Chapter 9 - The Origin of Narmadā

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:

1-7. I shall recount to you another subsequent Yugānta (ending of a Yuga). Listen.

Formerly when the world consisting of the mobile and immobile beings was burnt by the Suns, when everywhere the rivers, lakes and oceans were completely dried up and destroyed, when the utterance of Vaṣaṭ became non-existent among men, when people began to transgress bounds of decorum, the entire sky was filled with clouds of various forms shining with rainbows and the world was filled with floods of water. Thereupon it formed a vast ocean-like water expanse. Lord Hara kept the entire universe within his belly and went to sleep.

Supporting his own Prakṛti that Lord of subjects, the Yogic soul, entered the ocean and lay down for a period of a thousand Yugas.

All the sages beginning with Bhṛgu and those beginning with Sanaka, all those who reside in Brahmaloka saw the Bull-emblemed Lord lying asleep along with his wife on a splendidly pure couch covered with many sheets.

8-18. That lady is omniformed. Maheśvara is also omni-formed. I saw the immutable Lord who closely embraced her and lay asleep. At the foot of the Lord I saw that dark-complexioned girl characterised by lotuses, with well-shaped buttocks, massaging the feet of the Lord. That Śyāmā (Dark-complexioned one) was clad in pure, spotless garments. She had a python for the sacred thread. Her eyes resembled the petals of a lotus. She was bedecked in all sorts of ornaments. This knowledgeable Narmadā of excellent complexion serves and attends upon the sleeping Lord of the chiefs of Devas for the entire period of a thousand Yugas.

Brahmā, the great Lord too, eulogizes the immutable Śaṅkara along with his mental sons, Bhṛgu and others, by means of the four Vedas held by him, O king. With great devotion they eulogized Śaṃbhu free from ailments. With the Mantras originating from Īśvara, they continued the eulogy of the Lord of Devas there. All of a sudden, all those four Śrutis got submerged into the sea. With the Vedas got lost thus, the Lord (Brahmā) became enveloped with the darkness of ignorance. He approached Lord Īśāna who was asleep and began to wake him up. “O Hara, O tawny-eyed one, get up, O Mahādeva, O Maheśvara. All my Vedas have been taken away. Hence I am attempting to eulogize (you). The entire universe consisting of the mobile and immobile beings, whether divine or non-divine had been pervaded by the Vedas. It is due to them that I could remember the past and the present and performed the duty of creation. Without them I feel isolated. I am no better than a dumb, blind and senseless one, always. Without them there is no hope of any movement, vigour, strength or ardour. O Lord of the chiefs of Devas, I cannot recollect anything without them.

19-28. It behoves you, O Lord of the chiefs of Devas, to give them (back) to me quickly. The entire universe consisting of the mobile and immobile beings is insentient, blind and deaf. O Lord of Suras, the fourteen worlds do not shine. Deprived of the Vedas, O Lord of Suras, I have become deficient in vigour and vitality. Hence I bow down (ardently). Whatever there is, whether mobile or immobile, is entirely born of the Vedas. O preceptor of the universe, the entire range of scriptural texts shines well only as long as the eternal treasure of the Vedas has not been removed. By keeping up and holding steadfast to the Vedas one can quell all sins as in the case of the darkness that is destroyed by the rising sun.

The eternal Brahman is the subtle mystery in the Vedas. O Lord, I used to know it as seated in the heart. It has gone now due to the roar of the Vedas. O Śaṅkara, I was reciting the Vedas before you to-day. All of a sudden, those Vedas have gone away. O Lord, I shall not be in a position to create the earth. All of them (the Vedas) have entered the ocean in front. They are being requested for by me. Let them stay in my memory. O Śarva, this daughter of wide eyes knows everything. O Bhava, no one else is like her. She has been in existence for a thousand Yugas. This illustrious sage Mārkaṇḍa is the most excellent one among intelligent ones. O Mahādeva, he attends upon you in every Kalpa. He performs excellent Vratas for the sake of the welfare of the three worlds.”

29-39. On being told thus by Brahmā Parameṣṭhin, the Lord of Devas spoke to Narmadā, the most excellent one among rivers, in sweet and smooth words: “O blessed one, tell Brahmā what he is asking for? By whom have all the Vedas of Brahmā, the preceptor of the universe, been taken away?” On being told thus by Rudra, the fawn-eyed one said: “O Maheśvara, while you were asleep, Brahmā was reciting the Vedas. In this terrible expanse of water, two terrible Dānavas, Madhu and Kaiṭabha, spotted out a vulnerable point. These two Asuras were already born in the previous Kalpa. They could not be defeated by Suras. O Mahādeva, formerly it was you who had created them. Hence they were invincible to Suras and Asuras. They had all the glory and fortune. They became subtle like wind. They snatched off all the Vedas even as the Grandfather was reciting them. Thereafter they entered the great ocean.”^[1]

On hearing these words of Amṛtā that highly refulgent one remembered the Conch-discus-club-bearing Lord of Devas^[2]. O great king, that excellent Sura, the Lord capable of bringing about the death of the Dānavas, the Lord adored by all the deities, came to the surface of the earth. The Lord then assumed the form of a fish and stirred up the ocean. There the Lord saw the Vedas kept in Pātāla. The Slayer of Madhu saw the two Daityas of great vigour and vitality. By means of his power he slew the two mighty-armed Daityas of great vigour and terrific strength. The Lord of the cosmos bedecked by the discus brought the Vedas kept hidden there in water and handed them to the Four-faced Lord.

40-50. Thereafter, having regained the Vedas Lord Pitāmaha became delighted. He again began the creation of the entire universe consisting of the mobile and immobile beings. The maid in attendance of Rudra, the meritorious divine river, the sanctifier of all living beings, diverted her water there.

Thereupon Devas and sages, with penance as their sole asset, began with highly delighted mind the worship of the Three-eyed Lord on her banks. The single form of Maheśa became for another reason triple and began to function in the forms of Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Īśvara.

Those who are deluded enough to emphasize absolute distinction among these are of sinful activities. How can they have piety and spiritual fulfilment?

In the same manner these three rivers born of Rudra are one and the same in the different forms of Gaṅgā, Revā and Sarasvatī. Gaṅgā is the form of Viṣṇu and is conducive to the destruction of all sins. Narmadā originating from the body of Rudra is also like that. The form of Brahmā, Sarasvatī, is well known in all the three worlds. The divine form of the goddess can go wherever she desires. She stands for the richness (i.e. powers) of speech.

Narmadā is specially greatest and most auspicious form divinely bestowed with the power of going wherever she pleased. Everywhere she is adored by Suras. She is remembered as the subtlest of all subtle forms pervading all living beings. This is the immortal, everlasting, excellent flight of stairs leading to heaven (Svarga). She was created by Rudra as the redeemer of people from the ocean of worldly existence.

51-56. Those who drink the water of this river become liberated from the mass of great sins. They leave off the state of mundane existence that existed without beginning and attain the pure and permanent salvation.

As is Gaṅgā, so is Revā and Sarasvatī too is so. The merit acquired from holy bath, visiting and meditation is mentioned as equal. Due to the boon granted, the blessed one (Narmadā) is mentioned as superior by learned men. By the mercy (of the Lord) she does not get defunct. If she is approached (the devotee is liberated). Hence people are liberated from sins by due performance of holy ablution and other auspicious rites, if they bow down to the Three-eyed Lord on Narmadā, O excellent king. Since this great river has originated from the limbs of Umā and Rudra, she has become highly meritorious and she takes the devotees to Svarga.

He who listens to the activity of the divine river (after getting detached from the body of the excellent Īśāna) goes to Rudra, being sung about loudly by Gandharvas and Yakṣas.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The role of Narmadā as the reporter of Veda-snatchers, Madhu and Kaiṭabha, to Śiva who was lying asleep on the ocean of cosmic waters is meant for the glorification of Narmadā and Śìva. BhP, Mbh and other Purāṇas do not attribute this (Viṣṇu’s) role to Śiva.

[2]:

The credit of killing Madhu and Kaiṭabha and restoration of the Vedas is not denied to Viṣṇu. But it is said that he was commanded to do so by Śiva. This is a Śaivite twist to the episode.