Bhūmi-khaṇḍa · Chapter 90
Sourceसूतउवाच- एवमाकर्ण्य तत्सर्वं समुज्ज्वलस्य भाषितम् । कुंजलः स हि धर्मात्मा प्रत्युवाच सुतं प्रति १। कुंजल उवाच- संप्रवक्ष्याम्यहं तात श्रूयतां स्थिरमानसः । सर्वसंदेहविध्वंसं चरित्रं पापनाशनम् २। इंद्रलोके प्रववृते संवादो देव कौतुकः । सभायां तस्य देवस्य इंद्रस्यापि महात्मनः ३। देवं द्रष्टुं सहस्राक्षं नारदस्त्वरितं ययौ । समागतं सहस्राक्षः सूर्यतेजःसमप्रभम् ४। तं दृष्ट्वा हर्षमायातः समुत्थाय महामतिः । ददावर्घं च पाद्यं च भक्त्या प्रणतमानसः ५। बद्धांजलिपुटोभूत्वा प्रणाममकरोत्तदा । आसने कोमले पुण्ये विनिवेश्य द्विजोत्तमम् ६। पप्रच्छ प्रणतो भूत्वा श्रद्धया परया युतः । कस्माच्चागमनं तेऽद्य कारणं वद सांप्रतम् ७। इत्युक्तो देवराजेन प्रत्युवाच महामुनिः । भवंतं द्रष्टुमायातः पृथिव्यास्तु पुरंदरः ८। स्नात्वा पुण्यप्रदेशेषु तीर्थेषु च सुश्रद्धया । देवान्पितॄन्समभ्यर्च्य दृष्ट्वा तीर्थान्यनेकशः ९। एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं यत्त्वया पृच्छितं पुरा । देवेंद्र उवाच- दृष्टानि पुण्यतीर्थानि सुक्षेत्राणि त्वया मुने १०। किं तीर्थं प्राप्य मुच्येत ब्रह्मघ्नो ब्रह्महत्यया । सुरापोमुच्यतेपापाद्गोघ्नोहेमापहारकः ११। स्वामिद्रोहान्महाभाग नारीहंता कथं सुखी । नारद उवाच- यानि कानि च तीर्थानि गयादीनि सुरेश्वर १२। तेषां नैव प्रजानामि विशेषं पापनाशनम् । सुपुण्यानि सुदिव्यानि पापघ्नानि समानि च १३। सर्वाण्येव सुतीर्थानि जानाम्यहं पुरंदर । अविशेषं विशेषं वै नैव जानामि सांप्रतम् १४। प्रत्ययं क्रियतां देव तीर्थानां गतिदायकम् । एवमाकर्ण्य तद्वाक्यं नारदस्य महात्मनः १५। समाहूतानि चेंद्रेण तीर्थानि भूगतानि च । मूर्तिवर्तीनि दिव्यानि समायातानि शासनात् १६। बद्धांजलीनि दिव्यानि भूषितानि सुभूषणैः । दिव्यांबराणि स्निग्धानि तेजोवंति च सुव्रत १७। स्त्रीपुंसोश्च स्वरूपाणि कृतानि च विशेषतः । हेमचंदनकाशानि दिव्यरूपधराणि च १८। मुक्ताफलस्यवर्णेन प्रभासंति नरेश्वर । तप्तकांचनवर्णानि सारुण्यानि च तत्र वै १९। कति शुक्ल सुपीतानि प्रभावंति सभांतरे । कानि पद्मनिभान्येव मूर्तिवर्तीनि तानि तु २०। सूर्यतेजः प्रकाशानि तडित्तेजः समानि च । पावकाभानि चान्यानि प्रभासंति सभांतरे २१। सर्वाभरणशोभाढ्यैः प्रशोभंते नरेश्वर । हारकंकणकेयूरमालाभिस्तु सुचंदनैः २२। दिव्यचंदनदिग्धानि सुरभीणि गुरूणि च । कमंडलुकराण्येव आयातानि सभांतरे २३। गंगा च नर्मदा पुण्या चंद्रभागा सरस्वती । देविका बिंबिका कुब्जा कुंजला मंजुला श्रुता २४। रंभा भानुमती पुण्या पारा चैव सुघर्घरा । शोणा च सिंधुसौवीरा कावेरी कपिला तथा २५। कुमुदा वेदनदी पुण्या सुपुण्या च महेश्वरी । चर्मण्वती तथा ख्याता लोपा चान्या सुकौशिकी २६। सुहंसी हंसपादा च हंसवेगा मनोरथा । सुरुथास्वारुणा वेणा भद्र वेणा सुपद्मिनी २७। नाहलीसुमरी चान्या पुण्या चान्या पुलिंदिका । हेमा मनोरथा दिव्या चंद्रिका वेदसंक्रमा २८। ज्वालाहुताशनी स्वाहा काला चैव कपिंजला । स्वधा च सुकला लिंगा गंभीरा भीमवाहिनी २९। देवद्रीची वीरवाहा लक्षहोमा अघापहा । पाराशरी हेमगर्भा सुभद्रा वसुपुत्रिका ३०। एता नद्यो महापुण्या मूर्तिमत्यो नरेश्वर । सर्वाभरणशोभाढ्याः कुंभहस्ताः सुपूजिताः ३१। प्रयागः पुष्करश्चैव अर्घदीर्घो मनोरथा । वाराणसी महापुण्या ब्रह्महत्या व्यपोहिनी ३२। द्वारावती प्रभासश्च अवंती नैमिषस्तथा । चंडकश्च महारत्नो महेश्वरकलेश्वरौ ३३। कलिंजरो ब्रह्मक्षेत्रं माथुरो मानवाहकः । मायाकांती तथान्यानि दिव्यानि विविधानि च ३४। अष्टषष्टिः सुतीर्थानि नदीनां शतकोटयः । गोदावरीमुखाः सर्वा समायातास्तदाज्ञया ३५। द्वीपानां तु समस्तानि सुतीर्थानि महांति च । मूर्तिलिंगधराण्येव सहस्राक्षं सुरेश्वरम् ३६। समाजग्मुः समस्तानि तदादेशकराणि च । प्रणेमुर्देवदेवेशं नतशीर्षाणि सर्वशः ३७। सूत उवाच- तैः प्रोक्तं तु महातीर्थैर्देवराजं यशस्विनम् । कस्मात्त्वया समाहूता देवदेव वदस्व नः ३८। ब्रूहि नः कारणं सर्वं नमस्तुभ्यं सुराधिप । एवमाकर्ण्य तद्वाक्यं देवराजोभ्यभाषत ३९। कः समर्थो महातीर्थो ब्रह्महत्यां व्यपोहितुम् । गोवधाख्यं महापापं स्त्रीवधाख्यमनुत्तमम् ४०। स्वामिद्रोहाच्च संभूतं सुरापानाच्च दारुणम् । हेमस्तेयात्तथा जातं गुरुनिंदा समुद्भवम् ४१। भ्रूणहत्यां महाघोरां नाशयेत्कः समर्थवान् । राजद्रोहान्महापापं बहुपीडाप्रदायकम् ४२। मित्रद्रोहात्तथा चान्यदन्यद्विश्वासघातकम् । देवभेदं तथा चान्यं लिंगभेदमतः परम् ४३। वृत्तिच्छेदं च विप्राणां गोप्रचारप्रणाशनम् । आगारदहनं चान्यद्गृहदीपनकं तथा ४४। षोडशैते महापापा अगम्यागमनं तथा । स्वामित्यागात्समुद्भूतं रणस्थानात्पलायनात् ४५। एतानि नाशयेत्को वै समर्थस्तीर्थउत्तमः । समर्थो भवतां मध्ये प्रायश्चित्तं विना ध्रुवम् ४६। पश्यतां देवतानां च नारदस्य च पश्यतः । ब्रुवंतु सर्वे संचिंत्य विचार्यैवं सुनिश्चितम् ४७। एवमुक्ते शुभे वाक्ये देवराज्ञामहात्मना । संमंत्र्य तीर्थराजेन प्रोचुः शक्रं सभागतम् ४८। तीर्थान्यूचुः - श्रूयतामभिधास्यामो देवराज नमोस्तु ते । संति वै सर्वतीर्थानि सर्वपापहराणि च ४९। ब्रह्महत्यादिकान्यांश्च त्वया प्रोक्तान्सुरेश्वर । महाघोरान्सुदीप्तांश्च नाशितुं नैव शक्नुमः ५०। प्रयागः पुष्करश्चैव अर्घतीर्थमनुत्तमम् । वाराणसी महाभाग समर्था पापनाशिनी ५१। महापातकनाशार्थे चत्वारोमितविक्रमाः । उपपातकनाशार्थं चत्वारोमितविक्रमाः ५२। सृष्टा धात्रा च देवेंद्र पुष्कराद्या महाबलाः । एवमाकर्ण्य तद्वाक्यं तीर्थानां सुरराट् ततः ५३। हर्षेण महताविष्टस्तेषां स्तोत्रं चकार सः ५४। इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने गुरुतीर्थमाहात्म्ये । च्यवनचरित्रे नवतितमोऽध्यायः ९०।
sūtauvāca- evamākarṇya tatsarvaṃ samujjvalasya bhāṣitam | kuṃjalaḥ sa hi dharmātmā pratyuvāca sutaṃ prati 1| kuṃjala uvāca- saṃpravakṣyāmyahaṃ tāta śrūyatāṃ sthiramānasaḥ | sarvasaṃdehavidhvaṃsaṃ caritraṃ pāpanāśanam 2| iṃdraloke pravavṛte saṃvādo deva kautukaḥ | sabhāyāṃ tasya devasya iṃdrasyāpi mahātmanaḥ 3| devaṃ draṣṭuṃ sahasrākṣaṃ nāradastvaritaṃ yayau | samāgataṃ sahasrākṣaḥ sūryatejaḥsamaprabham 4| taṃ dṛṣṭvā harṣamāyātaḥ samutthāya mahāmatiḥ | dadāvarghaṃ ca pādyaṃ ca bhaktyā praṇatamānasaḥ 5| baddhāṃjalipuṭobhūtvā praṇāmamakarottadā | āsane komale puṇye viniveśya dvijottamam 6| papraccha praṇato bhūtvā śraddhayā parayā yutaḥ | kasmāccāgamanaṃ te'dya kāraṇaṃ vada sāṃpratam 7| ityukto devarājena pratyuvāca mahāmuniḥ | bhavaṃtaṃ draṣṭumāyātaḥ pṛthivyāstu puraṃdaraḥ 8| snātvā puṇyapradeśeṣu tīrtheṣu ca suśraddhayā | devānpitṝnsamabhyarcya dṛṣṭvā tīrthānyanekaśaḥ 9| etatte sarvamākhyātaṃ yattvayā pṛcchitaṃ purā | deveṃdra uvāca- dṛṣṭāni puṇyatīrthāni sukṣetrāṇi tvayā mune 10| kiṃ tīrthaṃ prāpya mucyeta brahmaghno brahmahatyayā | surāpomucyatepāpādgoghnohemāpahārakaḥ 11| svāmidrohānmahābhāga nārīhaṃtā kathaṃ sukhī | nārada uvāca- yāni kāni ca tīrthāni gayādīni sureśvara 12| teṣāṃ naiva prajānāmi viśeṣaṃ pāpanāśanam | supuṇyāni sudivyāni pāpaghnāni samāni ca 13| sarvāṇyeva sutīrthāni jānāmyahaṃ puraṃdara | aviśeṣaṃ viśeṣaṃ vai naiva jānāmi sāṃpratam 14| pratyayaṃ kriyatāṃ deva tīrthānāṃ gatidāyakam | evamākarṇya tadvākyaṃ nāradasya mahātmanaḥ 15| samāhūtāni ceṃdreṇa tīrthāni bhūgatāni ca | mūrtivartīni divyāni samāyātāni śāsanāt 16| baddhāṃjalīni divyāni bhūṣitāni subhūṣaṇaiḥ | divyāṃbarāṇi snigdhāni tejovaṃti ca suvrata 17| strīpuṃsośca svarūpāṇi kṛtāni ca viśeṣataḥ | hemacaṃdanakāśāni divyarūpadharāṇi ca 18| muktāphalasyavarṇena prabhāsaṃti nareśvara | taptakāṃcanavarṇāni sāruṇyāni ca tatra vai 19| kati śukla supītāni prabhāvaṃti sabhāṃtare | kāni padmanibhānyeva mūrtivartīni tāni tu 20| sūryatejaḥ prakāśāni taḍittejaḥ samāni ca | pāvakābhāni cānyāni prabhāsaṃti sabhāṃtare 21| sarvābharaṇaśobhāḍhyaiḥ praśobhaṃte nareśvara | hārakaṃkaṇakeyūramālābhistu sucaṃdanaiḥ 22| divyacaṃdanadigdhāni surabhīṇi gurūṇi ca | kamaṃḍalukarāṇyeva āyātāni sabhāṃtare 23| gaṃgā ca narmadā puṇyā caṃdrabhāgā sarasvatī | devikā biṃbikā kubjā kuṃjalā maṃjulā śrutā 24| raṃbhā bhānumatī puṇyā pārā caiva sughargharā | śoṇā ca siṃdhusauvīrā kāverī kapilā tathā 25| kumudā vedanadī puṇyā supuṇyā ca maheśvarī | carmaṇvatī tathā khyātā lopā cānyā sukauśikī 26| suhaṃsī haṃsapādā ca haṃsavegā manorathā | suruthāsvāruṇā veṇā bhadra veṇā supadminī 27| nāhalīsumarī cānyā puṇyā cānyā puliṃdikā | hemā manorathā divyā caṃdrikā vedasaṃkramā 28| jvālāhutāśanī svāhā kālā caiva kapiṃjalā | svadhā ca sukalā liṃgā gaṃbhīrā bhīmavāhinī 29| devadrīcī vīravāhā lakṣahomā aghāpahā | pārāśarī hemagarbhā subhadrā vasuputrikā 30| etā nadyo mahāpuṇyā mūrtimatyo nareśvara | sarvābharaṇaśobhāḍhyāḥ kuṃbhahastāḥ supūjitāḥ 31| prayāgaḥ puṣkaraścaiva arghadīrgho manorathā | vārāṇasī mahāpuṇyā brahmahatyā vyapohinī 32| dvārāvatī prabhāsaśca avaṃtī naimiṣastathā | caṃḍakaśca mahāratno maheśvarakaleśvarau 33| kaliṃjaro brahmakṣetraṃ māthuro mānavāhakaḥ | māyākāṃtī tathānyāni divyāni vividhāni ca 34| aṣṭaṣaṣṭiḥ sutīrthāni nadīnāṃ śatakoṭayaḥ | godāvarīmukhāḥ sarvā samāyātāstadājñayā 35| dvīpānāṃ tu samastāni sutīrthāni mahāṃti ca | mūrtiliṃgadharāṇyeva sahasrākṣaṃ sureśvaram 36| samājagmuḥ samastāni tadādeśakarāṇi ca | praṇemurdevadeveśaṃ nataśīrṣāṇi sarvaśaḥ 37| sūta uvāca- taiḥ proktaṃ tu mahātīrthairdevarājaṃ yaśasvinam | kasmāttvayā samāhūtā devadeva vadasva naḥ 38| brūhi naḥ kāraṇaṃ sarvaṃ namastubhyaṃ surādhipa | evamākarṇya tadvākyaṃ devarājobhyabhāṣata 39| kaḥ samartho mahātīrtho brahmahatyāṃ vyapohitum | govadhākhyaṃ mahāpāpaṃ strīvadhākhyamanuttamam 40| svāmidrohācca saṃbhūtaṃ surāpānācca dāruṇam | hemasteyāttathā jātaṃ guruniṃdā samudbhavam 41| bhrūṇahatyāṃ mahāghorāṃ nāśayetkaḥ samarthavān | rājadrohānmahāpāpaṃ bahupīḍāpradāyakam 42| mitradrohāttathā cānyadanyadviśvāsaghātakam | devabhedaṃ tathā cānyaṃ liṃgabhedamataḥ param 43| vṛtticchedaṃ ca viprāṇāṃ gopracārapraṇāśanam | āgāradahanaṃ cānyadgṛhadīpanakaṃ tathā 44| ṣoḍaśaite mahāpāpā agamyāgamanaṃ tathā | svāmityāgātsamudbhūtaṃ raṇasthānātpalāyanāt 45| etāni nāśayetko vai samarthastīrthauttamaḥ | samartho bhavatāṃ madhye prāyaścittaṃ vinā dhruvam 46| paśyatāṃ devatānāṃ ca nāradasya ca paśyataḥ | bruvaṃtu sarve saṃciṃtya vicāryaivaṃ suniścitam 47| evamukte śubhe vākye devarājñāmahātmanā | saṃmaṃtrya tīrtharājena procuḥ śakraṃ sabhāgatam 48| tīrthānyūcuḥ - śrūyatāmabhidhāsyāmo devarāja namostu te | saṃti vai sarvatīrthāni sarvapāpaharāṇi ca 49| brahmahatyādikānyāṃśca tvayā proktānsureśvara | mahāghorānsudīptāṃśca nāśituṃ naiva śaknumaḥ 50| prayāgaḥ puṣkaraścaiva arghatīrthamanuttamam | vārāṇasī mahābhāga samarthā pāpanāśinī 51| mahāpātakanāśārthe catvāromitavikramāḥ | upapātakanāśārthaṃ catvāromitavikramāḥ 52| sṛṣṭā dhātrā ca deveṃdra puṣkarādyā mahābalāḥ | evamākarṇya tadvākyaṃ tīrthānāṃ surarāṭ tataḥ 53| harṣeṇa mahatāviṣṭasteṣāṃ stotraṃ cakāra saḥ 54| iti śrīpadmapurāṇe bhūmikhaṃḍe venopākhyāne gurutīrthamāhātmye | cyavanacaritre navatitamo'dhyāyaḥ 90|
English translation
Sūta said :
l. Having heard all that Samujjvala said, that pious Kuñjala said in reply:
Kuñjala said :
2-7. O dear one, I shall explain it to you. Listen with a steady (i.e. attentive) mind to the account removing all doubts and destroying sins. In the assembly of that noble god Indra a debate, producing curiosity, was going on. (At that time) Nārada hurriedly came to see Indra. Indra, having seen him, with lustre like that of the sun, who had arrived, became glad and the very intelligent one, with his mind humble through devotion, offered him material of worship and water for washing his feet. Joining the palms of his hands, he saluted him. Seating the best brāhmaṇa on an auspicious, soft seat, and bowing down, he, full of great reverence, asked him: “Tell me now the reason for your arrival today.”
8-10a. Thus addressed by the lord of gods, the great sage said: “Having bathed in holy regions and sacred places with great faith, having worshipped deities and dead ancestors, having seen many holy places, I have come, from the earth, to see you, O Indra. I have already told all this which you had formerly asked me.”
The Lord of gods said :
10b-12a. O sage, you have seen auspicious, holy places and good regions. By visiting which sacred place, would a killer of a brāhmaṇa be free from (the sin of) murdering a brāhmaṇa, (or} a drunkard, or a killer of a cow, or one stealing gold, (would be free from the sin), (or) O illustrious one, how would one be free from plotting against one’s master? (Or) how would the killer of a woman be happy?
Nārada said :
12b-23. O lord of gods, I do not know the speciality, regarding the destruction of sin, of such holy places as Gaṅgā etc. O Indra, I know that all great holy places are very auspicious and divine. But I do not know properly their special properties and lack of them. O god, ascertain the power of the holy places of giving salvation.
Having heard those words of that magnanimous Nārada, Indra called the Holy Places residing on the earth. By his order, all the Holy Places—divine ones—came there in embodied forms. O you of a good vow, the divine ones had joined the palms of their hands; they were adorned with good ornaments; their garments were divine, glossy and bright. They had especially taken up the form of women and men. They resembled gold and sandal, and had put on divine forms. O lord of men, they shone with the colour of pearls. Some of them had the complexion of heated gold and some were tawny. Some in the assembly were white and very yellow and bright. Some of the embodied ones resembled lotuses; still others resembled the sun’s lustre, (or) the lustre (i.e. flash) of lightning; others shone in the assembly like fire. O lord of men, they shone with the richness of all ornaments, with necklaces, bracelets, armlets, garlands and good sandal. They, (with their bodies) smeared with divine sandal, fragrant and great, and with water-pots in their hands came into the assembly.
24-37. Gaṅgā, Narmadā , the holy Candrabhāgā , Sarasvatī , Devikā , Bimbikā, Kubjā , Kuñjalā, the well-known Mañjulā , Rambhā , the extremely holy Bhānumatī , Sughargharā, Śoṇā , Sindhu , Sauvirā , Kāverī , so also Kapilā , and Kumudā , the holy Vedanadī, the very holy Maheśvarī and the well-known Carmaṇvatī , Lopā and Sukauśikī, Suhaṃsī, Haṃsapādā , Haṃsavegā and Manorathā, Suruthā, Svārunā, Veṇā , Bhadraveṇā, Supadminī, Nāharī, Sumarī, the holy Pulindikā, Hemā , Manorathā, Divyā , Candrikā , Vedasaṃkramā, Jvālā , Hutāśanī , Svāhā , Kālā and Kampiñjalā, Svadhā and Sukalā , Liṅgā , Gambhīrā , Bhīmavāhinī, Devadrīcī, Vīravāhā, Lakṣahomā, Aghāpahā, Pārāśarī, Hemagarbhā, Subhadrā , Vasuputrikā—these very holy rivers, rich with the beauty of all ornaments, with pitchers in their hands, and well-honoured came there in embodied forms, O lord of men. Prayāga , Puṣkara , Arghadīrghā, Manorathā, the very holy Vārāṇasī , removing (the sin of) the murder of a brāhmaṇa, Dvārāvatī , Prabhāsa , and Avantī and Nimiṣa and Caṇḍaka , Mahāratna and Maheśvara and Kaleśvara, Kaliñjara, Brahmakṣetra , Māthura , Mānavāhaka, Māyā , Kāntī and other many very holy and divine places—sixty-eight in number—so also hundreds of crores of all rivers, led by Godāvarī came there by his (i.e. Indra’s) order. All regions, very holy and great holy places, possessing bodies and marks came to Indra, the lord of gods; came there, obeying his order. With their heads bent down, they all saluted the lord of gods.
Sūta said :
38-47. The great Holy Places said to the victorious lord of gods: “O god of gods, tell us why you have called us. O lord of gods, tell us all the reason; salutation to you.” Hearing these words of them, the lord of gods said: “Which holy place is able to remove (the sin of) the murder of a brāhmaṇa? Which holy place is able to destroy the great sin called the murder of a cow, or the matchless sin called the murder of a woman or the great sin due to plotting against one’s master or the elders, or drinking liquor, or due to the terrible (sin of) causing abortion. (Which holy place is able to destroy) the great sin, giving great trouble, due to plotting against the king, (or) against (one’s) friend, or any other sin of treachery, (or) changing the deity, (or) means of livelihood of brāhmaṇas , (or) destroying the pasture-ground of cows, or burning a dwelling or setting ablaze a house? These sixteen are major sins, so also illicit intercourse. Which best holy place would be able to destroy sins (like the sin) due to deserting one’s master, or due to running away from the battle-field? From amongst you which one would certainly be able (to destroy a sin) without expiation? When all gods and Nārada are watching (i.e. in the presence of all gods and Nārada) may all of you speak after having properly decided.”
48. When the magnanimous king of gods spoke like this, the Holy Places, after having consulted their lord, spoke to Indra, present in the assembly.
The Holy Places said :
49-54. Listen, we shall tell (it). O lord of gods, salutation to you. All holy places destroy sins; but, O Lord of gods, we are not able to destroy the very fearful and strong sins which you mentioned. Prayāga, Puṣkara, the matchless Aghatīrtha, and, O noble one, Vārāṇasī—(each one of these) is able to destroy sins. To destroy major sins these four are of unlimited power; so also they have unlimited power to destroy minor sins. O lord of gods, the very powerful Puṣkara and others have been created by the Creator.
Having heard these words of the Holy Places, the lord of gods, full of great joy, then praised them.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 41552, revision 335552 (2022-04-11T00:08:09Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc365182.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.