The Descent of the Ganga

Verse 1 (bhagavata.5.17.1)

श्रीशुक उवाच तत्र भगवतः साक्षाद्यज्ञलिङ्गस्य विष्णोर्विक्रमतो वामपादाङ्गुष्ठनखनिर्भिन्नोर्ध्वाण्डकटाहविवरेणान्तःप्रविष्टा या बाह्यजलधारा तच्चरणपङ्कजावनेजनारुणकिञ्जल्कोपरञ्जिताखिलजगदघमलापहोपस्पर्शनामला साक्षाद्भगवत्पदीत्यनुपलक्षितवचोऽभिधीयमानातिमहता कालेन युगसहस्रोपलक्षणेन दिवो मूर्धन्यवततार यत्तद्विष्णुपदमाहुः ॥ १ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca tatra bhagavataḥ sākṣād yajña-liṅgasya viṣṇor vikramato vāma-pādāṅguṣṭha-nakha-nirbhinnordhvāṇḍa-kaṭāha-vivareṇāntaḥ-praviṣṭā yā bāhya-jala-dhārā tac-caraṇa-paṅkajāvanejanāruṇa-kiñjalkoparañjitākhila-jagad-agha-malāpahopasparśanāmalā sākṣād bhagavat-padīty anupalakṣita-vaco ’bhidhīyamānāti-mahatā kālena yuga-sahasropalakṣaṇena divo mūrdhany avatatāra yat tad viṣṇu-padam āhuḥ.

Shukadeva Gosvami said: There, when Lord Vishnu — the very embodiment of sacrifice — strode forth, His left foot pierced a hole in the outer shell of the universe with the nail of its big toe, and through that opening the pure water outside entered. Made spotless by washing the reddish, pollen-hued lotus feet of the Lord, and thereby able to wash away the sin and impurity of the whole world at a mere touch, that water — known by the unspoken name of belonging to the Lord's own feet — after a time measured in a thousand yugas descended upon the crown of the sky. That is why the learned call that place Vishnupada, 'the feet of Vishnu.'

Verse 2 (bhagavata.5.17.2)

यत्र ह वाव वीरव्रत औत्तानपादिः परमभागवतोऽस्मत्कुलदेवताचरणारविन्दोदकमिति यामनुसवनमुत्कृष्यमाणभगवद्भक्तियोगेन दृढं क्लिद्यमानान्तर्हृदय औत्कण्ठ्यविवशामीलितलोचनयुगलकुड्मलविगलितामलबाष्पकलयाभिव्यज्यमानरोमपुलककुलकोऽधुनापि परमादरेण शिरसा बिभर्ति ॥ २ ॥

yatra ha vāva vīra-vrata auttānapādiḥ parama-bhāgavato ’smat-kula-devatā-caraṇāravindodakam iti yām anusavanam utkṛṣyamāṇa-bhagavad-bhakti-yogena dṛḍhaṁ klidyamānāntar-hṛdaya autkaṇṭhya-vivaśāmīlita-locana-yugala-kuḍmala-vigalitāmala-bāṣpa-kalayābhivyajyamāna-roma-pulaka-kulako ’dhunāpi paramādareṇa śirasā bibharti.

There, indeed, Dhruva, the son of Uttanapada, famed for his heroic vow, the supreme devotee, knowing that this is the very water that has washed the feet of Vishnu, the deity of his own dynasty, even now bears it upon his head with the utmost reverence — his heart kept moist by his ever-deepening practice of devotion, his eyes half-closed in eagerness, pure tears welling up, and the hair of his body standing on end.

Verse 3 (bhagavata.5.17.3)

ततः सप्त ऋषयस्तत्प्रभावाभिज्ञा यां ननु तपसआत्यन्तिकी सिद्धिरेतावती भगवति सर्वात्मनि वासुदेवेऽनुपरतभक्तियोगलाभेनैवोपेक्षितान्यार्थात्मगतयो मुक्तिमिवागतां मुमुक्षव इव सबहुमानमद्यापि जटाजूटैरुद्वहन्ति ॥ ३ ॥

tataḥ sapta ṛṣayas tat prabhāvābhijñā yāṁ nanu tapasa ātyantikī siddhir etāvatī bhagavati sarvātmani vāsudeve ’nuparata-bhakti-yoga-lābhenaivopekṣitānyārthātma-gatayo muktim ivāgatāṁ mumukṣava iva sabahu-mānam adyāpi jaṭā-jūṭair udvahanti.

Thereafter, the seven great sages, who know the Ganga's power, still today bear it with the highest reverence in the coils of their matted hair, regarding this alone as the ultimate fruit of austerity — for having attained unbroken devotion to Vasudeva, the Self of all, they have set aside every other goal, and even liberation itself comes to them unsought, as it does to those who long for release.

Verse 4 (bhagavata.5.17.4)

ततोऽनेकसहस्रकोटिविमानानीकसङ्कुलदेवयानेनावतरन्तीन्दुमण्डलमावार्य ब्रह्मसदने निपतति ॥ ४ ॥

tato ’neka-sahasra-koṭi-vimānānīka-saṅkula-deva-yānenāvatar-antīndu maṇḍalam āvārya brahma-sadane nipatati.

From there, borne along the celestial pathway thronged with many thousands of crores of the gods' airborne chariots, it comes down, envelops the orb of the moon, and falls upon the abode of Brahma.

Verse 5 (bhagavata.5.17.5)

तत्र चतुर्धा भिद्यमाना चतुर्भिर्नामभिश्चतुर्दिशमभिस्पन्दन्ती नदनदीपतिमेवाभिनिविशति सीतालकनन्दा चक्षुर्भद्रेति ॥ ५ ॥

tatra caturdhā bhidyamānā caturbhir nāmabhiś catur-diśam abhispandantī nada-nadī-patim evābhiniviśati sītālakanandā cakṣur bhadreti.

There, atop Mount Meru, it splits into four streams, and rushing outward in the four directions under four names — Sita, Alakananda, Chakshu and Bhadra — it enters the lord of rivers, the ocean.

Verse 6 (bhagavata.5.17.6)

सीता तु ब्रह्मसदनात्केसराचलादिगिरिशिखरेभ्योऽधोऽधः प्रस्रवन्ती गन्धमादनमूर्धसु पतित्वान्तरेण भद्राश्ववर्षं प्राच्यां दिशि क्षारसमुद्रमभिप्रविशति ॥ ६ ॥

sītā tu brahma-sadanāt kesarācalādi-giri-śikharebhyo ’dho ’dhaḥ prasravantī gandhamādana-mūrdhasu patitvāntareṇa bhadrāśva-varṣaṁ prācyāṁ diśi kṣāra-samudram abhipraviśati.

The Sita, flowing down from Brahma's abode over the peaks of Kesaracala and the other ranges, one below the next, falls upon the heights of Gandhamadana, and passing through the land of Bhadrashva-varsha in the east, enters the sea of salt water.

Verse 7 (bhagavata.5.17.7)

एवं माल्यवच्छिखरान्निष्पतन्ती ततोऽनुपरतवेगा केतुमालमभि चक्षुः प्रतीच्यां दिशि सरित्पतिं प्रविशति ॥ ७ ॥

evaṁ mālyavac-chikharān niṣpatantī tato ’nuparata-vegā ketumālam abhi cakṣuḥ pratīcyāṁ diśi sarit-patiṁ praviśati.

In the same way, falling from the peaks of Malyavan and flowing without pause through Ketumala-varsha, the Chakshu enters the lord of rivers in the west.

Verse 8 (bhagavata.5.17.8)

भद्रा चोत्तरतो मेरुशिरसो निपतिता गिरिशिखराद्गिरिशिखरमतिहाय शृङ्गवतः शृङ्गादवस्यन्दमाना उत्तरांस्तु कुरूनभित उदीच्यां दिशि जलधिमभिप्रविशति ॥ ८ ॥

bhadrā cottarato meru-śiraso nipatitā giri-śikharād giri-śikharam atihāya śṛṅgavataḥ śṛṅgād avasyandamānā uttarāṁs tu kurūn abhita udīcyāṁ diśi jaladhim abhipraviśati.

The Bhadra, falling from the northern side of Meru's summit, crossing over peak after peak until the peak of Shringavat, streams down and, encircling the land of Uttara Kuru, enters the ocean in the north.

Verse 9 (bhagavata.5.17.9)

तथैवालकनन्दा दक्षिणेन ब्रह्मसदनाद्बहूनि गिरिकूटान्यतिक्रम्य हेमकूटाद्धैमकूटान्यतिरभसतररंहसा लुठयन्ती भारतमभिवर्षं दक्षिणस्यां दिशि जलधिमभिप्रविशति यस्यां स्नानार्थं चागच्छतः पुंसः पदे पदेऽश्वमेधराजसूयादीनां फलं न दुर्लभमिति ॥ ९ ॥

tathaivālakanandā dakṣiṇena brahma-sadanād bahūni giri-kūṭāny atikramya hemakūṭād dhaimakūṭāny ati-rabhasatara-raṁhasā luṭhayantī bhāratam abhivarṣaṁ dakṣiṇasyāṁ diśi jaladhim abhipraviśati yasyāṁ snānārthaṁ cāgacchataḥ puṁsaḥ pade pade ’śvamedha-rājasūyādīnāṁ phalaṁ na durlabham iti.

Likewise the Alakananda, flowing from the south of Brahma's abode, crosses many mountain peaks, and rolling down with ever-increasing force over Hemakuta and Himakuta, floods the land of Bharata-varsha and enters the ocean in the south. For one who comes there to bathe, the fruit of sacrifices such as the Ashvamedha and Rajasuya is not hard to attain, with every single step.

Verse 10 (bhagavata.5.17.10)

अन्ये च नदा नद्यश्च वर्षे वर्षे सन्ति बहुशो मेर्वादिगिरिदुहितरः शतशः ॥ १० ॥

anye ca nadā nadyaś ca varṣe varṣe santi bahuśo merv-ādi-giri-duhitaraḥ śataśaḥ.

Besides these, there are many other rivers, both great and small, hundreds of them, in every varsha — daughters, as it were, of Meru and the other mountains.

Verse 11 (bhagavata.5.17.11)

तत्रापि भारतमेव वर्षं कर्मक्षेत्रमन्यान्यष्ट वर्षाणि स्वर्गिणां पुण्यशेषोपभोगस्थानानि भौमानि स्वर्गपदानि व्यपदिशन्ति ॥ ११ ॥

tatrāpi bhāratam eva varṣaṁ karma-kṣetram anyāny aṣṭa varṣāṇi svargiṇāṁ puṇya-śeṣopabhoga-sthānāni bhaumāni svarga-padāni vyapadiśanti.

Among all these lands, only Bharata-varsha is called the field of action; the other eight varshas, it is said, are earthly heavens, places where those who still carry a remainder of heavenly merit come down to enjoy its fruits.

Verse 12 (bhagavata.5.17.12)

एषु पुरुषाणामयुतपुरुषायुर्वर्षाणां देवकल्पानां नागायुतप्राणानां वज्रसंहननबलवयोमोदप्रमुदितमहासौरतमिथुनव्यवायापवर्गवर्षधृतैकगर्भ कलत्राणां तत्र तु त्रेतायुगसमः कालो वर्तते ॥ १२ ॥

eṣu puruṣāṇām ayuta-puruṣāyur-varṣāṇāṁ deva-kalpānāṁ nāgāyuta-prāṇānāṁ vajra-saṁhanana-bala-vayo-moda-pramudita-mahā-saurata-mithuna-vyavāyāpavarga-varṣa-dhṛtaika-garbha-kalatrāṇāṁ tatra tu tretā-yuga-samaḥ kālo vartate.

In these lands, the people live for ten thousand years, are almost the equal of demigods, and possess the vital strength of ten thousand elephants. Their bodies are as unbreakable as diamond; rejoicing in the fullness of their strength and youth, they revel greatly in the pleasures of union with their mates, and only when a single year of life remains does the wife conceive a single child. There, the age that prevails is like that of Treta-yuga.

Verse 13 (bhagavata.5.17.13)

यत्र ह देवपतयः स्वैः स्वैर्गणनायकैर्विहितमहार्हणाः सर्वर्तुकुसुमस्तबकफलकिसलयश्रियाऽऽनम्यमानविटपलता विटपिभिरुपशुम्भमानरुचिरकाननाश्रमायतनवर्षगिरिद्रोणीषु तथा चामलजलाशयेषु विकचविविधनववनरुहामोदमुदितराजहंसजलकुक्कुटकारण्डवसारसचक्रवाकादिभिर्मधुकरनिकराकृतिभिरुपकूजितेषु जलक्रीडादिभिर्विचित्रविनोदैः सुललितसुरसुन्दरीणां कामकलिलविलासहासलीलावलोकाकृष्टमनोदृष्टयः स्वैरं विहरन्ति ॥ १३ ॥

yatra ha deva-patayaḥ svaiḥ svair gaṇa-nāyakair vihita-mahārhaṇāḥ sarvartu-kusuma-stabaka-phala-kisalaya-śriyānamyamāna-viṭapa-latā-viṭapibhir upaśumbhamāna-rucira-kānanāśramāyatana-varṣa-giri-droṇīṣu tathā cāmala-jalāśayeṣu vikaca-vividha-nava-vanaruhāmoda-mudita-rāja-haṁsa-jala-kukkuṭa-kāraṇḍava-sārasa-cakravākādibhir madhukara-nikarākṛtibhir upakūjiteṣu jala-krīḍādibhir vicitra-vinodaiḥ sulalita-sura-sundarīṇāṁ kāma-kalila-vilāsa-hāsa-līlāvalokākṛṣṭa-mano-dṛṣṭayaḥ svairaṁ viharanti.

In those lands, the lords of the gods, duly honored by their own attendant chieftains, wander freely through delightful forest-hermitages set in mountain valleys, radiant with trees bent low under clusters of every season's flowers, fruit and tender shoots, and beside clear lakes that echo with the drone of bees and the cries of royal swans, water-fowl, karandava ducks, cranes and ruddy geese made joyous by the fragrance of newly-opened lotuses of many kinds. Delighting there in playful diversions such as sport in the water, their eyes and minds are drawn away by the amorous glances and playful smiles of the ravishing goddesses.

Verse 14 (bhagavata.5.17.14)

नवस्वपि वर्षेषु भगवान्नारायणो महापुरुषः पुरुषाणां तदनुग्रहायात्मतत्त्वव्यूहेनात्मनाद्यापि सन्निधीयते ॥ १४ ॥

navasv api varṣeṣu bhagavān nārāyaṇo mahā-puruṣaḥ puruṣāṇāṁ tad-anugrahāyātma-tattva-vyūhenātmanādyāpi sannidhīyate.

In all nine of these lands, the Supreme Person, Bhagavan Narayana, remains present even today, in His own fourfold expansion of the truth of the Self, so as to bestow grace upon the people there.

Verse 15 (bhagavata.5.17.15)

इलावृते तु भगवान् भव एक एव पुमान्न ह्यन्यस्तत्रापरो निर्विशति भवान्याः शापनिमित्तज्ञो यत्प्रवेक्ष्यतः स्त्रीभावस्तत्पश्चाद्वक्ष्यामि ॥ १५ ॥

ilāvṛte tu bhagavān bhava eka eva pumān na hy anyas tatrāparo nirviśati bhavānyāḥ śāpa-nimitta-jño yat-pravekṣyataḥ strī-bhāvas tat paścād vakṣyāmi.

In Ilavrita-varsha, however, Bhagavan Bhava, that is, Shiva, alone is the one male being present; no other man enters there, for the reason lies in a curse of Bhavani: whoever else should venture in would take on the state of a woman. That I shall describe later.

Verse 16 (bhagavata.5.17.16)

भवानीनाथैः स्त्रीगणार्बुदसहस्रैरवरुध्यमानो भगवतश्चतुर्मूर्तेर्महापुरुषस्य तुरीयां तामसीं मूर्तिं प्रकृतिमात्मनः सङ्कर्षणसंज्ञामात्मसमाधिरूपेण सन्निधाप्यैतदभिगृणन् भव उप-धावति ॥ १६ ॥

bhavānī-nāthaiḥ strī-gaṇārbuda-sahasrair avarudhyamāno bhagavataś catur-mūrter mahā-puruṣasya turīyāṁ tāmasīṁ mūrtiṁ prakṛtim ātmanaḥ saṅkarṣaṇa-saṁjñām ātma-samādhi-rūpeṇa sannidhāpyaitad abhigṛṇan bhava upadhāvati.

There, hemmed in by billions of companies of Bhavani's female attendants, Shiva brings near, through his own state of meditative absorption, the fourth and tamasic form of the four-formed Supreme Person, the form called Sankarshana, his own source, and, reciting this hymn, draws close to Him in worship.

Verse 17 (bhagavata.5.17.17)

श्रीभगवानुवाच ॐ नमो भगवते महापुरुषाय सर्वगुणसङ्ख्यानायानन्तायाव्यक्ताय नम इति ॥ १७ ॥

śrī-bhagavān uvāca oṁ namo bhagavate mahā-puruṣāya sarva-guṇa-saṅkhyānāyānantāyāvyaktāya nama iti.

The glorious Lord (Shiva) said: Om. Obeisance to the Blessed Great Person, the sum and reckoning of every excellence, unlimited, unmanifest, obeisance to You.

Verse 18 (bhagavata.5.17.18)

भजे भजन्यारणपादपङ्कजंभगस्य कृत्स्नस्य परं परायणम् । भक्तेष्वलं भावितभूतभावनंभवापहं त्वा भवभावमीश्वरम् ॥ १८ ॥

bhaje bhajanyāraṇa-pāda-paṅkajaṁ bhagasya kṛtsnasya paraṁ parāyaṇam bhakteṣv alaṁ bhāvita-bhūta-bhāvanaṁ bhavāpahaṁ tvā bhava-bhāvam īśvaram

I worship Your lotus feet, worthy of worship, the final refuge of all who take shelter in them, the supreme goal of the whole of majesty and fortune, wholly devoted to Your devotees, the one who conceives and sustains all beings, who takes away the fear of material existence — You, O Lord, who are Yourself the source from which that existence arises.

Verse 19 (bhagavata.5.17.19)

न यस्य मायागुणचित्तवृत्तिभि-र्निरीक्षतो ह्यण्वपि दृष्टिरज्यते । ईशे यथा नोऽजितमन्युरंहसांकस्तं न मन्येत जिगीषुरात्मनः ॥ १९ ॥

na yasya māyā-guṇa-citta-vṛttibhir nirīkṣato hy aṇv api dṛṣṭir ajyate īśe yathā no ’jita-manyu-raṁhasāṁ kas taṁ na manyeta jigīṣur ātmanaḥ

He whose sight, even while gazing through the workings of Maya's modes, is never attached even in the least, unlike us, whose anger toward our own sinful impulses remains unconquered, what person desiring victory over himself would not turn to Him?

Verse 20 (bhagavata.5.17.20)

असद्दृशो यः प्रतिभाति मायया क्षीबेव मध्वासवताम्रलोचनः । न नागवध्वोऽर्हण ईशिरे ह्रियायत्पादयोः स्पर्शनधर्षितेन्द्रियाः ॥ २० ॥

asad-dṛśo yaḥ pratibhāti māyayā kṣībeva madhv-āsava-tāmra-locanaḥ na nāga-vadhvo ’rhaṇa īśire hriyā yat-pādayoḥ sparśana-dharṣitendriyāḥ

To those of impure vision He appears, through Maya, as though His eyes were red as one intoxicated on wine — yet consider: even the wives of the serpent-king, their senses overwhelmed by the mere touch of His feet, could not, out of shyness, complete their worship of Him.

Verse 21 (bhagavata.5.17.21)

यमाहुरस्य स्थितिजन्मसंयमंत्रिभिर्विहीनं यमनन्तमृषयः । न वेद सिद्धार्थमिव क्वचित्स्थितंभूमण्डलं मूर्धसहस्रधामसु॒ ॥ २१ ॥

yam āhur asya sthiti-janma-saṁyamaṁ tribhir vihīnaṁ yam anantam ṛṣayaḥ na veda siddhārtham iva kvacit sthitaṁ bhū-maṇḍalaṁ mūrdha-sahasra-dhāmasu

Him the sages call Ananta, the unlimited one, free of the three transformations of birth, continuance and end, upon whose thousand hoods this entire earthly orb rests, and yet He is no more aware of its weight than if it were a single mustard seed.

Verse 22 (bhagavata.5.17.22)

यस्याद्य आसीद् गुणविग्रहो महान्विज्ञानधिष्ण्यो भगवानजः किल । यत्सम्भवोऽहं त्रिवृता स्वतेजसावैकारिकं तामसमैन्द्रियं सृजे ॥ २२ ॥

yasyādya āsīd guṇa-vigraho mahān vijñāna-dhiṣṇyo bhagavān ajaḥ kila yat-sambhavo ’haṁ tri-vṛtā sva-tejasā vaikārikaṁ tāmasam aindriyaṁ sṛje

From Him first arose the great embodiment of the material qualities, the seat of cosmic intelligence, the unborn Lord Brahma himself; and from him, by his threefold power, I, Rudra, was born, and by my own power I create the categories of the modified (sattvic), the dark (tamasic), and the sense-born (rajasic) faculties.

Verse 23 (bhagavata.5.17.23)

एते वयं यस्य वशे महात्मनःस्थिताः शकुन्ता इव सूत्रयन्त्रिताः । महानहं वैकृततामसेन्द्रियाःसृजाम सर्वे यदनुग्रहादिदम् ॥ २३ ॥

ete vayaṁ yasya vaśe mahātmanaḥ sthitāḥ śakuntā iva sūtra-yantritāḥ mahān ahaṁ vaikṛta-tāmasendriyāḥ sṛjāma sarve yad-anugrahād idam

We stand here, Brahma the great one, and I with my mind and senses shaped by the modes of ignorance and transformation, entirely under His control, like birds bound by a cord; it is only by His grace that all of us together bring forth this universe.

Verse 24 (bhagavata.5.17.24)

यन्निर्मितां कर्ह्यपि कर्मपर्वणींमायां जनोऽयं गुणसर्गमोहितः । न वेद निस्तारणयोगमञ्जसातस्मै नमस्ते विलयोदयात्मने ॥ २४ ॥

yan-nirmitāṁ karhy api karma-parvaṇīṁ māyāṁ jano ’yaṁ guṇa-sarga-mohitaḥ na veda nistāraṇa-yogam añjasā tasmai namas te vilayodayātmane

Obeisance to You, who are Yourself the very nature of dissolution and creation, for this conditioned soul, bewildered by the creation born of the material modes, cannot on his own discover the way across the illusion that You, at every turn, fashion through the workings of karma.