Sṛṣṭi-khaṇḍa · Chapter 79
Sourceव्यास उवाच- मध्यदेशे स्वराट् सम्राट् भद्रेश्वर इति श्रुतः। तपोभिर्बहुभिः पूतो व्रतैर्नानाविधैरपि१। देवांस्तु पूजयेन्नित्यं सुभावेन सदा खलु। तस्य सव्येऽभवत्कुष्ठं करे श्वेतमजायत२। ततो भिषक्प्रयोगाच्च लक्षणं दृश्यते पुरा। आहूय द्विजमुख्यांश्च मंत्रिणः सोब्रवीद्वचः३। राजोवाच-। किल्बिषं मे करे विप्रा दुःसहं लोकगर्हितं। तस्मात्पुण्यं महाक्षेत्रं यत्र त्यक्ष्यामि विग्रहं४। आज्ञापयत धर्मज्ञाः परलोकहिताय वै। वंशहीनस्य मे वीराः प्रेत्यामुत्र हितं च यत्५। तद्ब्रूत सुप्रसन्ना म उद्दिष्टं यत्करोम्यहं। द्विजा ऊचुः। परित्यक्ते त्वया राष्ट्रे धर्मशीलेन धीमता६। नष्टं जगदिदं राजंस्तस्मान्नो वक्तुमर्हसि। अयमस्य प्रतीकारो ह्यस्माभिरवगम्यते७। सूरं मंत्रैर्महादेवं यत्नादाराधय प्रभो। राजोवाच- केनोपायेन विप्रेंद्रास्तोषयिष्यामि भास्करं८। अमेध्येनाथ कुष्ठेन लोकानां गर्हितेन च। अदृश्यः सर्वभूतानां गर्हितोस्मि द्विजातयः९। किं करिष्यामि राज्यं च किं स्यादाराधनेन तु। द्विजा ऊचुः-। अत्र स्थित्वा स्वराज्ये तु समुपास्य विरोचनं१०। प्रमुच्य किल्विषाद्घोरात्स्वर्गं मोक्षं च लप्स्यसे। एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु राजेंद्रः प्रणिपत्य द्विजोत्तमान्११। आकार्षीत्तस्य सूर्यस्य परमाराधनं च यत्। नित्यपूजां तथा मंत्रैरुपहारैर्विलेपनैः१२। फलैर्नानाविधैरर्घैरक्षतातप तंडुलैः। जपापुष्पार्कपर्णैश्च करवीरकरंजकैः१३। रक्तकुंकुमसिन्दूरैस्तथा वासंतिकादिभिः। सुगंधकदलीपत्रैस्तत्फलैः सुमनोहरैः१४। अर्घ्यमौदुंबरे कृत्वा सदा सूर्याय पार्थिवः। आदित्यसंमुखो दत्ते सदा मंत्रिपुरोहितैः१५। महिषीभिस्तथा चार्घो भोगिनीभिः समंततः। सर्वैरंतःपुरस्थैश्च सपत्नीकैश्च रक्षिभिः१६। चेटवर्गैस्तथान्यैश्च दीयतेऽर्घो दिनेदिने। अर्कशांतिभिरत्युग्रैः स्तोत्रमंत्रादिभिः परैः१७। मूलमंत्रान्यमंत्रैश्च यजंति स्म दिवाकरं। तथार्कांगव्रतं चान्यत्कृतं तैः सुसमाहितैः१८। क्रमात्समांसमासाद्य रोगस्यांतं गतो नृपः। बाधिते चामये घोरे स राजा निखिलं जगत्१९। नियम्य कारयामास कल्ये च याजनव्रतम्। एवमेव जपापुष्पं सुगंधं कदलीफलम्२०। बाणैर्जायाभिरालभ्यमर्कपर्णान्यपुष्पकं। एवमेव महापुण्यं कृत्वा सर्वजनप्रियं२१। हविष्यान्नो निराहारो जनो यजति भास्करम्। एवमेव त्रिभिर्वर्गैरर्चितस्तैर्विभाकरः२२। संतुष्टो भूपमागम्य कृपया चाब्रवीद्वचः। वरं वरय चाभीष्टं यस्ते मनसि वर्तते२३। सर्वेषां वो हितार्थाय सानुगः पुरवासिनाम्। राजोवाच-। यदीच्छसि वरं दातुं सर्वलोचनमत्प्रियम्२४। सर्वेषां नः परं स्वर्गं त्वत्सकाशे भवत्विति। सूर्य उवाच-। अमात्यास्ते द्विजा विप्राः सदारास्सपरिच्छदाः२५। नवीनयौवनाः शुद्धा यावदाभूतसंप्लवम्। तिष्ठंतु मत्पुरे रम्ये सर्वभोगैर्निरामयाः२६। सुरद्रुमैः सुसंपूर्णैः प्रासादैर्द्रुमकल्पकैः। प्रमदाभिर्महाभाग नृत्यगीतादिभिः परैः२७। पंचकल्पांतरे राजा मन्वादौ त्वं भविष्यसि। अमी ते मनुजा भूप पुरस्थाश्च पुरोधसः२८। तथा जनपदस्थाश्च विद्वांसो धनिनो नराः। तत्र मत्तो वरं लब्ध्वा सुखं स्वर्गमवाप्स्यथ२९। एवमुक्त्वा जगच्चक्षुस्तत्रैवांतरधीयत। ततो भद्रेश्वरो राजा सपुरो दिवि मोदते३०। तत्र कीटादयो ये च ते पीताः ससुतादयः। स्वर्गे देवद्रुमे भोग्यं कुर्वंति महदद्भुतम्३१। एवमेव नृपा विप्रा मुनयश्शंसितव्रताः। ये च क्षत्रादयो वर्णास्सूर स्वर्गं ययुर्द्रुतम्३२। कैश्चिदभ्यर्थितं वित्तं पुत्रदारास्तथापरैः। सुखं स्वर्गं तथारोग्यं भास्करस्य प्रसादतः३३। पुण्यकूटमिदं भद्रं यः पठेन्मानवः शुचिः। सर्वपापक्षयस्तस्य रुद्रवत्पूजितो भुवि३४। सर्वसाक्षी भवेत्स्वर्गे वरदो भास्करप्रियः। शृणोति संयतो मर्त्यः सोभीष्टं फलमाप्नुयात्३५। पारगः सर्वपापानां भास्करस्यैव संसदि। वावदूको भवेन्नित्यं श्रवणात्पुण्यवान्धनी३६। इदं गुह्यातिगुह्यं च भास्करेण प्रचारितं। इदं यमाय कथितं क्षितौ व्यासेन कीर्तितम्३७। इति श्रीपाद्मपुराणे प्रथमे सृष्टिखंडे भद्रेश्वराख्यानं नामैकोनाशीतितमोऽध्यायः७९।
vyāsa uvāca- madhyadeśe svarāṭ samrāṭ bhadreśvara iti śrutaḥ| tapobhirbahubhiḥ pūto vratairnānāvidhairapi1| devāṃstu pūjayennityaṃ subhāvena sadā khalu| tasya savye'bhavatkuṣṭhaṃ kare śvetamajāyata2| tato bhiṣakprayogācca lakṣaṇaṃ dṛśyate purā| āhūya dvijamukhyāṃśca maṃtriṇaḥ sobravīdvacaḥ3| rājovāca-| kilbiṣaṃ me kare viprā duḥsahaṃ lokagarhitaṃ| tasmātpuṇyaṃ mahākṣetraṃ yatra tyakṣyāmi vigrahaṃ4| ājñāpayata dharmajñāḥ paralokahitāya vai| vaṃśahīnasya me vīrāḥ pretyāmutra hitaṃ ca yat5| tadbrūta suprasannā ma uddiṣṭaṃ yatkaromyahaṃ| dvijā ūcuḥ| parityakte tvayā rāṣṭre dharmaśīlena dhīmatā6| naṣṭaṃ jagadidaṃ rājaṃstasmānno vaktumarhasi| ayamasya pratīkāro hyasmābhiravagamyate7| sūraṃ maṃtrairmahādevaṃ yatnādārādhaya prabho| rājovāca- kenopāyena vipreṃdrāstoṣayiṣyāmi bhāskaraṃ8| amedhyenātha kuṣṭhena lokānāṃ garhitena ca| adṛśyaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ garhitosmi dvijātayaḥ9| kiṃ kariṣyāmi rājyaṃ ca kiṃ syādārādhanena tu| dvijā ūcuḥ-| atra sthitvā svarājye tu samupāsya virocanaṃ10| pramucya kilviṣādghorātsvargaṃ mokṣaṃ ca lapsyase| etacchrutvā tu rājeṃdraḥ praṇipatya dvijottamān11| ākārṣīttasya sūryasya paramārādhanaṃ ca yat| nityapūjāṃ tathā maṃtrairupahārairvilepanaiḥ12| phalairnānāvidhairarghairakṣatātapa taṃḍulaiḥ| japāpuṣpārkaparṇaiśca karavīrakaraṃjakaiḥ13| raktakuṃkumasindūraistathā vāsaṃtikādibhiḥ| sugaṃdhakadalīpatraistatphalaiḥ sumanoharaiḥ14| arghyamauduṃbare kṛtvā sadā sūryāya pārthivaḥ| ādityasaṃmukho datte sadā maṃtripurohitaiḥ15| mahiṣībhistathā cārgho bhoginībhiḥ samaṃtataḥ| sarvairaṃtaḥpurasthaiśca sapatnīkaiśca rakṣibhiḥ16| ceṭavargaistathānyaiśca dīyate'rgho dinedine| arkaśāṃtibhiratyugraiḥ stotramaṃtrādibhiḥ paraiḥ17| mūlamaṃtrānyamaṃtraiśca yajaṃti sma divākaraṃ| tathārkāṃgavrataṃ cānyatkṛtaṃ taiḥ susamāhitaiḥ18| kramātsamāṃsamāsādya rogasyāṃtaṃ gato nṛpaḥ| bādhite cāmaye ghore sa rājā nikhilaṃ jagat19| niyamya kārayāmāsa kalye ca yājanavratam| evameva japāpuṣpaṃ sugaṃdhaṃ kadalīphalam20| bāṇairjāyābhirālabhyamarkaparṇānyapuṣpakaṃ| evameva mahāpuṇyaṃ kṛtvā sarvajanapriyaṃ21| haviṣyānno nirāhāro jano yajati bhāskaram| evameva tribhirvargairarcitastairvibhākaraḥ22| saṃtuṣṭo bhūpamāgamya kṛpayā cābravīdvacaḥ| varaṃ varaya cābhīṣṭaṃ yaste manasi vartate23| sarveṣāṃ vo hitārthāya sānugaḥ puravāsinām| rājovāca-| yadīcchasi varaṃ dātuṃ sarvalocanamatpriyam24| sarveṣāṃ naḥ paraṃ svargaṃ tvatsakāśe bhavatviti| sūrya uvāca-| amātyāste dvijā viprāḥ sadārāssaparicchadāḥ25| navīnayauvanāḥ śuddhā yāvadābhūtasaṃplavam| tiṣṭhaṃtu matpure ramye sarvabhogairnirāmayāḥ26| suradrumaiḥ susaṃpūrṇaiḥ prāsādairdrumakalpakaiḥ| pramadābhirmahābhāga nṛtyagītādibhiḥ paraiḥ27| paṃcakalpāṃtare rājā manvādau tvaṃ bhaviṣyasi| amī te manujā bhūpa purasthāśca purodhasaḥ28| tathā janapadasthāśca vidvāṃso dhanino narāḥ| tatra matto varaṃ labdhvā sukhaṃ svargamavāpsyatha29| evamuktvā jagaccakṣustatraivāṃtaradhīyata| tato bhadreśvaro rājā sapuro divi modate30| tatra kīṭādayo ye ca te pītāḥ sasutādayaḥ| svarge devadrume bhogyaṃ kurvaṃti mahadadbhutam31| evameva nṛpā viprā munayaśśaṃsitavratāḥ| ye ca kṣatrādayo varṇāssūra svargaṃ yayurdrutam32| kaiścidabhyarthitaṃ vittaṃ putradārāstathāparaiḥ| sukhaṃ svargaṃ tathārogyaṃ bhāskarasya prasādataḥ33| puṇyakūṭamidaṃ bhadraṃ yaḥ paṭhenmānavaḥ śuciḥ| sarvapāpakṣayastasya rudravatpūjito bhuvi34| sarvasākṣī bhavetsvarge varado bhāskarapriyaḥ| śṛṇoti saṃyato martyaḥ sobhīṣṭaṃ phalamāpnuyāt35| pāragaḥ sarvapāpānāṃ bhāskarasyaiva saṃsadi| vāvadūko bhavennityaṃ śravaṇātpuṇyavāndhanī36| idaṃ guhyātiguhyaṃ ca bhāskareṇa pracāritaṃ| idaṃ yamāya kathitaṃ kṣitau vyāsena kīrtitam37| iti śrīpādmapurāṇe prathame sṛṣṭikhaṃḍe bhadreśvarākhyānaṃ nāmaikonāśītitamo'dhyāyaḥ79|
English translation
Vyāsa said :
1. In Madhyadeśa (lived) a supreme, sovereign king known as Bhadreśvara . He was pure due to many austerities and vows of many kinds.
2. He always worshipped the deities devoutly. White (spots of) leprosy appeared on his right hand.
3. Then (even) after being treated by physicians, the symptoms of the former (disease) were (still) noticed. Having invited principal brāhmaṇas and ministers he said (these) words (to them).
The king said :
4. O brāhmaṇas, there is a disease on my hand, which is unbearable and condemned by the people. Therefore I shall cast my body at a place which is an auspicious, great sacred place.
5-6a. O you heroes, O brāhmaṇas, who are conversant with
religious merit, advise me who have no progeny, about my wellbeing here and in the next world, so that (I shall enjoy) welfare in the next world. So being, well-pleased, tell me, what you desire me to do.
The brāhmaṇas said :
6b-8a. When you, the intelligent and righteous one abandon this country the (whole) world and this kingdom are doomed. Therefore (please) do not speak (like this). We shall find out a remedy for it. O lord, propitiate the great god with sacred hymn (in honour) of the Sun.
The king said :
8b-10a. O best brāhmaṇas by which means should I please the Sun? O brāhmaṇas, due to this impure (disease viz.) leprosy, which is censured by people, I cannot present myself to the beings, and am condemned (by them). Why should I govern the kingdom? What would be (the fruit) of the propitiation?
The brāhmaṇas said :
10b-11a. By living here in your own kingdom, and by propitiating the Sun, you, being free from a terrible sin will obtain heaven and salvation.
11b-12a. Hearing this, the best king, having saluted the excellent brāhmaṇas, undertook the important propitiation of the Sun.
12b-14. Everyday he offered worship (to the Sun) with sacred hymns, offerings and anointments, with fruits of various kinds, with respectful offerings, sacred rice grains, japā flowers, arka -leaves, and karavīra and karañjaka flowers, with red saffron and red lead, with flowers of the spring season, and leaves of fragrant plantain trees and their very charming fruits.
15. The king everyday offered respectful offering at the (root of the) audumbara tree to the Sun by facing him.
16-1 7a. His queens, concubines [1] , all inmates of the harem, the guards with their wives, and the servants and others everyday offered respectful offering to the Sun.
17b-18a. They worshipped the Sun with hymns pacifying the Sun, with other very powerful hymns etc., and with original and other hymns.
18b-19a. They, being well-composed, observed the Sun’s vow. The king gradually put on flesh and was free from the disease.
19b-20a. When the terrible disease was arrested, the king, controlling the entire world, observed the vow of worshipping (the Sun) at dawn.
20b-22a. In the same way, men, along with their wives, offered japā-flower, a banana, with bāṇa -flowers and leaves and other flowers, observed a fast (or) ate at night (only), and offered worship giving great merit and liked by all people, to the Sun.
22b-24a. In this way, Bhāskara (i.e. the Sun), worshipped by the three classes, became pleased, and having come to the king compassionately said (these) words to him: “For the good of all the citizens, ask, along with your followers, for a boon desired by you, which is in your mind.”
The king said :
24b-25a. Since, O eye of all, you desire to grant a boon of my liking, let all of us have (residence in) heaven with you.
The Sun said :
25b-27. O magnanimous one, let your brāhmaṇa ministers and other brāhmaṇas, with their wives and attendants, all young and pure (citizens) live, enjoying all pleasures with the divine trees, with fully equipped palaces (high) like trees, with ladies and excellent dances and songs, in my beautiful city.
28-29. After five kalpas [2] you will be the king in a Manu -age; and these your men, O king, and priests standing before you, and those men living in your country, will be learned and rich. Then obtaining a boon from me, you will easily obtain heaven.
30. Saying so the eye of the world vanished there only. Then king Bhadreśvara with the (inhabitants of his) city enjoyed in heaven.
31. There the yellow insects, along with their progeny etc. enjoyed great and wonderful pleasures on the divine tree.
32. In this way only, kings and brāhmaṇas of praiseworthy vows, and other castes like the kṣatriyas quickly went to the Sun’s heaven.
33. Some desired wealth, others sons and wives, (others) desired happiness, heaven and sound health through the Sun’s favour.
34. The man who, being pure, would recite this auspicious heap of merit, has all his sins destroyed, and is worshipped on the earth like Rudra .
35-37. He would be seeing everything, would be a granter of boons, and dear to Bhāskara (the Sun). A mortal, who is restrained, would obtain the desired fruit. He who daily listens (to the Sun’s account) goes beyond all sins, and would be meritorious, rich and an orator in the Sun’s assembly. This secret, very secret (vow) has been propagated by Bhāskara. It was narrated to Yama (by Bhāskara) and was narrated by Vyāsa on the earth.
[1]: [1] : Bhoginī—A woman, belonging to a king’s harem, but not consecrated with him; a concubine of a king.
[2]: [2] : Kalpa=A day of Brahmā= 1000 yugas= 432 million years of mortals.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 45232, revision 334627 (2022-04-06T19:50:51Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc364202.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.