गन्धमादनमूर्ध्नीह पतिता पापहारिणी । अन्तरेण तु भद्राश्ववर्षं प्राच्यां समागता
Falling on the summit of Gandhamadana, she destroys sin; passing through the land of Bhadrashva, she reaches the eastern ocean.
क्षारोदधिं गता सा तु द्युनदी देवपूजिता । ततो माल्यवतः शृङ्गाद् द्वितीया परिनिर्गता
She, the divine river worshipped by the gods, reached the salt ocean; then, from the peak of Malyavat, the second stream emerged.
ततो वेगवती भूत्वा केतुमालं समागता । चक्षुर्नाम्नी देवनदी प्रतीच्यां दिश्युपागता
Then, becoming Vegavati, she reached Ketumala; the divine river named Chakshus flowed to the western direction.
सरितां पतिमाविष्टा सा गङ्गा देववन्दिता । ततस्तृतीया धारा तु नाम्ना ख्याता च नारद
Entering the lord of rivers, that Ganga, praised by the gods, became manifest; then the third stream, O Narada, became known by name.
पुण्या चालकनन्दा वै दक्षिणेनाब्जभूपदात् । वनानि गिरिकूटानि समतिक्रम्य चागता
The sacred river Alakananda, indeed, having come from the southern side of the lotus-born's abode, has crossed forests and mountain peaks and arrived here.
हेमकूटं गिरिवरं प्राप्तातोऽपीह निर्गता । अतिवेगवती भूत्वा भारतं चागतापरा
Having reached the excellent mountain Hemakuta, she then emerged from there as another swift-flowing stream and entered the land of Bharata.
दक्षिणं जलधिं प्राप्ता तृतीया सा सरिद्वरा । यस्याः स्नानाय सरतां मनुजानां पदे पदे
The third great river reached the southern ocean, and for those humans who bathe in her waters at every step—
राजसूयाश्वमेधादि फलं तु न हि दुर्लभम् । ततश्चतुर्थी धारा तु भृङ्गवत्पर्वतात्पुनः
The fruit of Rajasūya, Ashvamedha, and other great sacrifices is not difficult to obtain; then, the fourth stream, again from the mountain Bhringavat—
भद्राभिधा संस्रवन्ती कुरून्सन्तर्प्य चोत्तरान् । समुद्रं समनुप्राप्ता गङ्गा त्रैलोक्यपावनी
Known as Bhadrā, she flows, satisfying the northern Kurus, and reaches the ocean—the Ganga, purifier of the three worlds.
अन्ये नदाश्च नद्यश्च वर्षे वर्षेऽपि सन्ति हि । बहुशो मेरुमन्दारप्रसूताश्चैव नारद
There are also many other rivers and streams in every region, O Nārada, many of which arise from Meru and Mandara.
तत्रापि भारतं वर्षं कर्मक्षेत्रमुशन्ति हि । अन्यानि चाष्टवर्षाणि भौमस्वर्गप्रदानि च
Yet, among them, the land of Bharata is called the field of action; the other eight regions grant heavenly pleasures on earth.
स्वर्गिणां पुण्यशेषस्य भोगस्थानानि नारद । पुरुषाणां चायुतायुर्वज्राङ्गा देवसन्निभाः
For those who have remaining merit from heaven, O Nārada, these are places of enjoyment; the men there have ten thousand years of life, bodies like thunderbolts, and resemble the gods.
पुरुषा नागसाहस्रैर्दशभिः परिकल्पिताः । महासौरतसन्तुष्टाः कलत्राढ्याः सुखान्विताः
The men are formed with the strength of ten thousand elephants, greatly satisfied in love, possessing many wives, and endowed with happiness.
एकवर्षोनके चायुष्याप्तगर्भाः स्त्रियोऽपि हि । त्रेतायुगसमः कालो वर्तते सर्वदैव हि
In each of those regions, women are long-lived, free from pregnancy, and the passage of time is always like the Tretā Yuga.
भुवनकोशवर्णने इलावृतभद्राश्ववर्षवर्णनम् श्रीनारायण उवाच तेषु वर्षेषु देवेशाः पूर्वोक्तैः स्तवनैः सदा । पूजयन्ति महादेवीं जपध्यानसमाधिभिः
Description of the cosmic regions: the lands of Ilāvṛta and Bhadrāśva. Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: In those regions, O lords of the gods, they always worship the Great Goddess with the hymns previously mentioned, through recitation, meditation, and absorption.
सर्वर्तुकुसुमश्रेणी शोभिता वनराजयः । फलानां पल्लवानां च यत्र शोभा निरन्तरम्
The forests there are adorned with clusters of flowers in every season, and there is unbroken beauty of fruits and young shoots.
तेषु काननवर्षेषु वर्षपर्वतसानुषु । गिरिद्रोणीषु सर्वासु निर्मलोदकराशिषु
In those forested regions, on the slopes of the mountains, in all the mountain valleys, and in the clear waters—
विकचोत्पलमालासु हंससारससञ्चयैः । विमिश्रितेषु तेष्वेव पक्षिभिः कूजितेषु च
Among garlands of blooming lotuses, mingled with flocks of swans and cranes, and filled with the calls of birds—
जलक्रीडादिभिश्चित्रविनोदैः क्रीडयन्ति च । सुन्दरीललितभ्रूणां विलासायतनेषु च
They play with various delightful water games and amusements, in the abodes of beautiful, graceful women.
तत्रत्या विहरन्त्यत्र स्वैरं युवतिभिः सह । नवस्वपि च वर्षेषु भगवानादिपूरुषः
There, the inhabitants freely enjoy themselves with young women; and in all nine regions, the Blessed Primeval Person—
(नारायणाख्यो लोकानामनुग्रहरसैकदृक् ।) देवीमाराधयन्तास्ते स च सर्वैश्च पूज्यते । आत्मव्यूहेनेज्ययासौ सन्निधत्ते समाहितः
(Known as Nārāyaṇa, the single-minded bestower of grace upon the worlds,) they worship the Goddess, and he too is honored by all; by his own emanation and worship, he is present there, fully concentrated.
इलावृते तु भगवान् पद्मजाक्षिसमुद्भवः । एक एव भवो देवो नित्यं वसति साङ्गनः
In Ilāvṛta, the Blessed Lord, born from the lotus-eyed one, alone, as the god Bhava, eternally dwells there with his attendants.
तत्क्षेत्रे नापरः कश्चित्प्रवेशं वितनोति च । भवान्याः शापतस्तत्र पुमान्तस्त्री भवति स्फुटम्
In that sacred place, no one else is permitted entry; by the curse of Bhavani, any man who enters there is clearly transformed into a woman.
भवानीनाथकैः स्वीणामसंख्यैर्गणकोटिभिः । संरुध्यमानो देवेशो देवं सङ्कर्षणं भजन्
Surrounded by countless hosts of Bhavani's own attendants, the Lord of the gods, seeking refuge, worshipped Sankarshana.
आत्मना ध्यानयोगेन सर्वभूतहितेच्छया । तां तामसीं तुरीयां च मूर्तिं प्रकृतिमात्मनः
With his own mind absorbed in meditation, desiring the welfare of all beings, he approached that tamasic and transcendent form of his own nature.
उपधावते चैकाग्रमनसा भगवानजः । श्रीभगवानुवाच ॐनमो भगवते महापुरुषाय सर्वगुणसंख्यानायानन्तायाव्यक्ताय नम इति
The Blessed Lord, with one-pointed mind, approached her, the unborn one, and said: 'Om, obeisance to the Blessed Great Person, to the one whose qualities are countless, to the infinite, to the unmanifest—obeisance.'
भजे भजन्यारणपादपङ्कजं भगस्य कृत्स्नस्य परं परायणम् । भक्तेष्वलं भावितभूतभावनं भवापहं त्वा भव भावमीश्वरम्
I worship the lotus feet of the Supreme Refuge of all prosperity, the ultimate goal, who is sufficient for the devotees, who cherishes those devoted to him, who removes the suffering of existence—O Lord of existence, I worship you, the Lord of all beings.
न यस्य मायागुणकर्मवृत्तिभि- र्निरीक्षितो ह्यण्वपि दृष्टिरज्यते । ईशे यथा नो स्त्रतमन्युरंहसा कस्तं न मन्येत जिगीषुरात्मनः
He whose vision is not disturbed in the slightest by the activities of maya, qualities, or actions—just as the Lord is not agitated by sudden anger—who would not honor him, who seeks victory over himself?
असद्दृशो यः प्रतिभाति मायया क्षीबेव मध्वासवताग्रलोचनः । न नागवध्वोऽर्हण ईशिरे ह्रिया यत्पादयोः स्पर्शनधर्षितेन्द्रियाः
He who appears, through maya, as something other than he is—like a drunken man sees honey as water—yet the wives of the serpents are not worthy to worship him, for their senses are overpowered by the mere touch of his feet.
यमाहुरस्य स्थितिजन्मसंयमं त्रिभिर्विहीनं यमनन्तमॄषयः । न वेद सिद्धार्थमिव क्यचित्स्थितं भूमण्डलं मूर्धसहस्रधामसु
The sages declare that his maintenance, creation, and dissolution are free from the three gunas and endless; no one knows his true purpose, just as no one can fully know the earth among the thousand-peaked abodes.