The Origin of the Krishna and Veni Rivers

Verse 1 (padma.6.111.1)

पृथुरुवाच। कृष्णवेण्यातटाद्यस्मात्शिवविष्णुगणैः पुरा । वणिक्शरीरात्कलहा निर्मिता कथिता त्वया

pṛthuruvāca kṛṣṇaveṇyātaṭādyasmātśivaviṣṇugaṇaiḥ purā vaṇikśarīrātkalahā nirmitā kathitā tvayā

Prithu said: You have told how, at the bank of the Krishna-Veni, in former times, the attendants of Shiva and Vishnu drove Kalaha away from the merchant's body.

Verse 2 (padma.6.111.2)

प्रभावोऽयं तयोर्नद्योः किंवा क्षेत्रस्य तस्य वा । तन्मे कथय धर्मज्ञ विस्मयोऽत्र महान्मम

prabhāvo'yaṁ tayornadyoḥ kiṁvā kṣetrasya tasya vā tanme kathaya dharmajña vismayo'tra mahānmama

Is this power that of those two rivers themselves, or of that region? O knower of dharma, tell me this; I am filled with great wonder about it.

Verse 3 (padma.6.111.3)

नारद उवाच। कृष्णा कृष्णतनुः साक्षाद्वेण्या देवो महेश्वरः । तत्संगमप्रभावं तु नालं वक्तुं चतुर्मुखः

nārada uvāca kṛṣṇā kṛṣṇatanuḥ sākṣādveṇyā devo maheśvaraḥ tatsaṁgamaprabhāvaṁ tu nālaṁ vaktuṁ caturmukhaḥ

Narada said: The Krishna river is verily the body of Krishna himself, and in the Veni dwells the god Maheshvara. Even the four-faced Brahma is unable to describe the power of their confluence.

Verse 4 (padma.6.111.4)

तथापि तत्समुत्पत्तिं कीर्तयिष्यामि तच्छृणु । चाक्षुषस्यांतरे पूर्वं मनोर्देवः पितामहः

tathāpi tatsamutpattiṁ kīrtayiṣyāmi tacchṛṇu cākṣuṣasyāṁtare pūrvaṁ manordevaḥ pitāmahaḥ

Nevertheless, I shall relate their origin; listen to it. Long ago, in the Chakshusha Manvantara, grandsire Brahma —

Verse 5 (padma.6.111.5)

सह्याद्रिशिखरे रम्ये यजनायोद्यतोऽभवत् । स कृत्वा यज्ञसंभारान्सर्वदेवगणैर्वृतः

sahyādriśikhare ramye yajanāyodyato'bhavat sa kṛtvā yajñasaṁbhārānsarvadevagaṇairvṛtaḥ

— resolved to perform a sacrifice upon the delightful peak of the Sahyadri mountains. Having prepared the materials for the sacrifice, surrounded by all the hosts of gods —

Verse 6 (padma.6.111.6)

युक्तो हरिहराभ्यां च तद्गिरेः शिखरं ययौ । भृग्वादयो मुनिगणा मुहूर्ते ब्रह्मदैवते

yukto hariharābhyāṁ ca tadgireḥ śikharaṁ yayau bhṛgvādayo munigaṇā muhūrte brahmadaivate

— and joined by Hari and Hara, went to the peak of that mountain. The sages headed by Bhrigu, at the auspicious moment presided over by the deity Brahma —

Verse 7 (padma.6.111.7)

तस्य दीक्षाविधानाय समाजं तत्र चक्रिरे । अथ ज्येष्ठां स्वरां पत्नीं विष्णुराह्वयत द्विजैः

tasya dīkṣāvidhānāya samājaṁ tatra cakrire atha jyeṣṭhāṁ svarāṁ patnīṁ viṣṇurāhvayata dvijaiḥ

— arranged an assembly there for his rite of consecration. Then Vishnu, through the brahmins, sent for Svara, Brahma's senior wife.

Verse 8 (padma.6.111.8)

साशनैराययौ तावद्भृगुर्विष्णुमुवाच ह । भृगुरुवाच। विष्णो स्वरा त्वयाहूता आयाति न हि सत्वरा

sāśanairāyayau tāvadbhṛgurviṣṇumuvāca ha bhṛguruvāca viṣṇo svarā tvayāhūtā āyāti na hi satvarā

While she was still on her way, with food-offerings, Bhrigu said to Vishnu. Bhrigu said: 'O Vishnu, Svara, summoned by you, is not coming quickly.'

Verse 9 (padma.6.111.9)

मुहूर्त्तातिक्रमश्चायं कार्यो दीक्षाविधिः कथम् । विष्णुरुवाच। नायाति चेत्स्वरा शीघ्रं गायत्र्यत्र विधीयताम्

muhūrttātikramaścāyaṁ kāryo dīkṣāvidhiḥ katham viṣṇuruvāca nāyāti cetsvarā śīghraṁ gāyatryatra vidhīyatām

'This auspicious moment is passing; how shall the rite of consecration be performed?' Vishnu said: 'If Svara does not come quickly, let Gayatri duly be installed here in her place.'

Verse 10 (padma.6.111.10)

एषापि न भवत्यस्य भार्या किं पुण्यकर्मणि । नारद उवाच। एवमेव हि रुद्रोऽपि विष्णोर्वाक्यममोदत

eṣāpi na bhavatyasya bhāryā kiṁ puṇyakarmaṇi nārada uvāca evameva hi rudro'pi viṣṇorvākyamamodata

'Is she (Gayatri) not also his wife for this meritorious rite?' Narada said: In just this way, Rudra too approved of Vishnu's suggestion.

Verse 11 (padma.6.111.11)

तच्छ्रुत्वा स भृगुर्वाक्यं गायत्रीं ब्रह्मणस्तदा । निवेश्य दक्षिणे भागे दीक्षाविधिमथाकरोत्

tacchrutvā sa bhṛgurvākyaṁ gāyatrīṁ brahmaṇastadā niveśya dakṣiṇe bhāge dīkṣāvidhimathākarot

Hearing this word, Bhrigu then seated Brahma's Gayatri on the right side and performed the rite of consecration.

Verse 12 (padma.6.111.12)

यावद्दीक्षाविधिं तस्य विधेश्चक्रुर्विधानतः । तावदभ्याययौ तत्र स्वरा यज्ञस्थले नृप

yāvaddīkṣāvidhiṁ tasya vidheścakrurvidhānataḥ tāvadabhyāyayau tatra svarā yajñasthale nṛpa

O king, just as they had duly completed his rite of consecration, at that very moment Svara arrived there at the sacrificial site.

Verse 13 (padma.6.111.13)

ततस्तां दीक्षितां दृष्ट्वा गायत्रीं ब्रह्मणा सह । सपत्नीर्षापरा क्रोधात्स्वरा वचनमब्रवीत्

tatastāṁ dīkṣitāṁ dṛṣṭvā gāyatrīṁ brahmaṇā saha sapatnīrṣāparā krodhātsvarā vacanamabravīt

Then, seeing Gayatri consecrated together with Brahma, Svara, filled with jealousy toward her co-wife, spoke these words in anger.

Verse 14 (padma.6.111.14)

स्वरोवाच। अपूज्या यत्र पूज्यन्ते पूज्यानां च व्यतिक्रमः । त्रीणि तत्र भविष्यंति दुर्भिक्षं मरणं भयम्

svarovāca apūjyā yatra pūjyante pūjyānāṁ ca vyatikramaḥ trīṇi tatra bhaviṣyaṁti durbhikṣaṁ maraṇaṁ bhayam

Svara said: 'Where the unworthy are worshipped and the worthy are transgressed, three things arise there: famine, death, and fear.'

Verse 15 (padma.6.111.15)

ममासने कनिष्ठेयं भवद्भिः सन्निवेशिता । तस्मात्सर्वे जडीभूता नानारूपा भविष्यथ

mamāsane kaniṣṭheyaṁ bhavadbhiḥ sanniveśitā tasmātsarve jaḍībhūtā nānārūpā bhaviṣyatha

'This junior wife has been seated by you all upon my very seat. Therefore, may all of you become inert and assume various lowly forms.'

Verse 16 (padma.6.111.16)

इदं च दक्षिणेभागे ह्युपविष्टा मदासने । तस्माल्लोकैः सदाऽदृश्या तनुर्वहतु निम्नगा

idaṁ ca dakṣiṇebhāge hyupaviṣṭā madāsane tasmāllokaiḥ sadā'dṛśyā tanurvahatu nimnagā

'And she has been seated upon my own seat, on the right side; therefore, may this body of hers, ever invisible to people, flow forth as a river.'

Verse 17 (padma.6.111.17)

नारद उवाच। ततस्तच्छापमाकर्ण्य गायत्री कंपिता तदा । समुत्थायाशपद्देवैर्वार्यमाणापि तां स्वराम्

nārada uvāca tatastacchāpamākarṇya gāyatrī kaṁpitā tadā samutthāyāśapaddevairvāryamāṇāpi tāṁ svarām

Narada said: Then, hearing that curse, Gayatri trembled, and, even as the gods tried to restrain her, rose up and cursed Svara in turn.

Verse 18 (padma.6.111.18)

तव भर्त्ता यथा ब्रह्मा ममाप्येष तथा खलु । वृथाशपस्त्वं यस्मान्मां भव त्वमपि निम्नगा

tava bharttā yathā brahmā mamāpyeṣa tathā khalu vṛthāśapastvaṁ yasmānmāṁ bhava tvamapi nimnagā

'Just as Brahma is your husband, so indeed is he mine as well. Since you have needlessly cursed me, may you too become a river.'

Verse 19 (padma.6.111.19)

नारद उवाच। ततो हाहाकृताः सर्वे शिवविष्णुमुखाः सुराः । तदा लोकत्रयं ह्येतद्विनाशं यास्यति ध्रुवम्

nārada uvāca tato hāhākṛtāḥ sarve śivaviṣṇumukhāḥ surāḥ tadā lokatrayaṁ hyetadvināśaṁ yāsyati dhruvam

Narada said: Then all the gods, headed by Shiva and Vishnu, cried out in dismay: 'Now these three worlds will surely go to ruin.'

Verse 20 (padma.6.111.20)

देवा ऊचुः । देवि सर्वे वयं शप्ता ब्रह्माद्या यत्त्वयाधुना । यदि सर्वे जडीभूता भविष्यामोऽत्र निम्नगाः

devā ūcuḥ devi sarve vayaṁ śaptā brahmādyā yattvayādhunā yadi sarve jaḍībhūtā bhaviṣyāmo'tra nimnagāḥ

The gods said: 'O goddess, you have just now cursed all of us, headed by Brahma. If all of us become inert and turn into rivers here —'

Verse 21 (padma.6.111.21)

तदा लोकत्रयं ह्येतद्विनाशं यास्यति ध्रुवम् । अविवेकः कृतस्तस्माच्छापोऽयं विनिवर्त्यताम्

tadā lokatrayaṁ hyetadvināśaṁ yāsyati dhruvam avivekaḥ kṛtastasmācchāpo'yaṁ vinivartyatām

'— then these three worlds will surely go to ruin. This was an act done without reflection; therefore let this curse be withdrawn.'

Verse 22 (padma.6.111.22)

स्वरोवाच। नार्चितो हि गणाध्यक्षो यज्ञादौ यत्सुरोत्तमाः । तस्माद्विघ्नं समुत्पन्नं मत्क्रोधजमिदं खलु

svarovāca nārcito hi gaṇādhyakṣo yajñādau yatsurottamāḥ tasmādvighnaṁ samutpannaṁ matkrodhajamidaṁ khalu

Svara said: 'O excellent gods, because the lord of the Ganas (Ganesha) was not worshipped at the outset of the sacrifice, this obstacle, born of my anger, has indeed arisen.'

Verse 23 (padma.6.111.23)

नापि मद्वचनं ह्येतदसत्यं जायते खलु । तस्मात्स्वांशैर्जडीभूता यूयं भवत निम्नगाः

nāpi madvacanaṁ hyetadasatyaṁ jāyate khalu tasmātsvāṁśairjaḍībhūtā yūyaṁ bhavata nimnagāḥ

'And this word of mine, indeed, can never become untrue. Therefore, all of you, through your own respective portions, become inert and turn into rivers.'

Verse 24 (padma.6.111.24)

आवामपि सपत्न्यौ च स्वांशाभ्यामपि निम्नगे । भविष्यावोऽत्र वै देवाः पश्चिमाभिमुखावहे

āvāmapi sapatnyau ca svāṁśābhyāmapi nimnage bhaviṣyāvo'tra vai devāḥ paścimābhimukhāvahe

'O gods, we two co-wives, likewise through our own respective portions, shall become rivers right here, flowing with our faces turned toward the west.'

Verse 25 (padma.6.111.25)

नारद उवाच। इति तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेश्वराः । जडीभूताभवन्नद्यः स्वांशैरेव तदा नृप

nārada uvāca iti tadvacanaṁ śrutvā brahmaviṣṇumaheśvarāḥ jaḍībhūtābhavannadyaḥ svāṁśaireva tadā nṛpa

Narada said: O king, hearing this word, Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshvara then, through their own respective portions, became inert and turned into rivers.

Verse 26 (padma.6.111.26)

तत्र विष्णुरभूत्कृष्ण वेण्या देवो महेश्वरः । ब्रह्मा ककुद्मिनीगंगा पृथगेवाभवत्तदा

tatra viṣṇurabhūtkṛṣṇa veṇyā devo maheśvaraḥ brahmā kakudminīgaṁgā pṛthagevābhavattadā

There Vishnu became the river Krishna, the god Maheshvara dwelt in the Veni, and Brahma separately became the river called Kakudmini Ganga.

Verse 27 (padma.6.111.27)

देवा स्वानपितानंशान्जडीकृत्वा विचक्षणाः । सह्याद्रिशिखरेभ्यस्ताः पृथगासन्सुनिम्नगाः

devā svānapitānaṁśānjaḍīkṛtvā vicakṣaṇāḥ sahyādriśikharebhyastāḥ pṛthagāsansunimnagāḥ

The wise gods too, rendering their own respective portions inert, became, separately from the peaks of the Sahyadri, beautiful flowing rivers.

Verse 28 (padma.6.111.28)

देवांशैः पूर्ववाहिन्यो बभूवुः सरितां वराः । गायत्री च स्वरा चैव पश्चिमाभिमुखे तदा

devāṁśaiḥ pūrvavāhinyo babhūvuḥ saritāṁ varāḥ gāyatrī ca svarā caiva paścimābhimukhe tadā

The finest of rivers, born of the gods' portions, became eastward-flowing, but Gayatri and Svara then flowed with their faces turned toward the west.

Verse 29 (padma.6.111.29)

योगेनाभवतां नद्यौ सावित्रीति प्रथां गते । ब्रह्मणा स्थापितौ तत्र यज्ञे हरिहरावुभौ

yogenābhavatāṁ nadyau sāvitrīti prathāṁ gate brahmaṇā sthāpitau tatra yajñe hariharāvubhau

Those two (Gayatri and Svara) became rivers through their yogic power, and became renowned by the name 'Savitri.' Both Hari and Hara had been installed by Brahma in that sacrifice.

Verse 30 (padma.6.111.30)

महाबलातिबलिनौ नाम्ना देवौ बभूवतुः । तयोर्नद्योस्तु माहात्म्यं नाहं वक्तुं क्षमो नृप । ययुर्ब्रह्मादयो देवाः स्वांशैस्तिष्ठंति चापगाः

mahābalātibalinau nāmnā devau babhūvatuḥ tayornadyostu māhātmyaṁ nāhaṁ vaktuṁ kṣamo nṛpa yayurbrahmādayo devāḥ svāṁśaistiṣṭhaṁti cāpagāḥ

Those two gods became known by the names 'Mahabala' and 'Atibali.' O king, I am unable to describe the glory of those two rivers. Brahma and the other gods departed, yet their portions remain there, established as flowing rivers.

Verse 31 (padma.6.111.31)

कृष्णोद्भवं पापहरं परं यः शृणोति यः श्रावयते च भक्त्या । स्यात्तस्य पुण्या सकलाक्रियापि तद्दर्शनस्नानसमुद्भवं फलम्

kṛṣṇodbhavaṁ pāpaharaṁ paraṁ yaḥ śṛṇoti yaḥ śrāvayate ca bhaktyā syāttasya puṇyā sakalākriyāpi taddarśanasnānasamudbhavaṁ phalam

Whoever hears, or with devotion recites, this supreme, sin-destroying tale of the origin of the Krishna river — all his deeds become meritorious, and he obtains the very fruit that arises from beholding and bathing in that river.