Chapter 5 - Naming the River Narmadā

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Yudhiṣṭhira said:

1-14. O excellent Brāhmaṇa, the entire story recounted is wonderful. The groups of sages along with me are extremely wonder-struck. It is very assuring that this divine, meritorious Narmadā, that has issued forth from the body of Rudra and hence has no human source of origin, causes the destruction of great sins. O sage of good holy rites, when seven Kalpas have come to a close (even as you have been a witness), this auspicious river along with you has not become dead. What else can be a more excellent merit? What are those Kalpas referred to, the seven ones, which come to an end, if this divine lady and you too, O great sage, have not become dead. When the whole universe had been converted into a vast expanse of waters without any trace of the flocks of birds, at the close of the Yuga, what was the form assumed by Mahādeva? How does he annihilate the universe? How does he remain in the great sea of waters? How does he create the universe? How does he sustain the subjects? What form does the divine river assume when everything has been converted into a single sea-like expanse of waters? Why is she called Narmadā? How is she remembered as Revā? Why this name Añjanā (or Rañjanā)? Why Surasā? Why was she called Kṛpā? Why the name Mandākinī? Why should she be (called) Śoṇa? Why (is she called) Trikūṭā? Why Vāluvāhinī? Crores and crores of Tīrthas have entered the great ocean. How many crores of these rivers serve Narmadā? How is she served by the sages with sacred threads and by the deities? O excellent sage, why is it heard that she is divided severally? Why is she called Vaiṣṇavī by those conversant with the Purāṇa? What are those Sthānas and Tīrthas where the excellent river has to be adored? Do mention the different Tīrthas separately where Hara is present. What is the size and magnitude of the divine river as created by Rudra? Of what nature are the Karmas (rites) mentioned by Rudra to you? O excellent Brāhmaṇa, how did this region become over-run by Mlecchas? O highly intelligent Mārkaṇḍeya, O holy Sir, narrate this unto me.

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:

15-26. May all the sages, and you too, O Yudhiṣṭhira, listen to the Purāṇic legend regarding Narmadā as recounted by the Trident-bearing Lord. It was heard by me from the Vāyu Devatā and he had heard it from Maheśvara. Since human beings are incapable, the sages abridged it formerly. The first one is Māyūra.^[1] O dear one, Kaurmya comes thereafter. Then Pura, Kauśika, Mātsya and Dvirada; Vārāha is what was seen by me. Vaiṣṇava is the eighth one. Then what was called Nyagrodha was evolved; then the excellent Ākāṃkṣā. Then Padma, Tāmasa, Saṃvarta, Udvarta and Mahāpralaya. These, the thinkers on the Vedas mentioned in regard to the Purāṇa.

These are the abridged versions condensed by those noble souls. They have been divided into four parts by Brahmā and others and the great sages. That I shall expatiate upon, O knower of the contents of Purāṇas. The highly terrible seven Kalpas during which this river did not die (had these characteristics): All mobile beings became enveloped in darkness without distinguishable characteristics and were not known clearly. The rays of the Moon and the Sun vanished. The living beings disappeared. At the extremity of the darkness, the Puruṣa, the preceptor of the universe, was known under his great name. The eternal one was both manifest and unmanifest. He moved about therein alone. Then the one consisting of Oṃkāra passed off and Dvija (the second-born from the original) created Gāyatrī. Then Īśāna, the Virāṭ (Cosmic) Puruṣa, sported about with her. From his own body he created the universe consisting of and named after the five elements. Sportingly he created the universe consisting of and named after the five elements. The being called Virāṭ sportingly created Hiraṇmaya (golden being) along with the Bīja (seed). That became the divine egg resembling the twelve Āditya’s (Suns) (in brilliance).

27-37. Breaking it (the egg) the four-faced being, Pitāmaha, was born. He created thus the universe consisting of Devas, Asuras and human beings, animals, creatures and birds, the sweat-born, egg-born and the embryo-born ones. This egg is proclaimed as the first one in the Purāṇas.

O excellent king, Parameṣṭhin Rudra sported about with Umā in the vast expanse of sea-like water. A splendid girl was born out of the sweat of Umā due to her delight. When Śarva’s chest pressed against the breasts of Umā, a great girl of lotus-like eyes issued forth from the sweat. This is the second birth, O Yudhiṣṭhira. That (lady, river) whirled around the worlds of Devas, Asuras and human beings. Unrivalled in beauty of form as she was, she maddened the three worlds. On seeing her, the leaders of Devas and Daityas were enchanted. They wondered: ‘How is she to be obtained?’ O scion of the family of Bharata, they searched for that girl here and there. She fascinated the entire universe through her seductive and graceful charms and coquettish manners. She moved about in her divine form like a lightning streak in the middle of clouds. The most excellent one among all maidens, she shone in her lustre. Then all the Suras, Daityas and Dānavas who were enamoured of that girl and overcome with Kama (lust) requested Rudra for that girl to be given to them. Then Mahādeva said: “Of the two, Devas and Dānavas, he who will prove superior in strength and splendour will attain this girl, not otherwise, O excellent Suras.”

38-44. Then all the Devas and Asuras approached the girl saying, “I shall seize her, I shall seize her.” Even as all were watching her, the girl vanished. Then they saw her stationed a Yojana away. All of them then rushed to the place where she was seen. Then they saw her stationed three or four Yojanas away. Then the lady of elephantine gait vanished and stationed herself hundreds and thousands of Yojanas away. On account of her lightness she was seen hundred thousands of Yojanas away. They saw her sometimes ahead and sometimes behind in different directions and intermediate quarters. The beautiful lady appeared in one direction and many directions. Thus they were forced to wander about by her for a period of a thousand divine years. But that girl born of Mahādeva’s limbs was not attained by them. Thereupon the Lord laughed boisterously along with Umā.

45-52. The Gaṇas joyously danced in accordance with the beating of the time. Suddenly the girl was seen very near Śaṅkara. On seeing her the wonder-struck Devas returned with faces turned away. Then the Pināka-bearing Lord himself gave her a name: “Since you humoured them by means of your pranks and gambols, O beautiful girl, you will become the excellent river Narmadā (Narma, humour+dā, giver).” The Lord resumed his form and joked. This river of cool water and auspicious features was called Narmadā by him. When the destruction of the seven Kalpas, as was said by Śaṃbhu before, took place, O great king, she did not die. She became well-known as Narmadā. Then he gave that well-behaved, splendid girl to the great Ocean. The Lord, the Lord of Devas, the Lord of all living beings and goblins gave her to the Ocean. Thereafter the divine river Narmadā laughing boisterously through the foams descended from the great mountain Ṛkṣa and entered the Ocean, the Lord of rivers. Thus she was born of Īśvara in the Brāhma Kalpa and was seen by me in Mātsya Kalpa. Listen as described by me.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

These are later considered as names of Kalpas.