The Glory of Vishnupadi Ganga

Verse 1 (skanda.6.25.1)

सूत उवाच। तत्राश्चर्यमभूत्पूर्वं यत्तद्ब्राह्मणसत्तमाः। तद्वोऽहं संप्रवक्ष्यामि गंगामाहात्म्यसंभवम्

sūta uvāca| tatrāścaryamabhūtpūrvaṁ yattadbrāhmaṇasattamāḥ| tadvo'haṁ saṁpravakṣyāmi gaṁgāmāhātmyasaṁbhavam

Suta said: O best of brahmins, a wondrous event once occurred there; I shall now relate to you that event, bound up with the glory of the Ganga.

Verse 2 (skanda.6.25.2)

चमत्कारपुरे विप्रः पुरासीत्संशितव्रतः। चंडशर्मेति विख्यातो रूपौदार्यगुणान्वितः

camatkārapure vipraḥ purāsītsaṁśitavrataḥ| caṁḍaśarmeti vikhyāto rūpaudāryaguṇānvitaḥ

In Chamatkarapura there once lived a brahmin of firm vows, known as Chandasharma, endowed with good looks and generosity.

Verse 3 (skanda.6.25.3)

स यदा यौवनोपेतस्तदा वेश्यानुरागकृत्। श्रोत्रियोऽप्यभवद्विप्रो यौवनोद्भारपीडितः

sa yadā yauvanopetastadā veśyānurāgakṛt| śrotriyo'pyabhavadvipro yauvanodbhārapīḍitaḥ

When he came of youth, though a brahmin learned in the Veda, weighed down by the burden of that youth he became infatuated with a courtesan.

Verse 4 (skanda.6.25.4)

स कदाचिन्निशीथेऽथ तृषार्तश्च समुत्थितः। प्रार्थयामास तां वेश्यां पानीयं पातुमुत्सहे

sa kadācinniśīthe'tha tṛṣārtaśca samutthitaḥ| prārthayāmāsa tāṁ veśyāṁ pānīyaṁ pātumutsahe

Once, at midnight, tormented by thirst, he rose and asked that courtesan: I wish to drink some water.

Verse 5 (skanda.6.25.5)

अथ सा सलिलभ्रांत्या करकं मद्यसंभवम्। समादाय ददौ पानं तस्मै निद्राकुलाय च

atha sā salilabhrāṁtyā karakaṁ madyasaṁbhavam| samādāya dadau pānaṁ tasmai nidrākulāya ca

She, mistaking it for water, took up a jug filled with liquor and gave it to him, still drowsy with sleep, to drink.

Verse 6 (skanda.6.25.6)

मुखमध्यगते मद्ये सोऽपि तां कोपसंयुतः। वेश्यां प्रभर्त्सयामास धिग्धिक्शब्दैर्मुहुर्मुहुः

mukhamadhyagate madye so'pi tāṁ kopasaṁyutaḥ| veśyāṁ prabhartsayāmāsa dhigdhikśabdairmuhurmuhuḥ

As soon as the liquor was in his mouth, he, filled with anger, rebuked that courtesan again and again with cries of 'Shame! Shame!'

Verse 7 (skanda.6.25.7)

किमिदंकिमिदं पापे त्वया कर्म विगर्हितम्। कृतं यन्मुखमध्ये मे प्रक्षिप्ता निंदिता सुरा

kimidaṁkimidaṁ pāpe tvayā karma vigarhitam| kṛtaṁ yanmukhamadhye me prakṣiptā niṁditā surā

'What is this, what is this, wretched woman -- what vile deed have you done, that you have put this contemptible liquor into my mouth?'

Verse 8 (skanda.6.25.8)

ब्राह्मण्यमद्य मे नष्टं मद्यपानादसंशयम्। प्रायश्चित्तं करिष्यामि तस्मादात्मविशुद्धये

brāhmaṇyamadya me naṣṭaṁ madyapānādasaṁśayam| prāyaścittaṁ kariṣyāmi tasmādātmaviśuddhaye

'My brahminhood is destroyed today, without doubt, by this drinking of liquor; therefore I shall perform expiation for my own purification.'

Verse 9 (skanda.6.25.9)

एवमुक्त्वा विनिष्क्रम्य तद्गृहाद्दुःखसंयुतः। रुरोदाथ तदा गत्वा करुणं निर्जने वने

evamuktvā viniṣkramya tadgṛhādduḥkhasaṁyutaḥ| rurodātha tadā gatvā karuṇaṁ nirjane vane

Having said this, filled with grief, he left that house, and went to a deserted forest, where he wept pitiably.

Verse 10 (skanda.6.25.10)

ततः प्रभातवेलायां स्नात्वा वस्त्रसमन्वितः। त्यक्त्वा गात्रस्य रोमाणि समस्तानि द्विजोत्तमाः

tataḥ prabhātavelāyāṁ snātvā vastrasamanvitaḥ| tyaktvā gātrasya romāṇi samastāni dvijottamāḥ

Then, at dawn, O best of brahmins, having bathed, put on garments, and shaved off all the hair of his body --

Verse 11 (skanda.6.25.11)

संप्राप्तो विप्रमुख्यानां सभा यत्र व्यवस्थिता। पठंति सर्वशास्त्राणि वेदांतानि च कृत्स्नशः

saṁprāpto vipramukhyānāṁ sabhā yatra vyavasthitā| paṭhaṁti sarvaśāstrāṇi vedāṁtāni ca kṛtsnaśaḥ

he came to where the assembly of leading brahmins sat, studying all the shastras and the whole of the Vedanta.

Verse 12 (skanda.6.25.12)

अथासौ प्रणिपत्योच्चैः प्रोवाच द्विजसत्तमान्। जलभ्रांत्या सुरा पीता मया कुरुत निग्रहम्

athāsau praṇipatyoccaiḥ provāca dvijasattamān| jalabhrāṁtyā surā pītā mayā kuruta nigraham

Then, bowing low, he loudly declared to those excellent brahmins: Mistaking it for water, I have drunk liquor -- impose penance upon me.

Verse 13 (skanda.6.25.13)

अथ ते धर्मशास्त्राणि प्रविचार्य पुनःपुनः। तमूचुर्ब्राह्मणाः सर्वे प्रायश्चित्तकृते स्थितम्

atha te dharmaśāstrāṇi pravicārya punaḥpunaḥ| tamūcurbrāhmaṇāḥ sarve prāyaścittakṛte sthitam

Then, having deliberated again and again on the dharma-shastras, all those brahmins said to him, standing ready for expiation --

Verse 14 (skanda.6.25.14)

ब्राह्मणा ऊचुः। अज्ञानाज्ज्ञानतो वापि सुरां चेद्ब्राह्मणः पिबेत्। अग्निवर्णं घृतं पीत्वा तावन्मात्रं विशुध्यति

brāhmaṇā ūcuḥ| ajñānājjñānato vāpi surāṁ cedbrāhmaṇaḥ pibet| agnivarṇaṁ ghṛtaṁ pītvā tāvanmātraṁ viśudhyati

The brahmins said: If a brahmin drinks liquor, whether unknowingly or knowingly, he becomes purified by drinking fire-hot ghee, to that same measure.

Verse 15 (skanda.6.25.15)

स त्वं वांछसि चेच्छुद्धिमग्निवर्णं घृतं पिब। यावन्मात्रा सुरा पीता तावन्मात्रं विशुद्धये

sa tvaṁ vāṁchasi cecchuddhimagnivarṇaṁ ghṛtaṁ piba| yāvanmātrā surā pītā tāvanmātraṁ viśuddhaye

If you desire purification, then, for your purification, drink fire-hot ghee in the same measure as the liquor you drank.

Verse 16 (skanda.6.25.16)

स तथेति प्रतिज्ञाय घृतमादाय तत्क्षणात्। चक्रे वह्निसमं यावत्पानार्थं द्विजसत्तमाः

sa tatheti pratijñāya ghṛtamādāya tatkṣaṇāt| cakre vahnisamaṁ yāvatpānārthaṁ dvijasattamāḥ

O best of brahmins, agreeing 'so be it,' he at once took ghee and heated it to the temperature of fire, ready to drink it.

Verse 17 (skanda.6.25.17)

तावत्तस्य पिता प्राप्तः श्रुत्वा वार्तां सभार्यकः। किमिदं किमिदं पुत्र ब्रुवाणो दुःखसंयुतः। अश्रुपूर्णेक्षणो दीनो वाष्पगद्गदया गिरा

tāvattasya pitā prāptaḥ śrutvā vārtāṁ sabhāryakaḥ| kimidaṁ kimidaṁ putra bruvāṇo duḥkhasaṁyutaḥ| aśrupūrṇekṣaṇo dīno vāṣpagadgadayā girā

Meanwhile his father, having heard the news, arrived together with his wife, and, filled with grief, his eyes brimming with tears, pitiable, in a voice choked with sobs, cried: 'What is this, what is this, my son?'

Verse 18 (skanda.6.25.18)

ततः स कथयामास सर्वरात्रिसमुद्भवम्। वृत्तांतं तच्च विप्राणां प्रायश्चित्तं यथोचितम्

tataḥ sa kathayāmāsa sarvarātrisamudbhavam| vṛttāṁtaṁ tacca viprāṇāṁ prāyaścittaṁ yathocitam

Then he related the whole account of the night's happening, and the appropriate expiation declared by the brahmins.

Verse 19 (skanda.6.25.19)

अथ स ब्राह्मणान्प्राह सर्वांस्तान्द्विजसत्तमाः। प्रायश्चित्तं सुतायास्मै ममान्यत्संप्रदीयताम्

atha sa brāhmaṇānprāha sarvāṁstāndvijasattamāḥ| prāyaścittaṁ sutāyāsmai mamānyatsaṁpradīyatām

O best of brahmins, then he said to all those brahmins: Let some other expiation be given to this son of mine.

Verse 20 (skanda.6.25.20)

संचिन्त्य धर्मशास्त्राणि विचार्य च पुनः पुनः। सर्वस्वमपि दास्यामि पुत्रहेतोरसंशयम्

saṁcintya dharmaśāstrāṇi vicārya ca punaḥ punaḥ| sarvasvamapi dāsyāmi putrahetorasaṁśayam

Having pondered the dharma-shastras again and again, I shall give even my entire wealth for my son's sake, without doubt.

Verse 21 (skanda.6.25.21)

ततस्ते ब्राह्मणाः सर्वे भूयोभूयश्च सादरम्। विचिंत्य धर्मशास्त्राणि तमूचुर्मुनिसत्तमाः

tataste brāhmaṇāḥ sarve bhūyobhūyaśca sādaram| viciṁtya dharmaśāstrāṇi tamūcurmunisattamāḥ

Then, O best of sages, all those brahmins, having again and again respectfully considered the dharma-shastras, said to him --

Verse 22 (skanda.6.25.22)

नान्यदस्ति सुरापाने प्रायश्चित्तं द्विजन्मनाम्। मौंजीहोमं विना विप्र यद्युक्तं तत्समाचर

nānyadasti surāpāne prāyaścittaṁ dvijanmanām| mauṁjīhomaṁ vinā vipra yadyuktaṁ tatsamācara

For a twice-born who has drunk liquor there is no other expiation apart from the maunji-homa; O brahmin, whatever is proper, do that.

Verse 23 (skanda.6.25.23)

ततः स स्वसुतं प्राह नैव त्वं कर्तुमर्हसि। यच्छ दानानि विप्रेभ्यस्तीर्थयात्रां समाचर

tataḥ sa svasutaṁ prāha naiva tvaṁ kartumarhasi| yaccha dānāni viprebhyastīrthayātrāṁ samācara

Then he said to his own son: You should not do this -- give gifts to brahmins, and undertake a tirtha-pilgrimage.

Verse 24 (skanda.6.25.24)

ततः शुद्धिं समाप्नोषि क्रमान्नियमसंयुतः। व्रतैश्च विविधैश्चीर्णैः सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीम्यहम्

tataḥ śuddhiṁ samāpnoṣi kramānniyamasaṁyutaḥ| vrataiśca vividhaiścīrṇaiḥ satyametadbravīmyaham

By this, observing due rules and performing various vows, you will gradually attain purification -- I tell you this truly.

Verse 25 (skanda.6.25.25)

न ब्राह्मणसमादिष्टं प्रायश्चित्त विशुद्धये

na brāhmaṇasamādiṣṭaṁ prāyaścitta viśuddhaye

That expiation prescribed by the brahmins is not (the right one) for your purification.

Verse 26 (skanda.6.25.26)

पुत्र उवाच। एतन्मम महाभागा यद्ब्रुवंति व्रतादिकम्। तस्मात्कार्यो मया तात मौंजीहोमो न संशयः

putra uvāca| etanmama mahābhāgā yadbruvaṁti vratādikam| tasmātkāryo mayā tāta mauṁjīhomo na saṁśayaḥ

The son said: Father, what those great ones have prescribed as the vow is what is right for me; therefore I must perform the maunji-homa, without doubt.

Verse 27 (skanda.6.25.27)

यन्मया तु कृतं बाल्ये तत्सर्वं क्षंतुमर्हसि

yanmayā tu kṛtaṁ bālye tatsarvaṁ kṣaṁtumarhasi

Whatever I have done in my childhood, all that you should forgive me for.

Verse 28 (skanda.6.25.28)

सूत उवाच। तस्य तं निश्चयं ज्ञात्वा स पिता सुतवत्सलः। सर्वस्वं प्रददौ रुष्टो मरणे कृतनिश्चयः

sūta uvāca| tasya taṁ niścayaṁ jñātvā sa pitā sutavatsalaḥ| sarvasvaṁ pradadau ruṣṭo maraṇe kṛtaniścayaḥ

Suta said: Learning his son's resolve, that father, loving his son, angrily gave away his entire wealth, having resolved upon death.

Verse 29 (skanda.6.25.29)

साऽपि तस्य सती भार्या कृत्वा मृत्युविनिश्चयम्। तमुवाच सुतं दृष्ट्वा सर्वं दत्त्वा गृहादिकम्

sā'pi tasya satī bhāryā kṛtvā mṛtyuviniścayam| tamuvāca sutaṁ dṛṣṭvā sarvaṁ dattvā gṛhādikam

His chaste wife too, having likewise resolved upon death, after giving away everything -- house and all -- looked at her son and said to him --

Verse 30 (skanda.6.25.30)

आवाभ्यां संप्रविष्टाभ्यां वह्नौ पुत्र ततस्तदा। मौंजीहोमस्त्वया कार्यो मां तातं यदि मन्यसे

āvābhyāṁ saṁpraviṣṭābhyāṁ vahnau putra tatastadā| mauṁjīhomastvayā kāryo māṁ tātaṁ yadi manyase

'My son, once we two have entered the fire, then, if you regard us as your parents, you must perform the maunji-homa.'

Verse 31 (skanda.6.25.31)

ततस्तौ दम्पती हृष्टौ यावद्वह्निसमीपगौ। संजातौ मरणार्थाय स च ताभ्यां समुद्भवः

tatastau dampatī hṛṣṭau yāvadvahnisamīpagau| saṁjātau maraṇārthāya sa ca tābhyāṁ samudbhavaḥ

Then that couple, joyful, ready for death, drew near to the fire -- and just then this happened --

Verse 32 (skanda.6.25.32)

तावत्प्राप्तो मुनिर्नाम शांडिल्यो वेदपारगः। तीर्थयात्राप्रसंगेन तत्र देशे द्विजोत्तमाः

tāvatprāpto munirnāma śāṁḍilyo vedapāragaḥ| tīrthayātrāprasaṁgena tatra deśe dvijottamāḥ

just then, O best of brahmins, a sage named Shandilya, versed in the Veda, arrived in that region in the course of his tirtha-pilgrimage.

Verse 33 (skanda.6.25.33)

स वृत्तांतं समाकर्ण्य कोपसंरक्तलोचनः। अब्रवीद्ब्राह्मणान्सर्वान्भर्त्समानो मुहुर्मुहुः

sa vṛttāṁtaṁ samākarṇya kopasaṁraktalocanaḥ| abravīdbrāhmaṇānsarvānbhartsamāno muhurmuhuḥ

Hearing the whole account, his eyes red with anger, he spoke to all those brahmins, rebuking them again and again --

Verse 34 (skanda.6.25.34)

अहो मूढतमा यूयं यदेतद्ब्राह्मणत्रयम्। वृथा मृत्युमवाप्नोति निग्रहे सुगमे सति

aho mūḍhatamā yūyaṁ yadetadbrāhmaṇatrayam| vṛthā mṛtyumavāpnoti nigrahe sugame sati

'Ah, how utterly foolish you all are, that these three brahmins are meeting death needlessly, when an easy remedy is at hand!'

Verse 35 (skanda.6.25.35)

अत्र कात्यायनेनोक्तं यद्वचः सुमहात्मना। तच्छृण्वन्तु द्विजाः सर्वे प्रायश्चित्ती तथाप्ययम्

atra kātyāyanenoktaṁ yadvacaḥ sumahātmanā| tacchṛṇvantu dvijāḥ sarve prāyaścittī tathāpyayam

'What the great soul Katyayana has declared on this matter -- let all the brahmins hear it; there is indeed an expiation for this too.'

Verse 36 (skanda.6.25.36)

चांद्रायणानि कृच्छ्राणि तथा सांतपनानि च। प्रायश्चित्तानि दीयंते यत्र गंगा न विद्यते

cāṁdrāyaṇāni kṛcchrāṇi tathā sāṁtapanāni ca| prāyaścittāni dīyaṁte yatra gaṁgā na vidyate

'Chandrayana fasts, kricchra penances, and santapana penances are prescribed as expiations only where the Ganga is not present.'

Verse 37 (skanda.6.25.37)

अत्र विष्णुपदी गंगा तत्क्षेत्रे तु द्विजोत्तमाः। तस्यां स्नानं करोत्वेष ततः शुद्धिमवाप्स्यति

atra viṣṇupadī gaṁgā tatkṣetre tu dvijottamāḥ| tasyāṁ snānaṁ karotveṣa tataḥ śuddhimavāpsyati

'But here, O best of brahmins, in this very region, the Ganga Vishnupadi exists -- let him bathe in it, and he shall thereby attain purity.'

Verse 38 (skanda.6.25.38)

मौंजीहोमः प्रमाणं स्यान्मुनिवाक्येन चेद्भवेत्। तदेतदपि वाक्यं हि कात्यायनमुनेः स्फुटम्

mauṁjīhomaḥ pramāṇaṁ syānmunivākyena cedbhavet| tadetadapi vākyaṁ hi kātyāyanamuneḥ sphuṭam

If the maunji-homa can be established as authoritative by a sage's word, then this clear word of the sage Katyayana is equally authoritative.

Verse 39 (skanda.6.25.39)

ततस्ते ब्राह्मणाः सर्वे हर्षेण महतान्विताः। साधुसाध्विति तं प्रोच्य प्रोचुः सत्यमिदं मुने

tataste brāhmaṇāḥ sarve harṣeṇa mahatānvitāḥ| sādhusādhviti taṁ procya procuḥ satyamidaṁ mune

Then all those brahmins, filled with great joy, exclaiming 'well said, well said!' to him, replied: This is true, O sage.

Verse 40 (skanda.6.25.40)

ततः प्रबोध्य तं विप्रं निन्युस्तत्र द्विजोत्तमाः। यत्र विष्णुपदी गंगा स्वयमेव व्यवस्थिता

tataḥ prabodhya taṁ vipraṁ ninyustatra dvijottamāḥ| yatra viṣṇupadī gaṁgā svayameva vyavasthitā

Then those excellent brahmins, having roused and reassured that brahmin, led him to where the Ganga Vishnupadi stood, self-manifest.

Verse 41 (skanda.6.25.41)

तत्र स ब्राह्मणो यावद्गंगातोयसमुद्भवम्। गंडूषं कुरुते वक्त्रे तावच्छुद्धो बभूव सः। उदरादखिलं तोयं निष्क्रांतं द्विजसत्तमाः

tatra sa brāhmaṇo yāvadgaṁgātoyasamudbhavam| gaṁḍūṣaṁ kurute vaktre tāvacchuddho babhūva saḥ| udarādakhilaṁ toyaṁ niṣkrāṁtaṁ dvijasattamāḥ

O best of brahmins, as soon as that brahmin took a mouthful of the Ganga water, he became pure, and all the liquid came out entirely from his belly.

Verse 42 (skanda.6.25.42)

ततोऽवगाहते यावत्तस्यास्तोयं सुशोभनम्। तावदाकाशसंभूता गम्भीरोवाच भारती

tato'vagāhate yāvattasyāstoyaṁ suśobhanam| tāvadākāśasaṁbhūtā gambhīrovāca bhāratī

Then, as he immersed himself in that beautiful water, a deep voice arose from the sky --

Verse 43 (skanda.6.25.43)

शुद्धोऽयं ब्राह्मणः साक्षाद्विष्णुपद्याः समागमात्। स्नानादाचमनादेव तस्माद्यातु गृहं निजम्

śuddho'yaṁ brāhmaṇaḥ sākṣādviṣṇupadyāḥ samāgamāt| snānādācamanādeva tasmādyātu gṛhaṁ nijam

'This brahmin has, through direct contact with Vishnupadi, become pure by mere bathing and sipping alone; therefore let him go home.'

Verse 44 (skanda.6.25.44)

ततस्ते ब्राह्मणाः सर्वे चंडशर्मादयश्च ये। दिष्ट्यादिष्ट्येति जल्पन्तः स्वानि हर्म्याणि भेजिरे

tataste brāhmaṇāḥ sarve caṁḍaśarmādayaśca ye| diṣṭyādiṣṭyeti jalpantaḥ svāni harmyāṇi bhejire

Then all those brahmins, Chandasharma and the rest, exclaiming 'how fortunate, how fortunate!', returned to their own dwellings.

Verse 45 (skanda.6.25.45)

सूत उवाच। एवं प्रभावा सा विप्रा गंगा विष्णुपदी स्थिता। तस्य क्षेत्रस्य सीमांते पश्चिमे पापनाशिनी

sūta uvāca| evaṁ prabhāvā sā viprā gaṁgā viṣṇupadī sthitā| tasya kṣetrasya sīmāṁte paścime pāpanāśinī

Suta said: Such, O brahmins, is the power of that Ganga Vishnupadi, situated at the western boundary of that region, destroyer of sin.

Verse 46 (skanda.6.25.46)

एतद्वः सर्वमाख्यातं विष्णुपद्याः समुद्भवम्। माहात्म्यं ब्राह्मणश्रेष्ठाः सर्वपातकनाशनम्

etadvaḥ sarvamākhyātaṁ viṣṇupadyāḥ samudbhavam| māhātmyaṁ brāhmaṇaśreṣṭhāḥ sarvapātakanāśanam

O best of brahmins, all this has been related to you -- the origin of Vishnupadi, and its greatness, the destroyer of all sins.