Bhūmi-khaṇḍa · Chapter 122
Sourceविष्णुरुवाच- कुंजलो धर्मपक्षी स इत्युक्त्वा तान्सुतान्प्रति । विरराम महाप्राज्ञः किंचिन्नोवाच तान्प्रति १। वटाधःस्थो द्विजश्रेष्ठस्तमुवाच महाशुकम् । को भवान्धर्मवक्ता हि पक्षिरूपेण वर्तते २। किं वा देवोऽथ गंधर्वः किं वा विद्याधरो भवान् । कस्य शापादिमां प्राप्तो योनिं कीरस्य पातकीम् ३। कस्मात्ते ईदृशं ज्ञानं वर्ततेऽतीद्रियं शुक । सुपुण्यस्य तु कस्यापि कस्य वै तपसः फलम् ४। किं वा च्छन्नेन रूपेण अनेनापि महामते । कस्त्वं सिद्धोऽसि देवो वा तन्मे कथय कारणम् ५। कुंजल उवाच- भोः सिद्ध त्वामहं जाने कुलं ते गोत्रमुत्तमम् । विद्यां तपःप्रभावं च यस्माद्भ्रमसि मेदिनीम् ६। सर्वं विप्र प्रवक्ष्यामि स्वागतं तव सुव्रत । उपविश्यासने पुण्ये छायामाश्रयशीतलाम् ७। अव्यक्तप्रभवो ब्रह्मा तस्माज्जज्ञे प्रजापतिः । ब्राह्मणस्तु गुणैर्युक्तो भृगुर्ब्रह्मसमो द्विजः ८। भार्गवो नाम तस्यासीत्सर्वधर्मार्थतत्ववित् । तस्यान्वये भवान्विप्र च्यवनः ख्यातिमान्भुवि ९। नाहं देवो न गंधर्वो नाहं विद्याधरः पुनः । योहं विप्र प्रवक्ष्यामि तन्मे निगदतः शृणु १०। कश्यपस्य कुले जातः कश्चिद्ब्राह्मणसत्तमः । वेदवेदांगतत्त्वज्ञः सर्वकर्मप्रकाशकः ११। विद्याधरेति विख्यातः कुलशीलगुणैर्युतः । राजमानः श्रिया विप्र आचारैस्तपसा तदा १२। संबभूवुः सुतास्तस्य विद्याधरस्य ते त्रयः । वसुशर्मा नामशर्मा धर्मशर्मा च ते त्रयः १३। तेषामहं धर्मशर्मा कनिष्ठो गुणवर्जितः । वसुशर्मा मम भ्राता वेदशास्त्रार्थकोविदः १४। आचारेण सुसंपन्नो विद्यादिसुगुणैः पुनः । नामशर्मा महाप्राज्ञस्तद्वच्चासीद्गुणाधिकः १५। अहमेको महामूर्खः संजातः शृणु सत्तम । विद्यानामुत्तमं विप्र भावमर्थं शुभं कदा १६। न शृणोमि न वै यामि गुरुगेहमनुत्तमम् । ततस्तु जनको मे तु मामेवं परिचिंतयेत् १७। धर्मशर्मेति पुत्रस्य नामास्य तु निरर्थकम् । संजातः क्षितिमध्ये तु न विद्वान्मे गुणाकरः १८। इति संचिंत्य धर्मात्मा मामुवाच सुदुःखितः । व्रज पुत्र गुरोर्गेहं विद्यार्थं परिसाधय १९। एवमाकर्ण्य तत्तस्य पितुर्वाक्यं मयाशुभम् । नाहं तात गमिष्यामि गुरोर्गेहं सुदुःखदम् २०। यत्र वै ताडनं नित्यं भ्रूभंगादि च क्रोशनम् । अन्नं न दृश्यते तत्र कर्मणा शृणुसत्तम २१। दिवारात्रौ न निद्रास्ति नास्ति सुखस्य साधनम् । तस्माद्दुःखमयं तात न यास्ये गुरुमंदिरम् २२। विद्याकार्यं करिष्ये न क्रीडार्थमहमुत्सुकः । भोक्ष्ये स्वप्स्ये प्रसादात्ते करिष्ये क्रीडनं पितः २३। डिंभैः सार्द्धं सुखेनापि दिवारात्रमतंद्रितः । मामुवाच स धर्मात्मा मूढं ज्ञात्वा सुदुःखितः २४। विद्याधर उवाच- मा पुत्र साहसं कार्षीर्विद्यार्थमुद्यमं कुरु । विद्यया प्राप्यते सौख्यं यशः कीर्तिस्तथातुला २५। ज्ञानं स्वर्गश्च मोक्षश्च तस्माद्विद्यां प्रसाधय । पूर्वं सुदुःखमूला तु पश्चाद्विद्या सुखप्रदा २६। तस्मात्साधय पुत्र त्वं विद्यां गुरुगृहं व्रज । पितुर्वाक्यमकुर्वाणो अहमेवं दिनदिने २७। यत्रयत्र स्थितो नित्यमर्थहानिं करोम्यहम् । उपहासः कृतो लोकैर्ममविप्र प्रकुत्सनम् २८। मम लज्जा समुत्पन्ना जीवनाशकरी तदा । विद्यार्थमुद्यतो विप्र कं गुरुं प्रार्थयाम्यहम् २९। इति चिंतापरो जातो दुःखशोकसमाकुलः । कथं विद्यामहं जाने कथं विंदाम्यहं गुणान् ३०। कथं मे जायते स्वर्गः कथं मोक्षं व्रजाम्यहम् । इत्येवं चिंतयन्विप्र वार्द्धक्यमगमं पुनः ३१। देवतायतने दुःखी उपविष्टस्त्वहं कदा । मद्भाग्यैः प्रेरितः कश्चित्सिद्ध एकः समागतः ३२। निराश्रयो जिताहारः सदानंदस्तु निःस्पृहः । एकांतमास्थितो विप्र योगयुक्तो जितेंद्रियः ३३। परब्रह्मणि संलीनो ज्ञानध्यानसमाधिमान् । तमहं संश्रितो विप्र ज्ञानरूपं महामतिम् ३४। अहं शुद्धेन भावेन भक्त्या नमितकंधरः । नमस्कृत्य महात्मानं पुरतस्तस्य संस्थितः ३५। दीनरूपो ह्यहं जातो मंदभाग्यस्तथा पुनः । तेनाहं पृच्छितो विप्र कस्माद्भवान्प्रशोचति ३६। केनाभिप्रायभावेन दुःखमेव भुनक्ति वै । तेनेत्युक्तोस्मि विप्रेंद्र ज्ञानिना योगिना तदा ३७। सुमूढेन मया तस्य पूर्ववृत्तांतमेव हि । तमेवं श्रावितं सर्वं सर्वज्ञत्वं कथं व्रजेत् ३८। एतदर्थं महादुःखी भवान्मम गतिः सदा । स चोवाच महात्मा मे सर्वं ज्ञानस्य कारणम् ३९।
viṣṇuruvāca- kuṃjalo dharmapakṣī sa ityuktvā tānsutānprati | virarāma mahāprājñaḥ kiṃcinnovāca tānprati 1| vaṭādhaḥstho dvijaśreṣṭhastamuvāca mahāśukam | ko bhavāndharmavaktā hi pakṣirūpeṇa vartate 2| kiṃ vā devo'tha gaṃdharvaḥ kiṃ vā vidyādharo bhavān | kasya śāpādimāṃ prāpto yoniṃ kīrasya pātakīm 3| kasmātte īdṛśaṃ jñānaṃ vartate'tīdriyaṃ śuka | supuṇyasya tu kasyāpi kasya vai tapasaḥ phalam 4| kiṃ vā cchannena rūpeṇa anenāpi mahāmate | kastvaṃ siddho'si devo vā tanme kathaya kāraṇam 5| kuṃjala uvāca- bhoḥ siddha tvāmahaṃ jāne kulaṃ te gotramuttamam | vidyāṃ tapaḥprabhāvaṃ ca yasmādbhramasi medinīm 6| sarvaṃ vipra pravakṣyāmi svāgataṃ tava suvrata | upaviśyāsane puṇye chāyāmāśrayaśītalām 7| avyaktaprabhavo brahmā tasmājjajñe prajāpatiḥ | brāhmaṇastu guṇairyukto bhṛgurbrahmasamo dvijaḥ 8| bhārgavo nāma tasyāsītsarvadharmārthatatvavit | tasyānvaye bhavānvipra cyavanaḥ khyātimānbhuvi 9| nāhaṃ devo na gaṃdharvo nāhaṃ vidyādharaḥ punaḥ | yohaṃ vipra pravakṣyāmi tanme nigadataḥ śṛṇu 10| kaśyapasya kule jātaḥ kaścidbrāhmaṇasattamaḥ | vedavedāṃgatattvajñaḥ sarvakarmaprakāśakaḥ 11| vidyādhareti vikhyātaḥ kulaśīlaguṇairyutaḥ | rājamānaḥ śriyā vipra ācāraistapasā tadā 12| saṃbabhūvuḥ sutāstasya vidyādharasya te trayaḥ | vasuśarmā nāmaśarmā dharmaśarmā ca te trayaḥ 13| teṣāmahaṃ dharmaśarmā kaniṣṭho guṇavarjitaḥ | vasuśarmā mama bhrātā vedaśāstrārthakovidaḥ 14| ācāreṇa susaṃpanno vidyādisuguṇaiḥ punaḥ | nāmaśarmā mahāprājñastadvaccāsīdguṇādhikaḥ 15| ahameko mahāmūrkhaḥ saṃjātaḥ śṛṇu sattama | vidyānāmuttamaṃ vipra bhāvamarthaṃ śubhaṃ kadā 16| na śṛṇomi na vai yāmi gurugehamanuttamam | tatastu janako me tu māmevaṃ pariciṃtayet 17| dharmaśarmeti putrasya nāmāsya tu nirarthakam | saṃjātaḥ kṣitimadhye tu na vidvānme guṇākaraḥ 18| iti saṃciṃtya dharmātmā māmuvāca suduḥkhitaḥ | vraja putra gurorgehaṃ vidyārthaṃ parisādhaya 19| evamākarṇya tattasya piturvākyaṃ mayāśubham | nāhaṃ tāta gamiṣyāmi gurorgehaṃ suduḥkhadam 20| yatra vai tāḍanaṃ nityaṃ bhrūbhaṃgādi ca krośanam | annaṃ na dṛśyate tatra karmaṇā śṛṇusattama 21| divārātrau na nidrāsti nāsti sukhasya sādhanam | tasmādduḥkhamayaṃ tāta na yāsye gurumaṃdiram 22| vidyākāryaṃ kariṣye na krīḍārthamahamutsukaḥ | bhokṣye svapsye prasādātte kariṣye krīḍanaṃ pitaḥ 23| ḍiṃbhaiḥ sārddhaṃ sukhenāpi divārātramataṃdritaḥ | māmuvāca sa dharmātmā mūḍhaṃ jñātvā suduḥkhitaḥ 24| vidyādhara uvāca- mā putra sāhasaṃ kārṣīrvidyārthamudyamaṃ kuru | vidyayā prāpyate saukhyaṃ yaśaḥ kīrtistathātulā 25| jñānaṃ svargaśca mokṣaśca tasmādvidyāṃ prasādhaya | pūrvaṃ suduḥkhamūlā tu paścādvidyā sukhapradā 26| tasmātsādhaya putra tvaṃ vidyāṃ gurugṛhaṃ vraja | piturvākyamakurvāṇo ahamevaṃ dinadine 27| yatrayatra sthito nityamarthahāniṃ karomyaham | upahāsaḥ kṛto lokairmamavipra prakutsanam 28| mama lajjā samutpannā jīvanāśakarī tadā | vidyārthamudyato vipra kaṃ guruṃ prārthayāmyaham 29| iti ciṃtāparo jāto duḥkhaśokasamākulaḥ | kathaṃ vidyāmahaṃ jāne kathaṃ viṃdāmyahaṃ guṇān 30| kathaṃ me jāyate svargaḥ kathaṃ mokṣaṃ vrajāmyaham | ityevaṃ ciṃtayanvipra vārddhakyamagamaṃ punaḥ 31| devatāyatane duḥkhī upaviṣṭastvahaṃ kadā | madbhāgyaiḥ preritaḥ kaścitsiddha ekaḥ samāgataḥ 32| nirāśrayo jitāhāraḥ sadānaṃdastu niḥspṛhaḥ | ekāṃtamāsthito vipra yogayukto jiteṃdriyaḥ 33| parabrahmaṇi saṃlīno jñānadhyānasamādhimān | tamahaṃ saṃśrito vipra jñānarūpaṃ mahāmatim 34| ahaṃ śuddhena bhāvena bhaktyā namitakaṃdharaḥ | namaskṛtya mahātmānaṃ puratastasya saṃsthitaḥ 35| dīnarūpo hyahaṃ jāto maṃdabhāgyastathā punaḥ | tenāhaṃ pṛcchito vipra kasmādbhavānpraśocati 36| kenābhiprāyabhāvena duḥkhameva bhunakti vai | tenetyuktosmi vipreṃdra jñāninā yoginā tadā 37| sumūḍhena mayā tasya pūrvavṛttāṃtameva hi | tamevaṃ śrāvitaṃ sarvaṃ sarvajñatvaṃ kathaṃ vrajet 38| etadarthaṃ mahāduḥkhī bhavānmama gatiḥ sadā | sa covāca mahātmā me sarvaṃ jñānasya kāraṇam 39|
English translation
Viṣṇu said :
1-5. That righteous and very intelligent bird Kuñjala , having thus spoken to his sons, ceased speaking. He did not say anything to them. The best brāhmaṇa remaining under the bunyan tree said to that great parrot: “Who are you, explaining Dharma while remaining in the form of a bird? Are you a god, or a gandharva , or are you a vidyādhara ? Due to whose curse did you obtain this very sinful birth in the form of a parrot? O parrot, due to what do you possess such knowledge which is beyond the reach of senses? Of what great religious merit or penance is it the fruit? O you very intelligent one, why are you staying here in this disguise? Tell me the origin: whether you are a siddha or a god.”
Kuñjala said :
6-12. Oh! you have secured divine faculties; I know you, your excellent family and your name. (I know) your learning, and the power of your penance. O brāhmaṇa, I shall tell you everything as to why you are roaming over the earth. O you of a good vow, welcome to you. Sitting on an auspicious seat, resort to the cool shade. The origin of Brahma is the Unmanifest one. From him Prajāpati was born. He the twice-born was Bhṛgu , endowed with virtues and a brāhmaṇa resembling Brahma. His (son) was Bhārgava , who knew the essential nature of Dharma. In his family, you, Cyavana , are (born and) are famous in the world. O brāhmaṇa, I am not a god, I am not a gandharva, nor again I am a vidyadhara . O brāhmaṇa, listen to what I am going to say. A best brāhmaṇa was born in the family of Kaśyapa . He knew the sum and substance of the Vedas and the Vedāṅgas . He explained all acts. He was well-known as a vidyādhara and was endowed with a (noble) family and character. O brāhmaṇa, he then shone (i.e. became famous) by his wealth, conduct and penance.
13. Three sons were born to that vidyādhara: Vasuśarman, Nāmaśarman and Dharmaśarman were the three (sons).
14. Of them I am the youngest, Dharmaśarman destitute of virtues. My brother Vasuśarman knew the meaning of the Vedas and sacred treatises.
15. He was well-endowed with conduct (i.e. was endowed with good conduct), and with excellences like learning. Nāmaśarman was very wise and like him (i.e. Vasuśarman) excelled in virtues.
16-17a. O you best one, listen, I alone was born a great fool. O brāhmaṇa, I never learnt the excellent purport of scriptures. Nor did I ever go to the excellent abode of a preceptor.
17b-18. Therefore, my father thought about me like this: The name of this son, viz. Dharmaśarman is meaningless. On the earth he is born neither as a learned one nor as a mine of virtues.’
19-24. Thinking like this, the pious one being very much afflicted, said to me: “O son, go to the preceptor’s house (and) obtain the import oflearning.” Having heard these good words of my father, (I said to him:) “O father, I shall not go to the preceptor’s house, which is very painful, where there is beating everyday, where there is knotting of the eyebrows etc. and where there is crying (daily); food is not seen there (even) by (doing) work; O best one, (please) listen. There is no sleep by day or at night; and there is no means of pleasure. Therefore, O father, it is full of grief. I shall not go to the preceptor’s house. I shall not learn, I am eager to play. O father, by your favour, I shall eat, sleep and play happily and vigilantly day and night with children.
Knowing me to be a fool the pious one, being extremely grieved, said to me:
Vidyādhara said :
25-26. O son, do not act rashly. Exert yourself for (getting) knowledge. By means of learning happiness, glory, matchless fame, knowledge, heaven and salvation are obtained. Therefore, obtain learning (i.e. be learned). Knowledge is a source of unhappiness in the beginning, but later it gives happiness.
27-31. Therefore, O son, acquire knowledge, go to the preceptor’s house.
I did not follow the words (of advice) of my father. Everyday I stayed here or there, and squandered money. O brāhmaṇa, people ridiculed and condemned me. I had then a sense of shame destroying life. O brāhmaṇa, I was ready to obtain knowledge. ‘Which preceptor should I request?’ With this thought I was anxious and full of grief and sorrow. ‘How shall I acquire learning? How shall I have virtues? How will heaven be possible for me? How shall I achieve salvation?’ O brāhmaṇa, thinking like this, I reached old age.
32-39. Some time, I being grieved, sat in a temple. Impelled by my good fortune, a siddha came (there). He was without refuge (i.e. alone); he had overcome his hunger; was always joyful and desireless; O brāhmaṇa, he resorted to solitude; he possessed deep abstract meditation and had controlled his senses. He had been completely absorbed in the highest Brahman , and possessed knowledge, meditation and concentration of mind. O brāhmaṇa, I resorted to him who was of the form of knowledge and very intelligent. With a pure heart, and with devotion, I, having bowed my head, saluted the illustrious one and stood before him. I had become miserable and also luckless. O brāhmaṇa, he asked me: “Why are you suffering? For what purpose are you experiencing misery like this?” O best brāhmaṇa, that learned meditating saint thus spoke to me. I, a great fool, told him all my former account; (and asked him). “How can one be omniscient? For this reason I am very unhappy. You are always my refuge.” The illustrious one told me the entire means of knowledge.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 25207, revision 335691 (2022-04-12T19:14:28Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc365215.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.