The Narmada Tirtha Circuit and the Hymn to the River

Verse 1 (padma.3.17.1)

नारद उवाच । उत्तरे नर्मदाकूले तीर्थं योजनविस्तृतम् । पत्रेश्वरेति विख्यातं सर्वपापहरं परम्

nārada uvāca uttare narmadākūle tīrthaṁ yojanavistṛtam patreśvareti vikhyātaṁ sarvapāpaharaṁ param

Narada said: On the northern bank of the Narmada is a tirtha, a yojana in extent, renowned as Patreshvara, the supreme remover of all sin.

Verse 2 (padma.3.17.2)

तत्र स्नात्वा नरो राजन्दैवतैः सह मोदते । पंचवर्षसहस्राणि क्रीडते कामरूपधृक्

tatra snātvā naro rājandaivataiḥ saha modate paṁcavarṣasahasrāṇi krīḍate kāmarūpadhṛk

O king, having bathed there, a man rejoices together with the deities; assuming forms at will, he sports there for five thousand years.

Verse 3 (padma.3.17.3)

गर्जनं तु ततो गच्छेद्यत्र मेघ उपस्थितः । इंद्रजिन्नाम संप्राप्तं तस्य तीर्थप्रभावतः

garjanaṁ tu tato gacchedyatra megha upasthitaḥ iṁdrajinnāma saṁprāptaṁ tasya tīrthaprabhāvataḥ

Then one should go to Garjana, where the cloud abides — by the power of that tirtha, the one named Indrajit attained his state.

Verse 4 (padma.3.17.4)

मेघरावं ततो गच्छेद्यत्र मेघाभिगर्जितम् । मेघनादो गणस्तत्र वरसंपन्नतां गतः

megharāvaṁ tato gacchedyatra meghābhigarjitam meghanādo gaṇastatra varasaṁpannatāṁ gataḥ

Then one should go to Megharava, where the clouds thunder; there the attendant named Meghanada attained an excellent boon.

Verse 5 (padma.3.17.5)

ततो गच्छेत राजेंद्र ब्रह्मावर्तमिति स्मृतम् । तत्र संनिहितो ब्रह्मा नित्यमेव युधिष्ठिर

tato gaccheta rājeṁdra brahmāvartamiti smṛtam tatra saṁnihito brahmā nityameva yudhiṣṭhira

Then, O lord of kings, one should go to that which is remembered as Brahmavarta; there, O Yudhishthira, Brahma is ever present.

Verse 6 (padma.3.17.6)

तत्र स्नात्वा तु राजेंद्र ब्रह्मलोके महीयते । ततोंऽगारेश्वरे तीर्थे नियतो नियमाशनः

tatra snātvā tu rājeṁdra brahmaloke mahīyate tatoṁ'gāreśvare tīrthe niyato niyamāśanaḥ

Having bathed there, O lord of kings, one is honored in Brahmaloka. Then, at the tirtha of Angareshvara, disciplined and restrained in diet,

Verse 7 (padma.3.17.7)

सर्वपापविशुद्धात्मा रुद्रलोकं स गच्छति । ततो गच्छेत राजेंद्र कपिलातीर्थमुत्तमम्

sarvapāpaviśuddhātmā rudralokaṁ sa gacchati tato gaccheta rājeṁdra kapilātīrthamuttamam

with a soul purified of all sin, he goes to the world of Rudra. Then, O lord of kings, one should go to the excellent Kapila-tirtha,

Verse 8 (padma.3.17.8)

तत्र स्नात्वा नरो राजन्गोप्रदानफलं लभेत् । कांचीतीर्थं ततो गच्छेद्देवर्षिगणसेवितम्

tatra snātvā naro rājangopradānaphalaṁ labhet kāṁcītīrthaṁ tato gaccheddevarṣigaṇasevitam

having bathed there, O king, a man obtains the fruit of the gift of a cow. Then one should go to the tirtha of Kanchi, served by hosts of divine seers,

Verse 9 (padma.3.17.9)

तत्र स्नात्वा नरो राजन्गोलोकं समवाप्नुयात् । ततो गच्छेत्तु राजेंद्र कुंडलेश्वरमुत्तमम्

tatra snātvā naro rājangolokaṁ samavāpnuyāt tato gacchettu rājeṁdra kuṁḍaleśvaramuttamam

having bathed there, O king, a man attains Goloka. Then, O lord of kings, one should go to the excellent Kundaleshvara,

Verse 10 (padma.3.17.10)

तत्र संनिहितो रुद्रस्तिष्ठते उमया सह । तत्र स्नात्वा तु राजेंद्र अवध्यस्त्रिदशैरपि

tatra saṁnihito rudrastiṣṭhate umayā saha tatra snātvā tu rājeṁdra avadhyastridaśairapi

where Rudra, together with Uma, is ever present; having bathed there, O lord of kings, one becomes unslayable even by the thirty gods.

Verse 11 (padma.3.17.11)

पिप्पलेश्वरं ततो गच्छेत्सर्वपापप्रणाशनम् । तत्र गत्वा तु राजेंद्र रुद्रलोके महीयते

pippaleśvaraṁ tato gacchetsarvapāpapraṇāśanam tatra gatvā tu rājeṁdra rudraloke mahīyate

Then one should go to Pippaleshvara, destroyer of all sin; having gone there, O lord of kings, one is honored in the world of Rudra.

Verse 12 (padma.3.17.12)

ततो गच्छेत्तु राजेंद्र विमलं विमलेश्वरम् । तत्र देवशिखा रम्या ईश्वरेण निपातिता

tato gacchettu rājeṁdra vimalaṁ vimaleśvaram tatra devaśikhā ramyā īśvareṇa nipātitā

Then, O lord of kings, one should go to the stainless Vimaleshvara; there a delightful divine crest was cast down by Ishvara.

Verse 13 (padma.3.17.13)

तत्र प्राणान्परित्यज्य रुद्रलोकमवाप्नुयाम् । ततः पुष्करिणीं गच्छेत्तत्र स्नानं समाचरेत्

tatra prāṇānparityajya rudralokamavāpnuyām tataḥ puṣkariṇīṁ gacchettatra snānaṁ samācaret

There, having relinquished his life-breath, a man attains the world of Rudra. Then one should go to Pushkarini and perform the ritual bath there.

Verse 14 (padma.3.17.14)

स्नानमात्रे नरस्तत्र इंद्रस्यार्द्धासनं लभेत् । नर्मदा सरितां श्रेष्ठा रुद्रदेहाद्विनिःसृता

snānamātre narastatra iṁdrasyārddhāsanaṁ labhet narmadā saritāṁ śreṣṭhā rudradehādviniḥsṛtā

By mere bathing there, a man obtains half the throne of Indra. The Narmada, foremost of rivers, issued forth from the very body of Rudra;

Verse 15 (padma.3.17.15)

तारयेत्सर्वभूतानि स्थावराणि चराणि च । सर्वदेवातिदेवेन ईश्वरेण महात्मना

tārayetsarvabhūtāni sthāvarāṇi carāṇi ca sarvadevātidevena īśvareṇa mahātmanā

she carries across all beings, both fixed and moving. By the great-souled Ishvara, the God of gods beyond gods,

Verse 16 (padma.3.17.16)

कथिता ऋषिसंघेभ्यो ह्यस्माकं च विशेषतः । मुनिभिः संस्तुता ह्येषा नर्मदा प्रवरा नदी

kathitā ṛṣisaṁghebhyo hyasmākaṁ ca viśeṣataḥ munibhiḥ saṁstutā hyeṣā narmadā pravarā nadī

this was told to the assemblies of sages, and especially to us. This foremost river Narmada has been praised by the sages,

Verse 17 (padma.3.17.17)

रुद्रदेहाद्विनिष्क्रांता लोकानां हितकाम्यया । सर्वपापहरा नित्यं सर्वप्राणिनमस्कृता

rudradehādviniṣkrāṁtā lokānāṁ hitakāmyayā sarvapāpaharā nityaṁ sarvaprāṇinamaskṛtā

having issued from Rudra's body out of desire for the welfare of the worlds; ever the remover of all sin, saluted by every living being,

Verse 18 (padma.3.17.18)

संस्तुता देवगंधर्वैरप्सरोभिस्तथैव च । नमः पुण्यजले आद्ये नमः सागरगामिनि

saṁstutā devagaṁdharvairapsarobhistathaiva ca namaḥ puṇyajale ādye namaḥ sāgaragāmini

praised by hosts of gods and gandharvas, and likewise by apsarases — 'Salutation to you, O primal one of sacred waters! Salutation to you, O one who flows to the ocean!'

Verse 19 (padma.3.17.19)

नमोस्तु ते ऋषिगणैः शंकरदेहनिःसृते । नमोस्तु ते धर्मवृते वरानने नमोस्तु ते देवगणैकवंदिते

namostu te ṛṣigaṇaiḥ śaṁkaradehaniḥsṛte namostu te dharmavṛte varānane namostu te devagaṇaikavaṁdite

'Salutation to you, honored by hosts of sages, having issued from Shankara's own body! Salutation to you, O one enveloped in dharma, of the finest countenance! Salutation to you, O one alone honored by the hosts of gods!'

Verse 20 (padma.3.17.20)

नमोस्तु ते सर्वपवित्रपावने नमोस्तु ते सर्वजगत्सुपूजिते । यश्चेदं पठते स्तोत्रं नित्यं शुद्धेन मानवः

namostu te sarvapavitrapāvane namostu te sarvajagatsupūjite yaścedaṁ paṭhate stotraṁ nityaṁ śuddhena mānavaḥ

'Salutation to you, O purifier of all that is pure! Salutation to you, O one well worshipped by the whole world!' Whoever, ever pure, recites this hymn —

Verse 21 (padma.3.17.21)

ब्राह्मणो वेदमाप्नोति क्षत्त्रियो विजयी भवेत् । वैश्यस्तु लभते लाभं शूद्रश्चैव शुभां गतिम्

brāhmaṇo vedamāpnoti kṣattriyo vijayī bhavet vaiśyastu labhate lābhaṁ śūdraścaiva śubhāṁ gatim

a brahmin obtains the Veda, a kshatriya becomes victorious, a vaishya obtains gain, and a shudra obtains an auspicious destiny.

Verse 22 (padma.3.17.22)

अन्नार्थी लभते ह्यन्नं स्मरणादेव नित्यशः । नर्मदां सेव्यते नित्यं स्वयं देवो महेश्वरः । तेन पुण्या नदी ज्ञेया ब्रह्महत्यापहारिणी

annārthī labhate hyannaṁ smaraṇādeva nityaśaḥ narmadāṁ sevyate nityaṁ svayaṁ devo maheśvaraḥ tena puṇyā nadī jñeyā brahmahatyāpahāriṇī

One desiring food obtains food merely by ever remembering it. The god Maheshvara himself ever serves the Narmada; by this, one should know this river to be sacred, the remover of the sin of killing a brahmin.