the fruits of past actions, but good deeds (satkarma) gradually purify the soul. As purity increases, the journey through births becomes easier, and finally one attains moksha.

Lord Dattatreya highlights the extraordinary greatness of holy days, auspicious periods, sacred rivers, pilgrimage places, temples and divine sites. He also explains why sages, saints and ascetics travel to such places to take darshan. Deep faith in the Guru elevates a seeker step by step toward freedom.

Long ago in the land of Kirata lived King Vimarsana — brave and skilled in warfare, yet living a life full of violence, hunting, drinking, meat-eating and immoral conduct. Despite this, he was a devoted worshipper of Lord Shiva, performing daily worship with sincerity.

His queen, Kumudvati, was intelligent and virtuous. One day she asked:

“You worship Lord Shiva daily and listen to His stories. Then why do sinful actions still arise in your life?”

The king replied that he remembered his past birth:

“In my previous life, I was a dog in the city of Pampa. On *Shivaratri*, I wandered near a Shiva temple where worship was being performed. Watching intently, I was struck by a servant and ran, unknowingly completing a *pradakshina* of the temple. When I returned, he struck me again and I died there. Because of that single pradakshina on Shivaratri, I was born as a king. Yet dog-like tendencies remain, which is why negative actions still arise.”

The queen then asked about her own past birth. The king said:

“You were a pigeon carrying a piece of meat. Chased by a falcon, you circled a Shiva temple three times and sat on its roof, exhausted. The falcon killed you there. Because of those three pradakshinas, you were born now as a queen.”

When she asked about their future births, Vimarsana described seven future royal births in which they would be reborn as king and princess, marry in each life and, in their final birth, he would renounce the world, take initiation from Sage Agastya, and both would finally attain Kailasa, the abode of Shiva.

After narrating this story, Lord Dattatreya asks:

“Do you now understand the power of holy places and sacred times?”

A dog who unknowingly fasted and circumambulated a Shiva temple on Shivaratri received seven royal births and liberation. A pigeon, through three pradakshinas of a temple’s roof, received seven royal births and freedom from rebirth.

Thus, the merit of:

• sacred days,
• holy locations,
• temples,
• pilgrimage acts,

is far beyond ordinary imagination.

This is why not only common devotees, but even great sages and ascetics undertake pilgrimages and seek divine darshan. Understanding this truth, everyone should:

• perform daily worship,
• engage in good deeds,
• visit holy places,
• and maintain devotion with faith and purity.

This is the essence of Lord Dattatreya’s teaching in this chapter.