The Glory of Saptadhara-tirtha

Verse 1 (padma.6.143.1)

एकधारं ततो गच्छेत्तीर्थं परमपावनम् । एकधारे नरः स्नात्वा एकरात्रमुपोषितः

ekadhāraṁ tato gacchettīrthaṁ paramapāvanam ekadhāre naraḥ snātvā ekarātramupoṣitaḥ

'After this one should go to the most sacred ford named Ekadhara. Bathing at Ekadhara, fasting for one night,'

Verse 2 (padma.6.143.2)

अर्चयन्स्वामिदेवेशं कुलानां तारयेच्छतम् । स्वामितीर्थसमं ज्ञेयं यत्र तीर्थेऽवगाहनम्

arcayansvāmideveśaṁ kulānāṁ tārayecchatam svāmitīrthasamaṁ jñeyaṁ yatra tīrthe'vagāhanam

'and worshipping the divine lord Svami, a man delivers a hundred generations of his lineage. This ford should be known as equal to Svamitirtha, where immersing oneself —'

Verse 3 (padma.6.143.3)

रुद्रलोके नरो गच्छेत्तीर्थस्यास्य प्रभावतः । यत्र स्नात्वा च पीत्वा च ब्रह्मलोके च गच्छति

rudraloke naro gacchettīrthasyāsya prabhāvataḥ yatra snātvā ca pītvā ca brahmaloke ca gacchati

'a man attains the world of Rudra through the power of this ford. Bathing there and drinking of its water, one attains even the world of Brahma.'

Verse 4 (padma.6.143.4)

त्रैलोक्ये पुण्यकर्माणस्तटेऽस्मिन्संवसंति हि

trailokye puṇyakarmāṇastaṭe'sminsaṁvasaṁti hi

'Men of meritorious deeds from all three worlds dwell truly upon this bank.'

Verse 5 (padma.6.143.5)

न भयं विद्यते तेषां खड्गधारादिकं च यत् । सत्सर्वमाशु नश्येत तीर्थे ह्येकप्रधारके

na bhayaṁ vidyate teṣāṁ khaḍgadhārādikaṁ ca yat satsarvamāśu naśyeta tīrthe hyekapradhārake

'They have no fear of the sword's edge or the like. At this ford of Ekadhara, every sin is swiftly destroyed.'

Verse 6 (padma.6.143.6)

इति एकधारतीर्थवर्णनम् । सप्तधारं ततो गच्छेत्तीर्थानां तीर्थमुत्तमम् । सप्तसारस्वतं नाम यत्कृते मुनिभिः कृतम्

iti ekadhāratīrthavarṇanam saptadhāraṁ tato gacchettīrthānāṁ tīrthamuttamam saptasārasvataṁ nāma yatkṛte munibhiḥ kṛtam

Thus is Ekadhara-tirtha described. After this one should go to Saptadhara, the most excellent among sacred fords, called Saptasarasvata, made so by the sages.

Verse 7 (padma.6.143.7)

त्रेतायुगे मंकितीर्थं कृतं मंकि महर्षिणा । द्वापरे पांडुपुत्रैस्तु सप्तधारं प्रवर्तितम्

tretāyuge maṁkitīrthaṁ kṛtaṁ maṁki maharṣiṇā dvāpare pāṁḍuputraistu saptadhāraṁ pravartitam

'In the Treta age, the great sage Manki fashioned Mankitirtha. In the Dvapara age, the sons of Pandu brought forth Saptadhara.'

Verse 8 (padma.6.143.8)

सप्तधारकतां प्राप्तं तीर्थं हरजटा च्युतम् । सप्तरूपाणि गंगाया यामि लोकेषु सप्तसु

saptadhārakatāṁ prāptaṁ tīrthaṁ harajaṭā cyutam saptarūpāṇi gaṁgāyā yāmi lokeṣu saptasu

'The Ganga, fallen from Hara's matted locks, attained the state of sevenfold streams there. The Ganga's seven forms travel through the seven worlds.'

Verse 9 (padma.6.143.9)

वहंति तानि पुण्यानि तीर्थेऽस्मिन्सप्तधारके । सप्तधारे कृतं श्राद्धं पितॄणां तृप्तिदायकम्

vahaṁti tāni puṇyāni tīrthe'sminsaptadhārake saptadhāre kṛtaṁ śrāddhaṁ pitṝṇāṁ tṛptidāyakam

'Those seven meritorious streams flow at this ford of Saptadhara. Shraddha performed at Saptadhara bestows satisfaction upon the ancestors.'

Verse 10 (padma.6.143.10)

शृणु देवि प्रवक्ष्यामि इतिहासं पुरातनम् । यच्छ्रुत्वा देवदेवेशि ब्रह्मलोकं व्रजेद्ध्रुवम्

śṛṇu devi pravakṣyāmi itihāsaṁ purātanam yacchrutvā devadeveśi brahmalokaṁ vrajeddhruvam

'Listen, O goddess, I shall tell an ancient history. O queen of the gods of gods, hearing which one certainly attains the world of Brahma.'

Verse 11 (padma.6.143.11)

कौषीतकस्य पुत्रो वै मंकि नामेति विश्रुतः । विष्णुध्यानरतो नित्यं विष्णुलोकप्रपूजकः

kauṣītakasya putro vai maṁki nāmeti viśrutaḥ viṣṇudhyānarato nityaṁ viṣṇulokaprapūjakaḥ

'The son of Kaushitaka was renowned by the name Manki; he was ever absorbed in meditation on Vishnu, a devoted worshipper of Vishnu's realm.'

Verse 12 (padma.6.143.12)

वेदाध्ययनकर्ता च अग्निहोत्रपरायणः । सुरूपा विश्वरूपेति स्त्रियौ द्वेस्तस्तु तद्गृहे

vedādhyayanakartā ca agnihotraparāyaṇaḥ surūpā viśvarūpeti striyau dvestastu tadgṛhe

'He was a student of the Veda, devoted to the fire-offering. Two wives, named Surupa and Vishvarupa, dwelt in his household.'

Verse 13 (padma.6.143.13)

ताभ्यां पुत्रविहीनाभ्यां दृष्ट्वा देविविशंकितः । किंकर्तव्यमिति ध्यायन्नति चिंतापरोऽभवत्

tābhyāṁ putravihīnābhyāṁ dṛṣṭvā deviviśaṁkitaḥ kiṁkartavyamiti dhyāyannati ciṁtāparo'bhavat

'Seeing that both were without a son, O goddess, he grew greatly apprehensive; thinking what is to be done now, he became exceedingly anxious.'

Verse 14 (padma.6.143.14)

स्थिरो वंशस्तु पुत्रेण ह्यन्यथा नरकं व्रजेत् । एवं चिंतां प्रकुर्वाणो न सुखं लभते क्वचित्

sthiro vaṁśastu putreṇa hyanyathā narakaṁ vrajet evaṁ ciṁtāṁ prakurvāṇo na sukhaṁ labhate kvacit

'It is only through a son that a lineage stands firm; otherwise, one goes to hell — troubled by this thought, he found happiness nowhere.'

Verse 15 (padma.6.143.15)

तदा स्वगृहमुत्सृज्य गतो वै गुरुसन्निधौ । नमो वै गुरुवे तुभ्यं देवानामुपकारिणे

tadā svagṛhamutsṛjya gato vai gurusannidhau namo vai guruve tubhyaṁ devānāmupakāriṇe

'Then, leaving his own home, he went to the presence of his teacher: Salutations to you, O teacher, benefactor even of the gods —'

Verse 16 (padma.6.143.16)

त्वं नाथः सर्वलोकानां ब्राह्मणानां च रक्षकः । यज्ञानां त्वं प्रकर्त्ता च द्विजराज नमोस्तु ते

tvaṁ nāthaḥ sarvalokānāṁ brāhmaṇānāṁ ca rakṣakaḥ yajñānāṁ tvaṁ prakarttā ca dvijarāja namostu te

'You are lord of all the worlds, protector of brahmins; you alone are the performer of sacrifices — O king of the twice-born, salutations to you.'

Verse 17 (padma.6.143.17)

अपुत्रोऽहं तु विप्रर्षे किं कर्त्तव्यमिति प्रभो । वद त्वं तु यथा सर्वं पुत्रो भवति निश्चितम्

aputro'haṁ tu viprarṣe kiṁ karttavyamiti prabho vada tvaṁ tu yathā sarvaṁ putro bhavati niścitam

'O sage among brahmins, I am without a son — O lord, tell me what is to be done, so that a son may certainly be obtained.'

Verse 18 (padma.6.143.18)

अपुत्रस्य गतिर्नास्ति स्वर्गे नैव च नैव च । येनकेनाप्युपायेन पुत्रस्य जननं चरेत्

aputrasya gatirnāsti svarge naiva ca naiva ca yenakenāpyupāyena putrasya jananaṁ caret

'One without a son has no passage to heaven, none at all — by whatever means, let the birth of a son be brought about.'

Verse 19 (padma.6.143.19)

इति वाक्यं तु संस्मर्य्य ह्यागतस्तव सन्निधौ

iti vākyaṁ tu saṁsmaryya hyāgatastava sannidhau

'Recalling these words, he came into your presence.'

Verse 20 (padma.6.143.20)

गुरुरुवाच। गच्छ त्वं मुनिशार्दूल यत्र साभ्रमती नदी । तत्र गत्वा मुनिश्रेष्ठ पुत्रान्वै प्राप्स्यसे ध्रुवम्

gururuvāca gaccha tvaṁ muniśārdūla yatra sābhramatī nadī tatra gatvā muniśreṣṭha putrānvai prāpsyase dhruvam

The teacher said: 'Go, O tiger among sages, to where the river Sabarmati flows. Going there, O foremost of sages, you shall certainly obtain sons.'

Verse 21 (padma.6.143.21)

तद्वाक्यं तु समाकर्ण्य नमस्कृत्वा तु दंडवत् । स गतो विप्रराजस्तु नदीं साभ्रमतीं प्रति

tadvākyaṁ tu samākarṇya namaskṛtvā tu daṁḍavat sa gato viprarājastu nadīṁ sābhramatīṁ prati

Hearing these words, and prostrating in salutation, that foremost of brahmins departed toward the river Sabarmati.

Verse 22 (padma.6.143.22)

मंकिनामा तु विप्रर्षिस्तत्र गत्वा तपो महत् । अतप्यत तदा देवि यावद्वर्षचतुष्टयम्

maṁkināmā tu viprarṣistatra gatvā tapo mahat atapyata tadā devi yāvadvarṣacatuṣṭayam

The brahmin-sage named Manki, having gone there, undertook a great austerity. O goddess, he performed austerity there for a span of four years.

Verse 23 (padma.6.143.23)

यत्र तीर्थं कृतं तेन मंकिना ब्रह्मवादिना । त्रेतायुगे तदा देवि तदा तीर्थं महाद्भुतम्

yatra tīrthaṁ kṛtaṁ tena maṁkinā brahmavādinā tretāyuge tadā devi tadā tīrthaṁ mahādbhutam

There, where that ford was fashioned by Manki, the expounder of Brahman — O goddess, in the Treta age that ford then became exceedingly wondrous.

Verse 24 (padma.6.143.24)

जातं तत्र न संदेहः पुत्रदं सार्वकामिकम् । अद्यापि मंकितीर्थाभं न भूतं न भविष्यति

jātaṁ tatra na saṁdehaḥ putradaṁ sārvakāmikam adyāpi maṁkitīrthābhaṁ na bhūtaṁ na bhaviṣyati

It became a bestower of sons and a fulfiller of every desire, of this there is no doubt. Nothing like Mankitirtha has ever existed until now, nor shall it exist hereafter.

Verse 25 (padma.6.143.25)

स वै द्विजवरो मंकिः पुत्रान्प्राप्य यथासुखम् । भोगान्नानाविधान्भुक्त्वा स गतो मंदिरं मम

sa vai dvijavaro maṁkiḥ putrānprāpya yathāsukham bhogānnānāvidhānbhuktvā sa gato maṁdiraṁ mama

That excellent brahmin Manki, having obtained sons, lived happily; and having enjoyed manifold pleasures, he departed for my own abode.

Verse 26 (padma.6.143.26)

एतदाख्यानकं दिव्यं पवित्रं परमं महत् । पुत्रसौख्यादिकं सर्वं लभते श्रवणादतः

etadākhyānakaṁ divyaṁ pavitraṁ paramaṁ mahat putrasaukhyādikaṁ sarvaṁ labhate śravaṇādataḥ

This is a divine, sacred, and supremely great account. By merely hearing it, a man obtains happiness of children and everything else besides.