Uttara-khaṇḍa · Chapter 81
Sourceपार्वत्युवाच- गंगायाश्चैव माहात्म्यं पुनर्वद महामते । यच्छ्रुत्वा मुनयः सर्वे वीतरागाः पुनः पुनः १। माहात्म्यं कीदृशं चैव तस्याः सर्वेश्वर प्रभो । उत्पत्तिश्च श्रुता पूर्वं महिमा न श्रुतो मया । त्वमाद्यः सर्वभूतानां त्वं देवश्च सनातनः २। महादेव उवाच- बृहस्पतिसमं बुद्ध्या शक्रतुल्यपराक्रमम् । शरतल्पगतं भीष्मं ऋषयो द्रष्टुमाययुः ३। अत्रिर्वसिष्ठश्च भृगुः पुलस्त्यः पुलहः क्रतुः । अंगिरावगौतमोऽगस्त्यः सुमतिस्त्वापुरात्मवान् ४। विश्वामित्रः स्थूलशिराः सर्वज्ञः प्रमथाधिपः । रैभ्यो बृहस्पतिर्व्यासः पावनः कश्यपो ध्रुवः ५। दुर्वासा जमदग्निश्च मार्कंडेयोऽथ गालवः । उशनाथ भरद्वाजः क्रतुरास्तीक एव च ६। स्थूलाक्षः सर्वलोकाक्षः कण्वो मेधातिथिः कुशः । नारदः पर्वतश्चैव सुधन्वा च्यवनो द्विजः ७। मतिभूर्भुवनो धौम्यः शतानंदोकृतव्रणः । जामदग्न्योऽथ रामश्च ऋचीकश्चैवमादयः ८। तान्प्रणम्य यथान्यायं धर्मपुत्रः सहानुजः । पूजयामास विधिवज्जगत्पूज्यांस्तु तेजसः ९। ते पूजिता महात्मानः सुखासीनास्तपोधनाः । भीष्माश्रिताः कथाश्चक्रुर्दिव्यधर्माश्रितास्तथा १०। कथांते तु ततस्तेषां ऋषीणां भावितात्मनाम् । प्रणम्य शिरसा भीष्मं पप्रच्छेदं युधिष्ठिरः ११। युधिष्ठिर उवाच- के देशास्तु महापुण्याः के शैलाः केऽपिचाश्रमाः । सेव्या धर्मार्थिभिर्नित्यं तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह १२। भीष्म उवाच- अत्रैवोदाहरंतीममितिहासं नरोत्तम । शिलोंछवृत्तेः संवादं सिद्धस्य च युधिष्ठिर १३। कश्चित्सिद्धः परिक्रम्य समस्तां पृथिवीमिमाम् । उंछवृत्तेः शिबेराजन्गृहं प्राप्तो महात्मनः १४। आत्मविद्यासु तत्वज्ञः सर्वदा स जितेंद्रियः । रागद्वेषपरित्यक्तः कुशली ज्ञानकर्मसु १५। वैष्णवेषु सदा श्रेष्ठो विष्णुधर्मपरायणः । अनिंदको वैष्णवानां सदा धर्मपरायणः १६। योगाभ्यासरतो नित्यं शंखचक्रविधारकः । त्रिकालपूजा तत्वज्ञः श्रीकंठेऽनुरतः सदा १७। वेदविद्यासु विदुषो धर्माधर्मविचारकः । वेदपाठव्रतो नित्यं नित्यं चातिथिपूजकः १८। सतीर्थमतियुक्तस्तु शिलोंछेषु स्थितः सदा । चतुर्वेदेषु यद्ध्यानं गीतं यद्यत्स्वयंभुवा १९। तत्सर्वं स च जानाति द्विजो विष्णुस्वरूपधृक् । नानाधर्मार्थविशदो ह्यव्ययेष्टमतिः सदा २०। एकस्मिन्नेव काले तु गतोऽसौ वै शिबेर्गृहम् । तं दृष्ट्वा विधिवच्चैव कृत्वातिथ्यं महामनाः २१। शिबिः संपृच्छयामास देशानां हितकारणम् २२। उंछवृत्तिरुवाच- के देशाः के जनपदाः के शैलाः केऽपि चाश्रमाः । पुण्या द्विजवर प्रीत्या मह्यं निर्देष्टुमर्हसि २३। सिद्ध उवाच- ते देशास्ते जनपदास्ते शैलास्तेऽपि चाश्रमाः । पुण्यास्त्रिपथगा येषां मध्ये नित्यं सरिद्वरा २४। तपसा ब्रह्मचर्येण यज्ञैस्त्यागेन वा पुनः । गतिं तां न लभेज्जंतुर्गंगां संसेव्य यां लभेत् २५। स्नातानां तत्र पयसि गांगेये नियतात्मनाम् । तुष्टिर्भवति या पुंसां न सा क्रतुशतैरपि २६। अपहृत्य तमस्तीव्रं यथा भात्युदये रविः । तथापहृत्य पाप्मानं भाति गंगाजलाप्लुतः २७। अग्निं प्राप्य यथा विप्र तूलराशिर्विनश्यति । तथा गंगावगाहश्च सर्वं पापं व्यपोहति २८। यस्तु सूर्यांशुसंतप्तं गांगेयं सलिलं पिबेत् । स गोनीहारनिर्मुक्तः पावकाद्धि विशिष्यते २९। चांद्रायणसहस्रं तु पादेनैकेन यः पुमान् । संप्लुतश्चापि गंगायां यो नरः स विशिष्यते ३०। लंबेदधःशिरा यस्तु वर्षाणामयुतं नरः । मासमेकं तु गंगांभः सेवते यो नरोत्तमः ३१। ब्रह्महत्याविनिर्मुक्तो याति विष्णोरनामयम् । इयं वेणीसमा पुण्या पवित्रा पापनाशिनी ३२। यस्याः स्मरणमात्रेण बालहा मुच्यते क्षणात् । स प्रयागस्तीर्थराजो वैष्णवानां हि दुर्ल्लभः ३३। स्नात्वा यत्र नरश्रेष्ठ वैकुंठे सत्वरं व्रजेत् । प्रियाप्रिये न जानाति धर्माधर्मौ न विंदति ३४। स्नात्वा चैव तु गंगायां महापापात्प्रमुच्यते ३५। गंगागंगेति यो ब्रूयाद्योजनानां शतैरपि । मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यो विष्णुलोकं स गच्छति ३६। ब्रह्महा चैव गोघ्नो वा सुरापी बालघातकः । मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यो दिवं याति च सत्वरम् ३७। दर्शनं माधवस्याथ वरस्य दर्शनं तथा । वेण्यां स्नानं प्रकुर्वाणो वैकुंठं प्रति गच्छति ३८। उदिते च यथा सूर्ये विलयं याति वै तमः । तथैव तस्यां पापानि नश्यंति स्नानमात्रतः ३९। गंगाद्वारे कुशावर्ते गल्लिके(बिल्वके?) नीलपर्वते । स्नात्वा कनखले तीर्थे पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते ४०। एवं ज्ञात्वा नरश्रेष्ठो गंगास्नायी पुनःपुनः । स्नानमात्रेण भो राजन्मुच्यते किल्बिषादतः ४१। देवानां प्रवरो विष्णुर्यज्ञानां चाश्वमेधकः । अश्वत्थः सर्ववृक्षाणां नदी भागीरथी सदा ४२। इति श्रीपाद्मेमहापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्साहस्र्यां संहितायामुत्तरखंडे उमापतिनारदसंवादे गंगामाहात्म्यंनामैकाशीतितमोऽध्यायः ८१।
pārvatyuvāca- gaṃgāyāścaiva māhātmyaṃ punarvada mahāmate | yacchrutvā munayaḥ sarve vītarāgāḥ punaḥ punaḥ 1| māhātmyaṃ kīdṛśaṃ caiva tasyāḥ sarveśvara prabho | utpattiśca śrutā pūrvaṃ mahimā na śruto mayā | tvamādyaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ tvaṃ devaśca sanātanaḥ 2| mahādeva uvāca- bṛhaspatisamaṃ buddhyā śakratulyaparākramam | śaratalpagataṃ bhīṣmaṃ ṛṣayo draṣṭumāyayuḥ 3| atrirvasiṣṭhaśca bhṛguḥ pulastyaḥ pulahaḥ kratuḥ | aṃgirāvagautamo'gastyaḥ sumatistvāpurātmavān 4| viśvāmitraḥ sthūlaśirāḥ sarvajñaḥ pramathādhipaḥ | raibhyo bṛhaspatirvyāsaḥ pāvanaḥ kaśyapo dhruvaḥ 5| durvāsā jamadagniśca mārkaṃḍeyo'tha gālavaḥ | uśanātha bharadvājaḥ kraturāstīka eva ca 6| sthūlākṣaḥ sarvalokākṣaḥ kaṇvo medhātithiḥ kuśaḥ | nāradaḥ parvataścaiva sudhanvā cyavano dvijaḥ 7| matibhūrbhuvano dhaumyaḥ śatānaṃdokṛtavraṇaḥ | jāmadagnyo'tha rāmaśca ṛcīkaścaivamādayaḥ 8| tānpraṇamya yathānyāyaṃ dharmaputraḥ sahānujaḥ | pūjayāmāsa vidhivajjagatpūjyāṃstu tejasaḥ 9| te pūjitā mahātmānaḥ sukhāsīnāstapodhanāḥ | bhīṣmāśritāḥ kathāścakrurdivyadharmāśritāstathā 10| kathāṃte tu tatasteṣāṃ ṛṣīṇāṃ bhāvitātmanām | praṇamya śirasā bhīṣmaṃ papracchedaṃ yudhiṣṭhiraḥ 11| yudhiṣṭhira uvāca- ke deśāstu mahāpuṇyāḥ ke śailāḥ ke'picāśramāḥ | sevyā dharmārthibhirnityaṃ tanme brūhi pitāmaha 12| bhīṣma uvāca- atraivodāharaṃtīmamitihāsaṃ narottama | śiloṃchavṛtteḥ saṃvādaṃ siddhasya ca yudhiṣṭhira 13| kaścitsiddhaḥ parikramya samastāṃ pṛthivīmimām | uṃchavṛtteḥ śiberājangṛhaṃ prāpto mahātmanaḥ 14| ātmavidyāsu tatvajñaḥ sarvadā sa jiteṃdriyaḥ | rāgadveṣaparityaktaḥ kuśalī jñānakarmasu 15| vaiṣṇaveṣu sadā śreṣṭho viṣṇudharmaparāyaṇaḥ | aniṃdako vaiṣṇavānāṃ sadā dharmaparāyaṇaḥ 16| yogābhyāsarato nityaṃ śaṃkhacakravidhārakaḥ | trikālapūjā tatvajñaḥ śrīkaṃṭhe'nurataḥ sadā 17| vedavidyāsu viduṣo dharmādharmavicārakaḥ | vedapāṭhavrato nityaṃ nityaṃ cātithipūjakaḥ 18| satīrthamatiyuktastu śiloṃcheṣu sthitaḥ sadā | caturvedeṣu yaddhyānaṃ gītaṃ yadyatsvayaṃbhuvā 19| tatsarvaṃ sa ca jānāti dvijo viṣṇusvarūpadhṛk | nānādharmārthaviśado hyavyayeṣṭamatiḥ sadā 20| ekasminneva kāle tu gato'sau vai śibergṛham | taṃ dṛṣṭvā vidhivaccaiva kṛtvātithyaṃ mahāmanāḥ 21| śibiḥ saṃpṛcchayāmāsa deśānāṃ hitakāraṇam 22| uṃchavṛttiruvāca- ke deśāḥ ke janapadāḥ ke śailāḥ ke'pi cāśramāḥ | puṇyā dvijavara prītyā mahyaṃ nirdeṣṭumarhasi 23| siddha uvāca- te deśāste janapadāste śailāste'pi cāśramāḥ | puṇyāstripathagā yeṣāṃ madhye nityaṃ saridvarā 24| tapasā brahmacaryeṇa yajñaistyāgena vā punaḥ | gatiṃ tāṃ na labhejjaṃturgaṃgāṃ saṃsevya yāṃ labhet 25| snātānāṃ tatra payasi gāṃgeye niyatātmanām | tuṣṭirbhavati yā puṃsāṃ na sā kratuśatairapi 26| apahṛtya tamastīvraṃ yathā bhātyudaye raviḥ | tathāpahṛtya pāpmānaṃ bhāti gaṃgājalāplutaḥ 27| agniṃ prāpya yathā vipra tūlarāśirvinaśyati | tathā gaṃgāvagāhaśca sarvaṃ pāpaṃ vyapohati 28| yastu sūryāṃśusaṃtaptaṃ gāṃgeyaṃ salilaṃ pibet | sa gonīhāranirmuktaḥ pāvakāddhi viśiṣyate 29| cāṃdrāyaṇasahasraṃ tu pādenaikena yaḥ pumān | saṃplutaścāpi gaṃgāyāṃ yo naraḥ sa viśiṣyate 30| laṃbedadhaḥśirā yastu varṣāṇāmayutaṃ naraḥ | māsamekaṃ tu gaṃgāṃbhaḥ sevate yo narottamaḥ 31| brahmahatyāvinirmukto yāti viṣṇoranāmayam | iyaṃ veṇīsamā puṇyā pavitrā pāpanāśinī 32| yasyāḥ smaraṇamātreṇa bālahā mucyate kṣaṇāt | sa prayāgastīrtharājo vaiṣṇavānāṃ hi durllabhaḥ 33| snātvā yatra naraśreṣṭha vaikuṃṭhe satvaraṃ vrajet | priyāpriye na jānāti dharmādharmau na viṃdati 34| snātvā caiva tu gaṃgāyāṃ mahāpāpātpramucyate 35| gaṃgāgaṃgeti yo brūyādyojanānāṃ śatairapi | mucyate sarvapāpebhyo viṣṇulokaṃ sa gacchati 36| brahmahā caiva goghno vā surāpī bālaghātakaḥ | mucyate sarvapāpebhyo divaṃ yāti ca satvaram 37| darśanaṃ mādhavasyātha varasya darśanaṃ tathā | veṇyāṃ snānaṃ prakurvāṇo vaikuṃṭhaṃ prati gacchati 38| udite ca yathā sūrye vilayaṃ yāti vai tamaḥ | tathaiva tasyāṃ pāpāni naśyaṃti snānamātrataḥ 39| gaṃgādvāre kuśāvarte gallike(bilvake?) nīlaparvate | snātvā kanakhale tīrthe punarjanma na vidyate 40| evaṃ jñātvā naraśreṣṭho gaṃgāsnāyī punaḥpunaḥ | snānamātreṇa bho rājanmucyate kilbiṣādataḥ 41| devānāṃ pravaro viṣṇuryajñānāṃ cāśvamedhakaḥ | aśvatthaḥ sarvavṛkṣāṇāṃ nadī bhāgīrathī sadā 42| iti śrīpādmemahāpurāṇe paṃcapaṃcāśatsāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāmuttarakhaṃḍe umāpatināradasaṃvāde gaṃgāmāhātmyaṃnāmaikāśītitamo'dhyāyaḥ 81|
English translation
Pārvatī said :
1-2. O you very intelligent one, tell (me) again the importance of Gaṅgā , having repeatedly heard which, all the sages are free from attachment. O lord, O master of all, what kind of greatness is of her? I have formerly learnt about her origin. I have (however) not heard about her greatness. You are the first among all beings and the ancient god.
Mahādeva said :
3-11. The sages came to see Bhīṣma , resembling Bṛhaspati in intelligence, Indra in valour, and lying on the bed of arrows. (The sages were:) Atri , Vasiṣṭha , Bhṛgu , Pulastya , Pulaha , Kratu , Aṅgiras , Gautama , Agastya , and Sumati , the wise one; Viśvāmitra , the omniscient Sthūlaśiras , the chief of the Pramathas , Raibhya , Bṛhaspati, Vyāsa , Pavana , Kaśyapa , Dhruva , Durvāsas , Jamadagni , Mārkaṇḍeya , Gālava , Uśanas , Bhāradvāja , Kratu and Āstīka also, Sthūlākṣa , Sarvalokākṣa, Kaṇva , Medhātithi , Kuśa , Nārada , Parvata , Sudhanvā and the brāhmaṇa , Cyavana , Matibhū, Bhuvana , Dhaumya , Śatānanda , Kṛtavraṇa , Jāmadagnya Rāma , Ṛcīka and others. Dharma ’s son, along with his younger brothers duly saluted him, and duly honoured them, venerable to the world. The noble ones, with penance as their treasure, when honoured, were seated comfortably, and had talks about Bhīṣma and divine way of life. At the end of the talks of the sages of purified souls, Yudhiṣṭhira , having saluted Bhīṣma by (bowing) his head, asked this:
Yudhiṣṭhira said :
12. O grandsire, tell me which countries are very holy, which mountains and hermitages should always be resorted to by those who seek religious merit.
Bhīṣma said :
13-23. In this matter only they relate the history—the dialogue between ( Śibi ) gleaning ears of corn and a siddha , O king Yudhiṣṭhira. A siddha having walked about this entire earth, reached the house of the noble Śibi, (living by) gleaning ears of corn. He knew the essence of metaphysics; he had always curbed his senses. He had given up attachment and hatred, and was proficient in wise acts. He was always the best among the devotees of Viṣṇu . He was very much devoted to holy acts about Viṣṇu. He did not censure Viṣṇu’s devotees. He was always devoted to righteousness. He was always engaged in yogic practices. He wore (the marks of) a conch and a disc. He knew the truth of worshipping the deity three times a day, and he was always devoted to Viṣṇu. He deliberated about what is right and what is wrong with those learned in Vedic lores. He always recited the Vedas ; and always honoured (his) guests. Thinking of (visiting) a holy place, he always subsisted on gleaned corn. That brāhmaṇa having the form of Viṣṇu, knew all that was reflected upon and sung by the self-born one. He was proficient in the significance of various ways of life, and was always inclined to the Immutable. Once he went to Śibi’s house. The noble-minded (Śibi) seeing him, offered him due hospitality. (Then) Sibi asked him the cause of the auspiciousness of the regions. (Śibi) who gleaned ears of com, said: “O best brāhmaṇa, please tell me affectionately (i.e. due to your affection for me), which countries, regions, mountains, and hermitages are auspicious.”
The siddha said :
24-42. Those countries, regions, mountains, and hermitages in which the best river Gaṅgā is always present, are auspicious. That good position (i.e. obtaining heaven) which one would get by resorting to Gaṅgā is not obtained by penance, celibacy, sacrifice and gifts. That pleasure which is had by those self-governed people bathing in Gaṅgā, is not had by means of hundreds of sacrifices. A man swimming (i.e. bathing) in the water of Gaṅgā shines after removing his sins, as the sun shines at his rise by dispelling darkness. O brāhmaṇa, as a heap of cotton having reached (i.e. come in contact with) fire perishes, similarly a dip in Gaṅgā removes all sins. He who would drink the Gaṅgā-water heated by the sun’s rays, is equivalent to one free from mist and is superior to fire. The man who has bathed in Gaṅgā is superior to the man who has observed the Cāndrāyaṇa vow standing on one foot. The best man who uses the Gaṅgā-water for a month (is superior to) the man who stands with his head down for a myriad years. Being free from (the sin of) a brāhmaṇa’s murder he goes to Viṣṇu’s (position). This Gaṅgā destroys sins like the confluence of Gaṅgā, Yamunā and Sarasvatī . By merely remembering her, the killer of an infant is freed in a moment. That Prayāga , the lord ofthe holy places, is difficult to be secured by the devotees of Viṣṇu. Having bathed there a man would quickly go to Vaikuṇṭha . He does not know (i.e. care for) what is dear and what is not dear. He does not obtain religious merit or sin. Having bathed in Gaṅgā, one is freed from a great sin. He who would say ‘Gaṅgā, Gaṅgā’ even from hundreds of yojanas (away from Gaṅgā), is free from all sins and goes to Viṣṇu’s world. A killer of a brāhmaṇa, of a cow, a drunkard, a killer of an infant is free from all sins and quickly goes to heaven. He also sees excellent Viṣṇu. He who bathes at the confluence of Gaṅgā, Yamunā and Sarasvatī goes to Vaikuṇṭha. As darkness vanishes when the sun rises, in the same way sins perish just by bathing in her. By bathing at Gaṅgāvarta, Kuśāvarta , Gallika, Nīlaparvata , at the holy place of Kanakhala , there is no birth. O king, the best man, knowing like this, and repeatedly bathing in Gaṅgā, is freed from sin. Viṣṇu is always the best among gods, horse-sacrifice among sacrifices, Aśvattha among all trees, similarly Gaṅgā is always (the best among rivers).
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 14765, revision 336510 (2022-04-23T11:21:13Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc365658.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.