Kāmodākhyāna (Glory of the Kāmodā Sacred Place)

Verse 1

अथ कामोदामाहात्म्यम् । मोहिन्युवाच । कामोदायास्तु माहात्म्यं ब्रूहि मे द्विजसत्तम । यच्छ्रुत्वाहं तव मुखात्प्रसन्ना स्यां कृतार्थवत् ॥ १ ॥

Now begins the account of the glory of the sacred place Kāmodā. Mohinī said: “O best among the twice-born, tell me the greatness of Kāmodā; hearing it from your own mouth, I shall be pleased and feel as though my purpose were fulfilled.”

Verse 2

वसुरुवाच । श्रृणु देवि प्रवक्ष्यामि कामोदाख्यानकं शुभम् । यच्छ्रुत्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मुच्यते नात्र संशयः ॥ २ ॥

Vasu said: “Listen, O Goddess. I shall relate the auspicious narrative known as Kāmodā; on hearing it, one is freed from all sins—of this there is no doubt.”

Verse 3

कामोदाख्यं पुरं देवि गंगातीरे व्यवस्थितम् । कामोदा यत्र वर्तंते सार्द्धं देवैर्हरिप्रियाः ॥ ३ ॥

O Goddess, there is a city named Kāmodā, situated on the bank of the Gaṅgā. There, the Kāmodās—beloved of Hari—dwell together in the company of the gods.

Verse 4

यदा सुरासुरैर्देवि मथितः क्षीरसागरः । कामोदा सा तदोत्पन्ना कन्यारत्नचतुष्टये ॥ ४ ॥

O Goddess, when the Ocean of Milk was churned by the Devas and the Asuras, then she—Kāmodā—arose at that very time, as one among the four precious maiden-jewels.

Verse 5

कन्या रमाख्या प्रथमा द्वितीया वारुणी स्मृता । कामोदाख्या तृतीया तु चतुर्थी तु वराभिधा ॥ ५ ॥

The first maiden is called Ramā; the second is remembered as Vāruṇī. The third is named Kāmodā, and the fourth bears the name Varā.

Verse 6

तत्र कन्यात्रयं प्राप्तुं विष्णुना प्रभविष्णुना । वारुणी त्वसुरैर्नीता विष्णुदेवाज्ञया सति ॥ ६ ॥

There, so that Viṣṇu—the all-powerful Lord—might obtain the three maidens, Vāruṇī was carried away by the Asuras; and this took place with the sanction of Lord Viṣṇu’s command.

Verse 7

ततः प्रभृति लक्ष्मीस्तु विष्णोर्वक्षस्थले स्थिता । बभूव विष्णुपत्नी सा सपत्नीरहिता शुभे ॥ ७ ॥

From that time onward, Lakṣmī remained established upon Viṣṇu’s chest; and, O auspicious one, she became Viṣṇu’s wedded consort, free from any co-wife or rival.

Verse 8

भविष्यकार्यं विज्ञाय देवा विष्णुसमाज्ञया । कामोदाख्ये पुरे देवीं कामोदां पूजयंति हि ॥ ८ ॥

Foreknowing the work that was to occur in the future, the gods—by Lord Viṣṇu’s command—indeed worship the Goddess Kāmodā in the city called Kāmodā.

Verse 9

सा तत्र वर्तते नित्यं विष्णुसंयोगकाम्यया । भार्यात्वं भावतः प्राप्ता विष्णुध्यानपरायणा ॥ ९ ॥

She abides there forever, yearning for union with Viṣṇu. By the power of her inward bhakti she has attained the state of a wife, and remains wholly devoted to meditation upon Viṣṇu.

Verse 10

स तत्र भावगम्यो वै विष्णुः सर्वगतो महान् । अनयापि तया नित्यं वर्तते तत्समीपतः ॥ १० ॥

There indeed the great, all-pervading Viṣṇu is attained through heartfelt bhakti; and through her as well, He ever abides close to that very place.

Verse 11

स देवैर्वासुरैर्देवि मुनिभिर्मानवैस्तथा । अलक्ष्यदेहो विश्वात्मा वर्तते ध्यानगोचरः ॥ ११ ॥

O Goddess, He is present among the gods and the asuras, among sages and among human beings as well. Though His form is beyond perception, He is the Soul of the universe and is reached within the sphere of meditation.

Verse 12

ध्यानेनैव प्रपश्यंति देवाश्च मुनयो विभुम् । कामोदा सा महाभागा यदा हसति मोहिनि ॥ १२ ॥

By meditation alone the gods and the sages behold the all-pervading Lord. Then Kāmodā, supremely fortunate and bewitching in her charm, smiles.

Verse 13

हर्षेण तु समाविष्टा तदाश्रूणि पतंति च । आनंदाश्रूणि गंगायां पतितानि सुरेश्वरि ॥ १३ ॥

Overwhelmed with joy, her tears begin to fall; and those tears of bliss, O Queen of the gods, drop into the river Gaṅgā.

Verse 14

कामोदाख्यानि पद्मानि तानि तत्र भवंति च । पीतानि च सुगंधीनि महामोदप्रदानि च ॥ १४ ॥

There, too, are lotuses called “Kāmoda”; they grow in that place—yellow in hue, fragrant, and bestowing great delight.

Verse 15

यस्तु भाग्यवशाल्लब्ध्वा तानि तैः पूजयेच्छिवम् । स लभेद्वांछितान्कामानित्याज्ञा पारमेश्वरी ॥ १५ ॥

But whoever, by the power of good fortune, obtains those offerings and with them worships Śiva, attains the objects of his desire; such is the supreme command of Parameśvara.

Verse 16

दुःखजानि तथाश्रूणि कदाचित्प्रपतंति हि । तेभ्यश्च तानि पद्मानि विगंधीन्युद्भवंति च ॥ १६ ॥

Tears born of sorrow sometimes truly fall; and from those very tears, those lotuses arise—fragrant and pure.

Verse 17

तैस्तु यः पूजयेद्देवं शंकरं लोकशंकरम् । स युज्येताखिलैर्दुःखैः पूर्वपापैर्विमोहितः ॥ १७ ॥

But whoever worships the god Śaṅkara, benefactor of the worlds, by those improper means becomes afflicted with every kind of suffering, deluded by former sins.

Verse 18

गंगाद्वारादुपरि च दशयोजनके स्थितम् । कामोदं तत्र वर्षैकं यो जपेद्द्वादशाक्षरम् ॥ १८ ॥

Above Gaṅgādvāra, at a distance of ten yojanas, lies the sacred place called Kāmoda. Whoever stays there for one year and repeats the twelve-syllabled mantra attains the fulfillment of desired aims.

Verse 19

वर्षांते चैत्रमासस्य द्वादश्यां विधिनंदिनि । वासतौ च श्रियं दृष्ट्वा सा हसेद्धर्षतः सदा ॥ १९ ॥

At the close of the rainy season, on the Dvādaśī of the month of Caitra—O beloved who delights in rites performed according to rule—upon beholding Śrī (Lakṣmī) abiding there, she ever laughs in gladness.

Verse 20

तानि पद्मानि स लभेन्नान्यदा कोऽपि कर्हिचित् । तत्र यः स्नाति मनुजां विष्णुभक्तिपरायणः ॥ २० ॥

He alone attains those lotus-like rewards; no one else ever attains them at any other time. Among men, whoever bathes there, wholly devoted to Viṣṇu-bhakti, obtains them.

Verse 21

ध्यात्वा पुरं च कामोदं स भवेद्विष्णुवल्लभः । देवतानां पितॄणां च वल्लभो नात्र संशयः ॥ २१ ॥

By meditating upon the city called Kāmoda, one becomes dear to Lord Viṣṇu; and dear as well to the gods and to the ancestors (pitṛs)—of this there is no doubt.

Verse 22

यो द्वादश समास्तत्र तिष्ठेज्जपपरायणः । स लभेद्दर्शनं साक्षात्कामोदायाः शुभानने ॥ २२ ॥

Whoever stays there for twelve years, wholly devoted to japa (mantra-recitation), O auspicious-faced one, attains the direct darśana of Kāmodā, the goddess of blessed countenance.

Verse 23

यं यं चिंतयते कामं तत्र तीर्थे नरः शुचिः । स्नानमात्रेण लभते तं तमैहिकमंगने ॥ २३ ॥

Whatever desire a purified person contemplates at that sacred tīrtha, O fair lady, by bathing alone he obtains that very worldly result.

Verse 24

एतद्धि परमं तीर्थं लभ्यं भाग्यवशाद्भवेत् । हिमात्ययादगे भद्रे दुर्गभं विकटस्थलम् ॥ २४ ॥

Indeed, this is the supreme tīrtha, attainable only by the power of good fortune. O auspicious lady, it lies upon the Himalayan range, in a formidable and rugged region, difficult to reach.

Verse 25

एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं कामोदाख्यानकं शुभम् । यः श्रृणोति नरो भक्त्या सोऽपि पापैः प्रमुच्यते ॥ २५ ॥

Thus I have fully narrated to you this auspicious account known as the Kāmodākhyāna. Whoever hears it with devotion (bhakti) is likewise freed from sins.

Verse 26

इति श्रीबृहन्नारदीयपुराणे बृहदुपाख्याने उत्तरभागे वसुमोहिनी संवादे कामोदाख्यानं नामाष्टषष्टितमोऽध्यायः ॥ ६८ ॥

Thus, in the Śrī Bṛhannāradīya Purāṇa, in the Great Narrative, in the Uttara section, in the dialogue between Vasu and Mohinī, ends the sixty-eighth chapter entitled “Kāmodākhyāna.”