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Svarga-khaṇḍa · Chapter 60

Chapter 60

Unit 267 of 693Svarga-khaṇḍa · Chapter 60Svarga-khaṇḍa · Chapter 601 source entries

Svarga-khaṇḍa · Chapter 60

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व्यास उवाच- एवं त्वाश्रमनिष्ठानां यतीनां नियतात्मनाम् । भैक्ष्येण वर्तनं प्रोक्तं फलमूलैरथापि वा १। एककालं चरेद्भैक्ष्यं न प्रसज्येत विस्तरम् । भैक्ष्ये प्रसक्तो हि यतिर्विषयेष्वपि सज्जति २। सप्तागारं चरेद्भैक्ष्यमलाभे न पुनश्चरेत् । गोदोहमात्रं तिष्ठेत कालं भिक्षुरधोमुखः ३। भिक्षेत्युक्त्वा सकृत्तूष्णीमादद्याद्वाग्यतः शुचिः । प्रक्ष्याल्य पाणी पादौ च समाचम्य यथाविधि ४। आदित्यं दर्शयित्वान्नं भुंजीत प्राङ्मुखो नरः । हुत्वा प्राणाहुतीः पंच ग्रासानष्टौ समाहितः ५। आचम्य देवं ब्रह्माणं ध्यायेत परमेश्वरम् । आलाबुदारुपात्रे च मृण्मयं वैणवं तथा ६। चत्वारि यतिपात्राणि मनुराह प्रजापतिः । प्राग्रात्रे मध्यरात्रे च पररात्रे तथैव च ७। संध्यासूक्तिविशेषेण चिंतयेन्नित्यमीश्वरम् । कृत्वा हृत्पद्मनिलये विश्वाख्यं विश्वसंभवम् ८। आत्मानं सर्वभूतानां परस्तात्तमसः स्थितम् । सर्वस्याधारमव्यक्तमानंदं ज्योतिरव्ययम् ९। प्रधानपुरुषातीतमाकाशं दहनं शिवम् । तदंतं सर्वभावानामीश्वरं ब्रह्मरूपिणम् १०। ॐकारांतेथवात्मानं समाप्य परमात्मनि । आकाशे देवमीशानं ध्यायीताकाशमध्यगम् ११। कारणं सर्वभावानामानंदैकसमाश्रयम् । पुराणपुरुषं विष्णुं ध्यायन्मुच्येत बंधनात् १२। यद्वा गुहादौ प्रकृतौ जगत्संमोहनालये । विचिंत्य परमं व्योम सर्वभूतैककारणम् १३। जीवनं सर्वभूतानां यत्र लोकः प्रलीयते । आनंदं ब्रह्मणः सूक्ष्मं यत्पश्यंति मुमुक्षवः १४। तन्मध्ये निहितं ब्रह्म केवलं ज्ञानलक्षणम् । अनंतं सत्यमीशानं विचिंत्यासीत वाग्यतः १५। गुह्याद्गुह्यतमं ज्ञानं यतीनामेतदीरितम् । योवतिष्ठेत्सदानेन सोश्नुते योगमैश्वरम् १६। तस्माज्ज्ञानरतो नित्यमात्मविद्यापरायणः । ज्ञानं समभ्यसेद्ब्रह्म येन मुच्येत बंधनात् १७। मत्वा पृथक्त्वमात्मानं सर्वस्मादेव केवलम् । आनंदमक्षरं ज्ञानं ध्यायेत च ततः परम् १८। यस्माद्भवंति भूतानि यज्ज्ञात्वा नेह जायते । स तस्मादीश्वरो देवः परस्ताद्योधितिष्ठति १९। यदंतरे तद्गमनं शाश्वतं शिवमव्ययम् । य इदं स्वपरोक्षस्तु स देवः स्यान्महेश्वरः २०। व्रतानि यानि भिक्षूणां तथैवायं व्रतानि च । एकैकातिक्रमेणैव प्रायश्चित्तं विधीयते २१। उपेत्य च स्त्रियं कामात्प्रायश्चित्तं समाहितः । प्राणायामसमायुक्तं कुर्य्यात्सांतपनं शुचिः २२। ततश्चरेत नियमात्कृच्छ्रं संयतमानसः । पुनराश्रममागम्य चरेद्भिक्षुरतंद्रितः २३। न धर्मयुक्तमनृतं हिनस्तीति मनीषिणः । तथापि च न कर्तव्यः प्रसंगो ह्येष दारुणः २४। एकरात्रोपवासश्च प्राणायामशतं तथा । उक्त्वानृतं प्रकर्तव्यं यतिना धर्मलिप्सुना २५। परमापद्गतेनापि न कार्यं स्तेयमन्यतः । स्तेयादभ्यधिकः कश्चिन्नास्त्यधर्म इति स्मृतिः २६। हिंसा चैवापरा तृष्णा याच्ञात्मज्ञाननाशिका । यदेतद्द्रविणं नाम प्राणा ह्येते बहिश्चराः २७ द्रविण। स तस्य हरते प्राणान्यो यस्य हरते धनम् । एवं कृत्वा स दुष्टात्मा भिन्नवृत्तो व्रतच्युतः २८। भूयो निर्वेदमापन्नश्चरेद्भिक्षुरतंद्रितः । अकस्मादेव हिंसां तु यदि भिक्षुः समाचरेत् २९। कुर्यात्कृच्छ्रातिकृच्छ्रं तु चांद्रायणमथापि वा । स्कंदेतेंद्रियदौर्बल्यात्स्त्रियं दृष्ट्वा यतिर्यदि ३०। तेन धारयितव्या वै प्राणायामास्तु षोडश । दिवास्कंदे त्रिरात्रं स्यात्प्राणायामशतं बुधाः ३१। एकान्ने मधुमांसे च नवश्राद्धे तथैव च । प्रत्यक्षलवणे चोक्तं प्राजापत्यं विशोधनम् ३२। ध्याननिष्ठस्य सततं नश्यते सर्वपातकम् । तस्मान्नारायणं ध्यात्वा तस्य ध्यानपरो भवेत् ३३। यद्ब्रह्मणः परं ज्योतिः प्रविष्टाक्षरमव्ययम् । योंतरात्मा परं ब्रह्म स विज्ञेयो महेश्वरः ३४। एष देवो महादेवः केवलः परमं शिवः । तदेवाक्षरमद्वैतं तदा नित्यं परं पदम् ३५। तस्मान्महीयते देवे स्वधाम्नि ज्ञानसंज्ञिते । आत्मयोगात्परे तत्वे महादेवस्ततः स्मृतः ३६। नान्यं देवं महादेवाद्व्यतिरिक्तं प्रपश्यति । तमेवात्मानमन्वेति यः स याति परं पदम् ३७। मन्यंते ये स्वमात्मानं विभिन्नं परमेश्वरात् । न ते पश्यंति तं देवं वृथा तेषां परिश्रमः ३८। एकमेव परं ब्रह्म विज्ञेयं तत्त्वमव्ययम् । स देवस्तु महादेवो नैतद्विज्ञाय बध्यते ३९। तस्माद्यतेत नियतं यतिः संयतमानसः । ज्ञानयोगरतः शांतो महादेवपरायणः ४०। एष वः कथितो विप्रा यतीनामाश्रमः शुभः । पितामहेन मुनिना विभुना पूर्वमीरितः ४१। नापुत्रशिष्ययोगिभ्यो दद्यादेवमनुत्तमम् । ज्ञानं स्वयंभुवा प्रोक्तं यतिधर्म्माश्रयं शिवम् ४२। इति यतिनियमानामेतदुक्तं विधानं सुरवरपरितोषे यद्भवेदेकहेतुः । न भवति पुनरेषामुद्भवो वा विनाशः प्रतिहितमनसो ये नित्यमेवाचरंति ४३। इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे स्वर्गखंडे षष्टितमोऽध्यायः ६०।

vyāsa uvāca- evaṃ tvāśramaniṣṭhānāṃ yatīnāṃ niyatātmanām | bhaikṣyeṇa vartanaṃ proktaṃ phalamūlairathāpi vā 1| ekakālaṃ caredbhaikṣyaṃ na prasajyeta vistaram | bhaikṣye prasakto hi yatirviṣayeṣvapi sajjati 2| saptāgāraṃ caredbhaikṣyamalābhe na punaścaret | godohamātraṃ tiṣṭheta kālaṃ bhikṣuradhomukhaḥ 3| bhikṣetyuktvā sakṛttūṣṇīmādadyādvāgyataḥ śuciḥ | prakṣyālya pāṇī pādau ca samācamya yathāvidhi 4| ādityaṃ darśayitvānnaṃ bhuṃjīta prāṅmukho naraḥ | hutvā prāṇāhutīḥ paṃca grāsānaṣṭau samāhitaḥ 5| ācamya devaṃ brahmāṇaṃ dhyāyeta parameśvaram | ālābudārupātre ca mṛṇmayaṃ vaiṇavaṃ tathā 6| catvāri yatipātrāṇi manurāha prajāpatiḥ | prāgrātre madhyarātre ca pararātre tathaiva ca 7| saṃdhyāsūktiviśeṣeṇa ciṃtayennityamīśvaram | kṛtvā hṛtpadmanilaye viśvākhyaṃ viśvasaṃbhavam 8| ātmānaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ parastāttamasaḥ sthitam | sarvasyādhāramavyaktamānaṃdaṃ jyotiravyayam 9| pradhānapuruṣātītamākāśaṃ dahanaṃ śivam | tadaṃtaṃ sarvabhāvānāmīśvaraṃ brahmarūpiṇam 10| oṃkārāṃtethavātmānaṃ samāpya paramātmani | ākāśe devamīśānaṃ dhyāyītākāśamadhyagam 11| kāraṇaṃ sarvabhāvānāmānaṃdaikasamāśrayam | purāṇapuruṣaṃ viṣṇuṃ dhyāyanmucyeta baṃdhanāt 12| yadvā guhādau prakṛtau jagatsaṃmohanālaye | viciṃtya paramaṃ vyoma sarvabhūtaikakāraṇam 13| jīvanaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ yatra lokaḥ pralīyate | ānaṃdaṃ brahmaṇaḥ sūkṣmaṃ yatpaśyaṃti mumukṣavaḥ 14| tanmadhye nihitaṃ brahma kevalaṃ jñānalakṣaṇam | anaṃtaṃ satyamīśānaṃ viciṃtyāsīta vāgyataḥ 15| guhyādguhyatamaṃ jñānaṃ yatīnāmetadīritam | yovatiṣṭhetsadānena sośnute yogamaiśvaram 16| tasmājjñānarato nityamātmavidyāparāyaṇaḥ | jñānaṃ samabhyasedbrahma yena mucyeta baṃdhanāt 17| matvā pṛthaktvamātmānaṃ sarvasmādeva kevalam | ānaṃdamakṣaraṃ jñānaṃ dhyāyeta ca tataḥ param 18| yasmādbhavaṃti bhūtāni yajjñātvā neha jāyate | sa tasmādīśvaro devaḥ parastādyodhitiṣṭhati 19| yadaṃtare tadgamanaṃ śāśvataṃ śivamavyayam | ya idaṃ svaparokṣastu sa devaḥ syānmaheśvaraḥ 20| vratāni yāni bhikṣūṇāṃ tathaivāyaṃ vratāni ca | ekaikātikrameṇaiva prāyaścittaṃ vidhīyate 21| upetya ca striyaṃ kāmātprāyaścittaṃ samāhitaḥ | prāṇāyāmasamāyuktaṃ kuryyātsāṃtapanaṃ śuciḥ 22| tataścareta niyamātkṛcchraṃ saṃyatamānasaḥ | punarāśramamāgamya caredbhikṣurataṃdritaḥ 23| na dharmayuktamanṛtaṃ hinastīti manīṣiṇaḥ | tathāpi ca na kartavyaḥ prasaṃgo hyeṣa dāruṇaḥ 24| ekarātropavāsaśca prāṇāyāmaśataṃ tathā | uktvānṛtaṃ prakartavyaṃ yatinā dharmalipsunā 25| paramāpadgatenāpi na kāryaṃ steyamanyataḥ | steyādabhyadhikaḥ kaścinnāstyadharma iti smṛtiḥ 26| hiṃsā caivāparā tṛṣṇā yācñātmajñānanāśikā | yadetaddraviṇaṃ nāma prāṇā hyete bahiścarāḥ 27 draviṇa| sa tasya harate prāṇānyo yasya harate dhanam | evaṃ kṛtvā sa duṣṭātmā bhinnavṛtto vratacyutaḥ 28| bhūyo nirvedamāpannaścaredbhikṣurataṃdritaḥ | akasmādeva hiṃsāṃ tu yadi bhikṣuḥ samācaret 29| kuryātkṛcchrātikṛcchraṃ tu cāṃdrāyaṇamathāpi vā | skaṃdeteṃdriyadaurbalyātstriyaṃ dṛṣṭvā yatiryadi 30| tena dhārayitavyā vai prāṇāyāmāstu ṣoḍaśa | divāskaṃde trirātraṃ syātprāṇāyāmaśataṃ budhāḥ 31| ekānne madhumāṃse ca navaśrāddhe tathaiva ca | pratyakṣalavaṇe coktaṃ prājāpatyaṃ viśodhanam 32| dhyānaniṣṭhasya satataṃ naśyate sarvapātakam | tasmānnārāyaṇaṃ dhyātvā tasya dhyānaparo bhavet 33| yadbrahmaṇaḥ paraṃ jyotiḥ praviṣṭākṣaramavyayam | yoṃtarātmā paraṃ brahma sa vijñeyo maheśvaraḥ 34| eṣa devo mahādevaḥ kevalaḥ paramaṃ śivaḥ | tadevākṣaramadvaitaṃ tadā nityaṃ paraṃ padam 35| tasmānmahīyate deve svadhāmni jñānasaṃjñite | ātmayogātpare tatve mahādevastataḥ smṛtaḥ 36| nānyaṃ devaṃ mahādevādvyatiriktaṃ prapaśyati | tamevātmānamanveti yaḥ sa yāti paraṃ padam 37| manyaṃte ye svamātmānaṃ vibhinnaṃ parameśvarāt | na te paśyaṃti taṃ devaṃ vṛthā teṣāṃ pariśramaḥ 38| ekameva paraṃ brahma vijñeyaṃ tattvamavyayam | sa devastu mahādevo naitadvijñāya badhyate 39| tasmādyateta niyataṃ yatiḥ saṃyatamānasaḥ | jñānayogarataḥ śāṃto mahādevaparāyaṇaḥ 40| eṣa vaḥ kathito viprā yatīnāmāśramaḥ śubhaḥ | pitāmahena muninā vibhunā pūrvamīritaḥ 41| nāputraśiṣyayogibhyo dadyādevamanuttamam | jñānaṃ svayaṃbhuvā proktaṃ yatidharmmāśrayaṃ śivam 42| iti yatiniyamānāmetaduktaṃ vidhānaṃ suravaraparitoṣe yadbhavedekahetuḥ | na bhavati punareṣāmudbhavo vā vināśaḥ pratihitamanaso ye nityamevācaraṃti 43| iti śrīpādme mahāpurāṇe svargakhaṃḍe ṣaṣṭitamo'dhyāyaḥ 60|

English translation

Vyāsa said :

1-15. Thus the livelihood of the sages who have controlled themselves and are in the (fourth) stage of life is said to be (had) by means of begging or fruits and roots. He should beg for one time only; he should not be attached to expansion (of begging). An ascetic attached to begging, becomes also attached to objects of senses. He should beg from seven houses. He should not move again (for alms) if he does not get it (during the first round). An ascetic should wait (for alms at a door) with his face hung down for the time required for milking a cow. Saying, ‘Alms (please)’, he, pure and controlled in speech, should remain silent. The man, having washed his hands and feet and sipped water according to proper rite, and having presented the food to the sun, facing the east, should eat it. Having offered oblations to the five vital airs, he, being calm, should eat eight morsels. Having sipped water, he should meditate upon the highest lord, Brahma . Manu Prajāpati has mentioned four (kinds of) pots for an ascetic: pumpkin gourd, wooden, made of clay and of bamboo. Before the fall of night, at midnight, during the last part of the night, he should everyday meditate upon the lord with special hymns at the twilights, after bringing to the lotus of his heart the lord called Viśva , the source of everything, the soul of all creatures dwelling beyond the darkness, the prop of all, the unmanifest, the joy, the immutable light, the one beyond Prakṛti and Puruṣa , the ether, fire and the auspicious one, that essence of all beings, the god of the form of Brahman . At the end of Oṃkāra , and having offered himself into the highest soul, he should meditate upon the lord, the ruler, living in the midst of the sky. He, meditating upon the ancient Puruṣa Viṣṇu , the cause of all objects and the only receptacle of joy, would be free from bondage. Or he should meditate in the heart, (on) the primal nature, the only cause of all beings, the abode of the illusion of the world, the life of all beings, where the world merges. The subtle joy of Brahman which those desiring salvation obtain, in that is placed Brahman—absolute and having knowledge as its characteristic. Having thought over the endless, true lord he should remain controlled in speech.

16-28a. This is said to be the most secret knowledge for the ascetics. He who always remains in this obtains the contemplation of the Supreme Spirit. Therefore, he should always be intent upon (securing) knowledge, should be greatly devoted to metaphysical knowledge, should study the Brahmanic knowledge, by which he becomes free from bondage. Regarding his being separate from all (else), he should meditate upon the absolute joy, the immutable one and the knowledge which is beyond that. Beyond that, from whom the beings originate, and knowing whom a man is not born here (i.e. in this world), stands one, the lord, the ruler. The man’s entering him is eternal, auspicious and unchanging. He that is away from this is the lord, the great god. For the violation of each of the vows laid down for the ascetics and other vows an expiation is enjoined. A man having through lust, gone to (i.e. cohabited with) a woman, should being calm and pure practise the expiation called Kṛcchra - sāntapana , [1] along with the restraining of his breath. Then, with his mind controlled, the ascetic should practise bodily mortification; and then having again come back to the hermitage, he should behave carefully. Falsehood that is not against Dharma , is not harmful—so say the wise. Yet such a horrible attachment should not be indulged in. An ascetic desiring religious merit, should observe fast for a night, and practise the restraint of breath a hundred times after having told a lie. Even if he is in a great calamity he should not steal (a thing) from others. The Smṛti says that there is no worse sin than stealing. Doing harm to others, extreme avidity, solicitation destroy the knowledge of the soul. That which is (called) wealth, is the outward life. He, whose wealth a man snatches, takes away his life.

28b-40. The ascetic of a wicked mind, violating his (usual) mode of life, and fallen from his vow, being again depressed, should behave carefully. If an ascetic would cause harm accidentally, he should perform the expiation (called) Atikṛcchra [2] or Cāndrāyaṇa [3] . If through the weakness of his senses, he emits (semen) on seeing a woman, he should have the sixteen kinds of restraints of breath. The wise go through the restraint of breath a hundred times for three nights if there is an emission by day. The expiation called Prājāpatya [4] is enjoined for taking food from one (house only), (eating) honey and flesh at the first śrāddha and on actually cognizing salt ( pratyakṣalavaṇaḥ ). All the sin of him who is always given to meditation, perishes. Therefore, a man should meditate upon Viṣṇu and be engaged in meditating upon him. He the great god should be known—that is the highest light of Brahman, that has entered the indestructible and the immutable, and that is the inner soul, the highest Brahman. That alone is the indestructible, unchangeable, eternal, highest position. So he is worshipped and is called Mahādeva , in his abode called knowledge, the highest principle due to his contact with the soul. He does not recognize any other god than Mahādeva. He, who follows him—the soul—goes to the highest position. Those who regard themselves as different from the lord, do not realize that absolute highest Brahman, the indestructible principle. That god is Mahādeva. Knowing this, he is not bound. Therefore, an ascetic, with his mind restrained, engaged in (obtaining) knowledge and deep meditation, calm, and devoted to Mahādeva, should strive.

41-43. O brāhmaṇas , I have described to you the auspicious stage (i.e. the way of life) of the ascetics, which was formerly told by the lord, the sage, viz. the Grandsire. A man should not give this auspicious knowledge about the way of life of ascetics, told by the Self-born one, to him who is not his son, or disciple or a meditating sage. Thus is made the statement about the restraints of an ascetic, which would be the only cause of the joy of the best of gods. Those whose minds are set upon (the lord) are neither born nor do they perish.

[1]: [1] : Kṛcchra-sāntapana: Drinking the mixture of cow’s urine, cowdung, milk, curd, ghee, water (flowing) from kuśa, and fastting [fasting?] the next day. (See Manu. 11.212)

[2]: [2] : Atikṛcchra: Eating one morsel for three days in the morning, three days in the evening, and eating whatever is obtained without begging for three days, and fasting for the remaining three days. (See Manu. 11.213)

[3]: [3] : Cāndrāyaṇa: Bathing thrice a day, reducing one morsel on each day of the dark fortnight, and increasing one morsel on each day of the bright fortnight. (See Manu. 11.217)

[4]: [4] : Prājāpatya: Eating for three days in the morning, three days in the evening, and three days without begging. (See Manu. 11.211)

Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 43446, revision 335752 (2022-04-14T10:19:15Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc365279.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.