Udupi district is a unique gift bestowed upon our nation by goddess Prakruti. Several places of historical and mythological significance are nestled amidst the thick green environs. Many such places are described by Shri Vadiraja Gurusarvabhouma in his Teertha Prabandha Kshetra, praising them for us and letting us know of their glory.
Of such unique places, Suvarna nadi is one. It takes birth at the Vedachala hills in Karkala taluk. It merges with the sea close to Kundapura. It burns down the sins of those who bathe in it, quickly finishing its role and gushing ahead as if in a rush to merge with her beloved! Its flow is only 80 kilometers but the role of this river from its birth up until its destination is very pleasant. Its splendor is similar to what you watch on National Geographic channel and exclaim!
In size, this is a small river but it shoulders an enormous role in depleting our sins. Shri Vadiraja Teertha describes Suvarna nadi in Teertha Prabhanda thus:
Vēdācalahr̥dudhbhūtāṁ suvarṇāṁ kō nu varṇayēt |
anhasō dahyamānasya śrāvayantīṁ svanaṁ janān ||Emerging from the heart of Vedachala hills, burning down the sins of people and having the ability of making that noise of burning down audible, who indeed would describe this mighty Suvarna nadi?
Those who intend to get rid of their sins at Suvarna nadi, those who perform ablution with this thought, their sins will be burnt down by Suvarne and that too noisily. While burning down sins the crackling sound is audible to the ears of the one bathing! By making this sound heard, Suvarne reaffirms “ I have burnt down your sins”.
During krishna paksha if chaturdashi falls on a tuesday it is called krishnangaraka chaturdashi (abbreviated as krishnangaraka). Bathing in Suvarna nadi on this day reaps immense merits.