The Glory of Haridwar

Verse 1 (padma.6.20.1)

श्रीमहादेवउवाच ।हरिद्वारं महापुण्यं शृणु देवर्षिसत्तम । यत्र गंगा वहत्येव तत्रोक्तं तीर्थमुत्तमम्

śrīmahādevauvāca haridvāraṁ mahāpuṇyaṁ śṛṇu devarṣisattama yatra gaṁgā vahatyeva tatroktaṁ tīrthamuttamam

Shri Mahadeva said: Listen, O best of divine sages, to Haridwar, of great merit; where the Ganga flows, there this finest tirtha is declared.

Verse 2 (padma.6.20.2)

यत्र देवा वसंतीह ऋषयो मनवस्तथा । यत्र देवः स्वयं साक्षात्केशवो नित्यमाश्रितः

yatra devā vasaṁtīha ṛṣayo manavastathā yatra devaḥ svayaṁ sākṣātkeśavo nityamāśritaḥ

Where the gods, the sages, and the Manus dwell too; where the god Keshava himself, in person, ever abides.

Verse 3 (padma.6.20.3)

पुरा पूर्वं तु भो वत्स तीर्थं जातं महत्तदा । यस्य दर्शनमात्रेण दूरतो याति पातकम्

purā pūrvaṁ tu bho vatsa tīrthaṁ jātaṁ mahattadā yasya darśanamātreṇa dūrato yāti pātakam

Long ago, my child, that great tirtha came into being there; by the mere sight of it, sin flees far away.

Verse 4 (padma.6.20.4)

यत्र गंगा महारम्या जाता पुण्य विशेषतः । विष्णुपादोदकी जाता तच्चरणस्पर्शनात्ततः

yatra gaṁgā mahāramyā jātā puṇya viśeṣataḥ viṣṇupādodakī jātā taccaraṇasparśanāttataḥ

Where the great, lovely Ganga arose, especially meritorious, becoming, through the touch of Vishnu's own feet, the very water that washed his feet.

Verse 5 (padma.6.20.5)

भगीरथेन भो विद्वन्नानीता तत्र मार्गतः । उद्धारः पूर्वजानां तु कृतस्तेन महात्मना

bhagīrathena bho vidvannānītā tatra mārgataḥ uddhāraḥ pūrvajānāṁ tu kṛtastena mahātmanā

O learned one, it was brought there along its course by Bhagiratha; that great soul accomplished the deliverance of his ancestors.

Verse 6 (padma.6.20.6)

नारदउवाच ।कोऽयं देव समाख्यातो भगीरथ महातपाः । येन तीर्थं समानीतं लोकानां हितकारणात्

nāradauvāca ko'yaṁ deva samākhyāto bhagīratha mahātapāḥ yena tīrthaṁ samānītaṁ lokānāṁ hitakāraṇāt

Narada said: O God, who was this Bhagiratha of great austerity, by whom the tirtha was brought here for the welfare of the worlds?

Verse 7 (padma.6.20.7)

गंगातीर्थं महत्पुण्यं सर्वपापप्रणाशनम् । लोकाः सर्वे वदंत्येवमेतत्तीर्थोत्तमोत्तमम्

gaṁgātīrthaṁ mahatpuṇyaṁ sarvapāpapraṇāśanam lokāḥ sarve vadaṁtyevametattīrthottamottamam

The Ganga-tirtha is of great merit, destroying all sin; all people speak of it as the very best among the best of tirthas.

Verse 8 (padma.6.20.8)

गंगागंगेति यो ब्रूयाद्योजनानां शतैरपि । मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यो विष्णुलोकं स गच्छति

gaṁgāgaṁgeti yo brūyādyojanānāṁ śatairapi mucyate sarvapāpebhyo viṣṇulokaṁ sa gacchati

Whoever utters 'Ganga, Ganga' even from a hundred yojanas away is freed from all sins and goes to the world of Vishnu.

Verse 9 (padma.6.20.9)

कथं तेन समानीता किं कार्यं वद सुव्रत । महादेव उवाच ।येन गंगा यथानीता गंगाद्वारेऽतिशोभने

kathaṁ tena samānītā kiṁ kāryaṁ vada suvrata mahādeva uvāca yena gaṁgā yathānītā gaṁgādvāre'tiśobhane

'How was it brought by him, and for what purpose, tell me, O virtuous one.' Mahadeva said: 'How the Ganga was brought to the most beautiful Gangadvara —

Verse 10 (padma.6.20.10)

तत्सर्वं संप्रवक्ष्यामि क्रमानुक्रमयोगतः । पूर्वमासीद्धरिश्चंद्रस्त्रैलोक्ये सत्यपालकः

tatsarvaṁ saṁpravakṣyāmi kramānukramayogataḥ pūrvamāsīddhariścaṁdrastrailokye satyapālakaḥ

'all that I shall tell in due order. Long ago there was Harishchandra, protector of truth in the three worlds.

Verse 11 (padma.6.20.11)

रोहितस्तस्यपुत्रोऽभूदेको विष्णुपरायणः । तस्यापि च वृकः पुत्रो धर्मिष्ठः सत्पथिस्थितः

rohitastasyaputro'bhūdeko viṣṇuparāyaṇaḥ tasyāpi ca vṛkaḥ putro dharmiṣṭhaḥ satpathisthitaḥ

His son was Rohita, wholly devoted to Vishnu; his son too was Vrika, righteous and established on the good path.

Verse 12 (padma.6.20.12)

तस्य पुत्रः सुबाहुश्च जातोस्मिन्वै कुले तदा । तस्य पुत्रो गरो नाम नात्यंतं धार्मिकोऽभवत्

tasya putraḥ subāhuśca jātosminvai kule tadā tasya putro garo nāma nātyaṁtaṁ dhārmiko'bhavat

His son Subahu was born in that same lineage; his son, named Gara, was not exceedingly righteous.

Verse 13 (padma.6.20.13)

कदाचित्कालयोगेन दुःखी जातोऽत्र कारणात् । राजा तु तत्र देशेन तर्जितो धर्मकारणात्

kadācitkālayogena duḥkhī jāto'tra kāraṇāt rājā tu tatra deśena tarjito dharmakāraṇāt

Once, by the working of time and for some reason, he became distressed; that king was reproached by his own country for the sake of dharma.

Verse 14 (padma.6.20.14)

स्वकुटुंबं गृहीत्वा तु गतोऽसौ भार्गवाश्रमे । रक्षितो भार्गवेणाथ कृपया तत्र वै तदा

svakuṭuṁbaṁ gṛhītvā tu gato'sau bhārgavāśrame rakṣito bhārgaveṇātha kṛpayā tatra vai tadā

Taking his family, he went to Bhargava's hermitage; Bhargava there protected him out of compassion.

Verse 15 (padma.6.20.15)

तत्र पुत्रो ह्यभूत्तस्य सगरो नाम वै द्विज । ववृधे चाश्रमे पुण्ये भार्गवेणाभिरक्षितः

tatra putro hyabhūttasya sagaro nāma vai dvija vavṛdhe cāśrame puṇye bhārgaveṇābhirakṣitaḥ

O twice-born, there a son was born to him, named Sagara; protected by Bhargava, he grew up in that sacred hermitage.

Verse 16 (padma.6.20.16)

उपवीतादिकं सर्वं क्षत्रियस्य तदा कृतम् । शस्त्राणां च तथाभ्यासो वेदानां तु तथैव च

upavītādikaṁ sarvaṁ kṣatriyasya tadā kṛtam śastrāṇāṁ ca tathābhyāso vedānāṁ tu tathaiva ca

All the investiture and other rites proper to a kshatriya were performed for him there; and the practice of weapons, and of the Vedas as well.

Verse 17 (padma.6.20.17)

आग्नेयास्त्रं ततो लब्ध्वा भार्गवात्सगरो नृपः । जघान पृथिवीं गत्वा तालजंघान्सहैहयान्

āgneyāstraṁ tato labdhvā bhārgavātsagaro nṛpaḥ jaghāna pṛthivīṁ gatvā tālajaṁghānsahaihayān

Then, having obtained the Agni-astra from Bhargava, King Sagara went upon the earth and struck down the Talajanghas together with the Haihayas,

Verse 18 (padma.6.20.18)

सशकान् पारदांश्चैव जघान स महातपाः । नारद उवाच ।माहात्म्यं सगरस्याथ वद शंकर विस्तरात्

saśakān pāradāṁścaiva jaghāna sa mahātapāḥ nārada uvāca māhātmyaṁ sagarasyātha vada śaṁkara vistarāt

and the Shakas and the Paradas too, that great ascetic king slew. Narada said: O Shankara, now tell the glory of Sagara in full.

Verse 19 (padma.6.20.19)

महादेव उवाच ।सूर्यवंशी महाराजो विख्यातः स महाबली । गरस्य व्यसने तात हृतं राज्यमभूत्किल

mahādeva uvāca sūryavaṁśī mahārājo vikhyātaḥ sa mahābalī garasya vyasane tāta hṛtaṁ rājyamabhūtkila

Mahadeva said: That great king of the Solar dynasty was mighty and renowned; my son, during Gara's misfortune, his kingdom had been seized —

Verse 20 (padma.6.20.20)

हैहयैस्तालजंघाद्यैः शकैः सार्द्धं च नारद । यवनाः पारदाश्चैव कांबोजाः पह्लवास्तथा

haihayaistālajaṁghādyaiḥ śakaiḥ sārddhaṁ ca nārada yavanāḥ pāradāścaiva kāṁbojāḥ pahlavāstathā

O Narada, by the Haihayas headed by the Talajanghas, together with the Shakas, the Yavanas, the Paradas, the Kambojas, and the Pahlavas as well.

Verse 21 (padma.6.20.21)

एते पंचगणा ब्रह्मन्हैहयार्थे पराक्रमान् । हृतराज्यस्ततो राजा सगरोऽथ वनं ययौ

ete paṁcagaṇā brahmanhaihayārthe parākramān hṛtarājyastato rājā sagaro'tha vanaṁ yayau

O brahmin, these five mighty clans fought on the side of the Haihayas; his kingdom seized, King Sagara then went to the forest.

Verse 22 (padma.6.20.22)

पत्न्याचानुगतो दुःखी स वै प्राणानवासृजत् । तस्य पत्नी तु कल्याणी सगर्भा च व्रतान्विता

patnyācānugato duḥkhī sa vai prāṇānavāsṛjat tasya patnī tu kalyāṇī sagarbhā ca vratānvitā

Followed by his grief-stricken wife, he gave up his life; his wife, auspicious, was pregnant and devoted to her vows.

Verse 23 (padma.6.20.23)

सपत्न्या भार्गवस्तस्य वृतः पूर्वं सुतेप्सया । सा तु भर्तृचितां कृत्वा वने तं प्ररुरोद ह

sapatnyā bhārgavastasya vṛtaḥ pūrvaṁ sutepsayā sā tu bhartṛcitāṁ kṛtvā vane taṁ praruroda ha

Bhargava had earlier, together with her co-wife, sought a boon of a son for her sake. Having built her husband's pyre, she wept there with him.

Verse 24 (padma.6.20.24)

और्वस्तां वारयित्वा च गरपत्नीं तु नारद । न्यवेदयत तत्पुत्रं धर्मिष्ठं सात्विकं प्रियम्

aurvastāṁ vārayitvā ca garapatnīṁ tu nārada nyavedayata tatputraṁ dharmiṣṭhaṁ sātvikaṁ priyam

O Narada, Aurva, restraining Gara's wife, informed her of her son, who was righteous, virtuous, and dear.

Verse 25 (padma.6.20.25)

निवेदिते ततो बाले मरणात्सा न्यवर्त्तत । ततो मासद्वये जाते ववर्द्धौर्वस्य चाश्रमे

nivedite tato bāle maraṇātsā nyavarttata tato māsadvaye jāte vavarddhaurvasya cāśrame

Being told of the child, she turned back from death. Then, after two months had passed, he grew up in Aurva's hermitage.

Verse 26 (padma.6.20.26)

जातकर्मादियोगश्च और्वेण च तथा कृतः । उपवीतादिकं सर्वं जातं तत्र महामुनेः

jātakarmādiyogaśca aurveṇa ca tathā kṛtaḥ upavītādikaṁ sarvaṁ jātaṁ tatra mahāmuneḥ

The birth-rites and other ceremonies were performed by Aurva; the investiture and all other rites were completed there by that great sage.

Verse 27 (padma.6.20.27)

तत्र वेदादिकं सर्वं पठितं चौर्वयोगतः । अध्याप्य वेदशास्त्राणि ततोऽस्त्रं प्रत्यपादयत्

tatra vedādikaṁ sarvaṁ paṭhitaṁ caurvayogataḥ adhyāpya vedaśāstrāṇi tato'straṁ pratyapādayat

There, through Aurva's teaching, he studied all the Vedas; having taught him the Vedas and scriptures, he then imparted to him weapon-lore too,

Verse 28 (padma.6.20.28)

आग्नेयं तं महाभाग अमरैरपि दुःसहम् । स तेनासुबलेनाजौ बलेन च समन्वितः

āgneyaṁ taṁ mahābhāga amarairapi duḥsaham sa tenāsubalenājau balena ca samanvitaḥ

O great one, the Agni-astra, unbearable even for the gods. In that battle, armed with that immeasurably powerful weapon and his own might,

Verse 29 (padma.6.20.29)

हैहयान्वै जघानाशु संक्रुद्धः स्वबलेन च । आजहार च लोकेषु स च कीर्तिमवाप सः

haihayānvai jaghānāśu saṁkruddhaḥ svabalena ca ājahāra ca lokeṣu sa ca kīrtimavāpa saḥ

he, in great fury, swiftly struck down the Haihayas with his own strength; and he attained renown throughout the worlds.

Verse 30 (padma.6.20.30)

ततः शकाः सयवनाः कांबोजाः पल्लवास्तथा । हन्यमानास्तदा ते तु वसिष्ठं शरणं ययुः

tataḥ śakāḥ sayavanāḥ kāṁbojāḥ pallavāstathā hanyamānāstadā te tu vasiṣṭhaṁ śaraṇaṁ yayuḥ

Then the Shakas, together with the Yavanas, the Kambojas, and the Pahlavas, being struck down, went for refuge to Vasishtha.

Verse 31 (padma.6.20.31)

वसिष्ठोऽपि च तान्कृत्वा समयेन महाद्युतिः । सगरं वारयामास तेषां दत्त्वाऽभयं नृपः

vasiṣṭho'pi ca tānkṛtvā samayena mahādyutiḥ sagaraṁ vārayāmāsa teṣāṁ dattvā'bhayaṁ nṛpaḥ

That most radiant Vasishtha, having made a pact with them and granted them safety, restrained King Sagara.

Verse 32 (padma.6.20.32)

सगरः स्वां प्रतिज्ञांतु गुरोर्वाक्यं निशम्य च । धर्मैर्जघान तांश्चैषां विकृतत्वं चकार ह

sagaraḥ svāṁ pratijñāṁtu gurorvākyaṁ niśamya ca dharmairjaghāna tāṁścaiṣāṁ vikṛtatvaṁ cakāra ha

Sagara, keeping both his own vow and his guru's word, refrained from killing them by dharma, and disfigured them instead.

Verse 33 (padma.6.20.33)

अर्द्धंशकनांशिरसो मुंडं कृत्वा विसर्जयत् । यवनानां शिरः सर्वं कांबोजानां तथैव च

arddhaṁśakanāṁśiraso muṁḍaṁ kṛtvā visarjayat yavanānāṁ śiraḥ sarvaṁ kāṁbojānāṁ tathaiva ca

Shaving half the heads of the Shakas, he set them free; the whole heads of the Yavanas, and of the Kambojas likewise,

Verse 34 (padma.6.20.34)

पारदा मुंडकेशाश्च पल्ल्वाः श्मश्रुरक्षकाः । एवं विजित्य सर्वान्वै कृतवान्धर्मसंग्रहम्

pāradā muṁḍakeśāśca pallvāḥ śmaśrurakṣakāḥ evaṁ vijitya sarvānvai kṛtavāndharmasaṁgraham

the Paradas were made to shave their heads completely, and the Pahlavas were made to keep their beards uncut. Having thus conquered them all, he compiled a treatise on dharma.

Verse 35 (padma.6.20.35)

सर्वधर्मजयी राजा विजित्येमां वसुंधराम् । आशु संस्कारयामास वाजिमेधाय पार्थिवः

sarvadharmajayī rājā vijityemāṁ vasuṁdharām āśu saṁskārayāmāsa vājimedhāya pārthivaḥ

That king, victorious in every dharma, having conquered this whole earth, then swiftly had himself consecrated for a horse-sacrifice.

Verse 36 (padma.6.20.36)

तस्य चारयतःसोऽश्वः समुद्रे पूर्वदक्षिणे । वेला समीपेऽपहृतो भूमिं चैव प्रवेशितः

tasya cārayataḥso'śvaḥ samudre pūrvadakṣiṇe velā samīpe'pahṛto bhūmiṁ caiva praveśitaḥ

As his wandering horse came near the shore of the southeastern ocean, it was stolen away and made to enter into the earth.

Verse 37 (padma.6.20.37)

स तं देशं तदा पुत्रैः खानयामास सर्वतः । नाश्वं प्रापुस्तदातेवै खन्यमाने महार्णवे

sa taṁ deśaṁ tadā putraiḥ khānayāmāsa sarvataḥ nāśvaṁ prāpustadātevai khanyamāne mahārṇave

He then had that region dug up everywhere by his sons; though that great ocean was excavated, they did not find the horse.

Verse 38 (padma.6.20.38)

तत्रैकमादिपुरुषं ददृशुस्ते त्वरान्विताः । तमादिपुरुषं देवं कपिलं जगतां प्रभुम्

tatraikamādipuruṣaṁ dadṛśuste tvarānvitāḥ tamādipuruṣaṁ devaṁ kapilaṁ jagatāṁ prabhum

There they hastily beheld a certain primal being; that primal being was the god Kapila, lord of the worlds.

Verse 39 (padma.6.20.39)

तस्य चक्षुः समुत्पन्न वह्निना प्रतिबुध्यतः । दग्धाः षष्टि सहस्राणि चत्वारस्तेऽवशेषिताः

tasya cakṣuḥ samutpanna vahninā pratibudhyataḥ dagdhāḥ ṣaṣṭi sahasrāṇi catvāraste'vaśeṣitāḥ

As he awoke, fire arose from his eye; sixty thousand of the sons were burned, and only four remained —

Verse 40 (padma.6.20.40)

हृषीकेतुः सुकेतुश्च तथा धर्मरथोपरः । शूरः पंचजनश्चैव तस्य वंशकरा द्विज

hṛṣīketuḥ suketuśca tathā dharmarathoparaḥ śūraḥ paṁcajanaścaiva tasya vaṁśakarā dvija

Hrishiketu, Suketu, and Dharmarathopara, and the hero Panchajana — O twice-born, these carried forward his lineage.

Verse 41 (padma.6.20.41)

प्रादाच्च तस्मै भगवान्हरिः पंचवरान्स्वयम् । वंशं मोक्षं सुकीर्तिञ्च समुद्रं तनयं विभुः

prādācca tasmai bhagavānhariḥ paṁcavarānsvayam vaṁśaṁ mokṣaṁ sukīrtiñca samudraṁ tanayaṁ vibhuḥ

The Lord Hari himself granted him five boons: lineage, liberation, good fame, the ocean as a son, and, O mighty one,

Verse 42 (padma.6.20.42)

सागरत्वं च लेभेथ कर्मणा तेन तस्य वै । तमाश्वमेधिकं सोऽश्वं समुद्रादुपलब्धवान् । आजहाराश्वमेधानां शतं स च महायशाः

sāgaratvaṁ ca lebhetha karmaṇā tena tasya vai tamāśvamedhikaṁ so'śvaṁ samudrādupalabdhavān ājahārāśvamedhānāṁ śataṁ sa ca mahāyaśāḥ

through that very deed he also attained the very name 'Sagara.' He recovered that horse of the sacrifice from the ocean, and that most renowned king completed a hundred horse-sacrifices.