Bhūmi-khaṇḍa · Chapter 61
Sourceवेन उवाच- भार्यातीर्थं समाख्यातं सर्वतीर्थोत्तमोत्तमम् । पितृतीर्थं समाख्याहि पुत्राणां तारणं परम् १। विष्णुरुवाच- कुरुक्षेत्रे महाक्षेत्रे कुंडलो नाम ब्राह्मणः । सुकर्मा नाम सत्पुत्रः कुंडलस्य महात्मनः २। गुरू तस्य महावृद्धौ धर्मज्ञौ शास्त्रकोविदौ । द्वावेतौ तु महात्मानौ जरया परिपीडितौ ३। तयोः शुश्रूषणं चक्रे भक्त्या च परया ततः । धर्मज्ञो भावसंयुक्तो अहर्निशमनारतम् ४। तस्माद्वेदानधीते स पितुः शास्त्राण्यनेकशः । सर्वाचारपरो दक्षो धर्मज्ञो ज्ञानवत्सलः ५। अंगसंवाहनं चक्रे गुर्वोश्च स्वयमेव सः । पादप्रक्षालनं चैव स्नानभोजनकीं क्रियाम् ६। भक्त्या चैव स्वभावेन तद्ध्याने तन्मयो भवेत् । मातापित्रोश्च राजेंद्र उपचर्यां प्रकारयेत् ७। सूत उवाच- तद्वर्तमानकाले तु बभूव नृपसत्तम । पिप्पलो नाम वै विप्रः कश्यपस्य महात्मनः ८। तपस्तेपे निराहारो जितात्मा जितमत्सरः । दयादानदमोपेतः कामं क्रोधं विजित्य सः ९। दशारण्यगतो धीमाञ्ज्ञानशांतिपरायणः । सर्वेंद्रियाणि संयम्य तपस्तेपे महामनाः १०। तपःप्रभावतस्तस्य जंतवो गतविग्रहाः । वसंति सुयुगे तत्र एकोदरगता इव ११। तत्तपस्तस्य मुनयो दृष्ट्वा विस्मयमाययुः । नेदृशं केनचित्तप्तं यथासौ तप्यते मुनिः १२। देवाश्च इंद्रप्रमुखाः परं विस्मयमाययुः । अहो अस्य तपस्तीव्रं शमश्चेंद्रियसंयमः १३। निर्विकारो निरुद्वेगः कामक्रोधविवर्जितः । शीतवातातपसहो धराधर इवस्थितः १४। विषये विमुखो धीरो मनसोतीतसंग्रहम् । न शृणोति यथा शब्दं कस्यचिद्द्विजसत्तमः १५। संस्थानं तादृशं गत्वा स्थित्वा एकाग्रमानसः । ब्रह्मध्यानमयो भूत्वा सानंदमुखपंकजः १६। अश्मकाष्ठमयो भूत्वा निश्चेष्टो गिरिवत्स्थितः । स्थाणुवद्दृश्यते चासौ सुस्थिरो धर्मवत्सलः १७। तपःक्लिष्टशरीरोति श्रद्धावाननसूयकः । एवं वर्षसहस्रैकं संजातं तस्य धीमतः १८। पिपीलिकाभिर्बह्वीभिः कृतं मृद्भारसंचयम् । तस्योपरि महाकायं वल्मीकं निजमंदिरम् १९। वल्मीकोदरमध्यस्थो जडीभूत इवस्थितः । स एवं पिप्पलो विप्रस्तपते सुमहत्तपः २०। कृष्णसर्पैस्तु सर्वत्र वेष्टितो द्विजसत्तमः । तमुग्रतेजसं विप्रं प्रदशंति विषोल्बणाः २१। संप्राप्य गात्रमर्माणि विषं तस्य न भेदयेत् । तेजसा तस्य विप्रस्य नागाः शांतिमथागमन् २२। तस्य कायात्समुद्भूता अर्चिषो दीप्ततेजसः । नानारूपाः सुबहुशो दृश्यंते च पृथक्पृथक् २३। यथा वह्नेः खरतरास्तथाविधा नरोत्तम । यथामेघोदरे सूर्यः प्रविष्टो भाति रश्मिभिः २४। वल्मीकस्थस्तथाविप्रः पिप्पलो भाति तेजसा । सर्पा दशंति विप्रं तं सक्रोधा दशनैरपि २५। न भिंदंति च दंष्ट्राग्राच्चर्म भित्त्वा नृपोत्तम । एवं वर्षसहस्रैकं तप आचरतस्ततः २६। गतं तु राजराजेंद्र मुनेस्तस्य महात्मनः । त्रिकालं साध्यमानस्य शीतवर्षातपान्वितः २७। गतः कालो महाराज पिप्पलस्य महात्मनः । तद्वच्च वायुभक्षं तु कृतं तेन महात्मना २८। त्रीणि वर्षसहस्राणि गतानि तस्य तप्यतः । तस्य मूर्ध्नि ततो देवैः पुष्पवृष्टिः कृता पुरा २९। ब्रह्मज्ञोसि महाभाग धर्मज्ञोसि न संशयः । सर्वज्ञानमयोऽसि त्वं संजातः स्वेनकर्मणा ३०। यं यं त्वं वांछसे कामं तं तं प्राप्स्यसि नान्यथा । सर्वकामप्रसिद्धस्त्वं स्वत एव भविष्यसि ३१। समाकर्ण्य महद्वाक्यं पिप्पलोपि महामनाः । प्रणम्य देवताः सर्वा भक्त्या नमितकंधरः ३२। हर्षेण महताविष्टो वचनं प्रत्युवाच सः । इदं विश्वं जगत्सर्वं ममवश्यं यथा भवेत् ३३। तथा कुरुध्वं देवेंद्रा विद्याधरो भवाम्यहम् । एवमुक्त्वा स मेधावी विरराम नृपोत्तम ३४। एवमस्त्विति ते प्रोचुर्द्विजश्रेष्ठं सुरास्तदा । दत्वा वरं महाभाग जग्मुस्तस्मै महात्मने ३५। गतेषु तेषु देवेषु पिप्पलो द्विजसत्तमः । ब्रह्मण्यं साधयेन्नित्यं विश्ववश्यं प्रचिंतयेत् ३६। तदाप्रभृति राजेंद्र पिप्पलो द्विजसत्तमः । विद्याधरपदं लब्ध्वा कामगामी महीयते ३७। एवं स पिप्पलो विप्रो विद्याधरपदं गतः । संजातो देवलोकेशः सर्वशास्त्रविशारदः ३८। एकदा तु महातेजाः पिप्पलः पर्यचिंतयत् । विश्ववश्यं भवेत्सर्वं मम दत्तो वरोत्तमः ३९। तदर्थं प्रत्ययं कर्तुमुद्यतो द्विजपुंगवः । यं यं चिंतयते कर्तुं तं तं हि वशमानयेत् ४०। एवं स प्रत्यये जाते मनसा पर्यकल्पयत् । द्वितीयो नास्ति वै लोके मत्समः पुरुषोत्तमः ४१। सूत उवाच- एवं हि कल्पमानस्य पिप्पलस्य महात्मनः । ज्ञात्वा मानसिकं भावं सारसस्तमुवाच ह ४२। सरस्तीरगतो राजन्सुस्वरं व्यंजनान्वितम् । स्वनं सौष्ठवसंयुक्तमुक्तवान्पिप्पलं प्रति ४३। कस्मादुद्वहसे गर्वमेवं त्वं परमात्मकम् । सर्ववश्यात्मिकीं सिद्धिं नाहं मन्ये तवैव हि ४४। वश्यावश्यमिदं कर्म अर्वाचीनं प्रशस्यते । पराचीनं न जानासि पिप्पल त्वं हि मूढधीः ४५। वर्षाणां तु सहस्राणि यावत्त्रीणि त्वया तपः । समाचीर्णं ततो गर्वं कुरुषे किं मुधा द्विज ४६। कुंडलस्य सुतो धीरः सुकर्मानाम यः सुधीः । वश्यावश्यं जगत्सर्वं तस्यासीच्छृणु सांप्रतम् ४७। अर्वाचीनं पराचीनं स वै जानाति बुद्धिमान् । लोके नास्ति महाज्ञानी तत्समः शृणु पिप्पल ४८। न कुंडलस्य पुत्रेण सदृशस्त्वं सुकर्मणा । न दत्तं तेन वै दानं न ज्ञानं परिचिंतितम् ४९। हुतयज्ञादिकं कर्म न कृतं तेन वै कदा । न गतस्तीर्थयात्रायां न च वह्नेरुपासनम् ५०। स कदा कृतवान्विप्र धर्मसेवार्थमुत्तमम् । स्वच्छंदचारी ज्ञानात्मा पितृमातृसुहृत्सदा ५१। वेदाध्ययनसंपन्नः सर्वशास्त्रार्थकोविदः । यादृशं तस्य वै ज्ञानं बालस्यापि सुकर्मणः ५२। तादृशं नास्ति ते ज्ञानं वृथा त्वं गर्वमुद्वहेः । पिप्पल उवाच- को भवान्पक्षिरूपेण मामेवं परिकुत्सयेत् ५३। कस्मान्निंदसि मे ज्ञानं पराचीनं तु कीदृशम् । तन्मे विस्तरतो ब्रूहि त्वयि ज्ञानं कथं भवेत् ५४। अर्वाचीनगतिं सर्वां पराचीनस्य सांप्रतम् । वद त्वमंडजश्रेष्ठ ज्ञानपूर्वं सुविस्तरम् ५५। किं वा ब्रह्मा च विष्णुश्च किं वा रुद्रो भविष्यसि । सारस उवाच- नास्ति ते तपसो भावः फलं नास्ति च तस्य तु ५६। त्वया न परितप्तस्य तपसः सांप्रतं शृणु । कुंडलस्यापि पुत्रस्य बालस्यापि यथा गुणः ५७। तथा ते नास्ति वै ज्ञानं परिज्ञातं न तत्पदम् । इतो गत्वापि पृच्छ त्वं मम रूपं द्विजोत्तम ५८। स वदिष्यति धर्मात्मा सर्वं ज्ञानं तवैव हि । विष्णुरुवाच- एवमाकर्ण्य तत्सर्वं सारसेन प्रभाषितम् ५९। निर्जगाम स वेगेन दशारण्यं महाश्रमम् ६०। इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने एकषष्टितमोऽध्यायः ६१।
vena uvāca- bhāryātīrthaṃ samākhyātaṃ sarvatīrthottamottamam | pitṛtīrthaṃ samākhyāhi putrāṇāṃ tāraṇaṃ param 1| viṣṇuruvāca- kurukṣetre mahākṣetre kuṃḍalo nāma brāhmaṇaḥ | sukarmā nāma satputraḥ kuṃḍalasya mahātmanaḥ 2| gurū tasya mahāvṛddhau dharmajñau śāstrakovidau | dvāvetau tu mahātmānau jarayā paripīḍitau 3| tayoḥ śuśrūṣaṇaṃ cakre bhaktyā ca parayā tataḥ | dharmajño bhāvasaṃyukto aharniśamanāratam 4| tasmādvedānadhīte sa pituḥ śāstrāṇyanekaśaḥ | sarvācāraparo dakṣo dharmajño jñānavatsalaḥ 5| aṃgasaṃvāhanaṃ cakre gurvośca svayameva saḥ | pādaprakṣālanaṃ caiva snānabhojanakīṃ kriyām 6| bhaktyā caiva svabhāvena taddhyāne tanmayo bhavet | mātāpitrośca rājeṃdra upacaryāṃ prakārayet 7| sūta uvāca- tadvartamānakāle tu babhūva nṛpasattama | pippalo nāma vai vipraḥ kaśyapasya mahātmanaḥ 8| tapastepe nirāhāro jitātmā jitamatsaraḥ | dayādānadamopetaḥ kāmaṃ krodhaṃ vijitya saḥ 9| daśāraṇyagato dhīmāñjñānaśāṃtiparāyaṇaḥ | sarveṃdriyāṇi saṃyamya tapastepe mahāmanāḥ 10| tapaḥprabhāvatastasya jaṃtavo gatavigrahāḥ | vasaṃti suyuge tatra ekodaragatā iva 11| tattapastasya munayo dṛṣṭvā vismayamāyayuḥ | nedṛśaṃ kenacittaptaṃ yathāsau tapyate muniḥ 12| devāśca iṃdrapramukhāḥ paraṃ vismayamāyayuḥ | aho asya tapastīvraṃ śamaśceṃdriyasaṃyamaḥ 13| nirvikāro nirudvegaḥ kāmakrodhavivarjitaḥ | śītavātātapasaho dharādhara ivasthitaḥ 14| viṣaye vimukho dhīro manasotītasaṃgraham | na śṛṇoti yathā śabdaṃ kasyaciddvijasattamaḥ 15| saṃsthānaṃ tādṛśaṃ gatvā sthitvā ekāgramānasaḥ | brahmadhyānamayo bhūtvā sānaṃdamukhapaṃkajaḥ 16| aśmakāṣṭhamayo bhūtvā niśceṣṭo girivatsthitaḥ | sthāṇuvaddṛśyate cāsau susthiro dharmavatsalaḥ 17| tapaḥkliṣṭaśarīroti śraddhāvānanasūyakaḥ | evaṃ varṣasahasraikaṃ saṃjātaṃ tasya dhīmataḥ 18| pipīlikābhirbahvībhiḥ kṛtaṃ mṛdbhārasaṃcayam | tasyopari mahākāyaṃ valmīkaṃ nijamaṃdiram 19| valmīkodaramadhyastho jaḍībhūta ivasthitaḥ | sa evaṃ pippalo viprastapate sumahattapaḥ 20| kṛṣṇasarpaistu sarvatra veṣṭito dvijasattamaḥ | tamugratejasaṃ vipraṃ pradaśaṃti viṣolbaṇāḥ 21| saṃprāpya gātramarmāṇi viṣaṃ tasya na bhedayet | tejasā tasya viprasya nāgāḥ śāṃtimathāgaman 22| tasya kāyātsamudbhūtā arciṣo dīptatejasaḥ | nānārūpāḥ subahuśo dṛśyaṃte ca pṛthakpṛthak 23| yathā vahneḥ kharatarāstathāvidhā narottama | yathāmeghodare sūryaḥ praviṣṭo bhāti raśmibhiḥ 24| valmīkasthastathāvipraḥ pippalo bhāti tejasā | sarpā daśaṃti vipraṃ taṃ sakrodhā daśanairapi 25| na bhiṃdaṃti ca daṃṣṭrāgrāccarma bhittvā nṛpottama | evaṃ varṣasahasraikaṃ tapa ācaratastataḥ 26| gataṃ tu rājarājeṃdra munestasya mahātmanaḥ | trikālaṃ sādhyamānasya śītavarṣātapānvitaḥ 27| gataḥ kālo mahārāja pippalasya mahātmanaḥ | tadvacca vāyubhakṣaṃ tu kṛtaṃ tena mahātmanā 28| trīṇi varṣasahasrāṇi gatāni tasya tapyataḥ | tasya mūrdhni tato devaiḥ puṣpavṛṣṭiḥ kṛtā purā 29| brahmajñosi mahābhāga dharmajñosi na saṃśayaḥ | sarvajñānamayo'si tvaṃ saṃjātaḥ svenakarmaṇā 30| yaṃ yaṃ tvaṃ vāṃchase kāmaṃ taṃ taṃ prāpsyasi nānyathā | sarvakāmaprasiddhastvaṃ svata eva bhaviṣyasi 31| samākarṇya mahadvākyaṃ pippalopi mahāmanāḥ | praṇamya devatāḥ sarvā bhaktyā namitakaṃdharaḥ 32| harṣeṇa mahatāviṣṭo vacanaṃ pratyuvāca saḥ | idaṃ viśvaṃ jagatsarvaṃ mamavaśyaṃ yathā bhavet 33| tathā kurudhvaṃ deveṃdrā vidyādharo bhavāmyaham | evamuktvā sa medhāvī virarāma nṛpottama 34| evamastviti te procurdvijaśreṣṭhaṃ surāstadā | datvā varaṃ mahābhāga jagmustasmai mahātmane 35| gateṣu teṣu deveṣu pippalo dvijasattamaḥ | brahmaṇyaṃ sādhayennityaṃ viśvavaśyaṃ praciṃtayet 36| tadāprabhṛti rājeṃdra pippalo dvijasattamaḥ | vidyādharapadaṃ labdhvā kāmagāmī mahīyate 37| evaṃ sa pippalo vipro vidyādharapadaṃ gataḥ | saṃjāto devalokeśaḥ sarvaśāstraviśāradaḥ 38| ekadā tu mahātejāḥ pippalaḥ paryaciṃtayat | viśvavaśyaṃ bhavetsarvaṃ mama datto varottamaḥ 39| tadarthaṃ pratyayaṃ kartumudyato dvijapuṃgavaḥ | yaṃ yaṃ ciṃtayate kartuṃ taṃ taṃ hi vaśamānayet 40| evaṃ sa pratyaye jāte manasā paryakalpayat | dvitīyo nāsti vai loke matsamaḥ puruṣottamaḥ 41| sūta uvāca- evaṃ hi kalpamānasya pippalasya mahātmanaḥ | jñātvā mānasikaṃ bhāvaṃ sārasastamuvāca ha 42| sarastīragato rājansusvaraṃ vyaṃjanānvitam | svanaṃ sauṣṭhavasaṃyuktamuktavānpippalaṃ prati 43| kasmādudvahase garvamevaṃ tvaṃ paramātmakam | sarvavaśyātmikīṃ siddhiṃ nāhaṃ manye tavaiva hi 44| vaśyāvaśyamidaṃ karma arvācīnaṃ praśasyate | parācīnaṃ na jānāsi pippala tvaṃ hi mūḍhadhīḥ 45| varṣāṇāṃ tu sahasrāṇi yāvattrīṇi tvayā tapaḥ | samācīrṇaṃ tato garvaṃ kuruṣe kiṃ mudhā dvija 46| kuṃḍalasya suto dhīraḥ sukarmānāma yaḥ sudhīḥ | vaśyāvaśyaṃ jagatsarvaṃ tasyāsīcchṛṇu sāṃpratam 47| arvācīnaṃ parācīnaṃ sa vai jānāti buddhimān | loke nāsti mahājñānī tatsamaḥ śṛṇu pippala 48| na kuṃḍalasya putreṇa sadṛśastvaṃ sukarmaṇā | na dattaṃ tena vai dānaṃ na jñānaṃ pariciṃtitam 49| hutayajñādikaṃ karma na kṛtaṃ tena vai kadā | na gatastīrthayātrāyāṃ na ca vahnerupāsanam 50| sa kadā kṛtavānvipra dharmasevārthamuttamam | svacchaṃdacārī jñānātmā pitṛmātṛsuhṛtsadā 51| vedādhyayanasaṃpannaḥ sarvaśāstrārthakovidaḥ | yādṛśaṃ tasya vai jñānaṃ bālasyāpi sukarmaṇaḥ 52| tādṛśaṃ nāsti te jñānaṃ vṛthā tvaṃ garvamudvaheḥ | pippala uvāca- ko bhavānpakṣirūpeṇa māmevaṃ parikutsayet 53| kasmānniṃdasi me jñānaṃ parācīnaṃ tu kīdṛśam | tanme vistarato brūhi tvayi jñānaṃ kathaṃ bhavet 54| arvācīnagatiṃ sarvāṃ parācīnasya sāṃpratam | vada tvamaṃḍajaśreṣṭha jñānapūrvaṃ suvistaram 55| kiṃ vā brahmā ca viṣṇuśca kiṃ vā rudro bhaviṣyasi | sārasa uvāca- nāsti te tapaso bhāvaḥ phalaṃ nāsti ca tasya tu 56| tvayā na paritaptasya tapasaḥ sāṃprataṃ śṛṇu | kuṃḍalasyāpi putrasya bālasyāpi yathā guṇaḥ 57| tathā te nāsti vai jñānaṃ parijñātaṃ na tatpadam | ito gatvāpi pṛccha tvaṃ mama rūpaṃ dvijottama 58| sa vadiṣyati dharmātmā sarvaṃ jñānaṃ tavaiva hi | viṣṇuruvāca- evamākarṇya tatsarvaṃ sārasena prabhāṣitam 59| nirjagāma sa vegena daśāraṇyaṃ mahāśramam 60| iti śrīpadmapurāṇe bhūmikhaṃḍe venopākhyāne ekaṣaṣṭitamo'dhyāyaḥ 61|
English translation
Vena said :
1. You have described the holy place in the form of wife, the best of all holy places. Now tell about the sacred place in the form of dead ancestors, which is a great emancipater of sons.
Viṣṇu said :
2-7. In the great sacred region (called) Kurukṣetra (there lived) a brāhmaṇa named Kuṇḍala . That noble Kuṇḍala had a good son by name Sukarman . His parents were very old, knew religious practices, and were proficient in sacred precepts. Both the noble ones were afflicted with old age. He, who knew piety, and who was full of sincerity, devotedly and continuously served them night and day. He, intent on (following) all (good) practices, knowing piety and a lover of knowledge, learnt from that (i.e. his) father, many sacred treatises; and he himself massaged the bodies of the two. He also washed their feet, bathed and fed them with devotion and naturally became thoughtful about them. O best king, he (thus) served his mother and father.
Sūta said :
8-11. At the time he lived there was a brāhmaṇa, (a descendent) of the noble Kaśyapa , O best king. He, void of passion, free from jealousy, endowed with pity, charity and restraint, having subdued lust and anger, practised penance without eating food. The intelligent one, solely devoted to knowledge and tranquility, went to Daśāraṇya, and the high-souled one having controlled his senses performed penance (there). Due to the power of his penance, the beings, free from fighting (with one another) lived there, in that age, as it were remaining in one (and the same) womb.
12-28. Seeing that (severe) penance of him, the sages were amazed. (They said:) ‘None else has practised penance as this one is doing.’ So gods led by Indra , were highly amazed. (They said:) ‘Oh what severe penance he is practising? How great is his tranquility and restraint over senses?’ Being free from emotion and agitation, and enduring cold, wind and heat, he remained (there) like a mountain. The best brāhmaṇa, disinclined to pleasures of senses, patient at heart, did not hoard anything and did not hear the sound of anyone. Having taken up a position like that, he, with a concentrated mind, meditating upon Brahman , remained there with his lotus-like face full of joy. Resembling stone and wood, he remained motionless like a mountain. Very firm and loving piety he appeared like a post. His body was afflicted with penance. He was full of faith, and was free from jealousy. (Practising penance) in this way, the intelligent one passed a thousand years. Many ants constructed on this body a huge ant-hill with a heap of clay, as his abode. In the interior of the ant-hill he remained motionless. In this way that brāhmaṇa (named) Pippala practised very great (i.e. severe) penance. The best brāhmaṇa (Pippala) was surrounded on all sides by black serpents. (The serpents) of a strong poison bit that brāhmaṇa of an intense penance. Poison (even) after reaching the vulnerable points of his body did not harm it. Due to the brāhmaṇa’s lustre the serpents became peaceful. From his body rose many flames of blazing lustre. They appeared separately. O best man (i.e. O king), they were just like the more (i.e. very) hot (flames) of fire. As the sun, having entered the interior of clouds, shines with his rays, in the same way the brāhmaṇa remaining in the ant-hill shone with his lustre. O best king, angry serpents bit the brāhmaṇa with their teeth, but even after piercing his skin, they did (i.e. could) not cleave (his body), with the tips of their teeth. O lord of kings, in this way the noble sage passed a thousand years in practising penance. The period, attended by cold, rain and heat was thus passed by the noble Pippala who subdued the three times, O great king. In the same way the noble one also ate (i.e. lived on) air.
29-31. He passed three thousand years in practising penance. Then soon the gods showered flowers on his head. (They said to him:) “O you noble one, you know Brahman, you know piety, there is no doubt about it. You have become full of all knowledge (i.e. omniscient) due to your deeds. You will certainly get (i.e. fulfil) whatever desire you have. You, on your own, will have all your desires accomplished (i.e. satisfied).”
32-37. Hearing (these) great words, that large-hearted Pippala, with his neck (i.e. head) devoutly bent down, and full of great joy, spoke (these) words: “O best gods, do that by which this entire world would be under my control. May I be a Vidyādhara .” O best king, speaking like this, the intelligent one ceased (to speak). The gods then said to the best brāhmaṇa: “Let it be so.” O noble one, having given the boon to that magnanimous (Pippala) they left. When the gods had left, that best brāhmaṇa Pippala was everyday devoted to sacred knowledge, and thought (as to how he would) control everything. O best king, since then Pippala, the best brāhmaṇa, obtained the status of a Vidyādhara, and was honoured as one moving according to his own desire.
38-41. In this way that brāhmaṇa Pippala attained the status of a Vidyādhara, and became well-versed in all branches of knowledge and the lord of gods. Once that Pippala of great lustre thought: ‘I shall have everything under my control. I have been granted the best boon.’ The best brāhmaṇa (Pippala) was eager to ascertain it. He would bring (i.e. brought) under control whatever he wanted to. When he thus became confident, he thought: ‘In the world there is no other best brāhmaṇa like me.’
Sūta said :
42-46. O king, knowing the thought of that noble Pippala who was thinking like this, the crane which was on the bank of a lake said to Pippala in a melodious tone, charming and full of charity: “Why do you have this great pride? I do not think you have the power to bring everything under your control. This act of subjugating everything is recent (or is on this side). O Pippala, you, whose intellect is confounded, do not know what is ancient (or is on the other side). O brāhmaṇa, why do you in vain entertain pride when you have practised penance for three thousand years?
47-53a. That wise and very intelligent Sukarman, who was the son of Kuṇḍala had all the world under his control. Now listen. That intelligent one knew the recent (or on this side) and the ancient (or on the other side). O Pippala, listen, there is no one so very wise as he was. You are not like (that) Sukarman, the son of Kuṇḍala. He did not give gifts. He did not reflect on knowledge. He never performed acts like offering oblations or sacrifices. He never went on a pilgrimage, nor did he ever offer excellent service to fire for resorting to (i.e. obtaining) religious merit. He moved at will, he was ever a friend of (i.e. always loved) his father and mother. He was endowed with the knowledge of the Vedas , and was well-versed in the meaning of all branches of knowledge. You do not have that knowledge which even that child (i.e. even as a child) Sukarman had. In vain you are proud.”
Pippala said :
53b-60. Who are you in the form of a bird, that are thus censuring me? Why do you condemn my knowledge? Of what kind is the ancient knowledge? Explain that to me in detail. How do you have knowledge (i.e. How have you come to possess knowledge)? Now tell me the scope of the recent (or inferior) as well as of the ancient (or superior knowledge), in detail and accompanied by learning, O best bird; and (tell me) whether you are Brahma , or Viṣṇ U , or Rudra .
The crane spoke :
Your penance does not exist; (therefore) you will not have its fruit. Hear now about the penance which you have not practised. You do not have the virtue which the child of Kuṇḍala had. Nor do you have the knowledge (which he had). Nor have you known the (highest) place (as he knew). O best brāhmaṇa, having gone from here you ask (him) about my form. He, the religious-minded one, will explain to you all knowledge.
Víṣṇu said :
Having heard all that which the crane said, he speedily went to the great hermitage in Daśāraṇya.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 14826, revision 335506 (2022-04-10T07:07:44Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc364268.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.