Chapter 78: Descent of the Bhāgīrathī Gaṅgā

SS 141-143

nārada uvāca:

BRP078.001.1 dvividhā saiva gaditā ekāpi surasattama |
BRP078.001.2 eko bhedas tu kathito brāhmaṇenāhṛto yataḥ || 1 ||
BRP078.002.1 kṣatriyeṇāparo 'py aṃśo jaṭāsv eva vyavasthitaḥ |
BRP078.002.2 bhavasya devadevasya āhṛtas tad vadasva me || 2 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP078.003.1 vaivasvatānvaye jāta ikṣvākukulasambhavaḥ |
BRP078.003.2 purā vai sagaro nāma rājāsīd atidhārmikaḥ || 3 ||
BRP078.004.1 yajvā dānaparo nityaṃ dharmācāravicāravān |
BRP078.004.2 tasya bhāryādvayaṃ cāsīt patibhaktiparāyaṇam || 4 ||
BRP078.005.1 tasya vai santatir nābhūd iti cintāparo 'bhavat |
BRP078.005.2 vasiṣṭhaṃ gṛham āhūya sampūjya vidhivat tataḥ || 5 ||
BRP078.006.1 uvāca vacanaṃ rājā santateḥ kāraṇaṃ prati |
BRP078.006.2 iti tadvacanaṃ śrutvā dhyātvā rājānam abravīt || 6 ||

vasiṣṭha uvāca:

BRP078.007.1 sapatnīkaḥ sadā rājann ṛṣipūjāparo bhava || 7 ||
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brahmovāca:

BRP078.008.1 ity uktvā sa munir vipra yathāsthānaṃ jagāma ha |
BRP078.008.2 ekadā tasya rājarṣer gṛham āgāt taponidhiḥ || 8 ||
BRP078.009.1 tasyarṣeḥ pūjanaṃ cakre sa santuṣṭo 'bravīd vacam |
BRP078.009.2 varaṃ brūhi mahābhāgety ukte putrān sa cāvṛṇot || 9 ||
BRP078.010.1 sa muniḥ prāha rājānam ekasyāṃ vaṃśadhārakaḥ |
BRP078.010.2 putro bhūyāt tathānyasyāṃ ṣaṣṭisāhasrakaṃ sutāḥ || 10 ||
BRP078.011.1 varaṃ dattvā munau yāte putrā jātāḥ sahasraśaḥ |
BRP078.011.2 sa yajñān subahūṃś cakre hayamedhān sudakṣiṇān || 11 ||
BRP078.012.1 ekasmin hayamedhe vai dīkṣito vidhivan nṛpaḥ |
BRP078.012.2 putrān nyayojayad rājā sasainyān hayarakṣaṇe || 12 ||
BRP078.013.1 kvacid antaram āsādya hayaṃ jahre śatakratuḥ |
BRP078.013.2 mārgamāṇāś ca te putrā naivāpaśyan hayaṃ tadā || 13 ||
BRP078.014.1 sahasrāṇāṃ tathā ṣaṣṭir nānāyuddhaviśāradāḥ |
BRP078.014.2 teṣu paśyatsu rakṣāṃsi putreṣu sagarasya hi || 14 ||
BRP078.015.1 prokṣitaṃ tad dhayaṃ nītvā te rasātalam āgaman |
BRP078.015.2 rākṣasān māyayā yuktān naivāpaśyanta sāgarāḥ || 15 ||
BRP078.016.1 na dṛṣṭvā te hayaṃ putrāḥ sagarasya balīyasaḥ |
BRP078.016.2 itaś cetaś carantas te naivāpaśyan hayaṃ tadā || 16 ||
BRP078.017.1 devalokaṃ tadā jagmuḥ parvatāṃś ca sarāṃsi ca |
BRP078.017.2 vanāni ca vicinvanto naivāpaśyan hayaṃ tadā || 17 ||
BRP078.018.1 kṛtasvastyayano rājā ṛtvigbhiḥ kṛtamaṅgalaḥ |
BRP078.018.2 adṛṣṭvā tu paśuṃ ramyaṃ rājā cintām upeyivān || 18 ||
BRP078.019.1 aṭantaḥ sāgarāḥ sarve devalokam upāgaman |
BRP078.019.2 hayaṃ tam anucinvantas tatrāpi na hayo 'bhavat || 19 ||
BRP078.020.1 tato mahīṃ samājagmuḥ parvatāṃś ca vanāni ca |
BRP078.020.2 tatrāpi ca hayaṃ naiva dṛṣṭavanto nṛpātmajāḥ || 20 ||
BRP078.021.1 etasminn antare tatra daivī vāg abhavat tadā |
BRP078.021.2 rasātale hayo baddha āste nānyatra sāgarāḥ || 21 ||
BRP078.022.1 iti śrutvā tato vākyaṃ gantukāmā rasātalam |
BRP078.022.2 akhanan pṛthivīṃ sarvāṃ paritaḥ sāgarās tataḥ || 22 ||
BRP078.023.1 te kṣudhārtā mṛdaṃ śuṣkāṃ bhakṣayantas tv aharniśam |
BRP078.023.2 nyakhanaṃś cāpi jagmuś ca satvarās te rasātalam || 23 ||
BRP078.024.1 tān āgatān bhūpasutān sāgarān balinaḥ kṛtīn |
BRP078.024.2 śrutvā rakṣāṃsi santrastā vyagaman kapilāntikam || 24 ||
BRP078.025.1 kapilo 'pi mahāprājñas tatra śete rasātale |
BRP078.025.2 purā ca sādhitaṃ tena devānāṃ kāryam uttamam || 25 ||
BRP078.026.1 vinidreṇa tataḥ śrāntaḥ siddhe kārye surān prati |
BRP078.026.2 abravīt kapilaḥ śrīmān nidrāsthānaṃ prayacchatha || 26 ||
BRP078.027.1 rasātalaṃ dadus tasmai punar āha surān muniḥ |
BRP078.027.2 yo mām utthāpayen mando bhasmī bhūyāc ca satvaram || 27 ||
BRP078.028.1 tataḥ śaye talagato no cen na svapna eva hi |
BRP078.028.2 tathety uktaḥ suragaṇais tatra śete rasātale || 28 ||
288
BRP078.029.1 tasya prabhāvaṃ te jñātvā rākṣasā māyayā yutāḥ |
BRP078.029.2 sāgarāṇāṃ ca sarveṣāṃ vadhopāyaṃ pracakrire || 29 ||
BRP078.030.1 vinā yuddhena te bhītā rākṣasāḥ satvarās tadā |
BRP078.030.2 āgatya yatra sa muniḥ kapilaḥ kopano mahān || 30 ||
BRP078.031.1 śirodeśe hayaṃ te vai baddhvātha tvarayānvitāḥ |
BRP078.031.2 dūre sthitvā mauninaś ca prekṣantaḥ kiṃ bhaved iti || 31 ||
BRP078.032.1 tatas tu sāgarāḥ sarve nirviśanto rasātalam |
BRP078.032.2 dadṛśus te hayaṃ baddhaṃ śayānaṃ puruṣaṃ tathā || 32 ||
BRP078.033.1 taṃ menire ca hartāraṃ kratuhantāram eva ca |
BRP078.033.2 enaṃ hatvā mahāpāpaṃ nayāmo 'śvaṃ nṛpāntikam || 33 ||
BRP078.034.1 kecid ūcuḥ paśuṃ baddhaṃ nayāmo 'nena kiṃ phalam |
BRP078.034.2 tadāhur apare śūrā rājānaḥ śāsakā vayam || 34 ||
BRP078.035.1 utthāpyainaṃ mahāpāpaṃ hanmaḥ kṣātreṇa varcasā |
BRP078.035.2 te taṃ jaghnur muniṃ pādair bruvanto niṣṭhurāṇi ca || 35 ||
BRP078.036.1 tataḥ kopena mahatā kapilo munisattamaḥ |
BRP078.036.2 sāgarān īkṣayām āsa tān kopād bhasmasāt karot || 36 ||
BRP078.037.1 jajvalus te tatas tatra sāgarāḥ sarva eva hi |
BRP078.037.2 tat tu sarvaṃ na jānāti dīkṣitaḥ sagaro nṛpaḥ || 37 ||
BRP078.038.1 nāradaḥ kathayām āsa sagarāya mahātmane |
BRP078.038.2 kapilasya tu saṃsthānaṃ hayasyāpi tu saṃsthitim || 38 ||
BRP078.039.1 rākṣasānāṃ tu vikṛtiṃ sāgarāṇāṃ ca nāśanam |
BRP078.039.2 tataś cintāparo rājā kartavyaṃ nāvabudhyata || 39 ||
BRP078.040.1 aparo 'pi sutaś cāsīd asamañjā iti śrutaḥ |
BRP078.040.2 sa tu bālāṃs tathā paurān maurkhyāt kṣipati cāmbhasi || 40 ||
BRP078.041.1 sagaro 'py atha vijñaptaḥ pauraiḥ sammilitais tadā |
BRP078.041.2 durnayaṃ tasya taṃ jñātvā tataḥ kruddho 'bravīn nṛpaḥ || 41 ||
BRP078.042.1 svān amātyāṃs tadā rājā deśatyāgaṃ karotv ayam |
BRP078.042.2 asamañjāḥ kṣatradharmatyāgī vai bālaghātakaḥ || 42 ||
BRP078.043.1 sagarasya tu tad vākyaṃ śrutvāmātyās tvarānvitāḥ |
BRP078.043.2 tatyajur nṛpateḥ putram asamañjā gato vanam || 43 ||
BRP078.044.1 sāgarā brahmaśāpena naṣṭāḥ sarve rasātale |
BRP078.044.2 eko 'pi ca vanaṃ prāpta idānīṃ kā gatir mama || 44 ||
BRP078.045.1 aṃśumān iti vikhyātaḥ putras tasyāsamañjasaḥ |
BRP078.045.2 ānāyya bālakaṃ rājā kāryaṃ tasmai nyavedayat || 45 ||
BRP078.046.1 kapilaṃ ca samārādhya aṃśumān api bālakaḥ |
BRP078.046.2 sagarāya hayaṃ prādāt tataḥ pūrṇo 'bhavat kratuḥ || 46 ||
BRP078.047.1 tasyāpi putras tejasvī dilīpa iti dhārmikaḥ |
BRP078.047.2 tasyāpi putro matimān bhagīratha iti śrutaḥ || 47 ||
BRP078.048.1 pitāmahānāṃ sarveṣāṃ gatiṃ śrutvā suduḥkhitaḥ |
BRP078.048.2 sagaraṃ nṛpaśārdūlaṃ papraccha vinayānvitaḥ || 48 ||
BRP078.049.1 sāgarāṇāṃ tu sarveṣāṃ niṣkṛtis tu kathaṃ bhavet |
BRP078.049.2 bhagīrathaṃ nṛpaḥ prāha kapilo vetti putraka || 49 ||
289
BRP078.050.1 tasya tad vacanaṃ śrutvā bālaḥ prāyād rasātalam |
BRP078.050.2 kapilaṃ ca namaskṛtvā sarvaṃ tasmai nyavedayat || 50 ||
BRP078.051.1 sa munis tu ciraṃ dhyātvā tapasārādhya śaṅkaram |
BRP078.051.2 jaṭājalena svapitṝn āplāvya nṛpasattama || 51 ||
BRP078.052.1 tataḥ kṛtārtho bhavitā tvaṃ ca te pitaras tathā |
BRP078.052.2 tathā karomīti muniṃ praṇamya punar abravīt || 52 ||
BRP078.053.1 kva gacche 'haṃ muniśreṣṭha kartavyaṃ cāpi tad vada || 53 ||

kapila uvāca:

BRP078.054.1 kailāsaṃ taṃ naraśreṣṭha gatvā stuhi maheśvaram |
BRP078.054.2 tapaḥ kuru yathāśakti tataś cepsitam āpsyasi || 54 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP078.055.1 tac chrutvā sa muner vākyaṃ muniṃ natvā tv agān nagam |
BRP078.055.2 kailāsaṃ sa śucir bhūtvā bālo bālakriyānvitaḥ |
BRP078.055.3 tapase niścayaṃ kṛtvā uvāca sa bhagīrathaḥ || 55 ||

bhagīratha uvāca:

BRP078.056.1 bālo 'haṃ bālabuddhiś ca bālacandradhara prabho |
BRP078.056.2 nāhaṃ kimapi jānāmi tataḥ prīto bhava prabho || 56 ||
BRP078.057.1 vāgbhir manobhiḥ kṛtibhiḥ kadācin |
BRP078.057.2 mamopakurvanti hite ratā ye |
BRP078.057.3 tebhyo hitārthaṃ tv iha cāmareśa |
BRP078.057.4 somaṃ namasyāmi surādipūjyam || 57 ||
BRP078.058.1 utpādito yair abhivardhitaś ca |
BRP078.058.2 samānagotraś ca samānadharmā |
BRP078.058.3 teṣām abhīṣṭāni śivaḥ karotu |
BRP078.058.4 bālendumauliṃ praṇato 'smi nityam || 58 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP078.059.1 evaṃ tu bruvatas tasya purastād abhavac chivaḥ |
BRP078.059.2 vareṇa cchandayāno vai bhagīratham uvāca ha || 59 ||

śiva uvāca:

BRP078.060.1 yan na sādhyaṃ suragaṇair deyaṃ tat te mayā dhruvam |
BRP078.060.2 vadasva nirbhayo bhūtvā bhagīratha mahāmate || 60 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP078.061.1 bhagīrathaḥ praṇamyeśaṃ hṛṣṭaḥ provāca śaṅkaram || 61 ||

bhagīratha uvāca:

BRP078.062.1 jaṭāsthitāṃ pitṝṇāṃ me pāvanāya saridvarām |
BRP078.062.2 tām eva dehi deveśa sarvam āptaṃ tato bhavet || 62 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP078.063.1 maheśo 'pi vihasyātha bhagīratham uvāca ha || 63 ||

śiva uvāca:

BRP078.064.1 dattā mayeyaṃ te putra punas tāṃ stuhi suvrata || 64 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP078.065.1 tad devavacanaṃ śrutvā tadarthaṃ tu tapo mahat |
BRP078.065.2 stutiṃ cakāra gaṅgāyā bhaktyā prayatamānasaḥ || 65 ||
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BRP078.066.1 tasyā api prasādaṃ ca prāpya bālo 'py abālavat |
BRP078.066.2 gaṅgāṃ maheśvarāt prāptām ādāyāgād rasātalam || 66 ||
BRP078.067.1 nyavedayat sa munaye kapilāya mahātmane |
BRP078.067.2 yathoditaprakāreṇa gaṅgāṃ saṃsthāpya yatnataḥ || 67 ||
BRP078.068.1 pradakṣiṇam athāvartya kṛtāñjalipuṭo 'bravīt || 68 ||

bhagīratha uvāca:

BRP078.069.1 devi me pitaraḥ śāpāt kapilasya mahāmuneḥ |
BRP078.069.2 prāptās te vigatiṃ mātas tasmāt tān pātum arhasi || 69 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP078.070.1 tathety uktvā suranadī sarveṣām upakārikā |
BRP078.070.2 lokānām upakārārthaṃ pitṝṇāṃ pāvanāya ca || 70 ||
BRP078.071.1 agastyapītasyāmbhodheḥ pūraṇāya viśeṣataḥ |
BRP078.071.2 smaraṇād eva pāpānāṃ nāśāya suranimnagā || 71 ||
BRP078.072.1 bhagīrathoditaṃ cakre rasātalatale sthitān |
BRP078.072.2 bhasmībhūtān nṛpasutān sāgarāṃś ca viśeṣataḥ || 72 ||
BRP078.073.1 vinirdagdhān athāplāvya khātapūram athākarot |
BRP078.073.2 tato meruṃ samāplāvya sthitāṃ bālo 'bravīn nṛpaḥ || 73 ||
BRP078.074.1 karmabhūmau tvayā bhāvyaṃ tathety āgād dhimālayam |
BRP078.074.2 himavatparvatāt puṇyād bhārataṃ varṣam abhyagāt || 74 ||
BRP078.075.1 tanmadhyataḥ puṇyanadī prāyāt pūrvārṇavaṃ prati |
BRP078.075.2 evam eṣāpi te proktā gaṅgā kṣātrā mahāmune || 75 ||
BRP078.076.1 māheśvarī vaiṣṇavī ca saiva brāhmī ca pāvanī |
BRP078.076.2 bhāgīrathī devanadī himavacchikharāśrayā || 76 ||
BRP078.077.1 maheśvarajaṭāvāri evaṃ dvaividhyam āgatam |
BRP078.077.2 vindhyasya dakṣiṇe gaṅgā gautamī sā nigadyate |
BRP078.077.3 uttare sāpi vindhyasya bhāgīrathy abhidhīyate || 77 ||