The Sacred Places of the South

Verse 1 (3.86.1)

दक्षिणस्यां तु पुण्यानि शृणु तीर्थानि भारत । विस्तरेण यथाबुद्धि कीर्त्यमानानि तानि वै ॥

dakṣiṇasyāṃ tu puṇyāni śṛṇu tīrthāni bhārata | vistareṇa yathābuddhi kīrtyamānāni tāni vai

Hear now, O Bharata, of the holy fords in the southern region, which I shall describe in detail as far as my knowledge goes.

Note on the text: तानि वै for bhārata at the end of the second line is a variant and is kept.

Verse 2 (3.86.2)

यस्यामाख्यायते पुण्या दिशि गोदावरी नदी । बह्वारामा बहुजला तापसाचरिता शिवा ॥

yasyāmākhyāyate puṇyā diśi godāvarī nadī | bahvārāmā bahujalā tāpasācaritā śivā

In that region, it is said, flows the holy river Godavari, auspicious and abundant in water, with many groves, frequented by ascetics.

Verse 3 (3.86.3)

वेणा भीमरथी चैव नद्यौ पापभयापहे । मृगद्विजसमाकीर्णे तापसालयभूषिते ॥

veṇā bhīmarathī caiva nadyau pāpabhayāpahe | mṛgadvijasamākīrṇe tāpasālayabhūṣite

There too are the Vena and the Bhimarathi, two rivers that dispel the fear of sin, thronged with beasts and birds and adorned with ascetics' dwellings.

Note on the text: वेणा and चैव for veṇṇā and cobhe are variants and are kept.

Verse 4 (3.86.4)

राजर्षेस्तस्य च सरिन्नृगस्य भरतर्षभ । रम्यतीर्था बहुजला पयोष्णी द्विजसेविता ॥

rājarṣestasya ca sarinnṛgasya bharatarṣabha | ramyatīrthā bahujalā payoṣṇī dvijasevitā

And there, O bull of the Bharatas, is the river of that royal seer Nriga: the Payoshni, with lovely fords and abundant water, frequented by brahmins.

Note on the text: Corrected तस् → तस्य (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped य, as with नृगस् in the next verse but one). The critical edition reads tatra here; तस्य is the smallest fix of the printed तस्.

Verse 5 (3.86.5)

अपि चात्र महायोगी मार्कण्डेयो महायशाः । अनुवंश्यां जगौ गाथां नृगस्य धरणीपतेः ॥

api cātra mahāyogī mārkaṇḍeyo mahāyaśāḥ | anuvaṃśyāṃ jagau gāthāṃ nṛgasya dharaṇīpateḥ

Here too the great yogi Markandeya, of great fame, sang a verse befitting the lineage of Nriga, lord of the earth:

Verse 6 (3.86.6)

नृगस्य यजमानस्य प्रत्यक्षमिति नः श्रुतम् । मरुतः परिवेष्टारः सदस्याश्च दिवौकसः ॥

nṛgasya yajamānasya pratyakṣamiti naḥ śrutam | marutaḥ pariveṣṭāraḥ sadasyāśca divaukasaḥ

"When Nriga sacrificed, so we have heard, it was before the eyes of all: the Maruts served the food, and the dwellers of heaven sat as members of the assembly.

Note on the text: Corrected नृगस् → नृगस्य (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped य; the critical edition reads nṛgasya) and removed a stray backtick and quote mark round the second line. The first line is the critical edition's 3.86.6ab; its second line (amādyad indraḥ somena …) is absent from Wikisource, whose second line is not in the constituted text (found in the vulgate recension; it appears in the apparatus as 3.86.6d*0460).

Verse 7 (3.86.7)

पयोष्ण्यां यजमानस्य वाराहे तीर्थ उत्तमे । उद्धृतं भूतलस्थं वा वायुना समुदीरितम् । पयोष्ण्या हरते तोयं पापमामरणान्तिकम् ॥

payoṣṇyāṃ yajamānasya vārāhe tīrtha uttame | uddhṛtaṃ bhūtalasthaṃ vā vāyunā samudīritam | payoṣṇyā harate toyaṃ pāpamāmaraṇāntikam

At the excellent Varaha ford on the Payoshni, where he sacrificed—the water of the Payoshni, whether drawn up, lying on the ground, or blown by the wind, takes away sin until the hour of death.

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (वावायुना → वा वायुना). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); it appears in the apparatus as 3.86.6d*0459, lines 1–3.

Verse 8 (3.86.8)

स्वर्गादुत्तुङ्गममलं विषाणं यत्र शूलिनः । स्वमात्मविहितं दृष्ट्वा मर्त्यः शिवपुरं व्रजेत् ॥

svargāduttuṅgamamalaṃ viṣāṇaṃ yatra śūlinaḥ | svamātmavihitaṃ dṛṣṭvā martyaḥ śivapuraṃ vrajet

Where the stainless horn of the Trident-bearer rises higher than heaven, a mortal who sees it, fashioned by the god himself, goes to the city of Shiva.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); it appears in the apparatus as 3.86.6d*0459, lines 4–5.

Verse 9 (3.86.9)

एकतः सरितः सर्वा गङ्गाद्याः सलिलोच्चयाः । पयोष्णी चैकतः पुण्या तीर्थेभ्यो हि मता मम ॥

ekataḥ saritaḥ sarvā gaṅgādyāḥ saliloccayāḥ | payoṣṇī caikataḥ puṇyā tīrthebhyo hi matā mama

On one side stand all the rivers, the Ganga and the rest, with their masses of water; on the other the holy Payoshni alone—for to me she outweighs all the fords."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); it appears in the apparatus as 3.86.6d*0459, lines 6–7.

Verse 10 (3.86.10)

माठरस्य वनं पुण्यं बहुमूलफलं शिवम् । यूपश्च भरतश्रेष्ठ वरुणस्रोतसे गिरौ ॥

māṭharasya vanaṃ puṇyaṃ bahumūlaphalaṃ śivam | yūpaśca bharataśreṣṭha varuṇasrotase girau

There is Mathara's holy forest, auspicious and rich in roots and fruits, and the sacrificial post, O best of the Bharatas, on the mountain of the Varuna stream.

Verse 11 (3.86.11)

प्रवेण्युत्तरपार्श्वे तु पुण्ये कण्वाश्रमे तथा । तापसानामरण्यानि कीर्तितानि यथाश्रुति ॥

praveṇyuttarapārśve tu puṇye kaṇvāśrame tathā | tāpasānāmaraṇyāni kīrtitāni yathāśruti

On the northern bank of the Praveni, at the holy hermitage of Kanva, lie the forests of the ascetics, as tradition tells of them.

Note on the text: Corrected पार्स्वे → पार्श्वे (misprint in Wikisource; स for श; the critical edition reads -pārśve).

Verse 12 (3.86.12)

वेदी शूर्पारके तात जमदग्नेर्महात्मनः । रम्या पाषाणतीर्था च पुरश्चन्द्रा च भारत ॥

vedī śūrpārake tāta jamadagnermahātmanaḥ | ramyā pāṣāṇatīrthā ca puraścandrā ca bhārata

At Shurparaka, my son, is the altar of the great-souled Jamadagni, and there are the lovely Pashanatirtha and Purashchandra, O Bharata.

Verse 13 (3.86.13)

अशोकतीर्थं तत्रैव कौन्तेय बहुलाश्रमम् । अगस्त्यतीर्थं पाण्ड्येषु वारुणं च युधिष्ठिर ॥

aśokatīrthaṃ tatraiva kaunteya bahulāśramam | agastyatīrthaṃ pāṇḍyeṣu vāruṇaṃ ca yudhiṣṭhira

There too, Kaunteya, is the Ashoka ford with its many hermitages; and among the Pandyas, Yudhishthira, are the Agastya ford and the Varuna ford.

Note on the text: Removed a stray space inside a word (कौन्ते य → कौन्तेय). तत्रैव for martyeṣu is a variant and is kept.

Verse 14 (3.86.14)

कुमार्यः कथिताः पुण्याः पाण्ड्येष्वेव नरर्षभ । ताम्रपर्णी तु कौन्तेय कीर्तयिष्यामि तां शृणु ॥

kumāryaḥ kathitāḥ puṇyāḥ pāṇḍyeṣveva nararṣabha | tāmraparṇī tu kaunteya kīrtayiṣyāmi tāṃ śṛṇu

Among the Pandyas too, O bull among men, are the holy fords called the Kumaris. Now, Kaunteya, I shall tell you of the Tamraparni; listen.

Verse 15 (3.86.15)

यत्र देवैस्तपस्तप्तं महदिच्छद्भिराश्रमे । गोकर्णमिति विख्यातं त्रिषु लोकेषु भारत ॥

yatra devaistapastaptaṃ mahadicchadbhirāśrame | gokarṇamiti vikhyātaṃ triṣu lokeṣu bhārata

There, in a hermitage, the gods practised austerities, longing for the great reward; and there is the place famed in the three worlds as Gokarna, O Bharata.

Verse 16 (3.86.16)

शीततोयो बहुजलः पुण्यस्तात शिवश्च सः । ह्रदः परमदुष्प्रापो मानुषैरकृतात्मभिः ॥

śītatoyo bahujalaḥ puṇyastāta śivaśca saḥ | hradaḥ paramaduṣprāpo mānuṣairakṛtātmabhiḥ

There, my son, is a lake of cool water, abundant, holy and auspicious, very hard to reach for men who have not mastered themselves.

Verse 17 (3.86.17)

तत्र वृक्षतृणाद्यैश्च संपन्नः फलमूलवान् । आश्रमोऽगस्त्यशिष्यस्य पुण्यो देवसहे गिरौ ॥

tatra vṛkṣatṛṇādyaiśca saṃpannaḥ phalamūlavān | āśramo'gastyaśiṣyasya puṇyo devasahe girau

There, rich in trees and grasses, in fruits and roots, is the holy hermitage of Agastya's disciple on Mount Devasaha.

Note on the text: The first line (tatraiva tṛṇasomāgneḥ … in the critical edition) and देवसहे for devasabhe are variants and are kept.

Verse 18 (3.86.18)

वैडूर्यपर्वतस्तत्र श्रीमान्मणिमयः शिवः । अगस्त्यस्याश्रमश्चैव बहुमूलफलोदकः ॥

vaiḍūryaparvatastatra śrīmānmaṇimayaḥ śivaḥ | agastyasyāśramaścaiva bahumūlaphalodakaḥ

There is the Vaidurya mountain, glorious, made of gems and auspicious, and the hermitage of Agastya, rich in roots, fruits and water.

Verse 19 (3.86.19)

सुराष्ट्रेष्वपि वक्ष्यामि पुण्यान्यायतनानि च । आश्रमान्सरितश्चैव सरांसि च नराधिप ॥

surāṣṭreṣvapi vakṣyāmi puṇyānyāyatanāni ca | āśramānsaritaścaiva sarāṃsi ca narādhipa

Now, O lord of men, I shall tell you of the holy shrines among the Surashtras too, their hermitages, rivers and lakes.

Verse 20 (3.86.20)

चमसोद्भेदनं विप्रास्तत्रापि कथयन्त्युत । प्रभासं चोदधौ तीर्थं त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम् ॥

camasodbhedanaṃ viprāstatrāpi kathayantyuta | prabhāsaṃ codadhau tīrthaṃ triṣu lokeṣu viśrutam

There too the brahmins speak of Chamasodbhedana; and of Prabhasa by the ocean, a ford famed in the three worlds.

Note on the text: चमसोद्भेदनं and त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम् for camasonmajjanaṃ and tridaśānāṃ yudhiṣṭhira are variants and are kept.

Verse 21 (3.86.21)

तत्र पिण्डारकं नाम तापसाचरितं शिवम् । उज्जयन्तश्च शिखरी क्षिप्रं सिद्धिकरो महान् ॥

tatra piṇḍārakaṃ nāma tāpasācaritaṃ śivam | ujjayantaśca śikharī kṣipraṃ siddhikaro mahān

There is the auspicious place called Pindaraka, frequented by ascetics, and the great peak Ujjayanta, which swiftly grants perfection.

Verse 22 (3.86.22)

तत्र देवर्षिवीरेण नारदेनानुकीर्तितः । पुराणः श्रूयते श्लोकस्तं निबोध युधिष्ठिर ॥

tatra devarṣivīreṇa nāradenānukīrtitaḥ | purāṇaḥ śrūyate ślokastaṃ nibodha yudhiṣṭhira

An ancient verse about it is heard, sung by Narada, the hero among divine seers; hear it, Yudhishthira:

Verse 23 (3.86.23)

पुण्ये गिरौ सुराष्ट्रेषु मृगपक्षिनिषेविते । उज्जयन्ते स्म तप्ताङ्गो नाकपृष्ठे महीयते ॥

puṇye girau surāṣṭreṣu mṛgapakṣiniṣevite | ujjayante sma taptāṅgo nākapṛṣṭhe mahīyate

"He who has practised austerities on Ujjayanta, the holy mountain among the Surashtras, frequented by beasts and birds, is honoured on the vault of heaven."

Verse 24 (3.86.24)

एष नारायणः श्रीमान्क्षीरार्णवनिकेतनः । नागपर्यङ्कमुत्सृज्य ह्यागतो मधुरां पुरीम् ॥

eṣa nārāyaṇaḥ śrīmānkṣīrārṇavaniketanaḥ | nāgaparyaṅkamutsṛjya hyāgato madhurāṃ purīm

Here is the glorious Narayana, whose home is the Ocean of Milk, who left his couch upon the serpent and came to the city of Madhura.

Note on the text: Removed a stray backtick and quote mark and restored a missing word space (उत्सृज्यह्यागतो → उत्सृज्य ह्यागतो). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); it appears in the apparatus as 3.86.20d*0461 (mathurāṃ for मधुरां, an old form of the city's name, kept).

Verse 25 (3.86.25)

पुण्या द्वारवती तत्र यत्रासौ मधुसूदनः । साक्षाद्देवः पुराणोऽसौ स हि धर्मः सनातनः ॥

puṇyā dvāravatī tatra yatrāsau madhusūdanaḥ | sākṣāddevaḥ purāṇo'sau sa hi dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ

There is holy Dvaravati, where dwells that Madhusudana, the ancient god made manifest; for he is the eternal Dharma.

Note on the text: Corrected पुराणोसौ → पुराणोऽसौ (misprint in Wikisource; a missing avagraha; the critical edition reads purāṇo 'sau) and restored a missing word space (तत्रयत्रासौ → तत्र यत्रासौ).

Verse 26 (3.86.26)

ये च वेदविदो विप्रा ये चाध्यात्मविदो जनाः । ते वदन्ति महात्मानं कृष्णं धर्मं सनातनम् ॥

ye ca vedavido viprā ye cādhyātmavido janāḥ | te vadanti mahātmānaṃ kṛṣṇaṃ dharmaṃ sanātanam

The brahmins who know the Vedas, and those who know the Self, call the great-souled Krishna the eternal Dharma.

Note on the text: Corrected कवेदविदो → वेदविदो (misprint in Wikisource; a stray क; the critical edition reads vedavido).

Verse 27 (3.86.27)

पवित्राणां हि गोविन्दः पवित्रं परमुच्यते । पुण्यानामपि पुण्योसौ मङ्गलानां च मङ्गलम् । त्रैलोक्ये पुण्डरीकाक्षो देवदेवः सनातनः ॥

pavitrāṇāṃ hi govindaḥ pavitraṃ paramucyate | puṇyānāmapi puṇyosau maṅgalānāṃ ca maṅgalam | trailokye puṇḍarīkākṣo devadevaḥ sanātanaḥ

Govinda is called the supreme purifier among all that purifies; he is the holiest of the holy and the most auspicious of auspicious things. In the three worlds the lotus-eyed one is the eternal God of gods.

Note on the text: Corrected मङ्गालानां → मङ्गलानां (misprint in Wikisource; a stray ā; the critical edition reads maṅgalānāṃ). The first two lines are the critical edition's 3.86.23, the third its 3.86.24ab (त्रैलोक्ये for trailokyaṃ, a variant, kept); the alignment missed it because Wikisource divides these verses differently.

Verse 28 (3.86.28)

अव्ययात्मा व्ययात्मा च क्षेत्रज्ञः परमेश्वरः । आस्ते हरिरचिन्त्यात्मा तत्रैव मधुसूदनः ॥

avyayātmā vyayātmā ca kṣetrajñaḥ parameśvaraḥ | āste hariracintyātmā tatraiva madhusūdanaḥ

He who is both the imperishable Self and the perishable, the knower of the field, the supreme Lord—Hari, of inconceivable nature, Madhusudana, dwells there.

Note on the text: The first line is not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension; it appears in the apparatus as 3.86.24b*0463, mahātmā for व्ययात्मा); the second is its 3.86.24cd, which the alignment missed.