The Glory of Nandi-tirtha

Verse 1 (padma.6.136.1)

पार्वत्युवाच। साभ्रमत्यपि यान्देशान्नंदिकुंडाद्विनिःसृता । गच्छंती पावयामास कान्कान्देशान्वदस्व मे । चकार कानि तीर्थानि विलंघ्यार्बुदपर्वतम्

pārvatyuvāca sābhramatyapi yāndeśānnaṁdikuṁḍādviniḥsṛtā gacchaṁtī pāvayāmāsa kānkāndeśānvadasva me cakāra kāni tīrthāni vilaṁghyārbudaparvatam

Parvati said: 'Sprung from Nandikunda, the Sabarmati flows through and purifies many lands — tell me which lands they are. And having crossed Mount Arbuda, what sacred fords did she create?'

Verse 2 (padma.6.136.2)

सूत उवाच। इति तत्रोदिते देव्या महादेवः स विश्वराट् । उवाच वचनं तां वै पार्वतीं विश्वमोहिनीम्

sūta uvāca iti tatrodite devyā mahādevaḥ sa viśvarāṭ uvāca vacanaṁ tāṁ vai pārvatīṁ viśvamohinīm

Suta said: When the goddess had thus spoken, Mahadeva, sovereign of the universe, said these words to Parvati, who enchants the world.

Verse 3 (padma.6.136.3)

महादेव उवाच। नंदिकुंडात्प्रथमतः तीर्थात्परमपावनात् । कपालमोचनं तीर्थं मुनिभिः संप्रकारितम्

mahādeva uvāca naṁdikuṁḍātprathamataḥ tīrthātparamapāvanāt kapālamocanaṁ tīrthaṁ munibhiḥ saṁprakāritam

Mahadeva said: 'First, from the most sacred ford of Nandikunda, is the ford of Kapalamochana, well proclaimed by the sages.'

Verse 4 (padma.6.136.4)

सर्वतेजोधिकं तीर्थं पावनात्पावनं परम् । अत्र मया परित्यक्तं कपालं ब्रह्मसंज्ञकम्

sarvatejodhikaṁ tīrthaṁ pāvanātpāvanaṁ param atra mayā parityaktaṁ kapālaṁ brahmasaṁjñakam

'This ford surpasses all others in splendor, the most sacred among the sacred. Here it was that I cast away the skull known as Brahma's.'

Verse 5 (padma.6.136.5)

कपालमोचनं तीर्थमतो जातं हि पार्वति । पावनं सर्वभूतानां प्रकटं लोकविश्रुतम्

kapālamocanaṁ tīrthamato jātaṁ hi pārvati pāvanaṁ sarvabhūtānāṁ prakaṭaṁ lokaviśrutam

'For this reason, O Parvati, it came to be called the ford of Kapalamochana. It purifies all beings, is manifest, and renowned throughout the world.'

Verse 6 (padma.6.136.6)

कपालकुंडमाख्यातं तत्तीर्थं तीर्थराजकम् । यत्र देवास्तथा नागा गंधर्वाः किंनरादयः

kapālakuṁḍamākhyātaṁ tattīrthaṁ tīrtharājakam yatra devāstathā nāgā gaṁdharvāḥ kiṁnarādayaḥ

'That ford is called Kapalakunda, the very king of sacred fords, where gods, nagas, gandharvas, kinnaras, and the rest —'

Verse 7 (padma.6.136.7)

निवसंति महात्मानस्तीर्थे वै निर्मले शुभे । त्रैलोक्ये विश्रुतं तीर्थं दानदं मुक्तिदायकम्

nivasaṁti mahātmānastīrthe vai nirmale śubhe trailokye viśrutaṁ tīrthaṁ dānadaṁ muktidāyakam

'all these great souls dwell in that pure, auspicious ford. This ford is renowned throughout the three worlds, a bestower of gifts and of liberation.'

Verse 8 (padma.6.136.8)

तत्र स्नात्वा शुचिर्भूत्वा कपालेशं प्रपूजयेत् । उपोष्य रजनीमेकां कृत्वा ब्राह्मणभोजनम्

tatra snātvā śucirbhūtvā kapāleśaṁ prapūjayet upoṣya rajanīmekāṁ kṛtvā brāhmaṇabhojanam

'Bathing there and becoming pure, one should worship Kapalesha; having fasted for one night, one should feed brahmins.'

Verse 9 (padma.6.136.9)

तत्रापि वस्त्रदानेन अग्निहोत्रफलं लभेत् । तस्मिंस्तीर्थे तु यः कश्चिद्दर्शनव्रतमास्थितः

tatrāpi vastradānena agnihotraphalaṁ labhet tasmiṁstīrthe tu yaḥ kaściddarśanavratamāsthitaḥ

'There, even by giving a gift of clothing, one obtains the fruit of the fire-sacrifice. Whoever at that ford undertakes the vow of beholding it,'

Verse 10 (padma.6.136.10)

संत्यज्य देहमात्मानं शिवलोकं व्रजेद्ध्रुवम् । अस्मिंस्तीर्थे पुरा स्नानात्सौदासो ब्रह्महत्यया

saṁtyajya dehamātmānaṁ śivalokaṁ vrajeddhruvam asmiṁstīrthe purā snānātsaudāso brahmahatyayā

'having relinquished his body and his self, surely attains the world of Shiva. At this very ford, in ancient times, by bathing, King Saudasa —'

Verse 11 (padma.6.136.11)

मोचितो विमलं ज्ञानं प्राप्तवान्वै सुरेश्वरि । भागीरथ्यान्वये जातः सुदासाख्यो महाबली

mocito vimalaṁ jñānaṁ prāptavānvai sureśvari bhāgīrathyānvaye jātaḥ sudāsākhyo mahābalī

'was freed from the sin of killing a brahmin, and, O queen of gods, he obtained pure knowledge. The mighty king named Sudasa, born in the lineage of Bhagiratha —'

Verse 12 (padma.6.136.12)

तस्य पुत्रो मित्रसहः सौदासेति च विश्रुतः । वसिष्ठशापतः प्राप्तः सौदासो राक्षसीं तनुम्

tasya putro mitrasahaḥ saudāseti ca viśrutaḥ vasiṣṭhaśāpataḥ prāptaḥ saudāso rākṣasīṁ tanum

'his son Mitrasaha, renowned as Saudasa, obtained, through the curse of Vasishtha, a rakshasa-like form.'

Verse 13 (padma.6.136.13)

साभ्रमत्यां कृतस्नानो विमुक्तः शापजादघात् । अत्र गंगा च यमुना गोदावरी सरस्वती

sābhramatyāṁ kṛtasnāno vimuktaḥ śāpajādaghāt atra gaṁgā ca yamunā godāvarī sarasvatī

'Bathing in the Sabarmati, he was freed from the sin born of that curse. Here the Ganga, the Yamuna, the Godavari, the Sarasvati —'

Verse 14 (padma.6.136.14)

नंदितीर्थे वसंत्येताः पवित्राः पुण्यदाः सदा । गोदानं भूमिदानं च शय्यादानं तथैव च

naṁditīrthe vasaṁtyetāḥ pavitrāḥ puṇyadāḥ sadā godānaṁ bhūmidānaṁ ca śayyādānaṁ tathaiva ca

'all these pure, ever merit-bestowing rivers dwell at Nanditirtha. The gift of a cow, of land, of a bed —'

Verse 15 (padma.6.136.15)

कन्यादानं विशेषेण कर्तव्यं ज्ञानिभिर्नरैः । एतद्दानसमं प्रोक्तं साभ्रमत्यावगाहनम्

kanyādānaṁ viśeṣeṇa kartavyaṁ jñānibhirnaraiḥ etaddānasamaṁ proktaṁ sābhramatyāvagāhanam

'and especially the gift of a daughter in marriage — these should be given by wise men. Immersing oneself in the Sabarmati is declared equal in merit to all these gifts.'

Verse 16 (padma.6.136.16)

यत्र वै सकलान्येव पतितानीह भूतले । वारिणा स्पर्शमात्रेण शुद्धत्वं यांति तान्यपि

yatra vai sakalānyeva patitānīha bhūtale vāriṇā sparśamātreṇa śuddhatvaṁ yāṁti tānyapi

'Whatever fallen things exist here upon this earth, even they attain purity by the mere touch of that water.'

Verse 17 (padma.6.136.17)

अत्र श्राद्धं प्रकुर्वाणो नरो वै भक्तितत्परः । पितरस्तस्य संतुष्टा गच्छंति परमं पदम्

atra śrāddhaṁ prakurvāṇo naro vai bhaktitatparaḥ pitarastasya saṁtuṣṭā gacchaṁti paramaṁ padam

'A man who performs shraddha here with devotion — his ancestors, satisfied, attain the supreme state.'

Verse 18 (padma.6.136.18)

एतदाख्यानकं दिव्यं ये शृण्वंति नराः सदा । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्ता विष्णोः सायुज्यमाप्नुयुः

etadākhyānakaṁ divyaṁ ye śṛṇvaṁti narāḥ sadā sarvapāpavinirmuktā viṣṇoḥ sāyujyamāpnuyuḥ

Men who ever listen to this divine account, freed from every sin, attain union with Vishnu.

Verse 19 (padma.6.136.19)

कर्मणा मनसा वाचा ये स्तुवंति महेश्वरम् । न तेषां विद्यते दुःखं यावदाभूतसंप्लवम्

karmaṇā manasā vācā ye stuvaṁti maheśvaram na teṣāṁ vidyate duḥkhaṁ yāvadābhūtasaṁplavam

Those who praise the great Lord in deed, in mind, and in speech — for them no sorrow exists until the very dissolution of the universe.