Uttara-khaṇḍa · Chapter 134
Sourceमहादेव उवाच। वेत्रवत्यास्तु माहात्म्यं वक्ष्यामि शृणु सुंदरि । यत्र स्नात्वा विमुच्यंते यावदाभूतसंप्लवम् १। वृत्रेण च कृतः कूपो महागंभीरसंज्ञकः । कूपात्सा निःसृता देवी महापापौघनाशिनी २। यथा गंगा तथेयं च सरिच्छ्रेष्ठा सुरोत्तमे । अस्या दर्शनमात्रेण पापौघाः शमयंति च ३। शृणु देवि प्रवक्ष्यामि इतिहासं पुरातनम् । यच्छ्रुत्वा पापिनो दोषैर्विमुक्ताः कर्मबंधनात् ४। चंपके नगरे चैव राजा राज्यं करोति सः । सदा दुष्टो दुष्टरूपो जनानां स प्रपीडकः ५। अधर्मो धर्मरूपश्च विष्णुनिंदापरायणः । देव द्विज निहंता च आश्रमाणां विदूषकः ६। वेदनिंदापरः श्रीमान्मूर्खो वा निर्घृणः शठः । असच्छास्त्रेषु निरतः परदाराभिमर्शकः ७। विदारुणेति नामा च संजातो मूर्ख एव च । कदाचिद्दैवयोगेन आगतस्तां नदीं प्रति ८। आखेटकसमायुक्तः स्वयं कुष्ठी सुरेश्वरि । महापापादयं जातो ब्राह्मणानां च निंदनात् ९। वृथावादी दुरात्मा च शठो वै निर्घृणः पशुः । वेदनिंदारतो नित्यं गोशास्त्राणां प्रदूषकः १०। एवंविधो वने भ्राम्यंस्तृषार्तः स सुहृद्वृतः । अश्वादुत्तीर्य राजाऽसौ जलं पीत्वा गृहं गतः ११। तेनैवोदकपानेन गतं कुष्ठं न संशयः । बुद्धिस्तु निर्मला जाता तस्य राज्ञो विशेषतः १२। विष्णौ भक्तिः समुत्पन्ना तदा तस्य सुरेश्वरि । ततः प्रभृति कालेन स्नानं वै कृतवान्सदा १३। निर्मलो बहुरूपाढ्यो जातस्तत्र सुरेश्वरि । इहलोके सुखं भुक्त्वा कृत्वा यज्ञाननेकशः १४। विप्रेभ्यो दक्षिणां दत्वा स गतो वैष्णवं पदम् । इति ज्ञात्वा तु भो देवि वेत्रवत्यां विशेषतः १५। स्नानं कुर्वंति ये विप्रास्ते मुक्ता नगनंदिनि । राजन्यो वाथ वैश्यो वा शूद्रो वा सुरसत्तमे १६। यत्र स्नानं प्रकुर्वंति ते मुक्ताः पापबंधनात् । कार्तिके वाऽथ माघे वा बाह्यो वा वेदनिंदकः १७। सरितां संगमे स्नात्वा मुच्यते देवि किल्बिषात् । साभ्रमत्याः समं यत्र तस्याः संगः प्रदृश्यते १८। तत्र स्नात्वा विशेषेण मुच्यते ब्रह्महा सदा । खेटकं नगरं दिव्यं स्वर्गरूपं तु वाऽनघे १९। ब्रह्मणा तत्र वै देवि योगाश्च बहवः कृताः । तत्र स्नात्वा च भुक्त्वा च पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते २०। सा द्वितीया स्मृता गंगा कलौ देवि विशेषतः । ये नराः सुखमिच्छंति धनमिच्छंति ये नराः २१। स्वर्गमिच्छंति ये लोकास्ते वै स्नात्वा पुनःपुनः । इहलोके सुखं भुक्त्वा यांति विष्णोः सनातनम् २२। सूर्यवंशे च ये जाताः सोमवंशे तथैव च । आगता वेत्रवत्यां तु स्नात्वा निर्वृतिमागताः २३। दर्शनाद्धरते दुःखं स्पर्शनान्मानसं ह्यघम् । स्नात्वा भुक्त्वा तथा देवि मुक्तिभागी न संशयः २४। स्नानाज्जपात्तथाहोमादनंतं फलमश्नुते । गत्वा वाराणसीतीर्थं भक्त्या चांद्रायणं चरेत् २५। तत्र गत्वा महत्पुण्यं तत्पुण्यं सुरसत्तमे । वेत्रवत्यां विशेषेण पंचत्वं यदि गच्छति २६। स वै चतुर्भुजो भूत्वा याति विष्णोः परं पदम् । पृथिव्यां यानि तीर्थानि ये देवाः पितरस्तथा २७। ते सर्वे च वसंतीह वेत्रवत्यां सुरेश्वरि । किमन्यद्बहुनोक्तेन भूयो भूयो वरानने २८। वेत्रवत्याः समं तीर्थं पृथिव्यां न सनातनि । अहं विष्णुस्तथा ब्रह्मा देवाश्च परमर्षयः २९। तिष्ठंति देवताः सर्वे वेत्रवत्यां महेश्वरि । एककालं द्विकालं वा त्रिकालं च विशेषतः ३०। स्नानं कुर्वंति ये तत्र ते वै मुक्ता न संशयः ३१। इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्साहस्र्यां संहितायां उत्तरखंडे वेत्रवती माहात्म्ये चतुस्त्रिंशाधिकशततमोऽध्यायः १३४।
mahādeva uvāca| vetravatyāstu māhātmyaṃ vakṣyāmi śṛṇu suṃdari | yatra snātvā vimucyaṃte yāvadābhūtasaṃplavam 1| vṛtreṇa ca kṛtaḥ kūpo mahāgaṃbhīrasaṃjñakaḥ | kūpātsā niḥsṛtā devī mahāpāpaughanāśinī 2| yathā gaṃgā tatheyaṃ ca saricchreṣṭhā surottame | asyā darśanamātreṇa pāpaughāḥ śamayaṃti ca 3| śṛṇu devi pravakṣyāmi itihāsaṃ purātanam | yacchrutvā pāpino doṣairvimuktāḥ karmabaṃdhanāt 4| caṃpake nagare caiva rājā rājyaṃ karoti saḥ | sadā duṣṭo duṣṭarūpo janānāṃ sa prapīḍakaḥ 5| adharmo dharmarūpaśca viṣṇuniṃdāparāyaṇaḥ | deva dvija nihaṃtā ca āśramāṇāṃ vidūṣakaḥ 6| vedaniṃdāparaḥ śrīmānmūrkho vā nirghṛṇaḥ śaṭhaḥ | asacchāstreṣu nirataḥ paradārābhimarśakaḥ 7| vidāruṇeti nāmā ca saṃjāto mūrkha eva ca | kadāciddaivayogena āgatastāṃ nadīṃ prati 8| ākheṭakasamāyuktaḥ svayaṃ kuṣṭhī sureśvari | mahāpāpādayaṃ jāto brāhmaṇānāṃ ca niṃdanāt 9| vṛthāvādī durātmā ca śaṭho vai nirghṛṇaḥ paśuḥ | vedaniṃdārato nityaṃ gośāstrāṇāṃ pradūṣakaḥ 10| evaṃvidho vane bhrāmyaṃstṛṣārtaḥ sa suhṛdvṛtaḥ | aśvāduttīrya rājā'sau jalaṃ pītvā gṛhaṃ gataḥ 11| tenaivodakapānena gataṃ kuṣṭhaṃ na saṃśayaḥ | buddhistu nirmalā jātā tasya rājño viśeṣataḥ 12| viṣṇau bhaktiḥ samutpannā tadā tasya sureśvari | tataḥ prabhṛti kālena snānaṃ vai kṛtavānsadā 13| nirmalo bahurūpāḍhyo jātastatra sureśvari | ihaloke sukhaṃ bhuktvā kṛtvā yajñānanekaśaḥ 14| viprebhyo dakṣiṇāṃ datvā sa gato vaiṣṇavaṃ padam | iti jñātvā tu bho devi vetravatyāṃ viśeṣataḥ 15| snānaṃ kurvaṃti ye viprāste muktā naganaṃdini | rājanyo vātha vaiśyo vā śūdro vā surasattame 16| yatra snānaṃ prakurvaṃti te muktāḥ pāpabaṃdhanāt | kārtike vā'tha māghe vā bāhyo vā vedaniṃdakaḥ 17| saritāṃ saṃgame snātvā mucyate devi kilbiṣāt | sābhramatyāḥ samaṃ yatra tasyāḥ saṃgaḥ pradṛśyate 18| tatra snātvā viśeṣeṇa mucyate brahmahā sadā | kheṭakaṃ nagaraṃ divyaṃ svargarūpaṃ tu vā'naghe 19| brahmaṇā tatra vai devi yogāśca bahavaḥ kṛtāḥ | tatra snātvā ca bhuktvā ca punarjanma na vidyate 20| sā dvitīyā smṛtā gaṃgā kalau devi viśeṣataḥ | ye narāḥ sukhamicchaṃti dhanamicchaṃti ye narāḥ 21| svargamicchaṃti ye lokāste vai snātvā punaḥpunaḥ | ihaloke sukhaṃ bhuktvā yāṃti viṣṇoḥ sanātanam 22| sūryavaṃśe ca ye jātāḥ somavaṃśe tathaiva ca | āgatā vetravatyāṃ tu snātvā nirvṛtimāgatāḥ 23| darśanāddharate duḥkhaṃ sparśanānmānasaṃ hyagham | snātvā bhuktvā tathā devi muktibhāgī na saṃśayaḥ 24| snānājjapāttathāhomādanaṃtaṃ phalamaśnute | gatvā vārāṇasītīrthaṃ bhaktyā cāṃdrāyaṇaṃ caret 25| tatra gatvā mahatpuṇyaṃ tatpuṇyaṃ surasattame | vetravatyāṃ viśeṣeṇa paṃcatvaṃ yadi gacchati 26| sa vai caturbhujo bhūtvā yāti viṣṇoḥ paraṃ padam | pṛthivyāṃ yāni tīrthāni ye devāḥ pitarastathā 27| te sarve ca vasaṃtīha vetravatyāṃ sureśvari | kimanyadbahunoktena bhūyo bhūyo varānane 28| vetravatyāḥ samaṃ tīrthaṃ pṛthivyāṃ na sanātani | ahaṃ viṣṇustathā brahmā devāśca paramarṣayaḥ 29| tiṣṭhaṃti devatāḥ sarve vetravatyāṃ maheśvari | ekakālaṃ dvikālaṃ vā trikālaṃ ca viśeṣataḥ 30| snānaṃ kurvaṃti ye tatra te vai muktā na saṃśayaḥ 31| iti śrīpādme mahāpurāṇe paṃcapaṃcāśatsāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ uttarakhaṃḍe vetravatī māhātmye catustriṃśādhikaśatatamo'dhyāyaḥ 134|
English translation
Mahādeva said :
1-10. I shall tell (you) the greatness of Vetravatī . Listen, O beautiful lady. By bathing there (i.e. in the river) men are free till deluge. Vṛtra made a tank called Mahāgambhīra. That divine one, destroyer of heaps of great sins, came out from that tank. O best goddess, like Gaṅgā this is the best river. Merely on looking at her heaps of sins come to an end. O goddess, I shall tell you an old account, hearing which sinners are freed from faults and bondage of (their) acts. A king (named Vidāruṇa) ruled in the city of Campaka . He was always wicked, of a wicked form, and he very much harassed people. He was impious, the (very) form of impiety, and given to censuring Viṣṇu . He disregarded deities and brāhmaṇas , and was a great hater of the (four) stages of human life. He was rich, and was given to condemning the Vedas ; he was foolish and cruel. He was a rogue, was interested in heterodox doctrines and outraged others’ wives. His name was Vidāruṇa, and he was a fool. Once, by chance, he came to that river (Vetravatī). O chief goddess, he, intent on hunting, himself became a leper due to his censuring brāhmaṇas. He talked nonsense, was wicked-hearted, a rogue and a cruel beast. He was always engaged in censuring the Vedas and polluted cows and holy texts.
11-31. The king, surrounded by his friends, who was like this, was wandering in a forest; being oppressed by thirst, he got down from (his) horse, drank water and went home. Due to the drinking of the water, his leprosy certainly disappeared. Especially the mind of the king became clear. O chief goddess, at that time in (the mind of) him devotion for Viṣṇu sprang up. From that time he always bathed (in Vetravatī). O chief goddess, he became spotless and endowed with handsomeness. Having enjoyed pleasure in this world and having performed many sacrifices, he gave gifts to brāhmaṇas and went to the position of Viṣṇu. Knowing this, O goddess, those brāhmaṇas who bathe especially in Vetravatī, are freed, O daughter of the ( Himālaya ) Mountain. The brāhmaṇas—or a kṣatriya , or a vaiśya or a śūdra —who bathe here are freed, O best goddess. O goddess, an outcast or a censurer of the Vedas, who, in the month of Kārtika or Māgha , bathes at the confluence of rivers, is free from sins. Especially a killer of a brāhmaṇa who bathes there where her confluence with Sābhramatī is seen, is always freed. O sinless one, the village there is a divine city, of the form of heaven. O goddess, Brahmā practised many abstract meditations there. No rebirth is (had by one) who has bathed and eaten there. O goddess, she is said to be another Gaṅgā, especially in the Kali age. Those men who desire happiness and wealth, who desire heaven, bathe there repeatedly, enjoy happiness in this world, and go to the eternal (position) of Viṣṇu. Those born in the solar race and the lunar race, who came here and bathed in Vetravatī obtained bliss. She removes misery when seen, and mental sin when touched. O goddess, one who bathes in and drinks (her) water undoubtedly enjoys salvation. By bathing (in her), muttering hymns and performing sacrifices (on her bank) one gets infinite fruit. One should go to the holy place of Vārāṇasī , and practise Cāndrāyaṇa -vow. O best goddess, the religious merit on having gone there is great. If a man dies especially on (the bank of) Vetravatī, he becomes four-armed, and goes to the highest (position) of Viṣṇu. O best goddess, all the holy places, deities, dead ancestors that are there on the earth, live here in Vetravatī. O you beautiful lady, what is the use of talking much about other things repeatedly? O you ancient one, there is no other holy place like Vetravatī on the earth. O great goddess, I, Viṣṇu, so also Brahmā, gods and great sages, deities all stay in Vetravatī. Those who bathe in Vetravatī, once, or twice or especially three times (a day) are-freed. There is no doubt about it.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 14521, revision 334389 (2022-04-02T23:40:10Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc365713.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.