The Origin of Narmada and the Naming of the River

Verse 1 (skanda.5.160.1)

युधिष्ठिर उवाच। आश्चर्यमेतदखिलं कथितं भो द्विजोत्तम। विस्मयं परमापन्ना ऋषिसंघा मया सह॥

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca| āścaryametadakhilaṁ kathitaṁ bho dvijottama| vismayaṁ paramāpannā ṛṣisaṁghā mayā saha||

Yudhishthira said: All this wonder has been told, O best of brahmins; the throngs of sages together with me have fallen into the greatest astonishment.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.160.2)

अहो भगवती पुण्या नर्मदेयमयोनिजा। रुद्रदेहाद्विनिष्क्रान्ता महापापक्षयंकरी॥

aho bhagavatī puṇyā narmadeyamayonijā| rudradehādviniṣkrāntā mahāpāpakṣayaṁkarī||

Ah, this holy goddess Narmada, not born from a womb, issued forth from the body of Rudra, the destroyer of great sin!

Verse 3 (skanda.5.160.3)

सप्तकल्पक्षये प्राप्ते त्वयेयं सह सुव्रत। न मृता च महाभागा किमतः पुण्यमुत्तमम्॥

saptakalpakṣaye prāpte tvayeyaṁ saha suvrata| na mṛtā ca mahābhāgā kimataḥ puṇyamuttamam||

O one of good vows, when seven kalpas came to destruction, she, along with you, the greatly fortunate one, did not perish — what merit could be greater than this?

Verse 4 (skanda.5.160.4)

के ते कल्पाः समुद्दिष्टाः सप्त कल्पक्षयंकराः। न मृता चेदियं देवी त्वं चैव ऋषिपुंगव॥

ke te kalpāḥ samuddiṣṭāḥ sapta kalpakṣayaṁkarāḥ| na mṛtā cediyaṁ devī tvaṁ caiva ṛṣipuṁgava||

What are those seven kalpas you have pointed to, the destroyers of the kalpa, in which this goddess did not perish, and neither did you, O bull among sages?

Verse 5 (skanda.5.160.5)

अपक्षिगणसंघाते जगत्येकार्णवीकृते। कीदृग्रूपः समभवन्महादेवो युगक्षये॥

apakṣigaṇasaṁghāte jagatyekārṇavīkṛte| kīdṛgrūpaḥ samabhavanmahādevo yugakṣaye||

When even the flocks of birds had vanished, and the world had become a single ocean, what form did Mahadeva assume at the destruction of the age?

Verse 6 (skanda.5.160.6)

कथं संहरते विश्वं कथं चास्ते महार्णवे। कथं च सृजते विश्वं कथं धारयते प्रजाः॥

kathaṁ saṁharate viśvaṁ kathaṁ cāste mahārṇave| kathaṁ ca sṛjate viśvaṁ kathaṁ dhārayate prajāḥ||

How does he withdraw the universe, and how does he abide in the great ocean? How does he create the universe, and how does he sustain creatures?

Verse 7 (skanda.5.160.7)

कीदृग्रूपा भवेद्देवी सरिदेकार्णवीकृते। किमर्थं नर्मदा प्रोक्ता रेवती च कथं स्मृता॥

kīdṛgrūpā bhaveddevī saridekārṇavīkṛte| kimarthaṁ narmadā proktā revatī ca kathaṁ smṛtā||

What form does the goddess-river assume when the world has become a single ocean? Why is she called Narmada, and how is she remembered as Revati?

Verse 8 (skanda.5.160.8)

अञ्जनेति किमर्थं वा किमर्थं सुरसेति च। मन्दाकिनी किमर्थं च शोणश्चेति कथं भवेत्॥

añjaneti kimarthaṁ vā kimarthaṁ suraseti ca| mandākinī kimarthaṁ ca śoṇaśceti kathaṁ bhavet||

Why also is she called Anjana, and why Surasa? Why Mandakini, and how does she come to be called Shona?

Verse 9 (skanda.5.160.9)

त्रिकूटेति किमर्थं वा किमर्थं वालुवाहिनी। कोटिकोट्यो हि तीर्थानां प्रविष्टा या महार्णवम्॥

trikūṭeti kimarthaṁ vā kimarthaṁ vāluvāhinī| koṭikoṭyo hi tīrthānāṁ praviṣṭā yā mahārṇavam||

Why Trikuta, or why Valuvahini? Crores upon crores of holy fords have entered into her as she flows to the great ocean —

Verse 10 (skanda.5.160.10)

कियत्यः सरितां कोट्यो नर्मदां समुपासते। यज्ञोपवीतैरृषिभिर्देवताभिस्तथैव च॥

kiyatyaḥ saritāṁ koṭyo narmadāṁ samupāsate| yajñopavītairṛṣibhirdevatābhistathaiva ca||

how many crores of rivers wait upon Narmada? Tell me too of the sages wearing the sacred thread, and of the deities likewise,

Verse 11 (skanda.5.160.11)

विभक्तेयं किमर्थं च श्रूयते मुनिसत्तम। वैष्णवीति पुराणज्ञैः किमर्थमिह चोच्यते॥

vibhakteyaṁ kimarthaṁ ca śrūyate munisattama| vaiṣṇavīti purāṇajñaiḥ kimarthamiha cocyate||

why she is said to be divided, O best of sages, and why she is here called 'Vaishnavi' by those who know the Puranas.

Verse 12 (skanda.5.160.12)

केषु स्थानेषु तीर्थेषु पूजनीया सरिद्वरा। तीर्थानि च पृथग्ब्रूहि यत्र संनिहितो हरः॥

keṣu sthāneṣu tīrtheṣu pūjanīyā saridvarā| tīrthāni ca pṛthagbrūhi yatra saṁnihito haraḥ||

At which places and fords is the excellent river to be worshipped? Tell me too, separately, the fords where Hara is present.

Verse 13 (skanda.5.160.13)

यत्प्रमाणा च सा देवी या रुद्रेण विनिर्मिता। कीदृशानि च कर्माणि रुद्रेण कथितानि ते॥

yatpramāṇā ca sā devī yā rudreṇa vinirmitā| kīdṛśāni ca karmāṇi rudreṇa kathitāni te||

What is the measure of that goddess who was fashioned by Rudra? And what deeds were told by Rudra to her?

Verse 14 (skanda.5.160.14)

कथं म्लेच्छसमाकीर्णो देशोऽयं द्विजसत्तम। एतदाचक्ष्व मां ब्रह्मन्मार्कण्डेय महामते॥

kathaṁ mlecchasamākīrṇo deśo'yaṁ dvijasattama| etadācakṣva māṁ brahmanmārkaṇḍeya mahāmate||

How is this land thronged with mlecchas, O best of brahmins? Tell me this, O brahmin Markandeya, O great-minded one.

Verse 15 (skanda.5.160.15)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच। शृण्वन्तु ऋषयः सर्वे त्वं च तात युधिष्ठिर। पुराणं नर्मदायां तु कथितं च त्रिशूलिना॥

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca| śṛṇvantu ṛṣayaḥ sarve tvaṁ ca tāta yudhiṣṭhira| purāṇaṁ narmadāyāṁ tu kathitaṁ ca triśūlinā||

Sri Markandeya said: Let all the sages listen, and you too, O father Yudhishthira — the Purana concerning Narmada was told by the trident-bearer,

Verse 16 (skanda.5.160.16)

वायोः सकाशाच्च मया तेनापि च महेश्वरात्। अशक्यत्वान्मनुष्याणां संक्षिप्तमृषिभिः पुरा॥

vāyoḥ sakāśācca mayā tenāpi ca maheśvarāt| aśakyatvānmanuṣyāṇāṁ saṁkṣiptamṛṣibhiḥ purā||

and by me heard from Vayu, and he in turn from Maheshvara; because of men's incapacity to grasp the whole, it was condensed by the sages of old.

Verse 17 (skanda.5.160.17)

मायूरं प्रथमं तात कौर्म्यं च तदनन्तरम्। पुरं तथा कौशिकं च मात्स्यं द्विरदमेव च॥

māyūraṁ prathamaṁ tāta kaurmyaṁ ca tadanantaram| puraṁ tathā kauśikaṁ ca mātsyaṁ dviradameva ca||

The Mayura Kalpa first, O father, and the Kaurma next after it; then the Pura, and the Kaushika, and the Matsya, and the Dvirada,

Verse 18 (skanda.5.160.18)

वाराहं यन्मया दृष्टं वैष्णवं चाष्टमं परम्। न्यग्रोधाख्यमतः चासीदाकाङ्क्षं पुनरुत्तमम्॥

vārāhaṁ yanmayā dṛṣṭaṁ vaiṣṇavaṁ cāṣṭamaṁ param| nyagrodhākhyamataḥ cāsīdākāṅkṣaṁ punaruttamam||

the Varaha, which I myself witnessed, and the Vaishnava as the excellent eighth; then the one called Nyagrodha, and the excellent Akanksha,

Verse 19 (skanda.5.160.19)

पद्मं च तामसं चैव संवर्तोद्वर्तमेव च। महाप्रलयमित्याहुः पुराणे वेदचिन्तकाः॥

padmaṁ ca tāmasaṁ caiva saṁvartodvartameva ca| mahāpralayamityāhuḥ purāṇe vedacintakāḥ||

and the Padma, and the Tamasa, and the Samvartodvarta — this the knowers of the Veda call the Mahapralaya in the Puranas.

Verse 20 (skanda.5.160.20)

एतत्संक्षेपतः सर्वं संक्षिप्तं तैर्महात्मभिः। विभक्तं च चतुर्भागैर्ब्रह्माद्यैश्च महर्षिभिः॥

etatsaṁkṣepataḥ sarvaṁ saṁkṣiptaṁ tairmahātmabhiḥ| vibhaktaṁ ca caturbhāgairbrahmādyaiśca maharṣibhiḥ||

All this was condensed in brief by those great souls, and divided into four parts by Brahma and the other great sages.

Verse 21 (skanda.5.160.21)

तदहं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि पुराणार्थविशारद। सप्त कल्पा महाघोरा यैरियं न मृता सरित्॥

tadahaṁ sampravakṣyāmi purāṇārthaviśārada| sapta kalpā mahāghorā yairiyaṁ na mṛtā sarit||

That I shall now tell fully, O one skilled in the meaning of the Purana — the seven most terrible kalpas, through which this river did not perish.

Verse 22 (skanda.5.160.22)

आ जङ्गमं तमोभूतमप्रज्ञातमलक्षणम्। नष्टचन्द्रार्ककिरणमासीद्भूतविवर्जितम्॥

ā jaṅgamaṁ tamobhūtamaprajñātamalakṣaṇam| naṣṭacandrārkakiraṇamāsīdbhūtavivarjitam||

Up to all moving things, the world became pure darkness, unknowable, without any mark, its moonlight and sunlight destroyed, devoid of all beings.

Verse 23 (skanda.5.160.23)

तमसोऽतो महानाम्ना पुरुषः स जगद्गुरुः। चचार तस्मिन्नेकाकी व्यक्ताव्यक्तः सनातनः॥

tamaso'to mahānāmnā puruṣaḥ sa jagadguruḥ| cacāra tasminnekākī vyaktāvyaktaḥ sanātanaḥ||

From that darkness arose the Person named Maha, the guru of the world; he alone moved about therein, both manifest and unmanifest, eternal.

Verse 24 (skanda.5.160.24)

स चौंकारमयोऽतीतो गायत्रीमसृजद्द्विजः। स तया सार्द्धमीशानश्चिक्रीड पुरुषो विराट्॥

sa cauṁkāramayo'tīto gāyatrīmasṛjaddvijaḥ| sa tayā sārddhamīśānaścikrīḍa puruṣo virāṭ||

He, consisting of the syllable Om, transcendent, twice-born, created the Gayatri; and with her, Ishana, the cosmic Person, Virat, disported himself.

Verse 25 (skanda.5.160.25)

स्वदेहादसृजद्विश्वं पञ्चभूतात्मसंज्ञितम्। क्रीडन्समसृजद्विश्वं पञ्चभूतात्मसंज्ञितम्॥

svadehādasṛjadviśvaṁ pañcabhūtātmasaṁjñitam| krīḍansamasṛjadviśvaṁ pañcabhūtātmasaṁjñitam||

From his own body he created the universe, known as consisting of the five elements; sporting, he created that same universe of the five elements.

Verse 26 (skanda.5.160.26)

क्रीडन् सृजद्विराट्संज्ञः सबीजं च हिरण्मयम्। तच्चाण्डमभवद्दिव्यं द्वादशादित्यसन्निभम्॥

krīḍan sṛjadvirāṭsaṁjñaḥ sabījaṁ ca hiraṇmayam| taccāṇḍamabhavaddivyaṁ dvādaśādityasannibham||

Sporting, he who is called Virat created the golden world together with its seed; and that became a divine egg, resembling twelve suns.

Verse 27 (skanda.5.160.27)

तद्भित्त्वा पुरुषो जज्ञे चतुर्वक्त्रः पितामहः। सोऽसृजद्विश्वमेवं तु सदेवासुरमानुषम्॥

tadbhittvā puruṣo jajñe caturvaktraḥ pitāmahaḥ| so'sṛjadviśvamevaṁ tu sadevāsuramānuṣam||

Splitting that egg, the Person was born, the four-faced Grandsire; he thus created the universe, together with gods, demons, and men,

Verse 28 (skanda.5.160.28)

सतिर्यक्पशुपक्षीकं स्वेदाण्डजजरायुजम्। एतदण्डं पुराणेषु प्रथमं परिकीर्तितम्॥

satiryakpaśupakṣīkaṁ svedāṇḍajajarāyujam| etadaṇḍaṁ purāṇeṣu prathamaṁ parikīrtitam||

together with beasts and birds, creatures born of sweat, of eggs, and of the womb. This egg is declared in the Puranas to be the first.

Verse 29 (skanda.5.160.29)

पूर्वकल्पे नृपश्रेष्ठ क्रीडन्त्या परमेष्ठिना। उमया सह रुद्रस्य क्रीडतश्चार्णवीकृतः॥

pūrvakalpe nṛpaśreṣṭha krīḍantyā parameṣṭhinā| umayā saha rudrasya krīḍataścārṇavīkṛtaḥ||

In the former kalpa, O best of kings, while the Supreme Lord Rudra was sporting together with Uma, when the world had become an ocean,

Verse 30 (skanda.5.160.30)

हर्षाज्जज्ञे शुभा कन्या उमायाः स्वेदसंभवा। शर्वस्योरःस्थलाज्जज्ञे उमा कुचविमर्दनात्॥

harṣājjajñe śubhā kanyā umāyāḥ svedasaṁbhavā| śarvasyoraḥsthalājjajñe umā kucavimardanāt||

out of joy, an auspicious maiden was born, arisen from the sweat of Uma; Uma herself was born from Sharva's chest, from the pressing of her breasts.

Verse 31 (skanda.5.160.31)

स्वेदाद्विजज्ञे महती कन्या राजीवलोचना। द्वितीयः संभवो यस्या रुद्रदेहाद्युधिष्ठिर॥

svedādvijajñe mahatī kanyā rājīvalocanā| dvitīyaḥ saṁbhavo yasyā rudradehādyudhiṣṭhira||

From the sweat was born a great maiden, lotus-eyed; hers was a second origin, O Yudhishthira, from the body of Rudra.

Verse 32 (skanda.5.160.32)

सा परिभ्रमते लोकान् सदेवासुरमानवान्। त्रैलोक्योन्मादजननी रूपेणऽप्रतिमा तदा॥

sā paribhramate lokān sadevāsuramānavān| trailokyonmādajananī rūpeṇa'pratimā tadā||

She wandered through the worlds, among gods, demons, and men, arousing frenzy in the three worlds, of matchless beauty.

Verse 33 (skanda.5.160.33)

तां दृष्ट्वा देवदैत्येन्द्रा मोहिता लभते कथम्। मृगयन्ति स्म तां कन्यामितश्चेतश्च भारत॥

tāṁ dṛṣṭvā devadaityendrā mohitā labhate katham| mṛgayanti sma tāṁ kanyāmitaścetaśca bhārata||

Seeing her, the lords of gods and daityas, bewildered, wondered 'how may I obtain her'; O descendant of Bharata, they sought after that maiden here and there.

Verse 34 (skanda.5.160.34)

हावभावविलासैश्च मोहयत्यखिलं जगत्। भ्रमते दिव्यरूपा सा विद्युत्सौदामिनी यथा॥

hāvabhāvavilāsaiśca mohayatyakhilaṁ jagat| bhramate divyarūpā sā vidyutsaudāminī yathā||

With her gestures, expressions, and graceful play, she bewilders the entire world; she wanders about, of divine form, like a flash of lightning,

Verse 35 (skanda.5.160.35)

मेघमध्ये स्थिता भाभिः सर्वयोषिदनुत्तमा। ततो रुद्रं सुराः सर्वे दैत्याश्च सह दानवैः॥

meghamadhye sthitā bhābhiḥ sarvayoṣidanuttamā| tato rudraṁ surāḥ sarve daityāśca saha dānavaiḥ||

as if standing amid the clouds with its brilliance — she the foremost of all women. Then all the gods, together with the daityas and danavas, approached Rudra...

Verse 36 (skanda.5.160.36)

वरयन्ति स्म तां कन्यां कामेनाकुलिता भृशम्। ततोऽब्रवीन्महादेवो देवदानवयोर्द्वयोः॥

varayanti sma tāṁ kanyāṁ kāmenākulitā bhṛśam| tato'bravīnmahādevo devadānavayordvayoḥ||

...and sought to obtain that maiden, deeply agitated with desire. Then Mahadeva said to the two — the gods and the danavas —

Verse 37 (skanda.5.160.37)

बलेन तेजसा चैव ह्यधिको यो भविष्यति। स इमां प्राप्स्यते कन्यां नान्यथा वै सुरोत्तमाः॥

balena tejasā caiva hyadhiko yo bhaviṣyati| sa imāṁ prāpsyate kanyāṁ nānyathā vai surottamāḥ||

'Whoever shall prove superior in strength and in splendor, he shall obtain this maiden, and not otherwise, O best of gods.'

Verse 38 (skanda.5.160.38)

ततो देवासुराः सर्वे कन्यां वै समुपागमन्। अहमेनां ग्रहीष्यामि अहमेनामिति ब्रुवन्॥

tato devāsurāḥ sarve kanyāṁ vai samupāgaman| ahamenāṁ grahīṣyāmi ahamenāmiti bruvan||

Then all the gods and asuras approached the maiden, each saying, 'I shall take her, I shall take her.'

Verse 39 (skanda.5.160.39)

पश्यतामेव सर्वेषां सा कन्यान्तरधीयत। पुनस्तां ददृशुः सर्वे योजनान्तरधिष्ठिताम्॥

paśyatāmeva sarveṣāṁ sā kanyāntaradhīyata| punastāṁ dadṛśuḥ sarve yojanāntaradhiṣṭhitām||

But even as they all watched, that maiden vanished; then again they all saw her, standing a yojana away.

Verse 40 (skanda.5.160.40)

जग्मुस्ते त्वरिताः सर्वे यत्र सा समदृश्यत। त्रिभिश्चतुर्भिश्च तथा योजनैर्दशभिः पुनः॥

jagmuste tvaritāḥ sarve yatra sā samadṛśyata| tribhiścaturbhiśca tathā yojanairdaśabhiḥ punaḥ||

They all rushed quickly to where she was seen; then again at a distance of three, and four, and again ten yojanas,

Verse 41 (skanda.5.160.41)

धिष्ठितां समपश्यंस्ते सर्वे मातंगगामिनीम्। योजनानां शतैर्भूयः सहस्रैश्चाप्यधिष्ठिताम्॥

dhiṣṭhitāṁ samapaśyaṁste sarve mātaṁgagāminīm| yojanānāṁ śatairbhūyaḥ sahasraiścāpyadhiṣṭhitām||

they all saw her standing there, moving with an elephant's gait; then again standing at a distance of hundreds, and even thousands, of yojanas,

Verse 42 (skanda.5.160.42)

तथा शतसहस्रेण लघुत्वात्समदृश्यत। अग्रतः पृष्ठतश्चैव दिशासु विदिशासु च॥

tathā śatasahasreṇa laghutvātsamadṛśyata| agrataḥ pṛṣṭhataścaiva diśāsu vidiśāsu ca||

and again at a hundred thousand — by reason of her lightness she was seen everywhere — in front, behind, in the cardinal and intermediate directions.

Verse 43 (skanda.5.160.43)

तां पश्यन्ति वरारोहामेकधा बहुधा पुनः। दिव्यवर्षसहस्रं तु भ्रामितास्ते तया पुरा॥

tāṁ paśyanti varārohāmekadhā bahudhā punaḥ| divyavarṣasahasraṁ tu bhrāmitāste tayā purā||

They saw that lovely one, now as one, now again as many; for a thousand divine years they were led about in circles by her, of old.

Verse 44 (skanda.5.160.44)

न चावाप्ता तु सा कन्या महादेवाङ्गसंभवा। सहोमया ततो देवो जहासोच्चैः पुनःपुनः॥

na cāvāptā tu sā kanyā mahādevāṅgasaṁbhavā| sahomayā tato devo jahāsoccaiḥ punaḥpunaḥ||

Yet that maiden, sprung from Mahadeva's body, was not obtained by them. Then the god, together with Uma, laughed loudly, again and again.

Verse 45 (skanda.5.160.45)

गणास्तालकसंपातैर्नृत्यन्ति च मुदान्विताः। अकस्माद्दृश्यते कन्या शंकरस्य समीपगा॥

gaṇāstālakasaṁpātairnṛtyanti ca mudānvitāḥ| akasmāddṛśyate kanyā śaṁkarasya samīpagā||

The Shiva-ganas danced, filled with delight, clapping their hands; and then, suddenly, the maiden was seen standing close beside Shankara.

Verse 46 (skanda.5.160.46)

तां दृष्ट्वा विस्मयापन्ना देवा यान्ति पराङ्मुखाः। तस्याश्चक्रे ततो नाम स्वयमेव पिनाकधृक्॥

tāṁ dṛṣṭvā vismayāpannā devā yānti parāṅmukhāḥ| tasyāścakre tato nāma svayameva pinākadhṛk||

Seeing her there, the gods, overcome with astonishment, turned away and departed. Then the wielder of the Pinaka himself gave her a name.

Verse 47 (skanda.5.160.47)

नर्म चैभ्यो ददे यस्मात्तत्कृतैश्चेष्टितैः पृथक्। भविष्यसि वरारोहे सरिच्छ्रेष्ठा तु नर्मदा॥

narma caibhyo dade yasmāttatkṛtaiśceṣṭitaiḥ pṛthak| bhaviṣyasi varārohe saricchreṣṭhā tu narmadā||

'Since, by these deeds of yours, you have given jest to them, O lovely one, you shall become the best of rivers, Narmada, the giver of jest.'

Verse 48 (skanda.5.160.48)

स्वरूपमास्थितो देवः प्राप हास्यं यतो भुवि। नर्मदा तेन चोक्तेयं सुशीतलजला शिवा॥

svarūpamāsthito devaḥ prāpa hāsyaṁ yato bhuvi| narmadā tena cokteyaṁ suśītalajalā śivā||

Because the god, having assumed his true form, obtained laughter thereby on earth, she was thus called Narmada, of cool waters, auspicious.

Verse 49 (skanda.5.160.49)

सप्तकल्पक्षये जाते यदुक्तं शंभुना पुरा। न मृता तेन राजेन्द्र नर्मदा ख्यातिमागता॥

saptakalpakṣaye jāte yaduktaṁ śaṁbhunā purā| na mṛtā tena rājendra narmadā khyātimāgatā||

Because of what was said by Shambhu of old, when the destruction of seven kalpas occurred she did not perish; thus, O lord of kings, Narmada attained her renown.

Verse 50 (skanda.5.160.50)

ततस्तामददात्कन्यां शीलवतीं सुशोभनाम्। महार्णवाय देवेशः सर्वभूतपतिः प्रभुः॥

tatastāmadadātkanyāṁ śīlavatīṁ suśobhanām| mahārṇavāya deveśaḥ sarvabhūtapatiḥ prabhuḥ||

Then the lord of gods, the master of all beings, the Lord, gave that virtuous, beautiful maiden to the great ocean in marriage.

Verse 51 (skanda.5.160.51)

ततः सा ऋक्षशैलेन्द्रात्फेनपुञ्जाट्टहासिनी। विवेश नर्मदा देवी समुद्रं सरितां पतिम्॥

tataḥ sā ṛkṣaśailendrātphenapuñjāṭṭahāsinī| viveśa narmadā devī samudraṁ saritāṁ patim||

Then, from the lord of the Riksha mountain, the goddess Narmada, laughing aloud with masses of foam, entered the ocean, the lord of rivers.

Verse 52 (skanda.5.160.52)

एवं ब्राह्मे पुरा कल्पे समुद्भूतेयमीश्वरात्। मात्स्ये कल्पे मया दृष्टा समाख्याता मया शृणु॥

evaṁ brāhme purā kalpe samudbhūteyamīśvarāt| mātsye kalpe mayā dṛṣṭā samākhyātā mayā śṛṇu||

Thus, in the former Brahma kalpa, she arose from Ishvara; in the Matsya kalpa I beheld her — hear now what I have told.