Brahma-khaṇḍa · Chapter 14
Sourceशौनक उवाच। कथयस्व महाप्राज्ञ ब्राह्मणस्य कृपार्णव । माहात्म्यं सर्ववर्णानां श्रेष्ठस्य कृपया च मे १। सूत उवाच। ब्राह्मणः सर्ववर्णानां गुरुरेव द्विजोत्तम । सर्वामराश्रयो ज्ञेयः साक्षान्नारायणः प्रभुः २। कुर्यात्प्रणामं यो विप्रं हरिबुद्ध्या तु भूसुरम् । भक्त्या तस्य द्विजश्रेष्ठ वर्द्धते संपदादिकम् ३। न नमेद्ब्राह्मणं दृष्ट्वा हेलयापि च गर्वितः । छेदनं तु तस्य शिरः कर्तुमिच्छेत्सदा हरिः ४। कृतापराधं विप्रं ये द्विषंति पापबुद्धयः । हरिं द्विषंति ते ज्ञेया निरयं यांति दारुणम् ५। यः कर्तुं प्रार्थनां विप्रं पश्येत्क्रोधेन चागतम् । कृतांतश्चक्षुषोस्तस्य तप्तसूचीं ददाति वै ६। कुरुते भूसुरं मूढो भर्त्सनं यो नराधमः । यमदूता मुखे तस्य तप्तलोहं ददंति च ७। येषां निकेतने भुंक्ते क्ष्मासुरो वै तपोधनः । सुपर्वाणैः स्वयं कृष्णो भुंक्ते तेषां निकेतने ८। नश्यंति सर्वपापानि द्विजहत्यादिकानि च । कणमात्रं भजेद्यस्तु विप्रांघ्रिसलिलं नरः ९। यो नरश्चरणौधौतं कुर्याद्धस्तेन भक्तितः । द्विजातेर्वच्मि सत्यं ते स मुक्तः सर्वपातकैः १०। पुत्रहीना च या नारी मृतवत्सा च यांगना । सपुत्रा जीववत्सा सा द्विजपद्मांघ्रिसेवनात् ११। ब्रह्मांडे यानि तीर्थानि तानि तीर्थानि सागरे । उदधौ यानि तीर्थानि तिष्ठंति द्विजपादयोः । द्विजांघ्रिसलिलैर्नित्यं सेचितं यस्य मस्तकम् १२। स स्नातः सर्वतीर्थेषु स मुक्तः सर्वपातकैः । शृणु शौनक वक्ष्यामि माहात्म्यं पापनाशनम् १३। विप्रपादोदकस्याहमितिहासं तपोधन । आसीत्पुरा द्विजश्रेष्ठ वैश्यवृत्तिपरायणः १४। शूद्रो भीमो द्वापरे च ब्रह्महत्यासहस्रकृत् । निष्ठुरः सर्वदा तुष्टः समहान्वैश्यया पुनः १५। शूद्राचारपरिभ्रष्टो भीमोऽसौ गुरुतल्पगः । प्रत्येकं वच्मि किं तस्य दस्योः संख्या न विद्यते १६। पापानां मुनिशार्दूल भीमस्य दुष्टचेतसः । एकदा स गतः कश्चिद्ब्राह्मणस्य निवेशनम् १७। गत्वा तं तस्य गेहात्तु द्रव्यं नेतुं मनो दधे । तत्रोवास ब्राह्मणस्य बहिर्द्वारसमीपतः १८। दैन्ययुक्तं वचः प्राह क्ष्मासुरं स तपोधनम् । भो स्वामिन्शृणु मे वाक्यं दयालुरिव मन्यते १९। क्षुधार्तोऽहं देहि चान्नं प्राणा यास्यंति मे द्रुतम् २०। ब्राह्मण उवाच- क्षुधार्त्त शृणु मे कश्चिद्वाक्यं कर्तुं न विद्यते । पाकं मे तंडुलानि त्वं नीत्वा भुंक्ष्व यथासुखम् २१। नास्ति मे जनको माता नास्ति सूनुः सहोदरः । नास्ति जाया मातृबंधुर्मृताः सर्वे विहाय माम् २२। तिष्ठाम्येको गृहेऽकर्मा भाग्यहीनोतिथे हरिः । एको मे वसतौ चास्ति न जाने तद्विना किल २३। भीम उवाच।मम कश्चिद्द्विजश्रेष्ठ नास्ति सेवां तवापि च । शूद्रोऽहं निलये जात्या कृत्वा स्थास्यामि ते सदा २४। सूत उवाच।इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा सानंदः क्ष्मासुरस्तदा । पाकं विधाय तूर्णं स ददावन्नं तपोधन २५। सोऽपि हर्षसमायुक्तस्तस्थौ तत्र द्विजालये । सेवां कुर्वन्स्नेहयुक्तां भूसुरस्य मनोहराम् २६। अद्य श्वो वा हनिष्यामि द्रव्यमस्य ममापि च । नेतुं यदा करिष्यामि नेष्यामि नात्र संशयः २७। परामृश्य च हृद्यंतः कृत्वा तस्य क्रियां वदेत् । पादधौतादिकं चासौ शिरसा गतपातकः २८। आचम्यांघ्रिजलं दध्रेच्छद्मना प्रतिदिनं द्विजः । एकदा हारकः कश्चिद्द्रव्यं नेतुं समागतः २९। उत्पाट्य रात्रावररं गतोऽसौ तद्गृहांतरम् । दृष्ट्वा भीमं प्रहारार्थं दंडहस्तः समागतः ३०। हारको मस्तकं तस्य छित्त्वा तूर्णं पलायितः । अथ तस्य भटा विष्णोः शंखचक्रगदाधराः ३१। समायातास्तथा नेतुं भीमं तं वीतकिल्बिषम् । स्यंदनं चागतं दिव्यं राजहंसयुतं द्विज ३२। तत्रारूढो ययौ विष्णोर्भवनं दुर्लभं किल । माहात्म्यं भूमिदेवस्य मया ते तत्प्रकीर्तितम् । शृणुयाद्यो नरो भक्त्या तस्य पातकनाशनम् ३३। इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे ब्रह्मखंडे सूतशौनकसंवादे ब्राह्मणमाहात्म्यंनाम चतुर्दशोऽध्यायः १४।
śaunaka uvāca| kathayasva mahāprājña brāhmaṇasya kṛpārṇava | māhātmyaṃ sarvavarṇānāṃ śreṣṭhasya kṛpayā ca me 1| sūta uvāca| brāhmaṇaḥ sarvavarṇānāṃ gurureva dvijottama | sarvāmarāśrayo jñeyaḥ sākṣānnārāyaṇaḥ prabhuḥ 2| kuryātpraṇāmaṃ yo vipraṃ haribuddhyā tu bhūsuram | bhaktyā tasya dvijaśreṣṭha varddhate saṃpadādikam 3| na namedbrāhmaṇaṃ dṛṣṭvā helayāpi ca garvitaḥ | chedanaṃ tu tasya śiraḥ kartumicchetsadā hariḥ 4| kṛtāparādhaṃ vipraṃ ye dviṣaṃti pāpabuddhayaḥ | hariṃ dviṣaṃti te jñeyā nirayaṃ yāṃti dāruṇam 5| yaḥ kartuṃ prārthanāṃ vipraṃ paśyetkrodhena cāgatam | kṛtāṃtaścakṣuṣostasya taptasūcīṃ dadāti vai 6| kurute bhūsuraṃ mūḍho bhartsanaṃ yo narādhamaḥ | yamadūtā mukhe tasya taptalohaṃ dadaṃti ca 7| yeṣāṃ niketane bhuṃkte kṣmāsuro vai tapodhanaḥ | suparvāṇaiḥ svayaṃ kṛṣṇo bhuṃkte teṣāṃ niketane 8| naśyaṃti sarvapāpāni dvijahatyādikāni ca | kaṇamātraṃ bhajedyastu viprāṃghrisalilaṃ naraḥ 9| yo naraścaraṇaudhautaṃ kuryāddhastena bhaktitaḥ | dvijātervacmi satyaṃ te sa muktaḥ sarvapātakaiḥ 10| putrahīnā ca yā nārī mṛtavatsā ca yāṃganā | saputrā jīvavatsā sā dvijapadmāṃghrisevanāt 11| brahmāṃḍe yāni tīrthāni tāni tīrthāni sāgare | udadhau yāni tīrthāni tiṣṭhaṃti dvijapādayoḥ | dvijāṃghrisalilairnityaṃ secitaṃ yasya mastakam 12| sa snātaḥ sarvatīrtheṣu sa muktaḥ sarvapātakaiḥ | śṛṇu śaunaka vakṣyāmi māhātmyaṃ pāpanāśanam 13| viprapādodakasyāhamitihāsaṃ tapodhana | āsītpurā dvijaśreṣṭha vaiśyavṛttiparāyaṇaḥ 14| śūdro bhīmo dvāpare ca brahmahatyāsahasrakṛt | niṣṭhuraḥ sarvadā tuṣṭaḥ samahānvaiśyayā punaḥ 15| śūdrācāraparibhraṣṭo bhīmo'sau gurutalpagaḥ | pratyekaṃ vacmi kiṃ tasya dasyoḥ saṃkhyā na vidyate 16| pāpānāṃ muniśārdūla bhīmasya duṣṭacetasaḥ | ekadā sa gataḥ kaścidbrāhmaṇasya niveśanam 17| gatvā taṃ tasya gehāttu dravyaṃ netuṃ mano dadhe | tatrovāsa brāhmaṇasya bahirdvārasamīpataḥ 18| dainyayuktaṃ vacaḥ prāha kṣmāsuraṃ sa tapodhanam | bho svāminśṛṇu me vākyaṃ dayāluriva manyate 19| kṣudhārto'haṃ dehi cānnaṃ prāṇā yāsyaṃti me drutam 20| brāhmaṇa uvāca- kṣudhārtta śṛṇu me kaścidvākyaṃ kartuṃ na vidyate | pākaṃ me taṃḍulāni tvaṃ nītvā bhuṃkṣva yathāsukham 21| nāsti me janako mātā nāsti sūnuḥ sahodaraḥ | nāsti jāyā mātṛbaṃdhurmṛtāḥ sarve vihāya mām 22| tiṣṭhāmyeko gṛhe'karmā bhāgyahīnotithe hariḥ | eko me vasatau cāsti na jāne tadvinā kila 23| bhīma uvāca|mama kaściddvijaśreṣṭha nāsti sevāṃ tavāpi ca | śūdro'haṃ nilaye jātyā kṛtvā sthāsyāmi te sadā 24| sūta uvāca|iti tasya vacaḥ śrutvā sānaṃdaḥ kṣmāsurastadā | pākaṃ vidhāya tūrṇaṃ sa dadāvannaṃ tapodhana 25| so'pi harṣasamāyuktastasthau tatra dvijālaye | sevāṃ kurvansnehayuktāṃ bhūsurasya manoharām 26| adya śvo vā haniṣyāmi dravyamasya mamāpi ca | netuṃ yadā kariṣyāmi neṣyāmi nātra saṃśayaḥ 27| parāmṛśya ca hṛdyaṃtaḥ kṛtvā tasya kriyāṃ vadet | pādadhautādikaṃ cāsau śirasā gatapātakaḥ 28| ācamyāṃghrijalaṃ dadhrecchadmanā pratidinaṃ dvijaḥ | ekadā hārakaḥ kaściddravyaṃ netuṃ samāgataḥ 29| utpāṭya rātrāvararaṃ gato'sau tadgṛhāṃtaram | dṛṣṭvā bhīmaṃ prahārārthaṃ daṃḍahastaḥ samāgataḥ 30| hārako mastakaṃ tasya chittvā tūrṇaṃ palāyitaḥ | atha tasya bhaṭā viṣṇoḥ śaṃkhacakragadādharāḥ 31| samāyātāstathā netuṃ bhīmaṃ taṃ vītakilbiṣam | syaṃdanaṃ cāgataṃ divyaṃ rājahaṃsayutaṃ dvija 32| tatrārūḍho yayau viṣṇorbhavanaṃ durlabhaṃ kila | māhātmyaṃ bhūmidevasya mayā te tatprakīrtitam | śṛṇuyādyo naro bhaktyā tasya pātakanāśanam 33| iti śrīpādme mahāpurāṇe brahmakhaṃḍe sūtaśaunakasaṃvāde brāhmaṇamāhātmyaṃnāma caturdaśo'dhyāyaḥ 14|
English translation
Śaunaka said :
1. O you very wise one, O you ocean of compassion, kindly tell me the import ance of a brāhmaṇa , the best of all the castes.
Sūta said :
2-8. O best brāhmaṇa, a brāhmaṇa is the preceptor of all the castes. He should be known to be the resort of all gods, and he is actually Viṣṇu , the lord. O best brāhmaṇa, the wealth etc. of him who devoutly salutes a brāhmaṇa, looking upon him as Viṣṇu, enhances. Viṣṇu would always desire to cut off the head of him who, being proud, does not even casually salute a brāhmaṇa. Those of sinful minds, who hate a brāhmaṇa who has committed an offence, should be known to be hating Viṣṇu. They go to a terrible hell. Yama torments with a heated needle the eyes of him who would look angrily at a brāhmaṇa who has come to make a request. The messengers (i.e. servants) of Yama put (a piece of) heated iron into the mouth of the foolish mean man who threatens a brāhmaṇa. Kṛṣṇa himself along with gods eats in the house of those in whose house a brāhmaṇa with penance as his wealth eats.
9-13a. All the sins, like the murder of a brāhmaṇa, of that man who takes just a drop of water (flowing) from the foot of a brāhmaṇa, perish. I tell you the truth—the man who would devoutly wash the feet of a brāhmaṇa, is freed from all sins. That woman who has no sons or that woman whose child was stillborn, would (respectively) have a son, would have her child alive. Those holy places which exist in the world, those holy places which exist in an ocean, those holy places that exist in a sea, exist in the feet of a brāhmaṇa. He whose head is always sprinkled with the water from the feet of a brāhmaṇa, has (indeed) bathed at all the places (and) is free from all sins.
13b-20. O you Śaunaka , having penance as your wealth, listen, I shall tell you the greatness destroying all sins—the history, of the water (flowing) from the feet of a brāhmaṇa. O best brāhmaṇa, formerly there was a śūdra named Bhīma who was engaged in the occupation of a vaiśya . Even in Dvāpara ( yuga ), he, a cruel man who killed a thousand brāhmaṇas , was satisfied with a vaiśya wife. That Bhīma had given up the conduct of a śūdra and had illegitimate connection with his preceptor’s wife. How can I tell each one (of his sins)? The sins of the śūdra, viz. Bhīma, of a wicked mind, could not be counted. Once he went to a brāhmaṇa’s house. He made up his mind to enter the brāhmaṇa’s house and to take (away) his money. He remained near the outer gate (of the house) of the brāhmaṇa. He spoke piteous words to the brāhmaṇa, the treasure of penance: “O lord, listen to my words. I think you are kind. I am oppressed with hunger; give me food, (otherwise) my life will soon depart (i.e. I shall die soon).”
The brāhmaṇa said :
21-23. O you who are oppressed with hunger, listen to my words. There is nobody (in my house) to cook food. There is rice. Take it and eat it as (much) as you like. I do not have a father or a mother; I do not have a son or a brother; I do not have a wife or the brother of my mother (i.e. maternal uncle). Leaving me all of them are dead. O guest, being jobless and unlucky I am staying in the house (all) alone. Viṣṇu alone lives in my abode. I do not know anyone else but him.
Bhīma said :
24. O best brāhmaṇa, I too do not have any (relative). I am a śūdra by caste. I shall remain in your house always serving you.
Sūta said :
25-33. Hearing (those) words of (i.e. uttered by) him, the brāhmaṇa who was delighted, quickly cooked food and gave it to him, O ascetic. He too being delighted lived in the brāhmaṇa’s house doing to the brāhmaṇa affectionate and good service. ‘Today or tomorrow I shall kill him, I shall take away his money and make it mine. Certainly I shall take it (away).’ Thinking and deciding like this, he did, by (bowing) his head, whatever work like washing his feet, the brāhmaṇa would tel! (him to do); (thus) he was free from sins. The brāhmaṇa having sipped water, everyday put before him under some protext, the water flowing from his feet. Once a thief came there to take away money. At night having drawn out the panels (of the door) he entered the interior of the house. Seeing Bhīma (there), he came with a staff in his hand to strike him. The thief having broken his head, quickly ran away. Then Viṣṇu’s soldiers, holding conches, discs, and maces came (there) to take Bhīma whose sins had gone. O brāhmaṇa, a divine chariot to which royal swans were yoked, also came there. Getting into it, he went to Viṣṇu’s abode, not easily accessible. I have narrated this greatness of a brāhmaṇa. It destroys the sin of him who listens to it.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 43545, revision 335802 (2022-04-15T08:49:01Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc365298.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.