Viṣṇupadī Gaṅgā: Descent, Cosmic Pathways, and Śiva’s Praise of Saṅkarṣaṇa
सीता तु ब्रह्मसदनात्केसराचलादिगिरिशिखरेभ्योऽधोऽध: प्रस्रवन्ती गन्धमादनमूर्धसु पतित्वान्तरेण भद्राश्ववर्षं प्राच्यां दिशि क्षारसमुद्रमभिप्रविशति ॥ ६ ॥
sītā tu brahma-sadanāt kesarācalādi-giri-śikharebhyo ’dho ’dhaḥ prasravantī gandhamādana-mūrdhasu patitvāntareṇa bhadrāśva-varṣaṁ prācyāṁ diśi kṣāra-samudram abhipraviśati.
名为“悉多”(Sītā)的恒河支流自梵天居所流出,从迦萨罗遮罗等群峰层层下泻;自环绕须弥如花蕊般的高峰坠落,落在甘达摩达那山顶。随后它沿途润泽跋陀罗湿婆洲(Bhadrāśva-varṣa),并向东注入咸海(Kṣāra-samudra)。
It describes the river Sītā as descending from Brahmā’s abode, flowing down from great mountain peaks, touching Gandhamādana Mountain, passing through Bhadrāśva-varṣa, and finally entering the Salt Ocean in the east.
Because the Bhagavatam is presenting sacred geography in a cosmic framework—this river’s origin is traced to Brahmā’s abode to indicate its divine, celestial source within the Purāṇic cosmology.
It encourages a devotee to see the world as sacred and ordered by the Lord—cultivating reverence for tīrthas (holy places), gratitude for nature, and remembrance of the divine reality behind creation.