The Glory of the Sabarmati and Madhuraditya

Verse 1 (padma.6.141.1)

महादेव उवाच। ततो देवि प्रवक्ष्यामि हिरण्यासंगमादनु । धर्मावती नदी यत्र संगता सह गंगया

mahādeva uvāca tato devi pravakṣyāmi hiraṇyāsaṁgamādanu dharmāvatī nadī yatra saṁgatā saha gaṁgayā

Mahadeva said: 'O goddess, I shall now describe what lies beyond Hiranyasangama, where the river Dharmavati joins with the Ganga.'

Verse 2 (padma.6.141.2)

तत्र स्नात्वा नरो धन्यस्त्रिदिवं यात्यसंशयम् । यत्र धर्मकृतं तीर्थं यः पश्यति स पुण्यभाक्

tatra snātvā naro dhanyastridivaṁ yātyasaṁśayam yatra dharmakṛtaṁ tīrthaṁ yaḥ paśyati sa puṇyabhāk

'Bathing there, a blessed man goes to heaven, beyond doubt. Whoever beholds that ford, fashioned by Dharma himself, becomes a sharer in merit.'

Verse 3 (padma.6.141.3)

श्राद्धं तत्रैव ये कुर्युर्मुच्यंते पितृजादृणात् । ततश्च मधुरातीर्थं सर्वपापप्रणाशनम्

śrāddhaṁ tatraiva ye kuryurmucyaṁte pitṛjādṛṇāt tataśca madhurātīrthaṁ sarvapāpapraṇāśanam

'Those who perform shraddha there are freed from the debt owed to their ancestors. After this comes the ford of Madhura, destroyer of every sin.'

Verse 4 (padma.6.141.4)

स्नातव्यं मधुरातीर्थे द्रष्टव्यो मधुहा हरिः । यत्र विश्रांतवान्कृष्णो जरासंधभयाकुलः

snātavyaṁ madhurātīrthe draṣṭavyo madhuhā hariḥ yatra viśrāṁtavānkṛṣṇo jarāsaṁdhabhayākulaḥ

'One should bathe at the ford of Madhura and behold Hari, slayer of the demon Madhu, where Krishna, harassed by fear of Jarasandha, once rested.'

Verse 5 (padma.6.141.5)

कंसासुरवधे वृत्ते गंतुकामः कुशस्थलीम् । उषित्वा सप्तरात्रं तु स देवश्चंदनातटे

kaṁsāsuravadhe vṛtte gaṁtukāmaḥ kuśasthalīm uṣitvā saptarātraṁ tu sa devaścaṁdanātaṭe

'After the killing of the demon Kamsa, wishing to journey toward Kushasthali, that Lord dwelt for seven nights on the bank of the Chandana.'

Verse 6 (padma.6.141.6)

भोजवृष्ण्यंधकवृतो वीरैर्यादवपुंगवैः । मधुरातीर्थमासाद्य स्नानं कृत्वा विधानतः

bhojavṛṣṇyaṁdhakavṛto vīrairyādavapuṁgavaiḥ madhurātīrthamāsādya snānaṁ kṛtvā vidhānataḥ

'Surrounded by the heroic Yadava chiefs of the Bhoja, Vrishni, and Andhaka clans, having reached the ford of Madhura and bathed there according to the prescribed rite,'

Verse 7 (padma.6.141.7)

मधुरादित्यनामानं यत्र स्थापितवान्हरिः । अष्टादशसहस्राणि विप्राणां यज्ञशालिनाम्

madhurādityanāmānaṁ yatra sthāpitavānhariḥ aṣṭādaśasahasrāṇi viprāṇāṁ yajñaśālinām

'there Hari established an image called Madhuraditya. Eighteen thousand brahmins, skilled in sacrifice,'

Verse 8 (padma.6.141.8)

स्थापयित्वा ययौ दत्त्वा यानानि विविधानि च । तत्र तीर्थसहस्राणि तिष्ठंति च सुरेश्वरि

sthāpayitvā yayau dattvā yānāni vividhāni ca tatra tīrthasahasrāṇi tiṣṭhaṁti ca sureśvari

'he settled there and gave them manifold vehicles, and then departed. O queen of gods, a thousand sacred fords abide there.'

Verse 9 (padma.6.141.9)

श्राद्धं तत्र प्रकर्तव्यं पितॄणां हितकाम्यया । न भेतव्यं जरासंधान्मत्तीर्थे वसतां सदा

śrāddhaṁ tatra prakartavyaṁ pitṝṇāṁ hitakāmyayā na bhetavyaṁ jarāsaṁdhānmattīrthe vasatāṁ sadā

'There, shraddha should be performed for the welfare of one's ancestors. Those who ever dwell at my ford should have no fear of Jarasandha.'

Verse 10 (padma.6.141.10)

इत्युक्त्वा तान्द्विजान्कृष्णः प्रययौ द्वारकां प्रति । तस्मिंस्तीर्थे नरः स्नात्वा मधुरार्कं प्रपूजयेत्

ityuktvā tāndvijānkṛṣṇaḥ prayayau dvārakāṁ prati tasmiṁstīrthe naraḥ snātvā madhurārkaṁ prapūjayet

So saying to those brahmins, Krishna departed for Dvaraka. Bathing at that ford, a man should worship Madhurarka, the sun.

Verse 11 (padma.6.141.11)

माघस्य शुक्लसप्तम्यां कपिला गो प्रदानतः । चिरं सौख्यानि भुंक्त्वेह पदमादित्यमा व्रजेत्

māghasya śuklasaptamyāṁ kapilā go pradānataḥ ciraṁ saukhyāni bhuṁktveha padamādityamā vrajet

'On the seventh day of the bright fortnight of Magha, by the gift of a tawny cow, having enjoyed happiness here for a long time, one goes to the realm of the sun.'

Verse 12 (padma.6.141.12)

शृणु सुन्दरि वक्ष्यामि इतिहासं पुरातनम् । यं श्रुत्वा मुच्यते लोको ब्रह्महत्यादि पातकात्

śṛṇu sundari vakṣyāmi itihāsaṁ purātanam yaṁ śrutvā mucyate loko brahmahatyādi pātakāt

'Listen, O lovely one, I shall tell an ancient history, hearing which the world is freed from the sin of killing a brahmin and the like.'

Verse 13 (padma.6.141.13)

एकस्मिन्समये देवि मांडव्यो ऋषिसत्तमः । गङ्गाद्वारे महापुण्यं तप्तवांस्तु महत्तपः

ekasminsamaye devi māṁḍavyo ṛṣisattamaḥ gaṅgādvāre mahāpuṇyaṁ taptavāṁstu mahattapaḥ

'Once, O goddess, the foremost sage Mandavya performed a great, most meritorious austerity at Gangadvara.'

Verse 14 (padma.6.141.14)

पत्राशी च फलाशी च वायुभक्षकरः सदा । अहोरात्रं सदा देवि विष्णुध्यानपरायणः

patrāśī ca phalāśī ca vāyubhakṣakaraḥ sadā ahorātraṁ sadā devi viṣṇudhyānaparāyaṇaḥ

'He lived sometimes on leaves, sometimes on fruit, and always at times on air alone; O goddess, day and night he remained ever absorbed in meditation on Vishnu.'

Verse 15 (padma.6.141.15)

योगाभ्यासरतो नित्यं नित्यं धर्मपरायणः । तस्मिन्देशे तु वै देवि राजा वै विश्वमोहनः

yogābhyāsarato nityaṁ nityaṁ dharmaparāyaṇaḥ tasmindeśe tu vai devi rājā vai viśvamohanaḥ

'He was ever devoted to the practice of yoga, ever devoted to dharma. O goddess, in that land there was a king named Vishvamohana.'

Verse 16 (padma.6.141.16)

गजाश्वरथपत्तीनां संपदो बहुला भुवि । सोमचंद्रेति विख्यातः पुत्रस्तस्य सुलक्षणः

gajāśvarathapattīnāṁ saṁpado bahulā bhuvi somacaṁdreti vikhyātaḥ putrastasya sulakṣaṇaḥ

'He possessed abundant wealth of elephants, horses, chariots, and foot-soldiers upon the earth. His well-featured son was renowned by the name Somachandra.'

Verse 17 (padma.6.141.17)

एकदा तु तदा देवि गतो ह्याखेटके वने । तत्र गत्वा तदा तेन कृत्वा ह्याखेटकक्रियाः

ekadā tu tadā devi gato hyākheṭake vane tatra gatvā tadā tena kṛtvā hyākheṭakakriyāḥ

'Once, O goddess, that prince went into the forest to hunt. Having gone there, he engaged in the activities of the hunt,'

Verse 18 (padma.6.141.18)

स्वात्मानं रमयामास स्वलोकैः परिवारितः । क्रीडारते तदा राज्ञि रात्रिर्जाता सुरेश्वरि

svātmānaṁ ramayāmāsa svalokaiḥ parivāritaḥ krīḍārate tadā rājñi rātrirjātā sureśvari

'and, surrounded by his own retinue, he amused himself. O queen of gods, while the young prince remained absorbed in his sport, night fell.'

Verse 19 (padma.6.141.19)

तस्यां रात्रौ तदा राजा उवासाखेटके वने । तस्यां रात्र्यां व्यतीतायां मुहूर्ते ब्रह्मसंज्ञके

tasyāṁ rātrau tadā rājā uvāsākheṭake vane tasyāṁ rātryāṁ vyatītāyāṁ muhūrte brahmasaṁjñake

'That night, the prince stayed on right there in the hunting forest. When that night had passed, in the muhurta called Brahma,'

Verse 20 (padma.6.141.20)

हृतोऽश्वोऽथ विशेषेण चौरेणात्र दुरात्मना । तदा हाहेति शब्दोऽभूत्क्व गतः क्व गतो हरिः

hṛto'śvo'tha viśeṣeṇa caureṇātra durātmanā tadā hāheti śabdo'bhūtkva gataḥ kva gato hariḥ

'a horse was stolen, in particular, by some wicked thief. Then there arose a cry: Alas, alas — where has the horse gone, where has the horse gone?'

Verse 21 (padma.6.141.21)

तदा राज्ञो भयात्सर्वे गंतुकामाः समुत्सुकाः । चौरेणापहृतश्चाश्व इत्येवं संवदंति हि

tadā rājño bhayātsarve gaṁtukāmāḥ samutsukāḥ caureṇāpahṛtaścāśva ityevaṁ saṁvadaṁti hi

'Then, out of fear of the king, all were eager and anxious to go in search. The horse has been stolen by a thief, they said among themselves.'

Verse 22 (padma.6.141.22)

निरीक्ष्यमाणास्ते सर्वे हरिद्वारं समागताः । ऋषिस्तत्र तु मांडव्यस्तपस्तपति नित्यशः

nirīkṣyamāṇāste sarve haridvāraṁ samāgatāḥ ṛṣistatra tu māṁḍavyastapastapati nityaśaḥ

'Searching all about, they all arrived at Haridvara. There the sage Mandavya was ever engaged in austerity.'

Verse 23 (padma.6.141.23)

ध्यानेन च समायुक्तो दृष्टोऽसौ तैर्भटैस्तदा । अयं चौरः सदा पापी ध्यानं कृत्वा प्रतिष्ठति

dhyānena ca samāyukto dṛṣṭo'sau tairbhaṭaistadā ayaṁ cauraḥ sadā pāpī dhyānaṁ kṛtvā pratiṣṭhati

'The soldiers then saw that sage, absorbed in meditation, and thought: This is the eternally sinful thief, sitting here under the pretense of meditation.'

Verse 24 (padma.6.141.24)

बद्ध्वाश्वं तु समायातो ज्ञात्वा राजभटैस्तदा । एवं विचार्य ते सर्वे गृहीत्वा तं महामुनिम्

baddhvāśvaṁ tu samāyāto jñātvā rājabhaṭaistadā evaṁ vicārya te sarve gṛhītvā taṁ mahāmunim

'Believing, then, that he had come there after tethering the horse, the king's soldiers, having reasoned thus, seized that great sage.'

Verse 25 (padma.6.141.25)

राज्ञे निवेदयामासुस्तं चौरं मुनिसत्तमम् । अश्वापहारी ह्यानीतश्चौरोऽयं नृप सर्वदा

rājñe nivedayāmāsustaṁ cauraṁ munisattamam aśvāpahārī hyānītaścauro'yaṁ nṛpa sarvadā

'They brought that foremost of sages before the king as a thief: O king, we have brought this perpetual thief, the one who stole the horse.'

Verse 26 (padma.6.141.26)

आज्ञा दत्ता तदा तेन शूलिकारोपणे पुनः । तदा तैस्तुभटैः सर्वैर्मिलित्वा बंधनं कृतम्

ājñā dattā tadā tena śūlikāropaṇe punaḥ tadā taistubhaṭaiḥ sarvairmilitvā baṁdhanaṁ kṛtam

'Then he gave the order that the sage be impaled upon a stake. Then all those soldiers together bound him.'

Verse 27 (padma.6.141.27)

पश्चाद्वै शूलिकाप्रोतस्तत्क्षणात्तु कृतस्तदा । न ज्ञातं तेन तत्कर्म शूलिकायाः प्रतोदनम्

paścādvai śūlikāprotastatkṣaṇāttu kṛtastadā na jñātaṁ tena tatkarma śūlikāyāḥ pratodanam

'Afterward, that very instant, he was impaled upon the stake. He did not even notice the piercing of the stake.'

Verse 28 (padma.6.141.28)

यतो योगसमारूढो विष्णुध्यानपरायणः । शूलिकाप्रोतनं ज्ञातं कतिचित्कालयोगतः

yato yogasamārūḍho viṣṇudhyānaparāyaṇaḥ śūlikāprotanaṁ jñātaṁ katicitkālayogataḥ

'For he was absorbed in yoga, wholly devoted to meditation upon Vishnu. Only after some time had passed did he become aware of his impalement.'

Verse 29 (padma.6.141.29)

मांडव्योऽहंमृषिश्रेष्ठः केन कर्म इदं कृतम् । त्रिकालज्ञानी सर्वज्ञो भगवांस्तद्व्यचिंतयत्

māṁḍavyo'haṁmṛṣiśreṣṭhaḥ kena karma idaṁ kṛtam trikālajñānī sarvajño bhagavāṁstadvyaciṁtayat

'I am Mandavya, foremost of sages — who has done this deed to me?' He, knower of the three times, all-knowing, that blessed one, pondered upon it.

Verse 30 (padma.6.141.30)

धर्मस्य च इदं कर्म न चान्यस्य कदाचन । योगारूढः स धर्मात्मा गतोऽसौ धर्मसंनिधौ

dharmasya ca idaṁ karma na cānyasya kadācana yogārūḍhaḥ sa dharmātmā gato'sau dharmasaṁnidhau

He perceived that this deed was the doing of Dharma himself, and never of anyone else. That righteous soul, established in yoga, then went into the presence of Dharma.

Verse 31 (padma.6.141.31)

तत्र गत्वा उवाचेदं शृणु त्वं धर्म सांप्रतम् । त्वं वै धर्म इति ख्यातो लोके वेदे च सर्वदा

tatra gatvā uvācedaṁ śṛṇu tvaṁ dharma sāṁpratam tvaṁ vai dharma iti khyāto loke vede ca sarvadā

Going there, he spoke thus: 'Listen now to me, O Dharma. You alone are ever renowned, both in this world and in the Veda, by the name of Dharma.'

Verse 32 (padma.6.141.32)

शूलिकाप्रोतनं कर्म कथं चैव त्वया कृतम् । तत्सर्वं श्रोतुमिच्छामि त्वत्तो देव न संशयः

śūlikāprotanaṁ karma kathaṁ caiva tvayā kṛtam tatsarvaṁ śrotumicchāmi tvatto deva na saṁśayaḥ

'How, indeed, did you come to bring about this deed of my impalement upon the stake? O god, I wish to hear all of it from you, without doubt.'

Verse 33 (padma.6.141.33)

धर्म उवाच। शृणुष्व त्वं द्विजश्रेष्ठ पूर्वजन्मनि पातकम् । तदहं कथयिष्यामि कृपां कुरु ममोपरि

dharma uvāca śṛṇuṣva tvaṁ dvijaśreṣṭha pūrvajanmani pātakam tadahaṁ kathayiṣyāmi kṛpāṁ kuru mamopari

Dharma said: 'Listen, O foremost of the twice-born — this is a sin from your former birth; that I shall tell you. Show grace to me.'

Verse 34 (padma.6.141.34)

बालत्वे तु इदं कर्म पूर्वजन्मजपातकम् । तच्छृणुष्व महाप्राज्ञ भवेऽस्मिन्पातनं कृतम्

bālatve tu idaṁ karma pūrvajanmajapātakam tacchṛṇuṣva mahāprājña bhave'sminpātanaṁ kṛtam

'This deed came about in your childhood, from a sin committed in a former birth. Hear it, O most wise one — in this very birth, the fall it caused was inflicted.'

Verse 35 (padma.6.141.35)

एकस्मिन्समये विप्र त्वं गतो विजने वने । तत्र गत्वा त्वया विप्र जीवः शलभसंज्ञकः

ekasminsamaye vipra tvaṁ gato vijane vane tatra gatvā tvayā vipra jīvaḥ śalabhasaṁjñakaḥ

'O brahmin, once you went into a lonely forest. Going there, O brahmin, you took a living creature called a locust —'

Verse 36 (padma.6.141.36)

आरोऽपितः स वै शूल्यां कर्मणा तेन दुःखितः । राज्ञा शूलेऽर्पितस्त्वं वै कर्मणानेन सुव्रत

āro'pitaḥ sa vai śūlyāṁ karmaṇā tena duḥkhitaḥ rājñā śūle'rpitastvaṁ vai karmaṇānena suvrata

'and impaled it upon a thorn — because of that very deed, you now suffer. O keeper of good vows, because of that very deed you were impaled by the king upon the stake.'

Verse 37 (padma.6.141.37)

सर्वथैव प्रभोक्तव्यं कृतं कर्म शुभाशुभम् । अल्पमात्रमिदं कर्म त्वया भुक्तं न संशयः

sarvathaiva prabhoktavyaṁ kṛtaṁ karma śubhāśubham alpamātramidaṁ karma tvayā bhuktaṁ na saṁśayaḥ

'In every case, the deed done, whether good or evil, must certainly be experienced. You have experienced only a very small part of the fruit of this deed, without doubt.'

Verse 38 (padma.6.141.38)

सुखी भवतु विप्रेंद्र गच्छ त्वं हि यथेच्छया । एतद्वाक्यं ततः श्रुत्वा मांडव्यो द्विजसत्तमः

sukhī bhavatu vipreṁdra gaccha tvaṁ hi yathecchayā etadvākyaṁ tataḥ śrutvā māṁḍavyo dvijasattamaḥ

'Be happy, O foremost of brahmins — go as you please.' Hearing this word, Mandavya, foremost of the twice-born,

Verse 39 (padma.6.141.39)

उवाच वचनं तत्र सकोपादारुणेक्षणः । मांडव्य उवाच। रे पापिष्ठ दुराचार किं कृतं बहुपातकम्

uvāca vacanaṁ tatra sakopādāruṇekṣaṇaḥ māṁḍavya uvāca re pāpiṣṭha durācāra kiṁ kṛtaṁ bahupātakam

spoke there, his eyes red with anger. Mandavya said: 'O most sinful, evil-conducted one, what a great sin you have committed!'

Verse 40 (padma.6.141.40)

येन कृत्वा इदं कर्म शूलिकायाः प्रतोदनम् । ममवाक्यप्रकोपेन शूद्रस्त्वं भव सर्वथा

yena kṛtvā idaṁ karma śūlikāyāḥ pratodanam mamavākyaprakopena śūdrastvaṁ bhava sarvathā

'Since you have done this deed of impalement upon the stake, by the force of my angry word, become a shudra forever, in every respect.'

Verse 41 (padma.6.141.41)

कियता कालयोगेन वंशे वै चंद्रसंज्ञके । जातो विदुरनामाख्यो विष्णुभक्तिपरायणः

kiyatā kālayogena vaṁśe vai caṁdrasaṁjñake jāto viduranāmākhyo viṣṇubhaktiparāyaṇaḥ

'After some span of time had passed, in the lunar dynasty was born one named Vidura, wholly devoted to devotion to Vishnu.'

Verse 42 (padma.6.141.42)

तीर्थयात्रामिषेणैव गतः साभ्रमतीं नदीम् । यत्र धर्मावती संगो वर्त्तते च सुरेश्वरि

tīrthayātrāmiṣeṇaiva gataḥ sābhramatīṁ nadīm yatra dharmāvatī saṁgo varttate ca sureśvari

'On the pretext of a pilgrimage, he went to the river Sabarmati, O queen of gods, where the confluence with the Dharmavati lies.'

Verse 43 (padma.6.141.43)

तत्र वै कृतवान्स्नानं विदुरो धर्मरूपवान् । त्यक्तं तत्र हि शूद्रत्वं धर्मावत्यां न संशयः

tatra vai kṛtavānsnānaṁ viduro dharmarūpavān tyaktaṁ tatra hi śūdratvaṁ dharmāvatyāṁ na saṁśayaḥ

'There Vidura, who was Dharma himself in form, bathed. He shed his condition as a shudra there, in the Dharmavati, without doubt.'

Verse 44 (padma.6.141.44)

एतस्मात्कारणाद्देवि यत्र स्नानं प्रकुर्वते । ते नराः पुण्यकर्माणो गच्छंति परमं पदम्

etasmātkāraṇāddevi yatra snānaṁ prakurvate te narāḥ puṇyakarmāṇo gacchaṁti paramaṁ padam

'For this very reason, O goddess, those who bathe there, men of meritorious deeds, attain the supreme state.'

Verse 45 (padma.6.141.45)

अत्र श्राद्धं च दानं च ये कुर्वंति नरा भुवि । इहलोके परामृद्धिं प्राप्य तैर्दिविमुद्यते

atra śrāddhaṁ ca dānaṁ ca ye kurvaṁti narā bhuvi ihaloke parāmṛddhiṁ prāpya tairdivimudyate

'Men on this earth who perform shraddha and give charity there, having attained supreme prosperity in this world, rise thereby to heaven.'