Brahma-khaṇḍa · Chapter 1
Sourceशौनक उवाच- कलौ समागते सूत प्राणिनां केन कर्मणा । उद्धारो वै भवेत्तस्मात्कथयस्व ममाग्रतः ॥ १ ॥ सूत उवाच- साधुसाधु मुनिश्रेष्ठ पुण्यात्मनां वरो भवान् । सर्वेषां च जनानां च शुभवाञ्छो निरंतरम् २। एतद्व्यासः पुरा विप्रः सर्वज्ञः सर्वपूजितः । पृष्टो जैमिनिना तं स यदाह शृणु वैष्णव ३। दंडवत्प्रणिपत्यासौ व्यासं सर्वार्थपारगम् । गुरुं सत्यवतीसूनुं पप्रच्छ मुनिपुंगवः ४। जैमिनिरुवाच- कलौ नृणां भवेत्केन मोक्षो वै कथयस्व मे । अल्पेनापि च पुण्येन मर्त्याश्चाल्पायुषो यतः ५। व्यास उवाच- साधुसंगाद्भवेद्विप्र शास्त्राणां श्रवणं प्रभो । हरिभक्तिर्भवेत्तस्मात्ततो ज्ञानं ततो गतिः ६। न रोचते कथा भूमौ पापिष्ठाय जनाय वै । वैष्णवी स तु विज्ञेयः पापिष्ठप्रवरो द्विजः ७। श्रीकृष्णस्य कथां श्रुत्वाऽऽनंदी भवति वैष्णवः । असत्यां तां तु यो ब्रूयाज्ज्ञेयः स पापिनां गुरुः ८। यस्मिन्यस्मिन्स्थले विप्र कृष्णस्य वर्तते कथा । तस्मात्तस्माज्जगन्नाथो याति त्यक्त्वा न कर्हिचित् ९। कृष्णस्य यः कथारंभे कुर्याद्विघ्नं नराधमः । नरकान्निष्कृतिर्नास्ति मन्वंतरशतावधि १०। ये पुराणकथां श्रुत्वा निंदंत्युपहसंति वै । तेषां करस्था नरका बहुक्लेशकराः सदा ११। जन्मांतरार्जितं पापं तत्क्षणादेव नश्यति । श्रीकृष्णचरितं यो वै श्रोतुमिच्छां करोत्यपि १२। भक्त्या यो वै नरः कुर्यात्श्रीकृष्णचरितं तथा । न जाने श्रवणे तस्य का गतिर्वा भविष्यति १३। ब्रह्महत्यादिकं पापं अकालमरणं तथा । सुरापानं तथास्तेयं सर्वं नश्यति पापिनः १४। पापं कृत्वा तु यो मर्त्यः पश्चात्पापं निवर्तयेत् । तस्य पापं व्रजेन्नाशमग्निना तूलराशिवत् १५। श्रीकृष्णचरितं विप्र तिष्ठेद्वै पुस्तकं गृहे । तस्य गृहसमीपं हि नायांति यमकिंकराः १६। जैमिनिरुवाच- वदंति वैष्णवान्कांश्च वांच्छा ब्रूहि गुरो मम । इदानीं तान्समाज्ञातुं तेषां माहात्म्यमुत्तमम् १७। व्यास उवाच- यो नरो मस्तके भक्त्या वैष्णवांघ्रिजलं द्विज । करोति सेचनं पापी तीर्थस्नानेन तस्य किम् १८। साधुसंगं तु यः कुर्य्यात्क्षणं वार्द्धक्षणं द्विज । तस्य नश्यंति पापानि ब्रह्महत्यामुखानि च १९। यत्रयत्र कुले चैव एको भवति वैष्णवः । कुलं तस्य यदा पापैर्युक्तं तन्मोक्षगामि वै २०। हिंसादंभकामक्रोधैर्वर्जिताश्चैव ये नराः । लोभमोहपरित्यक्ता ज्ञेयास्ते वैष्णवा द्विज २१। पितृभक्ता दयायुक्ताः सर्वप्राणिहिते रताः । अमत्सरा वैष्णवा ये विज्ञेयाः सत्यभाषिणः २२। विप्रभक्तिरता ये च परस्त्रीषु नपुंसकाः । एकादशीव्रतरता विज्ञेयास्ते च वैष्णवाः २३। गायंति हरिनामानि तुलसीमाल्यधारकाः । हर्यंघ्रिसलिलैः सिक्ता विज्ञेयास्ते च वैष्णवाः २४। श्रोत्रयोर्मस्तके येषां तुलस्याः पर्णमुत्तमम् । कर्हिचिद्दृश्यते विप्र विज्ञेयास्ते च वैष्णवाः २५। पाखंडसंगरहिता विप्रद्वेषविवर्जिताः । सिंचेयुस्तुलसीं ये च ज्ञातव्या वैष्णवा नराः २६। पूजयंति हरिं ये च तुलस्या चार्चयंति ये । कन्यादानरता ये च ये वै ह्यतिथिपूजकाः २७। शृण्वंति विष्णुचरितं विज्ञेया वैष्णवा नराः । यस्य गृहे सुप्रतिष्ठेत्शालग्रामशिलापि च २८। मार्जयंति हरेः स्थानं पितृयज्ञप्रवर्तकाः । जने दीने दयायुक्ता विज्ञेयास्ते च वैष्णवाः २९। परस्वं ब्राह्मणद्रव्यं पश्यंति विषवच्च ये । हरिनैवेद्यं येऽश्नन्ति विज्ञेया वैष्णवा जनाः ३०। वेदशास्त्रानुरक्ता ये तुलसीवनपालकाः । राधाष्टमीव्रतरता विज्ञेयास्ते च वैष्णवाः ३१। श्रीकृष्णपुरतो ये च दीपं यच्छंति श्रद्धया । परनिंदां न कुर्वंति विज्ञेयास्ते च वैष्णवाः ३२। सूत उवाच- पृष्टो जैमिनिना व्यास इत्युक्तः स यथाक्रमम् । मयेदं कथ्यते ब्रह्मन्यत्प्रसंगाद्गुरोः श्रुतम् ३३। अध्यायं श्रद्धया युक्तं ये शृण्वंति नरोत्तमाः । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्ता यांति विष्णोः परं पदम् ३४। इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे ब्रह्मखंडे व्यासजैमिनिसंवादे प्रथमोऽध्यायः १।
śaunaka uvāca- kalau samāgate sūta prāṇināṃ kena karmaṇā | uddhāro vai bhavettasmātkathayasva mamāgrataḥ || 1 || sūta uvāca- sādhusādhu muniśreṣṭha puṇyātmanāṃ varo bhavān | sarveṣāṃ ca janānāṃ ca śubhavāñcho niraṃtaram 2| etadvyāsaḥ purā vipraḥ sarvajñaḥ sarvapūjitaḥ | pṛṣṭo jaimininā taṃ sa yadāha śṛṇu vaiṣṇava 3| daṃḍavatpraṇipatyāsau vyāsaṃ sarvārthapāragam | guruṃ satyavatīsūnuṃ papraccha munipuṃgavaḥ 4| jaiminiruvāca- kalau nṛṇāṃ bhavetkena mokṣo vai kathayasva me | alpenāpi ca puṇyena martyāścālpāyuṣo yataḥ 5| vyāsa uvāca- sādhusaṃgādbhavedvipra śāstrāṇāṃ śravaṇaṃ prabho | haribhaktirbhavettasmāttato jñānaṃ tato gatiḥ 6| na rocate kathā bhūmau pāpiṣṭhāya janāya vai | vaiṣṇavī sa tu vijñeyaḥ pāpiṣṭhapravaro dvijaḥ 7| śrīkṛṣṇasya kathāṃ śrutvā''naṃdī bhavati vaiṣṇavaḥ | asatyāṃ tāṃ tu yo brūyājjñeyaḥ sa pāpināṃ guruḥ 8| yasminyasminsthale vipra kṛṣṇasya vartate kathā | tasmāttasmājjagannātho yāti tyaktvā na karhicit 9| kṛṣṇasya yaḥ kathāraṃbhe kuryādvighnaṃ narādhamaḥ | narakānniṣkṛtirnāsti manvaṃtaraśatāvadhi 10| ye purāṇakathāṃ śrutvā niṃdaṃtyupahasaṃti vai | teṣāṃ karasthā narakā bahukleśakarāḥ sadā 11| janmāṃtarārjitaṃ pāpaṃ tatkṣaṇādeva naśyati | śrīkṛṣṇacaritaṃ yo vai śrotumicchāṃ karotyapi 12| bhaktyā yo vai naraḥ kuryātśrīkṛṣṇacaritaṃ tathā | na jāne śravaṇe tasya kā gatirvā bhaviṣyati 13| brahmahatyādikaṃ pāpaṃ akālamaraṇaṃ tathā | surāpānaṃ tathāsteyaṃ sarvaṃ naśyati pāpinaḥ 14| pāpaṃ kṛtvā tu yo martyaḥ paścātpāpaṃ nivartayet | tasya pāpaṃ vrajennāśamagninā tūlarāśivat 15| śrīkṛṣṇacaritaṃ vipra tiṣṭhedvai pustakaṃ gṛhe | tasya gṛhasamīpaṃ hi nāyāṃti yamakiṃkarāḥ 16| jaiminiruvāca- vadaṃti vaiṣṇavānkāṃśca vāṃcchā brūhi guro mama | idānīṃ tānsamājñātuṃ teṣāṃ māhātmyamuttamam 17| vyāsa uvāca- yo naro mastake bhaktyā vaiṣṇavāṃghrijalaṃ dvija | karoti secanaṃ pāpī tīrthasnānena tasya kim 18| sādhusaṃgaṃ tu yaḥ kuryyātkṣaṇaṃ vārddhakṣaṇaṃ dvija | tasya naśyaṃti pāpāni brahmahatyāmukhāni ca 19| yatrayatra kule caiva eko bhavati vaiṣṇavaḥ | kulaṃ tasya yadā pāpairyuktaṃ tanmokṣagāmi vai 20| hiṃsādaṃbhakāmakrodhairvarjitāścaiva ye narāḥ | lobhamohaparityaktā jñeyāste vaiṣṇavā dvija 21| pitṛbhaktā dayāyuktāḥ sarvaprāṇihite ratāḥ | amatsarā vaiṣṇavā ye vijñeyāḥ satyabhāṣiṇaḥ 22| viprabhaktiratā ye ca parastrīṣu napuṃsakāḥ | ekādaśīvrataratā vijñeyāste ca vaiṣṇavāḥ 23| gāyaṃti harināmāni tulasīmālyadhārakāḥ | haryaṃghrisalilaiḥ siktā vijñeyāste ca vaiṣṇavāḥ 24| śrotrayormastake yeṣāṃ tulasyāḥ parṇamuttamam | karhiciddṛśyate vipra vijñeyāste ca vaiṣṇavāḥ 25| pākhaṃḍasaṃgarahitā vipradveṣavivarjitāḥ | siṃceyustulasīṃ ye ca jñātavyā vaiṣṇavā narāḥ 26| pūjayaṃti hariṃ ye ca tulasyā cārcayaṃti ye | kanyādānaratā ye ca ye vai hyatithipūjakāḥ 27| śṛṇvaṃti viṣṇucaritaṃ vijñeyā vaiṣṇavā narāḥ | yasya gṛhe supratiṣṭhetśālagrāmaśilāpi ca 28| mārjayaṃti hareḥ sthānaṃ pitṛyajñapravartakāḥ | jane dīne dayāyuktā vijñeyāste ca vaiṣṇavāḥ 29| parasvaṃ brāhmaṇadravyaṃ paśyaṃti viṣavacca ye | harinaivedyaṃ ye'śnanti vijñeyā vaiṣṇavā janāḥ 30| vedaśāstrānuraktā ye tulasīvanapālakāḥ | rādhāṣṭamīvrataratā vijñeyāste ca vaiṣṇavāḥ 31| śrīkṛṣṇapurato ye ca dīpaṃ yacchaṃti śraddhayā | paraniṃdāṃ na kurvaṃti vijñeyāste ca vaiṣṇavāḥ 32| sūta uvāca- pṛṣṭo jaimininā vyāsa ityuktaḥ sa yathākramam | mayedaṃ kathyate brahmanyatprasaṃgādguroḥ śrutam 33| adhyāyaṃ śraddhayā yuktaṃ ye śṛṇvaṃti narottamāḥ | sarvapāpavinirmuktā yāṃti viṣṇoḥ paraṃ padam 34| iti śrīpādme mahāpurāṇe brahmakhaṃḍe vyāsajaiminisaṃvāde prathamo'dhyāyaḥ 1|
English translation
Salutation to Śrī Vedavyāsa
Saunaka said :
1. O Sūta , now that the Kali age has arrived, tell me, by means of which acts a being would be liberated from that (mundane existence).
Sūta said :
2-4. Well (asked), well (asked), O best of sages, you are the best among the righteous people. You constantly desire the wellbeing of all people. O you devotee of Viṣṇu , listen to what Vyāsa , the omniscient brāhmaṇa , revered by all, said, when he was formerly asked by Jaimini . The best sage (Jaimini), having prostrated himself like a staff before preceptor Vyāsa, Satyavatī ’s son, who had mastered everything, asked him:
Jaimini said :
5. Tell me how even with little religious merit people will obtain salvation in the Kali age, since they are short-lived.
Vyāsa said :
6. O lord, O brāhmaṇa, due to the contact with the good there would be the listening to (i.e. a man would listen to) the sacred texts. Due to that there would be (i.e. arise) devotion to Viṣṇu. Knowledge (would follow) from that, and (best) position (i.e. liberation) from that (knowledge).
7. The account of Viṣṇu is not liked by the most sinful man on the earth. Such a brāhmaṇa should be known (i.e. looked upon) as the most sinful (man).
8-13. A devotee of Viṣṇu is delighted on hearing the account of Śrīkṛṣṇa (i.e. Viṣṇu). He who describes it to be false should be known as the greatest (i.e. worst) among the sinners. O brāhmaṇa, the lord of the world does not leave that place where the account of Kṛṣṇa is (being narrated), and does not at any time go (anywhere else). For a man who would create an obstacle in the act of the narration of Viṣṇu’s account, there is no escape from hell for a hundred period of Manu . For those who, having heard the account (as narrated) in the Purāṇas , censure or scoff at it, always have the very afflicting hells on their hands (i.e. waiting for them). The sin earned in the previous existences (of him) who desires to listen to the account of Śrīkṛṣṇa, perishes just at that moment only. I do not know what (best) position the man who would devoutly listen to Śrīkṛṣṇa’s account will have on hearing it.
14-16. All such (blemishes) of the sinner as the sin due to the murder of a brāhmaṇa, untimely death, andalso(the sin due to) drinking liquor, perish. The sin of that man who (first) having committed a sin later keeps (himself) away from it, would perish as the heap of cotton perishes (i.e. is burnt) by fire. O brāhmaṇa, Yama ’s servants do not come near the house of him in whose house there is the book (containing) the account of Śrīkṛṣṇa.
Jaimini said :
17. O preceptor, tell me, whom do they describe as the devotees of Viṣṇu. I have now a desire to know them and also (to know) their excellent greatness.
Vyāsa said :
18-20. O brāhmaṇa, what is the use of bathing at a holy place for that sinful man who devoutly sprinkles upon his head the water (flowing) from the feet of Viṣṇu? O brāhmaṇa, the sins like killing a brāhmaṇa, of him who would have the company of the good for a moment or half a moment, perish. In whichever family (even) one (member) is a devotee of Viṣṇu, the family (even) when full of sins (or sinners), attains salvation.
21-32. Those men (only) who are free from (doing) harm (to others), religious hypocrisy, lust and anger, and also those who are bereft of greed and infatuation, who are devoted to their parents, should be known as the devotees of Viṣṇu, O brāhmaṇa. Those who are devoted to their parents, who are endowed with pity, who are engaged in the well-being of all creatures, who are free from jealousy, and who speak the truth should be known as the followers of Viṣṇu. Also those who are devoted to brāhmaṇas , who are impotent to the wives of others, who are engrossed in the vow of Ekādaśī should be known as the devotees of Viṣṇu. Wearing garlands of Tulasī (-leaves) those who sing the names of Viṣṇu, and who are sprinkled with the water (flowing) from the feet of Viṣṇu should be known as the followers of Viṣṇu. O brāhmaṇa, those also, on whose head or ears an excellent tulasī(-leaf) is usually seen, should be known as the devotees of Viṣṇu. Those who are free from the comp any of heretics, and free from hating brāhmaṇas, who would sprinkle (water) over the tulasī(-plant) should be known as Viṣṇu’s devotees. Those men who worship Viṣṇu, also who worship him with tulasī(-leaves), who are engaged in offering their daughters (to worthy grooms), who honour their guests, who listen to the account ofViṣṇu, should be known as Viṣṇu’s devotees, and also the man in whose house the śālagrāma stone would be well-established (is a devotee of Viṣṇu). Those men also, who cleanse the abode (i.e. the temple) of Viṣṇu, who perform rites in honour of the manes, who are full of pity towards the helpless, should be known as the followers of Viṣṇu. Those who look upon the wealth of others and of brāhmaṇas as poison, and those who eat the offering of eatables (after they are) presented to Viṣṇu should be known as the followers of Viṣṇu. And also those men who love Vedas and sacred texts, who protect the tulasī (-plants), who are engaged in practising the vow of Rādhāṣṭamī (or Janmāṣṭamī ), and those who devoutly present a lamp before (the image of) Śrīkṛṣṇa, who do not censure others, should be known as the followers of Viṣṇu.
Sūta said :
33. Vyāsa who was asked by Jaimini, told him thus in the (proper) order. (Now) I am telling you what occasionally I heard from my preceptor, O brāhmaṇa.
34. Those best men who listen to the reading (of the account of Viṣṇu), are free from all sins, and go the highest position of Viṣṇu.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 43449, revision 335782 (2022-04-15T03:09:49Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc365285.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.