Deliverance by the Waters of the Narmada

Verse 1 (padma.3.23.1)

नारद उवाच । एवं बहुतिथे काले लोमशो मुनिसत्तमः । आगतश्च महाभागस्तत्र यादृच्छिको मुनि

nārada uvāca evaṁ bahutithe kāle lomaśo munisattamaḥ āgataśca mahābhāgastatra yādṛcchiko muni

Narada said: Thus, after much time had passed, the sage Lomasha, best among sages, that greatly fortunate muni, came there by chance.

Verse 2 (padma.3.23.2)

तं दृष्ट्वा ब्राह्मणं सर्वे पिशाचाः क्षुत्समाकुलाः । धावंतो ह्यत्तुकामास्ते मिलित्वा यूथवर्तिनः

taṁ dṛṣṭvā brāhmaṇaṁ sarve piśācāḥ kṣutsamākulāḥ dhāvaṁto hyattukāmāste militvā yūthavartinaḥ

Seeing that brahmin, all the ghouls, tormented by hunger, gathered in a pack and rushed forth, wishing to devour him.

Verse 3 (padma.3.23.3)

दह्यमानास्तु तीव्रेण तेजसा लोमशस्य तु । असमर्थाः पुरः स्थातुं ते सर्वे दूरतः स्थिताः

dahyamānāstu tīvreṇa tejasā lomaśasya tu asamarthāḥ puraḥ sthātuṁ te sarve dūrataḥ sthitāḥ

But, burned by Lomasha's intense radiance, unable to stand before him, they all remained standing at a distance.

Verse 4 (padma.3.23.4)

तत्र पूर्वकर्मबलात्पिशाचः सह वै द्विजः । समीक्ष्य लोमशं राजन्साष्टांगं प्रणिपत्य च

tatra pūrvakarmabalātpiśācaḥ saha vai dvijaḥ samīkṣya lomaśaṁ rājansāṣṭāṁgaṁ praṇipatya ca

There, by the force of past deeds, O king, that ghoul, the former twice-born youth, having beheld Lomasha, prostrated before him with all eight limbs,

Verse 5 (padma.3.23.5)

उवाच सूनृतां वाचं बद्ध्वा शिरसि चांजलिम् । महाभाग्योदये विप्र साधूनां संगतिर्भवेत्

uvāca sūnṛtāṁ vācaṁ baddhvā śirasi cāṁjalim mahābhāgyodaye vipra sādhūnāṁ saṁgatirbhavet

and, with joined hands upon his head, spoke true and pleasant words: 'O brahmin, only when great fortune rises does the company of the good come about.'

Verse 6 (padma.3.23.6)

गंगादिपुण्यतीर्थेषु यो नरः स्नाति सर्वथा । यः करोति सतां संगं तयोः सत्संगमो वरः

gaṁgādipuṇyatīrtheṣu yo naraḥ snāti sarvathā yaḥ karoti satāṁ saṁgaṁ tayoḥ satsaṁgamo varaḥ

'Whatever man bathes always at the sacred tirthas such as the Ganga, and whoever keeps the company of the virtuous — of the two, the company of the good is the finer.'

Verse 7 (padma.3.23.7)

गुरूणां संगमो विप्र दृष्टादृष्टफलो भुवि । स्वर्गदो रोगहारी च किं तमोपहरो मतः

gurūṇāṁ saṁgamo vipra dṛṣṭādṛṣṭaphalo bhuvi svargado rogahārī ca kiṁ tamopaharo mataḥ

'The company of the wise, O brahmin, bears fruit both visible and invisible in this world, grants heaven, and cures disease — need it be said that it is held to dispel ignorance?'

Verse 8 (padma.3.23.8)

इत्युक्त्वा कथयामास पूर्ववृत्तांतमद्भुतम् । इमा गंधर्वकन्यास्ता मुने सोऽहं द्विजात्मजः

ityuktvā kathayāmāsa pūrvavṛttāṁtamadbhutam imā gaṁdharvakanyāstā mune so'haṁ dvijātmajaḥ

Having said this, he told the whole wondrous former history: 'O sage, these are the gandharva maidens, and I am that brahmin's son.'

Verse 9 (padma.3.23.9)

सर्वे पिशाचरूपेण मिथः शापविमोहिताः । दीनाननास्सुतिष्ठामस्तवाग्रे मुनिसत्तम

sarve piśācarūpeṇa mithaḥ śāpavimohitāḥ dīnānanāssutiṣṭhāmastavāgre munisattama

'All of us, deluded by a mutual curse, stand here in the form of ghouls, O best of sages, before you with wretched faces.'

Verse 10 (padma.3.23.10)

त्वद्दर्शनेन बालानां निस्तारो नो भविष्यति । सूर्योदये तमस्तोमः किं नु लीयेत पुष्करे

tvaddarśanena bālānāṁ nistāro no bhaviṣyati sūryodaye tamastomaḥ kiṁ nu līyeta puṣkare

'By the sight of you, deliverance for these children shall come about. When the sun rises, would not the mass of darkness dissolve — even more so at Pushkara?'

Verse 11 (padma.3.23.11)

श्रुत्वैतल्लोमशो वाक्यं कृपार्द्रीकृतमानसः । प्रत्युवाच महातेजा दुःखितं तं मुनेः सुतम्

śrutvaitallomaśo vākyaṁ kṛpārdrīkṛtamānasaḥ pratyuvāca mahātejā duḥkhitaṁ taṁ muneḥ sutam

Having heard these words, that greatly radiant Lomasha, his heart melted with compassion, replied to the sage's sorrowful son —

Verse 12 (padma.3.23.12)

मत्प्रसादाच्च सर्वेषां स्मृतिः सपदि जायताम् । धर्मे च वर्ततां येन मिथः शापो लयं व्रजेत्

matprasādācca sarveṣāṁ smṛtiḥ sapadi jāyatām dharme ca vartatāṁ yena mithaḥ śāpo layaṁ vrajet

'By my grace, may the memory of your true selves return to all of you at once, so that, established in dharma, you may become free from this mutual curse.'

Verse 13 (padma.3.23.13)

पिशाच उवाच । महर्षे कथ्यतां धर्मो मुच्येम येन किल्बिषात् । नायं कालो विलंबस्य शापाग्निर्दारुणो यतः

piśāca uvāca maharṣe kathyatāṁ dharmo mucyema yena kilbiṣāt nāyaṁ kālo vilaṁbasya śāpāgnirdāruṇo yataḥ

The ghoul said: O great sage, tell us the righteous path by which we may be freed from this sin; this is no time for delay, for the fire of the curse is terrible.

Verse 14 (padma.3.23.14)

लोमश उवाच । मया सार्द्धं प्रकुर्वंतु रेवास्नानं विधानतः । शापान्मोक्ष्यति वो रेवा नान्यथा निष्कृतिर्भवेत्

lomaśa uvāca mayā sārddhaṁ prakurvaṁtu revāsnānaṁ vidhānataḥ śāpānmokṣyati vo revā nānyathā niṣkṛtirbhavet

Lomasha said: Perform the ritual bath in the Reva together with me, duly; the Reva alone shall release you from this curse — otherwise there is no release.

Verse 15 (padma.3.23.15)

शृणुष्वावहितो विप्र पापनाशो ध्रुवं नृणाम् । रेवास्नानेन जायेत इति मे निश्चिता मतिः

śṛṇuṣvāvahito vipra pāpanāśo dhruvaṁ nṛṇām revāsnānena jāyeta iti me niścitā matiḥ

Listen attentively, O brahmin: the destruction of men's sins comes about surely through bathing in the Reva — this is my settled conviction.

Verse 16 (padma.3.23.16)

सप्तजन्मकृतं पापं वर्तमानं च पातकम् । रेवास्नानं दहेत्सर्वं तूलराशिमिवानलः

saptajanmakṛtaṁ pāpaṁ vartamānaṁ ca pātakam revāsnānaṁ dahetsarvaṁ tūlarāśimivānalaḥ

Sin accumulated over seven births, and present sin as well — the Reva-bath burns it all away, as fire consumes a heap of cotton.

Verse 17 (padma.3.23.17)

प्रायाश्चित्तं न पश्यंति यस्मिन्पापे पिशाचक । तत्सर्वं नर्मदातोये स्नानमात्रेण नश्यति

prāyāścittaṁ na paśyaṁti yasminpāpe piśācaka tatsarvaṁ narmadātoye snānamātreṇa naśyati

O ghoul-child, whatever sin has no visible atonement — all of it is destroyed merely by bathing in the water of the Narmada.

Verse 18 (padma.3.23.18)

ज्ञानकृन्नर्म्मदास्नानमतो मोक्षफला हि सा । हिमवत्पुण्यतीर्थानि सर्वपापहराणि वै

jñānakṛnnarmmadāsnānamato mokṣaphalā hi sā himavatpuṇyatīrthāni sarvapāpaharāṇi vai

Bathing in the Narmada engenders knowledge; hence it bestows the fruit of liberation. The sacred tirthas of the Himalaya remove all sins indeed,

Verse 19 (padma.3.23.19)

इंद्रलोकप्रदं हीदं निर्मितं ब्रह्मवादिभिः । सर्वकामफला रेवा मोक्षदा परिकीर्तिता

iṁdralokapradaṁ hīdaṁ nirmitaṁ brahmavādibhiḥ sarvakāmaphalā revā mokṣadā parikīrtitā

and this river grants the world of Indra, fashioned by the speakers of Brahman; the Reva, granting every desire, is proclaimed the giver of liberation.

Verse 20 (padma.3.23.20)

पापघ्नी पापहारिणी सर्वकामफलप्रदा । विष्णुलोकदआप्लावो नार्मदः पापनाशनः

pāpaghnī pāpahāriṇī sarvakāmaphalapradā viṣṇulokadaāplāvo nārmadaḥ pāpanāśanaḥ

Destroyer of sin, remover of sin, granter of the fruit of every desire — immersion in the Narmada grants the world of Vishnu and destroys sin.

Verse 21 (padma.3.23.21)

यामुनः सूर्यलोकाय भवेदाप्लाव उत्तमः । सारस्वतोघविध्वंसी ब्रह्मलोकफलप्रदः

yāmunaḥ sūryalokāya bhavedāplāva uttamaḥ sārasvatoghavidhvaṁsī brahmalokaphalapradaḥ

Immersion in the Yamuna is finest for the world of the sun; immersion in the Sarasvati destroys the mass of sin and grants the fruit of Brahmaloka.

Verse 22 (padma.3.23.22)

विशालफलदा प्रोक्ता विशाला हि पिशाचक । पापेंधनदवाग्निस्तु गर्भहेतुक्रियापहः

viśālaphaladā proktā viśālā hi piśācaka pāpeṁdhanadavāgnistu garbhahetukriyāpahaḥ

O ghoul-child, the Sarasvati is declared to grant a vast fruit, for she is vast; but the Reva is the wildfire that consumes the fuel of sin, removing the very cause of entry into the womb.

Verse 23 (padma.3.23.23)

विष्णुलोकाय मोक्षाय नार्मदः परिकीर्तितः । सरयूगंडकीसिंधुश्चंद्रभागा च कौशिकी

viṣṇulokāya mokṣāya nārmadaḥ parikīrtitaḥ sarayūgaṁḍakīsiṁdhuścaṁdrabhāgā ca kauśikī

The Narmada is proclaimed to lead to the world of Vishnu and to liberation. The Sarayu, the Gandaki, the Sindhu, the Chandrabhaga, and the Kaushiki,

Verse 24 (padma.3.23.24)

तापी गोदावरी भीमा पयोष्णी कृष्णवेणिका । कावेरी तुंगभद्रा च अन्याश्चापि समुद्रगाः

tāpī godāvarī bhīmā payoṣṇī kṛṣṇaveṇikā kāverī tuṁgabhadrā ca anyāścāpi samudragāḥ

the Tapi, the Godavari, the Bhima, the Payoshni, the Krishnavenika, the Kaveri, the Tungabhadra, and other rivers too that flow to the ocean —

Verse 25 (padma.3.23.25)

तासु रेवा परा प्रोक्ता विष्णुलोकप्रदायिनी । रेवा तु प्राप्यते पुण्यैः पूर्वजन्मकृतैर्द्विज । अपुनर्भवदं तत्र मज्जनं मुनिपुत्रक

tāsu revā parā proktā viṣṇulokapradāyinī revā tu prāpyate puṇyaiḥ pūrvajanmakṛtairdvija apunarbhavadaṁ tatra majjanaṁ muniputraka

Among all these, the Reva is declared supreme, granting the world of Vishnu. But, O twice-born, the Reva is attained only through merits accumulated in former births; O son of the sage, immersion in her there grants freedom from rebirth.

Verse 26 (padma.3.23.26)

गायंति देवाः सततं दिविष्ठा रेवा कदा दृष्टिगता हि नो भवेत् । स्नाता नरा यत्र न गर्भवेदनां पश्यंति तिष्ठंति च विष्णुसन्निधौ

gāyaṁti devāḥ satataṁ diviṣṭhā revā kadā dṛṣṭigatā hi no bhavet snātā narā yatra na garbhavedanāṁ paśyaṁti tiṣṭhaṁti ca viṣṇusannidhau

The gods dwelling in heaven ever sing: 'When might the Reva come within our sight?' There, men who have bathed behold no pain of the womb again, and abide in the presence of Vishnu.

Verse 27 (padma.3.23.27)

मज्जंति ये प्रत्यहमत्र मानवा रेवासुतो ये बहुपापकंचुकाः । मज्जंति ते नो निरयेषु धर्म्मतः स्वर्गे तु ते चारुचरंति देववत्

majjaṁti ye pratyahamatra mānavā revāsuto ye bahupāpakaṁcukāḥ majjaṁti te no nirayeṣu dharmmataḥ svarge tu te cārucaraṁti devavat

Those men who immerse themselves here every day, however clad in the garments of many sins, being sons of the Reva, do not, in accordance with dharma, sink into hells; rather, in heaven they roam beautifully, like the gods.

Verse 28 (padma.3.23.28)

तीव्रैर्व्रतैर्दानतपोभिरध्वरैः सार्धं विधात्रा तुलया धृता पुरा । रेवापिशाचाशु तयोर्द्वयोरभूद्रेवा वरा तत्र च मोक्षसाधिका

tīvrairvratairdānatapobhiradhvaraiḥ sārdhaṁ vidhātrā tulayā dhṛtā purā revāpiśācāśu tayordvayorabhūdrevā varā tatra ca mokṣasādhikā

Once the Creator weighed her in a balance against austere vows, gifts, austerities, and sacrifices together — in that balance, the Reva swiftly proved heavier than the two combined; there the Reva stood supreme, and proved to be the accomplisher of liberation.

Verse 29 (padma.3.23.29)

नारद उवाच । एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचस्तस्य लोमशस्य पिशाचकाः । तेन सार्द्धं ययुः शीघ्रं रेवामज्जनहेतवे

nārada uvāca etacchrutvā vacastasya lomaśasya piśācakāḥ tena sārddhaṁ yayuḥ śīghraṁ revāmajjanahetave

Narada said: Having heard these words of Lomasha, those ghouls went swiftly with him for the purpose of immersion in the Reva.

Verse 30 (padma.3.23.30)

ततो दैवात्समुत्पन्नो रेवारोधसि मारुतः । तेषां प्रवाहस्पृष्टानां गात्रे जलकणप्रदः

tato daivātsamutpanno revārodhasi mārutaḥ teṣāṁ pravāhaspṛṣṭānāṁ gātre jalakaṇapradaḥ

Then, by divine providence, a wind arose on the bank of the Reva, which cast droplets of her water upon the bodies of those touched by her current.

Verse 31 (padma.3.23.31)

रेवाजलकणस्पर्शात्पैशाच्यात्ते विमोचिताः । तत्क्षणाद्दिव्यवपुषः प्रशशंसुश्च नर्मदाम्

revājalakaṇasparśātpaiśācyātte vimocitāḥ tatkṣaṇāddivyavapuṣaḥ praśaśaṁsuśca narmadām

By the touch of a droplet of Reva's water, they were released from their state of ghoulhood; at that very instant, having regained their divine bodies, they began to praise the Narmada.

Verse 32 (padma.3.23.32)

ततो लोमशवाक्येन ताश्च गंधर्वकन्यकाः । परिणीताः सुखं तेन विप्रेण नर्मदातटे

tato lomaśavākyena tāśca gaṁdharvakanyakāḥ pariṇītāḥ sukhaṁ tena vipreṇa narmadātaṭe

Then, by Lomasha's word, those gandharva maidens were happily married to that brahmin on the bank of the Narmada.

Verse 33 (padma.3.23.33)

उवास सुचिरं कालं स्नानपानावगाहनैः । अर्चित्वा नर्मदामत्र विष्णुलोकं गताश्च ते

uvāsa suciraṁ kālaṁ snānapānāvagāhanaiḥ arcitvā narmadāmatra viṣṇulokaṁ gatāśca te

He dwelt there a long time, bathing, drinking, and immersing himself in her waters; having worshipped the Narmada there, they went to the world of Vishnu.

Verse 34 (padma.3.23.34)

एवं ते कथितो राजन्नर्मदागुणसंश्रयः । इतिहासो महापुण्यः श्रवणात्पापनाशनः

evaṁ te kathito rājannarmadāguṇasaṁśrayaḥ itihāso mahāpuṇyaḥ śravaṇātpāpanāśanaḥ

Thus, O king, I have told you this history, resting upon the virtues of the Narmada, greatly sacred, and destroying sin by the mere hearing of it.