Bhūmi-khaṇḍa · Chapter 17
Sourceसोमशर्मोवाच- सर्वं देवि समाख्यातं धर्मसंस्थानमुत्तमम् । कथं पुत्रमहं विंद्यां सर्वज्ञं गुणसंयुतम् १। वद त्वं मे महाभागे यदि जानासि सुव्रते । दानधर्मादिकं भद्रे परत्रेह न संशयः २। सुमनोवाच- वसिष्ठं गच्छ धर्मज्ञं तं प्रार्थय महामुनिम् । तस्मात्प्राप्स्यसि वै पुत्रं धर्मज्ञं धर्मवत्सलम् ३। सूत उवाच- एवमुक्ते तया वाक्ये सोमशर्मा द्विजोत्तमः । एवं करिष्ये कल्याणि तव वाक्यं न संशयः ४। एवमुक्त्वा जगामाशु सोमशर्मा द्विजोत्तमः । वसिष्ठं सर्ववेत्तारं दिव्यं तं तपतां वरम् ५। गंगातीरे स्थितं पुण्यमाश्रमस्थं द्विजोत्तमम् । तेजोज्वालासमाकीर्णं द्वितीयमिव भास्करम् ६। राजमानं महात्मानं ब्रह्मण्यं च द्विजोत्तमम् । भक्त्या प्रणम्य विप्रेशं दंडवच्च पुनः पुनः ७। तमुवाच महातेजा ब्रह्मसूनुरकल्मषः । उपाविशासने पुण्ये सुखेन सुमहामते ८। एवमुक्त्वा स योगींद्रः पुनः प्राह तपोधनम् । गृहे पुत्रेषु ते वत्स दारभृत्येषु सर्वदा ९। क्षेममस्ति महाभाग पुण्यकर्मसु चाग्निषु । निरामयोसि चांगेषु धर्मं पालयसे सदा १०। एवमुक्त्वा महाप्राज्ञः पुनः प्राह सुशर्मणम् । किं करोमि प्रियं कार्यं सुप्रियं ते द्विजोत्तम ११। एवं संभाषितं विप्रं विरराम स कुंभजः । तस्मिन्नुक्ते महाभागे वसिष्ठे मुनिपुंगवे १२। स होवाच महात्मानं वसिष्ठं तपतां वरम् । भगवञ्छ्रूयतां वाक्यं सुप्रसन्नेन चेतसा १३। यदि मे सुप्रियं कार्यं त्वयैव मुनिपुंगव । मम प्रश्नार्थसंदेहं विच्छेदय द्विजोत्तम १४। दारिद्र्यं केन पापेन पुत्रसौख्यं कथं नहि । एतन्मे संशयं तात कस्मात्पापाद्वदस्व मे १५। महामोहेन संमुग्धः प्रियया बोधितो द्विज । तयाहं प्रेषितस्तात तव पार्श्वं समातुरः १६। तत्सर्वं हि समाचक्ष्व सर्वसंदेहनाशकम् । मुक्तिदाता भवस्व त्वं ममसंसारबंधनात् १७। वसिष्ठ उवाच- पुत्रा मित्राण्यथ भ्राता अन्ये स्वजनबांधवाः । पंचभेदास्तु संभेदात्पुरुषस्य भवंति ते १८। ते ते सुमनया प्रोक्ताः पूर्वमेव तवाग्रतः । ऋणसंबंधिनः सर्वे ते कुपुत्रा द्विजोत्तम १९। पुत्रस्य लक्षणं पुण्यं तवाग्रे प्रवदाम्यहम् । पुण्यप्रसक्तो यस्यात्मा सत्यधर्मरतः सदा २०। शुद्धिविज्ञानसंपन्नस्तपस्वी वाग्विदां वरः । सर्वकर्मसुसंधीरो वेदाध्ययनतत्परः २१। स सर्वशास्त्रवेत्ता च देवब्राह्मणपूजकः । याजकः सर्वयज्ञानां दाता त्यागी प्रियंवदः २२। विष्णुध्यानपरो नित्यं शांतो दांतः सुहृत्सदा । पितृमातृपरोनित्यं सर्वस्वजनवत्सलः २३। कुलस्य तारको विद्वान्कुलस्य परिपोषकः । एवं गुणैश्च संयुक्तः सपुत्रः सुखदायकः २४। अन्ये संबंधसंयुक्ताः शोकसंतापदायकाः । एतादृशेन किं कार्यं फलहीनेन तेन च २५। आयांति यांति ते सर्वे तापं दत्वा सुदारुणम् । पुत्ररूपेण ते सर्वे संसारे द्विजसत्तम २६। पूर्वजन्मकृतं पुण्यं यत्त्वया परिपालितम् । तत्सर्वं हि प्रवक्ष्यामि श्रूयतामद्भुतं पुनः २७। वसिष्ठ उवाच- भवाञ्छूद्रो महाप्राज्ञ पूर्वजन्मनि नान्यथा । कृषिकर्त्ता ज्ञानहीनो महालोभेन संयुतः २८। एकभार्या सदा द्वेषी बहुपुत्रो ह्यदत्तवान् । धर्मं नैव विजानासि सत्यं नैव परिश्रुतम् २९। दानं नैव त्वया दत्तं शास्त्रं नैव प्रतिश्रुतम् । कृता नैव त्वया तीर्थे यात्रा चैव महामते ३०। एवं कृतं त्वया विप्र कृषिमार्गं पुनः पुनः । पशूनां पालनं सर्व गवां चैव द्विजोत्तम ३१। महिषीणां तथाऽश्वानां पालनं च पुनः पुनः । एवं पू र्वंकृतं कर्म त्वयैव द्विजसत्तम ३२। विपुलं च धनं तद्वल्लोभेन परिसंचितम् । तस्य व्ययं सुपुण्येन न कृतं तु त्वया कदा ३३। पात्रे दानं न दत्तं तु दृष्ट्वा दुर्बलमेव च । कृपां कृत्वा न दत्तं तु भवता धनमेव च ३४। गोमहिष्यादिकं सर्वं पशूनां संचितं त्वया । विक्रीय च धनं विप्र संचितं विपुलं त्वया ३५। तक्रं घृतं तथा क्षीरं विक्रयित्वा ततो दधि । दुष्कालं चिंतितं विप्र मोहितो विष्णुमायया ३६। कृतं महार्घमेवात्र अन्नं ब्राह्मणसत्तम । निर्दयेन त्वया दानं न दत्तं तु कदाचन ३७। देवानां पूजनं विप्र भवता न कृतं कदा । प्राप्य पर्वाणि विप्रेभ्यो द्रव्यं न च समर्पितम् ३८। श्राद्धंकालंतुसंप्राप्यश्रद्धयानकृतंत्वया । भार्या वदति ते साध्वी दिनमेनं समागतम् ३९। श्वशुरस्य श्राद्धकालः श्वश्र्वाश्चैव महामते । त्वं श्रुत्वा तद्वचस्तस्या गृहं त्यक्त्वा पलायसे ४०। धर्ममार्गं न दृष्टं ते श्रुतं नैव कदा त्वया । लोभो मातापिता भ्राता लोभः स्वजनबांधवाः ४१। पालितं लोभमेवैकं त्यक्त्वा धर्मं सदैव हि । तस्माद्दुःखी भवाञ्जातो दरिद्रेणातिपीडितः ४२। दिनेदिने महातृष्णा हृदये ते प्रवर्द्धते । यदायदा गृहे द्रव्यं वृद्धिमायाति ते तदा ४३। तृष्णया दह्यमानस्तु तया त्वं वह्निरूपया । रात्रौ वा सुप्रसुप्तस्तु निश्चितो हि प्रचिंतसि ४४। दिनं प्राप्य महामोहैर्व्यापितोसि सदैव हि । सहस्रं लक्षं मे कोटिः कदा अर्बुदमेव च ४५। भविष्यति कदा खर्वो निखर्वश्चाथ मे गृहे । एवं सहस्रं लक्षं च कोटिरर्बुदमेव च ४६। खर्वो निखर्वः संजातस्तृष्णा नैव प्रगच्छति । तव कायं परित्यज्य वृद्धिमायाति सर्वदा ४७। नैव दत्तं हुतं विप्र भुक्तं नैव कदा त्वया । खनितं भूमिमध्ये तु क्षिप्तं पुत्रानजानते ४८। अन्यमेवमुपायं तु द्रव्यागमनकारणात् । कुरुषे सर्वदा विप्र लोकान्पृच्छसि बुद्धिमान् ४९। खनित्रमंजनं वादं धातुवादमतः परम् । पृच्छमानो भ्रमस्येकस्तृष्णया परिमोहितः ५०। स्पर्शंचिंतयसेनित्यंकल्पान्सिद्धिप्रदायकान् । प्रवेशं विवराणां तु चिंतमानः सु पृच्छसि ५१। तृष्णानलेन दग्धेन सुखं नैव प्रगच्छसि । तृष्णानलेन संदीप्तो हाहाभूतो विचेतनः ५२। एवं मुग्धोसि विप्रेंद्र गतस्त्वं कालवश्यताम् । दारापुत्रेषु तद्द्रव्यं पृच्छमानेषु वै त्वया ५३। कथितं नैव वृत्तांतं प्राणांस्त्यक्त्वा गतो यमम् । एवं सर्वं मया ख्यातं वृत्तांतं तव पूर्वकम् ५४। अनेन कर्मणा विप्र निर्धनोसि दरिद्रवान् । संसारे यस्य सत्पुत्रा भक्तिमंतः सदैव हि ५५। सुशीला ज्ञानसंपन्नाः सत्यधर्मरताः सदा । संभवंति गृहे तस्य यस्य विष्णुः प्रसीदति ५६। धनं धान्यं कलत्रं तु पुत्रपौत्रमनंतकम् । स भुंक्ते मर्त्यलोके वै यस्य विष्णुः प्रसन्नवान् ५७। विना विष्णोः प्रसादेन दारापुत्रान्न चाप्नुयात् । सुजन्म च कुलं विप्र तद्विष्णोः परमं पदम् ५८। इति श्रीपद्मपुराणेभूमिखंडेएंद्रे सुमनोपाख्यानेसप्तदशोऽध्यायः १७।
somaśarmovāca- sarvaṃ devi samākhyātaṃ dharmasaṃsthānamuttamam | kathaṃ putramahaṃ viṃdyāṃ sarvajñaṃ guṇasaṃyutam 1| vada tvaṃ me mahābhāge yadi jānāsi suvrate | dānadharmādikaṃ bhadre paratreha na saṃśayaḥ 2| sumanovāca- vasiṣṭhaṃ gaccha dharmajñaṃ taṃ prārthaya mahāmunim | tasmātprāpsyasi vai putraṃ dharmajñaṃ dharmavatsalam 3| sūta uvāca- evamukte tayā vākye somaśarmā dvijottamaḥ | evaṃ kariṣye kalyāṇi tava vākyaṃ na saṃśayaḥ 4| evamuktvā jagāmāśu somaśarmā dvijottamaḥ | vasiṣṭhaṃ sarvavettāraṃ divyaṃ taṃ tapatāṃ varam 5| gaṃgātīre sthitaṃ puṇyamāśramasthaṃ dvijottamam | tejojvālāsamākīrṇaṃ dvitīyamiva bhāskaram 6| rājamānaṃ mahātmānaṃ brahmaṇyaṃ ca dvijottamam | bhaktyā praṇamya vipreśaṃ daṃḍavacca punaḥ punaḥ 7| tamuvāca mahātejā brahmasūnurakalmaṣaḥ | upāviśāsane puṇye sukhena sumahāmate 8| evamuktvā sa yogīṃdraḥ punaḥ prāha tapodhanam | gṛhe putreṣu te vatsa dārabhṛtyeṣu sarvadā 9| kṣemamasti mahābhāga puṇyakarmasu cāgniṣu | nirāmayosi cāṃgeṣu dharmaṃ pālayase sadā 10| evamuktvā mahāprājñaḥ punaḥ prāha suśarmaṇam | kiṃ karomi priyaṃ kāryaṃ supriyaṃ te dvijottama 11| evaṃ saṃbhāṣitaṃ vipraṃ virarāma sa kuṃbhajaḥ | tasminnukte mahābhāge vasiṣṭhe munipuṃgave 12| sa hovāca mahātmānaṃ vasiṣṭhaṃ tapatāṃ varam | bhagavañchrūyatāṃ vākyaṃ suprasannena cetasā 13| yadi me supriyaṃ kāryaṃ tvayaiva munipuṃgava | mama praśnārthasaṃdehaṃ vicchedaya dvijottama 14| dāridryaṃ kena pāpena putrasaukhyaṃ kathaṃ nahi | etanme saṃśayaṃ tāta kasmātpāpādvadasva me 15| mahāmohena saṃmugdhaḥ priyayā bodhito dvija | tayāhaṃ preṣitastāta tava pārśvaṃ samāturaḥ 16| tatsarvaṃ hi samācakṣva sarvasaṃdehanāśakam | muktidātā bhavasva tvaṃ mamasaṃsārabaṃdhanāt 17| vasiṣṭha uvāca- putrā mitrāṇyatha bhrātā anye svajanabāṃdhavāḥ | paṃcabhedāstu saṃbhedātpuruṣasya bhavaṃti te 18| te te sumanayā proktāḥ pūrvameva tavāgrataḥ | ṛṇasaṃbaṃdhinaḥ sarve te kuputrā dvijottama 19| putrasya lakṣaṇaṃ puṇyaṃ tavāgre pravadāmyaham | puṇyaprasakto yasyātmā satyadharmarataḥ sadā 20| śuddhivijñānasaṃpannastapasvī vāgvidāṃ varaḥ | sarvakarmasusaṃdhīro vedādhyayanatatparaḥ 21| sa sarvaśāstravettā ca devabrāhmaṇapūjakaḥ | yājakaḥ sarvayajñānāṃ dātā tyāgī priyaṃvadaḥ 22| viṣṇudhyānaparo nityaṃ śāṃto dāṃtaḥ suhṛtsadā | pitṛmātṛparonityaṃ sarvasvajanavatsalaḥ 23| kulasya tārako vidvānkulasya paripoṣakaḥ | evaṃ guṇaiśca saṃyuktaḥ saputraḥ sukhadāyakaḥ 24| anye saṃbaṃdhasaṃyuktāḥ śokasaṃtāpadāyakāḥ | etādṛśena kiṃ kāryaṃ phalahīnena tena ca 25| āyāṃti yāṃti te sarve tāpaṃ datvā sudāruṇam | putrarūpeṇa te sarve saṃsāre dvijasattama 26| pūrvajanmakṛtaṃ puṇyaṃ yattvayā paripālitam | tatsarvaṃ hi pravakṣyāmi śrūyatāmadbhutaṃ punaḥ 27| vasiṣṭha uvāca- bhavāñchūdro mahāprājña pūrvajanmani nānyathā | kṛṣikarttā jñānahīno mahālobhena saṃyutaḥ 28| ekabhāryā sadā dveṣī bahuputro hyadattavān | dharmaṃ naiva vijānāsi satyaṃ naiva pariśrutam 29| dānaṃ naiva tvayā dattaṃ śāstraṃ naiva pratiśrutam | kṛtā naiva tvayā tīrthe yātrā caiva mahāmate 30| evaṃ kṛtaṃ tvayā vipra kṛṣimārgaṃ punaḥ punaḥ | paśūnāṃ pālanaṃ sarva gavāṃ caiva dvijottama 31| mahiṣīṇāṃ tathā'śvānāṃ pālanaṃ ca punaḥ punaḥ | evaṃ pū rvaṃkṛtaṃ karma tvayaiva dvijasattama 32| vipulaṃ ca dhanaṃ tadvallobhena parisaṃcitam | tasya vyayaṃ supuṇyena na kṛtaṃ tu tvayā kadā 33| pātre dānaṃ na dattaṃ tu dṛṣṭvā durbalameva ca | kṛpāṃ kṛtvā na dattaṃ tu bhavatā dhanameva ca 34| gomahiṣyādikaṃ sarvaṃ paśūnāṃ saṃcitaṃ tvayā | vikrīya ca dhanaṃ vipra saṃcitaṃ vipulaṃ tvayā 35| takraṃ ghṛtaṃ tathā kṣīraṃ vikrayitvā tato dadhi | duṣkālaṃ ciṃtitaṃ vipra mohito viṣṇumāyayā 36| kṛtaṃ mahārghamevātra annaṃ brāhmaṇasattama | nirdayena tvayā dānaṃ na dattaṃ tu kadācana 37| devānāṃ pūjanaṃ vipra bhavatā na kṛtaṃ kadā | prāpya parvāṇi viprebhyo dravyaṃ na ca samarpitam 38| śrāddhaṃkālaṃtusaṃprāpyaśraddhayānakṛtaṃtvayā | bhāryā vadati te sādhvī dinamenaṃ samāgatam 39| śvaśurasya śrāddhakālaḥ śvaśrvāścaiva mahāmate | tvaṃ śrutvā tadvacastasyā gṛhaṃ tyaktvā palāyase 40| dharmamārgaṃ na dṛṣṭaṃ te śrutaṃ naiva kadā tvayā | lobho mātāpitā bhrātā lobhaḥ svajanabāṃdhavāḥ 41| pālitaṃ lobhamevaikaṃ tyaktvā dharmaṃ sadaiva hi | tasmādduḥkhī bhavāñjāto daridreṇātipīḍitaḥ 42| dinedine mahātṛṣṇā hṛdaye te pravarddhate | yadāyadā gṛhe dravyaṃ vṛddhimāyāti te tadā 43| tṛṣṇayā dahyamānastu tayā tvaṃ vahnirūpayā | rātrau vā suprasuptastu niścito hi praciṃtasi 44| dinaṃ prāpya mahāmohairvyāpitosi sadaiva hi | sahasraṃ lakṣaṃ me koṭiḥ kadā arbudameva ca 45| bhaviṣyati kadā kharvo nikharvaścātha me gṛhe | evaṃ sahasraṃ lakṣaṃ ca koṭirarbudameva ca 46| kharvo nikharvaḥ saṃjātastṛṣṇā naiva pragacchati | tava kāyaṃ parityajya vṛddhimāyāti sarvadā 47| naiva dattaṃ hutaṃ vipra bhuktaṃ naiva kadā tvayā | khanitaṃ bhūmimadhye tu kṣiptaṃ putrānajānate 48| anyamevamupāyaṃ tu dravyāgamanakāraṇāt | kuruṣe sarvadā vipra lokānpṛcchasi buddhimān 49| khanitramaṃjanaṃ vādaṃ dhātuvādamataḥ param | pṛcchamāno bhramasyekastṛṣṇayā parimohitaḥ 50| sparśaṃciṃtayasenityaṃkalpānsiddhipradāyakān | praveśaṃ vivarāṇāṃ tu ciṃtamānaḥ su pṛcchasi 51| tṛṣṇānalena dagdhena sukhaṃ naiva pragacchasi | tṛṣṇānalena saṃdīpto hāhābhūto vicetanaḥ 52| evaṃ mugdhosi vipreṃdra gatastvaṃ kālavaśyatām | dārāputreṣu taddravyaṃ pṛcchamāneṣu vai tvayā 53| kathitaṃ naiva vṛttāṃtaṃ prāṇāṃstyaktvā gato yamam | evaṃ sarvaṃ mayā khyātaṃ vṛttāṃtaṃ tava pūrvakam 54| anena karmaṇā vipra nirdhanosi daridravān | saṃsāre yasya satputrā bhaktimaṃtaḥ sadaiva hi 55| suśīlā jñānasaṃpannāḥ satyadharmaratāḥ sadā | saṃbhavaṃti gṛhe tasya yasya viṣṇuḥ prasīdati 56| dhanaṃ dhānyaṃ kalatraṃ tu putrapautramanaṃtakam | sa bhuṃkte martyaloke vai yasya viṣṇuḥ prasannavān 57| vinā viṣṇoḥ prasādena dārāputrānna cāpnuyāt | sujanma ca kulaṃ vipra tadviṣṇoḥ paramaṃ padam 58| iti śrīpadmapurāṇebhūmikhaṃḍeeṃdre sumanopākhyānesaptadaśo'dhyāyaḥ 17|
English translation
Somaśaman said :
1-2. O respectable lady, you have told (me) the excellent form of Dharma . O you noble one, O you of a good vow, tell me if you know how I would get a son endowed with all virtues. There is no doubt that good acts like charity (are fruitful) in this and the next world.
Sumanā said :
3. Go to Vasiṣṭha who knows (what) virtue (is). Request that great sage. From him you will (learn how to) obtain a son knowing piety and loving it.
Sūta said :
4. When she had said these words, Somaśarman , the best brāhmaṇa (said to her:) “O auspicious lady, I shall follow your words (i.e. advice). There is no doubt about it.”
5-6. Speaking thus, the best brāhmaṇa, Somaśarman, quickly went to the omniscient, divine Vasiṣṭha, who was the best among those who practised penance, who lived on the bank of the Ganges in a hermitage, who was the best among the brāhmaṇas , who was full of the flames of lustre and was as it were another sun.
7. He repeatedly, devoutly, saluted the shining, noble, best brāhmaṇa, well-versed in the Vedas , in the manner of a staff (i.e. by prostrating himself before Vasiṣṭha).
8. The very lustrous, sinless son of Brahmā (i.e. Vasiṣṭha), said to him: “O you highly intelligent one, (please) sit comfortably on the auspicious seat.”
9-10. Saying so, the best of the yogins again said to him, who was rich in penance: “O noble one, O dear one, is there all well in your house, with your sons, wife, servants, and fires used for sacred rites? Are you alright, and do you always practise virtue?”
11. Speaking thus, the very wise one (i.e. Vasiṣṭha) again said to Suśarman (i.e. Somaśarman): “O best brāhmaṇa, what work dear to you should I do for you?”
12a. Speaking thus to the brāhmaṇa, Vasiṣṭha ceased (to speak).
12b-13. When that best, noble sage Vasiṣṭha spoke (like that), he (i.e. Somaśarman), spoke to noble Vasiṣṭha, the best among those who practise penance: “O revered sir, (please) listen to my words with a very much pleased mind.
14. O best among the sages, O best brāhmaṇa, if you want to do what I like, (then) remove the doubt expressed by my question.
15-17. O dear one, due to what sin (does) poverty (come to one) and how is it that one does not get happiness? This is my doubt. Tell me due to what sin (this happens). O brāhmaṇa, I am confused with great delusion. I was advised by my dear wife. I, who was eager, was sent to you by her. Then tell me all that which would remove all my doubts. (Please) relieve me from the bondage of the worldly existence.”
Vasiṣṭha said :
18. Sons, friends, brother, and kinsmen and relatives are the five kinds of men, according to the difference (depending upon the relation).
19. (About) all of them Sumanā has already told you. O best brāhmaṇa, all those are bad sons, connected on account of debt.
20-24. I shall (now) tell you the auspicious characteristics of a son. That son whose mind is attached to merit, who is always engaged in religious conduct, who is endowed with purity and knowledge, who practises penance, who is best among speakers, who is very steady in all his acts, who is devoted to Vedic studies, who knows (i.e. has studied) all sacred books, who honours gods and brāhmaṇas, who performs all (kinds of) sacrifices, who is a donor, who gives away (in charity without expecting any reward in return), who speaks agreeable words, who is always intent upon meditation on Viṣṇu , is tranquil, restrained and friendly, who is always devoted to his father and mother and affectionate to his kinsmen, who is a saviour of his family, who is learned, who supports his family—a son endowed with such virtues gives happiness.
25-26. Others connected by relation (as a son) cause grief and tormentation. What is the use of such a useless son? All such (sons) come into the worldly existence as sons and go out of it after causing great tormentation, O you best brāhmaṇa.
27. Again listen to all the wonderful account which I shall tell you about the religious merit which you did and (the practices) you maintained in the previous birth.
Vasiṣṭha continued :
28-31. O you very intelligent one, in the former birth you were a Śūdra , and none else. You were a farmer; you were ignorant; you had great greed; you had one wife; you always hated (others). You had many sons; you never gave away (anything in charity); you did not know religious conduct at all; you had never heard (what) truth (is). You had never given a gift; you had never listened to sacred texts; O you highly intelligent one, you had never undertaken a pilgrimage to a sacred place.
32. Thus, O brāhmaṇa, you practised agriculture repeatedly. O best brāhmaṇa, you again and again guarded animals, all cows, buffaloes and also horses. O best of brāhmaṇas, such deed (s) you did formerly (i.e. in your previous birth).
33. Similarly, through greed you collected much wealth; but you never spent it in a good way.
34. You never gave any present to a worthy person, or seeing a weak person you never showed him any compassion and never gave him money.
35. You also collected beasts like cows and buffaloes, and having sold them you hoarded ample wealth.
36a. (And also you hoarded ample wealth) by selling butter-milk, ghee , milk and curd.
36b-38. Being deluded by Viṣṇu’s Māyā , O brāhmaṇa, you, thinking of (i.e. taking advantage of) bad times, made food more costly here (only), O best brāhmaṇa. You, who were cruel, never made any present (to anyone). O brāhmaṇa, you never worshipped deities. When the parvan -days arrived, you never gave money to the brāhmaṇas.
39-40a. When the time for Śrāddha came, you never performed it with faith. Your virtuous wife (used to) say: “O you very intelligent one, the day has come. It is time for offering Śrāddha to (my) father-in-law, and to (my) mother-in-law also.”
40b-42a. Hearing those words of (i.e. uttered by) her, you (used to) abandon and run away from your house. You never saw (i.e. cared for) the path of righteousness nor did you ever hear about it. Greed (was) your father, your brother. Greed (was) your kinsmen and relatives. Always forsaking religious conduct, you cherished greed alone.
42b. Therefore, being extremely oppressed by poverty, you became unhappy.
43-48. Everyday great greed increased in your mind, whenever in your house wealth increased. Being burnt by the fire of anxiety, you definitely used to think of wealth even when you used to sleep at night. When the day dawned, you were always pervaded by great delusions: ‘When will there be a thousand, a lakh , a crore or one hundred millions or one thousand crores or a billion (coins) in my house?’ Thus a thousand, a lakh, a crore, a hundred millions, a thousand crores, a bilion (coins) were (collected by you); but (your) greed never went away leaving (i.e. from your) body. (On the contrary) it always increased. You never gave (in charity); you never offered oblations to fire, you never enjoyed (wealth); you dug the earth and deposited (the coins in it) without the knowledge of your sons. O brāhmaṇa, you also always adopted other means to get wealth.
49-51. Being intelligent you also asked people about other means of getting wealth. Asking (people) about spades, collyrium [1] , explanation (of secret formulae) and minerology, and being fully deluded by greed, you wandered all alone. You always thought of sexual union, and about procedures giving superhuman powers. Always thinking about entering into fissures you asked (people about them).
52-54a. Due to the blazing of fire of greed, you were (reduced to a pitiable plight, always) saying ‘Alas, Alas’, and had become senseless. O best brāhmaṇa, you were thus infatuated; and had been subdued by destiny. When your wife and sons asked you about that wealth, you never told them (any) account of it, and abandoning life, you went to Yama .
54b-57. Thus I have told you all your former account. O brāhmaṇa, due to this deed (i.e. these deeds) you became indigent and poor. Viṣṇu is pleased with him in whose house, in his worldly existence, the sons are of good character, endowed with knowledge and always interested in truthfulness and in good conduct. He with whom Viṣṇu is pleased, endlessly enjoys in the world of mortals wealth, grains, wife, sons and grandsons. O brāhmaṇa, without Viṣṇu’s favour he cannot obtain a wife, sons or a good birth or a good family. That is the highest position of Viṣṇu.
[1]: [1] : Añjana—seems to refer to the practice of putting a particular kind of collyrium into the eyes and then to see where wealth may be found. Vāda—seems to be a reference to the exposition of certain secret spells helping to obtain wealth.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 37660, revision 334915 (2022-04-07T22:48:12Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc364224.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.