The Origin in the Baka (Crane) Kalpa

Verse 1 (skanda.5.163.1)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच। नष्टे लोके पुनश्चान्ये सलिलेन समावृते। महार्णवस्य मध्यस्थो बाहुभ्यामतरं जलम्॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca| naṣṭe loke punaścānye salilena samāvṛte| mahārṇavasya madhyastho bāhubhyāmataraṁ jalam||

Markandeya said: Again, when the world had perished, and another one was covered with water, I, standing in the midst of the great ocean, swam across the water with my arms.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.163.2)

दिव्ये वर्षशते पूर्णे श्रान्तोऽहं नृपसत्तम। ध्यातुं समारभं देवं महदर्णवतारणम्॥

divye varṣaśate pūrṇe śrānto'haṁ nṛpasattama| dhyātuṁ samārabhaṁ devaṁ mahadarṇavatāraṇam||

When a hundred divine years had passed, exhausted, O best of kings, I began to meditate on the god who ferries beings across the great ocean.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.163.3)

ध्यायमानस्ततः काले अपश्यं पक्षिणं परम्। हारकुन्देन्दुसंकाशं बकं गोक्षीरपाण्डुरम्॥

dhyāyamānastataḥ kāle apaśyaṁ pakṣiṇaṁ param| hārakundendusaṁkāśaṁ bakaṁ gokṣīrapāṇḍuram||

While meditating, then, I beheld a great bird, resembling a necklace, jasmine, or the moon — a crane, pale-white as cow's milk.

Verse 4 (skanda.5.163.4)

ततोऽहं विस्मयाविष्टस्तं बकं समुदीक्ष्य वै। अस्मिन्महार्णवे घोरे कुतोऽयं पक्षिसंभवः॥

tato'haṁ vismayāviṣṭastaṁ bakaṁ samudīkṣya vai| asminmahārṇave ghore kuto'yaṁ pakṣisaṁbhavaḥ||

Then I, filled with astonishment, beholding that crane, thought: 'In this terrible great ocean, whence has this bird come?'

Verse 5 (skanda.5.163.5)

तरन्बाहुभिरश्रान्तस्तं बकं प्रत्यभाषिषि। पाक्षरूपं समास्थाय कस्त्वमेकार्णवीकृते॥

taranbāhubhiraśrāntastaṁ bakaṁ pratyabhāṣiṣi| pākṣarūpaṁ samāsthāya kastvamekārṇavīkṛte||

Swimming untiringly with my arms, I spoke to that crane: 'Who are you, having assumed the form of a bird, in this single ocean,

Verse 6 (skanda.5.163.6)

भ्रमसे दिव्ययोगात्मन्मोहयन्निव मां प्रभो। एतत्कथय मे सर्वं योऽसि सोऽसि नमोऽस्तु ते॥

bhramase divyayogātmanmohayanniva māṁ prabho| etatkathaya me sarvaṁ yo'si so'si namo'stu te||

'...wandering by divine yoga, as if bewildering me, O Lord? Tell me all this — whoever you are, salutation to you.'

Verse 7 (skanda.5.163.7)

सोऽब्रवीन्मां महादेवो ब्रह्माहं विष्णुरेव च। जगत्सर्वं मया वत्स संहृतं किं न बुध्यसे॥

so'bravīnmāṁ mahādevo brahmāhaṁ viṣṇureva ca| jagatsarvaṁ mayā vatsa saṁhṛtaṁ kiṁ na budhyase||

He, Mahadeva, said to me: 'I am Brahma, and I am indeed Vishnu; the entire world has been withdrawn by me, my child — do you not understand?'

Verse 8 (skanda.5.163.8)

तव माता पिताहं वै विश्वस्य च महामुने। कारुण्यं मम संजातं दृष्ट्वा मग्नं महार्णवे॥

tava mātā pitāhaṁ vai viśvasya ca mahāmune| kāruṇyaṁ mama saṁjātaṁ dṛṣṭvā magnaṁ mahārṇave||

'I am indeed your mother and father, and of the universe too, O great sage. Compassion arose in me, seeing you sunk in the great ocean.'

Verse 9 (skanda.5.163.9)

पक्षिरूपं समास्थाय अतोऽत्राहं समागतः। किमर्थमातुरो भूत्वा भ्रमसीत्थं महार्णवे॥

pakṣirūpaṁ samāsthāya ato'trāhaṁ samāgataḥ| kimarthamāturo bhūtvā bhramasītthaṁ mahārṇave||

'Therefore, having assumed the form of a bird, I have come here. Why, having become distressed, do you wander thus in the great ocean?'

Verse 10 (skanda.5.163.10)

शीघ्रं प्रविश मत्पक्षौ येन विश्रमसे द्विज। एवमुक्तस्ततस्तेन देवेनाहं नरेश्वर॥

śīghraṁ praviśa matpakṣau yena viśramase dvija| evamuktastatastena devenāhaṁ nareśvara||

'Enter quickly between my two wings, O brahmin, so that you may rest.' Thus addressed by that god, O lord of men, I...

Verse 11 (skanda.5.163.11)

ततोऽहं तस्य पक्षान्ते प्रलीनस्तु भ्रमञ्जले। काले युगसाहस्रान्ते अश्रान्तोऽर्णवमध्यगः॥

tato'haṁ tasya pakṣānte pralīnastu bhramañjale| kāle yugasāhasrānte aśrānto'rṇavamadhyagaḥ||

...then merged within his wings, remaining there, wandering in the water, untiring, in the midst of the ocean, until the passing of a thousand ages.

Verse 12 (skanda.5.163.12)

ततः शृणोमि सहसा दिक्षु सर्वासु सुव्रत। किंचिन्नूपुरसंमिश्रमद्भुतं शब्दमुत्तमम्॥

tataḥ śṛṇomi sahasā dikṣu sarvāsu suvrata| kiṁcinnūpurasaṁmiśramadbhutaṁ śabdamuttamam||

Then, O one of good vows, I suddenly heard in all directions a wondrous, excellent sound, mingled somewhat with the tinkling of anklets.

Verse 13 (skanda.5.163.13)

तदार्णवजलं सर्वं संक्षिप्तं सहसाभवत्। किमेतदिति संचिन्त्य दिशः समवलोकयम्॥

tadārṇavajalaṁ sarvaṁ saṁkṣiptaṁ sahasābhavat| kimetaditi saṁcintya diśaḥ samavalokayam||

Then all the ocean's water suddenly became contracted. Wondering 'what is this?', I looked all around at the directions.

Verse 14 (skanda.5.163.14)

दश कन्यास्ततो दिक्षु आगताश्च महार्णवे। वस्त्रालंकारसहिता दिग्भ्यो नूपुरभूषिताः॥

daśa kanyāstato dikṣu āgatāśca mahārṇave| vastrālaṁkārasahitā digbhyo nūpurabhūṣitāḥ||

Then ten maidens came from the ten directions into the great ocean, adorned with garments and ornaments, decked with anklets, from every quarter.

Verse 15 (skanda.5.163.15)

काचिच्चन्द्रसमाभासा काचिदादित्यसप्रभा। काचिदंजनपुञ्जाभा काचिद्रक्तोत्पलप्रभा॥

kāciccandrasamābhāsā kācidādityasaprabhā| kācidaṁjanapuñjābhā kācidraktotpalaprabhā||

One had the radiance of the moon, another the splendor of the sun; one had the hue of a mass of collyrium, another the splendor of a red lotus.

Verse 16 (skanda.5.163.16)

नानारूपधरा सौम्या नानाभरणभूषिता। अर्घ्यपाद्यादिभिर्माल्यैर्बकमभ्यर्च्य सुव्रताः॥

nānārūpadharā saumyā nānābharaṇabhūṣitā| arghyapādyādibhirmālyairbakamabhyarcya suvratāḥ||

Bearing various forms, gentle, adorned with various ornaments — those women of good vows, having worshipped the crane with offerings of arghya, water for the feet, and garlands...

Verse 17 (skanda.5.163.17)

ततस्तं पर्वताकारं गुह्यं पक्षिणमव्ययम्। प्रविवेश महाघोरं पर्वतो ह्यर्णवं स्वराट्॥

tatastaṁ parvatākāraṁ guhyaṁ pakṣiṇamavyayam| praviveśa mahāghoraṁ parvato hyarṇavaṁ svarāṭ||

then that mountain-like, mysterious, imperishable bird — sovereign, mountain-like — entered the most terrible ocean.

Verse 18 (skanda.5.163.18)

योजनानां सहस्राणि तावन्त्येव शतानि च। त्रिंशद्योजनसाहस्रं यावद्भूमण्डलं त्विति॥

yojanānāṁ sahasrāṇi tāvantyeva śatāni ca| triṁśadyojanasāhasraṁ yāvadbhūmaṇḍalaṁ tviti||

He traveled thousands upon thousands of yojanas, and hundreds too, as much as thirty thousand yojanas, until he reached the disc of the earth.

Verse 19 (skanda.5.163.19)

ततो भूमण्डलं दिव्यं पञ्चरत्नसमाकुलम्। दिव्यस्फटिकसोपानं रुक्मस्तंभमनोरमम्॥

tato bhūmaṇḍalaṁ divyaṁ pañcaratnasamākulam| divyasphaṭikasopānaṁ rukmastaṁbhamanoramam||

Then I beheld a divine world-disc, thronged with the five jewels, with divine crystal stairways, lovely with pillars of gold,

Verse 20 (skanda.5.163.20)

योजनानां सहस्रं तु विस्तराद्द्विगुणायतम्। वापीकूपसमाकीर्णं प्रासादाट्टालकावृतम्॥

yojanānāṁ sahasraṁ tu vistarāddviguṇāyatam| vāpīkūpasamākīrṇaṁ prāsādāṭṭālakāvṛtam||

a thousand yojanas in breadth, twice that in length, thronged with step-wells and wells, surrounded by palaces and watch-towers,

Verse 21 (skanda.5.163.21)

कल्पवृक्षसमाकीर्णं ध्वजषष्टिविभूषितम्। तस्मिन्पुरवरे रम्ये नानारत्नोपशोभितम्॥

kalpavṛkṣasamākīrṇaṁ dhvajaṣaṣṭivibhūṣitam| tasminpuravare ramye nānāratnopaśobhitam||

thronged with wish-fulfilling trees, adorned with sixty banners; in that lovely, excellent city, beautified with various jewels.

Verse 22 (skanda.5.163.22)

तथान्यच्च पुरं रम्यं पताकोज्ज्वलवेदिकम्। शतयोजनविस्तीर्णं तावद्द्विगुणमायतम्॥

tathānyacca puraṁ ramyaṁ patākojjvalavedikam| śatayojanavistīrṇaṁ tāvaddviguṇamāyatam||

And likewise another lovely city, its altars bright with banners, a hundred yojanas in breadth, twice that in length.

Verse 23 (skanda.5.163.23)

पुरमध्ये ततस्तस्मिन्नदी परमशोभना। महती पुण्यसलिला नानारत्नशिला तथा॥

puramadhye tatastasminnadī paramaśobhanā| mahatī puṇyasalilā nānāratnaśilā tathā||

In the midst of that city there was a most beautiful river, great, of holy waters, with a bed of various jewels.

Verse 24 (skanda.5.163.24)

तस्यास्तीरे मया दृष्टं तडित्सूर्यसमप्रभम्। इन्द्रनीलमहानीलैश्चितं रत्नैः समन्ततः॥

tasyāstīre mayā dṛṣṭaṁ taḍitsūryasamaprabham| indranīlamahānīlaiścitaṁ ratnaiḥ samantataḥ||

On its bank I beheld a linga of splendor equal to lightning and the sun, studded all around with sapphire and other jewels,

Verse 25 (skanda.5.163.25)

क्वचिद्वह्निसमाकारं क्वचिदिन्द्रायुधप्रभम्। क्वचिद्धूम्रं क्वचित्पीतं क्वचिद्रक्तं क्वचित्सितम्॥

kvacidvahnisamākāraṁ kvacidindrāyudhaprabham| kvaciddhūmraṁ kvacitpītaṁ kvacidraktaṁ kvacitsitam||

in one part shaped like fire, in another with the splendor of the rainbow; in one place smoky, in another yellow, in another red, in another white,

Verse 26 (skanda.5.163.26)

नानावर्णैः समायुक्तं लिङ्गमद्भुतदर्शनम्। ब्रह्मविष्ण्विन्द्रसाध्यैश्च समन्तात्परिवारितम्॥

nānāvarṇaiḥ samāyuktaṁ liṅgamadbhutadarśanam| brahmaviṣṇvindrasādhyaiśca samantātparivāritam||

a linga of wondrous appearance, endowed with many colors, surrounded on all sides by Brahma, Vishnu, Indra, and the Sadhyas,

Verse 27 (skanda.5.163.27)

नन्दीश्वरगणाध्यक्षैश्चेन्द्रादित्यैश्च तद्वृतम्। पश्यामि लिङ्गमीशानं महालिङ्गं तमेव च॥

nandīśvaragaṇādhyakṣaiścendrādityaiśca tadvṛtam| paśyāmi liṅgamīśānaṁ mahāliṅgaṁ tameva ca||

encircled by Nandishvara, the lords of the ganas, and by Indra and the Adityas — I beheld that linga of Ishana, that great linga itself.

Verse 28 (skanda.5.163.28)

परिवार्य ततस्तं तु प्रसुप्तान्देवदानवान्। निमीलिताक्षान्पश्यामि दिव्याभरणभूषितान्॥

parivārya tatastaṁ tu prasuptāndevadānavān| nimīlitākṣānpaśyāmi divyābharaṇabhūṣitān||

And surrounding it, I saw the gods and danavas, asleep, their eyes closed, adorned with divine ornaments.

Verse 29 (skanda.5.163.29)

ततस्ताः पद्मपत्राक्ष्यो नार्यः परमसंमताः। नद्यास्तस्या जले स्नात्वा दिव्यपुष्पैर्मनोरमैः॥

tatastāḥ padmapatrākṣyo nāryaḥ paramasaṁmatāḥ| nadyāstasyā jale snātvā divyapuṣpairmanoramaiḥ||

Then those lotus-petal-eyed women, of the highest esteem, having bathed in the waters of that river, with lovely divine flowers,

Verse 30 (skanda.5.163.30)

दत्त्वार्घपाद्यं विधिवल्लिंगस्य सह पक्षिणा। अर्चयन्तीर्वरारोहा दश ताः प्रमदोत्तमाः॥

dattvārghapādyaṁ vidhivalliṁgasya saha pakṣiṇā| arcayantīrvarārohā daśa tāḥ pramadottamāḥ||

having duly offered arghya and water for the feet to the linga, together with the bird, those ten excellent women of lovely form worshipped it.

Verse 31 (skanda.5.163.31)

ततस्त्वभ्यर्च्य तल्लिङ्गं तस्मिन्नेव पुरोत्तमे। सर्वा अदर्शनं जग्मुर्विद्युतोऽभ्रगणेष्विव॥

tatastvabhyarcya talliṅgaṁ tasminneva purottame| sarvā adarśanaṁ jagmurvidyuto'bhragaṇeṣviva||

Then, having worshipped that linga, in that same excellent city, they all vanished from sight, like lightning vanishing amid the masses of clouds.

Verse 32 (skanda.5.163.32)

न चासौ पक्षिराट्तस्मिन्न स्त्रियो न च देवताः। तदेवैकं स्थितं लिङ्गमर्चयन्विस्मयान्वितः॥

na cāsau pakṣirāṭtasminna striyo na ca devatāḥ| tadevaikaṁ sthitaṁ liṅgamarcayanvismayānvitaḥ||

Neither that king of birds, nor the women, nor the deities remained there; only that single linga remained standing, and I, filled with astonishment, worshipped it.

Verse 33 (skanda.5.163.33)

ततोऽहं दुःखमूढात्मा रुद्रमायेति चिन्तयन्। ततः कन्याः समुत्तीर्य दिव्यांबरविभूषणाः॥

tato'haṁ duḥkhamūḍhātmā rudramāyeti cintayan| tataḥ kanyāḥ samuttīrya divyāṁbaravibhūṣaṇāḥ||

Then I, my mind bewildered with distress, thinking 'this is Rudra's maya' — then the maidens, having emerged, adorned with divine garments and ornaments,

Verse 34 (skanda.5.163.34)

भासयन्त्यो जगत्सर्वं विद्युतोऽभ्रगणानिव। पद्मैर्हिरण्मयैर्दिव्यैरर्चयित्वा शुभाननाः॥

bhāsayantyo jagatsarvaṁ vidyuto'bhragaṇāniva| padmairhiraṇmayairdivyairarcayitvā śubhānanāḥ||

illumining the entire world like lightning amid the clouds, having worshipped the linga with divine golden lotuses, those fair-faced ones...

Verse 35 (skanda.5.163.35)

विविशुस्तज्जलं क्षिप्रं समंताद्वरभूषणाः। तस्मिन्पुरवरे चान्ये तामेवाहं पुनःपुनः॥

viviśustajjalaṁ kṣipraṁ samaṁtādvarabhūṣaṇāḥ| tasminpuravare cānye tāmevāhaṁ punaḥpunaḥ||

...quickly entered that water on every side, adorned with excellent ornaments. In that excellent city, I again and again...

Verse 36 (skanda.5.163.36)

पश्यामि ह्यमरां कन्यामर्चयन्तीं महेश्वरम्। ततोऽहं तां वरारोहामपृच्छं कमलेक्षणाम्॥

paśyāmi hyamarāṁ kanyāmarcayantīṁ maheśvaram| tato'haṁ tāṁ varārohāmapṛcchaṁ kamalekṣaṇām||

...beheld that immortal maiden worshipping Maheshvara. Then I asked that lovely, lotus-eyed one:

Verse 37 (skanda.5.163.37)

का त्वमस्मिन्पुरे देवि वससे शिवमर्चती। ताश्चागताः स्त्रियः सर्वाः क्व गतास्ते गणेश्वराः॥

kā tvamasminpure devi vasase śivamarcatī| tāścāgatāḥ striyaḥ sarvāḥ kva gatāste gaṇeśvarāḥ||

'Who are you, O goddess, dwelling in this city, worshipping Shiva? And those women who came, where have they gone, and where are those lords of the ganas?'

Verse 38 (skanda.5.163.38)

नमोऽस्तु ते महाभागे ब्रूहि पुण्ये महेश्वरि। तव प्रसादाद्विज्ञातुमेतदिच्छामि सुव्रते। दयां कृत्वा महादेवि कथयस्व ममानघे॥

namo'stu te mahābhāge brūhi puṇye maheśvari| tava prasādādvijñātumetadicchāmi suvrate| dayāṁ kṛtvā mahādevi kathayasva mamānaghe||

'Salutation to you, O greatly fortunate one; speak, O holy Maheshvari. By your grace I wish to know this, O one of good vows. Having compassion, O great goddess, O sinless one, tell it to me.'

Verse 39 (skanda.5.163.39)

श्र्युवाच। विस्मृताहं कथं विप्र दृष्ट्वा कल्पे पुरातने। मा तेऽभूत्स्मृतिविभ्रंशः सा चाहं कल्पवाहिनी॥

śryuvāca| vismṛtāhaṁ kathaṁ vipra dṛṣṭvā kalpe purātane| mā te'bhūtsmṛtivibhraṁśaḥ sā cāhaṁ kalpavāhinī||

Shri said: 'How have you forgotten me, O brahmin, having seen me in an ancient kalpa? Let there be no lapse of memory in you — I am she, the river who carries beings through the kalpas.'

Verse 40 (skanda.5.163.40)

नर्मदा नाम विख्याता रुद्रदेहाद्विनिःसृता। यास्ताः कन्यास्त्वया दृष्टा ह्यर्चयन्त्यो महेश्वरम्॥

narmadā nāma vikhyātā rudradehādviniḥsṛtā| yāstāḥ kanyāstvayā dṛṣṭā hyarcayantyo maheśvaram||

'Renowned by the name Narmada, I issued from the body of Rudra. Those maidens whom you saw worshipping Maheshvara —'

Verse 41 (skanda.5.163.41)

याभिस्त्विह समानीतः पक्षिराजसमन्विताः। दिशस्ता विद्धि सर्वेशाः सर्वास्त्वं मुनिसत्तम॥

yābhistviha samānītaḥ pakṣirājasamanvitāḥ| diśastā viddhi sarveśāḥ sarvāstvaṁ munisattama||

'—by whom the king of birds was brought here — know, O best of sages, that they, all of them, are the directions, the lords of all.'

Verse 42 (skanda.5.163.42)

तिर्यक्पक्षिस्वरूपेण महायोगी महेश्वरः। एभिः शिवपुराद्विप्र आनीतः स महेश्वरः॥

tiryakpakṣisvarūpeṇa mahāyogī maheśvaraḥ| ebhiḥ śivapurādvipra ānītaḥ sa maheśvaraḥ||

'By these directions, O brahmin, that Maheshvara, the great yogi, in the guise of a bird, was brought from the city of Shiva.'

Verse 43 (skanda.5.163.43)

सैष देवो महादेवो लिङ्गमूर्तिर्व्यवस्थितः। अर्च्यते ब्रह्मविष्ण्विन्द्रैः सुरासुरजगद्गुरुः॥

saiṣa devo mahādevo liṅgamūrtirvyavasthitaḥ| arcyate brahmaviṣṇvindraiḥ surāsurajagadguruḥ||

'This same god, Mahadeva, is present in the form of a linga; he, the guru of gods, asuras, and the world, is worshipped by Brahma, Vishnu, and Indra.'

Verse 44 (skanda.5.163.44)

लयमायाति यस्माद्धि जगत्सर्वं चराचरम्। तेन लिङ्गमिति प्रोक्तं पुराणज्ञैर्महर्षिभिः॥

layamāyāti yasmāddhi jagatsarvaṁ carācaram| tena liṅgamiti proktaṁ purāṇajñairmaharṣibhiḥ||

'Since the entire moving and unmoving world dissolves into him, therefore he is called "Linga" by the great sages who know the Puranas.'

Verse 45 (skanda.5.163.45)

तेन देवगणाः सर्वे संक्षिप्ता मायया पुरा। प्रलीनाश्चैव लोकेश न दृश्यन्ते हि सांप्रतम्॥

tena devagaṇāḥ sarve saṁkṣiptā māyayā purā| pralīnāścaiva lokeśa na dṛśyante hi sāṁpratam||

'By him all the hosts of gods were formerly drawn in by his maya, and, dissolved, O lord of the world, they are indeed not seen at present.'

Verse 46 (skanda.5.163.46)

पुनर्दृश्या भविष्यन्ति सृजमानाः स्वयंभुवा। साहं लिङ्गार्चनपरा नर्मदा नाम नामतः॥

punardṛśyā bhaviṣyanti sṛjamānāḥ svayaṁbhuvā| sāhaṁ liṅgārcanaparā narmadā nāma nāmataḥ||

'They shall become visible again, being created by the Self-born. I am she, devoted to the worship of the linga, called by the name Narmada.'

Verse 47 (skanda.5.163.47)

कालं युगसहस्रस्य रुद्रस्य परिचारिका। अस्य प्रसादादमरस्तथा त्वं द्विजपुंगव॥

kālaṁ yugasahasrasya rudrasya paricārikā| asya prasādādamarastathā tvaṁ dvijapuṁgava||

'I am the attendant of Rudra for the duration of a thousand ages. By his grace, you too, O bull among brahmins, are immortal.'

Verse 48 (skanda.5.163.48)

सत्यार्जवदयायुक्तः सिद्धोऽसि त्वं शिवार्चनात्। एवमुक्त्वा तु सा देवी तत्रैवान्तरधीयत॥

satyārjavadayāyuktaḥ siddho'si tvaṁ śivārcanāt| evamuktvā tu sā devī tatraivāntaradhīyata||

'Endowed with truth, uprightness, and compassion, you have attained perfection through the worship of Shiva.' Having said this, that goddess vanished right there.

Verse 49 (skanda.5.163.49)

ताः स्त्रियः स च देवेशो बकरूपो महेश्वरः। तस्यास्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा अवतीर्य महानदीम्॥

tāḥ striyaḥ sa ca deveśo bakarūpo maheśvaraḥ| tasyāstadvacanaṁ śrutvā avatīrya mahānadīm||

Then vanished those women, and that lord of gods, Maheshvara in the form of a crane. Hearing her words, having descended into the great river,

Verse 50 (skanda.5.163.50)

स्नात्वा समर्चय त्वं हि विधिना मन्त्रपूर्वकम्। ततोऽहं सहसा तस्मात्समुत्तीर्य जलाशयात्॥

snātvā samarcaya tvaṁ hi vidhinā mantrapūrvakam| tato'haṁ sahasā tasmātsamuttīrya jalāśayāt||

'having bathed, do you duly worship him with mantras, according to rite.' Then I, suddenly, having risen up out of that lake,

Verse 51 (skanda.5.163.51)

न च पश्यामि तल्लिङ्गं न च तां निम्नगां नृप। तदैव लोकाः संजाताः क्षितिश्चैव सकानना॥

na ca paśyāmi talliṅgaṁ na ca tāṁ nimnagāṁ nṛpa| tadaiva lokāḥ saṁjātāḥ kṣitiścaiva sakānanā||

no longer saw that linga, nor that river, O king. At that very moment the worlds came into being again, and the earth together with its forests,

Verse 52 (skanda.5.163.52)

ऋक्षचन्द्रार्कविततं तदेव च नभस्तलम्। यथापूर्वमदृष्टं तु तथैव च पुनः कृतम्। नतोऽहं मनसा देवमपूजयं महेश्वरम्॥

ṛkṣacandrārkavitataṁ tadeva ca nabhastalam| yathāpūrvamadṛṣṭaṁ tu tathaiva ca punaḥ kṛtam| nato'haṁ manasā devamapūjayaṁ maheśvaram||

and that same sky spread out with stars, moon, and sun; just as it had been before, invisible, it was made anew just so. Bowing, I worshipped Maheshvara in my mind.

Verse 53 (skanda.5.163.53)

एवं बके पुरा कल्पे मया दृष्टेयमव्यया। नर्मदा मर्त्यलोकस्य महापातकनाशिनी॥

evaṁ bake purā kalpe mayā dṛṣṭeyamavyayā| narmadā martyalokasya mahāpātakanāśinī||

Thus, in the former Baka Kalpa, this imperishable Narmada was seen by me — the destroyer of great sin for the world of mortals.

Verse 54 (skanda.5.163.54)

तस्माद्धर्मपरैर्विप्रैः क्षत्रशूद्रविशादिभिः। सदा सेव्या महाभागा धर्मवृद्ध्यर्थकारिभिः॥

tasmāddharmaparairvipraiḥ kṣatraśūdraviśādibhiḥ| sadā sevyā mahābhāgā dharmavṛddhyarthakāribhiḥ||

Therefore, by dharma-devoted brahmins, and by kshatriyas, shudras, vaishyas and the rest who seek to increase their dharma, she, the greatly fortunate one, should ever be resorted to.

Verse 55 (skanda.5.163.55)

येऽपि भक्तया सकृत्तोये नर्मदाया महेश्वरम्। स्नात्वा ते सर्वं पापं नाशयन्त्यसंशयम्॥

ye'pi bhaktayā sakṛttoye narmadāyā maheśvaram| snātvā te sarvaṁ pāpaṁ nāśayantyasaṁśayam||

Those too who, even once, with devotion, bathe in Narmada's water and worship Maheshvara — without doubt they destroy all sin.