हंसकोकिलनादैश्च मयूरध्वनिनादितम् । श्रीवृक्षैश्च कपित्थैश्च शिरीषै राजवृक्षकैः
It resounds with the calls of swans and cuckoos, and the cries of peacocks; there are auspicious trees, wood-apples, silk-cotton trees, and royal trees.
पारिजातकपुष्पैश्च कदंबोदुंबरैस्तथा । नानापुष्पैः सुगंधाढ्यैर्वासितं तद्वनं गिरौ
There are also flowers of pārijāta, kadamba, and udumbara; that forest on the mountain is perfumed with various fragrant flowers.
सर्वाभिरृषिपत्नीभिः सशिष्याभिः सुसेवितम् । केचिदभ्यासयुक्ताश्च केचिद्व्याख्यानतत्पराः
It was well attended by all the wives of the sages, along with their disciples; some were engaged in practice, and others devoted to exposition.
केचिदूर्ध्वभुजास्तत्र अंगुष्ठाग्रैः स्थिताः परे । शिवध्यानरताः केचित्केचिद्विष्णुपरायणाः
Some stood there with arms raised, others standing on their fingertips; some were absorbed in meditation on Shiva, and others devoted to Vishnu.
निराहाराश्च केप्यत्र केचित्पर्णाशने रताः । कंदमूलफलाहाराः केचिन्मौनव्रताः स्थिताः
Some there were fasting, some delighted in eating leaves; some subsisted on roots, tubers, and fruits, and some observed the vow of silence.
एकपादाः स्थिताः केचित्केचित्पद्मासने स्थिताः । केचिच्चैव निराहारास्तपस्तेपुः सुदुष्करम्
Some stood on one foot, others sat in the lotus posture; and some, indeed, practiced severe austerities without food.
आश्रमाणि च पुण्यानि नद्यश्च विविधाः शुभाः । देवखातान्यनेकानि तडागानि बहूनि च
There were also holy hermitages, various auspicious rivers, many divine reservoirs, and numerous ponds.
पर्वतोऽयं महाराज दृश्यते किल सर्वतः । मल्लिकार्जुनको राजन्यत्र तिष्ठति नित्यशः
O great king, this mountain is said to be visible from all sides; here, Mallikārjuna always resides.
तच्चैव शिखरं रम्यं पर्वतोपरि सेवितम् । शृंगदर्शनमात्रेण मुक्तिरेव न संशयः
That beautiful peak, well attended atop the mountain—by merely seeing its summit, there is surely liberation, without doubt.
दक्षिणां दिशमाश्रित्य वर्त्तते पर्वतोत्तमः । अत्र गंगा महद्रम्या पातालेति समाश्रिता
This supreme mountain lies toward the southern direction; here, the great and delightful Ganga is established, flowing down.
तत्र च स्नानमात्रेण महापापैः प्रमुच्यते । श्रीशैलशिखरं दृष्ट्वा वाराणस्यां मृतौ ध्रुवम्
There, by merely bathing, one is freed from great sins; seeing the peak of Śrīśaila, death in Varanasi is assured.
केदारे ह्युदकं पीत्वा पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते । तापसानां महत्स्थानं योगिनां च तथैव च
Indeed, by drinking the water at Kedara, there is no rebirth; it is a great place for ascetics and likewise for yogis.
तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन दर्शनं तस्य कारयेत् । अयं विज्ञानदेवोऽसौ महापातकनाशनः
Therefore, by every effort, one should seek its vision; this is the Lord of Knowledge, the destroyer of great sins.
सिद्धपुरं च नगरं रम्यं स्वर्गसुखावहम् । नित्यमप्सरसो यत्र गायंति च रमंति च
And there is Siddhapura, a delightful city, bestowing heavenly happiness, where celestial nymphs always sing and rejoice.
अतः पर्वताराजोऽयं दर्शने सौख्यकारकः । तस्य तैर्दर्शनं कार्यं मुक्तिमिच्छंति ये नराः
Therefore, this king of mountains brings happiness by its sight; those men who desire liberation should seek its vision.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे पंचपंचाशतसहस्रसंहितायां उत्तरखंडे श्रीशैलोपाख्याने एकोनविंशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the nineteenth chapter, entitled 'The Account of Śrīśaila,' in the Uttarakhaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Mahāpurāṇa, comprising fifty-five thousand verses.
श्रीमहादेवउवाच- हरिद्वारं महापुण्यं शृणु देवर्षिसत्तम । यत्र गंगा वहत्येव तत्रोक्तं तीर्थमुत्तमम्
Śrī Mahādeva said: Hear, O best of divine sages, about Haridwar, the most sacred place, where the Ganga truly flows, and where the supreme holy ford is described.
यत्र देवा वसंतीह ऋषयो मनवस्तथा । यत्र देवः स्वयं साक्षात्केशवो नित्यमाश्रितः
There, the gods dwell, as do the sages and Manus; there, the Lord Keśava himself is eternally present.
पुरा पूर्वं तु भो वत्स तीर्थं जातं महत्तदा । यस्य दर्शनमात्रेण दूरतो याति पातकम्
Long ago, O dear one, that great holy place came into being; by merely seeing it, sin departs from afar.
यत्र गंगा महारम्या जाता पुण्य विशेषतः । विष्णुपादोदकी जाता तच्चरणस्पर्शनात्ततः
There, the most delightful Ganga arose, especially sacred; the water from Vishnu's feet was born there, from the touch of his feet.
भगीरथेन भो विद्वन्नानीता तत्र मार्गतः । उद्धारः पूर्वजानां तु कृतस्तेन महात्मना
O learned one, Bhagiratha brought her here by clearing the path; by that great soul, the ancestors were rescued.
नारदउवाच- कोऽयं देव समाख्यातो भगीरथ महातपाः । येन तीर्थं समानीतं लोकानां हितकारणात्
Narada said: Who is this Bhagiratha, renowned for his great austerity, O Lord, by whom this sacred place was brought for the benefit of the worlds?
गंगातीर्थं महत्पुण्यं सर्वपापप्रणाशनम् । लोकाः सर्वे वदंत्येवमेतत्तीर्थोत्तमोत्तमम्
The Ganga's holy place is supremely virtuous, destroying all sins; all people declare this to be the highest of all sacred places.
गंगागंगेति यो ब्रूयाद्योजनानां शतैरपि । मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यो विष्णुलोकं स गच्छति
Whoever utters 'Ganga, Ganga,' even from hundreds of yojanas away, is freed from all sins and goes to the realm of Vishnu.
कथं तेन समानीता किं कार्यं वद सुव्रत । महादेव उवाच- येन गंगा यथानीता गंगाद्वारेऽतिशोभने
How was she brought by him? What was done? Tell me, O virtuous one. Mahadeva said: By whom and how Ganga was brought to the splendid Ganga's gate—
तत्सर्वं संप्रवक्ष्यामि क्रमानुक्रमयोगतः । पूर्वमासीद्धरिश्चंद्रस्त्रैलोक्ये सत्यपालकः
I will recount all this in proper order; formerly, Harishchandra existed, the protector of truth in the three worlds.
रोहितस्तस्यपुत्रोऽभूदेको विष्णुपरायणः । तस्यापि च वृकः पुत्रो धर्मिष्ठः सत्पथिस्थितः
His son was Rohita, devoted to Vishnu; and Rohita's son was Vrka, righteous and steadfast in the path of virtue.
तस्य पुत्रः सुबाहुश्च जातोस्मिन्वै कुले तदा । तस्य पुत्रो गरो नाम नात्यंतं धार्मिकोऽभवत्
His son Subahu was born in that lineage at that time; Subahu's son, named Gara, was not exceedingly virtuous.
कदाचित्कालयोगेन दुःखी जातोऽत्र कारणात् । राजा तु तत्र देशेन तर्जितो धर्मकारणात्
Once, through the workings of time, he became sorrowful for a certain reason; the king was threatened in that land because of righteousness.
स्वकुटुंबं गृहीत्वा तु गतोऽसौ भार्गवाश्रमे । रक्षितो भार्गवेणाथ कृपया तत्र वै तदा
Taking his family, he went to the hermitage of Bhargava; there, at that time, he was protected by Bhargava's compassion.