Kurma Purana — Purva Vibhaga — Chapter 35

KuP 1 35.1

मार्कण्डेय उवाच कथयिष्यामि ते वत्स तीर्थयात्राविधिक्रमम् । आर्षेण तु विधानेन यथा दृष्टं यथा श्रुतम्

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca kathayiṣyāmi te vatsa tīrthayātrāvidhikramam / ārṣeṇa tu vidhānena yathā dṛṣṭaṃ yathā śrutam

Mārkaṇḍeya said: I shall tell you, my child, the order of the rules for pilgrimage to the holy places, according to the ordinance of the seers, as it has been seen and as it has been heard.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

KuP 1 35.2

प्रयागतीर्थयात्रार्थो यः प्रयाति नरः क्वचित् । बलीवर्दं समारूढः शृणु तस्यापि यत्फलम्

prayāgatīrthayātrārtho yaḥ prayāti naraḥ kvacit / balīvardaṃ samārūḍhaḥ śṛṇu tasyāpi yatphalam

Whatever man travels anywhere for the purpose of pilgrimage to the holy place Prayāga mounted upon an ox — hear what fruit is his too.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

KuP 1 35.3

नरके वसते घोरे समाः कल्पशतायुतम् । ततो निवर्तते घोरो गवां क्रोधो हि दारुणः । सलिलं च न गृह्णन्ति पितरस्तस्य देहिनः

narake vasate ghore samāḥ kalpaśatāyutam / tato nivartate ghoro gavāṃ krodho hi dāruṇaḥ / salilaṃ ca na gṛhṇanti pitarastasya dehinaḥ

He dwells in a dreadful hell for a hundred myriad kalpa-years; only then does the terrible (state) cease, for the wrath of cows is fearsome; and the ancestors of that embodied being do not accept his water-offering.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

KuP 1 35.4

यस्तु पुत्रांस्तथा बालान् स्नापयेत् पाययेत् तथा । यथात्मना तथा सर्वान् दानं विप्रेषु दापयेत्

yastu putrāṃstathā bālān snāpayet pāyayet tathā / yathātmanā tathā sarvān dānaṃ vipreṣu dāpayet

But he who has his sons and the children bathe (there) and drink (the water) too, (doing) for all of them as for himself, should have gifts given to the brahmins.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

KuP 1 35.5

ऐश्वर्याल्लोभमोहाद् वा गच्छेद् यानेन यो नरः । निष्फलं तस्य तत् तीर्थं तसमाद्यानं विवर्जयेत्

aiśvaryāllobhamohād vā gacched yānena yo naraḥ / niṣphalaṃ tasya tat tīrthaṃ tasamādyānaṃ vivarjayet

The man who goes by a vehicle out of lordly pride, or out of greed and delusion — for him that holy place is fruitless; therefore he should avoid a vehicle.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

KuP 1 35.6

गङ्गायमुनयोर्मध्ये यस्तु कन्यां प्रयच्छति । आर्षेण तु विवाहेन यथा विभवविस्तरम्

gaṅgāyamunayormadhye yastu kanyāṃ prayacchati / ārṣeṇa tu vivāhena yathā vibhavavistaram

He who, between the Gaṅgā and the Yamunā, bestows a maiden by the ārṣa form of marriage, according to the extent of his wealth —

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

KuP 1 35.7

न स पश्यति तं घोरं नरकं तेन कर्मणा । उत्तरान् स कुरून् गत्वा मोदते कालमक्षयम्

na sa paśyati taṃ ghoraṃ narakaṃ tena karmaṇā / uttarān sa kurūn gatvā modate kālamakṣayam

by that deed he does not see that dreadful hell; going to the Northern Kurus he rejoices for undying time.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

KuP 1 35.8

वटमूलं समाश्रित्य यस्तु प्राणान् परित्यजेत् । सर्वलोकानतिक्रम्य रुद्रलोकं स गच्छति

vaṭamūlaṃ samāśritya yastu prāṇān parityajet / sarvalokānatikramya rudralokaṃ sa gacchati

He who gives up his life-breaths taking refuge at the foot of the banyan tree passes beyond all the worlds and goes to the world of Rudra.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

KuP 1 35.9

तत्र ब्रह्मादयो देवा दिशश्च सदिगीश्वराः । लोकपालाश्च सिद्धाश्च पितरो लोकसंमताः

tatra brahmādayo devā diśaśca sadigīśvarāḥ / lokapālāśca siddhāśca pitaro lokasaṃmatāḥ

There the gods headed by Brahmā, and the (four) quarters together with the lords of the quarters, and the guardians of the worlds and the Siddhas, and the fathers honoured by the world,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

KuP 1 35.10

सनत्कुमारप्रमुखास्तथा ब्रह्मर्षयो ऽपरे । नागाः सुपार्णाः सिद्धाश्च तथा नित्यं समासते । हरिश्च भगवानास्ते प्रजापतिपुरस्कृतः

sanatkumārapramukhāstathā brahmarṣayo 'pare / nāgāḥ supārṇāḥ siddhāśca tathā nityaṃ samāsate / hariśca bhagavānāste prajāpatipuraskṛtaḥ

and the other Brahmā-seers headed by Sanatkumāra, the Nāgas, the Suparṇas and the Siddhas — thus they sit together perpetually; and the Lord Hari abides there, with Prajāpati placed before him.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

KuP 1 35.11

गङ्गायमुनयोर्मध्ये पृथिव्या जघनं स्मृतम् । प्रयागं राजशार्दूल त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम्

gaṅgāyamunayormadhye pṛthivyā jaghanaṃ smṛtam / prayāgaṃ rājaśārdūla triṣu lokeṣu viśrutam

Between the Gaṅgā and the Yamunā is held to be the loins of the earth: Prayāga, O tiger among kings, renowned in the three worlds.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

KuP 1 35.12

तत्राभिषेकं यः कुर्यात् संगमे संशितव्रतः । तुल्यं फलवाप्नोति राजसूयाश्वमेधयोः

tatrābhiṣekaṃ yaḥ kuryāt saṃgame saṃśitavrataḥ / tulyaṃ phalavāpnoti rājasūyāśvamedhayoḥ

He who, of strict vows, performs his ablution there at the confluence obtains a fruit equal to that of the Rājasūya and the Aśvamedha.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

KuP 1 35.13

न मातृवचनात् तात न लोकवचनादपि । मतिरुत्क्रमणीया ते प्रयागगामनं प्रति

na mātṛvacanāt tāta na lokavacanādapi / matirutkramaṇīyā te prayāgagāmanaṃ prati

Neither at a mother's word, my son, nor even at the word of people should your resolve be abandoned regarding the going to Prayāga.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

KuP 1 35.14

दश तीर्थ सहस्त्राणि षष्टिकोट्यस्तथापरे । तेषां सान्निध्यमत्रैव तीर्थानां कुरुनन्दन

daśa tīrtha sahastrāṇi ṣaṣṭikoṭyastathāpare / teṣāṃ sānnidhyamatraiva tīrthānāṃ kurunandana

Ten thousand sacred fords, and sixty crores of others besides — the presence of those fords is right here, O joy of the Kurus.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

KuP 1 35.15

या गतिर्योगयुक्तस्य सत्त्वस्थस्य मनीषिणः । सा गतिस्त्यजतः प्राणान् गङ्गायमुनसंगमे

yā gatiryogayuktasya sattvasthasya manīṣiṇaḥ / sā gatistyajataḥ prāṇān gaṅgāyamunasaṃgame

Whatever goal belongs to the wise man joined in yoga and established in sattva, that same goal belongs to one who gives up his life-breaths at the confluence of the Gaṅgā and the Yamunā.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

KuP 1 35.16

न ते जीवन्ति लोके ऽस्मिन् यत्र तत्र युधिष्ठिर । ये प्रयागं न संप्राप्तास्त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम्

na te jīvanti loke 'smin yatra tatra yudhiṣṭhira / ye prayāgaṃ na saṃprāptāstriṣu lokeṣu viśrutam

They do not (truly) live in this world, anywhere at all, O Yudhiṣṭhira, who have not reached Prayāga, renowned in the three worlds.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

KuP 1 35.17

एवं दृष्ट्वा तु तत् तीर्थं प्रयागं परमं पदम् । मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यः शशाङ्क इव राहुणा

evaṃ dṛṣṭvā tu tat tīrthaṃ prayāgaṃ paramaṃ padam / mucyate sarvapāpebhyaḥ śaśāṅka iva rāhuṇā

Having thus beheld that sacred ford, Prayāga, the supreme abode, one is freed from all sins, as the moon (is freed) from Rāhu.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

KuP 1 35.18

कम्बलाश्वतरौ नागौ यमुनादक्षिणे तटे । तत्र स्नात्वा च पीत्वा च मुच्यते सर्वपातकैः

kambalāśvatarau nāgau yamunādakṣiṇe taṭe / tatra snātvā ca pītvā ca mucyate sarvapātakaiḥ

The two Nāgas Kambala and Aśvatara are on the southern bank of the Yamunā; having bathed and drunk there, one is freed from all sins.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

KuP 1 35.19

तत्र गत्वा नरः स्थानं महादेवस्य धीमतः । आत्मानं तारयेत् पूर्वं दशातीतान् दशापरान्

tatra gatvā naraḥ sthānaṃ mahādevasya dhīmataḥ / ātmānaṃ tārayet pūrvaṃ daśātītān daśāparān

Going there to the abode of the wise Mahādeva, a man would first deliver himself, (then) ten ancestors past and ten to come.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

KuP 1 35.20

कृत्वाभिषेकं तु नरः सो ऽश्वमेधफलं लभेत् । स्वर्गलोकमवाप्नोति यावदाहूतसंप्लवम्

kṛtvābhiṣekaṃ tu naraḥ so 'śvamedhaphalaṃ labhet / svargalokamavāpnoti yāvadāhūtasaṃplavam

And having performed the ablution, that man would obtain the fruit of a horse sacrifice; he attains the world of heaven until the (universal) deluge that has been proclaimed.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

KuP 1 35.21

पूर्वपार्श्वे तु गङ्गायास्त्रैलोक्यख्यातिमान् नृप । अवचः सर्वसामुद्रः प्रतिष्ठानं च विश्रुतम्

pūrvapārśve tu gaṅgāyāstrailokyakhyātimān nṛpa / avacaḥ sarvasāmudraḥ pratiṣṭhānaṃ ca viśrutam

On the eastern side of the Gaṅgā, O king, (is a place) famed in the three worlds, ... containing all the seas(?), and the well-known Pratiṣṭhāna.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

KuP 1 35.22

ब्रह्मचारी जितक्रोधस्त्रिरात्रं यदि तिष्ठति । सर्वपापविशुद्धात्मा सो ऽश्वमेधफलं लभेत्

brahmacārī jitakrodhastrirātraṃ yadi tiṣṭhati / sarvapāpaviśuddhātmā so 'śvamedhaphalaṃ labhet

If a chaste man who has conquered anger stays (there) for three nights, his self purified of all sin, he obtains the fruit of a horse sacrifice.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

KuP 1 35.23

उत्तरेण प्रतिष्ठानं भागीरथ्यास्तु सव्यतः । हंसप्रपतनं नाम तीर्थं त्रैलोक्यविश्रुतम्

uttareṇa pratiṣṭhānaṃ bhāgīrathyāstu savyataḥ / haṃsaprapatanaṃ nāma tīrthaṃ trailokyaviśrutam

North of Pratiṣṭhāna, on the left of the Bhāgīrathī, is the sacred ford named Haṃsaprapatana, renowned in the three worlds.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

KuP 1 35.24

अश्वमेधफलं तत्र स्मृतमात्रात् तु जायते । यावच्चन्द्रश्च सूर्यश्च तावत् स्वर्गे महीयते

aśvamedhaphalaṃ tatra smṛtamātrāt tu jāyate / yāvaccandraśca sūryaśca tāvat svarge mahīyate

There the fruit of a horse sacrifice arises from the mere remembering (of it); as long as the moon and sun (endure), so long is he honoured in heaven.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

KuP 1 35.25

उर्वशीपुलिने रम्ये विपुले हंसपाण्डुरे । परित्यजतियः प्राणान् शृणु तस्यापि यत् फलम्

urvaśīpuline ramye vipule haṃsapāṇḍure / parityajatiyaḥ prāṇān śṛṇu tasyāpi yat phalam

On the lovely, broad sandbank of Urvaśī, white as a swan, he who gives up his life-breaths — hear what fruit is his too.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

KuP 1 35.26

षष्टिवर्षसहस्त्राणि षष्टिवर्षशतानि च । आस्ते स पितृभिः सार्धं स्वर्गलोके नराधिप

ṣaṣṭivarṣasahastrāṇi ṣaṣṭivarṣaśatāni ca / āste sa pitṛbhiḥ sārdhaṃ svargaloke narādhipa

For sixty thousand years and sixty hundred years he dwells together with the fathers in the world of heaven, O lord of men.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

KuP 1 35.27

अथं संध्यावटे रम्ये ब्रह्मचारी जितेन्द्रियः । नरः शुचिरुपासीत ब्रह्मलोकमवाप्नुयात्

athaṃ saṃdhyāvaṭe ramye brahmacārī jitendriyaḥ / naraḥ śucirupāsīta brahmalokamavāpnuyāt

Then at the lovely Saṃdhyā banyan tree, a chaste man with senses conquered, pure, should worship: he would attain the world of Brahmā.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

KuP 1 35.28

कोटितीर्थं समाश्रित्य यस्तु प्राणान् परित्यजेत् । कोटिवर्षसहस्त्राणि स्वर्गलोके महीयते

koṭitīrthaṃ samāśritya yastu prāṇān parityajet / koṭivarṣasahastrāṇi svargaloke mahīyate

He who, resorting to Koṭitīrtha, gives up his life-breaths, is honoured in the world of heaven for a crore of thousands of years.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

KuP 1 35.29

यत्र गङ्गा महाभागा बहुतीर्थतपोवना । सिद्धक्षेत्रं हि तज्ज्ञेयं नात्र कार्या विचारणा

yatra gaṅgā mahābhāgā bahutīrthatapovanā / siddhakṣetraṃ hi tajjñeyaṃ nātra kāryā vicāraṇā

Where the greatly blessed Gaṅgā is, with her many holy fords and penance-groves, that is to be known as a field of the perfected ones; no deliberation is to be made about this.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

KuP 1 35.30

क्षितौ तारयते मर्त्यान् नागांस्तारयते ऽप्यधः । दिवि तारयते देवांस्तेन त्रिपथगा स्मृता

kṣitau tārayate martyān nāgāṃstārayate 'pyadhaḥ / divi tārayate devāṃstena tripathagā smṛtā

On earth she carries mortals across, and below she carries across the Nāgas too; in heaven she carries across the gods — therefore she is called the one who goes by three paths.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

KuP 1 35.31

यावदस्थीनि गङ्गायां तिष्ठन्ति पुरुषस्य तु । तावद् वर्षसहस्त्राणि स्वर्गलोके महीयते

yāvadasthīni gaṅgāyāṃ tiṣṭhanti puruṣasya tu / tāvad varṣasahastrāṇi svargaloke mahīyate

As long as a man's bones remain in the Gaṅgā, for that many thousands of years he is honoured in the world of heaven.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

KuP 1 35.32

तीर्थानां परमं तीर्थं नदीनां परमा नदी । मोक्षदा सर्वभूतानां महापातकिनामपि

tīrthānāṃ paramaṃ tīrthaṃ nadīnāṃ paramā nadī / mokṣadā sarvabhūtānāṃ mahāpātakināmapi

(She is) the supreme holy ford among fords, the supreme river among rivers, granting release to all beings, even to those guilty of great sins.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

KuP 1 35.33

सर्वत्र सुलभा गङ्गा त्रिषु स्थानेषु दुर्लभा । गङ्गाद्वारे प्रयागे च गङ्गासागरसंगमे

sarvatra sulabhā gaṅgā triṣu sthāneṣu durlabhā / gaṅgādvāre prayāge ca gaṅgāsāgarasaṃgame

Everywhere the Gaṅgā is easy to obtain, (but) in three places she is hard to obtain: at Gaṅgādvāra, at Prayāga, and at the confluence of the Gaṅgā and the ocean.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

KuP 1 35.34

सर्वेषामे भूतानां पापोपहतचेतसाम् । गतिमन्वेषमाणानां नास्ति गङ्गासमा गतिः

sarveṣāme bhūtānāṃ pāpopahatacetasām / gatimanveṣamāṇānāṃ nāsti gaṅgāsamā gatiḥ

For all beings whose minds are stricken by sin and who are seeking a course (of refuge), there is no course equal to the Gaṅgā.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

KuP 1 35.35

पवित्राणां पवित्रं च मङ्गलानां च मङ्गलम् । माहेश्वरात् परिभ्रष्टा सर्वपापहरा शुभा

pavitrāṇāṃ pavitraṃ ca maṅgalānāṃ ca maṅgalam / māheśvarāt paribhraṣṭā sarvapāpaharā śubhā

(She is) the purifier of the pure and the auspiciousness of auspicious things; fallen down from Maheśvara, she is the auspicious remover of all sins.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

KuP 1 35.36

कृते युगे तु तीर्थानि त्रेतायां पुष्करं परम् । द्वापरे तु कुरुक्षेत्रं कलौ गङ्गां विशिष्यते

kṛte yuge tu tīrthāni tretāyāṃ puṣkaraṃ param / dvāpare tu kurukṣetraṃ kalau gaṅgāṃ viśiṣyate

In the Kṛta age the holy fords (are supreme), in the Tretā Puṣkara is supreme, in the Dvāpara Kurukṣetra, (but) in the Kali (age) the Gaṅgā is held highest.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

KuP 1 35.37

गङ्गामेव निषेवेत प्रयागे तु विशेषतः । नान्यत् कलियुगोद्भूतं मलं हन्तुं सुदुष्कृतम्

gaṅgāmeva niṣeveta prayāge tu viśeṣataḥ / nānyat kaliyugodbhūtaṃ malaṃ hantuṃ suduṣkṛtam

One should resort to the Gaṅgā alone, and especially at Prayāga; there is nothing else to destroy the very evil impurity arisen in the Kali age.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

KuP 1 35.38

अकामो वा सकामो वा गङ्गायां यो विपद्यते । स मृतो जायते स्वर्गे नरकं च न पश्यति

akāmo vā sakāmo vā gaṅgāyāṃ yo vipadyate / sa mṛto jāyate svarge narakaṃ ca na paśyati

Whoever dies in the Gaṅgā, whether without desire (for it) or with desire, he, once dead, is born in heaven and does not see hell.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition