Chapter 175: Brahman's teachings about dharma; on the origin of the Gaṅgā

SS 279-282

nārada uvāca:

BRP175.001.1 tridaivatyāṃ sureśāna gaṅgāṃ brūṣe sureśvara |
BRP175.001.2 brāhmaṇenāhṛtāṃ puṇyāṃ jagataḥ pāvanīṃ śubhām || 1 ||
BRP175.002.1 ādimadhyāvasāne ca ubhayos tīrayor api |
BRP175.002.2 yā vyāptā viṣṇuneśena tvayā ca surasattama |
BRP175.002.3 punaḥ saṅkṣepato brūhi na me tṛptiḥ prajāyate || 2 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP175.003.1 kamaṇḍalusthitā pūrvaṃ tato viṣṇupadānugā |
BRP175.003.2 maheśvarajaṭājūṭe sthitā saiva namaskṛtā || 3 ||
BRP175.004.1 brahmatejaḥprabhāveṇa śivam ārādhya yatnataḥ |
BRP175.004.2 tataḥ prāptā giriṃ puṇyaṃ tataḥ pūrvārṇavaṃ prati || 4 ||
BRP175.005.1 āgatya saṅgatā devī sarvatīrthamayī nṛṇām |
BRP175.005.2 īpsitānāṃ tathā dātrī prabhāvo 'syā viśiṣyate || 5 ||
BRP175.006.1 etasyā nādhikaṃ manye kiñcit tīrthaṃ jagattraye |
BRP175.006.2 asyāś caiva prabhāveṇa bhāvyaṃ yac ca manaḥsthitam || 6 ||
BRP175.007.1 adyāpy asyā hi māhātmyaṃ vaktuṃ kaiścin na śakyate |
BRP175.007.2 bhaktito vakṣyate nityaṃ yā brahma paramārthataḥ || 7 ||
BRP175.008.1 tasyāḥ parataraṃ tīrthaṃ na syād iti matir mama |
BRP175.008.2 anyatīrthena sādharmyaṃ na yujyeta kathañcana || 8 ||
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BRP175.009.1 śrutvā madvākyapīyūṣair gaṅgāyā guṇakīrtanam |
BRP175.009.2 sarveṣāṃ na matiḥ kasmāt tatraivoparatiṃ gatā |
BRP175.009.3 iti bhāti vicitraṃ me mune khalu jagattraye || 9 ||

nārada uvāca:

BRP175.010.1 dharmārthakāmamokṣāṇāṃ tvaṃ vettā copadeśakaḥ |
BRP175.010.2 chandāṃsi sarahasyāni purāṇasmṛtayo 'pi ca || 10 ||
BRP175.011.1 dharmaśāstrāṇi yac cānyat tava vākye pratiṣṭhitam |
BRP175.011.2 tīrthānām atha dānānāṃ yajñānāṃ tapasāṃ tathā || 11 ||
BRP175.012.1 devatāmantrasevānām adhikaṃ kiṃ vada prabho |
BRP175.012.2 yad brūṣe bhagavan bhaktyā tathā bhāvyaṃ na cānyathā || 12 ||
BRP175.013.1 etaṃ me saṃśayaṃ brahman vākyāt tvaṃ chettum arhasi |
BRP175.013.2 iṣṭaṃ manogataṃ śrutvā tasmād vismayam āgataḥ || 13 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP175.014.1 śṛṇu nārada vakṣyāmi rahasyaṃ dharmam uttamam |
BRP175.014.2 caturvidhāni tīrthāni tāvanty eva yugāni ca || 14 ||
BRP175.015.1 guṇās trayaś ca puruṣās trayo devāḥ sanātanāḥ |
BRP175.015.2 vedāś ca smṛtibhir yuktāś catvāras te prakīrtitāḥ || 15 ||
BRP175.016.1 puruṣārthāś ca catvāro vāṇī cāpi caturvidhā |
BRP175.016.2 guṇā hy api tu catvāraḥ samatveneti nārada || 16 ||
BRP175.017.1 sarvatra dharmaḥ sāmānyo yato dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ |
BRP175.017.2 sādhyasādhanabhāvena sa eva bahudhā mataḥ || 17 ||
BRP175.018.1 tasyāśrayaś ca dvividho deśaḥ kālaś ca sarvadā |
BRP175.018.2 kālāśrayaś ca yo dharmo hīyate vardhate sadā || 18 ||
BRP175.019.1 yugānām anurūpeṇa pādaḥ pādo 'sya hīyate |
BRP175.019.2 dharmasyeti mahāprājña deśāpekṣā tathobhayam || 19 ||
BRP175.020.1 kālena cāśrito dharmo deśe nityaṃ pratiṣṭhitaḥ |
BRP175.020.2 yugeṣu kṣīyamāṇeṣu na deśeṣu sa hīyate || 20 ||
BRP175.021.1 ubhayatra vihīne ca dharmasya syād abhāvatā |
BRP175.021.2 tasmād deśāśrito dharmaś catuṣpāt supratiṣṭhitaḥ || 21 ||
BRP175.022.1 sa cāpi dharmo deśeṣu tīrtharūpeṇa tiṣṭhati |
BRP175.022.2 kṛte deśaṃ ca kālaṃ ca dharmo 'vaṣṭabhya tiṣṭhati || 22 ||
BRP175.023.1 tretāyāṃ pādahīnena sa tu pādaḥ pradeśataḥ |
BRP175.023.2 dvāpare cārdhataḥ kāle dharmo deśe samāsthitaḥ || 23 ||
BRP175.024.1 kalau pādena caikena dharmaś calati saṅkaṭam |
BRP175.024.2 evaṃvidhaṃ tu yo dharmaṃ vetti tasya na hīyate || 24 ||
BRP175.025.1 yugānām anubhāvena jātibhedāś ca saṃsthitāḥ |
BRP175.025.2 guṇebhyo guṇakartṛbhyo vicitrā dharmasaṃsthitiḥ || 25 ||
BRP175.026.1 guṇānām anubhāvena udbhavābhibhavau tathā |
BRP175.026.2 tīrthānām api varṇānāṃ vedānāṃ svargamokṣayoḥ || 26 ||
BRP175.027.1 tādṛgrūpapravṛttyā tu tad eva ca viśiṣyate |
BRP175.027.2 kālo 'bhivyañjakaḥ prokto deśo 'bhivyaṅgya ucyate || 27 ||
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BRP175.028.1 yadā yadā abhivyaktiṃ kālo dhatte tadā tadā |
BRP175.028.2 tad eva vyañjanaṃ brahmaṃs tasmān nāsty atra saṃśayaḥ || 28 ||
BRP175.029.1 yugānurūpā mūrtiḥ syād devānāṃ vaidikī tathā |
BRP175.029.2 karmaṇām api tīrthānāṃ jātīnām āśramasya tu || 29 ||
BRP175.030.1 tridaivatyaṃ satyayuge tīrthaṃ lokeṣu pūjyate |
BRP175.030.2 dvidaivatyaṃ yuge 'nyasmin dvāpare caikadaivikam || 30 ||
BRP175.031.1 kalau na kiñcid vijñeyam athānyad api tac chṛṇu |
BRP175.031.2 daivaṃ kṛtayuge tīrthaṃ tretāyām āsuraṃ viduḥ || 31 ||
BRP175.032.1 ārṣaṃ ca dvāpare proktaṃ kalau mānuṣam ucyate |
BRP175.032.2 athānyad api vakṣyāmi śṛṇu nārada kāraṇam || 32 ||
BRP175.033.1 gautamyāṃ yat tvayā pṛṣṭaṃ tat te vakṣyāmi vistarāt |
BRP175.033.2 yadā ceyaṃ haraśiraḥ prāptā gaṅgā mahāmune || 33 ||
BRP175.034.1 tadā prabhṛti sā gaṅgā śambhoḥ priyatarābhavat |
BRP175.034.2 tad devasya mataṃ jñātvā gajavaktram uvāca sā || 34 ||
BRP175.035.1 umā lokatrayeśānā mātā ca jagato hitā |
BRP175.035.2 śāntā śrutir iti khyātā bhuktimuktipradāyinī || 35 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP175.036.1 tan mātur vacanaṃ śrutvā gajavaktro 'bhyabhāṣata || 36 ||

gajavaktra uvāca:

BRP175.037.1 kiṃ kṛtyaṃ śādhi māṃ mātas tatkartāham asaṃśayam || 37 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP175.038.1 umā sutam uvācedaṃ maheśvarajaṭāsthitā |
BRP175.038.2 tvayāvatāryatāṃ gaṅgā satyam īśapriyā satī || 38 ||
BRP175.039.1 punaś ceśas tatra citram adhyāste sarvadā suta |
BRP175.039.2 śivo yatra surās tatra tatra vedāḥ sanātanāḥ || 39 ||
BRP175.040.1 tatraiva ṛṣayaḥ sarve manuṣyāḥ pitaras tathā |
BRP175.040.2 tasmān nivartayeśānaṃ devadevaṃ maheśvaram || 40 ||
BRP175.041.1 tasyā nivartite deve gaṅgāyāḥ sarva eva hi |
BRP175.041.2 nivṛttās te bhaviṣyanti śṛṇu cedaṃ vaco mama |
BRP175.041.3 nivartaya tatas tasyāḥ sarvabhāvena śaṅkaram || 41 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP175.042.1 mātus tad vacanaṃ śrutvā punar āha gaṇeśvaraḥ || 42 ||

gaṇeśvara uvāca:

BRP175.043.1 naiva śakyaḥ śivo devo mayā tasyā nivartitum |
BRP175.043.2 anivṛtte śive tasyā devā api nivartitum || 43 ||
BRP175.044.1 na śakyā jagatāṃ mātar athānyac cāpi kāraṇam |
BRP175.044.2 gaṅgāvatāritā pūrvaṃ gautamena mahātmanā || 44 ||
BRP175.045.1 ṛṣiṇā lokapūjyena trailokyahitakāriṇā |
BRP175.045.2 sāmopāyena tadvākyāt pūjyena brahmatejasā || 45 ||
BRP175.046.1 ārādhayitvā deveśaṃ tapobhiḥ stutibhir bhavam |
BRP175.046.2 tuṣṭena śaṅkareṇedam ukto 'sau gautamas tadā || 46 ||
539

śaṅkara uvāca:

BRP175.047.1 varān varaya puṇyāṃś ca priyāṃś ca manasepsitān |
BRP175.047.2 yad yad icchasi tat sarvaṃ dātā te 'dya mahāmate || 47 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP175.048.1 evam uktaḥ śivenāsau gautamo mayi śṛṇvati |
BRP175.048.2 idam eva tadovāca sajaṭāṃ dehi śaṅkara |
BRP175.048.3 gaṅgāṃ me yācate puṇyāṃ kim anyena vareṇa me || 48 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP175.049.1 punaḥ provāca taṃ śambhuḥ sarvalokopakārakaḥ || 49 ||

śambhur uvāca:

BRP175.050.1 uktaṃ na cātmanaḥ kiñcit tasmād yācasva duṣkaram || 50 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP175.051.1 gautamo 'dīnasattvas taṃ bhavam āha kṛtāñjaliḥ || 51 ||

gautama uvāca:

BRP175.052.1 etad eva ca sarveṣāṃ duṣkaraṃ tava darśanam |
BRP175.052.2 mayā tad adya samprāptaṃ kṛpayā tava śaṅkara || 52 ||
BRP175.053.1 smaraṇād eva te padbhyāṃ kṛtakṛtyā manīṣiṇaḥ |
BRP175.053.2 bhavanti kiṃ punaḥ sākṣāt tvayi dṛṣṭe maheśvare || 53 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP175.054.1 evam ukte gautamena bhavo harṣasamanvitaḥ |
BRP175.054.2 trayāṇām upakārārthaṃ lokānāṃ yācitaṃ tvayā || 54 ||
BRP175.055.1 na cātmano mahābuddhe yācety āha śivo dvijam |
BRP175.055.2 evaṃ proktaḥ punar vipro dhyātvā prāha śivaṃ tathā || 55 ||
BRP175.056.1 vinītavad adīnātmā śivabhaktisamanvitaḥ |
BRP175.056.2 sarvalokopakārāya punar yācitavān idam |
BRP175.056.3 śṛṇvatsu lokapāleṣu jagādedaṃ sa gautamaḥ || 56 ||

gautama uvāca:

BRP175.057.1 yāvat sāgaragā devī nisṛṣṭā brahmaṇo gireḥ |
BRP175.057.2 sarvatra sarvadā tasyāṃ sthātavyaṃ vṛṣabhadhvaja || 57 ||
BRP175.058.1 phalepsūnāṃ phalaṃ dātā tvam eva jagataḥ prabho |
BRP175.058.2 tīrthāny anyāni deveśa kvāpi kvāpi śubhāni ca || 58 ||
BRP175.059.1 yatra te sannidhir nityaṃ tad eva śubhadaṃ viduḥ |
BRP175.059.2 yatra gaṅgā tvayā dattā jaṭāmukuṭasaṃsthitā |
BRP175.059.3 sarvatra tava sānnidhyāt sarvatīrthāni śaṅkara || 59 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP175.060.1 tad gautamavacaḥ śrutvā punar harṣāc chivo 'bravīt || 60 ||

śiva uvāca:

BRP175.061.1 yatra kvāpi ca yat kiñcid yo vā bhavati bhaktitaḥ |
BRP175.061.2 yātrāṃ snānam atho dānaṃ pitṝṇāṃ vāpi tarpaṇam || 61 ||
BRP175.062.1 śravaṇaṃ paṭhanaṃ vāpi smaraṇaṃ vāpi gautama |
BRP175.062.2 yaḥ karoti naro bhaktyā godāvaryā yatavrataḥ || 62 ||
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BRP175.063.1 saptadvīpavatī pṛthvī saśailavanakānanā |
BRP175.063.2 saratnā sauṣadhī ramyā sārṇavā dharmabhūṣitā || 63 ||
BRP175.064.1 dattvā bhavati yo dharmaḥ sa bhaved gautamīsmṛteḥ |
BRP175.064.2 evaṃvidhā ilā vipra godānād yābhidhīyate || 64 ||
BRP175.065.1 candrasūryagrahe kāle matsānnidhye yatavrataḥ |
BRP175.065.2 bhūbhṛte viṣṇave bhaktyā sarvakālaṃ kṛtā sudhīḥ || 65 ||
BRP175.066.1 gāḥ sundarāḥ savatsāś ca saṅgame lokaviśrute |
BRP175.066.2 yo dadāti dvijaśreṣṭha tatra yat puṇyam āpnuyāt || 66 ||
BRP175.067.1 tasmād varaṃ puṇyam eti snānadānādinā naraḥ |
BRP175.067.2 gautamyāṃ viśvavandyāyāṃ mahānadyāṃ tu bhaktitaḥ || 67 ||
BRP175.068.1 tasmād godāvarī gaṅgā tvayā nītā bhaviṣyati |
BRP175.068.2 sarvapāpakṣayakarī sarvābhīṣṭapradāyinī || 68 ||

gaṇeśvara uvāca:

BRP175.069.1 etac chrutaṃ mayā mātar vadato gautamaṃ śivāt |
BRP175.069.2 etasmāt kāraṇāc chambhur gaṅgāyāṃ niyataḥ sthitaḥ || 69 ||
BRP175.070.1 ko nivartayituṃ śaktas tam amba karuṇodadhim |
BRP175.070.2 athāpi mātar etat syān mānuṣā vighnapāśakaiḥ || 70 ||
BRP175.071.1 vinibaddhā na gacchanti godām apy antikasthitām |
BRP175.071.2 na namanti śivaṃ devaṃ na smaranti stuvanti na || 71 ||
BRP175.072.1 tathā mātaḥ kariṣyāmi tava santoṣahetave |
BRP175.072.2 sanniroddhum atho kleśas tava vākyaṃ kṣamasva me || 72 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP175.073.1 tataḥ prabhṛti vighneśo mānuṣān prati kiñcana |
BRP175.073.2 vighnam ācarate yas tu tam upāsya pravartate || 73 ||
BRP175.074.1 atho vighnam anādṛtya gautamīṃ yāti bhaktitaḥ |
BRP175.074.2 sa kṛtārtho bhavel loke na kṛtyam avaśiṣyate || 74 ||
BRP175.075.1 vighnāny anekāni bhavanti gehān |
BRP175.075.2 nirgantukāmasya narādhamasya |
BRP175.075.3 nidhāya tanmūrdhni padaṃ prayāti |
BRP175.075.4 gaṅgāṃ na kiṃ tena phalaṃ pralabdham || 75 ||
BRP175.076.1 asyāḥ prabhāvaṃ ko brūyād api sākṣāt sadāśivaḥ |
BRP175.076.2 saṅkṣepeṇa mayā proktam itihāsapadānugam || 76 ||
BRP175.077.1 dharmārthakāmamokṣāṇāṃ sādhanaṃ yac carācare |
BRP175.077.2 tad atra vidyate sarvam itihāse savistare || 77 ||
BRP175.078.1 vedoditaṃ śrutisakalarahasyam uktaṃ |
BRP175.078.2 satkāraṇaṃ samabhidhānam idaṃ sadaiva |
BRP175.078.3 samyak ca dṛṣṭaṃ jagatāṃ hitāya |
BRP175.078.4 proktaṃ purāṇaṃ bahudharmayuktam || 78 ||
BRP175.079.1 asya ślokaṃ padaṃ vāpi bhaktitaḥ śṛṇuyāt paṭhet |
BRP175.079.2 gaṅgā gaṅgeti vā vākyaṃ sa tu puṇyam avāpnuyāt || 79 ||
BRP175.080.1 kalikalaṅkavināśanadakṣam idaṃ |
BRP175.080.2 sakalasiddhikaraṃ śubhadaṃ śivam |
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BRP175.080.3 jagati pūjyam abhīṣṭaphalapradaṃ |
BRP175.080.4 gāṅgam etad udīritam uttamam || 80 ||
BRP175.081.1 sādhu gautama bhadraṃ te ko 'nyo 'sti sadṛśas tvayā |
BRP175.081.2 ya enāṃ gautamīṃ gaṅgāṃ daṇḍakāraṇyam āpnuyāt || 81 ||
BRP175.082.1 gaṅgā gaṅgeti yo brūyād yojanānāṃ śatair api |
BRP175.082.2 mucyate sarvapāpebhyo viṣṇulokaṃ sa gacchati || 82 ||
BRP175.083.1 tisraḥ koṭyo 'rdhakoṭī ca tīrthāni bhuvanatraye |
BRP175.083.2 tāni snātuṃ samāyānti gaṅgāyāṃ siṃhage gurau || 83 ||
BRP175.084.1 ṣaṣṭir varṣasahasrāṇi bhāgīrathyavagāhanam |
BRP175.084.2 sakṛd godāvarīsnānaṃ siṃhayukte bṛhaspatau || 84 ||
BRP175.085.1 iyaṃ tu gautamī putra yatra kvāpi mamājñayā |
BRP175.085.2 sarveṣāṃ sarvadā nṝṇāṃ snānān muktiṃ pradāsyati || 85 ||
BRP175.086.1 aśvamedhasahasrāṇi vājapeyaśatāni ca |
BRP175.086.2 kṛtvā yat phalam āpnoti tad asya śravaṇād bhavet || 86 ||
BRP175.087.1 yasyaitat tiṣṭhati gṛhe purāṇaṃ brahmaṇoditam |
BRP175.087.2 na bhayaṃ vidyate tasya kalikālasya nārada || 87 ||
BRP175.088.1 yasya kasyāpi nākhyeyaṃ purāṇam idam uttamam |
BRP175.088.2 śraddadhānāya śāntāya vaiṣṇavāya mahātmane || 88 ||
BRP175.089.1 idaṃ kīrtyaṃ bhuktimuktidāyakaṃ pāpanāśakam |
BRP175.089.2 etacchravaṇamātreṇa kṛtakṛtyo bhaven naraḥ || 89 ||
BRP175.090.1 likhitvā pustakam idaṃ brāhmaṇāya prayacchati |
BRP175.090.2 sarvapāpavinirmuktaḥ punar garbhaṃ na saṃviśet || 90 ||