Chapter 92 - The Story of Narmadeśvara

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Skanda said:

1. O sage, I shall narrate to you the greatness of Narmadeśa. Merely by thinking of it all the great sins perish.

2. In the beginning of this Vārāhakalpa the leading sages asked: “O son of Mṛkaṇḍu, which is the most excellent river? Tell us.”

Mārkaṇḍeya said:

3. O sages, listen all of you. There are hundreds of rivers. All of them remove sins. All of them are bestowers of merit.

4-5. Of all the rivers, those that fall into the seas are the most excellent. Of all those rivers Gaṅgā, Yamunā, Narmadā and Sarasvatī are the most excellent rivers. Among the rivers, O eminent sages, these four are highly meritorious.

6. Gaṅgā is the embodiment of Ṛgveda. Yamunā is certainly Yajurveda. Narmadā shall be Sāmaveda personified and Sarasvatī Atharva Veda.

7. Gaṅgā is the origin of all rivers and it fills the ocean. No excellent river can attain equality with Gaṅgā.

8. But formerly Revā (Narmadā) performed penance for a long time. O excellent one, the creator (Brahmā) who was ready to grant the boons was requested thus:

9-13. “O Vidhi (Creator), O Lord, if you are pleased, grant me equality with Gaṅgā.” Thereupon Narmadā was told smilingly by Brahmā: “If equality with the Three-eyed Lord can be attained by anyone else, the equality with Gaṅgā can also be obtained by another river. If at any place another man can be equal to Puruṣottarna, then another river can attain equality with Gaṅgā. If at any place another woman can be on a par with Gaurī, another river shall attain equality with the celestial river. If by any means another city can be equal to the city of Kāśī, then another river can obtain similarity with the heavenly river.”

14. On hearing these words of Vidhi (Brahmā) Narmaḍā, the excellent river, refused the boon of the Creator and came to the city of Vārāṇasī.

15. Of all the meritorious rites no other rite than the installation of a Liṅga at Kāśī has been declared by some as a rite causing greatest welfare.

16. Thereafter, the meritorious river Narmadā made the installation duly in the Pilipilā Tīrtha near Triviṣṭapa.

17. Thereupon Śaṃbhu became pleased with that splendid-souled river end said: “O blessed one, O sinless one, choose whatever boon appeals to you.”

18-27. On hearing this, Revā, the most excellent river, said to Maheśvara: “O Dhūrjaṭi, of what avail here is a worthless boon, O Lord of Devas. O Maheśvara, may my devotion be unswerving towards the pair of your feet.” On hearing this very excellent statement of Revā the Lord became extremely delighted and said: “Let what you said be so. O abode of merits, I am granting you another boon. Take it.

By my blessings, O Narmadā, all the stones on your banks will be in the form of Liṅgas.

I shall grant you another excellent boon unachievable in fact by means of masses of austerities. Hear that too.

Gaṅgā removes sins instantly. Yamunā does it in seven days and Sarasvatī in three days but you remove merely at your sight.

I shall grant another boon too, O Narmadā that dispel sins at mere sight. The Liṅga named Narmadeśvara installed by you is highly meritorious and it will accord eternal salvation. The son of Sūrya (i.e. god of Death) will assiduously bow down on seeing the devotees of this Liṅga for the. sake of increasing great welfare. O noble lady, there are many Liṅgas in Kāśī at every step, but the greatness of Narmadeśa is something miraculous.”

After saying thus the Lord of Devas merged into that Liṅga.

28. After attaining the miraculous sanctity Narmadā became extremely delighted. The remover of sins at the mere sight, Narmadā returned to her own land.

29. On hearing the words of the saintly son of Mṛkaṇḍa, those eminent sages became delighted in their minds. They carried out the tasks beneficial to them.

Skanda said:

30. On hearing the greatness of Narmadeśa, a man endowed with devotion shall cast off the slough of sins and will attain excellent knowledge.