Brahma Purana — Chapter 76
BrP 76.1
महेश्वरजटाजुटाद् गङ्गाम् आदाय गौतमः आगत्य ब्रह्मणः पुण्ये ततः किम् अकरोद् गिरौ ॥
maheśvarajaṭājuṭād gaṅgām ādāya gautamaḥ āgatya brahmaṇaḥ puṇye tataḥ kim akarod girau //
Having taken the Gaṅgā from the matted coil of Maheśvara's hair, Gautama came to the holy mountain of Brahmā — what did he do then there?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 76.2
आदाय गौतमो गङ्गां शुचिः प्रयतमानसः पूजितो देवगन्धर्वैस् तथा गिरिनिवासिभिः ॥
ādāya gautamo gaṅgāṃ śuciḥ prayatamānasaḥ pūjito devagandharvais tathā girinivāsibhiḥ //
Gautama, having taken the Gaṅgā, pure and with restrained mind, honoured by the gods and gandharvas and likewise by the dwellers of the mountain —
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 76.3
गिरेर् मूर्ध्नि जटां स्थाप्य स्मरन् देवं त्रिलोचनम् उवाच प्राञ्जलिर् भूत्वा गङ्गां स द्विजसत्तमः ॥
girer mūrdhni jaṭāṃ sthāpya smaran devaṃ trilocanam uvāca prāñjalir bhūtvā gaṅgāṃ sa dvijasattamaḥ //
— having placed the matted lock on the summit of the mountain, remembering the three-eyed god, that best of twice-born, with joined palms, spoke to the Gaṅgā:
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 76.4
त्रिलोचनजटोद्भूते सर्वकामप्रदायिनि क्षमस्व मातः शान्तासि सुखं याहि हितं कुरु ॥
trilocanajaṭodbhūte sarvakāmapradāyini kṣamasva mātaḥ śāntāsi sukhaṃ yāhi hitaṃ kuru //
"O you who have arisen from the matted hair of the three-eyed one, giver of all desires, forgive (me), mother; you are appeased; go happily, do (what is) beneficial."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 76.5
एवम् उक्ता गौतमेन गङ्गा प्रोवाच गौतमम् दिव्यरूपधरा देवी दिव्यस्रगनुलेपना ॥
evam uktā gautamena gaṅgā provāca gautamam divyarūpadharā devī divyasraganulepanā //
Thus addressed by Gautama, the Gaṅgā spoke to Gautama — the goddess bearing a divine form, with divine garland and unguent:
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 76.6
गच्छेयं देवसदनम् अथवापि कमण्डलुम् रसातलं वा गच्छेयं जातस् त्वं सत्यवाग् असि ॥
gaccheyaṃ devasadanam athavāpi kamaṇḍalum rasātalaṃ vā gaccheyaṃ jātas tvaṃ satyavāg asi //
"Shall I go to the abode of the gods, or else into (your) water-pot, or shall I go to the nether world? You are one whose speech has become truth."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 76.7
त्रयाणाम् उपकारार्थं लोकानां याचिता मया शंभुना च तथा दत्ता देवि तन् नान्यथा भवेत् ॥
trayāṇām upakārārthaṃ lokānāṃ yācitā mayā śaṃbhunā ca tathā dattā devi tan nānyathā bhavet //
"You were requested by me for the benefit of the three worlds, and were likewise granted by Śambhu, O goddess; that cannot be otherwise."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 76.8
तद् गौतमवचः श्रुत्वा गङ्गा मेने द्विजेरितम् त्रेधात्मानं विभज्याथ स्वर्गमर्त्यरसातले ॥
tad gautamavacaḥ śrutvā gaṅgā mene dvijeritam tredhātmānaṃ vibhajyātha svargamartyarasātale //
Hearing that speech of Gautama, the Gaṅgā approved what the twice-born had said, and then, dividing herself threefold, into heaven, the mortal world, and the nether world—
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 76.9
स्वर्गे चतुर्धा व्यगमत् सप्तधा मर्त्यमण्डले रसातले चतुर्धैव सैवं पञ्चदशाकृतिः ॥
svarge caturdhā vyagamat saptadhā martyamaṇḍale rasātale caturdhaiva saivaṃ pañcadaśākṛtiḥ //
—in heaven she went forth in four ways, in sevenfold (streams) in the sphere of mortals, and in the nether world in four ways alone; thus she has fifteen forms.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 76.10
सर्वत्र सर्वभूतैव सर्वपापविनाशिनी सर्वकामप्रदा नित्यं सैव वेदे प्रगीयते ॥
sarvatra sarvabhūtaiva sarvapāpavināśinī sarvakāmapradā nityaṃ saiva vede pragīyate //
Everywhere she is verily all beings, the destroyer of all sins, the ever-granter of all desires; she herself is celebrated in the Veda.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 76.11
मर्त्या मर्त्यगताम् एव पश्यन्ति न तलं गताम् नैव स्वर्गगतां मर्त्याः पश्यन्त्य् अज्ञानबुद्धयः ॥
martyā martyagatām eva paśyanti na talaṃ gatām naiva svargagatāṃ martyāḥ paśyanty ajñānabuddhayaḥ //
Mortals see only her who has gone (to flow) among mortals; not her who has gone to the nether region; nor do mortals, whose minds are ignorant, see her who has gone to heaven.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 76.12
यावत् सागरगा देवी तावद् देवमयी स्मृता उत्सृष्टा गौतमेनैव प्रायात् पूर्वार्णवं प्रति ॥
yāvat sāgaragā devī tāvad devamayī smṛtā utsṛṣṭā gautamenaiva prāyāt pūrvārṇavaṃ prati //
So far as the goddess goes to the ocean, so far she is remembered as consisting of the gods; released by Gautama, she flowed on toward the eastern sea.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 76.13
ततो देवर्षिभिर् जुष्टां मातरं जगतः शुभाम् गौतमो मुनिशार्दूलः प्रदक्षिणम् अथाकरोत् ॥
tato devarṣibhir juṣṭāṃ mātaraṃ jagataḥ śubhām gautamo muniśārdūlaḥ pradakṣiṇam athākarot //
Then Gautama, the tiger among sages, circumambulated to the right the auspicious mother of the world, attended by gods and seers.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 76.14
त्रिलोचनं सुरेशानं प्रथमं पूज्य गौतमः उभयोस् तीरयोः स्नानं करोमीति दधे मतिम् ॥
trilocanaṃ sureśānaṃ prathamaṃ pūjya gautamaḥ ubhayos tīrayoḥ snānaṃ karomīti dadhe matim //
Having first worshipped the three-eyed lord of the gods, Gautama formed the intention: "I shall bathe at both banks."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 76.15
स्मृतमात्रस् तदा तत्राविरासीत् करुणार्णवः तत्र स्नानं कथं सिध्येद् इत्य् एवं शर्वम् अब्रवीत् ॥
smṛtamātras tadā tatrāvirāsīt karuṇārṇavaḥ tatra snānaṃ kathaṃ sidhyed ity evaṃ śarvam abravīt //
Then, merely by being called to mind, the ocean of compassion appeared there; (Gautama) spoke thus to Śarva: "How may bathing there be accomplished?"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 76.16
कृताञ्जलिपुटो भूत्वा भक्तिनम्रस् त्रिलोचनम् ॥
kṛtāñjalipuṭo bhūtvā bhaktinamras trilocanam //
Having made his hands hollowed in salutation, bowed down with devotion, (he addressed) the three-eyed one:
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 76.17
देवदेव महेशान तीर्थस्नानविधिं मम ब्रूहि सम्यङ् महेशान लोकानां हितकाम्यया ॥
devadeva maheśāna tīrthasnānavidhiṃ mama brūhi samyaṅ maheśāna lokānāṃ hitakāmyayā //
"God of gods, great lord, tell me rightly the rule for bathing at the sacred ford, great lord, out of desire for the welfare of the worlds."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 76.18
महर्षे शृणु सर्वं च विधिं गोदावरीभवम् पूर्वं नान्दीमुखं कृत्वा देहशुद्धिं विधाय च ॥
maharṣe śṛṇu sarvaṃ ca vidhiṃ godāvarībhavam pūrvaṃ nāndīmukhaṃ kṛtvā dehaśuddhiṃ vidhāya ca //
"Great sage, hear the whole rule concerning the Godāvarī: first having performed the nāndīmukha (rite) and having effected purification of the body,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 76.19
ब्राह्मणान् भोजयित्वा च तेषाम् आज्ञां प्रगृह्य च ब्रह्मचर्येण गच्छन्ति पतितालापवर्जिताः ॥
brāhmaṇān bhojayitvā ca teṣām ājñāṃ pragṛhya ca brahmacaryeṇa gacchanti patitālāpavarjitāḥ //
and having fed brahmins and received their permission, they go in chastity, avoiding conversation with the fallen.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 76.20
यस्य हस्तौ च पादौ च मनश् चैव सुसंयतम् विद्या तपश् च कीर्तिश् च स तीर्थफलम् अश्नुते ॥
yasya hastau ca pādau ca manaś caiva susaṃyatam vidyā tapaś ca kīrtiś ca sa tīrthaphalam aśnute //
He whose two hands and two feet and mind as well are well restrained, and (who has) learning, austerity and good repute — he obtains the fruit of the sacred ford.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 76.21
भावदुष्टिं परित्यज्य स्वधर्मपरिनिष्ठितः श्रान्तसंवाहनं कुर्वन् दद्याद् अन्नं यथोचितम् ॥
bhāvaduṣṭiṃ parityajya svadharmapariniṣṭhitaḥ śrāntasaṃvāhanaṃ kurvan dadyād annaṃ yathocitam //
Abandoning corruption of intention, firmly established in his own duty, giving massage to the weary, he should give food as is fitting.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 76.22
अकिंचनेभ्यः साधुभ्यो दद्याद् वस्त्राणि कम्बलान् शृण्वन् हरिकथां दिव्यां तथा गङ्गासमुद्भवाम् अनेन विधिना गच्छन् सम्यक् तीर्थफलं लभेत् ॥
akiṃcanebhyaḥ sādhubhyo dadyād vastrāṇi kambalān śṛṇvan harikathāṃ divyāṃ tathā gaṅgāsamudbhavām anena vidhinā gacchan samyak tīrthaphalaṃ labhet //
He should give garments and blankets to good men who are destitute; listening to the divine story of Hari and likewise to that of the Gaṅgā's origin, going (on pilgrimage) by this rule he obtains the fruit of the sacred ford in full.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition