Uttara-khaṇḍa · Chapter 41
Sourceयुधिष्ठिर उवाच- कथिता वै त्वया कृष्ण सफलैकादशी शुभा । कथयस्व प्रसादेन शुक्लपक्षस्य या भवेत् १। किन्नाम को विधिस्तस्याः को देवस्तत्र पूज्यते । कस्मै तुष्टो हृषीकेशस्त्वमेव पुरुषोत्तमः २। श्रीकृष्ण उवाच-। शृणु राजन्प्रवक्ष्यामि शुक्ला पौषस्य या भवेत् । कथयामि महाराज लोकानां हितकाम्यया ३। पूर्वेण विधिना राजन्कर्त्तव्यैषा प्रयत्नतः । पुत्रदा नाम नाम्ना सा सर्वपापहरा परा ४। नारायणोऽधिदेवोऽस्या कामदः सिद्धिदायकः । नातः परतरा काचित्त्रैलोक्ये सचराचरे ५। विद्यावंतं यशस्वंतं करोति च नरं हरिः । शृणु राजन्प्रवक्ष्यामि कथां पापहरां पराम् ६। भद्रावत्यां पुरा ह्यासीत्पुर्यां राजा सुकेतुमान् । तस्य राज्ञस्तथाराज्ञी चंपका नाम वर्त्तते ७। पुत्रहीनेन राज्ञा च काले नीतो मनोरथैः । नैवात्मजं नृपो लेभे वंशकर्त्तारमेव च ८। तेनैव राज्ञा धर्मेण चिंतितं बहुकालतः । किं करोमि क्व गच्छामि सुतप्राप्तिः कथं भवेत् ९। न राष्ट्रे न पुरे सौख्यं लेभे राजा सुकेतुमान् । साध्व्य स्वकांतया सार्द्धं प्रत्यहं दुःखितोऽभवत् १०। तावुभौ दंपती नित्यं चिंताशोकपरायणौ । पितरोऽस्य जलं दत्तं कवोष्णमुपभुंजते ११। राज्ञः पश्चान्न पश्यामो योऽस्मान्संतर्पयिष्यति । इत्येवं संस्मरंतोऽस्य दुःखिताः पितरोऽभवन् १२। न बांधवा न मित्राणि नामात्याः सुहृदस्तथा । रोचयंत्यस्य भूपस्य न गजाश्वाः पदातयः १३। नैराश्यं भूपतेस्तस्य नित्यं मनसि वर्त्तते । नरस्य पुत्रहीनस्य नास्ति वै जन्मनः फलम् १४। अपुत्रस्य गृहं शून्यं हृदयं दुःखितं सदा । पितृदेवमनुष्याणां नानृणत्वं सुतं विना १५। तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन सुतमुत्पादयेन्नरः । इह लोके यशस्तेषां परलोके शुभा गतिः १६। येषां तु पुण्यकर्तॄणां पुत्रजन्मगृहे भवेत् । आयुरारोग्यसंपत्तिस्तेषां गेहे प्रवर्तते १७। पुत्रजन्म गृहे येषां लोकानां पुण्यकारिणाम् । पुण्यं विना न च प्राप्तिर्विष्णुभक्तिं विना नृप १८। पुत्राश्च संपदो वापि निश्चयादिति मे मतिः । एवं विचिंत्यमानोऽसौ न शर्म लभते नृपः १९। प्रत्यूषे चिंतयद्राजा निशीथे चिंतयत्ततः । स्वयमात्मविनाशं च चिंतयामास केतुमान् २०। आत्मघाते दुर्गतिं च चिंतयित्वा तदा नृपः । दृष्ट्वात्मदेहं पतितमपुत्रत्वं तथैव च २१। पुनर्विचार्यात्मबुद्ध्या आत्मनो हितकारणम् । अश्वारूढस्ततो राजा जगाम गहनं वनम् २२। पुरोहितादयः सर्वे न जानंति गतं नृपम् । गंभीरे विपिने राजा मृगपक्षिनिषेविते २३। विचचार तदा राजा वनवृक्षान्विलोकयन् । वटानश्वत्थबिल्वांश्च खर्जूरान्पनसांस्तथा २४। बकुलान्सप्तपर्णांश्च तिंदुकांस्तिलकानपि । शालांस्तालांस्तमालांश्च ददर्श सरलान्नृपः २५। इंगुदी ककुभांश्चैव श्लेष्मातकनगांस्तथा । शल्लकान्करमर्दांश्च पाटलान्बदरानपि २६। अशोकांश्च पलाशांश्च शृगालाञ्शशकानपि । वनमार्जारमहिषान्शल्लकांश्चमरानपि २७। ददर्श भुजगान्राजा वल्मीकादर्द्धनिःसृतान् । तथा वनगजान् मत्तान् कलभैः सह संगतान् २८। यूथपांश्च चतुर्दंतान्करिणीयूथमध्यगान् । तान्दृष्ट्वा चिंतयामास आत्मनः स गजान्नृपः २९। तेषां स विचरन्मध्ये राजा शोभामवाप ह । महदाश्चर्यसंयुक्तं ददृशे विपिनं नृपः ३०। मार्गे शिवारुतान्शृण्वन्नुलूकविरुतं तथा । तांस्तानृक्षमृगान्पश्यन्बभ्राम वनमध्यतः ३१। एवं ददर्श गहनं नृपो मध्यगते रवौ । क्षुत्तृड्भ्यां पीडितो राजा इतश्चेतश्च धावति ३२। नृपतिश्चिंतयामास संशुष्कगलकंधरः । मया तु किं कृतं कर्म प्राप्तं दुःखं यदीदृशम् ३३। मया वै तोषिता देवा यज्ञैः पूजाभिरेव च । तथैव ब्राह्मणा दानैस्तोषिता मिष्टभोजनैः ३४। प्रजाश्चैव सदा कालं पुत्रवत्पालिता भृशम् । कस्माद्दुःखं मया प्राप्तमीदृशं दारुणं महत् ३५। इति चिंतापरो राजा जगामैवाग्रतो वनम् । सुकृतस्य प्रभावेन सरो दृष्टमनुत्तमम् ३६। मीनसंस्पर्शमानं च पद्मैश्चापरशोभितम् । कारंडैश्चक्रवाकैश्च राजहंसैश्च शोभितम् ३७। मकरैर्बहुभिर्मत्स्यैरन्यैर्जलचरैर्युतम् । समीपे सरसस्तस्य मुनीनामाश्रमान्बहून् ३८। ददर्श राजा लक्ष्मीवान्शकुनैः शुभशंसिभिः । दक्षिणं प्रास्फुरन्नेत्रमथ सव्येतरः करः ३९। प्रास्फुरन्नृपतेस्तस्य कथयञ्शोभनं फलम् । तस्य तीरे मुनीन्दृष्ट्वा कुर्वाणन्नैगमं जपम् ४०। हर्षेण महताविष्टो बभूव नृपनंदनः । अवतीर्य हयात्तस्मान्मुनीनामग्रतः स्थितः ४१। पृथक्पृथग्ववंदेऽसौ मुनींस्तान्शंसितव्रतान् । कृतांजलिपुटो भूत्वा दंडवच्च पुनः पुनः ४२। प्रत्यूचुस्तेऽपि मुनयः प्रसन्ना नृपते वयम् । राजोवाच- के भवंतोऽत्र कथ्यंतां का चाख्या भवतामपि । किमर्थं संगता यूयं सत्यं वदत मेऽग्रतः ४३। मुनय ऊचुः- विश्वेदेवा वयं राजन्स्नानार्थमिह चागताः । माघो निकटमायात एतस्मात्पंचमेऽहनि ४४। अद्य चैकादशी राजन्पुत्रदा नाम नामतः । पुत्रं ददात्यसौ विष्णुः पुत्रदा कारिणां नृणाम् ४५। राजोवाच- एष वै संशयो मह्यं पुत्रस्योत्पादने महान् । यदि तुष्टा भवंतो वै पुत्रं मे दीयतां तदा ४६। मुनिरुवाच- अद्यैव दिवसे राजन्पुत्रदा नाम वर्तते । एकादशीति विख्यातं क्रियतां व्रतमुत्तमम् ४७। अभिषेकात्ततोऽस्माकं केशवस्य प्रसादतः । अवश्यं तव राजेंद्र पुत्रप्राप्तिर्भविष्यति ४८। इत्येवं वचनात्तेषां कृतं राज्ञा व्रतोत्तमम् । मुनीनामुपदेशेन पुत्रदा या विधानतः ४९। द्वादश्यां पारणं कृत्वा मुनीन्नत्वा पुनः पुनः । आजगाम गृहं राजा राज्ञी गर्भमथादधौ 6.41.५०। पुत्रो जातः सूतिकाले तेजस्वी पुण्यकर्मणा । पितरं तोषयामास प्रजापालो बभूव सः ५१। तस्माद्राजन्प्रकर्त्तव्यं पुत्रदा व्रतमुत्तमम् । लोकानां तु हितार्थाय तवाग्रे कथितं मया ५२। एकचित्तास्तु ये मर्त्याः कुर्वंति पुत्रदा व्रतम् । पुत्रान्प्राप्येह लोके तु मृतास्ते स्वर्गगामिनः । पठनाच्छ्रवणाद्राजन्नग्निष्टोमफलं लभेत् ५३। इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्साहस्र्यां संहितायामुत्तरखंडे उमापतिनारदसंवादे पौषशुक्लपुत्रदैकादशीनाम एकचत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः ४१।
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca- kathitā vai tvayā kṛṣṇa saphalaikādaśī śubhā | kathayasva prasādena śuklapakṣasya yā bhavet 1| kinnāma ko vidhistasyāḥ ko devastatra pūjyate | kasmai tuṣṭo hṛṣīkeśastvameva puruṣottamaḥ 2| śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca-| śṛṇu rājanpravakṣyāmi śuklā pauṣasya yā bhavet | kathayāmi mahārāja lokānāṃ hitakāmyayā 3| pūrveṇa vidhinā rājankarttavyaiṣā prayatnataḥ | putradā nāma nāmnā sā sarvapāpaharā parā 4| nārāyaṇo'dhidevo'syā kāmadaḥ siddhidāyakaḥ | nātaḥ paratarā kācittrailokye sacarācare 5| vidyāvaṃtaṃ yaśasvaṃtaṃ karoti ca naraṃ hariḥ | śṛṇu rājanpravakṣyāmi kathāṃ pāpaharāṃ parām 6| bhadrāvatyāṃ purā hyāsītpuryāṃ rājā suketumān | tasya rājñastathārājñī caṃpakā nāma varttate 7| putrahīnena rājñā ca kāle nīto manorathaiḥ | naivātmajaṃ nṛpo lebhe vaṃśakarttārameva ca 8| tenaiva rājñā dharmeṇa ciṃtitaṃ bahukālataḥ | kiṃ karomi kva gacchāmi sutaprāptiḥ kathaṃ bhavet 9| na rāṣṭre na pure saukhyaṃ lebhe rājā suketumān | sādhvya svakāṃtayā sārddhaṃ pratyahaṃ duḥkhito'bhavat 10| tāvubhau daṃpatī nityaṃ ciṃtāśokaparāyaṇau | pitaro'sya jalaṃ dattaṃ kavoṣṇamupabhuṃjate 11| rājñaḥ paścānna paśyāmo yo'smānsaṃtarpayiṣyati | ityevaṃ saṃsmaraṃto'sya duḥkhitāḥ pitaro'bhavan 12| na bāṃdhavā na mitrāṇi nāmātyāḥ suhṛdastathā | rocayaṃtyasya bhūpasya na gajāśvāḥ padātayaḥ 13| nairāśyaṃ bhūpatestasya nityaṃ manasi varttate | narasya putrahīnasya nāsti vai janmanaḥ phalam 14| aputrasya gṛhaṃ śūnyaṃ hṛdayaṃ duḥkhitaṃ sadā | pitṛdevamanuṣyāṇāṃ nānṛṇatvaṃ sutaṃ vinā 15| tasmātsarvaprayatnena sutamutpādayennaraḥ | iha loke yaśasteṣāṃ paraloke śubhā gatiḥ 16| yeṣāṃ tu puṇyakartṝṇāṃ putrajanmagṛhe bhavet | āyurārogyasaṃpattisteṣāṃ gehe pravartate 17| putrajanma gṛhe yeṣāṃ lokānāṃ puṇyakāriṇām | puṇyaṃ vinā na ca prāptirviṣṇubhaktiṃ vinā nṛpa 18| putrāśca saṃpado vāpi niścayāditi me matiḥ | evaṃ viciṃtyamāno'sau na śarma labhate nṛpaḥ 19| pratyūṣe ciṃtayadrājā niśīthe ciṃtayattataḥ | svayamātmavināśaṃ ca ciṃtayāmāsa ketumān 20| ātmaghāte durgatiṃ ca ciṃtayitvā tadā nṛpaḥ | dṛṣṭvātmadehaṃ patitamaputratvaṃ tathaiva ca 21| punarvicāryātmabuddhyā ātmano hitakāraṇam | aśvārūḍhastato rājā jagāma gahanaṃ vanam 22| purohitādayaḥ sarve na jānaṃti gataṃ nṛpam | gaṃbhīre vipine rājā mṛgapakṣiniṣevite 23| vicacāra tadā rājā vanavṛkṣānvilokayan | vaṭānaśvatthabilvāṃśca kharjūrānpanasāṃstathā 24| bakulānsaptaparṇāṃśca tiṃdukāṃstilakānapi | śālāṃstālāṃstamālāṃśca dadarśa saralānnṛpaḥ 25| iṃgudī kakubhāṃścaiva śleṣmātakanagāṃstathā | śallakānkaramardāṃśca pāṭalānbadarānapi 26| aśokāṃśca palāśāṃśca śṛgālāñśaśakānapi | vanamārjāramahiṣānśallakāṃścamarānapi 27| dadarśa bhujagānrājā valmīkādarddhaniḥsṛtān | tathā vanagajān mattān kalabhaiḥ saha saṃgatān 28| yūthapāṃśca caturdaṃtānkariṇīyūthamadhyagān | tāndṛṣṭvā ciṃtayāmāsa ātmanaḥ sa gajānnṛpaḥ 29| teṣāṃ sa vicaranmadhye rājā śobhāmavāpa ha | mahadāścaryasaṃyuktaṃ dadṛśe vipinaṃ nṛpaḥ 30| mārge śivārutānśṛṇvannulūkavirutaṃ tathā | tāṃstānṛkṣamṛgānpaśyanbabhrāma vanamadhyataḥ 31| evaṃ dadarśa gahanaṃ nṛpo madhyagate ravau | kṣuttṛḍbhyāṃ pīḍito rājā itaścetaśca dhāvati 32| nṛpatiściṃtayāmāsa saṃśuṣkagalakaṃdharaḥ | mayā tu kiṃ kṛtaṃ karma prāptaṃ duḥkhaṃ yadīdṛśam 33| mayā vai toṣitā devā yajñaiḥ pūjābhireva ca | tathaiva brāhmaṇā dānaistoṣitā miṣṭabhojanaiḥ 34| prajāścaiva sadā kālaṃ putravatpālitā bhṛśam | kasmādduḥkhaṃ mayā prāptamīdṛśaṃ dāruṇaṃ mahat 35| iti ciṃtāparo rājā jagāmaivāgrato vanam | sukṛtasya prabhāvena saro dṛṣṭamanuttamam 36| mīnasaṃsparśamānaṃ ca padmaiścāparaśobhitam | kāraṃḍaiścakravākaiśca rājahaṃsaiśca śobhitam 37| makarairbahubhirmatsyairanyairjalacarairyutam | samīpe sarasastasya munīnāmāśramānbahūn 38| dadarśa rājā lakṣmīvānśakunaiḥ śubhaśaṃsibhiḥ | dakṣiṇaṃ prāsphurannetramatha savyetaraḥ karaḥ 39| prāsphurannṛpatestasya kathayañśobhanaṃ phalam | tasya tīre munīndṛṣṭvā kurvāṇannaigamaṃ japam 40| harṣeṇa mahatāviṣṭo babhūva nṛpanaṃdanaḥ | avatīrya hayāttasmānmunīnāmagrataḥ sthitaḥ 41| pṛthakpṛthagvavaṃde'sau munīṃstānśaṃsitavratān | kṛtāṃjalipuṭo bhūtvā daṃḍavacca punaḥ punaḥ 42| pratyūcuste'pi munayaḥ prasannā nṛpate vayam | rājovāca- ke bhavaṃto'tra kathyaṃtāṃ kā cākhyā bhavatāmapi | kimarthaṃ saṃgatā yūyaṃ satyaṃ vadata me'grataḥ 43| munaya ūcuḥ- viśvedevā vayaṃ rājansnānārthamiha cāgatāḥ | māgho nikaṭamāyāta etasmātpaṃcame'hani 44| adya caikādaśī rājanputradā nāma nāmataḥ | putraṃ dadātyasau viṣṇuḥ putradā kāriṇāṃ nṛṇām 45| rājovāca- eṣa vai saṃśayo mahyaṃ putrasyotpādane mahān | yadi tuṣṭā bhavaṃto vai putraṃ me dīyatāṃ tadā 46| muniruvāca- adyaiva divase rājanputradā nāma vartate | ekādaśīti vikhyātaṃ kriyatāṃ vratamuttamam 47| abhiṣekāttato'smākaṃ keśavasya prasādataḥ | avaśyaṃ tava rājeṃdra putraprāptirbhaviṣyati 48| ityevaṃ vacanātteṣāṃ kṛtaṃ rājñā vratottamam | munīnāmupadeśena putradā yā vidhānataḥ 49| dvādaśyāṃ pāraṇaṃ kṛtvā munīnnatvā punaḥ punaḥ | ājagāma gṛhaṃ rājā rājñī garbhamathādadhau 6.41.50| putro jātaḥ sūtikāle tejasvī puṇyakarmaṇā | pitaraṃ toṣayāmāsa prajāpālo babhūva saḥ 51| tasmādrājanprakarttavyaṃ putradā vratamuttamam | lokānāṃ tu hitārthāya tavāgre kathitaṃ mayā 52| ekacittāstu ye martyāḥ kurvaṃti putradā vratam | putrānprāpyeha loke tu mṛtāste svargagāminaḥ | paṭhanācchravaṇādrājannagniṣṭomaphalaṃ labhet 53| iti śrīpādme mahāpurāṇe paṃcapaṃcāśatsāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāmuttarakhaṃḍe umāpatināradasaṃvāde pauṣaśuklaputradaikādaśīnāma ekacatvāriṃśo'dhyāyaḥ 41|
English translation
Yudhiṣṭhira said :
1-2. O Kṛṣṇa , you have told (me about) the auspicious (vow of) the Saphalā Ekādaśī . Favour me and tell me about the one that would fall in the bright fortnight (of the month of Pauṣa ). What is its name? What is the manner of it (i.e. in which way is it) to be observed? Which is the deity that is propitiated on that (day)? With whom are you, Puruṣottama himself, pleased?
Śrīkṛṣṇa said :
3-12. O king, listen, I shall tell (you about) the one that would fall in the bright half (of Pauṣa). O great king, with a desire for the good of the people, I shall tell about it. O king, it is to be carefully observed in the manner (as told) before. Its name is Putradā . It is great, and removes all sins. Its superintending deity is Viṣṇu . He gives (all) desired objects and all prosperity. No greater (vow) than this (exists) in the three worlds with the mobile and the immobile. Viṣṇu makes a man possessed with knowledge and makes him successful. O king, listen. I shall tell you an auspicious tale that removes sins. Formerly there lived king Suketumat in the city of Bhadrāvatī . His queen was Campakā by name. The sonless king passed his time in (entertaining) desires. The king did not obtain a son who would continue his line. Then the king thought of righteous deeds for a long time. ‘What should I do? Where should I go? How can I have a son?’ King Suketumat did not derive pleasure from his kingdom or his city. Every day, along with his chaste wife, he became unhappy. The couple was always full of anxiety and grief. His (dead) ancestors drank lukewarm water offered by him. ‘We do not see anybody who will gratify us after the king’. Thinking like this his manes were unhappy.
13-19a. The king did not find pleasure in his kinsmen, allies, ministers, friends, so also elephants, horses and foot-soldiers. Despondency always prevailed in the king’s mind. ‘A man who is without a son does not get the fruit of his existence. The house of a sonless person is always desolate. His heart is always unhappy. Without a son freedom from the debt of (one’s) ancestors, deities and men is not possible. Therefore, with all efforts a man should produce a son. Those with religious merit, in whose house a son would be born, get success in this world, and an auspicious position in the next world. In the house of those men who practise righteous deeds long life, (good) health, and wealth prevail. O king, (these) cannot be had without religious merit and devotion to Viṣṇu. I think that sons are certainly the wealth (of a person).’
19b-31. Thinking like this the king did not get happiness. King Suketumat thought (like this) in the early morning and at night. He thought of destroying himself. Then the king, seeing misfortune in (i.e. due to) suicide, saw his body fallen and his sonlessness. Then according to his intellect, he saw (i.e. thought about) his welfare. Then the king mounted upon a horse, went to a dense forest. The family-priest and others did not know (that) the king had gone. In the dense forest resorted to by beasts and birds, the king roamed, observing the forest-trees like vaṭa , aśvattha , bilva , kharjūra , and panasa , so also bakula , saptaparṇa , tinduka , and tila . The king also saw (trees like) śāla , tamāla and sarala . (He also saw) trees like iṅgudī , kakubha , śleṣmātaka, sallaka , karamarda, pāṭala and badara also. He also saw aśoka (trees), palāśa (trees), wolves, hares, wild cats, buffaloes, porcupines and camara (deer). The king saw serpents that had half come out from the ant-hills, and wild intoxicated elephants with their young ones. (He saw) lords of herds having four tusks and accompanied by the female elephants and herds. Seeing the elephants of him, the king thought: ‘The lord moving among them obtained great beauty.’ The king observed the forest full of great wonders. Hearing on his way the cries of jackals and of owls, and seeing various bears and deer, he roamed in the forest.
32-36a. In this way the king saw the forest. When the Sun had gone to the middle (of the sky), he being oppressed with hunger and thirst, ran here and there. The king with his throat and neck dry thought: ‘What deed have I done (by which) I have met with such grief? With sacrifices and worships I have pleased the deities. I have pleased brāhmaṇas with gifts and desired meals. I have always greatly looked after my subjects like my (own) son. Due to what have I met with this great, terrible distress?’ The king who was thinking like this, went ahead in the forest.
36b-42. By the efficacy of his good deeds, he saw an excellent lake. It was being touched by (i.e. had the contact of) fish. It looked very beautiful due to lotuses. It also looked beautiful with ducks, ruddy geese and royal swans. It was full of many alligators, fishes and other aquatic animals. The fortunate king saw many hermitages of sages near the lake, along with many omens suggesting auspiciousness. His right eye throbbed. So also his right hand, indicating auspicious fruit, throbbed. Seeing on its lake sages muttering Vedic prayers in an undertone, the king stood in front of the sages. The king saluted separately (i.e. individually) the sages of praise-worthy vows by joining the palms of his hands and repeatedly prostrating before them in the manner of a staff. The sages also said (to him): “O king, we are pleased with you.”
The king said :
43. Who are you here? Tell me what your names are. Why have you assembled here? Tell the truth to me.
The sages said :
44-45. O king, we are Viśvedevāḥ . [1] We have come here for a bath. Māgha has come near (i.e. will commence) on the fifth day from today. O king, today is Ekādaśi called Putradā. Viṣṇu gives a son to those who observe this (Ekādaśī), O king.
The king said :
46. I have a great uncertainty about producing a son. If you are pleased, then give me a son.
The sages said :
47-53. O king, today only it is the Ekādaśī called Putradā. Do this well-known vow, which is the best (vow). O lord of kings, after ablution and by the favour of us and of Viṣṇu, you will certainly have a son.
By these words of them, and the advice of the sages, the king observed the excellent vow which is (that of) Putradā, according to the (proper) rules. Having broken his fast on Dvādaśī the king came home. Then the queen conceived. At the time of her delivery a bright son was born. By means of his righteous deeds he pleased his father. He became a king (later). Therefore, O king, the excellent vow of Putradā should be observed. I told it to you for the good of the people. Those who, with a concentrated mind, observe this Putradā vow, obtain sons in this world and after death go to heaven. O king, by reciting and listening to it, a man would obtain the fruit of (having performed) the Agniṣṭoma sacrifice.
[1]: [1] : Viśvedevāḥ: Name of a particular group of deities, ten in number, and supposed to be sons of Viśvā. Their names are: Vasu, Satya, Kratu, Dakṣa Kāla, Kāma, Dhṛti, Kuru, Purūravas, and Mādravas.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 44618, revision 336422 (2022-04-21T17:59:29Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc365618.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.