Pātāla-khaṇḍa · Chapter 1
Sourceश्रीगणेशाय नमः। श्रीकुलदेवतायै नमः। श्रीगुरुचरणारविंदाभ्यां नमः । नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमम् । देवींसरस्वतीं व्यासं ततो जयमुदीरयेत् १। ऋषय ऊचुः। श्रुतं सर्वं महाभाग स्वर्गखंडं मनोहरम् । त्वत्तोऽधुना वदायुष्मञ्छ्रीरामचरितं हि नः २। सूत उवाच। अथैकदा धराधारं पृष्टवान्भुजगेश्वरम् । वात्स्यायनो मुनिवरः कथामेतां सुनिर्मलाम् ३। श्रीवात्स्यायन उवाच। शेषाशेष कथास्त्वत्तो जगत्सर्गलयादिकाः । भूगोलश्च खगोलश्च ज्योतिश्चक्रविनिर्णयः ४। महत्तत्त्वादिसृष्टीनां पृथक्तत्त्वविनिर्णयः । नानाराजचरित्राणि कथितानि त्वयानघ ५। सूर्यवंशभवानां च राज्ञां चारित्रमद्भुतम् । तत्रानेकमहापापहरा रामकृता कथा ६। तस्य वीरस्य रामस्य हयमेधकथा श्रुता । संक्षेपतो मया त्वत्तस्तामिच्छामि सविस्तराम् ७। या श्रुता संस्मृता चोक्ता महापातकहारिणी । चिंतितार्थप्रदात्री च भक्तचित्तप्रतोषदा ८। शेष उवाच। धन्योसि द्विजवर्य त्वं यस्य ते मतिरीदृशी । रघुवीरपदद्वंद्व मकरंद स्पृहावती ९। वदंति मुनयः सर्वे साधूनां संगमं वरम् । यस्मात्पापक्षयकरी रघुनाथकथा भवेत् १०। त्वया मेऽनुग्रहः सृष्टो यद्रामः स्मारितः पुनः । सुरासुरकिरीटौघ मणिनीराजितांघ्रिकः ११। रावणारिकथा वार्द्धौ मशको मादृशः कियान् । यत्र ब्रह्मादयो देवा मोहिता न विदंत्यपि १२। तथापि भो मया तुभ्यं वक्तव्यं स्वीयशक्तितः । पक्षिणः स्वगतिं श्रित्वा खे गच्छंति सुविस्तरे १३। चरितं रघुनाथस्य शतकोटिप्रविस्तरम् । येषां वै यादृशी बुद्धिस्ते वदंत्येव तादृशम् १४। रघुनाथसतीकीर्तिर्मद्बुद्धिं निर्मलीमसाम् । करिष्यति स्वसंपर्कात्कनकं त्वनलो यथा १५। सूत उवाच। इत्युक्त्वा तं मुनिवरं ध्यानस्तिमितलोचनः । ज्ञानेनालोकयांचक्रे कथां लोकोत्तरां शुभाम् १६। गद्गदस्वरसंयुक्तो महाहर्षांकितांगकः । कथयामास विशदां कथां दाशरथेः पुनः १७। शेष उवाच। लंकेश्वरे विनिहते देवदानवदुःखदे । अप्सरोगणवक्त्राब्जचंद्रमः कांतिहर्तरि १८। सुराः सर्वे सुखं प्रापुरिंद्र प्रभृतयस्तदा । सुखं प्राप्ताः स्तुतिं चक्रुर्दासवत्प्रणतिं गताः १९। लंकायां च प्रतिष्ठाप्य धर्मयुक्तं बिभीषणम् । सीतयासहितो रामः पुष्पकं समुपाश्रितः २०। सुग्रीवहनुमत्सीतालक्ष्मणैः संयुतस्तदा । बिभीषणोऽपि सचिवैरन्वगाद्विरहोत्सुकः २१। लंकां स पश्यन्बहुधा भग्नप्राकारतोरणाम् । दृष्ट्वाऽशोकवनं तत्र सीतास्थानं मुमूर्च्छ ह २२। शिंशपांस्तत्र वृक्षांश्च पुष्पितान्कोरकैर्युतान् । राक्षसीभिः समाकीर्णान्मृताभिर्हनुमद्भयात् २३। इत्थं सर्वं विलोक्याशु रामः प्रायात्पुरीं प्रति । ब्रह्मादिदेवैः सहितः स्वीयस्वीयविमानकैः २४। देवदुंदुभिनिर्घोषाञ्छृण्वञ्छ्रोत्रसुखावहान् । तथैवाप्सरसां नृत्यैः पूज्यमानो रघूत्तमः २५। सीतायै दर्शयन्मार्गे तीर्थान्याश्रमवंति च । मुनींश्च मुनिपुत्रांश्च मुनिपत्नीः पतिव्रताः २६। यत्रयत्र कृतावासाः पूर्वं रामेण धीमता । तान्सर्वान्दर्शयामास लक्ष्मणेन समन्वितः २७। इत्येवं दर्शयंस्तस्यै रामोऽद्राक्षीत्स्वकां पुरीम् । तस्याः पुनः समीपे तु नंदिग्रामं ददर्श ह २८। यत्र वै भरतो राजा पालयन्धर्ममास्थितः । भ्रातुर्वियोगजनितं दुःखचिह्नं वहन्बहु २९। गर्तशायी ब्रह्मचारी जटावल्कलसंयुतः । कृशांगयष्टिर्दुःखार्तः कुर्वन्रामकथां मुहुः ३०। यवान्नमपि नो भुंक्ते जलं पिबति नो मुहुः । उद्यंतं सवितारं यो नमस्कृत्य ब्रवीति च ३१। जगन्नेत्रसुरस्वामिन्हर मे दुष्कृतं महत् । मदर्थे रामचंद्रोऽपि जगत्पूज्यो वनं ययौ ३२। सीतया सुकुमारांग्या सेव्यमानोऽटवीं गतः । या सीता पुष्पपर्यंके वृंतमासाद्य दुःखिता ३३। या सीता रविसंतापं कदापि प्राप नो सती । मदर्थे जानकी सा च प्रत्यरण्यं भ्रमत्यहो ३४। या सीता राजवृंदैश्च न दृष्टा नयनैः कदा । सा सीता दृश्यते नूनं किरातैः कालरूपिभिः ३५। या सीता मधुरं त्वन्नं भोजिता न बुभुक्षति । सा सीताद्य वनस्थानि फलानि प्रार्थयत्यहो ३६। इत्येवमन्वहं सूर्यमुपस्थाय वदत्यदः । प्रातःप्रातर्महाराजो भरतो रामवल्लभः ३७। यश्चोच्यमानः सचिवैः समदुःखसुखैर्बुधैः । नीतिज्ञैः शास्त्रनिपुणैरिति प्रोवाच तान्नृपः ३८। अमात्या दुर्भगं मां किं प्रब्रूत पुरुषाधमम् । मदर्थे मेऽग्रजो रामो वनं प्राप्यावसीदति ३९। दुर्भगस्य मम प्रस्वाः पापमार्जनमादरात् । करोमि रामचंद्रांघ्रिं स्मारं स्मारं सुमंत्रिणः ४०। धन्या सुमित्रा सुतरां वीरसूः स्वपतिप्रिया । यस्यास्तनूजो रामस्य चरणौ सेवतेऽन्वहम् ४१। यत्र ग्रामे स्थितो नूनं भरतो भ्रातृवत्सलः । विलापं प्रकरोत्युच्चैस्तं ग्रामं स ददर्श ह ४२। इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे पातालखंडे शेषवात्स्यायनसंवादे रामाश्वमेधे रघुनाथस्य भरतावासनंदिग्रामदर्शनोनाम प्रथमोऽध्यायः १।
śrīgaṇeśāya namaḥ| śrīkuladevatāyai namaḥ| śrīgurucaraṇāraviṃdābhyāṃ namaḥ | nārāyaṇaṃ namaskṛtya naraṃ caiva narottamam | devīṃsarasvatīṃ vyāsaṃ tato jayamudīrayet 1| ṛṣaya ūcuḥ| śrutaṃ sarvaṃ mahābhāga svargakhaṃḍaṃ manoharam | tvatto'dhunā vadāyuṣmañchrīrāmacaritaṃ hi naḥ 2| sūta uvāca| athaikadā dharādhāraṃ pṛṣṭavānbhujageśvaram | vātsyāyano munivaraḥ kathāmetāṃ sunirmalām 3| śrīvātsyāyana uvāca| śeṣāśeṣa kathāstvatto jagatsargalayādikāḥ | bhūgolaśca khagolaśca jyotiścakravinirṇayaḥ 4| mahattattvādisṛṣṭīnāṃ pṛthaktattvavinirṇayaḥ | nānārājacaritrāṇi kathitāni tvayānagha 5| sūryavaṃśabhavānāṃ ca rājñāṃ cāritramadbhutam | tatrānekamahāpāpaharā rāmakṛtā kathā 6| tasya vīrasya rāmasya hayamedhakathā śrutā | saṃkṣepato mayā tvattastāmicchāmi savistarām 7| yā śrutā saṃsmṛtā coktā mahāpātakahāriṇī | ciṃtitārthapradātrī ca bhaktacittapratoṣadā 8| śeṣa uvāca| dhanyosi dvijavarya tvaṃ yasya te matirīdṛśī | raghuvīrapadadvaṃdva makaraṃda spṛhāvatī 9| vadaṃti munayaḥ sarve sādhūnāṃ saṃgamaṃ varam | yasmātpāpakṣayakarī raghunāthakathā bhavet 10| tvayā me'nugrahaḥ sṛṣṭo yadrāmaḥ smāritaḥ punaḥ | surāsurakirīṭaugha maṇinīrājitāṃghrikaḥ 11| rāvaṇārikathā vārddhau maśako mādṛśaḥ kiyān | yatra brahmādayo devā mohitā na vidaṃtyapi 12| tathāpi bho mayā tubhyaṃ vaktavyaṃ svīyaśaktitaḥ | pakṣiṇaḥ svagatiṃ śritvā khe gacchaṃti suvistare 13| caritaṃ raghunāthasya śatakoṭipravistaram | yeṣāṃ vai yādṛśī buddhiste vadaṃtyeva tādṛśam 14| raghunāthasatīkīrtirmadbuddhiṃ nirmalīmasām | kariṣyati svasaṃparkātkanakaṃ tvanalo yathā 15| sūta uvāca| ityuktvā taṃ munivaraṃ dhyānastimitalocanaḥ | jñānenālokayāṃcakre kathāṃ lokottarāṃ śubhām 16| gadgadasvarasaṃyukto mahāharṣāṃkitāṃgakaḥ | kathayāmāsa viśadāṃ kathāṃ dāśaratheḥ punaḥ 17| śeṣa uvāca| laṃkeśvare vinihate devadānavaduḥkhade | apsarogaṇavaktrābjacaṃdramaḥ kāṃtihartari 18| surāḥ sarve sukhaṃ prāpuriṃdra prabhṛtayastadā | sukhaṃ prāptāḥ stutiṃ cakrurdāsavatpraṇatiṃ gatāḥ 19| laṃkāyāṃ ca pratiṣṭhāpya dharmayuktaṃ bibhīṣaṇam | sītayāsahito rāmaḥ puṣpakaṃ samupāśritaḥ 20| sugrīvahanumatsītālakṣmaṇaiḥ saṃyutastadā | bibhīṣaṇo'pi sacivairanvagādvirahotsukaḥ 21| laṃkāṃ sa paśyanbahudhā bhagnaprākāratoraṇām | dṛṣṭvā'śokavanaṃ tatra sītāsthānaṃ mumūrccha ha 22| śiṃśapāṃstatra vṛkṣāṃśca puṣpitānkorakairyutān | rākṣasībhiḥ samākīrṇānmṛtābhirhanumadbhayāt 23| itthaṃ sarvaṃ vilokyāśu rāmaḥ prāyātpurīṃ prati | brahmādidevaiḥ sahitaḥ svīyasvīyavimānakaiḥ 24| devaduṃdubhinirghoṣāñchṛṇvañchrotrasukhāvahān | tathaivāpsarasāṃ nṛtyaiḥ pūjyamāno raghūttamaḥ 25| sītāyai darśayanmārge tīrthānyāśramavaṃti ca | munīṃśca muniputrāṃśca munipatnīḥ pativratāḥ 26| yatrayatra kṛtāvāsāḥ pūrvaṃ rāmeṇa dhīmatā | tānsarvāndarśayāmāsa lakṣmaṇena samanvitaḥ 27| ityevaṃ darśayaṃstasyai rāmo'drākṣītsvakāṃ purīm | tasyāḥ punaḥ samīpe tu naṃdigrāmaṃ dadarśa ha 28| yatra vai bharato rājā pālayandharmamāsthitaḥ | bhrāturviyogajanitaṃ duḥkhacihnaṃ vahanbahu 29| gartaśāyī brahmacārī jaṭāvalkalasaṃyutaḥ | kṛśāṃgayaṣṭirduḥkhārtaḥ kurvanrāmakathāṃ muhuḥ 30| yavānnamapi no bhuṃkte jalaṃ pibati no muhuḥ | udyaṃtaṃ savitāraṃ yo namaskṛtya bravīti ca 31| jagannetrasurasvāminhara me duṣkṛtaṃ mahat | madarthe rāmacaṃdro'pi jagatpūjyo vanaṃ yayau 32| sītayā sukumārāṃgyā sevyamāno'ṭavīṃ gataḥ | yā sītā puṣpaparyaṃke vṛṃtamāsādya duḥkhitā 33| yā sītā ravisaṃtāpaṃ kadāpi prāpa no satī | madarthe jānakī sā ca pratyaraṇyaṃ bhramatyaho 34| yā sītā rājavṛṃdaiśca na dṛṣṭā nayanaiḥ kadā | sā sītā dṛśyate nūnaṃ kirātaiḥ kālarūpibhiḥ 35| yā sītā madhuraṃ tvannaṃ bhojitā na bubhukṣati | sā sītādya vanasthāni phalāni prārthayatyaho 36| ityevamanvahaṃ sūryamupasthāya vadatyadaḥ | prātaḥprātarmahārājo bharato rāmavallabhaḥ 37| yaścocyamānaḥ sacivaiḥ samaduḥkhasukhairbudhaiḥ | nītijñaiḥ śāstranipuṇairiti provāca tānnṛpaḥ 38| amātyā durbhagaṃ māṃ kiṃ prabrūta puruṣādhamam | madarthe me'grajo rāmo vanaṃ prāpyāvasīdati 39| durbhagasya mama prasvāḥ pāpamārjanamādarāt | karomi rāmacaṃdrāṃghriṃ smāraṃ smāraṃ sumaṃtriṇaḥ 40| dhanyā sumitrā sutarāṃ vīrasūḥ svapatipriyā | yasyāstanūjo rāmasya caraṇau sevate'nvaham 41| yatra grāme sthito nūnaṃ bharato bhrātṛvatsalaḥ | vilāpaṃ prakarotyuccaistaṃ grāmaṃ sa dadarśa ha 42| iti śrīpadmapurāṇe pātālakhaṃḍe śeṣavātsyāyanasaṃvāde rāmāśvamedhe raghunāthasya bharatāvāsanaṃdigrāmadarśanonāma prathamo'dhyāyaḥ 1|
English translation
Salutation to Śrī Gaṇeśa . Salutation to the family-deity. Salutation to the lotus-like feet of the preceptor.
1. After having saluted Nārāyaṇa and Nara , the best man, (so also) goddess Sarasvatī and Vyāsa , a man should recite Jaya .
The sages said :
2. O you glorious one, we have heard from you the entire charming Svargakhaṇḍa. O you long-lived one, tell us now the account of Rāma .
Sūta said :
3. Once the excel lent sage Vātsyāyana asked the lord of serpents, the prop of the earth (i.e. Śeṣa to tell him) this very virtuous tale.
Śrī Vātsyāyana said :
4-8. O Śeṣa, (I have heard) from you all stories like the creation and dissolution of the world. So also (you have told me about) the settled rule about the terrestrial world, the celestial sphere, and about the cycle of the luminaries, so also about the products like the principles e.g. Mahat , and separate primary substances. O sinless one, you also told me the accounts of many kings. There is the wonderful account of the kings born in the solar race. In it is the story of the deeds performed by Rāma, which destroys many great sins. From you I have heard in brief the account of the horse sacrifice of (i.e. performed by) that hero Rāma. Now I desire (to hear) it in detail, which being heard or remembered, is said to destroy great sins to give the desired objects and to give joy to the heart of the devotee.
Śeṣa said :
9. O best brāhmaṇa , you whose mind longs like this for the honey of the two (lotus-like) feet of the hero in Raghu ’s family, are blessed.
10-15. All sages say that the company of the good is excellent. Since the story of Rāma would destroy sins, you have favoured me by reminding me of Rāma again. I am a mere (insignificant) gnat in the ocean of the story of Rāvaṇa ’s enemy (i.e. Rāma) whose feet are adorned with the lights of gems in the series of the crowns of gods and demons, being deluded by which even gods like Brahmā do not know them (properly)? Still, I shall tell you (the story) according to my capacity, (as) birds resorting to (i.e. depending upon) their own speed go (i.e. fly) into the very extensive sky. The story of Raghunātha (i.e. Rāma) has the expanse of a hundred crore (verses). As men have minds, so do they speak. The chaste fame of Raghunātha will purify my mind as fire by its contact purifies gold.
Sūta said :
16-17. Thus speaking to the best sage, he with his eyes closed in meditation, perceived the auspicious, extraordinary account, through his intellect. With his voice indistinct, and his body horripilated due to great joy, be again told the spotless story of Daśaratha ’s son (i.e. Rāma).
Śeṣa said:
18-19. When (Rāvaṇa) the lord of Laṅkā who caused affliction to gods and demons, who snatched away the beauty of the moons in the form of the lotus-like faces of the host of the celestial nymphs, was killed, all gods— Indra and others—became happy. Being pleased they, bowing (before Rāma) like servants, praised him.
20-26. Having placed the righteous Bibhīṣaṇa (on the throne) in Laṅkā, Rāma resorted to (got into) the Puṣpaka (aeroplane) with Sītā . He was at that time accompanied by Sugrīva , Hanūmat, Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa . Bibhīṣaṇa too, pining away in separation, followed them with his ministers. He (i.e. Rāma) seeing Laṅkā with its ramparts and portals broken in many ways, (so also seeing) Aśokavana , the place of (the stay of) Sītā, (seeing the śiṃśapā trees having flowers and buds, crowded with the demonesses who were (now) dead through the fear of Hanūmat, fainted. Seeing all (that) in this way, Rāma, the best of the Raghus , hearing the loud sounds of the kettledrums of gods, pleasant to the ears, and being honoured by the dances of the celestial nymphs (i.e. by the celestial damsels with their dances) along with gods like Brahma (who had got) into their own aeroplanes, showing Sītā on the way the holy places with hermitages, and the sages, their sons and their chaste wives, went to the city (of Ayodhyā ).
27-29. Rāma showed her all the places where he, the intelligent one, had formerly stayed with Lakṣmaṇa. Thus showing her (all the places on the way) Rāma saw his own city (i.e. Ayodhyā), and also near it Nandigrāma where king Bharata , with many signs of the grief due to the separation from his brother (i.e. Rāma), lived doing righteous deeds.
30-36. He lay (i.e. lived) in a cave, he practised celibacy, had (grown) matted hair and (put on) bark garments. His body had become slim, he was afflicted with grief, and was repeatedly telling stories about Rāma. He did not eat even barley-food, did not again and again drink water. Looking at the rising sun, he used to say: “O you eye of the worlds, the lord of gods, remove my great sin. For my sake, even Rāmacandra , venerable to the world, went to the forest. Waited upon by Sītā of a delicate body, he went to the forest. Oh! that Jānakī , that Sītā, who was pained on finding a stalk in her bed of flowers, who, the chaste one, never received the heat of the sun, roams for my sake from forest to forest. That Sītā who was never seen even by hosts of kings with their eyes is indeed being seen by the mountaineers. Oh! that Sītā, who did not desire to eat even when fed with sweet food, today longs for wild fruits.”
37-41. Thus this Bharata, the great king dear to Rāma, every morning, everyday says after waiting upon the sun. That king (i.e. Bharata) who was being spoken to by his ministers who were wise, who knew the right course, who were well-versed in sacred texts, and who had the same sorrows and joys as he had (i.e. who shared his sorrows and joys) said to them: “O ministers, why do you speek to me who am luckless and a mean man? For me my elder brother Rāma has gone to the forest and is sinking. O good ministers, by again and again respectfully remembering the feet of Rāmacandra, I, the unfortunate one, am purifying the sins of my mother. Sumitrā who gave birth to a hero (like Lakṣmaṇa), and who is dear to her husband, is extremely blessed (as) her son (Lakṣmaṇa) is everyday waiting upon the feet of Rāma.”
42. Rāma saw that village, remaining in which, Bharata, affectionate towards his brother, was lamenting loudly.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 43557, revision 335826 (2022-04-15T11:24:53Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc365312.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.