Bhagiratha Brings down The Ganga.

1. It behoves you to tell me what the Lord of the Earth Bhagiratha did after reaching the snow-capped mountain Himavan, and how he brought down the Ganga.

2. While he was going to the mountain Himavan for his penance, О sage, the great king Bhagiratha, wearing matted hair and bark garments, reached the banks of the Godavari.1

3. There in the great forest, he saw the excellent hermitage of the sage Bhrigu. Many antelopes were frisking about here and there in that hermitage. It was frequented by herds of elephants.

4. It was resounded with the humming sound of the hovering bees and the chirping of birds. Broods of boars wandered over it and the Camari deer fanned it with their bushy tails.

5. In that forest peacocks danced about and the deer and the other animals tenanted in it. Great trees had been eagerly nurtured by young girls in the families of sages.

6. It abounded richly in trees such as Sula, Tala (Palms) and TamSla. It was embellished with fresh shoots of Hintala palms. It was decorated with (various flowering plants such as) Mdlatt, TUthikd, Kunda, Campaka and with Aivattha trees.

7. There were many full-blown flowers. The hermitage was inhabited by groups of sages. It was reverberating with the chanting of Vedic mantras and the scriptural texts. The king entered that hermitage of Bhrigu.

8. There he saw sage Bhrigu who was resplendent like the Sun in lustre, who was surrounded by groups of disciples and was eulogising the great Brahman.

touching his feet (and other acts of reverence). Bhrigu accorded him hospitable reception with due honour.

10. When the formalities of reception were completed by the great sage Bhfgu, the modest king spoke to that leading sage with his palms folded in reverence.

11. “O holy Sir, О knower of all Dharmas> О sage proficient in all scriptural topics, I am awfully frightened of worldly existence. I inquire of you what brings about men’s uplift (from SarhsHra to the final Liberation — Мокра).

12. О excellent sage, if I am to be blessed by you, kindly recount to me the holy acts whereby the glorious Lord becomes propitiated, О omniscient one.”

13. “O king, what you desire has been understood. You are the most excellent of meritorious persons. Otherwise how do you deserve to uplift the entire family of yours?

14. If any one, whoever he may be, is desirous of uplifting his own family by means of auspicious acts, know him to be Lord Vishnu himself in human form, О king.

15. Listen attentively, О prominent king. I shall relate to you that holy course of conduct whereby the Lord of gods bestows on men the benefit desired by them.

16. О king, be devoted to Truth. Do not indulge in violence. Always look after the welfare of all living beings. Do not utter a lie on any account.

17. Eschew contacts with the wicked people. Entertain intimacy with the saintly persons. Be engaged day and night, in meritorious acts. Meditate upon Vishnu,the Eternal (Deity).

18. Perform the worship of Maha-Vishnu. Attain excellent (mental) peace. Perform the Japa of the twelve-syllabled mantra (viz. Orh namo bhagavate Vasudevaya) and the eight- syllabled mantra (viz. Orh namo Ndrdyandya). Welfare and fortune will come your way.”

Truth which is conducive to the welfare of all living beings? Of what nature is falsehood said to be? Of what nature are the wicked people?

20. What is said to be regarded as the nature of good men? Of what nature is merit? How is Vishnu to be remembered? Of what procedure is his worship?

21-22a. Of what nature is quiescence said to be? О sage, what is the eight-syllabled mantra? О sage, proficient in the real nature of the truth, what is the twelve-syllabled mantra? It behoves you to explain everything to me by extending your greatest favour or grace on me.”

22b-23. “Very nice! Exceedingly nice! О highly intelligent one. Your intellect is unsurpassably excellent. О king, I shall explain to you every thing that I have been asked of by you. The statement of what is factually correct, the learned men call it the Truth.

24-25. Indeed, that should be uttered which is not contradictory to Dharmay by those solely devoted to Dharma. That statement which is uttered after taking into account the place and time by good men, causing no offence to the same, is called the Truth. Indeed it is non-injurious to all creatures.

26. О king, that has been proclaimed as non-violence which bestows all desires and which is ancillary to holy act and which is opposed to all wrong actions.

27-30a. The following1 is proclaimed to be benevolence to all the world by persons who are adept in Dharma. It is, following the will of a person who discriminates between Dharma and Adharma and the statement thereof. That should be known as falsehood which is antagonistic to all benevolence and welfare. О king, those hateful and foolish persons whose intellect is always engaged in the evil path should be known as wicked men. They are excluded from all righteousness and piety. Those who follow the Vedic path, discriminating between what is virtue and what is not and those who are desirous of the well-being of all the world are glorified as good men.

30b-31a. That which generates devotion to Hari, that which the good persons are enamoured of, and that which causes spiritual pleasure is glorified as Merit.

31b-32a. All this universe is Vishnu. Vishnu is the cause of everything. I too am Vishnu”. It is this realization that is known as Vishnu-smarana (remembrance of Vishnu).

32b-33a. Vishnu is identical with all deities. I shall worship him in accordance with the prescribed rites. It is this faith that is glorified as his Devotion.

33b-34a. Vishnu, the perfect and the eternal, is identical with all living beings. It is this awareness of non-difference that is glorified as Samata (Equalitarianism).

34b-36a. О king, impartiality towards friends and enemies, self-control and satisfaction with what is gained by chance — is glorified as quiescence. All these have been proclaimed as the bestowers of success in the accomplishment of penance. They are the cause of the instantaneous destructions of all heaps of sins.

36b-37. О king of kings, I shall tell you the great eight- syllabled mantra that is destructive of all sins. It is the sole means of the achievement of Purushdrthas (goals in life). It is pleasing to Vishnu and it bestows all super-human powers.

38-39. One shall perform the Japa of the mantra Namo Narayanaya (obeisance unto Narayana) after prefixing the Pranava (От) to it. (i.e. От namo Nardyandya). Firstly one shall utter Namo Bhagavate and thereafter Vasudevaya. О great king, by prefixing the Pranava to it, it (viz. От namo bhagavate Vasn- devdya) is called the twelve-syllabled mantra. О king, the efficacy of both the mantras — the eight-syllabled one as well as the twelve-syallbled one — is the same.2

40a. Their equality whether in Pravrtti (active participation in worldly life) or in Nivritti (renunciation of worldly activities) has been specially taught or pointed out.

40b-43. One should meditate on Narayana who holds, shankha and Cakra, who is quiescent and free from ailments, whose left side is occupied by Lakshmi, who is the lord that accords fearlessness, who wears a crown and ear-rings, who shines splendidly with various ornaments and embellishments, who wears a brilliant necklace with the radiant Kaustubha jewel, whose chest is marked with the curl of golden hair known as Shrivatsa, who wears yellow robes, who is the lord bowed down to by Suras and Asuras, who has neither beginning nor end, and who is the bestower of all desired blessings. The eternal lord is perfect and immanent. He is of the form of perfect knowledge.

44. О king, thus everything that had been asked by you has been explained. Farewell to you. Attain the fruition of your penance. Proceed ahead to derive the same happily.

45. The ruler of the Earth who was advised thus by Bhrigu, the great sage, attained the greatest pleasure. He went to the forest for the penance.

46. He reached the Himalaya mountains. He performed a severe penance in the great holy centre Nadesvara,3 in a charming and meritorious spot.

47. The king took his bath three times a day. He subsisted on bulbous roots, roots and fruits. Everyday he greeted and honoured the guests. He was devoted to the performance of daily fire-worship.

48. He was quiescent and benevolent towards all living beings. He was absorbed in the worship of Narayana. Thrice a day, he worshipped Hari by means of leaves, flowers and holy waters.

49. Spending a great deal of time like this, he courageously meditated on lord Narayana. Thereafter, he began to eat only withered leaves.

50. Then the exceedingly righteous king became solely devoted to Pranayama (Control of breath). He began to perform penance without even breathing.

51. Meditating on the infinite unvanquished lord Narayana, the king remained without breathing for sixty thousand years.

52. A terrible fire was produced from his nostrils. On seeing it, all Devas, scorched by that fire, became excessively frightened.

53. They went over to MahaVishnu. On reaching the northern shore of the milky ocean, where the Lord of the worlds abides the Prominent Devas eulogised the Lord of the chiefs of Devas who protected those who respected him and sought refuge in him.

54. Devas prayed: “We bow down to Vishnu the sole Lord of the worlds, the Supreme Lord who removes the distress of all those who remember him; who is naturally pure and who is the embodiment of perfect wisdom and is spoken of as perfect in nature, by those persons knowing of it.

55. The great-souled Lord should always be meditated upon by excellent Togins. He has carried out the tasks of Devas by assuming bodies out of his own will. He is the embodiment of the Universe and its primordial Lord. We bow down to him, the Supreme Person, Purufottama.

56. For the purpose of achieving the Purushdrthas (goals in life), we bow down to Vishnu, the ancient Ригща, that Ruler (of the universe), worthy of worship, by uttering whose names the sins of wicked men get dissolved.

57. It is through his brilliance that the sun and others shine; they never transgress his commandments. We bow down to that Lord of Devas who is of the nature of К ala (Time or Death) and whose form is constituted of Purufarthas.

58. The lotus-born deity (Brahma) creates the universe; Rudra annihilates it, and the Brahmanas sanctify the worlds through Srutis; we seek refuge in that primordial Lord who is the receptacle of all good qualities and who is the preceptor of all.

59. We bow down to the most excellent pre-eminent Lord, who can be realized only through perfect knowledge; who is the cause of the achievement of what is desired and by good devotees; who is the enemy of Madhu and Kaifabha:4 and whose footrest has been worshipped by both Suras and Asuras.

60. We bow down to the Lord who has no beginning, middle or end, the unborn great (Ruler of the universe), Shiva, the cause of destruction of the darkness called the beginningless Avidyd — the Lord whose form is the essence of existence, knowledge and bliss and who is devoid of form, etc.

61. We bow down to Narayana, Vishnu, the infinite-Isa, the yellow-robed God, worthy of being served by the lotusborn deity Brahma and others, the beloved of sacrifices the performer of sacrifices, the purest, the most excellent, the imperishable Deity.

62. Maha-Vishnu who was thus eulogised by Indra and other gods, recounted to the gods the conduct (and antecedents) of the King-sage.

63. Thereafter, О Narada, the unsullied Lord consoled Devas after assuring fearlessness. He then went to that place where that saintly king was performing penance.

64. The Lord, the wielder of SaAkha and Cakra, the embodiment of existence, knowledge and bliss and the preceptor of all worlds, revealed, himself to that king.

65-67. On seeing him, the king bent down his head and prostrated himself on the ground before the Lord whose eyes resembled the lotus, who illuminated all quarters with his brilliance, whose complexion was blue like the Atasi flower, who was bedecked with shining ear-rings, with glossy tresses and charming lotus-like face, who was resplendent with a brilliant crown, who wore the jewel Kaustubha and the Shri- vatsa mark (on his chest), who was bedecked with garland of Sylvan flowers, whose arms were long, whose limbs were elegant and whose lotus-like feet were worshipped by the lords of worlds.

68. He was overwhelmed with ecstatic delight. With hairs standing on end and voice choked with emotion, he uttered — “O Krishna, О Krishna, О Krishna, О ShriKrishna.

69. Vis^iu, the Immanent soul, the Preceptor of the universe, the Creator of living beings, became pleased with him. Overwhelmed with Grace, the Lord spoke thus.

70. “O Bhagiratha, О highly blessed one, what is desired by you will be realised. Your grandfathers will come to my world.

71. О king, with hymns according to your capacity, you should eulogise Sambhu who is another MUrti5 (form) of mine. Indeed, he will instantaneously get your desires fulfilled.

72. He accepted the moon who sought refuge in him. So propitiate god Shiva, the bestower of happiness, who is worthy of being eulogised.

73. О king, he is the deity without beginning and destruction. He is the bestower of all desired blessings. On being worshipped by you, he will immediately accomplish your welfare.”;

74. After saying this, the Lord of the chiefs of Devas, Acyuta, the Lord of the worlds, disappeared. And the Lord of the Earth got up, О excellent sage.

75. О excellent Brahmana, the king was surprised. He wondered, “Is this a dream or the true state of affairs. What shall I do now?”

76. Then a voice in the firmament loudly proclaimed to him as he had become perplexed — “It is clear that this is the truth. It does not behove you to worry.”

77. On hearing it, the devout ruler of the Earth eulogised Шпа, the cause of all and the king of all deities.

78. “I salute to Isana,6 the lord of the universe, the destroyer of the distress of those who bow down to the Lord — the Lord incomprehensive through the valid means of knowledge, who is the embodiment of Pranava (OM).

79. I bow down to Virupaksa, of the form of the universe, the unborn, and the eternal one, the cause of creation, sustenance and dissolution of the world, the embodiment of universe and of fierce Semen.

80. I salute that Lord who increases the nourishment, on whom the eminent Yogins meditate and who is devoid of beginning, middle and end and who is Infinite Unborn and Unchanging.

81. Obeisance to the over-lord of the worlds, who wanders, who defrauds the evil doers; obeisance be to you the bluenecked god, to the Lord of Pasus.

82. Glory to one whose form is consciousness; salute to the Lord of nourished ones; Bow to one who makes the most incompetent a competent one; obeisance to the Lord of the Bhutas (Living Beings or goblins).

83. Obeisance to one armed with the Pinaka bow. Salutations to the wielder of the trident in hand and to the holder of a skull in his hand; Bow to one who is the bearer of a noose and an iron club.

84. Obeisance to you who are immanent in all beings; Salutations to you, the bearer of a bell in hand; Obeisance to the Lord of five faces and to the Lord of fields.

85. Obeisance to the supporter of Earth, who is the primordial one amongst all living beings. Salutations to one who assumes innumerable forms and yet is the attributeless Great Atman.

86. Obeisance to the Supreme god of Ganas (troops of demigods). Salutations to the leader of Ganas and to Hiranya- garbha; Salutations to the Lord of gold.

87. Bow to you the gold-semened one; to the gold-armed one; obeisance to one who is both the form and witness of meditation.

88-90. Salutations to you stabilised in meditation and to one comprehensible through meditation. You are the Lord by whom this entire visible Universe consisting of the mobile and immobile has been illuminated and created by assuming the forms of Pradhana and Ригща in the same manner as the rain is created by the cloud. You are the Lord whom the knowers of Reality consider self-luminous, great Atman, the highest eternal brilliance, the Sun unto the eyes of men.

91-92. I salute the lover of Uma, the Lord of Nandin, the blue-necked Sadashiva, Mahadeva, the conqueror of Death, the Lord greater than the greatest; the greatest deity in the form of aabda-brakman, the Cause of all. Obeisance to you, О god with matted hair. Obeisance to you, Sadyojdta.

93. Obeisance to the Cause of the origin of the worlds; obeisance to the purest one; to the eldest and to the youngest; obeisance to Manyu (anger). Obeisance to you the possessor of Strength. Salutations to the Lord of Trayi (the three Vedas), obeisance to the thread of sacrifices.

94. Obeisance to the energetic one. Salutations to the Lord of quarters; bow to Kala of the form of Aghora; obeisance to you of fiery semen; and to the highly great-souled one.

95-96. I bow down to that formless I sa from whom all these originated, viz., the oceans, the rivers, the mountains, the groups of Gandharvas, Yaksas, Asuras and Siddhas, the mobile and immobile creation, the greatest and the smallest beings, the Sat and the Asat (existent and non-existent), and Jivas and Ajivas (the living and non-living). His lotus-like feet are bowed to by the Yogins. He is the inner Atman of everything. He is the only being who is independent and is the virtue of the virtuous. To him I bovfr down again and again.”

97. Eulogised thus, the great lord Sankara, the benefactor of the worlds, appeared in front of the king who had completed his penance.

98-100. О Narada, on seeing the Lord, the king prostrated himself at his feet on the ground, like a wooden staff. The Lord had five faces, ten arms, and the crescent moon embellishing his crest. He was three-eyed, of elegant limbs and with serpents as the sacred thread. The Lord had a wide chest and his lustre was brilliant like that of the snow-capped mountain. Elephant's hide constituted his garment. His lotus-like feet were worshipped by the Suras. After prostrating, the king suddenly got up and stood in front of Shiva with palms joined in reverence.

101-102. He bowed to Mahadeva, glorifying the name of Sankara. After realising the devotion of the king, the moon- crested god Sankara said to the king — “I am pleased. Choose the desired boon. I have been delighted well by you by your eulogy as well as by penance”.

103. Encouraged thus by the Lord, the king was highly delighted at his heart. Reverentially folding his palms, he said to the chief lord of all the chiefs of the worlds.

104. “O Mahesvara, if I am to be blessed by you by granting boons, bestow the Ganga for the purpose of liberating our forefathers.”

105. “The Ganga has been given to you by me. The highest is the destination of your forefathers. Excellent salvation is granted to you.” After saying this, god Shiva vanished.

106. The Ganga, the sole sanctifier of the world, slipped down from the matted locks of the god Shiva with matted hair. She followed Bhagiratha sanctifying the universe on the way.

107. О sage, thereafter the goddess Ganga the pure, and the remover of sins and impurities became well known in the three worlds as ‘Bhagirathi.

108. The Ganga, the most excellent among all rivers, flowed over that land where the sons of Sagara had been burnt formerly due to their own sins.

109. As soon as the ashes of the sons of Sagara were (deluged and) swrept away by the current of the Ganga, they who had been submerged in the hell, with their sins washed off, were uplifted.

110. Those very same persons who were severely tortured by Yama who was reviling at them, were honoured by him later, when they were sanctified by the waters of the Ganga that flowed over them.

111. After realising that the sons of Sagara had been absolved of their sins, Yama duly bowed to them and honoured them. Being much pleased in his mind, he spoke to them:

112. “0 princes, you have been liberated from the exceedingly terrible hell. Be seated in the aerial car and go to the abode of Vishnu.”

113. Thus addressed by Yama, those noble-souled sons of Sagara whose sins disappeared, assumed divine forms and attained to the region of Vishnu.

114. Of such powerful efficacy is the Ganga that had originated from the tip of the feet of Vishnu. She is well known all over the worlds as the destr oyer of great sins.

115. He who reads or listens to this meritorious narrative that is destructive of great sins, attains the fruit of ablutions in the Ganga.

116. He who narrates this meritorious anecdote in front of Brahmanas goes to Vishnu’s abode whence there is no return to the world of mortals.

1. Godipari-tafam appears to be a misprint, for neither Mbk, Fi2 or any other Purana nor De (Gdmi) mentions such a river in the Himalayas or associates Bhagiratha's name with that river.

2. The eight-syllabled Mantra — От mm Mriyanaya — is the traditional Pancharatra Mantra, while the twelve-syllabled — On ram bkagaiiatt Visit- deviya-is the traditional mantra of the Bhagavata cult. The NP. tries a synthesis of both these traditional cults by declaring the same efficacy, accruing from either mantra both in Pravrtti and №[tti paths.

3. Nadesvara is the same as Bindusaras (De, p. 134). It is a sacred pool situated on the Rudra Himalaya, two miles south of Gaagotri (De, p. 38).

4. There are two versions about these demon-brothers: (i) The demon- brothers Madhu and Kaifabha were born through two drops of water fallen, through the will of Vishnu, on the lotus springing from his navel. They represented the rajo-gupa and tamo-gupa. A glance at those drops by Vishnu, transformed the drops into those demons (Mbh — fanti 347.25-2G). They were killed by Vishnu in the Hayagriva form (ibid 347.69-70).(ii) According to DB 1.6.20-21, they were born out of the ear-wax that (lowed out of Vishnu’s ears while he was asleep on Sesa.

5. Though the NP. is a Vaishnava Purana, the author takes such opportunities to emphasize the identity of gods Shiva and Vishnu.

6. This eulogy of god Shiva has several echoes from the Rudradhyaya (TS IV.5) — especially its Namaka part (TS. IV.5.1), as a number of phrases from that Svkta are incorporated in this prayer.

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