Uttara-khaṇḍa · Chapter 28
Sourceमहादेव उवाच- अत्राप्युदाहरंतीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । पुराणं परमं पुण्यं सर्वपापहरं शुभम् १। कुमारेण च लोकानां नमस्कृत्य पितामहम् । प्रोक्तं चेदं ममाख्यानं देवर्षे ब्रह्मसूनुना २। सनत्कुमार उवाच- गतोऽहं धर्मराजानं द्रष्टुं संपूजितो मुदा । श्रुतिभिः परया भक्त्या तेनोक्तोऽस्मि सुखासने ३। मया तत्रोपविष्टेन दृष्टं किंचिन्महाद्भुतम् । कांचनेन विमानेन वैडूर्यकृतवेदिना ४। मणिमुक्तविचित्रेण किंकिणीजालशोभिना । आगतं पुरुषं तत्र आसनाद्देवसत्तम ५। ससंभ्रमं समुत्थाय दृष्ट्वा धर्मः स्वयं विभुः । गृहीत्वा दक्षिणे पाणौ पूजितोऽर्घेण वै ततः ६। शिरस्याघ्राय देवेशः पुरः स्थाप्य ततः परम् । पूजयित्वा तु तं धर्म इदं वाक्यमुवाच ह ७। सुस्वागतं धर्मदर्शिन्प्रीतोऽस्मि दर्शनात्तव । समीपे मम तिष्ठस्व किंचिज्ज्ञानं वदस्व मे ८। पुनर्यास्यसि तत्स्थानं यत्र ब्रह्मा व्यवस्थितः । इत्युक्ते च ततश्चान्यो विमानवरमास्थितः ९। आगतः पुरुषो देवो यत्र तिष्ठति धर्मराट् । स पूजितो विमानस्थः प्रश्रयावनतेन च १०। सामपूर्वं तथोक्त्वा तु यथापूर्वं नरः स्वयम् । किमनेन कृतं कर्म यस्य तुष्टो भवान्भृशम् ११। अत्र मे कौतुकं जातं कृता हि स्वयमेव तु । यदस्य भवता पूजा सविस्मयमनंतरम् १२। तथैवास्य कृता पूजा द्वितीयस्य नरस्य तु । मेनेऽहं शुभकर्माणौ विमानं वरसत्तमौ १३। यस्त्वमाभ्यां स्वयं पूजां कुरुषे धर्मकारणात् । ब्रह्माविष्णुशिवाद्यैस्तु पूज्यसे त्वं सदानिशम् १४। यस्येदृक्परमं पुण्यं किमेतौ कर्म चक्रतुः । कथ्यतां मम सर्वज्ञ फलं दिव्यमवापतुः १५। तच्छ्रुत्वा स तु मां प्राह शृणु कर्मानयोः कृतम् । यत्कृत्वार्हमिहायातौ तच्छृणुष्व महामते १६। धर्म उवाच- वैदिशं नाम नगरं पृथिव्यामस्ति विश्रुतम् । तत्राभूत्पृथिवीपालो धरापाल इति श्रुतः १७। कस्मिन्काले पुरा देवी शशाप स्वगणं क्रुधा । मदृतेन परा नारी भर्त्तुर्यन्मे निवेशिता १८। तस्माद्द्वादशवर्षाणि जंबुकस्त्वं भविष्यसि । इत्युक्तः स च बभ्राम जंबुको मेदिनीतलम् १९। वेतसी वेत्रवत्योस्तु संगमे लोकविश्रुते । शापांतो भविता पुत्र इत्युक्तं गिरिकन्यया २०। तत्र चानशनं कृत्वा क्षेत्रे प्राणांस्ततोऽत्यजत् । दिव्यरूपवपुर्भूत्वा जगाम विष्णुसन्निधौ २१। तत्राश्चर्यं महद्दृष्ट्वा धरापालो महीपतिः । विष्णोरायतनं कृत्वा क्षेत्रे प्राणंस्ततोऽत्यजत् २२। दिव्यरूपवपुर्भूत्वा स्थापयामास तं प्रभुम् । तस्मिन्पुरे नरान्सर्वा सन्नियोज्यास्य वीक्षणे २३। शुभमायतनं विष्णोस्तस्मिन्ग्रामे सदा जनैः । पूर्णं तु ब्राह्मणादीनां पूजयित्वा कदंबकम् २४। इतिहासपुराणज्ञं वाचकं तु विशेषतः । पूजयित्वा द्विजश्रेष्ठं विद्याश्रेष्ठं महामतिः २५। पुस्तकं चापि संपूज्य गंधपुष्पादिभिः क्रमात् । ततस्तमाह राजासौ वाचकं विनयान्वितः २६। एतदायतनं विष्णोः कारितं च तवाग्रतः । चातुर्वर्ण्यमिदं चापि श्रोतुकामं कदंबकम् २७। तिष्ठतीह द्विजश्रेष्ठ कुरु पुस्तकवाचनम् । यावत्संवत्सरं विप्र गृह्य वृत्तिं त्वनुत्तमाम् २८। स्वर्णनिष्कशतं चात्र ततो दास्ये तथापरम् । पूर्णे वर्षे द्विजश्रेष्ठ श्रेयोऽथ महमात्मनः २९। एवं प्रवर्तितं तत्र पुण्यं पुस्तकवाचनम् । वर्षसंगतमात्रे तु तथा च मुनिसत्तम ३०। अथायुषः क्षयाच्चायं कालधर्ममुपेयिवान् । मया चास्य विमानं हि विष्णुना प्रेरितं दिवः ३१। इत्येषा कर्मणां व्युष्टिः पुण्यमाख्यानसंज्ञकम् । श्रुतं पाद्मं महत्पुण्यं पवित्रं पापनाशनम् ३२। गंधपुष्पोपहारैस्तु न तुष्टिर्जायते तथा । देवानामिह सर्वेषां पुराणश्रवणाद्यथा ३३। स्वर्णरत्नादिवस्तूनां वस्त्राणां चापि कृत्स्नशः । ग्रामाणां नगराणां च दानात्तुष्टिर्भवेन्नहि ३४। यथा स्याद्धर्मश्रवणात्प्रीतिः सर्वदिवौकसाम् । इतिहासपुराणानां श्रवणे मुनिसत्तम ३५। तथा स्यान्मे महाप्रीतिः साध्ये सर्वार्थकामिके । कन्यादाने महाप्रीतिर्मम स्यान्मुनिसत्तम ३६। न तथा रोचते सा च यथा पुस्तकवाचनात् । अथ किं बहुनोक्तेन नान्यत्प्रीतिकरं मम ३७। पुण्याख्यानमृते विप्र गुह्यमेतत्प्रकीर्तितम् । यश्चायमपरो विप्र इहायातो नरोत्तमः ३८। संगत्यानुगतश्चायं धर्मश्रवणमुत्तमम् । श्रुत्वा भक्तिरभूदस्य श्रद्धया परमात्मनः ३९। कृत्वा प्रदक्षिणं तस्य वाचकस्य महात्मनः । एष विप्रो मुनिश्रेष्ठ ददौ स्वर्णस्य माषकम् ४०। नान्यद्दानं कदा चक्रे लोभाविष्टेन चेतसा । पात्रदानात्फलप्राप्तिस्त्वस्य जाता न संशयः ४१। इत्येतत्कथितं कर्म आभ्यां चैव महामुने ४२। महादेव उवाच- एतत्पुण्यस्य माहात्म्यं ये शृण्वंति मनीषिणः । न तेषां दुर्गतिः कच्चिज्जन्मजन्मनि जायते ४३। इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्सहस्रसंहितायां उत्तरखण्डे उमापतिनारदसंवादे शास्त्रव्याख्यामहिमानामाष्टाविंशोऽध्यायः २८।
mahādeva uvāca- atrāpyudāharaṃtīmamitihāsaṃ purātanam | purāṇaṃ paramaṃ puṇyaṃ sarvapāpaharaṃ śubham 1| kumāreṇa ca lokānāṃ namaskṛtya pitāmaham | proktaṃ cedaṃ mamākhyānaṃ devarṣe brahmasūnunā 2| sanatkumāra uvāca- gato'haṃ dharmarājānaṃ draṣṭuṃ saṃpūjito mudā | śrutibhiḥ parayā bhaktyā tenokto'smi sukhāsane 3| mayā tatropaviṣṭena dṛṣṭaṃ kiṃcinmahādbhutam | kāṃcanena vimānena vaiḍūryakṛtavedinā 4| maṇimuktavicitreṇa kiṃkiṇījālaśobhinā | āgataṃ puruṣaṃ tatra āsanāddevasattama 5| sasaṃbhramaṃ samutthāya dṛṣṭvā dharmaḥ svayaṃ vibhuḥ | gṛhītvā dakṣiṇe pāṇau pūjito'rgheṇa vai tataḥ 6| śirasyāghrāya deveśaḥ puraḥ sthāpya tataḥ param | pūjayitvā tu taṃ dharma idaṃ vākyamuvāca ha 7| susvāgataṃ dharmadarśinprīto'smi darśanāttava | samīpe mama tiṣṭhasva kiṃcijjñānaṃ vadasva me 8| punaryāsyasi tatsthānaṃ yatra brahmā vyavasthitaḥ | ityukte ca tataścānyo vimānavaramāsthitaḥ 9| āgataḥ puruṣo devo yatra tiṣṭhati dharmarāṭ | sa pūjito vimānasthaḥ praśrayāvanatena ca 10| sāmapūrvaṃ tathoktvā tu yathāpūrvaṃ naraḥ svayam | kimanena kṛtaṃ karma yasya tuṣṭo bhavānbhṛśam 11| atra me kautukaṃ jātaṃ kṛtā hi svayameva tu | yadasya bhavatā pūjā savismayamanaṃtaram 12| tathaivāsya kṛtā pūjā dvitīyasya narasya tu | mene'haṃ śubhakarmāṇau vimānaṃ varasattamau 13| yastvamābhyāṃ svayaṃ pūjāṃ kuruṣe dharmakāraṇāt | brahmāviṣṇuśivādyaistu pūjyase tvaṃ sadāniśam 14| yasyedṛkparamaṃ puṇyaṃ kimetau karma cakratuḥ | kathyatāṃ mama sarvajña phalaṃ divyamavāpatuḥ 15| tacchrutvā sa tu māṃ prāha śṛṇu karmānayoḥ kṛtam | yatkṛtvārhamihāyātau tacchṛṇuṣva mahāmate 16| dharma uvāca- vaidiśaṃ nāma nagaraṃ pṛthivyāmasti viśrutam | tatrābhūtpṛthivīpālo dharāpāla iti śrutaḥ 17| kasminkāle purā devī śaśāpa svagaṇaṃ krudhā | madṛtena parā nārī bhartturyanme niveśitā 18| tasmāddvādaśavarṣāṇi jaṃbukastvaṃ bhaviṣyasi | ityuktaḥ sa ca babhrāma jaṃbuko medinītalam 19| vetasī vetravatyostu saṃgame lokaviśrute | śāpāṃto bhavitā putra ityuktaṃ girikanyayā 20| tatra cānaśanaṃ kṛtvā kṣetre prāṇāṃstato'tyajat | divyarūpavapurbhūtvā jagāma viṣṇusannidhau 21| tatrāścaryaṃ mahaddṛṣṭvā dharāpālo mahīpatiḥ | viṣṇorāyatanaṃ kṛtvā kṣetre prāṇaṃstato'tyajat 22| divyarūpavapurbhūtvā sthāpayāmāsa taṃ prabhum | tasminpure narānsarvā sanniyojyāsya vīkṣaṇe 23| śubhamāyatanaṃ viṣṇostasmingrāme sadā janaiḥ | pūrṇaṃ tu brāhmaṇādīnāṃ pūjayitvā kadaṃbakam 24| itihāsapurāṇajñaṃ vācakaṃ tu viśeṣataḥ | pūjayitvā dvijaśreṣṭhaṃ vidyāśreṣṭhaṃ mahāmatiḥ 25| pustakaṃ cāpi saṃpūjya gaṃdhapuṣpādibhiḥ kramāt | tatastamāha rājāsau vācakaṃ vinayānvitaḥ 26| etadāyatanaṃ viṣṇoḥ kāritaṃ ca tavāgrataḥ | cāturvarṇyamidaṃ cāpi śrotukāmaṃ kadaṃbakam 27| tiṣṭhatīha dvijaśreṣṭha kuru pustakavācanam | yāvatsaṃvatsaraṃ vipra gṛhya vṛttiṃ tvanuttamām 28| svarṇaniṣkaśataṃ cātra tato dāsye tathāparam | pūrṇe varṣe dvijaśreṣṭha śreyo'tha mahamātmanaḥ 29| evaṃ pravartitaṃ tatra puṇyaṃ pustakavācanam | varṣasaṃgatamātre tu tathā ca munisattama 30| athāyuṣaḥ kṣayāccāyaṃ kāladharmamupeyivān | mayā cāsya vimānaṃ hi viṣṇunā preritaṃ divaḥ 31| ityeṣā karmaṇāṃ vyuṣṭiḥ puṇyamākhyānasaṃjñakam | śrutaṃ pādmaṃ mahatpuṇyaṃ pavitraṃ pāpanāśanam 32| gaṃdhapuṣpopahāraistu na tuṣṭirjāyate tathā | devānāmiha sarveṣāṃ purāṇaśravaṇādyathā 33| svarṇaratnādivastūnāṃ vastrāṇāṃ cāpi kṛtsnaśaḥ | grāmāṇāṃ nagarāṇāṃ ca dānāttuṣṭirbhavennahi 34| yathā syāddharmaśravaṇātprītiḥ sarvadivaukasām | itihāsapurāṇānāṃ śravaṇe munisattama 35| tathā syānme mahāprītiḥ sādhye sarvārthakāmike | kanyādāne mahāprītirmama syānmunisattama 36| na tathā rocate sā ca yathā pustakavācanāt | atha kiṃ bahunoktena nānyatprītikaraṃ mama 37| puṇyākhyānamṛte vipra guhyametatprakīrtitam | yaścāyamaparo vipra ihāyāto narottamaḥ 38| saṃgatyānugataścāyaṃ dharmaśravaṇamuttamam | śrutvā bhaktirabhūdasya śraddhayā paramātmanaḥ 39| kṛtvā pradakṣiṇaṃ tasya vācakasya mahātmanaḥ | eṣa vipro muniśreṣṭha dadau svarṇasya māṣakam 40| nānyaddānaṃ kadā cakre lobhāviṣṭena cetasā | pātradānātphalaprāptistvasya jātā na saṃśayaḥ 41| ityetatkathitaṃ karma ābhyāṃ caiva mahāmune 42| mahādeva uvāca- etatpuṇyasya māhātmyaṃ ye śṛṇvaṃti manīṣiṇaḥ | na teṣāṃ durgatiḥ kaccijjanmajanmani jāyate 43| iti śrīpādme mahāpurāṇe paṃcapaṃcāśatsahasrasaṃhitāyāṃ uttarakhaṇḍe umāpatināradasaṃvāde śāstravyākhyāmahimānāmāṣṭāviṃśo'dhyāyaḥ 28|
English translation
Mahādeva said :
1-2. In this case also they relate an old historical account, a Purāṇa , which is highly meritorious, removes all sins, and is auspicious. O divine sage, Brahma ’s son ( Sanat -) Kumāra , having saluted the grandsire of the worlds, narrated this account to me.
Sanatkumāra said :
3-9a. I went to see Dharmarāja (i.e. Yama ). With joy and great devotion he honoured me with words and asked me (to be seated) on a comfortable seat. I who was seated there, saw a great wonder: Dharma , the lord, himself hastily got up from his seat, O best among gods, on seeing a man who had come there in an aeroplane which was golden, the altar in which was made of lapis lazuli, which was beautiful due to gems and pearls, and was charming on account of a mass of small bells. Having taken him by his right hand, he honoured him with materials of worship. Dharma (i.e. Yama), the lord of gods, having smelt him on his head, and having seated him before him, and having honoured him said these words to him: “Welcome to you, O you who know what is right. I am pleased on seeing you. Be (seated) near me; and give me some knowledge. You will again go to the place where Brahma is settled.”
9b-16. When this was said, another man, seated in an excellent aeroplane came to the place when the lord, Dharmarāja was (seated). He, while he was in the aeroplane (itself), was honoured (by Dharma) who bowed (to him) with respect; and he himself gently spoke to him as he had spoken to the former man. “What deed has he done due to which you are very much pleased? I have a curiosity about this since you yourself honoured him. Then with amazement you also honoured the other man. I think that the two have done auspicious deeds, as the best ones (came in) an aeroplane, and as you honour them for religious merit. Your religious merit is such that Brahma, Viṣṇu , Śiva and others always worship you. Tell me, O omniscient one, which deed they did, due to which they obtained (this) divine fruit.” Hearing those (words of me), he said to me: “Listen to the deed done by these two. O you very intelligent one, listen, due to having performed which worthy deed they have come here.”
Dharma said :
17-23. There is on the earth a well-known city named Vaidiśa . A king known as Dharāpāla lived there. Formerly, some time, the goddess angrily cursed her attendant: “Since no other woman than me was married by my husband, you will turn into a jackal for twelve years.” That jackal, thus addressed (by her), roamed on the surface of the earth. The Mountain’s daughter (i.e. Pārvatī ) had told him: “O son, the curse of (i.e. pronounced upon) you will come to an end at the well-known confluence of Vetasī and Vetravatī . He, having fasted there at the holy place, cast his life. Being turned into a divine form, he went into the proximity of Viṣṇu. King Dharāpāla, seeing the great wonder there constructed a Viṣṇu temple and then cast his life at the holy place. Being turned into a divine form he installed (the image) of that lord in that city, and appointed all men to look after him (i.e. the image).
24-33a. The auspicious temple of Viṣṇu in that town is always full of (i.e. crowded with) people. The very intelligent king, full of modesty, having honoured the host of brāhmaṇas , and especially the (public) reader of Mahābhārata and Purāṇa, who was the best among the brāhmaṇas and greatest due to his learning, so also having worshipped the book (i.e. the Purāṇa text) in due order with flowers etc., said to the reader: “This temple of Viṣṇu before you is constructed (by me). O best brāhmaṇa , this multitude of people of the four castes desiring to listen to it, is (present) here. (Please) read the book (i.e. the Purāṇa text) for one year after taking (money for) excellent livelihood. After that I shall (also) give you another hundred golden niṣkas after the year is over for my well-being, O best brāhmaṇa.” Thus he started there the reading of the book. O best sage, after the year was over, and due to the shortening of his life, he went to Kāladharma (i.e. to Yama). Viṣṇu and I sent his aeroplane (i.e. the aeroplane for him) from heaven. This is the fruit of the deeds. He had heard the auspicious, great Padma Purāṇa , entitled ‘an account’, which is auspicious, pure, and which destroys sins. All gods are not so much pleased with offerings like those of sandal and flowers as they are with the listening to the Purāṇa.
33b-42. All gods will not be so much gratified with all the gifts of objects like gold and jewels or of garments or of villages and towns, as by listening to the religious discourse. O best sage, I have also in the same way a great love for listening to historical accounts (i.e. Mahābhārata) and Purāṇa, which brings about (i.e. fulfils) all desires. O best sage, I very much like the giving of the daughter (in marriage). But I do not like it so much as the reading of a book (i.e. a Purāṇa-text). What is the use of talking much? Nothing else gives me joy except the auspicious account. This is declared to be a secret. O brāhmaṇa, the other best man that had come here, had come due to company. Having listened to a religious text with faith, devotion is created (in his mind) for the highest soul. O best sage, this brāhmaṇa, having gone round the magnanimous reader (of the Purāṇa) keeping him to his right, gave him a māṣaka of gold. Due to his mind overpowered by grief he did not make any other gift at any time. But there is no doubt that he got the fruit due to his having made a gift to a worthy recipient. O great sage, I have told (you) this deed of the two.
Mahādeva said :
43. Those wise men who listen to the greatness of this religious merit never face a calamity in existence after existence.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 42647, revision 336296 (2022-04-21T04:55:31Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc365459.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.