Adhyaya 175: The Sanctity of the Kṛṣṇagaṅgā Pilgrimage-Ford and the Account of the Brahmin Vasu’s Daughter

Verse 1

श्रीवराह उवाच ॥ शृणु चान्यद्वरारोहे कृष्णगङ्गासमुद्भवम् ॥ यमुनास्रोतसि स्नात्वा कृष्णद्वैपायनो मुनिः ॥

Śrī Varāha said: “Listen further, O fair-rising one, to the account of the origin of the Kṛṣṇagaṅgā. Having bathed in the current of the Yamunā, the sage Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana (Vyāsa)…”

Verse 2

ध्यात्वा मनसि गङ्गां तां कालिन्दीं पापहारिणीम् ॥ नित्यं च कर्म कुरुते तत्र तीर्थजलाप्लुतिम् ॥

“Meditating in his mind upon that Gaṅgā—namely Kālindī, the remover of demerit—he regularly performs rites there, including immersion in the tīrtha waters.”

Verse 3

सोमवैकुण्ठयोर्मध्ये कृष्णाङ्गेति कथ्यते ॥ यत्रातप्यत स व्यासो मथुरायां स्थितोऽमलः ॥

Between Soma and Vaikuṇṭha, it is said, lies a place called Kṛṣṇāṅga; there Vyāsa, dwelling at Mathurā—pure and untainted—performed austerities (tapas).

Verse 4

तत्राश्रमपदं दिव्यं मुनिप्रवरसेवितम् ॥ आगच्छन्ति सदा तत्र चातुर्मास्यमुपासितुम् ॥

There is a splendid, divine hermitage-site, attended by the foremost sages; they continually come there to undertake the Cāturmāsya observance.

Verse 5

मुनयो वेदतत्त्वज्ञा ज्ञानिनः संहितव्रताः ॥ श्रौतस्मार्त्तपुराणेषु सन्देहो यस्य कस्यचित् ॥

The sages—knowers of Vedic principles, discerning in insight, steadfast in well-kept vows—address those in whom some doubt arises concerning the Śrauta, Smārta, and Purāṇic traditions.

Verse 6

व्यासोऽपनodayāmāsa नानावाक्यैः सताङ्गतिः ॥

Vyāsa—whose companionship is with the virtuous—dispelled (their uncertainty) with many statements and teachings.

Verse 7

कालञ्जरे महादेवं तत्र तीर्थपतिं शिवम् ॥ यस्य सन्दर्शनादेव कृष्णगङ्गाफलं भवेत् ॥

At Kālañjara is Mahādeva—Śiva there as the lord of the tīrtha; by his mere darśana (sacred sight/encounter), one obtains the fruit associated with Kṛṣṇagaṅgā.

Verse 8

तत्र स्थितो द्वादशाब्दव्रती सङ्गविवर्जितः॥ पक्षाहारी च फलभुग्दर्शे वै पौर्णमासिके॥

Remaining there, he undertook a twelve-year vow, free from worldly association. He ate only once each fortnight, living on fruits, and observed the new-moon and full-moon rites.

Verse 9

गत्वा हिमालयं चासौ बदरीमभितो गतः॥ व्यासश्चर्यापरस्तत्र ध्यानयोगपरायणः॥

Having gone to the Himālaya, he proceeded to the region around Badarī. There, Vyāsa—devoted to disciplined conduct—was intent upon the yoga of meditation.

Verse 10

प्रत्यक्षं कृष्णतीर्थे तु पाञ्चाल्यकुलतन्तुना। पाञ्चाल्योऽथ द्विजः कश्चिन्नाम्ना वसुरिति श्रुतः॥

At Kṛṣṇa-tīrtha, in direct connection with a thread of the Pāñcāla lineage, there was a certain Pāñcāla Brahmin, known by the name Vasu.

Verse 11

दुर्भिक्षपीडितोऽत्यन्तं सभार्यो दक्षिणां गतः॥ शिवनद्याः दक्षिणे तु कूले स वरपत्तने॥

Severely afflicted by famine, he went south together with his wife. On the southern bank of the river Śivā, he settled at Varapattana.

Verse 12

निवासमकरोत्तत्र ब्राह्मणीं वृत्तिमाश्रितः॥ तत्रस्थस्य तदा पञ्च पुत्राः कन्याभवम्स्तदा॥

He established his residence there, adopting a livelihood appropriate to a Brahmin. While he lived there, five children were born—daughters—at that time.

Verse 13

ब्राह्मणाय च दत्ता सा धनधान्यसमन्विता॥ स द्विजः कालसम्पन्नः सभार्यस्तत्र संस्थितः॥

And she was given in marriage to a Brāhmaṇa, endowed with wealth and abundance of grain. That twice-born man, when the proper time had ripened, remained settled there with his wife.

Verse 14

कन्याऽस्थीनि तु सङ्गृह्य मथुरामाजगाम ह॥ श्रुत्वा पुराणे पतितमर्धचन्द्रेऽस्थिपातनम्॥

Gathering the girl’s bones, he came to Mathurā. He had heard in a Purāṇa of the depositing of bones at Ardhacandra, the sacred ford.

Verse 15

नित्यं स्वर्गे वसति स यस्यास्थि ह्यर्धचन्द्रके॥ तीर्थयात्राप्रसङ्गेन लोकैः प्रचलिता बहिः॥

He whose bone-remains are deposited at Ardhacandra is said to dwell in heaven continually. Through the occasion of pilgrimage-journeys to the tīrthas, this account became widely circulated among people.

Verse 16

तेन सार्थेन सा कन्या मथुरायां जगाम च॥ कनिष्ठा भगिनी तेषां बालरण्डा बभूव ह॥

With that company, the girl went to Mathurā as well. Their youngest sister became a widow while still young.

Verse 17

सुरूपा सुकुमाराङ्गी नीलकुञ्चितमूर्द्धजा॥ कदलीकाण्डसङ्काशे तस्या ऊरू सुमांसले॥

She was fair in form, delicate of frame, with dark, curled hair. Her thighs were full and well-shaped, resembling the trunk of the plantain tree.

Verse 18

सुश्लिष्टाङ्गुलिपादा तु नखास्ताम्रोज्ज्वलाः शुभाः ॥ गम्भीरा दक्षिणावर्त्ता नाभिस्त्रिवलिशोभिता ॥

Her fingers and feet were well-knit; her nails were auspicious, shining with a coppery radiance. Her navel was deep and right-turning, adorned with three graceful folds.

Verse 19

सुनखी स्वक्षिणी सुभ्रूः सुप्रमाणा सुभाषिणी ॥ तेन तेनैव सम्पूर्णरूपेण च तिलोत्तमा ॥

She had fine nails, beautiful eyes, and lovely brows; her proportions were excellent and her speech was pleasing. In each respect, she appeared as Tilottamā herself, complete in form.

Verse 20

यं यं पश्यति चार्वङ्गी यस्तां चैव प्रपश्यति ॥ स स चित्र इव न्यस्तो विचेता जायते नरः ॥

Whomever the fair-limbed woman looks upon—and whoever, in turn, looks upon her—that man becomes as if set down like a painted figure, losing his composure.

Verse 21

एवंविधा तत्र तत्र तीर्थस्नानपरायणा ॥ दृष्टा वेश्यसमूहेन प्रागल्भ्येन तदा क्वचित् ॥

Thus constituted, she was devoted—here and there—to bathing at sacred fords. At some point, she was noticed by a group of courtesans, bold in their manner.

Verse 22

कान्यकुब्जाधिपो राजा क्षत्रधर्मे व्यवस्थितः ॥ तस्य सत्रं सर्वकाले देवगर्त्तेश्वरे शिवे ॥

The king, lord of Kānyakubja, was established in the kṣatriya code. For him there was an ongoing satra, a continuous sacrificial benefaction, at all times, at Devagartteśvara—Śiva.

Verse 23

प्रवर्त्तते सुवित्ताढ्य प्रेक्षणीयं मनोरमम् ॥ वादित्राणि च गीतानि शक्रस्य भवने यथा ॥

It proceeded splendidly, abundant in resources—delightful and worthy of seeing. There were musical instruments and songs, as though in the palace of Śakra (Indra).

Verse 24

तस्य देवस्य या वेश्यास्ताभिः सा प्रतिलोभिता ॥

By the courtesans belonging to that deity’s establishment, she was enticed.

Verse 25

गीतनृत्यादिषु रता तासां धर्ममुपागता ॥ अल्पैस्तु दिवसैः साध्वी असाध्वीभिः परिवृता ॥

Delighting in song, dance, and the like, she adopted their way of life. In only a few days, the virtuous woman found herself surrounded by women of unvirtuous conduct.

Verse 26

एवं वसति सा बाला देवस्यास्य परिग्रहा ॥ यथासुखं समेताभिर्विहरन्ती दिने दिने ॥

Thus the young woman lived there, as one attached to this deity’s establishment. Day after day she spent her time with those companions, enjoying herself as she pleased.

Verse 27

त्रिकालदर्शी शुद्धात्मा सिद्धत्वं प्राप्नुयात्प्रभुः॥ तस्याश्रमपदस्थस्य यद्दृष्टं ज्ञानचक्षुषा ॥

A pure-souled master, seeing the three times, would attain the state of siddhi. What was seen by him—dwelling at his hermitage—through the eye of knowledge (jñāna-cakṣus) [is to be related].

Verse 28

क्षामोदरी समकुक्षिः पीनोन्नतपयोधरा ॥ कम्बुग्रीवा संवृतास्या सुदती स्वधराहनुः

She was slender-waisted, with an even abdomen and full, uplifted breasts; she had a conch-like neck, a well-formed mouth, beautiful teeth, and a firm jaw.