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Sixth Skandha · Chapter 12

Chapter 12

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Sixth Skandha · Chapter 12

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राजोवाच तीर्थानि भुवि पुण्यानि ब्रूहि मे मुनिसत्तम । गम्यानि मानवैर्देवैः क्षेत्राणि सरितस्तथा ॥ १ ॥ फलं च यादृशं यत्र तीर्थेषु स्नानदानतः । विधिं तु तीर्थयात्रायां नियमांश्च विशेषतः ॥ २ ॥ व्यास उवाच शृणु राजन् प्रवक्ष्यामि तीर्थानि विविधानि च । येषु तीर्थेषु देवीनां प्रशस्तान्यायनानि च ॥ ३ ॥ नदीनां जाह्नवी श्रेष्ठा यमुना च सरस्वती । नर्मदा गण्डकी सिन्धुर्गोमती तमसा तथा ॥ ४ ॥ कावेरी चन्द्रभागा च पुण्या वेत्रवती शुभा । चर्मण्वती च सरयूस्तापी साभ्रमती तथा ॥ ५ ॥ एताश्च कथिता राजन्नन्याश्च शतशः पुनः । तासां समुद्रगाः पुण्याः स्वल्पपुण्या ह्यनब्धिगाः ॥ ६ ॥ समुद्रगानां ताः पुण्याः सर्वदौघवहास्तु याः । मासद्वयं श्रावणादौ ताश्च सर्वा रजस्वलाः ॥ ७ ॥ भवन्ति वृष्टियोगेन ग्राम्यवारिवहास्तथा । पुष्करं च कुरुक्षेत्रं धर्मारण्यं सुपावनम् ॥ ८ ॥ प्रभासं च प्रयागं च नैमिषारण्यमेव च । विश्रुतं चार्बुदारण्यं शैलाश्च पावनास्तथा ॥ ९ ॥ श्रीशैलश्च सुमेरुश्च पर्वतो गन्धमादनः । सरांसि चैव पुण्यानि मानसं सर्वविश्रुतम् ॥ १० ॥ तथा बिन्दुसरः श्रेष्ठमच्छोदं नाम पावनम् । आश्रमास्तु तथा पुण्या मुनीनां भावितात्मनाम् ॥ ११ ॥ विश्रुतस्तु सदा पुण्यः ख्यातो बदरिकाश्रमः । नरनारायणौ यत्र तेपाते तौ मुनी तपः ॥ १२ ॥ वामनाश्रम आख्यातः शतयूपाश्रमस्तथा । येन यत्र तपस्तप्तं तस्य नाम्नातिविश्रुतः ॥ १३ ॥ एवं पुण्यानि स्थानानि ह्यसंख्यातानि भूतले । मुनिभिः परिगीतानि पावनानि महीपते ॥ १४ ॥ एषु स्थानेषु सर्वत्र देवीस्थानानि भूपते । दर्शनात्पापहारीणि वसन्ति नियमेन च ॥ १५ ॥ कथयिष्यामि तान्यग्रे प्रसङ्गेन च कानिचित् । तीर्थानि नृप दानानि व्रतानि च मखास्तथा ॥ १६ ॥ तपांसि पुण्यकर्माणि सापेक्षाणि महीपते । द्रव्यशुद्धिं क्रियाशुद्धिं मनःशुद्धिमपेक्ष्य च ॥ १७ ॥ पावनानि हि तीर्थानि तपांसि च व्रतानि च । कदाचिद्द्रव्यशुद्धिः स्यात्क्रियाशुद्धिः कदाचन ॥ १८ ॥ दुर्लभा मनसः शुद्धिः सर्वेषां सर्वदा नृप । मनस्तु चञ्चलं राजन्ननेकविषयाश्रितम् ॥ १९ ॥ कथं शुद्धं भवेद्‌राजन्नानाभावसमाश्रितम् । कामक्रोधौ तथा लोभो ह्यहङ्कारो मदस्तथा ॥ २० ॥ सर्वविघ्नकरा ह्येते तपस्तीर्थव्रतेषु च । अहिंसा सत्यमस्तेयं शौचमिन्द्रियनिग्रहः ॥ २१ ॥ स्वधर्मपालनं राजन् सर्वतीर्थफलप्रदम् । नित्यकर्मपरित्यागान्मार्गे संसर्गदोषतः ॥ २२ ॥ व्यर्थं तीर्थाधिगमनं पापमेवावशिष्यते । क्षालयन्ति हि तीर्थानि सर्वथा देहजं मलम् ॥ २३ ॥ मानसं क्षालितुं तानि न समर्थानि वै नृप । शक्तानि यदि चेत्तानि गङ्गातीरनिवासिनः ॥ २४ ॥ मुनयो द्रोहसंयुक्ताः कथं स्युर्भावितेश्वराः । वसिष्ठसदृशाः प्रह्वा विश्वामित्रादयः किल ॥ २५ ॥ रागद्वेषरताः सर्वे कामक्रोधाकुलाः सदा । चित्तशुद्धिमयं तीर्थं गङ्गादिभ्योऽतिपावनम् ॥ २६ ॥ यदि स्याद्दैवयोगेन क्षालयत्यान्तरं मलम् । विशेषेण तु सत्सङ्गो ज्ञाननिष्ठस्य भूपते ॥ २७ ॥ न वेदा न च शास्त्राणि न व्रतानि तपांसि न । न मखा न च दानानि चित्तशुद्धेस्तु कारणम् ॥ २८ ॥ वसिष्ठो ब्रह्मणः पुत्रो वेदविद्याविशारदः । रागद्वेषान्वितः कामं गङ्गातीरसमाश्रितः ॥ २९ ॥ आडीबकं महायुद्धं विश्वामित्रवसिष्ठयोः । जातं निरर्थकं द्वेषाद्देवानां विस्मयप्रदम् ॥ ३० ॥ विश्वामित्रो बकस्तत्र जातः परमतापसः । शप्तः स तु वसिष्ठेन हरिश्चन्द्रस्य कारणात् ॥ ३१ ॥ कौशिकेन वसिष्ठोऽपि शस्त्वाडीदेहभाक्कृतः । शापादाडीबकौ जातौ तौ मुनी विशदप्रभौ ॥ ३२ ॥ निवासं प्रापतुस्तीरे सरसो मानसस्य च । चक्रतुर्दारुणं युद्धं नखचञ्चुप्रताडनैः ॥ ३३ ॥ वर्षाणामयुतं यावत्तावृषी रोषसंयुतौ । युयुधाते मदोन्मत्तौ सिंहाविव परस्परम् ॥ ३४ ॥ राजोवाच कथं तौ मुनिशार्दूलौ तापसौ धर्मतत्परौ । परस्परं वैरपरौ सञ्जातौ केन हेतुना ॥ ३५ ॥ शापं परस्परं केन कारणेन महामती । दत्तवन्तौ मिथः क्लेशकारकौ दुःखदौ नृणाम् ॥ ३६ ॥ व्यास उवाच हरिश्चन्द्रो नृपश्रेष्ठस्त्रिशंकुतनयः पुरा । बभूव रविवंशीयो रामचन्द्रस्य पूर्वजः ॥ ३७ ॥ अनपत्यः स राजर्षिर्वरुणाय महाक्रतुम् । प्रतिजज्ञे पुत्रकामो नरमेधं दुरासदम् ॥ ३८ ॥ वरुणस्तस्य सन्तुष्टो यज्ञस्य नियमे कृते । दधार गर्भं राज्ञस्तु भार्या परमसुन्दरी ॥ ३९ ॥ राजा बभूव सन्तुष्टो दृष्ट्वा भार्यां सदोहदाम् । चकार विधिवत्कर्म गर्भसंस्कारकारकम् ॥ ४० ॥ सुषुवे तनयं नारी सर्वलक्षणसंयुतम् । मुदं प्राप नृपस्तत्र पुत्रे जाते विशाम्पते ॥ ४१ ॥ कृतवाञ्जातकर्मादिसंस्कारविधिमुत्तमम् । ददौ हिरण्यं गा दोग्धीर्ब्राह्मणेभ्यो विशेषतः ॥ ४२ ॥ जन्मोत्सवेऽतिसंवृत्ते गेहे वै यादसाम्पतिः । आजगाम महाराज विप्रवेषधरस्तथा ॥ ४३ ॥ पूजितः पार्थिवेनाथ दत्त्वा विधिवदासनम् । कार्ये पृष्टेऽब्रवीद्वाक्यं वरुणोऽस्मीति भूपतिम् ॥ ४४ ॥ कुरु यज्ञं सुतं कृत्वा पशुं परमपावनम् । सत्यवाग्भव राजेन्द्र संकल्पस्तु त्वया कृतः ॥ ४५ ॥ तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं राजा विह्वलोऽतिव्यथाकुलः । संस्तभ्याधिं नृपः प्राह वरुणं सत्कृताञ्जलिः ॥ ४६ ॥ स्वामिन्करोमि तं यज्ञं सर्वथा विधिपूर्वकम् । मया ते यत्प्रतिज्ञातं भवामि सत्यवागहम् ॥ ४७ ॥ पूर्णे मासे विशुध्येत धर्मपत्‍नी सुरोत्तम । विशुद्धायां तु भार्यायां कर्तव्यः स पशोर्मखः ॥ ४८ ॥ व्यास उवाच इत्युक्ते वचने राज्ञा वरुणः स्वगृहं गतः । राजा बभूव सन्तुष्टः किञ्चिच्चिन्तातुरस्तथा ॥ ४९ ॥ पूर्णे मासि पुनः पाशी परीक्षार्थं नृपालये । आजगाम द्विजो भूत्वा सुवेषः सुष्ठुभाषकः ॥ ५० ॥ कृतार्हणं सुखासीनं भूपतिस्तं सुरोत्तमम् । उवाच विनयोपेतो हेतुगर्भं वचस्तदा ॥ ५१ ॥ असंस्कृतं सुतं स्वामिन्यूपे बध्नामि तं कथम् । संस्कत्य क्षत्रियं कृत्वा यजेऽहं यज्ञमुत्तमम् ॥ ५२ ॥ दयसे यदि देव त्वं ज्ञात्वा दीनं स्वसेवकम् । असंस्कृतस्य बालस्य नाधिकारोऽस्ति कुत्रचित् ॥ ५३ ॥ वरुण उवाच प्रतारयसि राजेन्द्र कृत्वा समयमग्रतः । दुस्त्यजस्तव जानामि सुतस्नेहो ह्यपुत्रिणः ॥ ५४ ॥ गृहं व्रजामि भूपाल वचनात्तव कोमलात् । कियत्कालं प्रतीक्ष्याहमागमिष्यामि ते गृहम् ॥ ५५ ॥ भवितव्यं त्वया तात तदा सत्यवचोऽन्वितम् । अन्यथा त्वयि मुञ्चामि कोपं शापसमन्वितम् ॥ ५६ ॥ राजोवाच समावर्तनकर्मान्ते सर्वथा यादसांपते । कृत्वा पुत्रपशुं यज्ञे यजिष्ये विधिपूर्वकम् ॥ ५७ ॥ व्यास उवाच तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं राज्ञो वरुणः प्रीतमानसः । तथेत्युक्त्वा ययौ तूर्णं नृपस्तु सुस्थितोऽभवत् ॥ ५८ ॥ रोहिताख्य इति ख्यातः सुतस्तस्य विवृद्धिमान् । सञ्जातश्चतुरः सर्वविद्यानां च विशारदः ॥ ५९ ॥ यज्ञस्य कारणं तेन ज्ञातं सर्वं सविस्तरम् । भयभीतस्ततः सोऽपि मत्वा मरणमात्मनः ॥ ६० ॥ कृत्वा पलायनं वीरो गतोऽसौ गिरिगह्वरे । अगम्ये नृपतिस्थाने स्थितस्तत्र भयातुरः ॥ ६१ ॥ प्राप्ते कालेऽथ वरुणो यज्ञार्थी नृपतेर्गृहम् । गत्वा तमाह भूपालं कुरु यज्ञं विशांपते ॥ ६२ ॥ प्रम्लानवदनो राजा तमाह व्यथितेन्द्रियः । किं करोमि गतः क्वापि सुतो मे सुरसत्तम ॥ ६३ ॥ श्रुत्वा तद्वचनं राज्ञः कुपितो यादसांपतिः । शशाप तं नृपं कोपादसत्यवादिनं भृशम् ॥ ६४ ॥ जलोदराभिधो व्याधिर्देहे भवतु ते नृप । यतः प्रतारितश्चाहं कृत्वा कपटपण्डित ॥ ६५ ॥ इति शप्त्वा ययौ धाम स्वकं पाशधरस्तदा । राजा चिन्तातुरस्तस्थौ भवने व्याधिपीडितः ॥ ६६ ॥ यदातिव्याधितो राजा रोगेण शापजेन ह । तदा शुश्राव पुत्रोऽपि पितरं व्याधिपीडितम् ॥ ६७ ॥ पान्थिकः प्राह पुत्रं हि पिता ते भृशदुःखितः । जलोदरविकारेण शापजेन नृपात्मज ॥ ६८ ॥ विनष्टं जीवितं तेऽद्य वृथा जातस्य दुर्मते । यत्त्यक्त्वा पितरं दुःस्थं प्राप्तोऽसि गिरिगह्वरम् ॥ ६९ ॥ किमनेन शरीरेण प्राप्तं ते जन्मनः फलम् । देहदं दुःखितं कृत्वा स्थितोऽस्यत्र सुताधम ॥ ७० ॥ प्राणास्त्याज्याः पितुः कार्ये सत्पुत्रेणेति निश्चयः । त्वदर्थे दुःखितो राजा क्रन्दति व्याधिपीडितः ॥ ७१ ॥ व्यास उवाच तदाकर्ण्य वचस्तथ्यं पान्थिकाद्धर्मसंयुतम् । यदा चक्रे मनो गन्तुं द्रष्टुं तातं व्यथातुरम् ॥ ७२ ॥ तदा विप्रवपुर्भूत्वा वासवस्तमुपागमत् । रहः प्राह हितं वाक्यं दयावानिव भारत ॥ ७३ ॥ मूर्खोऽसि राजपुत्र त्वं गमनाय मतिं वृथा । करोषि पितरं त्वद्य न जानासि व्यथायुतम् ॥ ७४ ॥

rājovāca tīrthāni bhuvi puṇyāni brūhi me munisattama | gamyāni mānavairdevaiḥ kṣetrāṇi saritastathā || 1 || phalaṃ ca yādṛśaṃ yatra tīrtheṣu snānadānataḥ | vidhiṃ tu tīrthayātrāyāṃ niyamāṃśca viśeṣataḥ || 2 || vyāsa uvāca śṛṇu rājan pravakṣyāmi tīrthāni vividhāni ca | yeṣu tīrtheṣu devīnāṃ praśastānyāyanāni ca || 3 || nadīnāṃ jāhnavī śreṣṭhā yamunā ca sarasvatī | narmadā gaṇḍakī sindhurgomatī tamasā tathā || 4 || kāverī candrabhāgā ca puṇyā vetravatī śubhā | carmaṇvatī ca sarayūstāpī sābhramatī tathā || 5 || etāśca kathitā rājannanyāśca śataśaḥ punaḥ | tāsāṃ samudragāḥ puṇyāḥ svalpapuṇyā hyanabdhigāḥ || 6 || samudragānāṃ tāḥ puṇyāḥ sarvadaughavahāstu yāḥ | māsadvayaṃ śrāvaṇādau tāśca sarvā rajasvalāḥ || 7 || bhavanti vṛṣṭiyogena grāmyavārivahāstathā | puṣkaraṃ ca kurukṣetraṃ dharmāraṇyaṃ supāvanam || 8 || prabhāsaṃ ca prayāgaṃ ca naimiṣāraṇyameva ca | viśrutaṃ cārbudāraṇyaṃ śailāśca pāvanāstathā || 9 || śrīśailaśca sumeruśca parvato gandhamādanaḥ | sarāṃsi caiva puṇyāni mānasaṃ sarvaviśrutam || 10 || tathā bindusaraḥ śreṣṭhamacchodaṃ nāma pāvanam | āśramāstu tathā puṇyā munīnāṃ bhāvitātmanām || 11 || viśrutastu sadā puṇyaḥ khyāto badarikāśramaḥ | naranārāyaṇau yatra tepāte tau munī tapaḥ || 12 || vāmanāśrama ākhyātaḥ śatayūpāśramastathā | yena yatra tapastaptaṃ tasya nāmnātiviśrutaḥ || 13 || evaṃ puṇyāni sthānāni hyasaṃkhyātāni bhūtale | munibhiḥ parigītāni pāvanāni mahīpate || 14 || eṣu sthāneṣu sarvatra devīsthānāni bhūpate | darśanātpāpahārīṇi vasanti niyamena ca || 15 || kathayiṣyāmi tānyagre prasaṅgena ca kānicit | tīrthāni nṛpa dānāni vratāni ca makhāstathā || 16 || tapāṃsi puṇyakarmāṇi sāpekṣāṇi mahīpate | dravyaśuddhiṃ kriyāśuddhiṃ manaḥśuddhimapekṣya ca || 17 || pāvanāni hi tīrthāni tapāṃsi ca vratāni ca | kadāciddravyaśuddhiḥ syātkriyāśuddhiḥ kadācana || 18 || durlabhā manasaḥ śuddhiḥ sarveṣāṃ sarvadā nṛpa | manastu cañcalaṃ rājannanekaviṣayāśritam || 19 || kathaṃ śuddhaṃ bhaved‌rājannānābhāvasamāśritam | kāmakrodhau tathā lobho hyahaṅkāro madastathā || 20 || sarvavighnakarā hyete tapastīrthavrateṣu ca | ahiṃsā satyamasteyaṃ śaucamindriyanigrahaḥ || 21 || svadharmapālanaṃ rājan sarvatīrthaphalapradam | nityakarmaparityāgānmārge saṃsargadoṣataḥ || 22 || vyarthaṃ tīrthādhigamanaṃ pāpamevāvaśiṣyate | kṣālayanti hi tīrthāni sarvathā dehajaṃ malam || 23 || mānasaṃ kṣālituṃ tāni na samarthāni vai nṛpa | śaktāni yadi cettāni gaṅgātīranivāsinaḥ || 24 || munayo drohasaṃyuktāḥ kathaṃ syurbhāviteśvarāḥ | vasiṣṭhasadṛśāḥ prahvā viśvāmitrādayaḥ kila || 25 || rāgadveṣaratāḥ sarve kāmakrodhākulāḥ sadā | cittaśuddhimayaṃ tīrthaṃ gaṅgādibhyo'tipāvanam || 26 || yadi syāddaivayogena kṣālayatyāntaraṃ malam | viśeṣeṇa tu satsaṅgo jñānaniṣṭhasya bhūpate || 27 || na vedā na ca śāstrāṇi na vratāni tapāṃsi na | na makhā na ca dānāni cittaśuddhestu kāraṇam || 28 || vasiṣṭho brahmaṇaḥ putro vedavidyāviśāradaḥ | rāgadveṣānvitaḥ kāmaṃ gaṅgātīrasamāśritaḥ || 29 || āḍībakaṃ mahāyuddhaṃ viśvāmitravasiṣṭhayoḥ | jātaṃ nirarthakaṃ dveṣāddevānāṃ vismayapradam || 30 || viśvāmitro bakastatra jātaḥ paramatāpasaḥ | śaptaḥ sa tu vasiṣṭhena hariścandrasya kāraṇāt || 31 || kauśikena vasiṣṭho'pi śastvāḍīdehabhākkṛtaḥ | śāpādāḍībakau jātau tau munī viśadaprabhau || 32 || nivāsaṃ prāpatustīre saraso mānasasya ca | cakraturdāruṇaṃ yuddhaṃ nakhacañcupratāḍanaiḥ || 33 || varṣāṇāmayutaṃ yāvattāvṛṣī roṣasaṃyutau | yuyudhāte madonmattau siṃhāviva parasparam || 34 || rājovāca kathaṃ tau muniśārdūlau tāpasau dharmatatparau | parasparaṃ vairaparau sañjātau kena hetunā || 35 || śāpaṃ parasparaṃ kena kāraṇena mahāmatī | dattavantau mithaḥ kleśakārakau duḥkhadau nṛṇām || 36 || vyāsa uvāca hariścandro nṛpaśreṣṭhastriśaṃkutanayaḥ purā | babhūva ravivaṃśīyo rāmacandrasya pūrvajaḥ || 37 || anapatyaḥ sa rājarṣirvaruṇāya mahākratum | pratijajñe putrakāmo naramedhaṃ durāsadam || 38 || varuṇastasya santuṣṭo yajñasya niyame kṛte | dadhāra garbhaṃ rājñastu bhāryā paramasundarī || 39 || rājā babhūva santuṣṭo dṛṣṭvā bhāryāṃ sadohadām | cakāra vidhivatkarma garbhasaṃskārakārakam || 40 || suṣuve tanayaṃ nārī sarvalakṣaṇasaṃyutam | mudaṃ prāpa nṛpastatra putre jāte viśāmpate || 41 || kṛtavāñjātakarmādisaṃskāravidhimuttamam | dadau hiraṇyaṃ gā dogdhīrbrāhmaṇebhyo viśeṣataḥ || 42 || janmotsave'tisaṃvṛtte gehe vai yādasāmpatiḥ | ājagāma mahārāja vipraveṣadharastathā || 43 || pūjitaḥ pārthivenātha dattvā vidhivadāsanam | kārye pṛṣṭe'bravīdvākyaṃ varuṇo'smīti bhūpatim || 44 || kuru yajñaṃ sutaṃ kṛtvā paśuṃ paramapāvanam | satyavāgbhava rājendra saṃkalpastu tvayā kṛtaḥ || 45 || tacchrutvā vacanaṃ rājā vihvalo'tivyathākulaḥ | saṃstabhyādhiṃ nṛpaḥ prāha varuṇaṃ satkṛtāñjaliḥ || 46 || svāminkaromi taṃ yajñaṃ sarvathā vidhipūrvakam | mayā te yatpratijñātaṃ bhavāmi satyavāgaham || 47 || pūrṇe māse viśudhyeta dharmapat‍nī surottama | viśuddhāyāṃ tu bhāryāyāṃ kartavyaḥ sa paśormakhaḥ || 48 || vyāsa uvāca ityukte vacane rājñā varuṇaḥ svagṛhaṃ gataḥ | rājā babhūva santuṣṭaḥ kiñciccintāturastathā || 49 || pūrṇe māsi punaḥ pāśī parīkṣārthaṃ nṛpālaye | ājagāma dvijo bhūtvā suveṣaḥ suṣṭhubhāṣakaḥ || 50 || kṛtārhaṇaṃ sukhāsīnaṃ bhūpatistaṃ surottamam | uvāca vinayopeto hetugarbhaṃ vacastadā || 51 || asaṃskṛtaṃ sutaṃ svāminyūpe badhnāmi taṃ katham | saṃskatya kṣatriyaṃ kṛtvā yaje'haṃ yajñamuttamam || 52 || dayase yadi deva tvaṃ jñātvā dīnaṃ svasevakam | asaṃskṛtasya bālasya nādhikāro'sti kutracit || 53 || varuṇa uvāca pratārayasi rājendra kṛtvā samayamagrataḥ | dustyajastava jānāmi sutasneho hyaputriṇaḥ || 54 || gṛhaṃ vrajāmi bhūpāla vacanāttava komalāt | kiyatkālaṃ pratīkṣyāhamāgamiṣyāmi te gṛham || 55 || bhavitavyaṃ tvayā tāta tadā satyavaco'nvitam | anyathā tvayi muñcāmi kopaṃ śāpasamanvitam || 56 || rājovāca samāvartanakarmānte sarvathā yādasāṃpate | kṛtvā putrapaśuṃ yajñe yajiṣye vidhipūrvakam || 57 || vyāsa uvāca tacchrutvā vacanaṃ rājño varuṇaḥ prītamānasaḥ | tathetyuktvā yayau tūrṇaṃ nṛpastu susthito'bhavat || 58 || rohitākhya iti khyātaḥ sutastasya vivṛddhimān | sañjātaścaturaḥ sarvavidyānāṃ ca viśāradaḥ || 59 || yajñasya kāraṇaṃ tena jñātaṃ sarvaṃ savistaram | bhayabhītastataḥ so'pi matvā maraṇamātmanaḥ || 60 || kṛtvā palāyanaṃ vīro gato'sau girigahvare | agamye nṛpatisthāne sthitastatra bhayāturaḥ || 61 || prāpte kāle'tha varuṇo yajñārthī nṛpatergṛham | gatvā tamāha bhūpālaṃ kuru yajñaṃ viśāṃpate || 62 || pramlānavadano rājā tamāha vyathitendriyaḥ | kiṃ karomi gataḥ kvāpi suto me surasattama || 63 || śrutvā tadvacanaṃ rājñaḥ kupito yādasāṃpatiḥ | śaśāpa taṃ nṛpaṃ kopādasatyavādinaṃ bhṛśam || 64 || jalodarābhidho vyādhirdehe bhavatu te nṛpa | yataḥ pratāritaścāhaṃ kṛtvā kapaṭapaṇḍita || 65 || iti śaptvā yayau dhāma svakaṃ pāśadharastadā | rājā cintāturastasthau bhavane vyādhipīḍitaḥ || 66 || yadātivyādhito rājā rogeṇa śāpajena ha | tadā śuśrāva putro'pi pitaraṃ vyādhipīḍitam || 67 || pānthikaḥ prāha putraṃ hi pitā te bhṛśaduḥkhitaḥ | jalodaravikāreṇa śāpajena nṛpātmaja || 68 || vinaṣṭaṃ jīvitaṃ te'dya vṛthā jātasya durmate | yattyaktvā pitaraṃ duḥsthaṃ prāpto'si girigahvaram || 69 || kimanena śarīreṇa prāptaṃ te janmanaḥ phalam | dehadaṃ duḥkhitaṃ kṛtvā sthito'syatra sutādhama || 70 || prāṇāstyājyāḥ pituḥ kārye satputreṇeti niścayaḥ | tvadarthe duḥkhito rājā krandati vyādhipīḍitaḥ || 71 || vyāsa uvāca tadākarṇya vacastathyaṃ pānthikāddharmasaṃyutam | yadā cakre mano gantuṃ draṣṭuṃ tātaṃ vyathāturam || 72 || tadā vipravapurbhūtvā vāsavastamupāgamat | rahaḥ prāha hitaṃ vākyaṃ dayāvāniva bhārata || 73 || mūrkho'si rājaputra tvaṃ gamanāya matiṃ vṛthā | karoṣi pitaraṃ tvadya na jānāsi vyathāyutam || 74 ||

English translation

1-2. The King said “O Best of Munis! Tell me the names of the holy places of pilgrimage on the surface of this earth, the holy Ksetras and the holy rivers; what are the fruits acquired in bathing there and in making charitable gifts as well; also what are the rules of the journeys and acts there are to be conducted?”

3-34. Vyasa said Hear; I am describing to you various Tirthas or places of pilgrimage as well as those that are highly extolled as the best places favourite to the Devi. Amongst the rivers the following are reckoned as chief and holy The Ganges, Jumna, Sarasvati, Narmadda, Gandaki, Sindhu, Gomati, Tamasa, Cavery, Chandrahaga, Vetravati, Charmanvati, Saraju, Tapi, and Savramati. Besides these, there are hundreds of rivers on the surface of this earth; of them, those that fall into the ocean, they are holier and those that have not reached the ocean are less holy. Of those rivers that fall into the ocean, those that always flow with great current, they are comparatively holier; but in the two months S’ravan and Bhadra (15th July - 15th September) all the rivers are considered as if they are during their menstruation periods; at this time also some rivers carry water of the rains just sufficient to supply the villagers with water. O King! The following are the famous places of pilgrimages calculated to bestow merits:- Puskara, Kuruksettra, the holy Dharmaranya, Pravasa, Prayaga, Naimisaranya, and Arbudaranya. O King! Of the mountains, the following are considered as sacred S’ris’aila, Sumeru, Gandhamadana; of the lakes, the following are very holy and very famous Manasarovara, Vindusarovara and Aksoda; these are the chief lakes. To those Munis that meditate on their Atman, all the hermitages are sacred; still the hermitage of Badri is always considered very sacred and the most celebrated; here Nara and Narayana, the two famous Munis,

practised their asceticism. The Vamanas’rama and S’atayupas’rama are also well known; thus every hermitage is named after the Muni that practised asceticism there. Thus innumerable holy places on the surface of the earth are mentioned by the Munis as tending to sanctify the hearts of the persons. At all these holy places, the Devi is worshipped in special sites consecrated to Her. All the sins are destroyed by their mere sight. The devotees of the Devi stay there, with rules obeyed. I will mention afterwards some of these places in the course of my narrations. O Best of kings! Going to these holy places, charity, vow, sacrifices, asceticism and good acts all depend on one another. The holy places of pilgrimages, asceticism, and observance of vows depend on the purity of the articles (Dravya S’uddhi), on the purity and one pointedness of actions (Kriya S’uddhi) and on the purity of the mind and heart (Chitta S’uddhi). Some may attain, at times, the Dravya S’uddhi and Kriya S’uddhi; but every one finds it very difficult and, indeed, rarely get the Chitta S’uddhi. O King! This mind always tries to seek shelter with various objects and is, therefore, always restless. How, then, can the purity of mind be effected, with ease, when it is occupied with all sorts of thoughts on various objects. Cupidity, anger, greed, pride, and egoism, these bring about all sorts of obstacles in the holy places of pilgrimages, in practising tapasya and in observing vows. O King! Non-injury, truthfulness, non-stealing, chastity and purity, controlling of senses, and observing one’s own religion, all these bring about the fruits of the labour in visiting all tirthas. They bestow fruits that can be obtained by visiting all the tirthas. During one’s pilgrimage, one forsakes one’s Nitya Karma (daily duties) and one has to come in contact with various persons. Hence one’s journey becomes fruitless; rather it becomes a source of sin. The waters of the sacred places can only wash the outside dirts and the impurities of the physical bodies; they can never wash the impurities of their inner minds. Were it the fact that the waters of the tirthas could purify their minds, why was it, then, that the Munis, residing on the banks of the Ganges, and devoted to God, ever indulged themselves with feelings of jealousy and enmity against each other. The humble Munis like Vas’istha, and the Risis like Vis’vamitra were always entangled in

love and hatred and they were ever impatient with anger. Therefore it is evident that the internal purification, the purification of heart, the bathing in the Ghan Ganga flowing within, no doubt removes more the dirt than the Ganges and other places of pilgrimages. O King! No doubt this fact must be admitted on all hands that one’s impurity of mind is washed away if by the strange combination of Fate, one comes in intimate contact with a man possessed of the Divine Knowledge. O King! The Vedas or S’astras, vows or austerities, sacrifices or gifts none can purify the heart. See! Vas’istha, the son of Brahma, though versed in the Vedas and residing on the banks of the Ganges, was under the control of love, hatred and other infirmities. Out of the enmity of Vis’vamitra and Vas’istha, arose the great battle named Adi Baka, astonishing even to the Gods. In this, the ascetic Vis’vamitra was cursed by Vas’istha, on account of some curse in connection with the king Haris’chandra and had to take his birth as a crane (Baka). The Risi Vas’istha was cursed also by Vis’vamitra and was born as a bird named S’arari. Thus the two powerful Risis were born as Adi Baka and lived on the banks of the Manasarovara and they fought for full ten thousand years (ajuta) terribly, out of anger, with their nails and beaks like two maddened lions.

35-36. The King asked “O Muni! Why were the two Maharsis, the two great ascetics and devoted to religion, involved in enmity with each other? Both of them were intelligent; how was it that they knowing the act of cursing to be a source of pain to men, cursed each other so painfully?”

37-48. Vyasa said:-- O King! In former times, there was born in the solar dynasty a king Haris’chandra, the son of Tris’anku; he was the best of the kings and reigned before Ramchandra. That King had no issue and therefore promised to Varuna, “O Lord of water and ocean! If I get a son born to me, I will perform a sacrifice, called Naramedha,

where I will sacrifice my son for your propitiation.” Varuna was very pleased with the king when he made such a vow; and the exquisitely beautiful queen held the foetus in the womb. Seeing his wife in the family way, the king was very pleased and performed all the purificatory ceremonies pertaining to the foetus in the womb. O King! When the queen was delivered of a son endowed with all auspicious signs, the king Haris’chandra was very glad and performed duly all the data Karma (natal) ceremonies and distributed as charity big sums of gold and many cows giving good quantities of milk. When the festivities on the birth of the child were celebrated in the palace on a grand scale, Varuna, the Lord of Waters, assuming the form of a Brahmin, came up there. The King, too, honoured him duly with seat and worshipped him regularly and asked him about his purpose, when Varuna spoke to him “O King! I am Varuna, the Lord of Waters; you promised before that you would perform Naramedha sacrifice where you would sacrifice your son; now do those things and keep your words true.” The King became very much confused and was very much pained at heart. He then checked his mental feelings of pain and spoke to the Deva Varuna, with folded hands “O Lord! I will do the sacrifice duly and fulfil the promise that I made before you and keep my word. But, O Best of the Devas! My legal wife will be pure from her Sutika-S’auchak after one month, when I will perform the Naramedha sacrifice.”

49-53. Vyasa said O King! Hearing thus the words of the king Haris’chandra, Varuna returned to his own abode; the King also became glad, but he was somewhat anxious for fear of the destruction of the child. When one month was complete, the sweet¬ speaking Varuna, the holder of the noose, assuming the form of a very pure Brahmin, again came there to the palace of the king to examine him. The King worshipped him duly and gave him the seat to sit and spoke, with humility, the following reasonable words:-- “O Lord! My son is not yet purified; how can he be tied to the sacrificial post for being immolated? Therefore I will perform that sacrifice

when the boy becomes cleansed after a purificatory rite and becomes a Ksattriya. O Deva! If you know me as your humble servant, have mercy on me; I will then consider myself as blessed. See! The children, not passed through purificatory rites, are not entitled to any act; therefore wait for some time longer.”

54-56. Varuna said “O King! You are deceiving me and putting off the time longer and longer; I now see that you were issueless before and now that you have got a son, you are bound up in an indissoluble tie of affection for a son. Whatever it be, I now go back to my home at your pitiful request; I will wait for some time longer and I will come again. O child! Let you then be true to your words; if it be otherwise, I will surely curse you and thus give vent to my angry feelings.”

57. The King said O Lord of the Waters! After the completion of the Samavartan ceremony (a pupil’s return home after finishing his holy study), I will duly sacrifice my son at the great Naramedha sacrifice; there is no doubt.

58-71. Vyasa said Varuna was very pleased at the King’s words and quickly went back saying “Let it be so.” The king also became comforted. On the one hand, the king Haris’chandra’s son became widely known by the name of Rohita; and as he got older, he became gradually versed in all the sciences and became very clever and intelligent. That boy then came to know by degrees the cause of the sacrifice in full detail; and knowing that his death is quite certain, became very afraid and quickly fled away from the King and went and stayed in caves of mountains with a fearful heart. Then, when the proper time came, Varuna came up there to the royal palace, desirous to have the sacrifice and spoke to the King thus “O King! Now the prescribed time has come; therefore perform the sacrifice

that you have resolved to celebrate.” The King was very much pained to hear this and spoke with a very sad appearance “O Best of the Devas! What can I do now?

My son has fled away out of the fear of his life; I do not know his whereabouts.” Varuna became very angry at these words and cursed him thus “O Liar! You are an hypocrite pundit; therefore you deceived me frequently. Let therefore the disease dropsy come and attack your body.” Varuna, the Holder of the noose, cursing thus, went back to his own abode. The King was attacked with that disease, remained in his own residence, afflicted with cares and anxieties. Rohita, the son of the king Haris’chandra, heard about the severe illness of his father when he was very much tormented with that disease, as the curse of Varuna. One day a traveller told him “O son of the King! Your father is very ill with dropsy, due to the curse, and is very sorry. Certainly your brain has turned wrong; vain is your coming in this world; you have passed your life to no purpose, for you are staying still in this mountain cave, abandoning your sorrowful father. Certainly you are a bad disobedient son; what use is there in your keeping up this body? What purpose will be served by your birth? When you have got this body, you have abandoned that father and are staying in this solitary cave. Know this as certain that to sacrifice one’s life is the duty of a good and obedient son; therefore what more shall I say now than this that your father the king Haris’chandra ailing from a severe illness is very sorry for you and is always weeping.”

72-74. Vyasa said O King! Hearing from the passerby these good words, the prince Rohita wanted to go to his sorrowful father attacked with disease when Indra assuming a Brahmin form came up to him and began to speak to him when he was alone like one who was filled with mercy. O Son of a King! You are a fool; are you

not positively acquainted with the fact that your father is in trouble; why then do you intend in vain to go there?

Here ends the Twelfth Chapter on the cause of the war between Adi and Baka in the Sixth Book of the Mahapuranam of S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.

Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 33258, revision 86847 (2016-10-24T01:30:44Z). English is Swami Vijñanananda’s complete 1921–23 public-domain translation, controlled against the archival OCR and its chapter page at https://sacred-texts.com/hin/db/bk06ch12.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.