Matsya Purana 189: adhyāyaḥ 189

189.1

narmadāmāhātmye kāverīsaṃgamamāhātmyavarṇanam.
sūta uvāca.
pṛcchanti te mahātmāno mārkaṇḍeyaṃ mahāmunim.
yudhiṣṭhira-purogāste ṛṣayaśca tapodhanāḥ .. 189.1 ..

Sûta said:—The king Yudhiṣṭhira along with the Ṛiṣis asked Mârkandeya "Bhagvana! be pleased to relate to us about the junction of the sacred Kâverî. We are desirous of hearing from you the account of the sacred Kâverî by bathing into which the vilest of sinners get emancipation."—2-3.

189.2

ākhyāhi bhagavan. tathyaṃ kāverī saṅgamo mahān.
lokānāñca hitārthāya asmākañca vivṛddhaye .. 189.2 ..

189.3

sadā pāparatā ye ca narā duṣkṛtakāriṇaḥ.
mucyante sarvapāpebhyo gacchanti paramaṃ padam .. 189.3 ..

189.4

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca.
śrṛṇvantvavahitāḥ sarve yudhiṣṭharapurogamāḥ.
asti vīro mahāyakṣaḥ kuberaḥ satyavikramaḥ .. 189.4 ..

Mârkandeya said:—O Yudhiṣṭhira and O Ṛiṣis! hear with attention that even the illustrious Kuvera the Lord of the Yakṣas got his position by oblations in the sacred Kâverî. Now hear from me how he acquired all his glory.—4-5.

189.5

idaṃ tīrthamanuprāpya rājā yakṣādhipo'bhavat.
siddhaṃ prāpto mahārāja! tanme nigadataḥ śrṛṇu .. 189.5 ..

189.6

kāverī narmadā yatra saṅgamo lokaviśrutaḥ.
tatra snātvā śucirbhūtvā kuberaḥ satyavikramaḥ .. 189.6 ..

At the confluence of the Kâverî and the Narmadâ Kuvera practised asceticism after bathing in the sacred waters for a divine century when the Lord Śiva on being pleased with him said "Kuvera! ask for what you wish"—6-8.

189.7

tapo'tapyata yakṣendro divyaṃ varṣaśataṃ mahat.
tasya tuṣṭo mahādevaḥ pradātuṃ varamuttamam .. 189.7 ..

189.8

bho bho yakṣa! mahāsatva! varaṃ brūhi yathepsitam.
brūhi kāryaṃ yatheṣṭantu yadvā manasi vartate .. 189.8 ..

189.9

kubera uvāca.
yadi tuṣṭo'si me deva! yadi deyo varo mama.
adya prabhṛti sarveṣāṃ yakṣāṇāmadhipo bhavet .. 189.9 ..

Kuvera said:—"Devadeva! if you are pleased to grant me a boon, I wish to become the king of the Yakṣas."—9.

189.10

kuberasya vacaḥ śrutvā parituṣṭo mahośvaraḥ.
evamastu tato devastatraivāntara dhīyata .. 189.10 ..

Hearing those words of Kuvera, the Lord said "Be it so" and vanished then and there.—10.

189.11

so'pi labdhavaro yakṣaḥ śīghraṃ labdhaphalodayaḥ.
pūjitaḥ sa tu yakṣaiśca hyabhiṣiktastu pārthiva! .. 189.11 ..

Afterwards Kuvera by virtue of that boon became the Lord of the Yakṣas.—11.

189.12

kāverīsaṅgamaṃ tatra sarvapāpapraṇāśanam.
ye narā nābhijānanti vañcitāste na saṃśayaḥ .. 189.12 ..

Such is the glory of the confluence of the sacred Kâverî with the Narmadâ. It is the dispeller of all sins. Those who do not know about it are undoubtedly deluded. One should, therefore, bathe there according to the prescribed rites. Both the sacred Kâverî and the Narmadâ are the most sacred. One who worships Śiva after bathing there begets the benefit of Aśwamedha sacrifice and goes to the realm of Rudra. One who is burnt there or keeps up a fast there, gets access everywhere. Mahâdeva has said that such a person after getting access everywhere enjoys the company of beautiful ladies in Rudraloka for 600060000 years. Afterwards he is born as a most illustrious king. One who drinks the water of the Kâverî and the Narmadâ gets the benefit of Chândrâyana. He gets the benefit of having bathed in the confluence of the Ganges and the Yamunâ and attains heaven. King! such is the glory of the junction of the Kâverî and the Narmadâ where, to bathe and perform charities is to dispel all ills and sins."—12-20.

189.13

tasmāt sarva prayatnena tatra snāyīta mānavaḥ.
kāverī ca mahāpuṇyā narmadā ca mahānadī .. 189.13 ..

189.14

tatra snātvā tu rājendra! hyarcayed vṛṣabhadhvajam.
aśvamedhaphalaṃ prāpya rudraloke mahīyate .. 189.14 ..

189.15

agnipraveśaṃ yaḥ kuryyādyaśca kuryyādanāśakam.
anivartyā gatistasya yathā me śaṅkaro'bravīt .. 189.15 ..

189.16

sevyamāno varastrīmiḥ krīḍate divi rudravat.
ṣaṣṭivarṣasahasrāṇi ṣaṣṭikoṭyastathāparāḥ .. 189.16 ..

189.17

modate rudralokastho yatra tatraiva gacchati.
puṇyakṣayāt paribhraṣṭo rājā bhavati dhārmikaḥ .. 189.17 ..

189.18

bhogavān dānaśīlaśca mahākula samudbhavaḥ.
tatra pītvā jalaṃ samyak cāndrāyaṇaphalaṃ labhet .. 189.18 ..

189.19

svargaṃ gacchanti te martyā ye pibanti śubhaṃ jalam.
gaṅgāyamunayormadhye yat phalaṃ prāpnuyānnaraḥ
kāverī saṅgame snātvā tat phalaṃ tasya jāyate .. 189.19 ..

189.20

evamādi tu rājendra! kāverī saṅgame mahat.
puṇyaṃ mahatphalaṃ tatra sarvapāpapraṇāśanam .. 189.20 ..