Uttara-khaṇḍa · Chapter 20
Sourceश्रीमहादेवउवाच- हरिद्वारं महापुण्यं शृणु देवर्षिसत्तम । यत्र गंगा वहत्येव तत्रोक्तं तीर्थमुत्तमम् १। यत्र देवा वसंतीह ऋषयो मनवस्तथा । यत्र देवः स्वयं साक्षात्केशवो नित्यमाश्रितः २। पुरा पूर्वं तु भो वत्स तीर्थं जातं महत्तदा । यस्य दर्शनमात्रेण दूरतो याति पातकम् ३। यत्र गंगा महारम्या जाता पुण्य विशेषतः । विष्णुपादोदकी जाता तच्चरणस्पर्शनात्ततः ४। भगीरथेन भो विद्वन्नानीता तत्र मार्गतः । उद्धारः पूर्वजानां तु कृतस्तेन महात्मना ५। नारदउवाच- कोऽयं देव समाख्यातो भगीरथ महातपाः । येन तीर्थं समानीतं लोकानां हितकारणात् ६। गंगातीर्थं महत्पुण्यं सर्वपापप्रणाशनम् । लोकाः सर्वे वदंत्येवमेतत्तीर्थोत्तमोत्तमम् ७। गंगागंगेति यो ब्रूयाद्योजनानां शतैरपि । मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यो विष्णुलोकं स गच्छति ८। कथं तेन समानीता किं कार्यं वद सुव्रत । महादेव उवाच- येन गंगा यथानीता गंगाद्वारेऽतिशोभने ९। तत्सर्वं संप्रवक्ष्यामि क्रमानुक्रमयोगतः । पूर्वमासीद्धरिश्चंद्रस्त्रैलोक्ये सत्यपालकः १०। रोहितस्तस्यपुत्रोऽभूदेको विष्णुपरायणः । तस्यापि च वृकः पुत्रो धर्मिष्ठः सत्पथिस्थितः ११। तस्य पुत्रः सुबाहुश्च जातोस्मिन्वै कुले तदा । तस्य पुत्रो गरो नाम नात्यंतं धार्मिकोऽभवत् १२। कदाचित्कालयोगेन दुःखी जातोऽत्र कारणात् । राजा तु तत्र देशेन तर्जितो धर्मकारणात् १३। स्वकुटुंबं गृहीत्वा तु गतोऽसौ भार्गवाश्रमे । रक्षितो भार्गवेणाथ कृपया तत्र वै तदा १४। तत्र पुत्रो ह्यभूत्तस्य सगरो नाम वै द्विज । ववृधे चाश्रमे पुण्ये भार्गवेणाभिरक्षितः १५। उपवीतादिकं सर्वं क्षत्रियस्य तदा कृतम् । शस्त्राणां च तथाभ्यासो वेदानां तु तथैव च १६। आग्नेयास्त्रं ततो लब्ध्वा भार्गवात्सगरो नृपः । जघान पृथिवीं गत्वा तालजंघान्सहैहयान् १७ । सशकान् पारदांश्चैव जघान स महातपाः । नारद उवाच- माहात्म्यं सगरस्याथ वद शंकर विस्तरात् १८। महादेव उवाच- सूर्यवंशी महाराजो विख्यातः स महाबली । गरस्य व्यसने तात हृतं राज्यमभूत्किल १९। हैहयैस्तालजंघाद्यैः शकैः सार्द्धं च नारद । यवनाः पारदाश्चैव कांबोजाः पह्लवास्तथा २०। एते पंचगणा ब्रह्मन्हैहयार्थे पराक्रमान् । हृतराज्यस्ततो राजा सगरोऽथ वनं ययौ २१। पत्न्याचानुगतो दुःखी स वै प्राणानवासृजत् । तस्य पत्नी तु कल्याणी सगर्भा च व्रतान्विता २२। सपत्न्या भार्गवस्तस्य वृतः पूर्वं सुतेप्सया । सा तु भर्तृचितां कृत्वा वने तं प्ररुरोद ह २३। और्वस्तां वारयित्वा च गरपत्नीं तु नारद । न्यवेदयत तत्पुत्रं धर्मिष्ठं सात्विकं प्रियम् २४। निवेदिते ततो बाले मरणात्सा न्यवर्त्तत । ततो मासद्वये जाते ववर्द्धौर्वस्य चाश्रमे २५। जातकर्मादियोगश्च और्वेण च तथा कृतः । उपवीतादिकं सर्वं जातं तत्र महामुनेः २६। तत्र वेदादिकं सर्वं पठितं चौर्वयोगतः । अध्याप्य वेदशास्त्राणि ततोऽस्त्रं प्रत्यपादयत् २७। आग्नेयं तं महाभाग अमरैरपि दुःसहम् । स तेनासुबलेनाजौ बलेन च समन्वितः २८। हैहयान्वै जघानाशु संक्रुद्धः स्वबलेन च । आजहार च लोकेषु स च कीर्तिमवाप सः २९। ततः शकाः सयवनाः कांबोजाः पल्लवास्तथा । हन्यमानास्तदा ते तु वसिष्ठं शरणं ययुः ३०। वसिष्ठोऽपि च तान्कृत्वा समयेन महाद्युतिः । सगरं वारयामास तेषां दत्त्वाऽभयं नृपः ३१। सगरः स्वां प्रतिज्ञांतु गुरोर्वाक्यं निशम्य च । धर्मैर्जघान तांश्चैषां विकृतत्वं चकार ह ३२। अर्द्धंशकनांशिरसो मुंडं कृत्वा विसर्जयत् । यवनानां शिरः सर्वं कांबोजानां तथैव च ३३। पारदा मुंडकेशाश्च पल्ल्वाः श्मश्रुरक्षकाः । एवं विजित्य सर्वान्वै कृतवान्धर्मसंग्रहम् ३४। सर्वधर्मजयी राजा विजित्येमां वसुंधराम् । आशु संस्कारयामास वाजिमेधाय पार्थिवः ३५। तस्य चारयतःसोऽश्वः समुद्रे पूर्वदक्षिणे । वेला समीपेऽपहृतो भूमिं चैव प्रवेशितः ३६। स तं देशं तदा पुत्रैः खानयामास सर्वतः । नाश्वं प्रापुस्तदातेवै खन्यमाने महार्णवे ३७। तत्रैकमादिपुरुषं ददृशुस्ते त्वरान्विताः । तमादिपुरुषं देवं कपिलं जगतां प्रभुम् ३८। तस्य चक्षुः समुत्पन्न वह्निना प्रतिबुध्यतः । दग्धाः षष्टि सहस्राणि चत्वारस्तेऽवशेषिताः ३९। हृषीकेतुः सुकेतुश्च तथा धर्मरथोपरः । शूरः पंचजनश्चैव तस्य वंशकरा द्विज ४०। प्रादाच्च तस्मै भगवान्हरिः पंचवरान्स्वयम् । वंशं मोक्षं सुकीर्तिञ्च समुद्रं तनयं विभुः ४१। सागरत्वं च लेभेथ कर्मणा तेन तस्य वै । तमाश्वमेधिकं सोऽश्वं समुद्रादुपलब्धवान् । आजहाराश्वमेधानां शतं स च महायशाः ४२। इति श्रीपाद्मेमहापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्सहस्रसंहितायां उत्तरखण्डे विंशोऽध्यायः २०।
śrīmahādevauvāca- haridvāraṃ mahāpuṇyaṃ śṛṇu devarṣisattama | yatra gaṃgā vahatyeva tatroktaṃ tīrthamuttamam 1| yatra devā vasaṃtīha ṛṣayo manavastathā | yatra devaḥ svayaṃ sākṣātkeśavo nityamāśritaḥ 2| purā pūrvaṃ tu bho vatsa tīrthaṃ jātaṃ mahattadā | yasya darśanamātreṇa dūrato yāti pātakam 3| yatra gaṃgā mahāramyā jātā puṇya viśeṣataḥ | viṣṇupādodakī jātā taccaraṇasparśanāttataḥ 4| bhagīrathena bho vidvannānītā tatra mārgataḥ | uddhāraḥ pūrvajānāṃ tu kṛtastena mahātmanā 5| nāradauvāca- ko'yaṃ deva samākhyāto bhagīratha mahātapāḥ | yena tīrthaṃ samānītaṃ lokānāṃ hitakāraṇāt 6| gaṃgātīrthaṃ mahatpuṇyaṃ sarvapāpapraṇāśanam | lokāḥ sarve vadaṃtyevametattīrthottamottamam 7| gaṃgāgaṃgeti yo brūyādyojanānāṃ śatairapi | mucyate sarvapāpebhyo viṣṇulokaṃ sa gacchati 8| kathaṃ tena samānītā kiṃ kāryaṃ vada suvrata | mahādeva uvāca- yena gaṃgā yathānītā gaṃgādvāre'tiśobhane 9| tatsarvaṃ saṃpravakṣyāmi kramānukramayogataḥ | pūrvamāsīddhariścaṃdrastrailokye satyapālakaḥ 10| rohitastasyaputro'bhūdeko viṣṇuparāyaṇaḥ | tasyāpi ca vṛkaḥ putro dharmiṣṭhaḥ satpathisthitaḥ 11| tasya putraḥ subāhuśca jātosminvai kule tadā | tasya putro garo nāma nātyaṃtaṃ dhārmiko'bhavat 12| kadācitkālayogena duḥkhī jāto'tra kāraṇāt | rājā tu tatra deśena tarjito dharmakāraṇāt 13| svakuṭuṃbaṃ gṛhītvā tu gato'sau bhārgavāśrame | rakṣito bhārgaveṇātha kṛpayā tatra vai tadā 14| tatra putro hyabhūttasya sagaro nāma vai dvija | vavṛdhe cāśrame puṇye bhārgaveṇābhirakṣitaḥ 15| upavītādikaṃ sarvaṃ kṣatriyasya tadā kṛtam | śastrāṇāṃ ca tathābhyāso vedānāṃ tu tathaiva ca 16| āgneyāstraṃ tato labdhvā bhārgavātsagaro nṛpaḥ | jaghāna pṛthivīṃ gatvā tālajaṃghānsahaihayān 17 | saśakān pāradāṃścaiva jaghāna sa mahātapāḥ | nārada uvāca- māhātmyaṃ sagarasyātha vada śaṃkara vistarāt 18| mahādeva uvāca- sūryavaṃśī mahārājo vikhyātaḥ sa mahābalī | garasya vyasane tāta hṛtaṃ rājyamabhūtkila 19| haihayaistālajaṃghādyaiḥ śakaiḥ sārddhaṃ ca nārada | yavanāḥ pāradāścaiva kāṃbojāḥ pahlavāstathā 20| ete paṃcagaṇā brahmanhaihayārthe parākramān | hṛtarājyastato rājā sagaro'tha vanaṃ yayau 21| patnyācānugato duḥkhī sa vai prāṇānavāsṛjat | tasya patnī tu kalyāṇī sagarbhā ca vratānvitā 22| sapatnyā bhārgavastasya vṛtaḥ pūrvaṃ sutepsayā | sā tu bhartṛcitāṃ kṛtvā vane taṃ praruroda ha 23| aurvastāṃ vārayitvā ca garapatnīṃ tu nārada | nyavedayata tatputraṃ dharmiṣṭhaṃ sātvikaṃ priyam 24| nivedite tato bāle maraṇātsā nyavarttata | tato māsadvaye jāte vavarddhaurvasya cāśrame 25| jātakarmādiyogaśca aurveṇa ca tathā kṛtaḥ | upavītādikaṃ sarvaṃ jātaṃ tatra mahāmuneḥ 26| tatra vedādikaṃ sarvaṃ paṭhitaṃ caurvayogataḥ | adhyāpya vedaśāstrāṇi tato'straṃ pratyapādayat 27| āgneyaṃ taṃ mahābhāga amarairapi duḥsaham | sa tenāsubalenājau balena ca samanvitaḥ 28| haihayānvai jaghānāśu saṃkruddhaḥ svabalena ca | ājahāra ca lokeṣu sa ca kīrtimavāpa saḥ 29| tataḥ śakāḥ sayavanāḥ kāṃbojāḥ pallavāstathā | hanyamānāstadā te tu vasiṣṭhaṃ śaraṇaṃ yayuḥ 30| vasiṣṭho'pi ca tānkṛtvā samayena mahādyutiḥ | sagaraṃ vārayāmāsa teṣāṃ dattvā'bhayaṃ nṛpaḥ 31| sagaraḥ svāṃ pratijñāṃtu gurorvākyaṃ niśamya ca | dharmairjaghāna tāṃścaiṣāṃ vikṛtatvaṃ cakāra ha 32| arddhaṃśakanāṃśiraso muṃḍaṃ kṛtvā visarjayat | yavanānāṃ śiraḥ sarvaṃ kāṃbojānāṃ tathaiva ca 33| pāradā muṃḍakeśāśca pallvāḥ śmaśrurakṣakāḥ | evaṃ vijitya sarvānvai kṛtavāndharmasaṃgraham 34| sarvadharmajayī rājā vijityemāṃ vasuṃdharām | āśu saṃskārayāmāsa vājimedhāya pārthivaḥ 35| tasya cārayataḥso'śvaḥ samudre pūrvadakṣiṇe | velā samīpe'pahṛto bhūmiṃ caiva praveśitaḥ 36| sa taṃ deśaṃ tadā putraiḥ khānayāmāsa sarvataḥ | nāśvaṃ prāpustadātevai khanyamāne mahārṇave 37| tatraikamādipuruṣaṃ dadṛśuste tvarānvitāḥ | tamādipuruṣaṃ devaṃ kapilaṃ jagatāṃ prabhum 38| tasya cakṣuḥ samutpanna vahninā pratibudhyataḥ | dagdhāḥ ṣaṣṭi sahasrāṇi catvāraste'vaśeṣitāḥ 39| hṛṣīketuḥ suketuśca tathā dharmarathoparaḥ | śūraḥ paṃcajanaścaiva tasya vaṃśakarā dvija 40| prādācca tasmai bhagavānhariḥ paṃcavarānsvayam | vaṃśaṃ mokṣaṃ sukīrtiñca samudraṃ tanayaṃ vibhuḥ 41| sāgaratvaṃ ca lebhetha karmaṇā tena tasya vai | tamāśvamedhikaṃ so'śvaṃ samudrādupalabdhavān | ājahārāśvamedhānāṃ śataṃ sa ca mahāyaśāḥ 42| iti śrīpādmemahāpurāṇe paṃcapaṃcāśatsahasrasaṃhitāyāṃ uttarakhaṇḍe viṃśo'dhyāyaḥ 20|
English translation
Śrī Mahādeva said :
1-5. O best divine sage, hear about the very auspicious Hari-dvāra . Gaṅgā flows there (i.e. by it); and it is said to be the best holy place. There gods, sages and men dwell. (So also) there god Viṣṇu himself always takes resort (i.e. lives). O child, this great holy place came about in ancient days. On merely seeing it sin goes away. Here due to special religious merit Gaṅgā has become very holy. Due to her touching Viṣṇu’s feet she has the water of (i.e. coming from) the feet of Viṣṇu. O wise one, Bhagīratha brought her along the path. The magnanimous one (thus) emancipated his ancestors.
Nārada said :
6-9a. O god, who is the Bhagīratha of great penance to whom you have referred, who brought the holy (water) for the good of the people? The holy place on Gaṅgā is very auspicious and destroys all sins. All people say like this that it is the best holy place. He who, even from (a distance of) hundreds of yojanas would say ‘Gaṅgā, Gaṅgā’, is freed from all sins, and goes to Viṣṇu’s world. How did he bring it? What (was his) act? Tell that, O you of a good vow.
Mahādeva said :
9b-16. Who brought Gaṅgā, how he brought it at the very beautiful Gaṅgādvāra —all that I shall tell you in due order. Formerly there lived Hariścandra , (the only one) observing truth in the three worlds. He had a son, Rohita , solely devoted to Viṣṇu. He too had a son, called Vṛka , most righteous and established on a good path. In his family was born his son Subāhu . His son was Gara by name. He was extremely righteous. Some time, for (some) reason, the king became extremely unhappy due to fate. For religious reasons he was not censured in his country. Taking his family he went to Bhārgava ’s hermitage. Through compassion he was then protected by Bhārgava there. O brāhmaṇa , there a son named Sagara was born to him. Looked after by Bhārgava, he then grew in the holy hermitage. He performed all (sacraments like) thread-ceremony of (i.e. befitting) a kṣatriya . He learnt (the use of) weapons and studied the Vedas .
17-24. Having received the missile of (i.e. presided over by) Agni , king Sagara moved on the earth and killed Tālajaṅghas with Haihayas . He, of a great penance, also killed Pāradas with Śakas .
Nārada said :
O Śaṅkara , tell in detail the greatness of Sagara. The very powerful great king of the solar dyansty is well-known.
Mahādeva said :
Due to a calamity of (i.e. befalling) Gara, his kingdom was taken away by Haihayas, Tālajaṅghas and Śakas, O Nārada . These tribes— Yavanas , Pāradas, Kāmbojas and Śakas (showed) valour. That king Gara whose kingdom was snatched, then went to a forest. The distressed one followed by his wife, died (there). His auspicious wife was pregnant and observing a vow. Formerly, he with his wife had chosen (i.e. gone to) Bhārgava with a desire for a son. She, having arranged the funeral pyre of her husband in the forest, wept. Aurva (the family preceptor) prevented Gara’s wife, O Nārada. He told her about that son (of her) most righteous, good and dear (to all).
25-28. When she was told about the son, she refrained from dying. Then after two months he rose (i.e. was born) in Aurva’s hermitage. Aurva performed his sacraments like the birth-rite. O great sage, thread-ceremony etc. took place there. Due to his contact with Aurva, he studied everything like Veda etc. Having taught him Vedas and sacred texts, he taught him (the use of) the missile of (i.e. presided over by) Agni, difficult to bear even for gods, O glorious one. He was endowed with that power of spiritual life in the battle.
29-36. Being angry, he quickly killed Haihayas with his might. He captivated them and obtained fame in the (three) worlds. Then those Śakas with Yavanas, so also Kāmbojas and Pallavas , being struck by him, sought the shelter of Vasiṣṭha . Vasiṣṭha, the very lustrous one, having made an agreement kept away king Sagara after granting them protection from fear. Sagara, keeping his pledge and the preceptor’s words, struck them righteously, and made them deformed. He half-shaved the heads of Śakas and sent them away. He completely shaved the heads of Yavanas and also of Kāmbojas. Pāradas are clean-shaved; Pallavas keep moustache. Having thus vanquished all he collected religious merit. Having conquered this earth, the all-righteous victorious king quickly prepared for (the performance of) a horse-sacrifice. His horse, moving near the southeast ocean, was taken away near the shore and was taken into the (interior of the) earth.
37-42. Then through his sons he got that region dug up everywhere. They digging there did not find the horse in the great ocean. They who were in a hurry, saw there an ancient man—the ancient man was Kapila , the lord of the worlds. The fire produced from the eyes of him getting awake, burnt sixty thousand of them; (only) four of them remained (unburnt). O brāhmaṇa, (the four) continuing his family (were:) Hṛṣīketu, Suketu , the other one Dharmaratha , and the brave Pañcajana . The revered lord Viṣṇu himself gave him five boons: (continuation of) family, salvation, good fame, ocean and son. Due to that act he got the state of ocean. He obtained that sacrificial horse from the ocean. He, of a great fame, performed a hundred horse sacrifices.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 14780, revision 336265 (2022-04-20T15:30:51Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc365451.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.