Svarga-khaṇḍa · Chapter 23
Sourceनारद उवाच- एवं बहुतिथे काले लोमशो मुनिसत्तमः । आगतश्च महाभागस्तत्र यादृच्छिको मुनि १। तं दृष्ट्वा ब्राह्मणं सर्वे पिशाचाः क्षुत्समाकुलाः । धावंतो ह्यत्तुकामास्ते मिलित्वा यूथवर्तिनः २। दह्यमानास्तु तीव्रेण तेजसा लोमशस्य तु । असमर्थाः पुरः स्थातुं ते सर्वे दूरतः स्थिताः ३। तत्र पूर्वकर्मबलात्पिशाचः सह वै द्विजः । समीक्ष्य लोमशं राजन्साष्टांगं प्रणिपत्य च ४। उवाच सूनृतां वाचं बद्ध्वा शिरसि चांजलिम् । महाभाग्योदये विप्र साधूनां संगतिर्भवेत् ५। गंगादिपुण्यतीर्थेषु यो नरः स्नाति सर्वथा । यः करोति सतां संगं तयोः सत्संगमो वरः ६। गुरूणां संगमो विप्र दृष्टादृष्टफलो भुवि । स्वर्गदो रोगहारी च किं तमोपहरो मतः ७। इत्युक्त्वा कथयामास पूर्ववृत्तांतमद्भुतम् । इमा गंधर्वकन्यास्ता मुने सोऽहं द्विजात्मजः ८। सर्वे पिशाचरूपेण मिथः शापविमोहिताः । दीनाननास्सुतिष्ठामस्तवाग्रे मुनिसत्तम ९। त्वद्दर्शनेन बालानां निस्तारो नो भविष्यति । सूर्योदये तमस्तोमः किं नु लीयेत पुष्करे १०। श्रुत्वैतल्लोमशो वाक्यं कृपार्द्रीकृतमानसः । प्रत्युवाच महातेजा दुःखितं तं मुनेः सुतम् ११। मत्प्रसादाच्च सर्वेषां स्मृतिः सपदि जायताम् । धर्मे च वर्ततां येन मिथः शापो लयं व्रजेत् १२। पिशाच उवाच- महर्षे कथ्यतां धर्मो मुच्येम येन किल्बिषात् । नायं कालो विलंबस्य शापाग्निर्दारुणो यतः १३। लोमश उवाच- मया सार्द्धं प्रकुर्वंतु रेवास्नानं विधानतः । शापान्मोक्ष्यति वो रेवा नान्यथा निष्कृतिर्भवेत् १४। शृणुष्वावहितो विप्र पापनाशो ध्रुवं नृणाम् । रेवास्नानेन जायेत इति मे निश्चिता मतिः १५। सप्तजन्मकृतं पापं वर्तमानं च पातकम् । रेवास्नानं दहेत्सर्वं तूलराशिमिवानलः १६। प्रायाश्चित्तं न पश्यंति यस्मिन्पापे पिशाचक । तत्सर्वं नर्मदातोये स्नानमात्रेण नश्यति १७। ज्ञानकृन्नर्म्मदास्नानमतो मोक्षफला हि सा । हिमवत्पुण्यतीर्थानि सर्वपापहराणि वै १८। इंद्रलोकप्रदं हीदं निर्मितं ब्रह्मवादिभिः । सर्वकामफला रेवा मोक्षदा परिकीर्तिता १९। पापघ्नी पापहारिणी सर्वकामफलप्रदा । विष्णुलोकदआप्लावो नार्मदः पापनाशनः २०। यामुनः सूर्यलोकाय भवेदाप्लाव उत्तमः । सारस्वतोघविध्वंसी ब्रह्मलोकफलप्रदः २१। विशालफलदा प्रोक्ता विशाला हि पिशाचक । पापेंधनदवाग्निस्तु गर्भहेतुक्रियापहः २२। विष्णुलोकाय मोक्षाय नार्मदः परिकीर्तितः । सरयूगंडकीसिंधुश्चंद्रभागा च कौशिकी २३। तापी गोदावरी भीमा पयोष्णी कृष्णवेणिका । कावेरी तुंगभद्रा च अन्याश्चापि समुद्रगाः २४। तासु रेवा परा प्रोक्ता विष्णुलोकप्रदायिनी । रेवा तु प्राप्यते पुण्यैः पूर्वजन्मकृतैर्द्विज । अपुनर्भवदं तत्र मज्जनं मुनिपुत्रक २५। गायंति देवाः सततं दिविष्ठा रेवा कदा दृष्टिगता हि नो भवेत् । स्नाता नरा यत्र न गर्भवेदनां पश्यंति तिष्ठंति च विष्णुसन्निधौ २६। मज्जंति ये प्रत्यहमत्र मानवा रेवासुतो ये बहुपापकंचुकाः । मज्जंति ते नो निरयेषु धर्म्मतः स्वर्गे तु ते चारुचरंति देववत् २७। तीव्रैर्व्रतैर्दानतपोभिरध्वरैः सार्धं विधात्रा तुलया धृता पुरा । रेवापिशाचाशु तयोर्द्वयोरभूद्रेवा वरा तत्र च मोक्षसाधिका २८। नारद उवाच- एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचस्तस्य लोमशस्य पिशाचकाः । तेन सार्द्धं ययुः शीघ्रं रेवामज्जनहेतवे २९। ततो दैवात्समुत्पन्नो रेवारोधसि मारुतः । तेषां प्रवाहस्पृष्टानां गात्रे जलकणप्रदः ३०। रेवाजलकणस्पर्शात्पैशाच्यात्ते विमोचिताः । तत्क्षणाद्दिव्यवपुषः प्रशशंसुश्च नर्मदाम् ३१। ततो लोमशवाक्येन ताश्च गंधर्वकन्यकाः । परिणीताः सुखं तेन विप्रेण नर्मदातटे ३२। उवास सुचिरं कालं स्नानपानावगाहनैः । अर्चित्वा नर्मदामत्र विष्णुलोकं गताश्च ते ३३। एवं ते कथितो राजन्नर्मदागुणसंश्रयः । इतिहासो महापुण्यः श्रवणात्पापनाशनः ३४। इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे स्वर्गखंडे त्रयोविंशोऽध्यायः २३ ।
nārada uvāca- evaṃ bahutithe kāle lomaśo munisattamaḥ | āgataśca mahābhāgastatra yādṛcchiko muni 1| taṃ dṛṣṭvā brāhmaṇaṃ sarve piśācāḥ kṣutsamākulāḥ | dhāvaṃto hyattukāmāste militvā yūthavartinaḥ 2| dahyamānāstu tīvreṇa tejasā lomaśasya tu | asamarthāḥ puraḥ sthātuṃ te sarve dūrataḥ sthitāḥ 3| tatra pūrvakarmabalātpiśācaḥ saha vai dvijaḥ | samīkṣya lomaśaṃ rājansāṣṭāṃgaṃ praṇipatya ca 4| uvāca sūnṛtāṃ vācaṃ baddhvā śirasi cāṃjalim | mahābhāgyodaye vipra sādhūnāṃ saṃgatirbhavet 5| gaṃgādipuṇyatīrtheṣu yo naraḥ snāti sarvathā | yaḥ karoti satāṃ saṃgaṃ tayoḥ satsaṃgamo varaḥ 6| gurūṇāṃ saṃgamo vipra dṛṣṭādṛṣṭaphalo bhuvi | svargado rogahārī ca kiṃ tamopaharo mataḥ 7| ityuktvā kathayāmāsa pūrvavṛttāṃtamadbhutam | imā gaṃdharvakanyāstā mune so'haṃ dvijātmajaḥ 8| sarve piśācarūpeṇa mithaḥ śāpavimohitāḥ | dīnānanāssutiṣṭhāmastavāgre munisattama 9| tvaddarśanena bālānāṃ nistāro no bhaviṣyati | sūryodaye tamastomaḥ kiṃ nu līyeta puṣkare 10| śrutvaitallomaśo vākyaṃ kṛpārdrīkṛtamānasaḥ | pratyuvāca mahātejā duḥkhitaṃ taṃ muneḥ sutam 11| matprasādācca sarveṣāṃ smṛtiḥ sapadi jāyatām | dharme ca vartatāṃ yena mithaḥ śāpo layaṃ vrajet 12| piśāca uvāca- maharṣe kathyatāṃ dharmo mucyema yena kilbiṣāt | nāyaṃ kālo vilaṃbasya śāpāgnirdāruṇo yataḥ 13| lomaśa uvāca- mayā sārddhaṃ prakurvaṃtu revāsnānaṃ vidhānataḥ | śāpānmokṣyati vo revā nānyathā niṣkṛtirbhavet 14| śṛṇuṣvāvahito vipra pāpanāśo dhruvaṃ nṛṇām | revāsnānena jāyeta iti me niścitā matiḥ 15| saptajanmakṛtaṃ pāpaṃ vartamānaṃ ca pātakam | revāsnānaṃ dahetsarvaṃ tūlarāśimivānalaḥ 16| prāyāścittaṃ na paśyaṃti yasminpāpe piśācaka | tatsarvaṃ narmadātoye snānamātreṇa naśyati 17| jñānakṛnnarmmadāsnānamato mokṣaphalā hi sā | himavatpuṇyatīrthāni sarvapāpaharāṇi vai 18| iṃdralokapradaṃ hīdaṃ nirmitaṃ brahmavādibhiḥ | sarvakāmaphalā revā mokṣadā parikīrtitā 19| pāpaghnī pāpahāriṇī sarvakāmaphalapradā | viṣṇulokadaāplāvo nārmadaḥ pāpanāśanaḥ 20| yāmunaḥ sūryalokāya bhavedāplāva uttamaḥ | sārasvatoghavidhvaṃsī brahmalokaphalapradaḥ 21| viśālaphaladā proktā viśālā hi piśācaka | pāpeṃdhanadavāgnistu garbhahetukriyāpahaḥ 22| viṣṇulokāya mokṣāya nārmadaḥ parikīrtitaḥ | sarayūgaṃḍakīsiṃdhuścaṃdrabhāgā ca kauśikī 23| tāpī godāvarī bhīmā payoṣṇī kṛṣṇaveṇikā | kāverī tuṃgabhadrā ca anyāścāpi samudragāḥ 24| tāsu revā parā proktā viṣṇulokapradāyinī | revā tu prāpyate puṇyaiḥ pūrvajanmakṛtairdvija | apunarbhavadaṃ tatra majjanaṃ muniputraka 25| gāyaṃti devāḥ satataṃ diviṣṭhā revā kadā dṛṣṭigatā hi no bhavet | snātā narā yatra na garbhavedanāṃ paśyaṃti tiṣṭhaṃti ca viṣṇusannidhau 26| majjaṃti ye pratyahamatra mānavā revāsuto ye bahupāpakaṃcukāḥ | majjaṃti te no nirayeṣu dharmmataḥ svarge tu te cārucaraṃti devavat 27| tīvrairvratairdānatapobhiradhvaraiḥ sārdhaṃ vidhātrā tulayā dhṛtā purā | revāpiśācāśu tayordvayorabhūdrevā varā tatra ca mokṣasādhikā 28| nārada uvāca- etacchrutvā vacastasya lomaśasya piśācakāḥ | tena sārddhaṃ yayuḥ śīghraṃ revāmajjanahetave 29| tato daivātsamutpanno revārodhasi mārutaḥ | teṣāṃ pravāhaspṛṣṭānāṃ gātre jalakaṇapradaḥ 30| revājalakaṇasparśātpaiśācyātte vimocitāḥ | tatkṣaṇāddivyavapuṣaḥ praśaśaṃsuśca narmadām 31| tato lomaśavākyena tāśca gaṃdharvakanyakāḥ | pariṇītāḥ sukhaṃ tena vipreṇa narmadātaṭe 32| uvāsa suciraṃ kālaṃ snānapānāvagāhanaiḥ | arcitvā narmadāmatra viṣṇulokaṃ gatāśca te 33| evaṃ te kathito rājannarmadāguṇasaṃśrayaḥ | itihāso mahāpuṇyaḥ śravaṇātpāpanāśanaḥ 34| iti śrīpādme mahāpurāṇe svargakhaṃḍe trayoviṃśo'dhyāyaḥ 23 |
English translation
Nārada said :
1-6. After a long time the magnanimous, best sage Lomaśa who wandered as he liked, came there. Seeing the brāhmaṇa all the goblins living in a group and being overpowered by hunger and desiring to eat him, ran to him. Being burnt by the sharp lustre of Lomaśa, unable to stand before him, they remained away from him. Then, that brāhmaṇa, who had become a goblin as a result of his former deeds, seeing Lomaśa, saluted him by prostrating himself before him, and putting his folded palms on his head spoke true and pleasant words, O king:
7-12. “O brāhmaṇa, at the time of the rise of great fortune there would be (obtained) the company of the good. Between a man who at all times bathes at the sacred places like the Gaṅges etc. and the one who keeps company with the good the latter is superior. O brāhmaṇa, company of the great gives seen and unseen fruits, gives (i.e. takes one to) heaven, removes diseases and is said to remove (mental) darkness.” Saying so, be told him his former wonderful account. “These are those gandharva -daughters, and I am that son of a brāhmaṇa, O sage. All of us were foolish cursing one another (and turning) into goblins. O best sage, before you we are standing with melancholy faces. By seeing you, we the fools, shall be liberated. Would the mass of darkness cling to the atmosphere when the sun rises?” Hearing these words, Lomaśa, of a great lustre, with his heart tender with compassion, said to the sage’s son who was afflicted: “Let the memory of all of you rise suddenly by my favour. Let all of you remain in righteousness, so that your mutual curse would come to an end.”
The goblin said :
13. O great sage, tell us (what) righteousness (is), so that we shall be free from sins. This is not the time for delay, since the fire of curse is fierce.
Lomaśa said :
14-27. Let (all the goblins) duly bathe in Revā with me. Revā will free you from the curse. There would be no other expiation. O brāhmaṇa, listen attentively. It is my firm opinion that the sin of men would certainly perish by bathing in Revā. Bath in Revā would burn, as fire burns a heap of cotton , all the sins committed in the (previous) seven existences and the present one also. O goblin, all that sin for which (the wise) do not see an atonement, perishes merely by bathing in Narmadā . Bath in Narmadā causes knowledge. Therefore she gives salvation. All the holy places of the Himālaya remove sins. This one giving (i.e. taking one to) Indra ’s heaven is fashioned by the teachers of the Vedas . Revā is said to give the fruits of (i.e. to satisfy) all desires and is the giver of liberation. She destroys sins, she removes sins, she gives the fruits of(i.e. satisfies) all desires. A bath in Narmadā gives (i.e. takes one to) Viṣṇu ’s heaven and destroys sins. A bath in Yamunā would be excellent for (going to) the Sun’s world. A bath in Sarasvatī destroys sin, and gives (i.e. leads one to) Brahmā ’s heaven. O goblin, (a bath in) Viśālā is said to give a great fruit, and is the wild fire to the fuel of sins and the remover of the act of being conceived in a womb. A bath in Narmadā is said to lead to Viṣṇu’s heaven and to liberation. Out of the rivers Sarayū , Gaṇḍakī , Sindhu , Candrabhāgā , Kauśikī , Tāpī , Godāvarī , Bhīmā , Payoṣṇī , Kṛṣnaveṇī, Tuṅgabhadrā and others, Revā is reached (by a man) due to the meritorious deeds done in former existences. O sage’s son, a bath there (i.e. in Revā) gives absence of rebirth. Gods, residing in heaven, always sing (i.e. say): “When shall we see Revā, bathing in which (river) men do not experience pangs of (living in) the womb, and remain near Viṣṇu?” Those men who, having many coatings of sins (i.e. who have committed many sins), everyday bathe here in the pure water of Revā, do not sink in hells due to their religious merit, (but) they well (i.e. comfortably) move in heaven like gods.
28. O goblin, formerly the creator weighed Revā against severe vows, acts of charity, penances, and sacrifices, and Revā, that accomplishes salvation quickly, was (i.e. proved) superior to them.
Nārada said :
29. Hearing those words of that Lomaśa, all the goblins quickly went with him to bathe in Revā.
30-34. Then fortunately breezes, giving (i.e. throwing) drops of water on the bodies of them who had come in contact with the stream (of Revā), arose on the bank of Revā. Due to the touch of the drops of the water of Revā, they were freed from their goblin-hood. Being instantly endowed with divine bodies, they extolled Narmadā. Then, as told by Lomaśa, the brāhmaṇa happily married those daughters of gandharvas on the bank of Narmadā. Bathing there, drinking (the water of Narmadā) and plunging into (Narmadā) they stayed there for a long time. Having worshipped Narmadā at this spot, they went to Viṣṇu’s heaven. O king, I have thus told you the very auspicious account of Narmadā, which is highly meritorious and which removes sins merely by hearing it.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 43172, revision 334137 (2022-03-26T01:54:33Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc365242.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.