Brahma Purana — Chapter 70
BrP 70.1
सर्वेषां चैव तीर्थानां क्षेत्राणां च द्विजोत्तमाः जपहोमव्रतानां च तपोदानफलानि च ॥
sarveṣāṃ caiva tīrthānāṃ kṣetrāṇāṃ ca dvijottamāḥ japahomavratānāṃ ca tapodānaphalāni ca //
And of all holy places and kṣetras, O best of the twice-born, and of recitations, oblations, and vows, and the fruits of austerity and giving—
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 70.2
न तत् पश्यामि भो विप्रा यत् तेन सदृशं भुवि किं चात्र बहुनोक्तेन भाषितेन पुनः पुनः ॥
na tat paśyāmi bho viprā yat tena sadṛśaṃ bhuvi kiṃ cātra bahunoktena bhāṣitena punaḥ punaḥ //
—I see nothing, O brahmins, on earth that is equal to it. And what use is much talk here, spoken over and over?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 70.3
सत्यं सत्यं पुनः सत्यं क्षेत्रं तत् परमं महत् पुरुषाख्यं सकृद् दृष्ट्वा सागराम्भःसमाप्लुतम् ॥
satyaṃ satyaṃ punaḥ satyaṃ kṣetraṃ tat paramaṃ mahat puruṣākhyaṃ sakṛd dṛṣṭvā sāgarāmbhaḥsamāplutam //
It is true, true, and again true: that kṣetra is supreme and great, named Puruṣa, washed by the waters of the ocean—(only) once beheld,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 70.4
ब्रह्मविद्यां सकृज् ज्ञात्वा गर्भवासो न विद्यते हरेः संनिहिते स्थान उत्तमे पुरुषोत्तमे ॥
brahmavidyāṃ sakṛj jñātvā garbhavāso na vidyate hareḥ saṃnihite sthāna uttame puruṣottame //
—just as, when the knowledge of brahman has once been known, there is no more dwelling in a womb, (so it is) at the supreme abode of Hari that is close at hand, in Puruṣottama.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
BrP 70.5
संवत्सरम् उपासीत मासमात्रम् अथापि वा तेन जप्तं हुतं तेन तेन तप्तं तपो महत् ॥
saṃvatsaram upāsīta māsamātram athāpi vā tena japtaṃ hutaṃ tena tena taptaṃ tapo mahat //
Let one attend upon (that place) for a year, or even for just a month: by that he has recited, by that he has offered oblation, by that he has performed great austerity.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 70.6
स याति परमं स्थानं यत्र योगेश्वरो हरिः भुक्त्वा भोगान् विचित्रांश् च देवयोषित्समन्वितः ॥
sa yāti paramaṃ sthānaṃ yatra yogeśvaro hariḥ bhuktvā bhogān vicitrāṃś ca devayoṣitsamanvitaḥ //
Having enjoyed manifold pleasures in the company of the women of the gods, he goes to the supreme abode where Hari, the lord of yoga, is.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 70.7
कल्पान्ते पुनर् आगत्य मर्त्यलोके नरोत्तमः जायते योगिनां विप्रा ज्ञानज्ञेयोद्यतो गृहे ॥
kalpānte punar āgatya martyaloke narottamaḥ jāyate yogināṃ viprā jñānajñeyodyato gṛhe //
At the end of the kalpa, having come back again to the world of mortals, he is born, O brahmins, as the best of men in the house of yogins, intent on knowledge and on what is to be known.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 70.8
संप्राप्य वैष्णवं योगं हरेः स्वच्छन्दतां व्रजेत् कल्पवृक्षस्य रामस्य कृष्णस्य भद्रया सह ॥
saṃprāpya vaiṣṇavaṃ yogaṃ hareḥ svacchandatāṃ vrajet kalpavṛkṣasya rāmasya kṛṣṇasya bhadrayā saha //
Having attained the yoga of Viṣṇu, he would reach the state of moving at will in Hari('s presence)—of the wish-fulfilling tree, of Rāma, of Kṛṣṇa together with Bhadrā.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
BrP 70.9
मार्कण्डेयेन्द्रद्युम्नस्य माहात्म्यं माधवस्य च स्वर्गद्वारस्य माहात्म्यं सागरस्य विधिः क्रमात् ॥
mārkaṇḍeyendradyumnasya māhātmyaṃ mādhavasya ca svargadvārasya māhātmyaṃ sāgarasya vidhiḥ kramāt //
The greatness of Mārkaṇḍeya and of Indradyumna, and of Mādhava; the greatness of the Gate of Heaven; the rule concerning the ocean, in order;
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 70.10
मार्जनस्य यथाकाले भागीरथ्याः समागमम् सर्वम् एतन् मया ख्यातं यत् परं श्रोतुम् इच्छथ ॥
mārjanasya yathākāle bhāgīrathyāḥ samāgamam sarvam etan mayā khyātaṃ yat paraṃ śrotum icchatha //
the (rite of) cleansing at its proper times, the meeting with the Bhāgīrathī—all this has been told by me. What further do you wish to hear?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 70.11
इन्द्रद्युम्नस्य माहात्म्यम् एतच् च कथितं मया सर्वाश्चर्यं समाख्यातं रहस्यं पुरुषोत्तमम् पुराणं परमं गुह्यं धन्यं संसारमोचनम् ॥
indradyumnasya māhātmyam etac ca kathitaṃ mayā sarvāścaryaṃ samākhyātaṃ rahasyaṃ puruṣottamam purāṇaṃ paramaṃ guhyaṃ dhanyaṃ saṃsāramocanam //
And this greatness of Indradyumna has been recounted by me; the whole wonder has been declared, the secret Puruṣottama, the ancient (lore), supremely hidden, blessed, releasing (one) from the round of rebirth.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 70.12
नहि नस् तृप्तिर् अस्तीह शृण्वतां तीर्थविस्तरम् पुनर् एव परं गुह्यं वक्तुम् अर्हस्य् अशेषतः परं तीर्थस्य माहात्म्यं सर्वतीर्थोत्तमोत्तमम् ॥
nahi nas tṛptir astīha śṛṇvatāṃ tīrthavistaram punar eva paraṃ guhyaṃ vaktum arhasy aśeṣataḥ paraṃ tīrthasya māhātmyaṃ sarvatīrthottamottamam //
There is no satiety for us here as we listen to the full account of the holy place; you should tell again, without remainder, the supreme secret—the supreme greatness of the holy place, the best of the best of all holy places.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 70.13
इमम् एव पुरा प्रश्नं पृष्टो ऽस्मि द्विजसत्तमाः नारदेन प्रयत्नेन तदा तं प्रोक्तवान् अहम् ॥
imam eva purā praśnaṃ pṛṣṭo 'smi dvijasattamāḥ nāradena prayatnena tadā taṃ proktavān aham //
This very question was asked of me long ago, O best of the twice-born, insistently, by Nārada; and then I declared it to him.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 70.14
तपसो यज्ञदानानां तीर्थानां पावनं स्मृतम् सर्वं श्रुतं मया त्वत्तो जगद्योने जगत्पते ॥
tapaso yajñadānānāṃ tīrthānāṃ pāvanaṃ smṛtam sarvaṃ śrutaṃ mayā tvatto jagadyone jagatpate //
"The purifying power of austerity, of sacrifices and gifts, and of holy places is handed down; all of it I have heard from you, O womb of the world, O lord of the world.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 70.15
कियन्ति सन्ति तीर्थानि स्वर्गमर्त्यरसातले सर्वेषाम् एव तीर्थानां सर्वदा किं विशिष्यते ॥
kiyanti santi tīrthāni svargamartyarasātale sarveṣām eva tīrthānāṃ sarvadā kiṃ viśiṣyate //
How many holy places are there in heaven, in the mortal world, and in the nether region? And among all the holy places, which is at all times the most distinguished?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 70.16
चतुर्विधानि तीर्थानि स्वर्गे मर्त्ये रसातले दैवानि मुनिशार्दूल आसुराण्य् आरुषाणि च ॥
caturvidhāni tīrthāni svarge martye rasātale daivāni muniśārdūla āsurāṇy āruṣāṇi ca //
The holy places are of four kinds, in heaven, in the mortal world, and in the nether region: divine ones, O tiger among sages, demonic ones, and those of the seers.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 70.17
मानुषाणि त्रिलोकेषु विख्यातानि सुरादिभिः मानुषेभ्यश् च तीर्थेभ्य आर्षं तीर्थम् अनुत्तमम् ॥
mānuṣāṇi trilokeṣu vikhyātāni surādibhiḥ mānuṣebhyaś ca tīrthebhya ārṣaṃ tīrtham anuttamam //
The human ones are renowned in the three worlds through the gods and others; and higher than the human holy places is the seers' holy place, than which none is greater.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 70.18
आर्षेभ्यश् चैव तीर्थेभ्य आसुरं बहुपुण्यदम् आसुरेभ्यस् तथा पुण्यं दैवं तत् सार्वकामिकम् ॥
ārṣebhyaś caiva tīrthebhya āsuraṃ bahupuṇyadam āsurebhyas tathā puṇyaṃ daivaṃ tat sārvakāmikam //
And higher than the seers' holy places is the demonic one, which grants much merit; and higher than the demonic ones is the divine one, meritorious and granting all desires.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 70.19
ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवैश् चैव निर्मितं दैवम् उच्यते त्रिभ्यो यद् एकं जायेत तस्मान् नातः परं विदुः ॥
brahmaviṣṇuśivaiś caiva nirmitaṃ daivam ucyate tribhyo yad ekaṃ jāyeta tasmān nātaḥ paraṃ viduḥ //
That which was fashioned by Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva is called divine; since (such) a one would arise from the three, they know nothing higher than that.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 70.20
त्रयाणाम् अपि लोकानां तीर्थं मेध्यम् उदाहृतम् तत्रापि जाम्बवं द्वीपं तीर्थं बहुगुणोदयम् ॥
trayāṇām api lokānāṃ tīrthaṃ medhyam udāhṛtam tatrāpi jāmbavaṃ dvīpaṃ tīrthaṃ bahuguṇodayam //
Of the three worlds too, (one) holy place is declared to be pure; and therein the Jambū continent is a holy place from which many virtues arise.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 70.21
जाम्बवे भारतं वर्षं तीर्थं त्रैलोक्यविश्रुतम् कर्मभूमिर् यतः पुत्र तस्मात् तीर्थं तद् उच्यते ॥
jāmbave bhārataṃ varṣaṃ tīrthaṃ trailokyaviśrutam karmabhūmir yataḥ putra tasmāt tīrthaṃ tad ucyate //
In Jambū (continent) the land of Bharata is a holy place famed throughout the three worlds; since it is the land of (ritual) action, my son, it is therefore called a holy place.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 70.22
तत्रैव यानि तीर्थानि यान्य् उक्तानि मया तव हिमवद्विन्ध्ययोर् मध्ये षण्नद्यो देवसंभवाः ॥
tatraiva yāni tīrthāni yāny uktāni mayā tava himavadvindhyayor madhye ṣaṇnadyo devasaṃbhavāḥ //
And there indeed are those holy places which I have told you of; between the Himālaya and the Vindhya are six rivers sprung from the gods.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 70.23
तथैव देवजा ब्रह्मन् दक्षिणार्णवविन्ध्ययोः एता द्वादश नद्यस् तु प्राधान्येन प्रकीर्तिताः ॥
tathaiva devajā brahman dakṣiṇārṇavavindhyayoḥ etā dvādaśa nadyas tu prādhānyena prakīrtitāḥ //
And likewise, O brahmin, (six) born of the gods between the southern ocean and the Vindhya; these twelve rivers are proclaimed as the principal ones.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 70.24
अभिसंपूजितं यस्माद् भारतं बहुपुण्यदम् कर्मभूमिर् अतो देवैर् वर्षं तस्मात् प्रकीर्तितम् ॥
abhisaṃpūjitaṃ yasmād bhārataṃ bahupuṇyadam karmabhūmir ato devair varṣaṃ tasmāt prakīrtitam //
Because Bharata, which grants much merit, is highly honoured, and is the land of (ritual) action, it is therefore proclaimed by the gods to be the (foremost) region.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
BrP 70.25
आर्षाणि चैव तीर्थानि देवजानि क्वचित् क्वचित् आसुरैर् आवृतान्य् आसंस् तद् एवासुरम् उच्यते ॥
ārṣāṇi caiva tīrthāni devajāni kvacit kvacit āsurair āvṛtāny āsaṃs tad evāsuram ucyate //
And the seers' holy places, born of the gods here and there, came to be occupied by demons; that very (place) is called demonic.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 70.26
दैवेष्व् एव प्रदेशेषु तपस् तप्त्वा महर्षयः दैवप्रभावात् तपस आर्षाण्य् अपि च तान्य् अपि ॥
daiveṣv eva pradeśeṣu tapas taptvā maharṣayaḥ daivaprabhāvāt tapasa ārṣāṇy api ca tāny api //
Great seers, having performed austerity in the very places belonging to the gods, (made) those also into seers' places, by the power of the gods and of their austerity.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
BrP 70.27
आत्मनः श्रेयसे मुक्त्यै पूजायै भूतये ऽथवा आत्मनः फलभूत्यर्थं यशसो ऽवाप्तये पुनः ॥
ātmanaḥ śreyase muktyai pūjāyai bhūtaye 'thavā ātmanaḥ phalabhūtyarthaṃ yaśaso 'vāptaye punaḥ //
For one's own welfare, for release, for worship, or for prosperity, for the sake of the fruit and increase of oneself, or again for the attainment of fame—
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 70.28
मानुषैः कारितान्य् आहुर् मानुषाणीति नारद एवं चतुर्विधो भेदस् तीर्थानां मुनिसत्तम ॥
mānuṣaiḥ kāritāny āhur mānuṣāṇīti nārada evaṃ caturvidho bhedas tīrthānāṃ munisattama //
—those caused to be made by men they call 'human', O Nārada; thus the division of holy places is fourfold, O best of sages.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 70.29
भेदं न कश्चिज् जानाति श्रोतुं युक्तो ऽसि नारद बहवः पण्डितंमन्याः शृण्वन्ति कथयन्ति च सुकृती को ऽपि जानाति वक्तुं श्रोतुं निजैर् गुणैः ॥
bhedaṃ na kaścij jānāti śrotuṃ yukto 'si nārada bahavaḥ paṇḍitaṃmanyāḥ śṛṇvanti kathayanti ca sukṛtī ko 'pi jānāti vaktuṃ śrotuṃ nijair guṇaiḥ //
No one knows the distinction; you are fit to hear it, Nārada. Many who think themselves learned listen and recount, (but only) some meritorious man knows, by his own qualities, how to speak and to hear.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 70.30
तेषां स्वरूपं भेदं च श्रोतुम् इच्छामि तत्त्वतः यच् छ्रुत्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मुच्यते नात्र संशयः ॥
teṣāṃ svarūpaṃ bhedaṃ ca śrotum icchāmi tattvataḥ yac chrutvā sarvapāpebhyo mucyate nātra saṃśayaḥ //
I wish to hear their nature and their division as it truly is, on hearing which one is freed from all sins—there is no doubt of this.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 70.31
ब्रह्मन् कृतयुगादौ तु उपायो ऽन्यो न विद्यते तीर्थसेवां विना स्वल्पायासेनाभीष्टदायिनीम् ॥
brahman kṛtayugādau tu upāyo 'nyo na vidyate tīrthasevāṃ vinā svalpāyāsenābhīṣṭadāyinīm //
O brahmin, at the beginning of the Kṛta age there exists no other means, apart from the service of holy places, which grants what is desired with little effort.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 70.32
न त्वया सदृशो धातर् वक्ता ज्ञाताथवा क्वचित् त्वं नाभिकमले विष्णोः संजातो ऽखिलपूर्वजः ॥
na tvayā sadṛśo dhātar vaktā jñātāthavā kvacit tvaṃ nābhikamale viṣṇoḥ saṃjāto 'khilapūrvajaḥ //
There is nowhere any speaker or knower equal to you, O Creator; you were born in the lotus of Viṣṇu's navel, the firstborn of all.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 70.33
गोदावरी भीमरथी तुङ्गभद्रा च वेणिका तापी पयोउष्णी विन्ध्यस्य दक्षिणे तु प्रकीर्तिताः ॥
godāvarī bhīmarathī tuṅgabhadrā ca veṇikā tāpī payouṣṇī vindhyasya dakṣiṇe tu prakīrtitāḥ //
The Godāvarī, the Bhīmarathī, the Tuṅgabhadrā, and the Veṇikā, the Tāpī, the Payoṣṇī—these are proclaimed as being south of the Vindhya.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 70.34
भागीरथी नर्मदा तु यमुना च सरस्वती विशोका च वितस्ता च हिमवत्पर्वताश्रिताः ॥
bhāgīrathī narmadā tu yamunā ca sarasvatī viśokā ca vitastā ca himavatparvatāśritāḥ //
The Bhāgīrathī, the Narmadā, the Yamunā, and the Sarasvatī, the Viśokā and the Vitastā—these depend on the Himālaya mountain.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 70.35
एता नद्यः पुण्यतमा देवतीर्थान्य् उदाहृताः गयः कोल्लासुरो वृत्रस् त्रिपुरो ह्य् अन्धकस् तथा ॥
etā nadyaḥ puṇyatamā devatīrthāny udāhṛtāḥ gayaḥ kollāsuro vṛtras tripuro hy andhakas tathā //
These rivers are the most holy; they are declared to be the tīrthas of the gods. Gaya, Kollāsura, Vṛtra, Tripura, and likewise Andhaka,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 70.36
हयमूर्धा च लवणो नमुचिः शृङ्गकस् तथा यमः पातालकेतुश् च मयः पुष्कर एव च ॥
hayamūrdhā ca lavaṇo namuciḥ śṛṅgakas tathā yamaḥ pātālaketuś ca mayaḥ puṣkara eva ca //
and Hayamūrdhā, Lavaṇa, Namuci, and likewise Śṛṅgaka, Yama, Pātālaketu, Maya, and Puṣkara —
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 70.37
एतैर् आवृततीर्थानि आसुराणि शुभानि च प्रभासो भार्गवो ऽगस्तिर् नरनारायणौ तथा ॥
etair āvṛtatīrthāni āsurāṇi śubhāni ca prabhāso bhārgavo 'gastir naranārāyaṇau tathā //
by these the (following) tīrthas are occupied: the auspicious demonic ones. And Prabhāsa, Bhārgava, Agasti, and likewise Nara and Nārāyaṇa,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
BrP 70.38
वसिष्ठश् च भरद्वाजो गोतमः कश्यपो मनुः इत्यादिमुनिजुष्टानि ऋषितीर्थानि नारद ॥
vasiṣṭhaś ca bharadvājo gotamaḥ kaśyapo manuḥ ityādimunijuṣṭāni ṛṣitīrthāni nārada //
and Vasiṣṭha, Bharadvāja, Gotama, Kaśyapa, Manu — those frequented by such sages are the tīrthas of the ṛṣis, Nārada.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 70.39
अम्बरीषो हरिश्चन्द्रो मान्धाता मनुर् एव च कुरुः कनखलश् चैव भद्राश्वः सगरस् तथा ॥
ambarīṣo hariścandro māndhātā manur eva ca kuruḥ kanakhalaś caiva bhadrāśvaḥ sagaras tathā //
Ambarīṣa, Hariścandra, Māndhātā, and Manu too, Kuru, and Kanakhala, Bhadrāśva, and likewise Sagara,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 70.40
अश्वयूपो नाचिकेता वृषाकपिर् अरिंदमः इत्यादिमानुषैर् विप्र निर्मितानि शुभानि च ॥
aśvayūpo nāciketā vṛṣākapir ariṃdamaḥ ityādimānuṣair vipra nirmitāni śubhāni ca //
Aśvayūpa, Nāciketā, Vṛṣākapi, Ariṃdama — (the tīrthas) made by such men, O brahmin, are also auspicious;
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 70.41
यशसः फलभूत्यर्थं निर्मितानीह नारद स्वतोउद्भूतानि दैवानि यत्र क्वापि जगत्त्रये पुण्यतीर्थानि तान्य् आहुस् तीर्थभेदो मयोदितः ॥
yaśasaḥ phalabhūtyarthaṃ nirmitānīha nārada svatoudbhūtāni daivāni yatra kvāpi jagattraye puṇyatīrthāni tāny āhus tīrthabhedo mayoditaḥ //
they were made here for the sake of fame, of reward and of prosperity, Nārada. But those that arise of themselves, wherever they may be in the three worlds, are divine; those they call holy tīrthas. Thus the classification of tīrthas has been stated by me.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition