The Origin of Narmada and the Fruits of Bathing in Her

Verse 1 (skanda.5.164.1)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच। पुनर्युगान्तं ते चान्यं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि तच्छृणु। सूर्यैरादीपिते लोके जङ्गमे स्थावरे पुरा॥

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca| punaryugāntaṁ te cānyaṁ sampravakṣyāmi tacchṛṇu| sūryairādīpite loke jaṅgame sthāvare purā||

Sri Markandeya said: I shall now tell you of yet another end of the age; hear it. Formerly, when the moving and unmoving world had been set ablaze by the suns,

Verse 2 (skanda.5.164.2)

सरित्सरःसमुद्रेषु क्षयं यातेषु सर्वशः। निर्मानुषवषट्कारे ह्यमर्यादगतिं गते॥

saritsaraḥsamudreṣu kṣayaṁ yāteṣu sarvaśaḥ| nirmānuṣavaṣaṭkāre hyamaryādagatiṁ gate||

when rivers, lakes, and oceans had all everywhere gone to destruction, when the world was without men, without the sacred exclamation, when it had gone beyond all bounds,

Verse 3 (skanda.5.164.3)

नानारूपैस्ततो मेघैः शक्रायुधविराजितैः। सर्वमापूरितं व्योम वार्यौघैः पूरिते तदा॥

nānārūpaistato meghaiḥ śakrāyudhavirājitaiḥ| sarvamāpūritaṁ vyoma vāryaughaiḥ pūrite tadā||

then, with clouds of many forms, resplendent with Indra's bow, the whole sky was filled; and when it was filled with floods of water,

Verse 4 (skanda.5.164.4)

ततस्त्वेकार्णवीभूते सर्वतः सलिलावृते। जगत्कृत्वोदरे सर्वं सुष्वाप भगवान्हरः॥

tatastvekārṇavībhūte sarvataḥ salilāvṛte| jagatkṛtvodare sarvaṁ suṣvāpa bhagavānharaḥ||

then, when it had become a single ocean, covered on all sides with water, the Lord Hara, having taken the whole world into his belly, fell asleep.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.164.5)

प्रकृतिं स्वामवष्टभ्य योगात्मा स प्रजापतिः। शेते युगसहस्रान्तं कालमाविश्य सार्णवम्॥

prakṛtiṁ svāmavaṣṭabhya yogātmā sa prajāpatiḥ| śete yugasahasrāntaṁ kālamāviśya sārṇavam||

He, the Lord of creatures, whose self is yoga, resting upon his own nature, sleeps for the span of a thousand ages, having entered the ocean along with Time.

Verse 6 (skanda.5.164.6)

तत्र सुप्तं महात्मानं ब्रह्मलोकनिवासिनः। भृग्वादिऋषयः सर्वे ये चान्ये सनकादयः॥

tatra suptaṁ mahātmānaṁ brahmalokanivāsinaḥ| bhṛgvādiṛṣayaḥ sarve ye cānye sanakādayaḥ||

There, the dwellers of Brahmaloka — all the sages beginning with Bhrigu, and the others too, beginning with Sanaka —

Verse 7 (skanda.5.164.7)

पर्यङ्के विमले शुभ्रे नानास्तरणसंस्तृते। शयानं ददृशुर्देवं सपत्नीकं वृषध्वजम्॥

paryaṅke vimale śubhre nānāstaraṇasaṁstṛte| śayānaṁ dadṛśurdevaṁ sapatnīkaṁ vṛṣadhvajam||

beheld the sleeping great soul, the bull-bannered god, together with his consort, on a stainless, bright couch, spread with various coverings.

Verse 8 (skanda.5.164.8)

विश्वरूपा तु सा नारी विश्वरूपो महेश्वरः। गाढमालिङ्ग्य सुप्तस्तां ददृशे चाहमव्ययम्॥

viśvarūpā tu sā nārī viśvarūpo maheśvaraḥ| gāḍhamāliṅgya suptastāṁ dadṛśe cāhamavyayam||

That woman was of universal form, and Maheshvara too was of universal form; asleep, tightly embracing her, I too beheld that imperishable pair.

Verse 9 (skanda.5.164.9)

पादमूले ततस्तस्य श्यामां तां पद्मलक्षणाम्। कन्यां पश्यामि सुश्रोणीं चरणौ तस्य मृद्गतीम्॥

pādamūle tatastasya śyāmāṁ tāṁ padmalakṣaṇām| kanyāṁ paśyāmi suśroṇīṁ caraṇau tasya mṛdgatīm||

At his feet, then, I saw that dark-hued maiden, marked with the lotus, lovely-hipped, pressing his two feet,

Verse 10 (skanda.5.164.10)

विमलाम्बरसंवीतां व्यालयज्ञोपवीतिनीम्। श्यामां कमलपत्राक्षीं सर्वाभरणभूषिताम्॥

vimalāmbarasaṁvītāṁ vyālayajñopavītinīm| śyāmāṁ kamalapatrākṣīṁ sarvābharaṇabhūṣitām||

clad in stainless garments, wearing a serpent as her sacred thread, dark-hued, lotus-petal-eyed, adorned with every ornament.

Verse 11 (skanda.5.164.11)

सकलं युगसाहस्रं नर्मदेयं विजानती। प्रसुप्तं देवदेवेशमुपास्ते वरवर्णिनी॥

sakalaṁ yugasāhasraṁ narmadeyaṁ vijānatī| prasuptaṁ devadeveśamupāste varavarṇinī||

This Narmada, for the entire span of a thousand ages, aware of her duty, waits upon the sleeping lord of the gods of gods, that woman of excellent hue.

Verse 12 (skanda.5.164.12)

हृतैर्वेदैश्चतुर्भिश्च ब्रह्माप्येवं महेश्वरः। भृग्वाद्यैर्मानसैः पुत्रैः स्तौति शङ्करमव्ययम्॥

hṛtairvedaiścaturbhiśca brahmāpyevaṁ maheśvaraḥ| bhṛgvādyairmānasaiḥ putraiḥ stauti śaṅkaramavyayam||

And Brahma too, his four Vedas having been stolen, together with his mind-born sons beginning with Bhrigu, praises the imperishable Shankara, Maheshvara —

Verse 13 (skanda.5.164.13)

भक्त्या परमया राजंस्तत्र शम्भुमनामयम्। स्तुवन्तस्तत्र देवेशं मन्त्रैरीश्वरसम्भवैः॥

bhaktyā paramayā rājaṁstatra śambhumanāmayam| stuvantastatra deveśaṁ mantrairīśvarasambhavaiḥ||

O king, with supreme devotion, praising there the untroubled Shambhu, the lord of gods, with mantras sprung from Ishvara himself,

Verse 14 (skanda.5.164.14)

प्रसुप्तं देवमीशानं बोधयन्समुपस्थितः। उत्तिष्ठ हर पिङ्गाक्ष महादेव महेश्वर॥

prasuptaṁ devamīśānaṁ bodhayansamupasthitaḥ| uttiṣṭha hara piṅgākṣa mahādeva maheśvara||

Brahma came near, rousing the sleeping god Ishana: 'Arise, O Hara, tawny-eyed one, Mahadeva, Maheshvara!'

Verse 15 (skanda.5.164.15)

मम वेदा हृताः सर्वे अतोऽहं स्तोतुमुद्यतः। वेदैर्व्याप्तं जगत्सर्वं दिव्यादिव्यं चराचरम्॥

mama vedā hṛtāḥ sarve ato'haṁ stotumudyataḥ| vedairvyāptaṁ jagatsarvaṁ divyādivyaṁ carācaram||

'All my Vedas have been stolen; therefore I have risen up to praise you. The entire world, divine and non-divine, moving and unmoving, is pervaded by the Vedas.'

Verse 16 (skanda.5.164.16)

अतीतं वर्तमानं च स्मरामि च सृजाम्यहम्। तैर्विना चाहमेकस्तु मूकोऽधो जडवत्सदा॥

atītaṁ vartamānaṁ ca smarāmi ca sṛjāmyaham| tairvinā cāhamekastu mūko'dho jaḍavatsadā||

'By them I remember and create the past and the present; without them, I alone am mute, low, ever as if inert.'

Verse 17 (skanda.5.164.17)

गतिर्वीर्यं बलोत्साहौ तैर्विना न प्रजायते। तैर्विना देवदेवेश नाहं किंचित्स्मरामि वै॥

gatirvīryaṁ balotsāhau tairvinā na prajāyate| tairvinā devadeveśa nāhaṁ kiṁcitsmarāmi vai||

'Without them, motion, potency, strength, and vigor do not arise. Without them, O lord of the gods of gods, I remember nothing at all.'

Verse 18 (skanda.5.164.18)

तान्वेदान्देवदेवेश शीघ्रं मे दातुमर्हसि। जडान्धबधिरं सर्वं जगत्स्थावरजङ्गमम्॥

tānvedāndevadeveśa śīghraṁ me dātumarhasi| jaḍāndhabadhiraṁ sarvaṁ jagatsthāvarajaṅgamam||

'O lord of the gods of gods, you should quickly restore those Vedas to me. The entire moving and unmoving world has become inert, blind, and deaf,'

Verse 19 (skanda.5.164.19)

स्थानादि दश चत्वारि न शोभन्ते सुरेश्वर। प्रणमाम्यल्पवीर्यत्वाद्वेदहीनः सुरेश्वर॥

sthānādi daśa catvāri na śobhante sureśvara| praṇamāmyalpavīryatvādvedahīnaḥ sureśvara||

'the fourteen worlds do not shine as they should, O lord of gods. I bow down, being of diminished power, bereft of the Vedas, O lord of gods.'

Verse 20 (skanda.5.164.20)

वेदेभ्यः सकलं जातं यत्किंचित्सचराचरम्। तावच्छोभन्ति शास्त्राणि समस्तानि जगद्गुरो॥

vedebhyaḥ sakalaṁ jātaṁ yatkiṁcitsacarācaram| tāvacchobhanti śāstrāṇi samastāni jagadguro||

'Whatever moving and unmoving thing exists, all of it was born from the Vedas. O guru of the world, all the shastras shine with meaning only so long...'

Verse 21 (skanda.5.164.21)

यावद्वेदनिधिरयं नोपतिष्ठेत्सनातनः। यथोदितेन सूर्येण तमो याति विनाशताम्॥

yāvadvedanidhirayaṁ nopatiṣṭhetsanātanaḥ| yathoditena sūryeṇa tamo yāti vināśatām||

'...as this eternal treasury of the Vedas stands firm. Just as darkness is destroyed by the risen sun,'

Verse 22 (skanda.5.164.22)

एवं समस्तपापानि यान्ति वेदस्य धारणात्। वेदे रहसि यत्सूक्ष्मं यत्तद्ब्रह्म सनातनम्॥

evaṁ samastapāpāni yānti vedasya dhāraṇāt| vede rahasi yatsūkṣmaṁ yattadbrahma sanātanam||

'so too all sins vanish through the upholding of the Veda. That subtle secret which is in the Veda, that is the eternal Brahman;'

Verse 23 (skanda.5.164.23)

हृदिस्थं देव जानामि गतं तद्वेदगर्जनात्। वेदानुच्चरतो मेऽद्य तव शङ्कर चाग्रतः॥

hṛdisthaṁ deva jānāmi gataṁ tadvedagarjanāt| vedānuccarato me'dya tava śaṅkara cāgrataḥ||

'—dwelling in the heart, O god, I know it, but now it has gone, lost from the thundering of the Veda. Today, as I recite the Vedas, O Shankara, in front of you—'

Verse 24 (skanda.5.164.24)

अकस्मात्ते गता वेदा न सृजेयं विभो भुवम्। तेऽपि सर्वे महादेव प्रविष्टाः सम्मुखार्णवम्॥

akasmātte gatā vedā na sṛjeyaṁ vibho bhuvam| te'pi sarve mahādeva praviṣṭāḥ sammukhārṇavam||

'—suddenly they have gone from me; I cannot create the world, O all-pervading one. They all, O Mahadeva, have entered the ocean before us.'

Verse 25 (skanda.5.164.25)

ते याच्यमाना देवेश तिष्ठन्तु स्मरणे मम। दुहितेयं विशालाक्षी सर्वः सर्वं विजानते॥

te yācyamānā deveśa tiṣṭhantu smaraṇe mama| duhiteyaṁ viśālākṣī sarvaḥ sarvaṁ vijānate||

'Being entreated, O lord of gods, may they remain in my memory. This large-eyed daughter — everyone knows everything through her.'

Verse 26 (skanda.5.164.26)

जायती युगसाहस्रं नान्या काचिद्भवेदृशी। ऋषिश्चायं महाभागो मार्कण्डो धीमतां वरः॥

jāyatī yugasāhasraṁ nānyā kācidbhavedṛśī| ṛṣiścāyaṁ mahābhāgo mārkaṇḍo dhīmatāṁ varaḥ||

'—she who is born for a thousand ages; there is no other like her. And this greatly fortunate sage, Markandeya, best among the wise,'

Verse 27 (skanda.5.164.27)

कल्पे कल्पे महादेव त्वामयं पर्युपासते। जगत्त्रयहितार्थाय चरते व्रतमुत्तमम्॥

kalpe kalpe mahādeva tvāmayaṁ paryupāsate| jagattrayahitārthāya carate vratamuttamam||

'—in kalpa after kalpa, O Mahadeva, he waits upon you, practicing an excellent vow for the welfare of the three worlds.'

Verse 28 (skanda.5.164.28)

एवमुक्तस्तु देवेशो ब्रह्मणा परमेष्ठिना। उवाच श्लक्ष्णया वाचा नर्मदां सरितां वराम्॥

evamuktastu deveśo brahmaṇā parameṣṭhinā| uvāca ślakṣṇayā vācā narmadāṁ saritāṁ varām||

Thus addressed by Brahma, the Supreme Lord, the lord of gods spoke, with gentle words, to Narmada, the excellent among rivers:

Verse 29 (skanda.5.164.29)

कथयस्व महाभागे ब्रह्मणस्त्वं तु पृच्छतः। केन वेदा हृताः सर्वे वेधसो जगतीगुरोः॥

kathayasva mahābhāge brahmaṇastvaṁ tu pṛcchataḥ| kena vedā hṛtāḥ sarve vedhaso jagatīguroḥ||

'Tell, O greatly fortunate one, since Brahma asks you — by whom were all the Vedas of the Creator, the guru of the world, stolen?'

Verse 30 (skanda.5.164.30)

एवमुक्ता तु रुद्रेण उवाच मृगलोचना। ब्रह्मणो जपतो वेदांस्त्वयि सुप्ते महेश्वर॥

evamuktā tu rudreṇa uvāca mṛgalocanā| brahmaṇo japato vedāṁstvayi supte maheśvara||

Thus addressed by Rudra, the doe-eyed one said: 'While Brahma was reciting the Vedas, and you, O Maheshvara, were asleep,'

Verse 31 (skanda.5.164.31)

भवतश्छिद्रमासाद्य घोरेऽस्मिन्सलिलावृते। पूर्वकल्पसमुद्भूतावसुरौ सुरदुर्जयौ॥

bhavataśchidramāsādya ghore'sminsalilāvṛte| pūrvakalpasamudbhūtāvasurau suradurjayau||

'—finding your weakness, in this terrible water-covered world — two asuras, born in a former kalpa, unconquerable by the gods,'

Verse 32 (skanda.5.164.32)

श्रियावृत्तौ महादेव त्वया चोत्पादितौ पुरा। सुरासुरसुदुर्जेयौ दानवौ मधुकैटभौ॥

śriyāvṛttau mahādeva tvayā cotpāditau purā| surāsurasudurjeyau dānavau madhukaiṭabhau||

'—endowed with splendor, O Mahadeva, and produced of old by you yourself — two danavas, most difficult for gods and asuras to overcome, named Madhu and Kaitabha,'

Verse 33 (skanda.5.164.33)

तौ वायुभूतौ सूक्ष्मौ च पठतोऽस्मात्पितामहात्। तावाशु हृत्वा वेदांश्च प्रविष्टौ च महार्णवम्॥

tau vāyubhūtau sūkṣmau ca paṭhato'smātpitāmahāt| tāvāśu hṛtvā vedāṁśca praviṣṭau ca mahārṇavam||

'—those two, having become subtle as air, quickly stole the Vedas from this Grandsire as he was reciting, and entered the great ocean.'

Verse 34 (skanda.5.164.34)

एतच्छ्रुत्वा महातेजा ह्यमृतायास्ततो वचः। सस्मार स च देवेशं शङ्खचक्रगदाधरम्॥

etacchrutvā mahātejā hyamṛtāyāstato vacaḥ| sasmāra sa ca deveśaṁ śaṅkhacakragadādharam||

Hearing this word from the immortal one, the greatly radiant Shiva then called to mind the lord of gods who bears the conch, discus, and mace.

Verse 35 (skanda.5.164.35)

स विवेश महाराज भूतलं ससुरोत्तमः। दानवान्तकरो देवः सर्वदैवतपूजितः॥

sa viveśa mahārāja bhūtalaṁ sasurottamaḥ| dānavāntakaro devaḥ sarvadaivatapūjitaḥ||

He, O great king, the best of gods, the slayer of danavas, worshipped by all the deities, entered the surface of the world/waters,

Verse 36 (skanda.5.164.36)

मीनरूपधरो देवो लोडयामास चार्वणम्। वेदांश्च ददृशे तत्र पाताले निहितान्प्रभुः॥

mīnarūpadharo devo loḍayāmāsa cārvaṇam| vedāṁśca dadṛśe tatra pātāle nihitānprabhuḥ||

the god, bearing the form of a fish, churned the depths; and the Lord beheld the Vedas there, hidden in Patala.

Verse 37 (skanda.5.164.37)

तौ च दैत्यौ महावीर्यौ दृष्टवान्मधुसूदनः। महावेगौ महाबाहू सूदयामास तेजसा॥

tau ca daityau mahāvīryau dṛṣṭavānmadhusūdanaḥ| mahāvegau mahābāhū sūdayāmāsa tejasā||

And Madhusudana beheld those two daityas of great might, of great speed and mighty arms, and slew them by his splendor.

Verse 38 (skanda.5.164.38)

वेदांस्तत्रापि तोयस्थानानिनाय जगद्गुरुः। चतुर्वक्त्राय देवायाददाच्चक्रविभूषितः॥

vedāṁstatrāpi toyasthānānināya jagadguruḥ| caturvaktrāya devāyādadāccakravibhūṣitaḥ||

And the guru of the world brought the Vedas back from that watery place, and the discus-bearer gave them to the four-faced god.

Verse 39 (skanda.5.164.39)

ततः प्रहृष्टो भगवान् वेदांल्लब्ध्वा पितामहः। जनयामास निखिलं जगद्भूयश्चराचरम्॥

tataḥ prahṛṣṭo bhagavān vedāṁllabdhvā pitāmahaḥ| janayāmāsa nikhilaṁ jagadbhūyaścarācaram||

Then the delighted Lord Grandsire, having obtained the Vedas, again created the entire moving and unmoving world.

Verse 40 (skanda.5.164.40)

सा च देवी नदी पुण्या रुद्रस्य परिचारिका। पावनी सर्वभूतानां प्रोवाह सलिलं तदा॥

sā ca devī nadī puṇyā rudrasya paricārikā| pāvanī sarvabhūtānāṁ provāha salilaṁ tadā||

And that holy goddess-river, the attendant of Rudra, the purifier of all beings, then flowed forth with her waters.

Verse 41 (skanda.5.164.41)

तस्यास्तीरे ततो देवा ऋषयश्च तपोधनाः। यजन्ति त्र्यम्बकं देवं प्रहृष्टेनान्तरात्मना॥

tasyāstīre tato devā ṛṣayaśca tapodhanāḥ| yajanti tryambakaṁ devaṁ prahṛṣṭenāntarātmanā||

On her banks, the gods and the sages rich in austerity worship the three-eyed god, with a delighted inner soul.

Verse 42 (skanda.5.164.42)

एका मूर्तिर्महेशस्य कारणान्तरमागता। त्रैगुण्या कुरुते कर्म ब्रह्मचक्रीशरूपतः॥

ekā mūrtirmaheśasya kāraṇāntaramāgatā| traiguṇyā kurute karma brahmacakrīśarūpataḥ||

One form of Mahesha, having entered into another cause, performs its function through the three gunas, in the forms of Brahma, Vishnu, and Ishvara.

Verse 43 (skanda.5.164.43)

एतेषां तु पृथग्भावं ये कुर्वन्ति सुमोहिताः। तेषां धर्मः कुतः सिद्धिर्जायते पापकर्मिणाम्॥

eteṣāṁ tu pṛthagbhāvaṁ ye kurvanti sumohitāḥ| teṣāṁ dharmaḥ kutaḥ siddhirjāyate pāpakarmiṇām||

Those who, greatly deluded, treat these as separate — how can dharma or accomplishment arise for those doers of sinful deeds?

Verse 44 (skanda.5.164.44)

एवमेता महानद्यस्तिस्रो रुद्रसमुद्भवाः। एका एव त्रिधा भूता गङ्गा रेवा सरस्वती॥

evametā mahānadyastisro rudrasamudbhavāḥ| ekā eva tridhā bhūtā gaṅgā revā sarasvatī||

Thus these three great rivers, all sprung from Rudra, are but one, become threefold: Ganga, Reva, and Sarasvati.

Verse 45 (skanda.5.164.45)

गङ्गा तु वैष्णवी मूर्तिः सर्वपापप्रणाशिनी। रुद्रदेहसमुद्भूता नर्मदा चैवमेव तु॥

gaṅgā tu vaiṣṇavī mūrtiḥ sarvapāpapraṇāśinī| rudradehasamudbhūtā narmadā caivameva tu||

The Ganga is the Vaishnavi form, the destroyer of all sin; and Narmada likewise is sprung from the body of Rudra.

Verse 46 (skanda.5.164.46)

ब्राह्मी सरस्वती मूर्तिस्त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुता। दिव्या कामगमा देवी वाग्विभूत्यै तु संस्थिता॥

brāhmī sarasvatī mūrtistriṣu lokeṣu viśrutā| divyā kāmagamā devī vāgvibhūtyai tu saṁsthitā||

Sarasvati is the Brahma-form, renowned in the three worlds; a divine goddess, moving at will, established for the glory of speech.

Verse 47 (skanda.5.164.47)

नर्मदा परमा काचिन्मर्त्यमूर्तिकला शिवा। दिव्या कामगमा देवी सर्वत्र सुरपूजिता॥

narmadā paramā kācinmartyamūrtikalā śivā| divyā kāmagamā devī sarvatra surapūjitā||

Narmada is a certain supreme, auspicious portion in mortal form; a divine goddess, moving at will, worshipped by the gods everywhere.

Verse 48 (skanda.5.164.48)

व्यापिनी सर्वभूतानां सूक्ष्मात्सूक्ष्मतरा स्मृता। अक्षया ह्यमृता ह्येषा स्वर्गसोपानमुत्तमा॥

vyāpinī sarvabhūtānāṁ sūkṣmātsūkṣmatarā smṛtā| akṣayā hyamṛtā hyeṣā svargasopānamuttamā||

Pervading all beings, she is remembered as subtler than the subtle; imperishable, immortal, she is the excellent stairway to heaven,

Verse 49 (skanda.5.164.49)

सृष्टा रुद्रेण लोकानां संसारार्णवतारिणी॥

sṛṣṭā rudreṇa lokānāṁ saṁsārārṇavatāriṇī||

created by Rudra for the good of the worlds, the one who ferries beings across the ocean of samsara.

Verse 50 (skanda.5.164.50)

सरिज्जलं येऽपि पिबन्ति लोके मुच्यन्ति ते पापविशेषसङ्घैः। व्रजन्ति संसारमनादिभावं त्यक्त्वा चिरं मोक्षपदं विशुद्धम्॥

sarijjalaṁ ye'pi pibanti loke mucyanti te pāpaviśeṣasaṅghaiḥ| vrajanti saṁsāramanādibhāvaṁ tyaktvā ciraṁ mokṣapadaṁ viśuddham||

Those in this world who even merely drink the river's water are freed from every mass of sin; having abandoned the beginningless state of worldly existence, they attain forever the pure state of liberation.

Verse 51 (skanda.5.164.51)

यथा गङ्गा तथा रेवा तथा चैव सरस्वती। समं पुण्यफलं प्रोक्तं स्नानदर्शनचिन्तनैः॥

yathā gaṅgā tathā revā tathā caiva sarasvatī| samaṁ puṇyaphalaṁ proktaṁ snānadarśanacintanaiḥ||

As is the Ganga, so is the Reva, and so too the Sarasvati; the merit-fruit of bathing, sight, and meditation upon them is declared equal.

Verse 52 (skanda.5.164.52)

वरदानान्महाभागा ह्यधिका चोच्यते बुधैः। कारुण्यान्तरभावेन न मृता समुपागता॥

varadānānmahābhāgā hyadhikā cocyate budhaiḥ| kāruṇyāntarabhāvena na mṛtā samupāgatā||

Yet, by reason of the boon granted, this greatly fortunate one is said by the wise to be superior; through her inward nature of compassion she came to be, and never dies.

Verse 53 (skanda.5.164.53)

मुच्यन्ते दर्शनात्तेन पातकैः स्नानमङ्गलैः। नर्मदायां नृपश्रेष्ठ ये नमन्ति त्रिलोचनम्॥

mucyante darśanāttena pātakaiḥ snānamaṅgalaiḥ| narmadāyāṁ nṛpaśreṣṭha ye namanti trilocanam||

By the mere sight of her, therefore, those are freed from sins through the auspicious rite of bathing — O best of kings, those who bow to the three-eyed one at Narmada,

Verse 54 (skanda.5.164.54)

उमारुद्राङ्गसम्भूता येन चैषा महानदी। लोकान्प्रापयते स्वर्गं तेन पुण्यत्वमागता॥

umārudrāṅgasambhūtā yena caiṣā mahānadī| lokānprāpayate svargaṁ tena puṇyatvamāgatā||

since this great river, sprung from the body of Uma and Rudra, brings the worlds to heaven, she has thereby attained her holiness.

Verse 55 (skanda.5.164.55)

य एवमीशानवरस्य देहं विभज्य देवीमिह संशृणोति। स याति रुद्रं महतारवेण गन्धर्वयक्षैरिव गीयमानः॥

ya evamīśānavarasya dehaṁ vibhajya devīmiha saṁśṛṇoti| sa yāti rudraṁ mahatāraveṇa gandharvayakṣairiva gīyamānaḥ||

Whoever thus hears of the goddess here, born by the division of the body of the excellent Ishana, he goes to Rudra with great acclaim, as if being sung of by gandharvas and yakshas.