Brahma Purana — Chapter 117
BrP 117.1
आत्मतीर्थम् इति ख्यातं भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदं नृणाम् तस्य प्रभावं वक्ष्यामि यत्र ज्ञानेश्वरः शिवः ॥
ātmatīrtham iti khyātaṃ bhuktimuktipradaṃ nṛṇām tasya prabhāvaṃ vakṣyāmi yatra jñāneśvaraḥ śivaḥ //
(There is a ford) known as Ātmatīrtha, granting men enjoyment and liberation. I shall tell of its power—the place where Śiva is Jñāneśvara.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 117.2
दत्त इत्य् अपि विख्यातः सो ऽत्रिपुत्रो हरप्रियः दुर्वाससः प्रियो भ्राता सर्वज्ञानविशारदः स गत्वा पितरं प्राह विनयेन प्रणम्य च ॥
datta ity api vikhyātaḥ so 'triputro harapriyaḥ durvāsasaḥ priyo bhrātā sarvajñānaviśāradaḥ sa gatvā pitaraṃ prāha vinayena praṇamya ca //
He, known also as Datta, the son of Atri, dear to Hara, the beloved brother of Durvāsas, expert in all knowledge — he went to his father and, bowing with humility, spoke:
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 117.3
ब्रह्मज्ञानं कथं मे स्यात् कं पृच्छामि क्व यामि च ॥
brahmajñānaṃ kathaṃ me syāt kaṃ pṛcchāmi kva yāmi ca //
"How may knowledge of brahman come to me? Whom shall I ask, and where shall I go?"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 117.4
तच् छ्रुत्वात्रिः पुत्रवाक्यं ध्यात्वा वचनम् अब्रवीत् ॥
tac chrutvātriḥ putravākyaṃ dhyātvā vacanam abravīt //
Hearing that, his son's words, Atri reflected and then said this speech:
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 117.5
गौतमीं पुत्र गच्छ त्वं तत्र स्तुहि महेश्वरम् स तु प्रीतो यदैव स्यात् तदा ज्ञानम् अवाप्स्यसि ॥
gautamīṃ putra gaccha tvaṃ tatra stuhi maheśvaram sa tu prīto yadaiva syāt tadā jñānam avāpsyasi //
"Go, son, to the Gautamī; there praise Maheśvara. Whenever he becomes pleased, then you will obtain knowledge."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 117.6
तथेत्य् उक्त्वा तदात्रेयो गङ्गां गत्वा शुचिर् यतः कृताञ्जलिपुटो भूत्वा भक्त्या तुष्टाव शंकरम् ॥
tathety uktvā tadātreyo gaṅgāṃ gatvā śucir yataḥ kṛtāñjalipuṭo bhūtvā bhaktyā tuṣṭāva śaṃkaram //
Saying "So be it," the son of Atri then went to the Gaṅgā, and being pure and restrained, having made his palms cupped in salutation, he praised Śaṃkara with devotion:
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 117.7
संसारकूपे पतितो ऽस्मि दैवान् मोहेन गुप्तो भवदुःखपङ्के अज्ञाननाम्ना तमसावृतो ऽहं परं न विन्दामि सुराधिनाथ
saṃsārakūpe patito 'smi daivān mohena gupto bhavaduḥkhapaṅke ajñānanāmnā tamasāvṛto 'haṃ paraṃ na vindāmi surādhinātha
"I have fallen by fate into the well of transmigration, hidden by delusion in the mire of worldly sorrow; I am covered by the darkness called ignorance; I do not find the supreme, O chief lord of the gods.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 117.8
भिन्नस् त्रिशूलेन बलीयसाहं पापेन चिन्ताक्षुरपाटितश् च तप्तो ऽस्मि पञ्चेन्द्रियतीव्रतापैः श्रान्तो ऽस्मि संतारय सोमनाथ
bhinnas triśūlena balīyasāhaṃ pāpena cintākṣurapāṭitaś ca tapto 'smi pañcendriyatīvratāpaiḥ śrānto 'smi saṃtāraya somanātha
I am split by the mighty trident that is sin, and cut open by the razor of anxiety; I am burned by the fierce heats of the five senses; I am worn out — carry me across, O Somanātha.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 117.9
बद्धो ऽस्मि दारिद्र्यमयैश् च बन्धैर् हतो ऽस्मि रोगानलतीव्रतापैः क्रान्तो ऽस्म्य् अहं मृत्युभुजंगमेन भीतो भृशं किं करवाणि शंभो
baddho 'smi dāridryamayaiś ca bandhair hato 'smi rogānalatīvratāpaiḥ krānto 'smy ahaṃ mṛtyubhujaṃgamena bhīto bhṛśaṃ kiṃ karavāṇi śaṃbho
I am bound with the bonds made of poverty, struck down by the fierce heats of the fire of disease; I am overrun by the serpent of death, and greatly afraid — what shall I do, O Śambhu?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 117.10
भवाभवाभ्याम् अतिपीडितो ऽहं तृष्णाक्षुधाभ्यां च रजस्तमोभ्याम् ईदृक्षया जरया चाभिभूतः पश्यावस्थां कृपया मे ऽद्य नाथ
bhavābhavābhyām atipīḍito 'haṃ tṛṣṇākṣudhābhyāṃ ca rajastamobhyām īdṛkṣayā jarayā cābhibhūtaḥ paśyāvasthāṃ kṛpayā me 'dya nātha
I am sorely oppressed by becoming and not-becoming, and by thirst and hunger, and by passion and darkness; and I am overcome by old age of such a kind — look with compassion today upon my condition, O Lord.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 117.11
कामेन कोपेन च मत्सरेण दम्भेन दर्पादिभिर् अप्य् अनेकैः एकैकशः कष्टगतो ऽस्मि विद्धस् त्वं नाथवद् वारय नाथ शत्रून्
kāmena kopena ca matsareṇa dambhena darpādibhir apy anekaiḥ ekaikaśaḥ kaṣṭagato 'smi viddhas tvaṃ nāthavad vāraya nātha śatrūn
By desire, by anger, and by envy, by hypocrisy, and by many others such as arrogance — by each one singly I am brought to distress and pierced; you, like a protector, ward off these enemies, O Lord.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 117.12
कस्यापि कश्चित् पतितस्य पुंसो दुःखप्रणोदी भवतीति सत्यम् विना भवन्तं मम सोमनाथ कुत्रापि कारुण्यवचो ऽपि नास्ति
kasyāpi kaścit patitasya puṃso duḥkhapraṇodī bhavatīti satyam vinā bhavantaṃ mama somanātha kutrāpi kāruṇyavaco 'pi nāsti
It is true that for some fallen man there is someone who drives away his suffering; but for me, O Somanātha, apart from you there is nowhere even a word of compassion.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 117.13
तावत् स कोपो भयमोहदुःखान्य् अज्ञानदारिद्र्यरुजस् तथैव कामादयो मृत्युर् अपीह यावन् नमः शिवायेति न वच्मि वाक्यम्
tāvat sa kopo bhayamohaduḥkhāny ajñānadāridryarujas tathaiva kāmādayo mṛtyur apīha yāvan namaḥ śivāyeti na vacmi vākyam
So long do that anger, the fears, delusions and sorrows, and likewise ignorance, poverty and diseases, desire and the rest, and death too, remain here — as long as I do not utter the words "Homage to Śiva."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 117.14
न मे ऽस्ति धर्मो न च मे ऽस्ति भक्तिर् नाहं विवेकी करुणा कुतो मे दातासि तेनाशु शरण्य चित्ते निधेहि सोमेति पदं मदीये
na me 'sti dharmo na ca me 'sti bhaktir nāhaṃ vivekī karuṇā kuto me dātāsi tenāśu śaraṇya citte nidhehi someti padaṃ madīye
I have no merit, nor have I devotion; I am not discerning — whence should there be compassion for me? Therefore, O you who are the refuge, be a giver: set quickly in my mind the word "Soma."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 117.15
याचे न चाहं सुरभूपतित्वं हृत्पद्ममध्ये मम सोमनाथ श्रीसोमपादाम्बुजसंनिधानं याचे विचार्यैव च तत् कुरुष्व
yāce na cāhaṃ surabhūpatitvaṃ hṛtpadmamadhye mama somanātha śrīsomapādāmbujasaṃnidhānaṃ yāce vicāryaiva ca tat kuruṣva
And I do not ask for lordship over gods and kings; O Somanātha, within the lotus of my heart I ask for the presence of the blessed Soma's lotus feet — consider it and do that.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 117.16
यथा तवाहं विदितो ऽस्मि पापस् तथापि विज्ञापनम् आशृणुष्व संश्रूयते यत्र वचः शिवेति तत्र स्थितिः स्यान् मम सोमनाथ
yathā tavāhaṃ vidito 'smi pāpas tathāpi vijñāpanam āśṛṇuṣva saṃśrūyate yatra vacaḥ śiveti tatra sthitiḥ syān mama somanātha
Even though I am known to you as a sinner, still hear my petition: where the word "Śiva" is heard, there may my abode be, O Somanātha.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 117.17
गौरीपते शंकर सोमनाथ विश्वेश कारुण्यनिधे ऽखिलात्मन् संस्तूयते यत्र सदेति तत्र केषाम् अपि स्यात् कृतिनां निवासः
gaurīpate śaṃkara somanātha viśveśa kāruṇyanidhe 'khilātman saṃstūyate yatra sadeti tatra keṣām api syāt kṛtināṃ nivāsaḥ
O husband of Gaurī, Śaṃkara, Somanātha, lord of the universe, treasury of compassion, self of all — where (you) are praised as "the Existent," there may there be a dwelling among whatever meritorious people (are there).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
BrP 117.18
इत्य् आत्रेयस्तुतिं श्रुत्वा तुतोष भगवान् हरः वरदो ऽस्मीति तं प्राह योगिनं विश्वकृद् भवः ॥
ity ātreyastutiṃ śrutvā tutoṣa bhagavān haraḥ varado 'smīti taṃ prāha yoginaṃ viśvakṛd bhavaḥ //
Having heard this hymn of Atri's son, the lord Hara was pleased, and Bhava, maker of the universe, said to that yogin, "I am a granter of boons."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 117.19
आत्मज्ञानं च मुक्तिं च भुक्तिं च विपुलां त्वयि तीर्थस्यापि च माहात्म्यं वरो ऽयं त्रिदशार्चित ॥
ātmajñānaṃ ca muktiṃ ca bhuktiṃ ca vipulāṃ tvayi tīrthasyāpi ca māhātmyaṃ varo 'yaṃ tridaśārcita //
"(Let there be) knowledge of the self, and liberation, and abundant enjoyment in you, and greatness for this sacred ford too — this is the boon, O you worshipped by the thirty (gods)."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 117.20
एवम् अस्त्व् इति तं शंभुर् उक्त्वा चान्तरधीयत ततः प्रभृति तत् तीर्थम् आत्मतीर्थं विदुर् बुधाः तत्र स्नानेन दानेन मुक्तिः स्याद् इह नारद ॥
evam astv iti taṃ śaṃbhur uktvā cāntaradhīyata tataḥ prabhṛti tat tīrtham ātmatīrthaṃ vidur budhāḥ tatra snānena dānena muktiḥ syād iha nārada //
Śambhu said to him "So be it," and vanished. From then on the wise know that ford as Ātmatīrtha; there, by bathing and by giving, there is liberation in this world, O Nārada.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition