Skandapurana 6.3.4

6.3.4.p1

adhyāya 4

6.3.4.1

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca -
tato'rṇavātsamuttīrya trikūṭaśikhare sthitam .
mahākanakavarṇābhe nānāvarṇaśilācite .. 4.1 ..

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said: / Then, having emerged from the ocean, on the one stationed on the peak of Trikūṭa, / shining with the luster of great gold, piled with rocks of various colors,

6.3.4.2

mahāśṛṅge samāsīnaṃ rudrakoṭisamanvitam .
mahādevaṃ mahātmānamīśānamajamavyayam .. 4.2 ..

seated upon the great peak, accompanied by tens of millions of Rudras, / Mahādeva, the great-souled Lord, unborn, imperishable,

6.3.4.3

sarvabhūtamayaṃ tāta manunā saha suvrata .
bhūyo vavande caraṇau sarvadevanamaskṛtau .. 4.3 ..

consisting of all beings, dear child, along with Manu, O you of noble vows, / I again reverenced his feet, which are worshipped by all the gods.

6.3.4.4

tatkāle yugasāhasraṃ saha rudreṇa mānada .
tasminnekārṇave ghore sthito'haṃ kurunaṃdana .. 4.4 ..

At that time, for a thousand ages with Rudra, O bestower of honor, / I remained in that dreadful single ocean, O joy of the Kurus.

6.3.4.5

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca -
etacchrutvā tu me tāta paraṃ kautūhalaṃ hṛdi .
jātaṃ tatkathayasveti śṛṇvataḥ saha bāndhavaiḥ .. 4.5 ..

Yudhiṣṭhira said: / Having heard this, dear friend, a great curiosity in my heart / has arisen; tell that to me as I listen together with my kinsmen.

6.3.4.6

kā sā padmapalāśākṣī tamobhūte mahārṇave .
yogivadbhramate nityaṃ rudrajāṃ svāṃ ca yābravīt .. 4.6 ..

Who was she with eyes like lotus petals in that great ocean turned to darkness, / who wandered constantly like an ascetic and who declared herself to be born of Rudra?

6.3.4.7

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca -
etameva mayā praśnaṃ purā pṛṣṭo manuḥ svayam .
tadeva te'dya vakṣyāmi abalāyāḥ samudbhavam .. 4.7 ..

The venerable Mārkaṇḍeya said: / Long ago, this very question was asked by me to Manu himself. / That very origin of the maiden I shall tell you today. 4.7

6.3.4.8

vyatītāyāṃ niśāyāṃ tu brahmaṇaḥ parameṣṭhinaḥ .
tataḥ prabhāte vimale sṛjyamāneṣu jantuṣu .. 4.8 ..

When the night of Brahmā the supreme lord had passed, / and the pure morning dawned, as creatures were being created, 4.8

6.3.4.9

manuṃ praṇamya śirasā pṛcchāmyetadyudhiṣṭhira .
keyaṃ padmapalāśākṣī śyāmā caṃdranibhānanā .. 4.9 ..

having bowed my head to Manu, I asked him this, O Yudhiṣṭhira: / Who is this lotus-petal-eyed young woman, whose face resembles the moon, 4.9

6.3.4.10

ekārṇave bhramatyekā rudrajāsmīti vādinī .
sāvitrī vedamātā ca hyathavā sā sarasvatī .. 4.10 ..

who wanders alone in the single ocean, saying, 'I was born of Rudra'? / Is she Sāvitrī the mother of the Vedas, or indeed Sarasvatī? 4.10

6.3.4.11

mandākinī saricchreṣṭhā lakṣmīrvā kimatho umā .
kālarātrirbhavetsākṣātprakṛtirvā sukhocitā .. 4.11 ..

Is she Mandākinī, foremost of rivers, or Lakṣmī, or Umā? / Could she be Kālarātri herself, or Prakṛti suited to pleasure? 4.11

6.3.4.12

etadācakṣva bhagavankā sā hyamṛtasaṃbhavā .
caratyekārṇave ghore pranaṣṭoragarākṣase .. 4.12 ..

Explain this, O blessed one: Who is she, born of nectar, / who moves in the dread single ocean, where serpents and rākṣasas are destroyed? 4.12

6.3.4.13

manuruvāca -
śṛṇu vatsa yathānyāyamasyā vakṣyāmi saṃbhavam .
yayā rudrasamudbhūtā yā ceyaṃ varavarṇinī .. 4.13 ..

Manu said: / Listen, dear child, I shall explain her origin in due order: / how she was born from Rudra, and who this fair-complexioned lady is. 4.13

6.3.4.14

purā śivaḥ śāntatanuścacāra vipulaṃ tapaḥ .
hitārthaṃ sarvalokānāmumayā saha śaṃkaraḥ .. 4.14 ..

Long ago, Śiva of peaceful form practiced great austerity / together with Umā for the welfare of all worlds, he being Śaṃkara. 4.14

6.3.4.15

ṛkṣaśailaṃ samāruhya tapastepe sudāruṇam .
adṛśyaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ sarvabhūtātmako vaśī .. 4.15 ..

Having ascended Mount Ṛkṣa, he performed very dread austerity, / invisible to all beings, the self of all beings, self-controlled. 4.15

6.3.4.16

tapatastasya devasya svedaḥ samabhavatkila .
taṃ giriṃ plāvayāmāsa sa svedo rudrasaṃbhavaḥ .. 4.16 ..

As that god practiced austerity, sweat indeed arose. / That sweat born of Rudra flooded that mountain. 4.16

6.3.4.17

tasmādāsītsamudbhūtā mahāpuṇyā saridvarā .
yā sā tvayārṇave dṛṣṭā padmapatrāyatekṣaṇā .. 4.17 ..

From that arose the most meritorious, excellent river / whom you saw in the ocean, with eyes long like lotus petals. 4.17

6.3.4.18

strīrūpaṃ samavasthāya rudramārādhayatpurā .
ādye kṛtayuge tasminsamānāmayutaṃ nṛpa .. 4.18 ..

Assuming the form of a woman, she worshiped Rudra long ago / in that first Kṛta age for ten thousand years, O king. 4.18

6.3.4.19

tatastuṣṭo mahādeva umayā saha śaṃkaraḥ .
brūhi tvaṃ tu mahābhāge yatte manasi vartate .. 4.19 ..

Then Mahādeva Śaṃkara, pleased together with Umā, said: / 'Speak, O fortunate lady, whatever is in your mind!' 4.19

6.3.4.20

sariduvāca -
pralaye samanuprāpte naṣṭe sthāvarajaṃgame .
prasādāttava deveśa akṣayāhaṃ bhave prabho .. 4.20 ..

The river said: / 'When universal dissolution arrives and moving and unmoving beings are destroyed, / by your grace, O lord of gods, may I be imperishable, O Lord! 4.20

6.3.4.21

saritsu sāgareṣveva parvateṣu kṣayiṣvapi .
tava prasādāddeveśa puṇyā kṣayyā bhave prabho .. 4.21 ..

Even when rivers, oceans, and mountains perish, / by your grace, O lord of gods, may I be holy and imperishable, O Lord! 4.21

6.3.4.22

pāpopapātakairyuktā mahāpātakino'pi ye .
mucyante sarvapāpebhyo bhaktyā snātvā tu śaṃkara .. 4.22 ..

Even those endowed with sins and minor sins, or those guilty of great sins, / are freed from all sins by bathing with devotion, O Śaṃkara. 4.22

6.3.4.23

uttare jāhnavīdeśe mahāpātakanāśinī .
bhavāmi dakṣiṇe mārge yadyevaṃ surapūjitā .. 4.23 ..

In the northern region is the Jāhnavī, destroyer of great sins; / may I become worshiped by the gods on the southern path, if this pleases you. 4.23

6.3.4.24

svargādāgamya gaṃgeti yathā khyātā kṣitau vibho .
tathā dakṣiṇagaṅgeti bhaveyaṃ tridaśeśvara .. 4.24 ..

Just as the Gaṅgā, having descended from heaven, is renowned on earth, O all-pervading one, / so may I become known as the Southern Gaṅgā, O lord of the thirty [gods]! 4.24

6.3.4.25

pṛthivyāṃ sarvatīrtheṣu snātvā yallabhate phalam .
tatphalaṃ labhate martyo bhaktyā snātvā maheśvara .. 4.25 ..

Whatever fruit a mortal obtains by bathing in all sacred fords on earth, / that fruit he obtains by bathing with devotion [in me], O Maheśvara. 4.25

6.3.4.26

brahmahatyādikaṃ pāpaṃ yadāste saṃcitaṃ kvacit .
māsamātreṇa taddeva kṣayaṃ yātvavagāhanāt .. 4.26 ..

Whatever sin, such as killing a brahmin, has been accumulated anywhere, / let it perish in just a month by plunging [in me], O god! 4.26

6.3.4.27

yatphalaṃ sarvavedeṣu sarvayajñeṣu śaṃkara .
avagāhena tatsarvaṃ bhavatviti matirmama .. 4.27 ..

Whatever fruit is found in all the Vedas and all sacrifices, O Śaṃkara, / let all that be obtained by plunging [in me]: this is my wish. 4.27

6.3.4.28

sarvadānopavāseṣu sarvatīrthāvagāhane .
tatphalaṃ mama toyena jāyatāmiti śaṃkara .. 4.28 ..

In all gifts and fasts, and in plunging into all sacred fords, / let that [same] fruit be produced by my water, O Śaṃkara. 4.28

6.3.4.29

mama tīre narā ye tu arcayanti maheśvaram .
te gatāstava lokaṃ syuretadeva bhavecchiva .. 4.29 ..

Those men who worship Maheśvara on my bank, / let them go to your world; may this be so, O Śiva! 4.29

6.3.4.30

mama kūle maheśāna umayā saha daivataiḥ .
vasa nityaṃ jagannātha eṣa eva varo mama .. 4.30 ..

On my bank, O Maheśāna, together with Umā and the deities, / reside always, O lord of the universe! This alone is my boon. 4.30

6.3.4.31

sukarmā vā vikarmā vā śānto dānto jitendriyaḥ .
mṛto janturmama jale gacchatādamarāvatīm .. 4.31 ..

Whether of good deeds or bad deeds, calm, restrained, with senses conquered, / let any creature who dies in my water go to Amarāvatī! 4.31

6.3.4.32

triṣu lokeṣu vikhyātā mahāpātakanāśinī .
bhavāmi devadeveśa prasanno yadi manyase .. 4.32 ..

Renowned in the three worlds as the destroyer of great sins / may I become, O lord of the gods of gods, if you, being pleased, approve.' 4.32

6.3.4.33

etāṃścānyānvarāndivyānprārthito nṛpasattama .
narmadayā tataḥ prāha prasanno vṛṣavāhanaḥ .. 4.33 ..

Being thus requested for these and other divine boons by the Narmadā, / O best of kings, the bull-vehicled god, pleased, said: 4.33

6.3.4.34

śrīmaheśa uvāca -
evaṃ bhavatu kalyāṇi yattvayoktamanindite .
nānyā varārhā lokeṣu muktvā tvāṃ kamalekṣaṇe .. 4.34 ..

The venerable Maheśa said: / 'So be it, O auspicious one, as spoken by you, O blameless lady! / No other woman in the worlds is worthy of boons except you, O lotus-eyed one. 4.34

6.3.4.35

yadaiva mama dehāttvaṃ samudbhūtā varānane .
tadaiva sarvapāpānāṃ mocinī tvaṃ na saṃśayaḥ .. 4.35 ..

The very moment you were born from my body, O fair-faced one, / at that very moment you became the deliverer from all sins, there is no doubt. 4.35

6.3.4.36

kalpakṣayakare kāle kāle ghore viśeṣataḥ .
uttaraṃ kūlamāśritya nivasanti ca ye narāḥ .. 4.36 ..

At the time that causes the destruction of the kalpa, especially at that dread time, / those men who dwell relying on your northern bank, 4.36

6.3.4.37

api kīṭapataṅgāśca vṛkṣagulmalatādayaḥ .
ā dehapatanāddevi te'pi yāsyanti sadgatim .. 4.37 ..

and even worms, winged insects, trees, shrubs, and creepers, / until the fall of their bodies, O goddess, they too shall attain the good destination. 4.37

6.3.4.38

dakṣiṇaṃ kūlamāśritya ye dvijā dharmavatsalāḥ .
ā mṛtyornivasiṣyanti te gatāḥ pitṛmandire .. 4.38 ..

Those twice-born who are devoted to dharma, who rely on the southern bank / and dwell there until death, they shall go to the abode of the ancestors. 4.38

6.3.4.39

ahaṃ hi tava vākyena kasmiṃścitkāraṇāntare .
tvattīre nivasiṣyāmi sadaiva hyumayā samam .. 4.39 ..

Indeed, according to your word, for a certain special purpose, / I shall always dwell on your bank together with Umā. 4.39

6.3.4.40

evaṃ devi mahādevi evameva na saṃśayaḥ .
brahmendracandravaruṇaiḥ sādhyaiśca saha viṣṇunā .. 4.40 ..

So it shall be, O goddess, O great goddess, precisely so, without doubt. / Together with Brahmā, Indra, Candra, Varuṇa, the Sādhyas, and Viṣṇu, 4.40

6.3.4.41

uttare devi te kūle vasiṣyanti mamājñayā .
dakṣiṇe pitṛbhiḥ sārddhaṃ tathānye surasundari .. 4.41 ..

they shall dwell on your northern bank by my command, O goddess. / On the southern [bank], together with the ancestors, other gods too, O beautiful lady of the gods, 4.41

6.3.4.42

vasiṣyanti mayā sārddhameṣa te vara uttamaḥ .
gaccha gaccha mahābhāge martyānpāpādvimocaya .. 4.42 ..

shall dwell along with me. This is your supreme boon. / Go, go, O fortunate one, deliver mortals from sin, 4.42

6.3.4.43

sahitā ṛṣisaṃghaiśca tathā siddhasurāsuraiḥ .
evamuktā mahādeva umayā sahito vibhuḥ .. 4.43 ..

accompanied by hosts of seers, and likewise by siddhas, gods, and asuras.' / Having spoken thus, the all-pervading Mahādeva, accompanied by Umā, 4.43

6.3.4.44

vandyamāno'tha manunā mayā cādarśanaṃ gataḥ .
tena caiṣā mahāpuṇyā mahāpātakanāśinī .. 4.44 ..

while being praised by Manu and by me, vanished from sight. / Thus this most holy [river], destroyer of great sins, 4.44

6.3.4.45

kathitā pṛcchyate yā te mā te bhavatu vismayaḥ .
eṣā gaṃgā mahāpuṇyā triṣu lokeṣu viśrutā .. 4.45 ..

about whom you ask, has been described; let there be no wonder in you. / This is the most holy Gaṅgā celebrated in the three worlds, 4.45

6.3.4.46

daśābhiḥ pañcabhiḥ srotaiḥ plāvayantī diśo daśa .
śoṇo mahānadaścaiva narmadā surasā kṛtā .. 4.46 ..

flooding the ten directions with fifteen streams: / the Śoṇa, the great river, and the pleasant Narmadā, 4.46

6.3.4.47

mandākinī daśārṇā ca citrakūṭā tathaiva ca .
tamasā vidiśā caiva karabhā yamunā tathā .. 4.47 ..

Mandākinī, Daśārṇā, and likewise Citrakūṭā, / Tamasā, Vidiśā, Karabhā, and Yamunā, 4.47

6.3.4.48

citrotpalā vipāśā ca rañjanā vāluvāhinī .
ṛkṣapādaprasūtāstāḥ sarvā vai rudrasaṃbhavāḥ .. 4.48 ..

Citrotpalā, Vipāśā, Rañjanā, and Vāluvāhinī. / All these born from the foothills of Ṛkṣa are indeed born of Rudra, 4.48

6.3.4.49

sarvapāpaharāḥ puṇyāḥ sarvamaṃgaladāḥ śivāḥ .
ityetairnāmabhirdivyaiḥ stūyate vedapāragaiḥ .. 4.49 ..

removers of all sins, holy, givers of all auspiciousness, benign. / With these divine names she is praised by those who have mastered the Vedas, 4.49

6.3.4.50

purāṇajñairmahābhāgairājyapaiḥ somapaistathā .
ityetatsarvamākhyātaṃ mahābhāgyaṃ narottama .. 4.50 ..

by fortunate knowers of the Purāṇas, by drinkers of clarified butter, and by drinkers of soma. / Thus all this greatness has been told, O best of men, 4.50

6.3.4.51

manunoktaṃ purā mahyamamṛtāyāḥ samudbhavam .
puṇyaṃ pavitramatulaṃ rudrodgītamidaṃ śubham .. 4.51 ..

as the origin of the immortal lady was told to me long ago by Manu— / holy, pure, peerless, sung by Rudra, auspicious. 4.51

6.3.4.52

ye narāḥ kīrtayiṣyanti bhaktyā śṛṇvanti ye'pi ca .
prātarutthāya nāmāni daśa pañca ca bhārata .. 4.52 ..

Those men who recite, or who hear with devotion,
rising in the morning, these fifteen names, O Bhārata,

6.3.4.53

te narāḥ sakalaṃ puṇyaṃ labhiṣyantyavagāhajam .
vimānenārkavarṇena ghaṇṭāśataninādinā .. 4.53 ..

those men shall obtain all the merit born of bathing [there].
In an aerial chariot bright as the sun, resounding with a hundred bells,

6.3.4.54

tyaktvā mānuṣyakaṃ bhāvaṃ yāsyanti paramāṃ gatim .. 4.54 ..

abandoning their human condition, they will go to the supreme destination.

6.3.4.54_2

.. iti śrīskānde mahāpurāṇa ekāśītisāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ pañcama āvantyakhaṇḍe revākhaṇḍe narmadāpañcadaśanāmavarṇanaṃ nāma caturtho'dhyāyaḥ ..

Thus ends the fourth chapter, titled “Description of the Fifteen Names of the Narmadā,” in the Revākhaṇḍa of the Āvantyakhaṇḍa in the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa, a compendium of eighty-one thousand [verses].