CHAMATKARPUR
IN ancient times the city was named Chamatkarpur by a king who was cured of leprosy by taking a dip in a lake called Shakti Tirth at Vadnagar. The story is that while on his mrugaya (hunting expedition) the king followed a pair of he-deer and she-deer. He killed the he-deer causing unbearable pain to the she-deer. As a result the she-deer cursed him of suffering from leprosy. The king with leprosy was shunned by his queen and subjects equally. Ultimately, on the advice of a great sage he went to the lake called Shakti Tirth and took a dip in the magical waters. The king was instantly cured of his leprosy.



The king was so pleased that he rebuilt the entire city, with beautiful temples and palaces, on the shore of the Lake and named it Chmatkarpur.

YAGYAVALKYA
The famous rishi Yagyavalkya, whose very name means “knower of the Vedas”, was born to Brahmarath and Sunanda in Chamatkarpur. Yagyavalkya became a great scholar. He wrote ‘Yagyavalkya Smruti’. His Ashram attracted many disciples. There are many interesting tales about Yagyavalkya.

One of them is given in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (3.9.1). It is about a desciple inquiring as to the number of gods there are. The dialogue between the desciple and Yagyavalkya runs as follows:

Then Vidaghdha, son of Shakala, asked him, "How many gods are there, Yajnavalkya?"

Yajnavalkya, ascertaining the number through a group of mantras known as the Nivid, replied, "As many as are mentioned in the Nivid of the gods: three hundred and three, and three thousand and three."

"Very good," said the son of Shakala, "and how many gods are there, Yajnavalkya?"
"Thirty-three."

"Very good, and how many gods are there, Yajnavalkya?"

"Six."

"Very good, and how many gods are there, Yajnavalkya?"

"Three."

"Very good, and how many gods are there, Yajnavalkya?"

"Two."

"Very good, and how many gods are there, Yajnavalkya?"

"One and a half."

"Very good, and how many gods are there, Yajnavalkya?"

"One."