The Glory of the Narmada

Verse 1 (padma.3.13.1)

युधिष्ठिर उवाच । वसिष्ठेन दिलीपाय कथितं तीर्थमुत्तमम् । नर्मदेति च विख्यातं पापपर्वतदारणम्

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca vasiṣṭhena dilīpāya kathitaṁ tīrthamuttamam narmadeti ca vikhyātaṁ pāpaparvatadāraṇam

Yudhishthira said: Vasishtha told Dilipa of an excellent tirtha, renowned as Narmada, the render of the very mountain of sin.

Verse 2 (padma.3.13.2)

भूयश्च श्रोतुमिच्छामि तन्मे कथय नारद । नर्मदायाश्च माहात्म्यं वसिष्ठोक्तं द्विजोत्तम

bhūyaśca śrotumicchāmi tanme kathaya nārada narmadāyāśca māhātmyaṁ vasiṣṭhoktaṁ dvijottama

I wish to hear more of that, O Narada; tell me the glory of the Narmada as it was spoken by Vasishtha, O best of the twice-born.

Verse 3 (padma.3.13.3)

कथमेषा महापुण्या नदी सर्वत्र विश्रुता । नर्मदानाम विख्याता तन्मम ब्रूहिनारद

kathameṣā mahāpuṇyā nadī sarvatra viśrutā narmadānāma vikhyātā tanmama brūhinārada

How did this greatly sacred river, renowned everywhere, come to be famous by the name Narmada? Tell me that, O Narada.

Verse 4 (padma.3.13.4)

नारद उवाच । नर्मदा सरितां श्रेष्ठा सर्वपापप्रणाशिनी । तारयेत्सर्वभूतानि स्थावराणि चराणि च

nārada uvāca narmadā saritāṁ śreṣṭhā sarvapāpapraṇāśinī tārayetsarvabhūtāni sthāvarāṇi carāṇi ca

Narada said: The Narmada is the foremost of rivers, the destroyer of all sin; she carries across all beings, both the fixed and the moving.

Verse 5 (padma.3.13.5)

नर्मदायास्तु माहात्म्यं वसिष्ठोक्तं मया श्रुतम् । तदेतद्धि महाराज सर्वं हि कथयामि ते

narmadāyāstu māhātmyaṁ vasiṣṭhoktaṁ mayā śrutam tadetaddhi mahārāja sarvaṁ hi kathayāmi te

The glory of the Narmada, as spoken by Vasishtha, I have heard; that indeed, O great king, I shall tell you in full.

Verse 6 (padma.3.13.6)

पुण्या कनखले गङ्गा कुरुक्षेत्रे सरस्वती । ग्रामे वा यदि वारण्ये पुण्या सर्वत्र नर्म्मदा

puṇyā kanakhale gaṅgā kurukṣetre sarasvatī grāme vā yadi vāraṇye puṇyā sarvatra narmmadā

The Ganga is sacred at Kanakhala; the Sarasvati at Kurukshetra; but the Narmada, whether in a village or in the forest, is sacred everywhere.

Verse 7 (padma.3.13.7)

त्रिभिः सारस्वतं तोयं सप्ताहेन तु यामुनम् । सद्यः पुनाति गांगेयं दर्शनादेव नार्मदम्

tribhiḥ sārasvataṁ toyaṁ saptāhena tu yāmunam sadyaḥ punāti gāṁgeyaṁ darśanādeva nārmadam

The sacred water of the Sarasvati purifies in three days; that of the Yamuna in seven days; the Ganga purifies at once; but the Narmada purifies by the mere sight of her.

Verse 8 (padma.3.13.8)

कलिंग देशे पश्चार्द्धे पर्वतेऽमरकंटके । पुण्या च त्रिषु लोकेषु रमणीया मनोरमा

kaliṁga deśe paścārddhe parvate'marakaṁṭake puṇyā ca triṣu lokeṣu ramaṇīyā manoramā

In the land of Kalinga, on its western part, on the mountain Amarakantaka — there she is sacred throughout the three worlds, delightful and enchanting,

Verse 9 (padma.3.13.9)

सदेवासुरगंधर्वा ऋषयश्च तपोधनाः । तपस्तप्त्वा महाराज सिद्धिं च परमां गताः

sadevāsuragaṁdharvā ṛṣayaśca tapodhanāḥ tapastaptvā mahārāja siddhiṁ ca paramāṁ gatāḥ

where gods, asuras, gandharvas, and ascetic sages, O great king, having performed austerity, attained the highest accomplishment.

Verse 10 (padma.3.13.10)

तत्र स्नात्वा महाराज नियमस्थो जितेंद्रियः । उपोष्य रजनीमेकां कुलानां तारयेच्छतम्

tatra snātvā mahārāja niyamastho jiteṁdriyaḥ upoṣya rajanīmekāṁ kulānāṁ tārayecchatam

Having bathed there, O great king, disciplined and of mastered senses, and having fasted for a single night, one delivers a hundred generations of one's family.

Verse 11 (padma.3.13.11)

जनेश्वरे नरः स्नात्वा पिंडं दत्वा यथाविधि । पितरस्तस्य तृप्यंति यावदाभूतसंप्लवम्

janeśvare naraḥ snātvā piṁḍaṁ datvā yathāvidhi pitarastasya tṛpyaṁti yāvadābhūtasaṁplavam

A man, having bathed at Janeshvara and offered the funeral rice-ball duly, his ancestors remain satisfied until the great dissolution.

Verse 12 (padma.3.13.12)

पर्वतस्य समंतात्तु रुद्रकोटिः प्रतिष्ठिता । स्नानं यः कुरुते तत्र गंधमाल्यानुलेपनम्

parvatasya samaṁtāttu rudrakoṭiḥ pratiṣṭhitā snānaṁ yaḥ kurute tatra gaṁdhamālyānulepanam

All around that mountain are established a crore of Rudras; whoever bathes there and offers fragrance, garlands, and unguents,

Verse 13 (padma.3.13.13)

प्रीता तस्य भवेत्सर्वा रुद्रकोटिर्न संशयः । पर्वते पश्चिमस्यांते स्वयं देवो महेश्वरः

prītā tasya bhavetsarvā rudrakoṭirna saṁśayaḥ parvate paścimasyāṁte svayaṁ devo maheśvaraḥ

with him all those crores of Rudra become pleased — of this there is no doubt. On the western edge of the mountain, the god Maheshvara himself dwells;

Verse 14 (padma.3.13.14)

तत्र स्नात्वा शुचिर्भूत्वा ब्रह्मचारी जितेंद्रियः । पितृकार्यं तु कुर्वीत विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा

tatra snātvā śucirbhūtvā brahmacārī jiteṁdriyaḥ pitṛkāryaṁ tu kurvīta vidhidṛṣṭena karmaṇā

having bathed there and become pure, a celibate student of mastered senses should perform the rites for his ancestors, according to duly prescribed ceremony.

Verse 15 (padma.3.13.15)

तिलोदकेन तत्रैव तर्पयेत्पितृदेवताः । आसप्तमं कुलं तस्य स्वर्गे तिष्ठति पांडव

tilodakena tatraiva tarpayetpitṛdevatāḥ āsaptamaṁ kulaṁ tasya svarge tiṣṭhati pāṁḍava

There, with water and sesame seeds, one should offer tarpana to the ancestor-deities; his family, O Pandava, abides in heaven up to the seventh generation.

Verse 16 (padma.3.13.16)

षष्टिवर्षसहस्राणि स्वर्गलोके महीयते । अप्सरोगणसंकीर्णो दिव्यस्त्रीपरिवारितः

ṣaṣṭivarṣasahasrāṇi svargaloke mahīyate apsarogaṇasaṁkīrṇo divyastrīparivāritaḥ

For sixty thousand years he is honored in the heavenly world, thronged with troops of apsarases and attended by celestial women,

Verse 17 (padma.3.13.17)

दिव्यगंधानुलिप्तश्च दिव्यालंकारभूषितः । ततः स्वर्गात्परिभ्रष्टो जायते विपुले कुले

divyagaṁdhānuliptaśca divyālaṁkārabhūṣitaḥ tataḥ svargātparibhraṣṭo jāyate vipule kule

anointed with divine fragrance and adorned with divine ornaments. Then, having fallen from heaven, he is born into a great family,

Verse 18 (padma.3.13.18)

धनवान्दानशीलश्च धार्मिकश्चैव जायते । पुनः स्मरति तत्तीर्थं गमनं तत्र कुर्वते

dhanavāndānaśīlaśca dhārmikaścaiva jāyate punaḥ smarati tattīrthaṁ gamanaṁ tatra kurvate

wealthy, generous in giving, and righteous. Once more he remembers that tirtha, and undertakes a journey there.

Verse 19 (padma.3.13.19)

तारयित्वा कुलशतं रुद्रलोकं स गच्छति । योजनानां शतं साग्रं श्रूयते सरिदुत्तमा

tārayitvā kulaśataṁ rudralokaṁ sa gacchati yojanānāṁ śataṁ sāgraṁ śrūyate sariduttamā

Having delivered a hundred generations of his family, he goes to the world of Rudra. This foremost of rivers is heard to extend beyond a hundred yojanas,

Verse 20 (padma.3.13.20)

विस्तारेण तु राजेन्द्र योजनद्वयमंतरम् । षष्टितीर्थसहस्राणि षष्टिकोट्यस्तथैव च

vistāreṇa tu rājendra yojanadvayamaṁtaram ṣaṣṭitīrthasahasrāṇi ṣaṣṭikoṭyastathaiva ca

and, O lord of kings, in breadth its extent is two yojanas. Sixty thousand tirthas, and likewise sixty crores [of forms of Rudra],

Verse 21 (padma.3.13.21)

पर्वतस्य समंतात्तु तिष्ठंत्यमरकंटके । ब्रह्मचारी शुचिर्भूत्वा जितक्रोधो जितेंद्रियः

parvatasya samaṁtāttu tiṣṭhaṁtyamarakaṁṭake brahmacārī śucirbhūtvā jitakrodho jiteṁdriyaḥ

stand all around Mount Amarakantaka. A celibate student, pure, free from anger, and of mastered senses,

Verse 22 (padma.3.13.22)

सर्वहिंसानिवृत्तश्च सर्वभूतहिते रतः । एवं सर्वसमाचारः क्षेत्रपालान्परिव्रजेत्

sarvahiṁsānivṛttaśca sarvabhūtahite rataḥ evaṁ sarvasamācāraḥ kṣetrapālānparivrajet

abstaining from all violence and devoted to the welfare of all beings — thus, of perfect conduct in every respect, he should wander among the tirthas of the guardian deities.

Verse 23 (padma.3.13.23)

तस्य पुण्यफलं राजन्शृणुष्वावहितो हि मे । शतं वर्षसहस्राणां स्वर्गे मोदेत पांडव

tasya puṇyaphalaṁ rājanśṛṇuṣvāvahito hi me śataṁ varṣasahasrāṇāṁ svarge modeta pāṁḍava

O king, hear now the fruit of his merit, listening attentively: for a hundred thousand years, O Pandava, he rejoices in heaven,

Verse 24 (padma.3.13.24)

अप्सरोगणसंकीर्णे दिव्यस्त्रीपरिचारिते । दिव्यगंधानुलिप्तश्च दिव्यालंकारभूषितः

apsarogaṇasaṁkīrṇe divyastrīparicārite divyagaṁdhānuliptaśca divyālaṁkārabhūṣitaḥ

in a place thronged with troops of apsarases and attended by celestial women, anointed with divine fragrance and adorned with divine ornaments,

Verse 25 (padma.3.13.25)

क्रीडते देवलोके तु दैवतैः सह मोदते । ततः स्वर्गात्परिभ्रष्टो राजा भवति वीर्यवान्

krīḍate devaloke tu daivataiḥ saha modate tataḥ svargātparibhraṣṭo rājā bhavati vīryavān

he sports in the world of the gods and rejoices together with the deities. Then, having fallen from heaven, he becomes a king endowed with valor.