Description of the Glory of Reva

Verse 1 (skanda.5.157.1)

सूत उवाच॥

sūta uvāca||

Suta said:

Verse 2 (skanda.5.157.2)

नर्मदायास्तु माहात्म्यं कृष्णद्वैपायनोऽब्रवीत्। तत्तेऽहं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि यत्त्वया परिपृच्छितम्॥

narmadāyāstu māhātmyaṁ kṛṣṇadvaipāyano'bravīt| tatte'haṁ sampravakṣyāmi yattvayā paripṛcchitam||

Krishna Dvaipayana told the glory of Narmada; I shall now tell you well that which you have asked.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.157.3)

विस्तरं नर्मदायास्तु तीर्थानां मुनिसत्तम। कोऽन्यः शक्तोऽस्ति वै वक्तुमृते ब्रह्माणमीश्वरम्॥

vistaraṁ narmadāyāstu tīrthānāṁ munisattama| ko'nyaḥ śakto'sti vai vaktumṛte brahmāṇamīśvaram||

O best of sages, who else but the Lord Brahma could be capable of telling in full detail of Narmada's fords?

Verse 4 (skanda.5.157.4)

एतमेव पुरा प्रश्नं पृष्टवाञ्जनमेजयः। वैशंपायनसंज्ञं तु शिष्यं द्वैपायनस्य ह॥

etameva purā praśnaṁ pṛṣṭavāñjanamejayaḥ| vaiśaṁpāyanasaṁjñaṁ tu śiṣyaṁ dvaipāyanasya ha||

This very question was once asked by Janamejaya of Vaishampayana, the disciple of Dvaipayana.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.157.5)

रेवातीर्थाश्रितं पुण्यं तत्ते वक्ष्यामि शौनक। पुरा पारीक्षितो राजा यज्ञादीक्षासु दीक्षितः॥

revātīrthāśritaṁ puṇyaṁ tatte vakṣyāmi śaunaka| purā pārīkṣito rājā yajñādīkṣāsu dīkṣitaḥ||

That holy account resting on the fords of Reva I shall tell you, O Shaunaka. Formerly, King Parikshita's son was consecrated in the initiatory rites of a sacrifice.

Verse 6 (skanda.5.157.6)

संभृते तु हविर्द्रव्ये वर्तमानेषु कर्मसु। आसीनेषु द्विजाग्र्येषु हूयमाने हुताशने॥

saṁbhṛte tu havirdravye vartamāneṣu karmasu| āsīneṣu dvijāgryeṣu hūyamāne hutāśane||

When the oblation-materials had been gathered, while the rites were in progress, while the foremost brahmins sat in their places, while the fire was being offered oblations...

Verse 7 (skanda.5.157.7)

वर्तमानासु सर्वत्र तथा धर्मकथासु च। श्रूयमाणे तथा शब्दे जनैरुक्ते त्वहर्निशम्॥

vartamānāsu sarvatra tathā dharmakathāsu ca| śrūyamāṇe tathā śabde janairukte tvaharniśam||

...while discourses on dharma were everywhere in progress, and the sound of words spoken by people day and night was being heard —

Verse 8 (skanda.5.157.8)

यज्ञभूमौ कुलपते दीयतां भुज्यतामिति। विविधांश्च विनोदान्वै कुर्वाणेषु विनोदिषु॥

yajñabhūmau kulapate dīyatāṁ bhujyatāmiti| vividhāṁśca vinodānvai kurvāṇeṣu vinodiṣu||

'Let it be given, let it be eaten' on the sacrificial ground, O head of the clan — while the entertainers were performing various kinds of entertainment.

Verse 9 (skanda.5.157.9)

एवंविधे वर्तमाने यज्ञे स्वर्गसदःसमे। वैशंपायनमासीनं पप्रच्छ जनमेजयः॥

evaṁvidhe vartamāne yajñe svargasadaḥsame| vaiśaṁpāyanamāsīnaṁ papraccha janamejayaḥ||

While the sacrifice, resembling the assembly-hall of heaven, was thus in progress, Janamejaya questioned Vaishampayana, who was seated there.

Verse 10 (skanda.5.157.10)

जनमेजय उवाच। द्वैपायनप्रसादेन ज्ञानवानसि मे मतः। वैशंपायन तस्मात्त्वां पृच्छामि ऋषिसन्निधौ॥

janamejaya uvāca| dvaipāyanaprasādena jñānavānasi me mataḥ| vaiśaṁpāyana tasmāttvāṁ pṛcchāmi ṛṣisannidhau||

Janamejaya said: By the grace of Dvaipayana you are, I hold, a man of knowledge; therefore, O Vaishampayana, I ask you in the presence of the sages.

Verse 11 (skanda.5.157.11)

ब्रूहि मे त्वं पुरावृत्तं पितृणां तीर्थसेवनम्। चिरं नानाविधान्क्लेशान् प्राप्तास्त इति मे श्रुतम्॥

brūhi me tvaṁ purāvṛttaṁ pitṛṇāṁ tīrthasevanam| ciraṁ nānāvidhānkleśān prāptāsta iti me śrutam||

Tell me of the ancient deed — my forefathers' resorting to the sacred fords. I have heard that they endured for long various kinds of hardship.

Verse 12 (skanda.5.157.12)

कथं द्यूतजिताः पार्था मम पूर्वपितामहाः। आसमुद्रां महीं विप्र भ्रमन्तस्तीर्थलोभतः॥

kathaṁ dyūtajitāḥ pārthā mama pūrvapitāmahāḥ| āsamudrāṁ mahīṁ vipra bhramantastīrthalobhataḥ||

How, O brahmin, did the Parthas, my forefathers, defeated at dice, wander over the earth as far as the ocean, out of eagerness for the sacred fords?

Verse 13 (skanda.5.157.13)

केन ते सहितास्तात भूमिभागाननेकशः। चेरुः कथय तत्सर्वं सर्वज्ञोऽसि मतो मम॥

kena te sahitāstāta bhūmibhāgānanekaśaḥ| ceruḥ kathaya tatsarvaṁ sarvajño'si mato mama||

With whom, O father, did they wander through the many regions of the earth? Tell me all of this — I hold you to be all-knowing.

Verse 14 (skanda.5.157.14)

वैशंपायन उवाच॥

vaiśaṁpāyana uvāca||

Vaishampayana said:

Verse 15 (skanda.5.157.15)

कथयिष्यामि भूनाथ यत्पृष्टं तु त्वयाऽनघ। नमस्कृत्य विरूपाक्षं वेदव्यासं महाकविम्॥

kathayiṣyāmi bhūnātha yatpṛṣṭaṁ tu tvayā'nagha| namaskṛtya virūpākṣaṁ vedavyāsaṁ mahākavim||

I shall tell, O lord of the earth, what you have asked, O sinless one, after bowing to Shiva of the odd eye and to Vedavyasa, the great poet.

Verse 16 (skanda.5.157.16)

पितामहास्तु ते पञ्च पाण्डवाः सह कृष्णया। उषित्वा ब्राह्मणैः सार्धं काम्यके वन उत्तमे॥

pitāmahāstu te pañca pāṇḍavāḥ saha kṛṣṇayā| uṣitvā brāhmaṇaiḥ sārdhaṁ kāmyake vana uttame||

Your forefathers, the five Pandavas, together with Krishna (Draupadi), having dwelt with the brahmins in the excellent Kamyaka forest...

Verse 17 (skanda.5.157.17)

प्रधानोद्दालके तत्र कश्यपोऽथ महामतिः। विभाण्डकश्च राजेन्द्र मुरुश्चैव महामुनिः॥

pradhānoddālake tatra kaśyapo'tha mahāmatiḥ| vibhāṇḍakaśca rājendra muruścaiva mahāmuniḥ||

There, chief among them was Uddalaka, and the great-minded Kashyapa; and, O lord of kings, Vibhandaka, and the great sage Muru,

Verse 18 (skanda.5.157.18)

पुलस्त्यो लोमशश्चैव तथान्ये पुत्रपौत्रिणः। स्नात्वा निःशेषतीर्थेषु गतास्ते विन्ध्यपर्वतम्॥

pulastyo lomaśaścaiva tathānye putrapautriṇaḥ| snātvā niḥśeṣatīrtheṣu gatāste vindhyaparvatam||

Pulastya, and Lomasha too, and other sages with their sons and grandsons — having bathed at all the fords without exception, they went to the Vindhya mountain.

Verse 19 (skanda.5.157.19)

ते च तत्राश्रमं पुण्यं सर्वैर्वृक्षैः समाकुलम्। चम्पकैः कर्णकारैश्च पुन्नागैर्नागकेसरैः॥

te ca tatrāśramaṁ puṇyaṁ sarvairvṛkṣaiḥ samākulam| campakaiḥ karṇakāraiśca punnāgairnāgakesaraiḥ||

And there they found a holy hermitage thronged with every kind of tree — champaka, karnikara, punnaga, and nagakesara,

Verse 20 (skanda.5.157.20)

बकुलैः कोविदारैश्च दाडिमैरुपशोभितम्। पुष्पितैरर्जुनैश्चैव बिल्वपाटलकेतकैः॥

bakulaiḥ kovidāraiśca dāḍimairupaśobhitam| puṣpitairarjunaiścaiva bilvapāṭalaketakaiḥ||

adorned with bakula, kovidara, and pomegranate trees, and with flowering arjuna, bilva, patala, and ketaki,

Verse 21 (skanda.5.157.21)

कदम्बाम्रमधूकैश्च निम्बजम्बीरतिन्दुकैः। नालिकेरैः कपित्थैश्च खर्जूरपनसैस्तथा॥

kadambāmramadhūkaiśca nimbajambīratindukaiḥ| nālikeraiḥ kapitthaiśca kharjūrapanasaistathā||

with kadamba, mango, and mahua trees, with neem, lime, and tinduka, with coconut and kapittha, and likewise with date-palm and jackfruit,

Verse 22 (skanda.5.157.22)

नानाद्रुमलताकीर्णं नानावल्लीभिरावृतम्। सपुष्पं फलितं कान्तं वनं चैत्ररथं यथा॥

nānādrumalatākīrṇaṁ nānāvallībhirāvṛtam| sapuṣpaṁ phalitaṁ kāntaṁ vanaṁ caitrarathaṁ yathā||

filled with many trees and creepers, covered with many vines, in flower and in fruit, lovely — a forest like Chaitraratha, Kubera's garden.

Verse 23 (skanda.5.157.23)

जलाश्रयैस्तु विपुलैः पद्मिनीखण्डमण्डितम्। सितोत्पलैश्च संछन्नं नीलपीतैः सितारुणैः॥

jalāśrayaistu vipulaiḥ padminīkhaṇḍamaṇḍitam| sitotpalaiśca saṁchannaṁ nīlapītaiḥ sitāruṇaiḥ||

Adorned with vast pools thick with lotus-clusters, covered with white lotuses, and with blue, yellow, white and red ones,

Verse 24 (skanda.5.157.24)

हंसकारण्डवाकीर्णं चक्रवाकोपशोभितम्। आडीकाकबलाकाभिः सेवितं कोकिलादिभिः॥

haṁsakāraṇḍavākīrṇaṁ cakravākopaśobhitam| āḍīkākabalākābhiḥ sevitaṁ kokilādibhiḥ||

thronged with swans and karandava-ducks, adorned with chakravaka birds, frequented by cranes and herons, and by cuckoos and the like.

Verse 25 (skanda.5.157.25)

सिंहैर्व्याघ्रैर्वराहैश्च गजैश्चैव महोत्कटैः। महिषैश्च महाकायैः कुरङ्गैश्चित्रकैः शशैः॥

siṁhairvyāghrairvarāhaiśca gajaiścaiva mahotkaṭaiḥ| mahiṣaiśca mahākāyaiḥ kuraṅgaiścitrakaiḥ śaśaiḥ||

With lions, tigers, boars, and mighty rutting elephants, with huge-bodied buffaloes, deer, leopards, hares,

Verse 26 (skanda.5.157.26)

गण्डकैश्चैव खड्गैश्च गोमायुसुरभी युतम्। सारङ्गैर्मल्लकैश्चैव द्विपदैश्च चतुष्पदैः॥

gaṇḍakaiścaiva khaḍgaiśca gomāyusurabhī yutam| sāraṅgairmallakaiścaiva dvipadaiśca catuṣpadaiḥ||

with rhinoceroses too, and jackals and cattle, with sarabhas and mallakas, and with creatures of two feet and four,

Verse 27 (skanda.5.157.27)

तथाच कोकिलाकीर्णं मनःकान्तं सुशोभितम्। जीवंजीवकसंघैश्च नानापक्षिसमायुतम्॥

tathāca kokilākīrṇaṁ manaḥkāntaṁ suśobhitam| jīvaṁjīvakasaṁghaiśca nānāpakṣisamāyutam||

and likewise thronged with cuckoos, delightful to the mind, well adorned, filled with flocks of jivamjivaka birds and with birds of many kinds.

Verse 28 (skanda.5.157.28)

दुःखशोकविनिर्मुक्तं सत्त्वोत्कटमनोरमम्। क्षुत्तृषारहितं कान्तं सर्वव्याधिविवर्जितम्॥

duḥkhaśokavinirmuktaṁ sattvotkaṭamanoramam| kṣuttṛṣārahitaṁ kāntaṁ sarvavyādhivivarjitam||

A place free from sorrow and grief, charming with abundant creatures, lovely, free from hunger and thirst, devoid of all disease.

Verse 29 (skanda.5.157.29)

सिंहीस्तनं पिबन्त्यत्र कुरंगाः स्नेहसंयुतम्। मार्जारमूषकौ चोभाववलेहत उन्मुखौ॥

siṁhīstanaṁ pibantyatra kuraṁgāḥ snehasaṁyutam| mārjāramūṣakau cobhāvavalehata unmukhau||

Here deer drink, with affection, at the breast of the lioness; and cat and mouse both lick each other, faces upturned.

Verse 30 (skanda.5.157.30)

पञ्चास्याः पोतकेभाश्च भोगिनस्तु कलापिनः। दृष्ट्वा तद्विपिनं रम्यं प्रविष्टाः पाण्डुनन्दनाः॥

pañcāsyāḥ potakebhāśca bhoginastu kalāpinaḥ| dṛṣṭvā tadvipinaṁ ramyaṁ praviṣṭāḥ pāṇḍunandanāḥ||

Lions dwell with young elephants, and serpents with peacocks. Seeing that lovely forest, the sons of Pandu entered it.

Verse 31 (skanda.5.157.31)

मार्कण्डं दृष्टवांस्तत्र तरुणादित्यसन्निभम्। ऋषिभिः सेव्यमानं तु नानाशास्त्रविशारदैः॥

mārkaṇḍaṁ dṛṣṭavāṁstatra taruṇādityasannibham| ṛṣibhiḥ sevyamānaṁ tu nānāśāstraviśāradaiḥ||

There they beheld Markandeya, resembling the rising sun, attended upon by sages learned in various shastras,

Verse 32 (skanda.5.157.32)

कुलीनैः सत्त्वसम्पन्नैः शौचाचारसमन्वितैः। धीसंगतैः क्षमायुक्तैस्त्रिसंध्यं जपतत्परैः॥

kulīnaiḥ sattvasampannaiḥ śaucācārasamanvitaiḥ| dhīsaṁgataiḥ kṣamāyuktaistrisaṁdhyaṁ japatatparaiḥ||

well-born, endowed with goodness, possessed of purity and right conduct, wise, full of forbearance, devoted to recitation at the three junctures of the day,

Verse 33 (skanda.5.157.33)

ऋग्यजुःसामविहितैर्मन्त्रैर्होमपरायणैः। केचित्पञ्चाग्निमध्यस्थाः केचिदेकान्तसंस्थिताः॥

ṛgyajuḥsāmavihitairmantrairhomaparāyaṇaiḥ| kecitpañcāgnimadhyasthāḥ kecidekāntasaṁsthitāḥ||

devoted to fire-offerings with mantras prescribed by the Rig, Yajur, and Sama; some stationed amid the five fires, some dwelling in solitude,

Verse 34 (skanda.5.157.34)

ऊर्ध्वबाहुनिरालम्बा आदित्यभ्रमणाः परे। सायंप्रातर्भुजश्चान्ये एकाहारास्तथा परे॥

ūrdhvabāhunirālambā ādityabhramaṇāḥ pare| sāyaṁprātarbhujaścānye ekāhārāstathā pare||

some with arms upraised, unsupported, others revolving in step with the sun; others eating only morning and evening, others taking a single meal a day,

Verse 35 (skanda.5.157.35)

द्वादशाहात्तथा चान्ये अन्ये मासार्धभोजनाः। दर्शे दर्शे तथा चान्ये अन्ये शैवालभोजनाः॥

dvādaśāhāttathā cānye anye māsārdhabhojanāḥ| darśe darśe tathā cānye anye śaivālabhojanāḥ||

others eating only once in twelve days, others only once a fortnight, others only at each new moon, and others living on moss/algae,

Verse 36 (skanda.5.157.36)

पिण्याकमपरेऽभुजन् केचित्पालाशभोजनाः। अपरे नियताहारा वायुभक्ष्याम्बुभोजनाः॥

piṇyākamapare'bhujan kecitpālāśabhojanāḥ| apare niyatāhārā vāyubhakṣyāmbubhojanāḥ||

others eating only oil-cake, some living on palasha leaves, others of regulated diet, living on air or on water alone.

Verse 37 (skanda.5.157.37)

एवंभूतैस्तथा वृद्धैः सेव्यते मुनिपुंगवैः। ततो धर्मसुतः श्रीमानाश्रमं तं प्रविश्य सः॥

evaṁbhūtaistathā vṛddhaiḥ sevyate munipuṁgavaiḥ| tato dharmasutaḥ śrīmānāśramaṁ taṁ praviśya saḥ||

He was thus attended by such venerable, foremost sages. Then the glorious son of Dharma, entering that hermitage,

Verse 38 (skanda.5.157.38)

दृष्ट्वा मुनिवरं शान्तं ध्यायमानं परं पदम्। प्रादक्षिण्येन सहसा दण्डवत्पतितोऽग्रतः॥

dṛṣṭvā munivaraṁ śāntaṁ dhyāyamānaṁ paraṁ padam| prādakṣiṇyena sahasā daṇḍavatpatito'grataḥ||

beheld the great sage, tranquil, meditating on the Supreme State, and after circumambulating him at once fell prostrate like a rod before him.

Verse 39 (skanda.5.157.39)

भक्त्यानुपतितं दृष्ट्वा चिरादादाय लोचनम्। को भवानित्युवाचेदं धर्मं धीमानपृच्छत॥

bhaktyānupatitaṁ dṛṣṭvā cirādādāya locanam| ko bhavānityuvācedaṁ dharmaṁ dhīmānapṛcchata||

Seeing him fallen in devotion, the wise sage, opening his eyes after a long while, asked Dharma's son, 'Who are you?'

Verse 40 (skanda.5.157.40)

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा दारकस्तत्समीपगः। आहायं धर्मराजस्ते दर्शनार्थं समागतः॥

tasya tadvacanaṁ śrutvā dārakastatsamīpagaḥ| āhāyaṁ dharmarājaste darśanārthaṁ samāgataḥ||

Hearing his words, a boy standing nearby said, 'This is Dharmaraja, come to see you.'

Verse 41 (skanda.5.157.41)

तच्छ्रुत्वादारकेणोक्तं वचनं प्राह सादरः। एह्येहि वत्सवत्सेति किंचित्स्थानाच्चलन्मुनिः। तं तु स्नेहादुपाघ्राय आसने उपवेशयत्॥

tacchrutvādārakeṇoktaṁ vacanaṁ prāha sādaraḥ| ehyehi vatsavatseti kiṁcitsthānāccalanmuniḥ| taṁ tu snehādupāghrāya āsane upaveśayat||

Hearing this word spoken by the boy, the sage said respectfully, 'Come, come, my child, my child,' and, moving a little from his place, kissed his head affectionately and seated him.

Verse 42 (skanda.5.157.42)

उपविष्टे सभायां तु पूजां कृत्वा यथाविधि। वन्यैर्धान्यैः फलैर्मूलै रसैश्चैव पृथग्विधैः॥

upaviṣṭe sabhāyāṁ tu pūjāṁ kṛtvā yathāvidhi| vanyairdhānyaiḥ phalairmūlai rasaiścaiva pṛthagvidhaiḥ||

When he was seated in the assembly, having duly performed worship with forest grains, fruits, roots, and various kinds of saps,

Verse 43 (skanda.5.157.43)

पाण्डवा ब्राह्मणैः सार्द्धं यथायोग्यं प्रपूजिताः। मुहूर्तादथ विश्रम्य धर्मपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः॥

pāṇḍavā brāhmaṇaiḥ sārddhaṁ yathāyogyaṁ prapūjitāḥ| muhūrtādatha viśramya dharmaputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ||

the Pandavas, together with the brahmins, were duly honored each according to rank. Then, after resting a moment, Yudhishthira, Dharma's son,

Verse 44 (skanda.5.157.44)

पृच्छति स्म मुनिश्रेष्ठं कौतूहलसमन्वितः। भगवन्सर्वलोकानां दीर्घायुस्त्वं मतो मम॥

pṛcchati sma muniśreṣṭhaṁ kautūhalasamanvitaḥ| bhagavansarvalokānāṁ dīrghāyustvaṁ mato mama||

filled with curiosity, questioned the best of sages: 'O Lord, I hold you to be the longest-lived of all beings.'

Verse 45 (skanda.5.157.45)

सप्तकल्पानशेषेण कथयस्व ममानघ। कल्पक्षयेऽपि लोकस्य स्थावरस्येतरस्य च॥

saptakalpānaśeṣeṇa kathayasva mamānagha| kalpakṣaye'pi lokasya sthāvarasyetarasya ca||

Tell me in full, O sinless one, of the seven kalpas — even when, at the destruction of a kalpa, the world of the moving and unmoving creatures...

Verse 46 (skanda.5.157.46)

न विनष्टोऽसि विप्रेन्द्र कथं वा केन हेतुना। गङ्गाद्याः सरितः सर्वाः समुद्रान्ताश्च या मुने॥

na vinaṣṭo'si viprendra kathaṁ vā kena hetunā| gaṅgādyāḥ saritaḥ sarvāḥ samudrāntāśca yā mune||

...how, O foremost of brahmins, or for what reason, you were not destroyed. And, O sage, of all the rivers beginning with the Ganga, that end in the ocean —

Verse 47 (skanda.5.157.47)

तासां मध्ये स्थिताः काः स्वित्काश्चैव प्रलयं गताः। का नु पुण्यजला नित्यं कानु न क्षयमागता॥

tāsāṁ madhye sthitāḥ kāḥ svitkāścaiva pralayaṁ gatāḥ| kā nu puṇyajalā nityaṁ kānu na kṣayamāgatā||

among them, which remained, and which went to destruction? Which is ever of holy water, and which has never come to destruction?

Verse 48 (skanda.5.157.48)

एतत्कथय मे तात प्रसन्नेनान्तरात्मना। श्रोतुमिच्छाम्यशेषेण ऋषिभिः सह बान्धवैः॥

etatkathaya me tāta prasannenāntarātmanā| śrotumicchāmyaśeṣeṇa ṛṣibhiḥ saha bāndhavaiḥ||

Tell me this, O father, with a gracious inner heart. I wish to hear it in full, together with the sages and my kinsmen.

Verse 49 (skanda.5.157.49)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच। साधुसाधु महाप्राज्ञ धर्मपुत्र युधिष्ठिर। कथयामि यथा न्यायं यत्पृच्छसि ममानघ॥

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca| sādhusādhu mahāprājña dharmaputra yudhiṣṭhira| kathayāmi yathā nyāyaṁ yatpṛcchasi mamānagha||

Sri Markandeya said: Well said, well said, O greatly wise Yudhishthira, son of Dharma! O sinless one, I shall tell duly what you have asked.

Verse 50 (skanda.5.157.50)

सर्वपापहरं पुण्यं पुराणं रुद्रभाषितम्। यः शृणोति नरो भक्त्या तस्य पुण्यफलं शृणु॥

sarvapāpaharaṁ puṇyaṁ purāṇaṁ rudrabhāṣitam| yaḥ śṛṇoti naro bhaktyā tasya puṇyaphalaṁ śṛṇu||

This Purana, spoken by Rudra, removes all sin and confers merit; hear the merit-fruit for the man who hears it with devotion.

Verse 51 (skanda.5.157.51)

अश्वमेध सहस्रेण वाजपेयशतेन च। तत्फलं समवाप्नोति राजन्नास्त्यत्र संशयः॥

aśvamedha sahasreṇa vājapeyaśatena ca| tatphalaṁ samavāpnoti rājannāstyatra saṁśayaḥ||

O king, he obtains the fruit of a thousand Ashvamedha sacrifices and a hundred Vajapeya sacrifices — of this there is no doubt.

Verse 52 (skanda.5.157.52)

ब्रह्मघ्नश्च सुरापी च स्तेयी गोघ्नश्च यो नरः। मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यो रुद्रस्य वचनं यथा॥

brahmaghnaśca surāpī ca steyī goghnaśca yo naraḥ| mucyate sarvapāpebhyo rudrasya vacanaṁ yathā||

The man who is a slayer of a brahmin, a drinker of liquor, a thief, or a slayer of cows is freed from all sins — such is the word of Rudra.

Verse 53 (skanda.5.157.53)

गङ्गा तु सरितां श्रेष्ठा तथा चैव सरस्वती। कावेरी देविका चैव सिन्धुः सालकुटी तथा॥

gaṅgā tu saritāṁ śreṣṭhā tathā caiva sarasvatī| kāverī devikā caiva sindhuḥ sālakuṭī tathā||

The Ganga, best of rivers, and likewise the Sarasvati; the Kaveri and the Devika; the Sindhu, and likewise the Salakuti;

Verse 54 (skanda.5.157.54)

सरयूः शतरुद्रा च मही चर्मिलया सह। गोदावरी तथा पुण्या तथैव यमुना नदी॥

sarayūḥ śatarudrā ca mahī carmilayā saha| godāvarī tathā puṇyā tathaiva yamunā nadī||

the Sarayu, the Shatarudra, the Mahi together with the Charmila; the holy Godavari, and likewise the river Yamuna;

Verse 55 (skanda.5.157.55)

पयोष्णी च शतद्रुश्च तथा धर्मनदी शुभा। एताश्चान्याश्च सरितः सर्वपापहराः स्मृताः॥

payoṣṇī ca śatadruśca tathā dharmanadī śubhā| etāścānyāśca saritaḥ sarvapāpaharāḥ smṛtāḥ||

the Payoshni and the Shatadru, and the auspicious river Dharma — these and other rivers are remembered as removers of all sin.

Verse 56 (skanda.5.157.56)

किं तु ते कारणं तात वक्ष्यामि नृपसत्तम। समुद्राः सरितः सर्वाः कल्पे कल्पे क्षयं गताः॥

kiṁ tu te kāraṇaṁ tāta vakṣyāmi nṛpasattama| samudrāḥ saritaḥ sarvāḥ kalpe kalpe kṣayaṁ gatāḥ||

But hear the reason for this, O father, O best of kings, which I shall tell: all the rivers, along with the oceans, come to destruction at the end of every kalpa.

Verse 57 (skanda.5.157.57)

सप्तकल्पक्षये क्षीणे न मृता तेन नर्मदा। नर्मदैकैव राजेन्द्र परं तिष्ठेत्सरिद्वरा॥

saptakalpakṣaye kṣīṇe na mṛtā tena narmadā| narmadaikaiva rājendra paraṁ tiṣṭhetsaridvarā||

When seven kalpas had perished in destruction, Narmada alone did not perish; Narmada alone, O lord of kings, the best of rivers, remains beyond that destruction.

Verse 58 (skanda.5.157.58)

तोयपूर्णा महाभाग मुनिसंघैरभिष्टुता। गंगाद्याः सरितश्चान्याः कल्पे कल्पे क्षयं गताः॥

toyapūrṇā mahābhāga munisaṁghairabhiṣṭutā| gaṁgādyāḥ saritaścānyāḥ kalpe kalpe kṣayaṁ gatāḥ||

Full of water, O greatly fortunate one, praised by throngs of sages — while the Ganga and the other rivers perish at the end of every kalpa.

Verse 59 (skanda.5.157.59)

एषा देवी पुरा दृष्टा तेन वक्ष्यामि तेऽनघ॥

eṣā devī purā dṛṣṭā tena vakṣyāmi te'nagha||

This goddess I beheld of old; therefore, O sinless one, I shall now tell you of her.