Uttara-khaṇḍa · Chapter 55
Sourceयुधिष्ठिर उवाच। श्रावणस्य सिते पक्षे किं नामैकादशीभवेत् । कथयस्व प्रसादेन ममाग्रे मधुसूदन १। श्रीकृष्ण उवाच- शृणुष्वावहितो राजन्कथां पापहरां पराम् । यस्याः श्रवणमात्रेण वाजपेयफलं भवेत् २। द्वापरस्य युगस्यादौ पुरा माहिष्मती पुरे । राजा महीजिदाख्यातो राज्यं पालयति स्वकम् ३। पुत्रहीनस्य तस्यैव न तद्राज्यं सुखप्रदम् । अपुत्रस्य सुखं नास्ति इहलोके परत्र च ४। चिंतयास्य सुतस्यैवं कालो बहुतरो गतः । न प्राप्तश्च सुतो राज्ञा सर्वसौख्यप्रदो नृणाम् ५। दृष्ट्वात्मानं प्रवयसं राजा चिंतापरोऽभवत् । तदागतः प्रजामध्ये इदं वचनमब्रवीत् ६। इहजन्मनि भो लोका न मया पातकं कृतम् । अन्यायोपार्जितं वित्तं क्षिप्तं कोशे मया न हि ७। ब्रह्मस्वं देवद्रविणं न गृहीतं मया क्वचित् । न्यासापहारो न कृतः परस्य बहुपापदः । पुत्रवत्पालितो लोको धर्मेण विजिता मही ८। दुष्टेषु पातितो दंडो बंधुपुत्रोपमेष्वपि । शिष्टास्तु पूजिता नित्यं न द्वेष्याश्च मया जनाः ९। इत्येवं ब्रुवतो मार्गं धर्मयुक्तं द्विजोत्तमाः । कस्मान्मम गृहे पुत्रो न जातस्तद्विमृश्यताम् १०। इति वाक्यं द्विजाः श्रुत्वा सप्रजाः सपुरोहिताः । मंत्रयित्वा नृपहितं जग्मुस्ते गहनं वनम् ११। इतस्ततश्च पश्यंत आश्रमानृषिसेवितान् । नृपतेर्हितमिच्छंतो ददृशुर्मुनिसत्तमम् १२। तप्यमानं तपो घोरं निरालंबं निरामयम् । निराहारं जितात्मानं जितक्रोधं सनातनम् १३। लोमशं धर्मतत्वज्ञं सर्वशास्त्रविशारदम् । दीर्घायुषं महात्मानं सकेशं ब्रह्मसंमितम् १४। कल्पेकल्पे गते तस्य एकं लोम विशीर्यते । अतो लोमशनामायं त्रिकालज्ञो महामुनिः १५। तं दृष्ट्वा हर्षिताः सर्वे आजग्मुस्तस्य सन्निधिम् । यथान्यायं यथार्हं ते नमश्चक्रुर्यथोदितम् १६। विनयावनताः सर्वे ऊचुस्ते च परस्परम् । अस्मद्भाग्यवशादेव प्राप्तोऽयं मुनिसत्तमः । तास्तथा स प्रजा वीक्ष्य उवाच ऋषिसत्तमः १७। लोमश उवाच- किमर्थमिह संप्राप्तः कथयध्वं सकारणम् । दर्शनाद्धृष्टमनसः स्तुवंतश्चैव मां किमु १८। असंशयं करिष्यामि भवतां यद्धितं भवेत् । परोपकृतये जन्म मादृशानां न संशयः १९। जना ऊचुः - श्रूयतामभिधास्यामो वयं स्वागमकारणम् । संशयच्छेदनार्थाय तव सान्निध्यमागताः २०। पद्मयोनेः परतरस्त्वत्तः श्रेष्ठो न विद्यते । अतः कार्यवशात्प्राप्ताः समीपं भवतो वयम् २१। महीजिन्नाम राजासौ पुत्रहीनोऽस्ति सांप्रतम् । वयं तस्य प्रजा ब्रह्मन्पुत्रवत्तेन पालिताः २२। तं पुत्ररहितं दृष्ट्वा तस्य दुःखेन दुःखिताः । तपः कर्तुमिहायाता मतिं कृत्वा तु नैष्ठिकीम् २३। तस्य भाग्येन दृष्टोऽसि ह्यस्माभिस्त्वं द्विजोत्तम । महतां दर्शनेनैव कार्यसिद्धिर्भवेन्नृणाम् २४। उपदेशं वद मुने राज्ञः पुत्रो यथा भवेत् । इति तेषां वचः श्रुत्वा मुहूर्त्तं ध्यानमास्थितः । प्रत्युवाच मुनिर्ज्ञात्वा तस्य जन्म पुरातनम् २५। लोमश उवाच- पुरा जन्मनि वैश्योऽयं धनहीनो नृशंसकृत् । वाणिज्यकर्मनिरतो ग्रामाद्ग्रामांतरं भ्रमन् २६। ज्येष्ठे मासि सिते पक्षे दशमी दिवसे तथा । मध्यगे द्युमणौ प्राप्ते ग्रामसीम्नि जलाशयम् २७। कूपिकां सजलां दृष्ट्वा जलपाने मनोदधे । सद्यस्ततः सवत्सा च धेनुस्तत्र समागता २८। तृष्णातुरा निदाघार्ता तस्यामंबुपपौ तु सा । पिबंतीं वारयित्वा तामसौ तोयं पपौ स्वयम् २९। कर्मणा तेन पापेन पुत्रहीनो नृपो भवेत् । कस्यापि जन्मनः पुण्यात्प्राप्तं राज्यमकंटकम् ३०। लोका ऊचुः - पुण्यात्पापं क्षयं याति पुराणे श्रूयते मुने । पुण्योपदेशं कथय येन पापक्षयो भवेत् । यथा भवत्प्रसादेन पुत्रो भवति भूपतेः ३१। लोमश उवाच- श्रावणे शुक्लपक्षे तु पुत्रदा नाम विश्रुता । एकादशी वांच्छितदा कुरुध्वं तद्व्रतं जनाः ३२। इति श्रुत्वा नमस्कृत्य मुनिमेत्य पुरं व्रतम् । यथाविधियथान्यायं कृतं तैर्जागरान्वितम् ३३। तस्य पुण्यं सुविमलं दत्तं नृपतये जनैः । दत्ते पुण्येऽथ सा राज्ञी गर्भमाधत्त शोभनम् ३४। प्राप्तो प्रसवकाले सा सुषुवे पुत्रमूर्जितम् । श्रावणस्य सिते पक्षे कर्कटस्थे दिवाकरे ३५। द्वादश्यां वासुदेवाय पवित्रारोपणं स्मृतम् । हेम रौप्य ताम्र क्षौमैः सूत्रैः कौशेयपद्मजैः ३६। कुशैः काशैश्च कार्पासैर्ब्राह्मण्या कर्तितैः शुभैः । स्नात्वा त्रिगुणितं सूत्रं त्रिगुणीकृत्य शोधयेत् ३७। गोदोहांतरिते काले पूर्वेद्युरधिवासनम् । ब्राह्मणेभ्यो नमस्कृत्य गुरुपादौ प्रणम्य च ३८। गीतमंगलनिर्घोषः कुर्याज्जागरणं ततः । ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रिया वैश्या भिल्लाः शूद्रास्तथैव च ३९। स्वधर्मावस्थिताः सर्वे भक्त्या कुर्युः पवित्रकम् । ततः पवित्रं गुरवे दद्याद्वै विधिपूर्वकम् ४०। ब्राह्मणान्वैष्णवांश्चैव गंधपुष्पादिनार्चयेत् । अतो देवेति मंत्रेण द्विजो विष्णौ निवेदयेत् ४१। शूद्रस्तु मूलमंत्रेण यथा विष्णौ तथा शिवे । वर्षेवर्षे प्रकर्त्तव्यं पवित्रारोपणं नरैः ४२। भुक्तिं मुक्तिं च इच्छद्भिः संसारे शोकसागरे । न करोति विधानेन पवित्रारोपणं तु यः ४३। तस्य सांवत्सरी पूजा निष्फला वैष्णवस्य तु । श्रुत्वा माहात्म्यमेतस्या नरः पापात्प्रमुच्यते । इह पुत्रसुखं प्राप्य परत्र स्वर्गतिं भवेत् ४४। इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्साहस्र्यां संहिता। यामुत्तरखंडे उमापतिनारदसंवादे श्रावणशुक्लापवित्रारोपणी पुत्रदैकादशीनाम पंचपंचाशत्तमोऽध्यायः ५५।
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca| śrāvaṇasya site pakṣe kiṃ nāmaikādaśībhavet | kathayasva prasādena mamāgre madhusūdana 1| śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca- śṛṇuṣvāvahito rājankathāṃ pāpaharāṃ parām | yasyāḥ śravaṇamātreṇa vājapeyaphalaṃ bhavet 2| dvāparasya yugasyādau purā māhiṣmatī pure | rājā mahījidākhyāto rājyaṃ pālayati svakam 3| putrahīnasya tasyaiva na tadrājyaṃ sukhapradam | aputrasya sukhaṃ nāsti ihaloke paratra ca 4| ciṃtayāsya sutasyaivaṃ kālo bahutaro gataḥ | na prāptaśca suto rājñā sarvasaukhyaprado nṛṇām 5| dṛṣṭvātmānaṃ pravayasaṃ rājā ciṃtāparo'bhavat | tadāgataḥ prajāmadhye idaṃ vacanamabravīt 6| ihajanmani bho lokā na mayā pātakaṃ kṛtam | anyāyopārjitaṃ vittaṃ kṣiptaṃ kośe mayā na hi 7| brahmasvaṃ devadraviṇaṃ na gṛhītaṃ mayā kvacit | nyāsāpahāro na kṛtaḥ parasya bahupāpadaḥ | putravatpālito loko dharmeṇa vijitā mahī 8| duṣṭeṣu pātito daṃḍo baṃdhuputropameṣvapi | śiṣṭāstu pūjitā nityaṃ na dveṣyāśca mayā janāḥ 9| ityevaṃ bruvato mārgaṃ dharmayuktaṃ dvijottamāḥ | kasmānmama gṛhe putro na jātastadvimṛśyatām 10| iti vākyaṃ dvijāḥ śrutvā saprajāḥ sapurohitāḥ | maṃtrayitvā nṛpahitaṃ jagmuste gahanaṃ vanam 11| itastataśca paśyaṃta āśramānṛṣisevitān | nṛpaterhitamicchaṃto dadṛśurmunisattamam 12| tapyamānaṃ tapo ghoraṃ nirālaṃbaṃ nirāmayam | nirāhāraṃ jitātmānaṃ jitakrodhaṃ sanātanam 13| lomaśaṃ dharmatatvajñaṃ sarvaśāstraviśāradam | dīrghāyuṣaṃ mahātmānaṃ sakeśaṃ brahmasaṃmitam 14| kalpekalpe gate tasya ekaṃ loma viśīryate | ato lomaśanāmāyaṃ trikālajño mahāmuniḥ 15| taṃ dṛṣṭvā harṣitāḥ sarve ājagmustasya sannidhim | yathānyāyaṃ yathārhaṃ te namaścakruryathoditam 16| vinayāvanatāḥ sarve ūcuste ca parasparam | asmadbhāgyavaśādeva prāpto'yaṃ munisattamaḥ | tāstathā sa prajā vīkṣya uvāca ṛṣisattamaḥ 17| lomaśa uvāca- kimarthamiha saṃprāptaḥ kathayadhvaṃ sakāraṇam | darśanāddhṛṣṭamanasaḥ stuvaṃtaścaiva māṃ kimu 18| asaṃśayaṃ kariṣyāmi bhavatāṃ yaddhitaṃ bhavet | paropakṛtaye janma mādṛśānāṃ na saṃśayaḥ 19| janā ūcuḥ - śrūyatāmabhidhāsyāmo vayaṃ svāgamakāraṇam | saṃśayacchedanārthāya tava sānnidhyamāgatāḥ 20| padmayoneḥ paratarastvattaḥ śreṣṭho na vidyate | ataḥ kāryavaśātprāptāḥ samīpaṃ bhavato vayam 21| mahījinnāma rājāsau putrahīno'sti sāṃpratam | vayaṃ tasya prajā brahmanputravattena pālitāḥ 22| taṃ putrarahitaṃ dṛṣṭvā tasya duḥkhena duḥkhitāḥ | tapaḥ kartumihāyātā matiṃ kṛtvā tu naiṣṭhikīm 23| tasya bhāgyena dṛṣṭo'si hyasmābhistvaṃ dvijottama | mahatāṃ darśanenaiva kāryasiddhirbhavennṛṇām 24| upadeśaṃ vada mune rājñaḥ putro yathā bhavet | iti teṣāṃ vacaḥ śrutvā muhūrttaṃ dhyānamāsthitaḥ | pratyuvāca munirjñātvā tasya janma purātanam 25| lomaśa uvāca- purā janmani vaiśyo'yaṃ dhanahīno nṛśaṃsakṛt | vāṇijyakarmanirato grāmādgrāmāṃtaraṃ bhraman 26| jyeṣṭhe māsi site pakṣe daśamī divase tathā | madhyage dyumaṇau prāpte grāmasīmni jalāśayam 27| kūpikāṃ sajalāṃ dṛṣṭvā jalapāne manodadhe | sadyastataḥ savatsā ca dhenustatra samāgatā 28| tṛṣṇāturā nidāghārtā tasyāmaṃbupapau tu sā | pibaṃtīṃ vārayitvā tāmasau toyaṃ papau svayam 29| karmaṇā tena pāpena putrahīno nṛpo bhavet | kasyāpi janmanaḥ puṇyātprāptaṃ rājyamakaṃṭakam 30| lokā ūcuḥ - puṇyātpāpaṃ kṣayaṃ yāti purāṇe śrūyate mune | puṇyopadeśaṃ kathaya yena pāpakṣayo bhavet | yathā bhavatprasādena putro bhavati bhūpateḥ 31| lomaśa uvāca- śrāvaṇe śuklapakṣe tu putradā nāma viśrutā | ekādaśī vāṃcchitadā kurudhvaṃ tadvrataṃ janāḥ 32| iti śrutvā namaskṛtya munimetya puraṃ vratam | yathāvidhiyathānyāyaṃ kṛtaṃ tairjāgarānvitam 33| tasya puṇyaṃ suvimalaṃ dattaṃ nṛpataye janaiḥ | datte puṇye'tha sā rājñī garbhamādhatta śobhanam 34| prāpto prasavakāle sā suṣuve putramūrjitam | śrāvaṇasya site pakṣe karkaṭasthe divākare 35| dvādaśyāṃ vāsudevāya pavitrāropaṇaṃ smṛtam | hema raupya tāmra kṣaumaiḥ sūtraiḥ kauśeyapadmajaiḥ 36| kuśaiḥ kāśaiśca kārpāsairbrāhmaṇyā kartitaiḥ śubhaiḥ | snātvā triguṇitaṃ sūtraṃ triguṇīkṛtya śodhayet 37| godohāṃtarite kāle pūrvedyuradhivāsanam | brāhmaṇebhyo namaskṛtya gurupādau praṇamya ca 38| gītamaṃgalanirghoṣaḥ kuryājjāgaraṇaṃ tataḥ | brāhmaṇāḥ kṣatriyā vaiśyā bhillāḥ śūdrāstathaiva ca 39| svadharmāvasthitāḥ sarve bhaktyā kuryuḥ pavitrakam | tataḥ pavitraṃ gurave dadyādvai vidhipūrvakam 40| brāhmaṇānvaiṣṇavāṃścaiva gaṃdhapuṣpādinārcayet | ato deveti maṃtreṇa dvijo viṣṇau nivedayet 41| śūdrastu mūlamaṃtreṇa yathā viṣṇau tathā śive | varṣevarṣe prakarttavyaṃ pavitrāropaṇaṃ naraiḥ 42| bhuktiṃ muktiṃ ca icchadbhiḥ saṃsāre śokasāgare | na karoti vidhānena pavitrāropaṇaṃ tu yaḥ 43| tasya sāṃvatsarī pūjā niṣphalā vaiṣṇavasya tu | śrutvā māhātmyametasyā naraḥ pāpātpramucyate | iha putrasukhaṃ prāpya paratra svargatiṃ bhavet 44| iti śrīpādme mahāpurāṇe paṃcapaṃcāśatsāhasryāṃ saṃhitā| yāmuttarakhaṃḍe umāpatināradasaṃvāde śrāvaṇaśuklāpavitrāropaṇī putradaikādaśīnāma paṃcapaṃcāśattamo'dhyāyaḥ 55|
English translation
Yudhiṣṭhira said :
1. What would be (i.e. is) the name of the Ekādaśī (falling) in the bright half of Śrāvaṇa ? O Madhusūdana , please favour me and tell it to me.
Śrīkṛṣṇa said :
2-9. O king, listen attentively to this great sin-removing account, by hearing which the fruit would be that of a Vājapeya . At the beginning of Dvāpara age formerly in the city of Māhiṣmatī a king named Mahījit ruled over his kingdom. The kingdom did not give happiness to him who was sonless. A sonless man does not have happiness in this world or in the next. He passed a long time in the thought of (i.e. expecting) a son. But the king did not have son giving all happiness to men. Noticing himself to be advanced in age the king became anxious. Then being in the assembly among his subjects he said these words: “O people, in this (my) life I have not committed a sin. I have not put into my treasury money that is unjustly earned. I have never taken away a brāhmaṇa ’s wealth, nor the wealth of a deity. I have never taken away another’s deposit, which (act) causes great sin; I have looked after the people like my own sons, and I have conquered the land righteously. I have inflicted punishment on the wicked, even though they were like my brother or son. The eminent persons were always honoured by me and I have not hated people.
10-17. O best brāhmaṇas , think over as to why a son is not born in the house of me who am thus talking about a righteous path.
Hearing these words the brāhmaṇas along with the subjects and the family-priest held consultation and went to a dense forest. Here and there they saw hermitages resorted to by sages. Desiring the well-being of the king, they saw the best sage Lomaśa who was guileless, who was (all) alone practising a severe penance, who was ancient, who did not eat food, who had conquered his soul, and who had controlled his anger, who knew the truth about righteousness, who was proficient in all sacred texts, who had (lived) a long life, who was magnanimous, who had hair, and who resembled Brahmā . As each kalpa passed, one of his hair withered. Therefore, this great sage who was omniscient, was named Lomaśa. Seeing him all were glad and came near him. They saluted him according to decorum, as he deserved and as laid down (in the sacred texts). Bowing with modesty, they said to one another: “Due to our good fortune only we have come across this best sage.” Seeing them bowing like that, the best sage said:
Lomaśa said :
18-19. Why have you come here? Tell it to me with the reason. Why were you delighted on seeing me and why are you praising me? I shall certainly do what would be beneficial to you. There is no doubt that the existence of (people) like me is for obliging others.
The people said :
20-25. Listen. We shall tell the reason of our arrival. We have come to you to get our doubt removed. There is none greater than Brahmā except you. Therefore, for some work we have approached you. This king Mahījit by name is at present sonless. O brāhmaṇa, we are his subjects, looked after by him like his own sons. Seeing him sonless, and distressed by his grief, we have, entertaining a firm thought, come here to practise penance. O sage, give instruction as to how the king would have a son.
Hearing these words of them, he remained in meditation for some time. Knowing his former birth, the sage replied:
Lomaśa said :
26-30. In the previous existence he was a poor vaiśya , and doing evil deeds and engaged in trade he roamed from village to village. On the tenth day in the bright half of Jyeṣṭha , when the Sun had reached the centre of the sky (he saw) a pond on the border of a village. Seeing the well (pond?) containing water he decided to drink water. At once there came a cow with her calf. Being oppressed by thirst and by heat, she drank water. Preventing her who was drinking water, he himself drank it. Due to that sinful act the king became sonless. Due to the religious merit of some (former) existence he obtained the kingdom free from nuisance.
The people said :
31. It is heard in (i.e. learnt from) the Purāṇa that sin perishes due to religious merit. Advise about the religious merit due to which the sin would perish, and by your grace the king would have a son.
Lomaśa said :
32-44. O men, observe the Ekādaśī which (falls in) the bright half of Śrāvaṇa, is called Putradā , and gives desired objects.
Hearing this, and saluting the sage, they went (back) to the city and observed that vow duly, justly and by keeping awake. The people gave its very pure religious merit to the king. When the religious merit was given, the queen had conception. When the time of delivery arrived, she gave birth to a bright son. A pavitraka (a ring) was fashioned in honour of Vāsudeva on the twelfth day of the bright half of Śrāvaṇa when the Sun was in Cancer. (The pavitraka was fashioned with) gold, silver, copper, silken threads or silken cloth and lotuses, kuśa , kāśa , or with cotton cut by a brāhmaṇa woman. Having bathed he should purify the thread of three strands. On the previous day, at the time separated by the times of milking the cow, preliminary consecration (should be done). Having saluted the brāhmaṇas and the feet of the preceptor, he should keep awake with the auspicious sounds of songs. Brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas , vaiśyas , bhillas , so also śūdras ,—all following their own practices, should devoutly fashion the pavitraka. Then he should duly give it to his preceptor. He should also honour the brāhmaṇas— Viṣṇu ’s devotees—with sandal and flowers. A brāhmaṇa should offer it to Viṣṇu with the hymn: Ato devā . A śūdra should do so with the root-hymns to Śiva as to Viṣṇu. Every year men should fashion pavitrakas . So also those who desire pleasures and salvation in the mundane existence which is an ocean of grief. He who does not fashion the pavitraka according to the rule, has his worship—i.e. the worship of Viṣṇu’s devotee-(rendered) fruitless. Hearing the importance of this (vow) a man is free from sins. Having obtained in this world the pleasure from his son, he would go to heaven after death.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 44627, revision 336436 (2022-04-22T01:49:55Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc365632.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.