Why doesn't the description of Godavari river match with what the shastras tell us?

Question

The story of the origination of Gautami Ganga is written in Varaha Purana, adhaya 71 as:

Gautama muni asked Lord Shiva for Ganga. Once he received Ganga, Gautama muni poured ganga jal on top of a dead cow and the cow arose. The place where this event took place is called Gautami Ganga or Godavari Ganga.

Matsya Purana, adhaya 22, shloka 58-59:

In Godavari river, our ancestors are known as Apsaroyuga.

• Apsaroyuga is known as Apsaro, which flows from Kal (Shiva) Pokhari towards Gautamitat (intersection of Barun and Arun river). There is no river that flows towards Gautamitat coming from current Godavari.

Brahma Purana, adhaya 78, shloka 77:

Godavari and Bhagirathi originate south and north respectively in Bindagiri from the same mountain.

• The current Bhagirathi originates in Himalayan range and Godavari is in Maharashtra. They both do not form from the same mountain.

Brahma Purana, adhaya 89, shloka 38-45:

Arun river (known as Tapi in the shloka) and Yamuna (Barun river) intersect at a place called Gautami Ganga (Gautamitat).

Our current Godavari river is in Maharashtra. But this doesn't match with what the shastras tell us. So where is Godavari?

_{Note: I do not wish to offend anyone regarding my question. Our current thirthas are as holy regardless of their authenticity and I respect their location. Being a Hindu, I would never disrespect any thirtha just because they do not match with shastras. Many thirthas have changed locations and this is why I try to find their original location. Sorry if I have offended anybody.}

Answer 1

The origin of Godawari river is given in Vaman Purana (Chapter 13 , Shloka 30 - Description of Bhuvan Kosha)

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Here are the Sanskrit Shlokas-:

शिवा पायोषनि निर्विन्ध्या तापी सनिषधावति॥28॥
वेणा वैतरणी चैव सिनिबाहु: कुमुद्वती ।
तोया रेव महागौरी दुर्गन्धा वाशिला तथा ॥29॥
विन्ध्यपादप्रसूताश्च नद्य: पुण्यजला: शुभा: ।

Shiva Payoshani Nirvindhya Tapi SanishaDhavati Vena Vaitarani Chaiva Sinibahu Kumudwati Toya Raiva MahaGauri Durgndhaa Vashila Tatha VindhyaPadaPrasutasya Nadya PunyaJala Shubha

Meaning - The rivers having pure water and emanating from Vindhya Mountain are Shiva ,Payosni ,Nirvindhya ,Tapi ,Nisadhavati ,Vena ,Vaitarani ,Sinbahu ,Kumudwati ,Toya , Reva ,Mahagauri ,Durgandha and Vasila.

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गोदावरी भीमरथी कृष्णा वेण्या सरिद्वती ॥30॥
विशमद्रि सुप्रयोगा वाह्या कावेररिरेव च।
दुग्धोदा नलिनी चैव वारिसेना कलस्वना ॥31॥
एताश्चपि महानद्य: सह्यपादविनिर्गता:।

Godavari Bhimarathi Krushna Venya Saridwati Vishmadri Suprayoga Vahyaa KaveriReva Cha Dugdhoda Nalini Chaiva Varisena Kalswana Etarschpi Mahandyah Sahyapadvinirgata mahanandis

Meaning - The flowing down from the root of Sahya parvatamala are - Godawari , Bhimarthi ,Krishna ,Vena ,Sarasvati , ,Tungabhdra ,Sprayoga ,Vahya , Kaveri ,Dugdhoda ,Nalini ,Reva ,Varisena and Kalasvana.

So from the above shlokas it's clear that River Godavari flows from Sahya Parvat today's Sahyadri (सह्याद्रि). And according to This It originates in the Western Ghats of central India Near Nashik ,Maharashtra.