Bharata-varsha, Land of Karma

Verse 1 (devibhagavatam.8.11.1)

श्रीनारायण उवाच । भारताख्ये च वर्षेऽस्मिन्नहमादिजपूरुषः । तिष्ठामि भवता चैव स्तवनं क्रियतेऽनिशम्

śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca | bhāratākhye ca varṣe'sminnahamādijapūruṣaḥ | tiṣṭhāmi bhavatā caiva stavanaṁ kriyate'niśam

Shri Narayana said: In this region named Bharata, I, the Primeval Person, dwell; and hymns are offered unceasingly by you as well.

Verse 2 (devibhagavatam.8.11.2)

नारद उवाच । ॐ नमो भगवते उपशमशीलायोपरतानात्म्याय नमोऽकिञ्चनवित्ताय ऋषिऋषभाय नरनारायणाय परमहंसपरमगुरवे आत्मारामाधिपतये नमो नम इति । कर्तास्य सर्गादिषु यो न बध्यते न हन्यते देहगतोऽपि दैहिकैः । द्रष्टुर्न दृश्यस्य गुणैर्विदूष्यते तस्मै नमोऽसक्तविविक्तसाक्षिणे

nārada uvāca | oṁ namo bhagavate upaśamaśīlāyoparatānātmyāya namo'kiñcanavittāya ṛṣiṛṣabhāya naranārāyaṇāya paramahaṁsaparamagurave ātmārāmādhipataye namo nama iti | kartāsya sargādiṣu yo na badhyate na hanyate dehagato'pi daihikaiḥ | draṣṭurna dṛśyasya guṇairvidūṣyate tasmai namo'saktaviviktasākṣiṇe

Narada said: "Om, salutation to the Blessed One, of tranquil nature, beyond all separate selfhood; salutation to him whose only wealth is having nothing; to the bull among sages, Nara-Narayana; to the supreme teacher of the Paramahamsas; to the Lord of those who delight in the Self — salutation, salutation. To him who, though the doer in creation and the rest, is not bound; who, embodied, is yet not slain by bodily causes; who, as the Seer, is not tainted by the qualities of the seen — to that unattached, sole witness, salutation."

Verse 3 (devibhagavatam.8.11.3)

इदं हि योगेश्वरयोगनैपुणं हिरण्यगर्भो भगवाञ्जगाद यत् । यदन्तकाले त्वयि निर्गुणे मनो भक्त्या दधीतोज्झितदुष्कलेवरः

idaṁ hi yogeśvarayoganaipuṇaṁ hiraṇyagarbho bhagavāñjagāda yat | yadantakāle tvayi nirguṇe mano bhaktyā dadhītojjhitaduṣkalevaraḥ

"This indeed is the very skill in yoga of the Lord of yogis, which the Blessed Hiranyagarbha himself declared: that at the time of death one should, with devotion, fix the mind upon you, the qualityless one, casting off this wretched body."

Verse 4 (devibhagavatam.8.11.4)

यथैहिकामुष्मिककामलम्पटः सुतेषु दारेषु धनेषु चिन्तयन् । शङ्केत विद्वान् कुकलेवरात्यया\- द्यस्तस्य यत्नः श्रम एव केवलम्

yathaihikāmuṣmikakāmalampaṭaḥ suteṣu dāreṣu dhaneṣu cintayan | śaṅketa vidvān kukalevarātyayā\- dyastasya yatnaḥ śrama eva kevalam

"As one fond of the desires of this world and the next, anxious over sons, wife, and wealth, may grow apprehensive at the destruction of this wretched body — the effort of such a learned man is mere weariness alone."

Verse 5 (devibhagavatam.8.11.5)

तन्नः प्रभो त्वं कुकलेवरार्पितां त्वं माययाहं ममतामधोक्षज । भिन्द्याम येनाशु वयं सुदुर्भिदां विधेहि योगं त्वयि नः स्वभावजम्

tannaḥ prabho tvaṁ kukalevarārpitāṁ tvaṁ māyayāhaṁ mamatāmadhokṣaja | bhindyāma yenāśu vayaṁ sudurbhidāṁ vidhehi yogaṁ tvayi naḥ svabhāvajam

"Therefore, O Lord, may we, O Adhokshaja, through your Maya, quickly sever this 'I' and 'mine' invested in this wretched body, hard as it is to sever — grant us the yoga toward you that is born of our own nature."

Verse 6 (devibhagavatam.8.11.6)

एवं स्तौति सदा देवं नारायणमनामयम् । नारदो मुनिशार्दूलः प्रज्ञाताखिलसारदृक्

evaṁ stauti sadā devaṁ nārāyaṇamanāmayam | nārado muniśārdūlaḥ prajñātākhilasāradṛk

Thus Narada, tiger among sages, knower of the essence of all things, ever praises the god Narayana, free from all affliction.

Verse 7 (devibhagavatam.8.11.7)

अस्मिन् वै भारते वर्षे सरिच्छैलास्तु सन्ति हि । तान्प्रवक्ष्यामि देवर्षे शृणुष्वैकाग्रमानसः

asmin vai bhārate varṣe saricchailāstu santi hi | tānpravakṣyāmi devarṣe śṛṇuṣvaikāgramānasaḥ

O divine sage, in this Bharata-varsha there are rivers and mountains; these I shall now declare — listen with a one-pointed mind.

Verse 8 (devibhagavatam.8.11.8)

मलयो मङ्गलप्रस्थो मैनाकश्च त्रिकूटकः । ऋषभः कूटकः कोल्लः सह्यो देवगिरिस्तथा

malayo maṅgalaprastho mainākaśca trikūṭakaḥ | ṛṣabhaḥ kūṭakaḥ kollaḥ sahyo devagiristathā

Malaya, Mangalaprastha, Mainaka, and Trikutaka, Rishabha, Kutaka, Kolla, Sahya, and Devagiri,

Verse 9 (devibhagavatam.8.11.9)

ऋष्यमूकश्च श्रीशैलो व्यङ्कटाद्रिर्महेन्द्रकः । वारिधारश्च विन्ध्यश्च मुक्तिमानृक्षपर्वतः

ṛṣyamūkaśca śrīśailo vyaṅkaṭādrirmahendrakaḥ | vāridhāraśca vindhyaśca muktimānṛkṣaparvataḥ

Rishyamuka, and Shrishaila, Venkatadri, Mahendraka, Varidhara, and Vindhya, Muktiman, and the Riksha mountain,

Verse 10 (devibhagavatam.8.11.10)

पारियात्रस्तथा द्रोणश्चित्रकूटगिरिस्तथा । गोवर्धनो रैवतकः ककुभो नीलपर्वतः

pāriyātrastathā droṇaścitrakūṭagiristathā | govardhano raivatakaḥ kakubho nīlaparvataḥ

Pariyatra, and Drona, and Chitrakuta mountain, Govardhana, Raivataka, Kakubha, and the Nila mountain,

Verse 11 (devibhagavatam.8.11.11)

गौरमुखश्चेन्द्रकीलो गिरिः कामगिरिस्तथा । एते चान्येऽप्यसङ्ख्याता गिरयो बहुपुण्यदाः

gauramukhaścendrakīlo giriḥ kāmagiristathā | ete cānye'pyasaṅkhyātā girayo bahupuṇyadāḥ

Gauramukha, and Indrakila mountain, and Kamagiri — these, and other mountains beyond count, are the givers of great merit.

Verse 12 (devibhagavatam.8.11.12)

एतदुत्पन्नसरितः शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः । पानावगाहनस्नानदर्शनोत्कीर्तनैरपि

etadutpannasaritaḥ śataśo'tha sahasraśaḥ | pānāvagāhanasnānadarśanotkīrtanairapi

From these arise hundreds and thousands of rivers, which, by drinking, bathing, immersion, sight, and even by mere praise of their names,

Verse 13 (devibhagavatam.8.11.13)

नाशयन्ति च पापानि त्रिविधानि शरीरिणाम् । ताम्रपर्णी चन्द्रवशा कृतमाला वटोदका

nāśayanti ca pāpāni trividhāni śarīriṇām | tāmraparṇī candravaśā kṛtamālā vaṭodakā

destroy the threefold sins of embodied beings — Tamraparni, Chandravasa, Kritamala, Vatodaka,

Verse 14 (devibhagavatam.8.11.14)

वैहायसी च कावेरी वेणा चैव पयस्विनी । तुङ्गभद्रा कृष्णवेणा शर्करावर्तका तथा

vaihāyasī ca kāverī veṇā caiva payasvinī | tuṅgabhadrā kṛṣṇaveṇā śarkarāvartakā tathā

Vaihayasi, and the Kaveri, Vena, and Payasvini, Tungabhadra, Krishnavena, and Sharkaravartaka,

Verse 15 (devibhagavatam.8.11.15)

गोदावरी भीमरथी निर्विन्ध्या च पयोष्णिका । तापी रेवा च सुरसा नर्मदा च सरस्वती

godāvarī bhīmarathī nirvindhyā ca payoṣṇikā | tāpī revā ca surasā narmadā ca sarasvatī

Godavari, Bhimarathi, Nirvindhya, and Payoshnika, Tapi, and Reva, and Surasa, and Narmada, and Sarasvati,

Verse 16 (devibhagavatam.8.11.16)

चर्मण्वती च सिन्धुश्च अन्धशोणौ महानदौ । ऋषिकुल्या त्रिसामा च वेदस्मृतिर्महानदी

carmaṇvatī ca sindhuśca andhaśoṇau mahānadau | ṛṣikulyā trisāmā ca vedasmṛtirmahānadī

Charmanvati, and the Sindhu, and the two great rivers Andha and Shona, Rishikulya, and Trisama, and the great river Vedasmriti,

Verse 17 (devibhagavatam.8.11.17)

कौशिकी यमुना चैव मन्दाकिनी दृषद्वती । गोमती सरयू रोधवती सप्तवती तथा

kauśikī yamunā caiva mandākinī dṛṣadvatī | gomatī sarayū rodhavatī saptavatī tathā

Kaushiki, and the Yamuna, and Mandakini, Drishadvati, Gomati, Sarayu, Rodhavati, and Saptavati,

Verse 18 (devibhagavatam.8.11.18)

सुषोमा च शतद्रुश्च चन्द्रभागा मरुद्वृधा । वितस्ता च असिक्नी च विश्वा चेति प्रकीर्तिताः

suṣomā ca śatadruśca candrabhāgā marudvṛdhā | vitastā ca asiknī ca viśvā ceti prakīrtitāḥ

Sushoma, and Shatadru, Chandrabhaga, Marudvridha, Vitasta, and Asikni, and Vishva — thus these are named.

Verse 19 (devibhagavatam.8.11.19)

अस्मिन्वर्षे लब्धजन्मपुरुषैः स्वस्वकर्मभिः । शुक्ललोहितकृष्णाख्यैर्दिव्यमानुषनारकाः

asminvarṣe labdhajanmapuruṣaiḥ svasvakarmabhiḥ | śuklalohitakṛṣṇākhyairdivyamānuṣanārakāḥ

In this region, among beings born through their own respective deeds, called white, red, and black by their qualities — divine, human, and infernal —

Verse 20 (devibhagavatam.8.11.20)

भवन्ति विविधा भोगाः सर्वेषां च निवासिनाम् । यथा वर्णविधानेनापवर्गो भवति स्फुटम्

bhavanti vividhā bhogāḥ sarveṣāṁ ca nivāsinām | yathā varṇavidhānenāpavargo bhavati sphuṭam

manifold enjoyments come about for all the inhabitants; and, through the ordinance proper to caste and station, liberation too is clearly attained.

Verse 21 (devibhagavatam.8.11.21)

एतदेव च वर्षस्य प्राधान्यं कार्यसिद्धितः । वदन्ति मुनयो वेदवादिनः स्वर्गवासिनः

etadeva ca varṣasya prādhānyaṁ kāryasiddhitaḥ | vadanti munayo vedavādinaḥ svargavāsinaḥ

This, indeed, from the accomplishment of its purpose, is the very pre-eminence of this region — so declare the sages, expounders of the Veda, dwellers of heaven.

Verse 22 (devibhagavatam.8.11.22)

अहो अमीषां किमकारि शोभनं प्रसन्न एषां स्विदुत स्वयं हरिः । यैर्जन्म लब्धं नृषु भारताजिरे मुकुन्दसेवौपयिकं स्पृहा हि नः

aho amīṣāṁ kimakāri śobhanaṁ prasanna eṣāṁ sviduta svayaṁ hariḥ | yairjanma labdhaṁ nṛṣu bhāratājire mukundasevaupayikaṁ spṛhā hi naḥ

"Ah, what excellent deed did they perform, or was Hari himself pleased with them of his own accord — those who obtained birth among men in the arena of Bharata, so suited to the service of Mukunda; that indeed is our own longing!"

Verse 23 (devibhagavatam.8.11.23)

किं दुष्करैर्नः क्रतुभिस्तपोव्रतै\- र्दानादिभिर्वा द्युजयेन फल्गुना । न यत्र नारायणपदपङ्कज\- स्मृतिः प्रमुष्टातिशयेन्द्रियोत्सवात्

kiṁ duṣkarairnaḥ kratubhistapovratai\- rdānādibhirvā dyujayena phalgunā | na yatra nārāyaṇapadapaṅkaja\- smṛtiḥ pramuṣṭātiśayendriyotsavāt

"What use to us are arduous sacrifices, austerities and vows, gifts and the rest, or even the winning of heaven by Arjuna's merit — where the very remembrance of Narayana's lotus feet is stolen away by the excessive festival of the senses?"

Verse 24 (devibhagavatam.8.11.24)

कल्पायुषां स्थानजयात्पुनर्भवा\- त्क्षणायुषां भारतभूजयो वरम् । क्षणेन मर्त्येन कृतं मनस्विनः संन्यस्य संयान्त्यभयं पदं हरेः

kalpāyuṣāṁ sthānajayātpunarbhavā\- tkṣaṇāyuṣāṁ bhāratabhūjayo varam | kṣaṇena martyena kṛtaṁ manasvinaḥ saṁnyasya saṁyāntyabhayaṁ padaṁ hareḥ

"Better, O wise ones, than the conquest of worlds whose lifespan is a kalpa, is the fleeting conquest of the land of Bharata; there, mortal men, renouncing all in but a moment, attain the fearless station of Hari."

Verse 25 (devibhagavatam.8.11.25)

न यत्र वैकुण्ठकथासुधापगा न साधवो भागवतास्तदाश्रयाः । न यत्र यज्ञेशमखा महोत्सवाः सुरेशलोकोऽपि न वै स सेव्यताम्

na yatra vaikuṇṭhakathāsudhāpagā na sādhavo bhāgavatāstadāśrayāḥ | na yatra yajñeśamakhā mahotsavāḥ sureśaloko'pi na vai sa sevyatām

"Where there flows no river of the nectar of Vaikuntha's tales, where there are no saintly devotees taking refuge in it, where there are no great sacrificial festivals of the Lord of sacrifice — even the world of the lord of gods is not worth seeking."

Verse 26 (devibhagavatam.8.11.26)

प्राप्ता नृजातिं त्विह ये च जन्तवो ज्ञानक्रियाद्रव्यकलापसम्भृताम् । न वै यतेरन्न पुनर्भवाय ते भूयो वनौका इव यान्ति बन्धनम्

prāptā nṛjātiṁ tviha ye ca jantavo jñānakriyādravyakalāpasambhṛtām | na vai yateranna punarbhavāya te bhūyo vanaukā iva yānti bandhanam

"Those beings who have here attained the human state, furnished with the full array of knowledge, action, wealth and skill — if they do not strive for release, they go, like beasts of the forest, once more into bondage, not toward liberation."

Verse 27 (devibhagavatam.8.11.27)

यैः श्रद्धया बर्हिषि भागशो हवि\- र्निरुप्तमिष्टं विधिमन्त्रवस्तुतः । एकः पृथङ्नामभिराहुतो मुदा गृह्णाति पूर्णः स्वयमाशिषां प्रभुः

yaiḥ śraddhayā barhiṣi bhāgaśo havi\- rniruptamiṣṭaṁ vidhimantravastutaḥ | ekaḥ pṛthaṅnāmabhirāhuto mudā gṛhṇāti pūrṇaḥ svayamāśiṣāṁ prabhuḥ

"He to whom, with faith, oblations are offered portion by portion upon the sacred grass, by rite, mantra, and substance, though joyfully invoked under separate names — he, the One, complete in himself, the lord of every blessing, receives it."

Verse 28 (devibhagavatam.8.11.28)

सत्यं दिशत्यर्थितमर्थितो नृणां नैवार्थदो यत्पुनरर्थिता यतः । स्वयं विधत्ते भजतामनिच्छता\- मिच्छापिधानं निजपादपल्लवम्

satyaṁ diśatyarthitamarthito nṛṇāṁ naivārthado yatpunararthitā yataḥ | svayaṁ vidhatte bhajatāmanicchatā\- micchāpidhānaṁ nijapādapallavam

"He truly grants what is sought when men seek it, yet he is not merely a giver of wealth, since that only breeds further seeking; upon those who worship him without desire, he himself bestows the tender shoot of his own foot, which of itself silences every desire."

Verse 29 (devibhagavatam.8.11.29)

(यद्यत्र नः स्वर्गसुखावशेषितं स्विष्टस्य पूर्तस्य कृतस्य शोभनम् । तेनाब्जनाभे स्मृतिमज्जन्म नः स्या\- द्वर्षे हरिर्भजतां शं तनोति ॥) श्रीनारायण उवाच । एवं स्वर्गगता देवाः सिद्धाश्च परमर्षयः । प्रवदन्ति च माहात्म्यं भारतस्य सुशोभनम्

(yadyatra naḥ svargasukhāvaśeṣitaṁ sviṣṭasya pūrtasya kṛtasya śobhanam | tenābjanābhe smṛtimajjanma naḥ syā\- dvarṣe harirbhajatāṁ śaṁ tanoti ||) śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca | evaṁ svargagatā devāḥ siddhāśca paramarṣayaḥ | pravadanti ca māhātmyaṁ bhāratasya suśobhanam

"(Whatever remainder of heavenly joy is still ours, whatever excellence remains of rites well performed and gifts well given — by that, O lotus-navelled one, may our birth be granted with remembrance of you; in this region Hari grants well-being to those who worship him.)" Shri Narayana said: Thus the gods who have gone to heaven, the perfected ones, and the great sages proclaim this surpassingly beautiful glory of Bharata.

Verse 30 (devibhagavatam.8.11.30)

जम्बुद्वीपस्य चाष्टौ हि उपद्वीपाः स्मृताः परे । हयमार्गान्विशोधद्भिः सागरैः परिकल्पिताः

jambudvīpasya cāṣṭau hi upadvīpāḥ smṛtāḥ pare | hayamārgānviśodhadbhiḥ sāgaraiḥ parikalpitāḥ

Of Jambudvipa, eight further sub-continents are also remembered, fashioned by the seas dug out by those who purified the path of the sacrificial horse.

Verse 31 (devibhagavatam.8.11.31)

स्वर्णप्रस्थश्चन्द्रशुक्र आवर्तनरमाणकौ । मन्दरोपाख्यहरिणः पाञ्चजन्यस्तथैव च

svarṇaprasthaścandraśukra āvartanaramāṇakau | mandaropākhyahariṇaḥ pāñcajanyastathaiva ca

Svarnaprastha, Chandrashukra, Avartana, and Ramanaka, Mandara (also called Mandaropakhya), Harina, and Panchajanya,

Verse 32 (devibhagavatam.8.11.32)

सिंहलश्चैव लङ्केति उपद्वीपाष्टकं स्मृतम् । जम्बुद्वीपस्य मानं हि कीर्तितं विस्तरेण च

siṁhalaścaiva laṅketi upadvīpāṣṭakaṁ smṛtam | jambudvīpasya mānaṁ hi kīrtitaṁ vistareṇa ca

and Simhala, and Lanka — thus the group of eight sub-continents is remembered. The measure of Jambudvipa has thus been declared in full detail.

Verse 33 (devibhagavatam.8.11.33)

अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि प्लक्षादिद्वीपषट्ककम्

ataḥ paraṁ pravakṣyāmi plakṣādidvīpaṣaṭkakam

Hereafter I shall declare the group of six continents beginning with Plaksha.