Bhūmi-khaṇḍa · Chapter 23
Sourceऋषय ऊचुः- विचित्रेयं कथा पुण्या धन्या यशोविधायिनी । सर्वपापहरा प्रोक्ता भवता वदतां वर १। सृष्टिसंबंधमेतन्नस्तद्भवान्वक्तुमर्हति । पूर्वमेव यथासृष्टिर्विस्तरात्सूतनंदन २। सूत उवाच- विस्तरेण प्रवक्ष्यामि सृष्टिसंहारकारणम् । श्रुतमात्रेण यस्यापि नरः सर्वज्ञतां व्रजेत् ३। हिरण्यकश्यपेनापि व्यापितं भुवनत्रयम् । तपसाराध्य प्रबह्माणं वरं प्राप्तं सुदुर्लभम् ४। तस्माद्देवान्महाभागादमरत्वं तथैव च । देवाँल्लोकान्स संव्याप्य प्रभुत्वं स्वयमर्जितम् ५। ततो देवाः सगंधर्वा मुनयो वेदपारगाः । नागाश्च किन्नराः सिद्धा यक्षाश्चैव तथापरे ६। ब्रह्माणं तु पुरस्कृत्य जग्मुर्नारायणं प्रभुम् । क्षीरसागरसंसुप्तं योगनिद्रां गतं प्रभुम् ७। तं संबोध्य महास्तोत्रैर्देवाः प्रांजलयस्तथा । संबुद्धे सति देवेशे वृत्तं तस्य दुरात्मनः ८। आचचक्षुर्महाप्राज्ञ समाकर्ण्य जगत्पतिः । नृसिंहरूपमास्थाय हिरण्यकशिपुं व्यहन् ९। पुनर्वाराहरूपेण हिरण्याक्षो महाबलः । उद्धृता वसुधा पुण्या असुरो घातितस्तदा १०। अन्यांश्चघातयामास दानवान्घोरदर्शनान् । एवं चैतेषु नष्टेषु दानवेषु महत्सु च ११। अन्येषु तेषु नष्टेषु दितिपुत्रेषु वै तदा । पुनः स्थानेषु प्राप्तेषु देवेषु च महत्सु च १२। यज्ञेष्वेव प्रवृत्तेषु सर्वेषु धर्मकर्मसु । सुस्थेषु सर्वलोकेषु सा दितिर्दुःखपीडिता १३। पुत्रशोकेन संतप्ता हाहाभूता विचेतना । भर्तारं सूर्यसंकाशं तपस्तेजः समन्वितम् १४। दातारं च महात्मानं भर्तारं कश्यपं तदा । भक्त्या प्रणम्य विप्रेन्द्र तमुवाच महामतिम् १५। भगवन्नष्टपुत्राहं कृता देवेन चक्रिणा । दैतेया दानवाः सर्वे देवैश्चैव निपातिताः १६। पुत्रशोकानलेनाहं संतप्ता मुनिसत्तम । ममानंदकरं पुत्रं सर्वतेजोहरं विभो १७। सुबलं चारुसर्वांगं देवराजसमप्रभम् । बुद्धिमंतं सुसर्वज्ञं ज्ञातारं सर्वपंडितम् १८। तपस्तेजः समायुक्तं सबलं चारुलक्षणम् । ब्रह्मण्यं ज्ञानवेत्तारं देवब्राह्मणपूजकम् १९। जेतारं सर्वलोकानां ममानंदकरं द्विज । सर्वलक्षणसंपन्नं पुत्रं मे देहि त्वं विभो २०। एवमाकर्ण्य वै तस्याः कश्यपो वाक्यमुत्तमम् । कृपाविष्टमनास्तुष्टो दुःखिताया द्विजोत्तम २१। तामुवाच महाभाग कृपणां दीनमानसाम् । तस्याः शिरसि संन्यस्य स्वहस्तं भावतत्परः २२। भविष्यति महाभागे यादृशो वांछितः सुतः । एवमुक्त्वा जगामासौ मेरुं गिरिवरोत्तमम् २३। तपस्तेपे निरालंबः साधयन्परमव्रतः । एतस्मिन्नंतरे सा तु दधार गर्भमुत्तमम् २४। सा दितिः सर्वधर्मज्ञा चारुकर्मा मनस्विनी । शतवर्षप्रमाणं सा शुचि स्वांता बभूव ह २५। तया वै जनितः पुत्रो ब्रह्मतेजः समन्वितः । अथ कश्यप आयातो हर्षेण महतान्वितः २६। चकार नाम मेधावी तस्य पुत्रस्य सत्तमः । बलमित्यब्रवीत्पुत्रं नामतः सदृशो महान् २७। एवं नाम चकाराथ व्रतबंधं चकार सः । प्राह पुत्र महाभाग ब्रह्मचर्यं प्रसाधय २८। एवमेवं करिष्यामि तव वाक्यं द्विजोत्तम । वेदस्याध्ययनं कुर्यां ब्रह्मचर्येण सत्तम २९। एवं वर्षशतं साग्रं गतं तस्य तपस्यतः । मातुः समक्षमायातस्तपस्तेजः समन्वितः ३०। तपोवीर्यमयं दिव्यं ब्रह्मचर्यं महात्मनः । दितिः पश्यति पुत्रस्य हर्षेण महतान्विता ३१। तमुवाच महात्मानं बलं पुत्रं तपस्विनम् । मेधाविनं महात्मानं प्रज्ञाज्ञानविशारदम् ३२। त्वयि जीवति मेधाविन्प्रजीवंति सुता मम । हिरण्यकशिपाद्यास्ते ये हताश्चक्रपाणिना ३३। वैरं साधय मे वत्स जहि देवान्रिपून्रणे । सा दनुस्तमुवाचेदं बलं पुत्रं महाबलम् ३४। आदाविंद्रं हि देवेंद्रं द्रुतं सूदय पुत्रक । पश्चाद्देवा निपात्यंतां ततो गरुडवाहनः ३५। तयोराकर्ण्य सा देवी अदितिः पतिदेवता । दुःखेन महताविष्टा पुत्रमिंद्रमभाषत ३६। दितिपुत्रो महाकायो वर्द्धते ब्रह्मतेजसा । देवानां हि वधार्थाय तपस्तेपे निरंजने ३७। एवं जानीहि देवेश यदि क्षेममिहेच्छसि । एवमाकर्ण्य तद्वाक्यं स मातुः पाकशासनः ३८। चिंतामवाप दुःखेन महतीं देवराट्तदा । महाभयेन संत्रस्तश्चिंतयामास वै ततः ३९। कथमेनं हनिष्यामि देवधर्मविदूषकम् । इति निश्चित्य देवेशो बलस्य निधनं प्रति ४०। एकदा हि बलः सोपि संध्यार्थं सिंधुमाश्रितः । कृष्णाजिनेन दिव्येन दंडकाष्ठेन राजितः ४१। अमलेनापि पुण्येन ब्रह्मचर्येण तेन सः । सागरस्योपकंठे तं संध्यासनमुपागतम् ४२। जपमानं सुशांतं तं ददृशे पाकशासनः । वज्रेण तेन दिव्येन ताडितो दितिनंदनः ४३। बलं निपतितं दृष्ट्वा गतसत्वं गतं भुवि । हर्षेण महताविष्टो देवराण्मुमुदे तदा ४४। एवं निपात्य तं दैत्यं दितिनंदनमेव च । राज्यं चकार धर्मात्मा सुखेन पाकशासनः ४५। इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे पंचपंचाशत्सहस्रसंहितायां भूमिखंडे बलदैत्यवधोनाम त्रयोविंशोऽध्यायः २३।
ṛṣaya ūcuḥ- vicitreyaṃ kathā puṇyā dhanyā yaśovidhāyinī | sarvapāpaharā proktā bhavatā vadatāṃ vara 1| sṛṣṭisaṃbaṃdhametannastadbhavānvaktumarhati | pūrvameva yathāsṛṣṭirvistarātsūtanaṃdana 2| sūta uvāca- vistareṇa pravakṣyāmi sṛṣṭisaṃhārakāraṇam | śrutamātreṇa yasyāpi naraḥ sarvajñatāṃ vrajet 3| hiraṇyakaśyapenāpi vyāpitaṃ bhuvanatrayam | tapasārādhya prabahmāṇaṃ varaṃ prāptaṃ sudurlabham 4| tasmāddevānmahābhāgādamaratvaṃ tathaiva ca | devā~llokānsa saṃvyāpya prabhutvaṃ svayamarjitam 5| tato devāḥ sagaṃdharvā munayo vedapāragāḥ | nāgāśca kinnarāḥ siddhā yakṣāścaiva tathāpare 6| brahmāṇaṃ tu puraskṛtya jagmurnārāyaṇaṃ prabhum | kṣīrasāgarasaṃsuptaṃ yoganidrāṃ gataṃ prabhum 7| taṃ saṃbodhya mahāstotrairdevāḥ prāṃjalayastathā | saṃbuddhe sati deveśe vṛttaṃ tasya durātmanaḥ 8| ācacakṣurmahāprājña samākarṇya jagatpatiḥ | nṛsiṃharūpamāsthāya hiraṇyakaśipuṃ vyahan 9| punarvārāharūpeṇa hiraṇyākṣo mahābalaḥ | uddhṛtā vasudhā puṇyā asuro ghātitastadā 10| anyāṃścaghātayāmāsa dānavānghoradarśanān | evaṃ caiteṣu naṣṭeṣu dānaveṣu mahatsu ca 11| anyeṣu teṣu naṣṭeṣu ditiputreṣu vai tadā | punaḥ sthāneṣu prāpteṣu deveṣu ca mahatsu ca 12| yajñeṣveva pravṛtteṣu sarveṣu dharmakarmasu | sustheṣu sarvalokeṣu sā ditirduḥkhapīḍitā 13| putraśokena saṃtaptā hāhābhūtā vicetanā | bhartāraṃ sūryasaṃkāśaṃ tapastejaḥ samanvitam 14| dātāraṃ ca mahātmānaṃ bhartāraṃ kaśyapaṃ tadā | bhaktyā praṇamya viprendra tamuvāca mahāmatim 15| bhagavannaṣṭaputrāhaṃ kṛtā devena cakriṇā | daiteyā dānavāḥ sarve devaiścaiva nipātitāḥ 16| putraśokānalenāhaṃ saṃtaptā munisattama | mamānaṃdakaraṃ putraṃ sarvatejoharaṃ vibho 17| subalaṃ cārusarvāṃgaṃ devarājasamaprabham | buddhimaṃtaṃ susarvajñaṃ jñātāraṃ sarvapaṃḍitam 18| tapastejaḥ samāyuktaṃ sabalaṃ cārulakṣaṇam | brahmaṇyaṃ jñānavettāraṃ devabrāhmaṇapūjakam 19| jetāraṃ sarvalokānāṃ mamānaṃdakaraṃ dvija | sarvalakṣaṇasaṃpannaṃ putraṃ me dehi tvaṃ vibho 20| evamākarṇya vai tasyāḥ kaśyapo vākyamuttamam | kṛpāviṣṭamanāstuṣṭo duḥkhitāyā dvijottama 21| tāmuvāca mahābhāga kṛpaṇāṃ dīnamānasām | tasyāḥ śirasi saṃnyasya svahastaṃ bhāvatatparaḥ 22| bhaviṣyati mahābhāge yādṛśo vāṃchitaḥ sutaḥ | evamuktvā jagāmāsau meruṃ girivarottamam 23| tapastepe nirālaṃbaḥ sādhayanparamavrataḥ | etasminnaṃtare sā tu dadhāra garbhamuttamam 24| sā ditiḥ sarvadharmajñā cārukarmā manasvinī | śatavarṣapramāṇaṃ sā śuci svāṃtā babhūva ha 25| tayā vai janitaḥ putro brahmatejaḥ samanvitaḥ | atha kaśyapa āyāto harṣeṇa mahatānvitaḥ 26| cakāra nāma medhāvī tasya putrasya sattamaḥ | balamityabravītputraṃ nāmataḥ sadṛśo mahān 27| evaṃ nāma cakārātha vratabaṃdhaṃ cakāra saḥ | prāha putra mahābhāga brahmacaryaṃ prasādhaya 28| evamevaṃ kariṣyāmi tava vākyaṃ dvijottama | vedasyādhyayanaṃ kuryāṃ brahmacaryeṇa sattama 29| evaṃ varṣaśataṃ sāgraṃ gataṃ tasya tapasyataḥ | mātuḥ samakṣamāyātastapastejaḥ samanvitaḥ 30| tapovīryamayaṃ divyaṃ brahmacaryaṃ mahātmanaḥ | ditiḥ paśyati putrasya harṣeṇa mahatānvitā 31| tamuvāca mahātmānaṃ balaṃ putraṃ tapasvinam | medhāvinaṃ mahātmānaṃ prajñājñānaviśāradam 32| tvayi jīvati medhāvinprajīvaṃti sutā mama | hiraṇyakaśipādyāste ye hatāścakrapāṇinā 33| vairaṃ sādhaya me vatsa jahi devānripūnraṇe | sā danustamuvācedaṃ balaṃ putraṃ mahābalam 34| ādāviṃdraṃ hi deveṃdraṃ drutaṃ sūdaya putraka | paścāddevā nipātyaṃtāṃ tato garuḍavāhanaḥ 35| tayorākarṇya sā devī aditiḥ patidevatā | duḥkhena mahatāviṣṭā putramiṃdramabhāṣata 36| ditiputro mahākāyo varddhate brahmatejasā | devānāṃ hi vadhārthāya tapastepe niraṃjane 37| evaṃ jānīhi deveśa yadi kṣemamihecchasi | evamākarṇya tadvākyaṃ sa mātuḥ pākaśāsanaḥ 38| ciṃtāmavāpa duḥkhena mahatīṃ devarāṭtadā | mahābhayena saṃtrastaściṃtayāmāsa vai tataḥ 39| kathamenaṃ haniṣyāmi devadharmavidūṣakam | iti niścitya deveśo balasya nidhanaṃ prati 40| ekadā hi balaḥ sopi saṃdhyārthaṃ siṃdhumāśritaḥ | kṛṣṇājinena divyena daṃḍakāṣṭhena rājitaḥ 41| amalenāpi puṇyena brahmacaryeṇa tena saḥ | sāgarasyopakaṃṭhe taṃ saṃdhyāsanamupāgatam 42| japamānaṃ suśāṃtaṃ taṃ dadṛśe pākaśāsanaḥ | vajreṇa tena divyena tāḍito ditinaṃdanaḥ 43| balaṃ nipatitaṃ dṛṣṭvā gatasatvaṃ gataṃ bhuvi | harṣeṇa mahatāviṣṭo devarāṇmumude tadā 44| evaṃ nipātya taṃ daityaṃ ditinaṃdanameva ca | rājyaṃ cakāra dharmātmā sukhena pākaśāsanaḥ 45| iti śrīpadmapurāṇe paṃcapaṃcāśatsahasrasaṃhitāyāṃ bhūmikhaṃḍe baladaityavadhonāma trayoviṃśo'dhyāyaḥ 23|
English translation
The sages said :
1-2. O you best among speakers, you have told us this wonderful, meritorious, excellent tale, bringing about glory, and destroying all sins. Please tell us the propriety of the creation. O son of Sūta , tell us in detail, as to how the creation (took place) formerly.
Sūta said :
3-5. I shall tell in detail the cause of creation and destruction, merely by hearing which a man would become omniscient. Hiraṇyakaśipu occupied the three worlds. Having propitiated Brahmā by penance, he obtained a boon, difficult to obtain, and also immortality from that noble god. He, having pervaded gods and the worlds secured mastery (over all).
6-9. Then gods with Gandharvas , sages who had mastered the Vedas , and Nāgas , Kinnaras , Siddhas , Yakṣas and others, led by Brahmā, went to lord Nārāyaṇa , who was enjoying his sleep at the end of a Yuga in the Milky Ocean. With the palms of their hands joined, the gods awakened him with (i.e. by singing) hymns of praise. When the lord of the gods awoke, O you very wise one(s), they told him the account of that wicked one (i.e. Hiraṇyakaśipu). Having heard it, the lord of the world, resorting to the form of Nṛsiṃha , killed Hiraṇyakaśipu.
10-15. Then with the Boar-form he killed the very powerful Hiraṇyākṣa . He lifted up the auspicious Earth, and killed that demon at that time. He also killed other fierce-looking demons. When thus the great demons had perished, when the others i.e. Diti ’s sons had (also) perished, when the gods had attained great positions, when sacrifices and other religious rites had proceeded (i.e. were being performed), when all the worlds had well-settled, that Diti who was oppressed by grief, who was tormented by the bereavement of her sons, who cried ‘alas, alas,’, and had become senseless, devoutly saluted her husband Kaśyapa who resembled the sun, who was endowed with the lustre of penance, who was a donor and was magnanimous, and said to that very intelligent best brāhmaṇa :
16-20. “O revered sir, that god—the holder of the disc—has made me sonless. Gods have struck down all the sons of Diti (i.e. of me) and of Danu . O best sage, I am burnt by the fire of grief (due to the loss) of my sons. O lord, give me a son, who would delight (everyone), who would remove the lustre of all, who would be very powerful and charming in all limbs, who would be lustrous like the king of gods, who would be very intelligent and omniscient, who would be learned and wise, who would be endowed with the lustre of penance, who would be strong and would have auspicious marks, who would be well-versed in the Vedas, who would be knowing (i.e. possessing knowledge), who would honour gods and brāhmaṇas , who would be the conqueror of all worlds, and, who would, O brāhmaṇa, give me joy, and who would, O lord, be endowed with all (good) characteristics.”
21-23a. Having heard these excellent words of her, the noble Kaśyapa with his mindfull of pity and pleased with her who was grieved, who was helpless and whose mind had become distressed, and having put his hand through great love for her, on her head, said to her: “O glorious one, a son, as desired by you, will be (born to you).”
23b-28. Having said so, he went to Meru , the best mountain. He of a great vow, all alone practised great penance (there). In the meanwhile, she conceived an excellent embryo. That high-minded Diti, knowing all rules of conduct, doing good deeds, remained with a pure heart for a period of hundred years. She gave birth to a son who was endowed with Brāhmaṇic lustre. Then Kaśyapa, full of great joy, came there; (and) the best and intelligent one named him. He called his son ‘ Bala ’, who, the great one, was like (i.e. true to) his name. Thus he named him, and performed his thread-ceremony. He said to him: “O (my) glorious son, practise celibacy.”
29. (Bala said): “O best brāhmaṇa, I shall just do as you tell me. O best one, with (i.e. practising) celibacy, I would study the Vedas.”
30-31. Thus an entire century of years passed while he was practising penance. He, endowed with the lustre of penance, came to the presence of (i.e. came to) his mother. Diti, full of great joy saw the divine celibacy, full of the power of penance, of her magnanimous son.
32-35. She said to that son (of her) viz. Bala, who was magnanimous, who was possessed of penance, who was intelligent, who was great-souled, who was well-versed in judgement and knowledge: “O intelligent one, as long as you live, my sons like Hiraṇyakaśipu killed by him who holds a disc in his hand (i.e. by Viṣṇu ), will live onward. O my boy, conclude the hostility (i.e. take revenge), kill in battle (our) enemies—the gods.” That Danu said to that very powerful Bala these words: “Son, first quickly kill Indra , the lord of gods. Then strike down gods, and after that (strike down him, whose vehicle is Garuḍa (i.e. Viṣṇu).”
36. Having heard (the words) of the two (i.e. Diti and Danu), Aditi , who looked upon her husband as a god, and who was full of great grief, said to her son, Indra:
37-38a. “Diti’s son, of a huge body, is increasing with brāhmaṇic lustre. For killing gods, he practised penance in (honour of) Śiva . Understand like this, O lord of gods, if you desire happiness here.”
38b-39. Having thus heard those words of his mother, Indra, the lord of gods, was extremely worried due to uneasiness. Being tormented by great grief, he then thought:
40-45. ‘How shall I kill this (Bala) who is polluting the piety of gods?’ Thus the lord of gods decided to kill Bala. Once that Bala resorted (i.e. went) to the ocean to offer his daily prayers. He shone with a divine skin of an antelop and a piece of stick, and with spotless merit and that (i.e. undescribable) celibacy. Indra saw him seated upon the seat meant for daily prayers, near the ocean, muttering prayers and extremely tranquil. That Diti’s son was hit (by Indra) with that divine thunderbolt. Seeing Bala fallen dead on the ground, the king of gods full of great joy was then delighted. The pious Indra, having thus struck down that demon, Diti’s son, ruled happily.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 37666, revision 333802 (2022-03-17T01:51:27Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc364230.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.