Adhyaya 40

Verse 1

इति श्रीकूर्मपुराणे षट्साहस्त्र्यां संहितायामुपरिविभागे एकोनचत्वारिशो ऽध्यायः मार्कण्डेय उवाच ततो गच्छेत राजेन्द्र भृगुतीर्थ मनुत्तमम् / तत्र देवो भृगुः पुर्वं रुद्रमाराधयत् पुरा

Thus, in the Śrī Kūrma Purāṇa—within the six-thousand-verse compendium, in the latter division—begins the fortieth chapter. Markaṇḍeya said: “Then, O best of kings, one should go to Bhṛgu-tīrtha, the most excellent among sacred fords; for there in ancient times the divine sage Bhṛgu formerly worshipped Rudra (Śiva).”

Verse 2

दर्शनात् तस्य देवस्य सद्यः पापात् प्रमुच्यते / एतत् क्षेत्रं सुविपुलं सर्वपापप्रणाशनम्

By the very sight (darśana) of that Deva, one is at once released from sin. This sacred kṣetra is exceedingly vast and destroys all sins.

Verse 3

तत्र स्नात्वा दिवं यान्ति ये मृतास्ते ऽपुनर्भवाः / उपानहोस्तथा युग्मं देयमन्नं सकाञ्चनम् / भोजनं च यथाशक्ति तदस्याक्षयमुच्यते

Having bathed there, those who die attain heaven and become free from rebirth. One should give a pair of sandals, and food together with gold, and also provide a meal according to one’s capacity—this is said to yield imperishable merit for him.

Verse 4

क्षरन्ति सर्वदानानि यज्ञदानं तपः क्रिया / अक्षयं तत् तपस्तप्तं भृगुतीर्थे युधिष्ठिर

All gifts pass away; so too do sacrifices, ritual donations, austerities, and religious acts. But the tapas undertaken at Bhṛgu-tīrtha yields an imperishable result, O Yudhiṣṭhira.

Verse 5

तस्यैव तपसोग्रेण तुष्टेन त्रिपुरारिणा / सान्निध्यं तत्र कथितं भृगुतीर्थे युधिष्ठिर

Pleased by the intensity of that very austerity, Tripurāri (Śiva, destroyer of Tripura) is said to be specially present there—at Bhṛgu-tīrtha, O Yudhiṣṭhira.

Verse 6

ततो गच्छेत राजेन्द्र गौतमेश्वरमुत्तमम् / यत्राराध्य त्रिशूलाङ्कं गौतमः सिद्धिमाप्नुयात्

Then, O king of kings, one should proceed to the supreme shrine of Gautameśvara, where the sage Gautama, having worshipped the Lord marked with the trident, attained siddhi—spiritual perfection.

Verse 7

तत्र स्नात्वा नरो राजन् उपवासपरायणः / काञ्चनेन विमानेन ब्रह्मलोके महीयते

O King, the man who bathes there and remains steadfast in fasting is honored in Brahmaloka, ascending in a golden celestial vimāna.

Verse 8

वृषोत्सर्गं ततो गच्छेच्छाश्वतं पदमाप्नुयात् / न जानन्ति नरा मूढा विष्णोर्मायाविमोहिताः

Then, having performed vṛṣotsarga—the gift of releasing a bull—one proceeds and attains the eternal abode. Yet deluded men, bewildered by Viṣṇu’s Māyā, do not understand this.

Verse 9

धौतपापं ततो गच्छेद् धौतं यत्र वृषेण तु / नर्मदायां स्थितं राजन् सर्वपातकनाशनम् / तत्र तीर्थे नरः स्नात्वा ब्रह्महत्यां व्यपोहति

Then one should go to Dhauta, also called “Dhautapāpa,” where it was purified by the Bull (Vṛṣa). Situated on the Narmadā, O King, it destroys all sins; bathing at that tīrtha, a man removes even the sin of brahmahatyā, brahmin-slaying.

Verse 10

तत्र तीर्थे तु राजेन्द्र प्राणत्यागं करोति यः / चतुर्भुजस्त्रिनेत्रश्च हरतुल्यबलो भवेत्

O king of kings, whoever gives up his life at that sacred tīrtha becomes four-armed and three-eyed, endowed with strength equal to Hara (Śiva).

Verse 11

वसेत् कल्पायुतं साग्रं शिवतुल्यपराक्रमः / कालेन महता जातः पृथिव्यामेकराड् भवेत्

Endowed with prowess equal to Śiva, he would dwell for a little more than ten thousand kalpas; and, after a very long time, being born again on earth, he would become a sole sovereign upon the world.

Verse 12

ततो गच्छेत राजेन्द्र हंसतीर्थ मनुत्तमम् / तत्र स्नात्वा नरो राजन् ब्रह्मलोके महीयते

Then, O best of kings, one should go to the supremely excellent sacred ford called Haṃsatīrtha. Having bathed there, O King, a person is honored and exalted in the world of Brahmā.

Verse 13

ततो गच्छेत राजेन्द्र सिद्धो यत्र जनार्दनः / वराहतीर्थ माख्यातं विष्णुलोकगतिप्रदम्

Then, O best of kings, one should proceed to the place where Janārdana is present as the accomplished Siddha. It is famed as Varāha-tīrtha, a sacred ford that bestows attainment of the realm of Viṣṇu.

Verse 14

ततो गच्छेत राजेन्द्र चन्द्रतीर्थमनुत्तमम् / पौर्णमास्यां विशेषेण स्नानं तत्र समाचरेत् / स्नातमात्रो नरस्तत्र चन्द्रलोके महीयते

Thereafter, O best of kings, one should go to the unsurpassed Candratīrtha. Especially on the full-moon day, one should duly perform the sacred bath there. Merely by bathing there, one is honored in the Moon-world (Candraloka).

Verse 15

ततो गच्छेत राजेन्द्र कन्यातीर्थमनुत्तमम् / शुक्लपक्षे तृतीयायां स्नानं तत्र समाचरेत् / स्नातमात्रो नरस्तत्र पृथिव्यामेकराड् भवेत्

Then, O best of kings, one should go to the unsurpassed Kanyā-tīrtha. On the third lunar day (tṛtīyā) of the bright fortnight, one should duly perform a ritual bath there. By that bathing alone, one becomes a sole sovereign upon the earth.

Verse 16

देवतीर्थ ततो गच्छेत् सर्वदेवनमकृतम् / तत्र स्नात्वा च राजेन्द्र दैवतैः सह मोदते

Then one should go to Devatīrtha, the holy ford revered by all the gods. Having bathed there, O best of kings, one rejoices in the company of the deities.

Verse 17

ततो गच्छेत राजेन्द्र शिखितीर्थमनुत्तमम् / यत् तत्र दीयते दानं सर्वं कोटिगुणं भवेत्

Then, O best of kings, one should proceed to the unsurpassed Śikhitīrtha. Whatever gift (dāna) is offered there—of any kind—becomes a millionfold in merit.

Verse 18

ततो गच्छेत राजेन्द्र तीर्थं पैतामहं शुभम् / यत्तत्र क्रियते श्राद्धं सर्वं तदक्षयं भवेत्

Then, O king of kings, one should proceed to the auspicious Paitāmaha sacred ford; whatever ancestral rite (śrāddha) is performed there—everything of it becomes imperishable in merit.

Verse 19

सावित्रीतीर्थमासाद्य यस्तु प्राणान् परित्यजेत् / विधूय सर्वपापानि ब्रह्मलोके महीयते

Whoever reaches the sacred ford of Sāvitrī and there relinquishes the life-breaths, having shaken off all sins, is honored in the world of Brahmā (Brahmaloka).

Verse 20

मनोहरं तु तत्रैव तीर्थं परमशोभनम् / तत्र स्नात्वा नरो राजन् दैवतैः सह मोदते

There itself is a delightful sacred ford—supremely resplendent. O King, having bathed there, a man rejoices in the company of the gods.

Verse 21

ततो गच्छेत राजेन्द्र मानसं तीर्थमुत्तमम् / स्नात्वा तत्र नरो राजन् रुद्रलोके महीयते

Thereafter, O best of kings, one should go to the supreme sacred ford called Mānasa. Having bathed there, O King, a man is honored and exalted in Rudra’s world (the realm of Śiva).

Verse 22

स्वर्गबिन्दुं ततो गच्छेत्तीर्थं देवनमस्कृतम् / तत्र स्नात्वा नरो राजन् दुर्गतिं नैव गच्छति

Then one should go to Svargabindu, the sacred tīrtha revered even by the gods. O King, a man who bathes there does not go to an evil destiny.

Verse 23

अप्सरेशं ततो गच्छेत् स्नानं तत्र समाचरेत् / क्रीडते नाकलोकस्थो ह्यप्सरोभिः स मोदते

Then one should go to Apsareśa and duly perform a sacred bath there. Established in the heavenly world, he sports with the Apsarases and rejoices among them.

Verse 24

ततो गच्छेत राजेन्द्र भारभूतिमनुत्तमम् / उपोषितोर्ऽचयेदीशं रुद्रलोके महीयते / अस्मिंस्तीर्थे मृतो राजन् गाणपत्यमवाप्नुयात्

Then, O lord of kings, one should proceed to the unsurpassed tīrtha called Bhārabhūti. Having fasted, one should worship Īśa, Lord Śiva; he is honored in Rudra’s world. And, O King, one who dies at this sacred ford attains the state of being a Gaṇapati—lordship among Śiva’s gaṇas.

Verse 25

कार्तिके मासि देवेशमर्चयेत् पार्वतीपतिम् / अश्वमेधाद् दशगुणं प्रवदन्ति मनीषिणः

In the month of Kārtika, one should worship the Lord of the gods—Śiva, the consort of Pārvatī. The wise declare that the merit of such worship is tenfold greater than that of the Aśvamedha sacrifice.

Verse 26

वृषभं यः प्रयच्छेत तत्र कुन्देन्दुसप्रभम् / वृषयुक्तेन यानेन रुद्रलोकं स गच्छति

Whoever donates a bull—shining there with the radiance of jasmine and the moon—goes to Rudra’s world, carried in a chariot drawn by bulls.

Verse 27

एतत् तीर्थं समासाद्य यस्तु प्राणान् परित्यजेत् / सर्वपापविशुद्धात्मा रुद्रलोकं स गच्छति

Whoever reaches this sacred tīrtha and there relinquishes the life-breath becomes purified of all sins and goes to Rudra’s world.

Verse 28

जलप्रवेशं यः कुर्यात् तस्मिंस्तीर्थे नराधिप / हंसयुक्तेन यानेन स्वर्गलोकं स गच्छति

O king, whoever enters the waters at that tīrtha goes to the heavenly world, borne in a celestial conveyance drawn by swans.

Verse 29

एरण्ड्या नर्मदायास्तु संगमं लोकविश्रुतम् / तत्र तीर्थं महापुण्यं सर्वपापप्रणाशनम्

The confluence of the Eraṇḍī with the Narmadā is renowned throughout the world. There lies a supremely meritorious tīrtha that destroys all sins.

Verse 30

उपवासपरो भूत्वा नित्यं व्रतपरायणः / तत्र स्नात्वा तु राजेन्द्र मुच्यते ब्रह्महत्यया

Devoted to fasting and ever steadfast in vowed observance, O best of kings—by bathing there one is released from the sin of brahma-hatyā, the slaying of a Brahmin.

Verse 31

ततो गच्छेत राजेन्द्र नर्मदोदधिसंगमम् / जमदग्निरिति ख्यातः सिद्धो यत्र जनार्दनः

Then, O king of men, one should proceed to the confluence where the Narmadā meets the ocean. There Janārdana is present in a perfected siddha form, renowned by the name Jamadagni.

Verse 32

तत्र स्नात्वा नरो राजन् नर्मदोदधिसंगमे / त्रिगुणं चाश्वमेधस्य फलं प्राप्नोति मानवः

O King, whoever bathes there—at the confluence of the Narmadā and the ocean—attains a reward threefold the fruit of the Aśvamedha sacrifice.

Verse 33

ततो गच्छेत राजेन्द्र पिङ्गलेश्वरमुत्तमम् / तत्र स्नात्वा नरो राजन् रुद्रलोके महीयते

Then, O best of kings, one should go to the supreme shrine of Piṅgaleśvara. Having bathed there, O King, a man is honored and exalted in Rudra’s world.

Verse 34

तत्रोपवासं यः कृत्वा पश्येत विमलेश्वरम् / सप्तजन्मकृतं पापं हित्वा याति शिवालयम्

Whoever fasts there and beholds Vimalēśvara casts off the sins accumulated over seven births and goes to the abode of Śiva.

Verse 35

ततो गच्छेत राजेन्द्र आलिकातीर्थमुत्तमम् / उपोष्य रजनीमेकां नियतो नियताशनः / अस्य तीर्थस्य माहात्म्यान्मुच्यते ब्रह्महत्यया

Then, O best of kings, one should go to the excellent sacred ford called Ālikā. Having fasted for a single night, disciplined and restrained in food, a person is freed from the sin of brahma-hatyā through the greatness of this tīrtha.

Verse 36

एतानि तव संक्षेपात् प्राधान्यात् कथितानि तु / न शक्या विस्तराद् वक्तुं संख्या तीर्थेषुपाण्डव

These have been told to you briefly, and only in their principal points. O Pāṇḍava, the full enumeration of the sacred tīrthas cannot be spoken of in detail.

Verse 37

एषा पवित्रा विमला नदी त्रैलोक्यविश्रुता / नर्मदा सरितां श्रेष्ठा महादेवस्य वल्लभा

This river is holy and stainless, renowned throughout the three worlds. She is Narmadā, foremost among rivers, dearly beloved of Mahādeva (Śiva).

Verse 38

मनसा संस्मरेद्यस्तु नर्मदां वै युधिष्ठिर / चान्द्रायणशतं साग्रं लभते नात्र संशयः

O Yudhiṣṭhira, whoever merely recalls Narmadā in the mind attains the merit of more than a hundred Cāndrāyaṇa observances—of this there is no doubt.

Verse 39

अश्रद्दधानाः पुरुषा नास्तिक्यं घोरमाश्रिताः / पतन्ति नरके घोरे इत्याह परमेश्वरः

Men who are devoid of faith and who have taken refuge in dreadful unbelief fall into a terrible hell—so declares the Supreme Lord.

Verse 40

नर्मदां सेवते नित्यं स्वयं देवो महेश्वरः / तेन पुण्या नदी ज्ञेया ब्रह्महत्यापहारिणी

Mahādeva (Śiva) Himself continually serves the Narmadā; therefore she should be known as a supremely holy river—one that removes even the sin of brahmahatyā (brahmin-slaying).