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Uttara-khaṇḍa · Chapter 129

Chapter 129

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Uttara-khaṇḍa · Chapter 129

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वसिष्ठ उवाच। श्रूयतां ये पिशाचाश्च मोचितास्तेन तद्वने । आसीद्राजा चित्रनामा द्राविडे विषये पुरा १। सोमान्वये महावीरः शूरः शस्त्रास्त्रपारगः । गजवाजिरथौघैश्च संपन्नो विक्रमी सदा २। स्वर्णैर्नानाविधै रत्नैः पूर्णकोशो महाधनः । मध्ये नारीसहस्रस्य सदा क्रीडति तत्परः ३। स्त्रैणः कामी सदा लुब्धश्चंडकोपः स पार्थिवः । न करोति वचो धर्म्यं सचिवैः समुदीरितम् ४। विष्णुं निंदति सोऽत्यर्थं वैष्णवान्द्वेष्टि सर्वदा । कोऽसौ विष्णुः क्व दृष्टोऽसौ क्व चास्ते केन कीर्त्यते ५। इत्थं न सहते विष्णुं स राजा दैवमोहितः । नारायणं भजंते ये तान्पीडयति कोपितः ६। न ब्राह्मणान्न वेदांश्च वैदिकं कर्म न व्रतम् । न दानं मन्यते दातुं पाखंडस्थितिसंस्थितः ७। अनीत्या चंडदंडैश्च प्रजापीडां करोति सः । निष्ठुरो निर्दयः क्रूरः पुण्यकार्यपराङ्मुखः ८। च्युताचारोऽच्युतद्वेष्टा च्युताग्निश्च च्युतक्रियः । सोऽनुशास्ति जनं भूपः कालरूप इवापरः ९। ततो बहुतिथे काले स राजा पंचतां गतः । वैदिकेन विधानेन लेभे नैवोर्ध्व दैहिकम् १०। अथ किंकरयूथेन पीड्यमानो भृशं तदा । अयःकीलमये मार्गे तप्तसिक्ता प्रपूरिते ११। चंडार्करश्मिसंतप्ते वृक्षच्छायाविवर्जिते । तप्तांगारप्रकीर्णे च वह्निज्वालासमाकुले १२। लोहतुंडैश्च काकोलैर्हन्यमानः सुदारुणैः । वृकैर्दंष्ट्राकरालैश्च श्वभिर्घोरैश्च भक्षितः १३। शृण्वन्क्रंदितमन्येषां नृणां किल्बिषकारिणाम् । जगाम पार्थिवो लोकमंतकस्य भयावहम् १४। शृणु भूपगतिं तस्य तस्मिँल्लोके सुदुःसहाम् । निरयान्निरयं यातः पर्यायेण स भूपतिः १५। आदौ प्रयातस्तामिस्रे दारुणे भूरिदुःखदे । पुनश्चैवांधतामिस्रे यत्र दुःखं निरंतरम् १६। गतोऽनंतरमत्युग्रं महारौरवरौरवम् । नरकं कालसूत्रं च महानरकमेव च १७। पश्चान्मग्नः स भूपालो दुस्तरे दुःखमूर्छितः । संजीवने महावीचौ तापने संप्रतापने १८। प्रतापनरकं राजा दुःखाग्निप्लुष्टमानसः । संपातं च स काकोलं कुड्मलं पूतिमृत्तिकम् १९। लोहशंकुं मृगीयंत्रं पंथानं शाल्मलिनदीम् । प्रविष्टोऽथ महाभीमं दुर्दर्शं दुर्गमं पुनः २०। असिपत्रवनं चैव लोहचारकमेव च । एवमेतेषु सर्वेषु पतित्वा पापकृन्नृपः २१। अविंदन्नरके घोरे संतापं यातनामयम् । विष्णुप्रद्वेषघोषेण युगानामेकविंशतिः २२। भुक्त्वा च यातनां याम्यां निस्तीर्णनरको नृपः । समयाद्गिरिराजे तु पिशाचोऽभूत्तदा महान् २३। स भ्राम्यति दिशः सर्वा वने तस्मिन्बुभुक्षितः । न पश्यत्यशनं तोयं मेरावपि सदा गिरौ २४। कदाचित्पर्यटन्सोऽथ पिशाचः शोकपीडितः । प्लक्षप्रस्रवणारण्यं प्रविष्टो भाविसत्फलम् २५। बिभीतकतरुच्छायां समाश्रित्य सुदुःखितः । हा हतोऽस्मीति चाक्रंदद्घोरमुच्चैः पुनः पुनः २६। क्ष्रुत्तृड्भ्यां मुह्यमानस्य सर्वभूतद्रुहो मम । जन्मनोस्य दुरंतस्य कथमंतो भविष्यति २७। आदौ पापसमुद्रेऽस्मिन्दुःखकल्लोलमालिनी । करावलंबनं कोद्य निमग्नस्य प्रदास्यति २८। इत्थं तस्य पिशाचस्य रोदनं दीनचेतसः । देवद्युतिरधीयानः शुश्राव करुणामयम् २९। समागम्य ततस्तत्र तं पिशाचं ददर्श सः । विकरालमुखं भीमं पिशंगनयनं कृशम् ३०। ऊर्ध्वमूर्धजकृष्णांगं यमदूतमिवापरम् । ललज्जिह्वं च लंबोष्ठदीर्घजंघं शिराकुलम् ३१। दीर्घांघ्रिं शुष्कतुंडं च गर्ताक्षं शुष्कपंजरम् । अथामुं कौतुकाविष्टः पप्रच्छ मुनिपुंगवः ३२। देवद्युतिरुवाच। कोऽसि त्वं भीषणाकारः कुतो रोदिषि दारुणम् । अवस्थेयं कुतो ब्रूहि किंचाहं करवाणि ते ३३। ममाश्रमप्रविष्टा हि दुःखभाजो न जंतवः । मोदंते केवलं सर्वे वैष्णवे भवने यथा ३४। वद त्वं सत्वरं भद्र दुःखस्यैतस्य कारणम् । कालक्षेपं न कुर्वंति प्राप्तेऽथे हि मनीषिणः ३५। वसिष्ठ उवाच। श्रुत्वैतद्वचनं प्रीतः पिशाचस्त्यक्तरोदनः । उवाच दीनया वाचा प्रश्रयावनतस्तदा ३६। पिशाच उवाच। सर्वांगव्यापि संतापं जहार त्वद्वचो मयि । ग्रीष्मे दावानलोद्भूतं वर्षन्मेघ इवाचले ३७। यन्मेऽस्ति सुकृतं किंचित्तेन दृष्टोऽसि मे द्विज । न ह्यसंचितपुण्यानां सद्भिरेकत्रसंगमः ३८। इत्युक्त्वा कथयामास पूर्ववृत्तांतमात्मनः । विष्णुद्वेषप्रदोषेण दशामेतामहं गतः ३९। यन्नामप्राणान्मुक्तो हि स्मृत्वा विष्णुपदं व्रजेत् । पापिष्ठो हि हरौ तस्मिन्ममद्वेषोऽभवद्द्विज ४०। यः पालयति भूतानि धर्मं याति जगत्त्रये । योंऽतरात्मा च भूतानां तस्मिन्द्वेषो ममाभवत् ४१। कर्मणां फलदो योऽत्र सर्ववेदेषु गीयते । तपोभिरिज्यते विप्रैः समद्वेषवशंगतः ४२। त्यक्तक्रियैः प्रियारण्यैर्निःसंगैकचरैश्च यः । वेदांते यतिभिश्चिंत्यः स मे द्वेषी हरिर्द्विज ४३। ब्रह्मादयः सुराः सर्वे योगिनः सनकादयः । मुक्त्यर्थमर्चयंतीह स विष्णुर्द्वेषितो मया ४४। आदौ मध्येऽवसाने यो विश्वधाता सनातनः । यस्य नैवादिमध्यांताः समे द्वेषपदं ययौ ४५। यन्मया सुकृतं कर्म कृतं प्राक्तनजन्मनि । विष्णुद्वेषाग्निना दग्धं तत्सर्वं भस्मसादभूत् ४६। कथंचिदस्य पापस्य सीमां द्रक्ष्यामि चेदहम् । मुक्त्वा नारायणं नान्यमर्चयिष्यामि देवताम् ४७। विष्णुद्वेषाच्चिरं भुक्त्वा मया नरकयातनाम् । निरयान्निसृतः सोऽहं पैशाचीं योनिमागतः ४८। अधुना कर्ममंत्रैः कैरथानीतस्त्वदाश्रमम् । यत्र त्वद्दर्शनार्कान्मे नष्टं दुःखमयं तमः ४९। प्राप्यते मरणं यत्र बंधनं श्रीः सुखं वधूः । स तत्र नीयते स्वेन कर्मणा गलहस्तिना 6.129.५०। इदानीमुचितं कर्म ब्रूहि पैशाच्यनाशनम् । परोपकारकार्ये हि न धन्या मंदगामिनः ५१। देवद्युतिरुवाच। अहो मुष्णाति मायेयं देवासुरनृणां स्मृतिम् । यया देवेष्वपि द्वेषो जायते धर्मनाशनः ५२। स्रष्टा पालयिता हंता जगतां यो महेश्वरः । आत्मा च सर्वभूतानां तं मूढो द्वेष्टि कः कथम् ५३। भवंति सर्वकर्माणि सफलानि यदर्पणात् । तद्भक्तिविमुखो मर्त्यः को न यातीह दुर्गतिम् ५४। श्रुतिस्मृतिसदाचारविहितं कर्म केवलम् । सेवितव्यं चतुर्वर्णैर्भजन्नारायणं सदा ५५। अन्यथा निरयं यांति विना ह्यागमसेवनात् । अतो वेदविरुद्धार्थं शास्त्रोक्तं कर्म संत्यजेत् ५६। स्वबुद्धिरचितैः शास्त्रैः प्रतार्येह तु बालिशान् । विघ्नंति श्रेयसो मार्गं लोकनाशाय केवलम् ५७। विष्णुं निंदंति वेदांश्च तपो निंदंति सद्द्विजान् । तेन ते नरकं यांति ह्यसच्छास्त्रनिषेवणात् ५८। अयमेव यथा राजा द्रविडो निरयं गतः । द्विषन्नारायणं देवं देवदेवं जगत्प्रभुम् ५९। तस्माद्द्वेषं हि देवेषु ब्राह्मणेषु विशेषतः । संत्यजेत्पुण्यकामोऽत्र वेदबाह्यां क्रियां त्यजेत् ६०। इत्युक्त्वा कथयामास पिशाचाय हि तं मुनिः । प्रयागं गच्छ भो भद्र माघमासं विचारय ६१। यत्र ते निश्चिता मुक्तिः पैशाच्यान्नात्र संशयः । तत्राप्लुता दिवं यांति श्रुतिरेषा सनातनी ६२। विजहाति नरस्तत्र प्राक्तनं कर्म दुष्कृतम् । प्रयागस्नानतो नास्ति क्वाप्यन्यदधिकं परम् ६३। प्रायश्चित्तं तपोरूपं दानरूपं क्रियात्मकम् । यागयोगाधिकं विद्धि प्रयागं पापिनामपि ६४। स्वर्गापवर्गयोर्द्वारं तत्पृथिव्यामपावृतम् । सितासितोद वेणी या तां हित्वा भुवि नापरा ६५। पापनैगडबद्धस्य छेदनैककुठारिका । क्व विष्णुः सूर्यतेजोऽग्निर्गंगायामुनसंगमः ६६। क्व वराकी नृणां तुच्छा पापराशि तृणाहुतिः । मलीमसघनध्वंसे यथा शरदि चंद्रमाः ६७। भाति पापक्षयादूर्ध्वं नरो वेणीजलाप्लुतः । सितासितस्य माहात्म्यमहं वक्तुं न ते क्षमः ६८। यत्तोयकणसंस्पृष्टो मुक्तः केरलको द्विजः । इति वाक्यमृषेः श्रुत्वा पिशाचस्तुष्टमानसः ६९। मुक्तदुःखइव प्रीतः पप्रच्छ प्रणयान्मुनिम् । कथं केरलदेशीयो द्विजो मुक्तो महामुने ७०। एतं कथय वृत्तांतं संश्रित्य करुणां मयि ७१। देवद्युतिरुवाच। पिशाच शृणु पुण्यां मे कथां कथयतः शुभाम् । केरले वसुनामात्र ब्राह्मणो वेदपारगः ७२। दायादैर्हृतवित्तस्तु निर्धनो बंधुवर्जितः । जन्मभूमिं परित्यज्य महादुःखेन दुःखितः ७३। देशाद्देशं परिभ्राम्य कालेन महता पुनः । प्रविश्य स महारण्यमीषद्व्याधिप्रपीडितः ७४। गच्छंस्तीर्थांतरं श्रांतः क्षुत्क्षामो विंध्यपर्वते । दुर्भिक्षेण मृतिं लेभे न दाहं चौर्ध्वदेहिकम् ७५। तेन कर्मविपाकेन तत्रैव गिरिगह्वरे । प्रेतीभूतश्चिरं कालमुवास निर्जने वने ७६। शीतातपपरिक्लिष्टो निराहारो निरूदकः । दिगंबरो व्युपानत्को गिरा हाहेति निःश्वसन् ७७। इतस्ततः परिभ्राम्य वायुभूतः स केरलः । द्विजो न शरणं लेभे न सुखं कुत्रचित्तदा ७८। संशोचति स्म दुःखार्ते नैव पश्यति सद्गतिम् । सर्वदा दत्तदानं स भुंक्ते स्वं कर्मणः फलम् ७९। हविर्जुह्वति नाग्नौ ये गोविंदं नार्चयंति ये । भजंते नात्मविद्यां ये सुतीर्थविमुखाश्च ये ८०। सुवर्णवस्त्रतांबूलं मणिमन्नं फलं जलम् । आर्तेभ्यो न प्रयच्छंति सर्वे ते कृतहीनकाः ८१। ब्रह्मस्वं च परस्वं च स्त्रीधनानि हरंति ये । बलेन छद्मना वापि धूर्ताश्च परवंचकाः ८२। दांभिकः कुहकाश्चौरा ये च पावकवृत्तयः । बालवृद्धातुरस्त्रीषु निर्दयाः सत्यवर्जिताः ८३। अग्निदा गरदा ये च ये चान्ये कूटसाक्षिणः । अगम्यागामिनः सर्वे ये चान्ये ग्रामयाजिनः ८४। पितृमातृस्नुषापत्यस्वदारत्यागिनश्च ये । ये कदर्याश्च लुब्धाश्च नास्तिका धर्मदूषकाः ८५। त्यजंति स्वामिनं युद्धे त्यजंति शरणागतम् । गवांभूमेश्च हंतारो ये चान्ये रत्नदूषकाः ८६। परापवादिनः पापा देवतागुरुनिंदकाः । महाक्षेत्रेषु सर्वेषु प्रतिग्रहरताश्च ये ८७। परद्रोहरता ये च यथा च प्राणिहिंसकाः । कुप्रतिग्राहिणः सर्वे ते भवंति पुनः पुनः ८८। प्रेतराक्षसपैशाच तिर्यग्वृक्षकुयोनिषु । न तेषां सुखलेशोऽस्ति इह लोके परत्र च ८९। तस्मात्त्यक्त्वा निषिद्धार्थं विहितं कर्म चाचरेत् । यज्ञं दानं तपस्तीर्थं मंत्रं देवं गुरुं भजेत् ९०। विपाकं कर्मणां दृष्ट्वा योनिकोटिषु दुस्तरम् । चतुर्भिरपि वर्णैश्च सेव्यो धर्मो निरंतरम् ९१। इति प्रेतगतिं दृष्ट्वा पापबीजोत्थितां हि सः । कृत्वा धर्मोपदेशं च पुनस्तस्मै द्विजोऽब्रवीत् ९२। इत्थं स केरलः प्रेतो वर्तमानो गिरौ तदा । अतिवाह्य चिरं कालमपश्यत्पथिकं पथि ९३। वहंतं द्वौ करंडौ च वेणी जलयुतौ तथा । गायंतं प्रमुखा देवं पुण्यश्लोकं जनार्दनम् ९४। तं दृष्ट्वा सहसा प्रेतो मार्गरोधं चकार सः । दर्शयामास चात्मानं मा भैषीरित्युवाच सः ९५। पानीयं पातुमिच्छामि त्वत्तः कार्पाटिकोत्तम । न पास्यसि जलं चेन्मां प्राणा यास्यंति मे दृढम् ९६। इति प्रेतवचः श्रुत्वा पांथः प्रत्याह कौतुकात् । कार्पटीक उवाच। कस्त्वं दुःखाभिभूतस्तु कृशो म्लानो दिगंबरः ९७। जीवशेषो मुमूर्षुश्च विकृतो भयवर्धनः । नवधूममयाकारश्चंडश्चंचललोचनः ९८। पद्भ्यामस्पृष्टभूमिस्त्वं निर्मांसोदरबाहुकः । इति तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रेतो वाक्यमथाब्रवीत् ९९। प्रेत उवाच। शृणु धर्मिष्ठ ते वच्मि येनाहमीदृशोऽभवम् । ब्राह्मणोऽदत्तदानोऽहं लोभी च मलिनक्रियः 6.129.१००। परान्नं च सदा भुक्तमेकाकी मिष्टभोजनः । मया दत्ता न भिक्षापि हंतकारो न पुष्कलः १०१। न कृतो वैश्वदेवस्तु प्रक्षिप्तो न बहिर्बलि । भूतानां तु तृषार्तानां न हता पयसा च तृट् १०२। कदाचित्पितरो नैव तर्पिता अटता महीम् । न च श्राद्धं कृतं क्वापि पूजिता नैव देवताः १०३। वर्षातपपरित्राणं न दत्तं पादरक्षणम् । जलपात्रं न दत्तं च तांबूलं नौषधं मया १०४। न गृहे वसतिर्दत्ता नातिथ्यं कस्यचित्कृतम् । अंधवृद्धाधनानाथ दीनाः पानान्नतोषिताः १०५। गवां ग्रासो न दत्तो वै न रोगी परिमोचितः । न दत्ता न हुता विप्र पवित्राश्च तिला मया १०६। पृथिव्यां तिलदातारो न भवंति तु मद्विधाः । व्यतीपाते न दत्तं हि किंचित्स्वर्णं महाफलम् १०७। संक्रांतावुपरागे च न दत्तं सूर्यचन्द्रयोः । पर्वाण्यन्यानि सर्वाणि जग्मुः शून्यानि मे द्विज १०८। तिथयः कार्तिके मुख्या जाता वंध्याः सदा मम । पितृभ्यो नैव दत्तं वा अष्टकासु मघासु च १०९। द्विजानां न कृता प्रीतिर्मन्वादिषु युगादिषु । न दत्तस्तिलतैलेन प्रदीपः कार्तिके मया ११०। न स्नातो माघमासेऽहं रूपसौभाग्यकामदे । द्विजाय वेदविदुषे गौतम्यां सिंहगे गुरौ १११। मया संकल्पितं द्रव्यं न दत्तं पूर्वजन्मनि । न स्नातोऽहं कृष्णवेण्यां तथा कन्यागते गुरौ ११२। अग्निं प्रज्वाल्य काष्ठौघैः स्नातानां पौषमाघयोः । शीतार्तानां च विप्राणां न कृतो जाड्यनिग्रहः ११३। माधवादिषु मासेषु न दत्तं शीतलं जलम् । मया नारोऽपितोऽश्वत्थो न्यग्रोधो नैव वर्धितः ११४। बंदीगृहान्मया मुक्तिर्न कृता प्राणिनां क्वचित् । न प्राणिभयसंत्रस्तो रक्षितः शरणागतः ११५। नोपोष्यात्र त्रिरात्राणि तोषितो मधुसूदनः । कृच्छ्रातिकृच्छ्रपाराकं तथा चांद्रायणं द्विज ११६। अथान्यत्तप्तकृच्छ्रं च तथा सांतपनानि च । व्रतान्येतानि पुण्यानि जुष्टानींद्रादिभिः सुरैः ११७। चरित्वा न मया तानि देहः संशोषितः पुरा । इत्थं पूर्वभवो वंध्यो मम जातो द्विजोत्तम ११८। पश्य द्विज महाक्रूरामद्भुतामत्र जन्मनि । गतिं दूरप्रबोधां तु मम पूर्वस्य कर्मणः ११९। संति मांसानि मार्गेषु वृकव्याघ्रहतानि वै । फलान्यन्यानि शैलेस्मिन्शुकैस्त्यक्तानि सर्वतः १२०। पुण्यानि च सुगंधीनि फलानि रसवंति च । मूलानि तु सुभक्ष्याणि मृदूनि मधुराणि च १२१। नानाविधानि तिष्ठंति मधूनि सुबहून्यपि । स्रोतसां निर्झराणां च संति वारीणि सर्वशः १२२। सुलभेषु पदार्थेषु सर्वेष्वेतेषु पर्वते । नेक्षेहमशनं क्वापि दैवेनापि हतं सदा १२३। वाताहारेण जीवामि यथा जीवंति पन्नगाः । पुनर्जीवामि भो विप्र देवयोनिप्रभावतः १२४। बलेन प्रज्ञया नित्यं मंत्रपौरुषविक्रमैः । सहायैश्चैव मित्रैश्च नालभ्यं लभते नरः १२५। लाभालाभे सुखे दुःखे विवाहे मृत्युजीवने । भोगे रोगे वियोगे च दैवमेव हि कारणम् १२६। कुरूपाः कुकुला मूर्खाः कुत्सिताचारनिंदिताः । शौर्यविक्रमहीनाश्च दैवाद्राज्यानि भुंजते १२७। काणाः खंजा अभव्याश्च नीतिहीनाश्च दुर्गुणाः । नपुंसकाश्च दृश्यंते दैवाद्राज्ये प्रतिष्ठिताः १२८। यैर्दत्ताश्च तिला गावो हिरण्यं वसनानि च । गौरी कन्या च यैर्दत्ता यैर्दत्ता च वसुंधरा १२९। शय्यासनानि तांबूलं मंदिराणि धनानि च । भक्ष्यभोज्यानि दत्तानि चंदनान्यगरूणि च १३०। अटव्यां पर्वताग्रे च ग्रामे वा नगरेऽपि वा । पुरः पुरःश्च तिष्ठंति तेषां भोगाः प्रयत्नतः १३१। संत्यत्र पर्वतेऽन्येऽपि राक्षसा बलवत्तराः । राक्षसाश्च पिशाचाश्च पिशाच्यश्चातिदारुणाः १३२। कदाचिच्च कथंचिच्च क्वापि यत्र स्वकर्मणा । लभंते चान्नपानानि पर्यटंतो वनेवने १३३। इति श्रुत्वाऽत्र तेभ्यश्च मा भयं भवतां भवेत् । शुचिं गोविंदभक्तं त्वां न ते द्रष्टुमपि क्षमाः१३४। विष्णुभक्तितनुत्राणं नारायणपरायणम् । न स्पृशंति न पश्यंति राक्षसाः प्रेतपूतनाः १३५। भूतवेतालगंधर्वाः शाकिन्यश्चार्यका ग्रहाः। रेवत्यो वृद्धरेवत्यो मुखमंड्यस्तथा ग्रहाः १३६। यक्षा बालग्रहाः क्रूरा दुष्टा वृद्धग्रहाश्च ये । तथा मातृग्रहा भीमा ग्रहाश्चान्ये विनायकाः १३७। कृत्याः सर्पाश्च कूष्मांडा ये चान्ये दुष्टजंतवः । न पश्यंति परं विप्र वैष्णवं ब्राह्मणं शुचिम् १३८। शुचिं रक्षंति भूतानि धर्मिष्ठं पीडयंति न । रक्षंति च शुचिं नित्यं ग्रहनक्षत्रदेवताः १३९। गोविंदनाम जिह्वाग्रे हृदि वेदस्तु संस्थितः । शुचिश्च दानशीलश्च त्वं सर्वत्राकुतोभयः १४०। एवं ब्राह्मण तिष्ठामि भुंजानः कर्मणः फलम् । न शोचामीति मत्वाऽहं विमृश्य च पुनः पुनः १४१। न दुनोमि तथा तावद्यावज्जंबालिनी तटे । सारसोदीरितं वाक्ये श्रुतं पर्यटता मया १४२। ब्राह्मण उवाच। सारसोदीरितं वाक्यं कीदृशं हि श्रुतं त्वया । तदहं श्रोतुमिच्छामि ब्रूहि त्वं प्रेत सत्वरम् १४३। प्रेत उवाच। ब्रवीमि सारसं वाक्यं शृणु कार्पाटिकोत्तम । धूसरा नाम कक्षेऽस्मिन्नदीगिरिसमुद्भवा १४४। सदा जलशयोत्ताला मत्तदंतिकुलाकुला । महाककुभशोभाढ्या स्निग्धजंबूमनोहरा १४५। तस्यास्तीरमहं प्राप्तो गाहमानो वनं घनम् । मयि तिष्ठति वै तत्र फलभोजनकाम्यया १४६। वनांतरात्समुड्डीय सारसो लक्ष्मणा युतः । आगत्य पुलिनं नद्याः सेवितुं बहुपक्षिभिः १४७। पीत्वा तत्रैव पानीयं रमित्वा भार्यया सह । सुप्तः पक्षपुटे वामे प्रवेश्य च शिरोमुखम् १४८। एतस्मिन्नंतरे दृष्टः पादपादवतीर्य च । रक्ताननः सुरक्ताक्षो दंडी दृढनखावलि १४९। लोमशो दीर्घलांगूलश्चलचेष्टो हि वानरः । यत्रासौ सारसः सुप्तस्तत्र वेगेन चागतः 6.129.१५०। समागत्य च जग्राह सारसं चरणे दृढम् । कराभ्यां क्रूरया बुद्ध्या पश्यतां बहुपक्षिणाम् १५१। उड्डीयोड्डीय ते सर्वे गताश्चान्यत्र खेचराः । सारसी भीतभीता च विरावान्कुर्वती स्थिता १५२। सारसो भग्ननिद्रस्तु त्रासाच्चलितलोचनः । अवलोकितवाञ्छीघ्रं तदोत्ताम्य शिरोधराम् १५३। विलोक्य वानरं दुष्टं हंतुकामं सुदारुणम् । तदा संभाषयामास गिरा मधुरया खगः १५४। अपराधं विना मां त्वं किं शाखामृग बाधसे । सापराधा जना लोके वध्यंते भूमिपैरपि १५५। न पीडयितुमर्हंति त्वादृशा उत्तमा जनाः । अस्मानहिंसकान्साधून्परवृत्तिपराङ्मुखान् १५६। जलशैवालभक्षांश्च खेचरान्वनवासिनः । स्वदाररतिशीलांश्च परदाराभिवर्जितान् १५७। न पीडयितुमर्हंति त्वद्विधा वानरोत्तम । परापवादपैशुन्यान्द्विजान्परमसेवकान् १५८। शाखामृग विमुंचाशु सर्वथा मामनागसम् । जानामि तव जन्माहं न त्वं वेत्सि तु मामकम् १५९। इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तस्य मुमोच सारसं तदा । चपलो वानरः शीघ्रमाह दूरे व्यवस्थितः १६०। वानर उवाच। ब्रूहि रे त्वं कथं वेत्सि मम जन्म पुरातनम् । त्वं पक्षी ज्ञानहीनश्च तिर्यक्चाहं वनेचरः १६१। सारस उवाच। जानेऽहं तावकं जन्म जातिस्मरमिति स्फुटम् । त्वं हि विंध्याधिपो राजा प्राग्भवे पर्वतेश्वरः १६२। अहं पूज्यतमो विप्रस्तव वंशे पुरोहितः । तेन प्रत्यभिजानामि त्वां सम्यग्वानरोत्तम १६३। इमां पालयता भूमिं प्रजाः सर्वाः प्रपीडिताः । त्वया विवेकहीनेन भृशं संचयता धनम् १६४। प्रजापीडानतापोत्थ वह्निज्वालैस्तु वानर । प्राक्त्वं दग्धः पुनः क्षिप्तः कुंभीपाकेऽति दारुणे १६५। पुनः पुनःश्च दग्धेन जातेन च पुनः पुनः । नारकेण शरीरेण समास्त्रिंशद्गतं त्वया १६६। कुर्वता दारुणाञ्छब्दान्रुदता च पुनः पुनः । कुंभीपाकानले तीव्रा ह्यनुभूताश्च यातनाः १६७। निस्तीर्णनरको भूयः पापशेषेण सांप्रतम् । प्राप्तोऽसि वानरं जन्म येन मां हंतुमिच्छसि १६८। विप्रस्योपवनात्पूर्वं पक्वरंभाफलानि वै । अननुज्ञाप्य भुक्तानि त्वयापहृत्य पौरुषात् १६९। विपाकः कर्मणस्तस्य फलते पश्य दारुणः । वानरस्त्वं वने वासो ह्यधुना तेन वर्तसे १७०। अशुभस्य शुभस्यापि पुराविहितकर्मणः । भोगः क्रीडति भूतेषु नोल्लंघ्यस्त्रिदशैरपि १७१। इत्थं त्वज्जन्म जानामि यथावत्तु सहेतुकम् । प्राप्तः सारसदेहोऽपि ज्ञानेनापरिमोहितः १७२। प्रेत उवाच। इति श्रुत्वा कथां विप्र वानरोप्याह सारसम् । सम्यग्वेत्ति भवान्नूनं कथं त्वं पक्षितां गतः १७३। सारस उवाच। कथयिष्यामि तत्कर्म येनाहं दुर्गतिं गतः । पक्षियोनिं गतो येन तत्सर्वं श्रोतुमर्हसि १७४। धान्यं खारिशतं साग्रमुत्सृष्टं हि त्वया पुरा । बहुभ्यो ब्राह्मणेभ्यश्च चर्मदायां रविग्रहे १७५। पौरोहित्यमदाल्लोभाद्वंचयित्वा द्विजांस्तथा । किंचिद्दत्त्वा तु तेभ्यश्च गृहीतमखिलं मया १७६। विप्रसाधारणद्रव्यग्रहणोत्पन्नपातकात् । पतितः कालसूत्रेऽहं नरके रक्तकर्दमे १७७। चलत्क्रिमिसुसंपूर्णे दुर्गंधे पूयफेनिले । आनाभेस्तत्र मग्नोस्मि लिहन्पूयमधोमुखः १७८। तथोपरि महागृध्रैर्भक्ष्यमाणस्तु वायसैः । क्रिमिभिस्तुद्यमानस्तु मम देहो निरंतरम् १७९। तस्मिञ्छोणितपंकेऽहं निरुच्छ्वासोऽभवं तदा । मुहूर्तोऽपि महाकल्पसमो जातो ममात्र वै १८०। यातनाश्चानुभूताश्च समास्त्रिरयुतं मया । वक्तुं च तन्न शक्नोमि दुःखं वानर नारकम् १८१। पौरोहित्यं महाघोरं पापदं च स्वभावतः । देवोपजीवनं यत्र ब्राह्मणस्योपजीवनम् १८२। राज्ञः प्रतिग्रहो घोरस्तेन दग्धा द्विजातयः । तेषामपि हरेद्द्रव्यं पुरोधास्तेन नारकी १८३। राजा यत्कुरुते पापं पुरा देहेन धीयते । तस्य तेन पुरोधाश्च गीयते तत्वदर्शिभिः १८४। दैवात्कथमपि प्राप्त उत्तारो नरकांबुधेः । मयादौ दैवयोगेन शकुनित्वमुपस्थितम् १८५। अपहृत्य पुरा कांस्यभाजनं भगिनीगृहात् । आक्षिकाय मया दत्तं तेन मे सारसी गतिः १८६। इयं च ब्राह्मणी पूर्वं कांस्यचोरी सुदारुणा । तेनेयं सारसी जाता मम भार्या सधर्मिणी १८७। इत्थं वानर ते सर्वं कथितं कर्मणः फलम् । वृत्तं च वर्तमानं च भविष्यं शृणु सांप्रतम् १८८। अहं हंसो भविष्यामि त्वं च हंसो भविष्यसि । हंसीयमपि मद्भार्या सारसी च भविष्यति १८९। देशे च कामरूपे वै स्थास्यामो वै यथासुखम् । योगिनीं भाविकल्याणीं यास्यामस्तदनंतरम् १९०। ततश्च मानुषं जन्म प्राप्यामो दुर्लभं पुनः । श्रेयस्तद्विपरीतं च प्राणिभिर्यत्र साध्यते १९१। एवं सर्वाञ्छिवो जंतून्मोहयित्वा स्वमायया । सुखैर्भुनक्ति दुःखैश्च नास्मानेव तु केवलम् १९२। अयं लोके प्रवृत्तश्च मार्गो विविधनिर्मितः । धर्माधर्ममयोऽत्यर्थे सुखदुःखफलात्मकः १९३। सेवितः प्राणिभिः सर्वैः सर्वदा वा पुनः पुनः । देवासुरनरव्याघ्र क्रिमिकीटजलेचरैः १९४। नातिक्रांतो हि केनापि पंथाऽयं दुःखकंटकः । विरक्तान्योगिनोध्यायं विनावेदांतपारगान् १९५। अणोर्वापि गुरोर्वापि पुण्यापुण्यस्य कर्मणः । ददातीह फलं ज्ञात्वा देशं कालं महेश्वरः १९६। इत्थं विधिविधानज्ञां मायां ज्ञात्वेश्वरस्य च । न शोचंति न तप्यंति न व्यथंति महाधियः १९७। नान्यथा शक्यते कर्तुं विपाकः पूर्वकर्मणाम् । उपायैः प्रज्ञया वापि शाखामृगसुरैरपि १९८। पुरा त्वं भूपतिर्जातः पश्चाज्जातोऽसि नारकी । अधुना वानरो भूयो जन्म प्राप्स्यसि तादृशम् १९९। इति मत्वा विशोकस्त्वं शाखामृग यथासुखम् । प्रतीक्षां कुरु कालस्य रममाणोऽत्र कानने 6.129.२००। अहमप्येवमीशान मायाबद्धो वने वने । क्षपयिष्यामि वै जन्म धैर्यमास्थाय सारसम् २०१। वानर उवाच। मया त्वं पूजितः पूर्वं नौमि त्वामधुनाप्यहम् । जातिस्मरोऽसि जानामि सर्वं मत्पूर्वदैहिकम् २०२। तिष्ठ सारस सारस्या शिवमस्तु सदा तव । त्वद्वाक्याद्गतमोहोऽहं विचरिष्यामि सर्वदा २०३। प्रेत उवाच। इमं रम्यं विचित्रं च पावनं परमं द्विज । पक्षिवानरसंवादं श्रुतं यावन्नदीतटे २०४। तावन्ममापि बोधोऽभूत्तेन शोकः क्षयं गतः । इदानीं जाह्नवीतोयमाहात्म्यं परमाद्भुतम् २०५। दृष्ट्वात्र ब्राह्मणश्रेष्ठ त्वां याचे जाह्नवीजलम् । प्रेतत्वात्तर्तुकामोऽहं तीव्रा तृष्णा प्रपीडितः २०६। अस्मिन्नेवाचले दृष्टं मयाश्चर्यं च वै द्विज । गंगातोयस्य तावद्धि पातुमिच्छामि तज्जलम् २०७। पारियात्रोद्भवः कोऽपि ब्राह्मणो ग्रामयाजकः । अयाज्ययाजनाद्विंध्ये संभूतो ब्रह्मराक्षसः २०८। अस्मत्संगस्य लोभे स्थितोऽसौ हायनाष्टकम् । तस्यास्थीनि सुपुत्रेण संचितानि द्विजोत्तम २०९। क्षिप्तान्यानीय गंगायां तीर्थे कनखलेऽमले । तत्क्षणादेव मुक्तोऽसौ राक्षसत्वात्सुदारुणात् २१०। इति गंगाजलस्नान महिमा महदद्भुतम् । साक्षाद्दृष्टो मया तेन गांगेयं प्रार्थितं जलम् २११। पुरस्ताद्यत्कृतस्तीर्थे मया भूरिपरिग्रहः । न कृतस्तु प्रतीकारस्तस्य जाप्यादिलक्षणः २१२। तेन मे प्रेतरूपस्य दुर्लभोदकभोजनम् । सहस्रं यत्र वर्षाणामतीतं विंध्यपर्वते २१३। इति ते कथितं सर्वं हित्वा लज्जां गरीयसीम् । इदानीं धार्मिकश्रेष्ठ जलदानेन सत्वरम् २१४। संतर्पय मम प्राणान्कंठमात्रावलंबितान् । दुर्लभं प्रेतभावेऽपि जीवितं प्राणिनामिह २१५। शरीरं रक्षणीयं हि सर्वथा सर्वदा नरैः । नहीच्छंति तनुत्यागमपि कुष्ठादि रोगिणः २१६। देवद्युतिरुवाच। इति तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा विस्मयं परमं गतः । पथिकश्चिंतयामास कृपां प्रेते समुद्वहन् २१७। पापपुण्यफलं लोके प्रत्यक्षं दृश्यते खलु । देवदानवमानुष्यं तिर्यक्त्वं क्रिमिकीटकम् २१८। नानायोनिषु जन्मानि नानाव्याधिप्रपीडनम् । मरणं बालवृद्धानामंधत्वं कुब्जता तथा २१९। ऐश्वर्यं च दरिद्रत्वं पांडित्यं मूर्खता तथा । एताश्च रचना लोके भवंति कथमन्यथा २२०। ते धन्याः कर्मभूमौ ये न्यायमार्गार्जितं धनम् । सत्पात्रेभ्यः प्रयच्छंति कुर्वंति चात्मनो हितम् २२१। भूमिरत्नहिरण्यानि गावो धान्यं गृहं गजाः । रथाश्ववसनग्रामाः सिद्धमन्नं फलं जलम् २२२। कन्या दिव्यौषधमन्नं छत्रोपानद्वरासनम् । शय्या तांबूल माल्यानि तालवृंतं वरासनम् २२३। सर्वमेतत्प्रदातव्यं लोकत्रयजिगीषुभिः । दत्तं हि प्राप्यते स्वर्गे दत्तमेव हि भुज्यते २२४। छत्रचामरयानानि वराश्ववरवारणाः । हर्म्याणि वरशय्याश्च गोमहिष्यो वरस्त्रियः २२५। अन्नभूषणमुक्ताश्च पुत्रा दास्यो महाकुलम् । आयुरारोग्यमैश्वर्यं कला विद्यासु कौशलम् २२६। दानस्यैव फलं सर्वं प्राप्यते भुवि मानवैः । तस्माद्देयं प्रयत्नेन नादत्तमुपतिष्ठति २२७। धर्मिष्ठेन तु पांथेन गाथेयं समगायत । इति श्रुत्वा पुनः प्रेतः प्रोवाच ह्यार्तमानसः २२८। मन्ये धर्मज्ञकल्पोऽसि पांथ त्वं नात्र संशयः । देहि मे जीवनं वारि चातकाय घनो यथा २२९। एतस्मिन्प्राणदाने हि मा विलंबं कृथा बहु । ततः प्रत्याह पांथस्तु वचनं न्यायगर्भितम् २३०। भृगुक्षेत्रे शृणु प्रेत पितरौ मम तिष्ठतः । तदर्थं तीर्थराजस्य मया वारि समाहृतम् २३१। तत्सितासितपानीयं मध्ये च प्रार्थितं त्वया । न जाने धर्मसंदेहः किमत्र मम युज्यते २३२। बलाबलं विचारार्थं करिष्ये प्रबलं विधिम् । वेदेभ्यो धर्मशास्त्रेभ्यो नाहं मानेन केवलम् २३३। हयमेधादि यज्ञेभ्यः सर्वेभ्योप्यधिकं मतम् । ऋषिभिर्देवताभिश्च प्राणिनां प्राणरक्षणम् २३४। इति दत्त्वा वरं वारि कृत्त्वा प्रेतस्य रक्षणम् । पित्रर्थं पुनरादाय जलं नेष्यामि पावनम् २३५। एष मे प्रबलो भाति शुद्धधर्मप्रदो विधिः । परोपकरणादन्यत्सर्वमल्पं स्मृतं बुधैः २३६। परोपकारिभिर्दत्ता अपि प्राणा नृभिर्मुदा । अद्भिः परोपकारः स्यात्किं न लब्धं मया पुनः २३७। दधीचिना पुरा गीतः श्लोकोऽयं श्रूयते भुवि । सर्वधर्ममयः सारः सर्वधर्मज्ञसंमतः २३८। परोपकारः कर्तव्यः प्राणैरपि धनैरपि । परोपकारजं पुण्यं तुल्यं क्रतुशतैरपि २३९। इत्युक्त्वा प्रददौ तोयं गंगायामुनसंभवम् । प्रेताय प्राणरक्षार्थं स धर्मिष्ठो वरो द्विजः २४०। प्रेतः प्रीतो जलं पीत्वा ह्यभिषिच्य शिरस्तथा । प्रजहौ प्रेतदेहं तं दिव्यदेहोऽभवत्क्षणात् २४१। तदाश्चर्यं महद्दृष्ट्वा निजगाद स केरलः । अहो विमुक्तः प्रेतत्वाद्वेणीपानीयबिंदुभिः २४२। ब्रह्मापि नैव शक्नोति मन्ये वक्तुमपां गुणम् । गङ्गातोयं महादेवो धत्ते के कथमन्यथा २४३। अचिंत्यशक्तिगंगांभस्तिलमात्रं तु यः पिबेत् । देवो भवेत्स सिद्धो वा गर्भे नैव च संविशेत् २४४। न गंगा सदृशी सिद्धिर्न गंगा सदृशी मतिः । न गंगासदृशी मुक्तिर्गंगा सर्वाधिका यतः २४५। तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन महाभक्त्या च धार्मिक । करस्थं तस्य कैवल्यं योगं गां सेवते सदा २४६। आयुष्मान्भव पांथत्वं मा धर्मविरतो भव । त्वयाऽहं तारितः सद्यो गंगांबुकणदानतः २४७। इत्युक्त्वा प्रस्थितो नाकं पिशाचस्तु स केरलः । आशीर्भिरभिनंद्याथ पांथं बंधुवरं नरम् २४८। प्रेतं विमोक्ष्य पांथोऽपि पुनरादाय तज्जलम् । गतस्तेनैव मार्गेण स्मरंस्तीर्थोदकौतुकम् २४९। वसिष्ठ उवाच। इत्थं प्रयागमाहात्म्यं श्रुत्वा नत्वा च तं मुनिम् । प्रयागं सहसा माघे पिशाचः सत्वरं गतः 6.129.२५०। स्नात्वा सितासिते सोऽपि माघमासे द्विजोत्तम । पिशाचः क्षीणपापस्तु पैशाचीं विजहौ तनुम् २५१। दिव्यदेहस्ततो भूत्वा द्राविडो भूपतिस्तदा । स्तुवन्नारायणं देवं भक्त्या दोषविवर्जितः २५२। गंधर्वैः स्तूयमानस्तु नाकनारीसुपूजितः । उत्तमेन विमानेन पुरंदरपुरं ययौ २५३। इति ते कथितं विप्र पूर्ववृत्तं सकौतुकम् । इतिहासं द्विजश्रेष्ठ सद्यः पातकनाशनम् २५४। ज्ञानदं मोक्षदं विप्र श्रुतं दुर्गतिनाशनम् । इति ते कथितं सर्वं पुरावृत्तं सकौतुकम् २५५। इतिहासं द्विजश्रेष्ठ श्रुतं दुर्गतिनाशनम् । अधुना तु मया सार्धमिमाः कन्याः सुतश्च ते २५६। त्वं चायातु प्रयागं वै सर्वे सद्गतिमीप्सवः । माघस्नानं प्रकुर्मोऽत्र देवानामपि दुर्लभम् २५७। तत्र मोक्ष्यंति पैशाच्यं सद्यः पापसमुद्भवम् २५८। महेश उवाच। एवं वसिष्ठवक्त्राब्जकथामधुरसंमुदा । पीत्वा प्रमुदिताः सर्वे निस्तीर्णा नरकार्णवात् २५९। प्रस्थितास्तेन सार्धं ते सत्वरं व्योम्नि हर्षिताः । दिलीप शृणु तत्सर्वं तत्तीर्थं तु सितासितम् २६०। सत्वरं व्योममार्गेण काममासाद्य दुःसहाः । समागम्य तदा तत्र संहृष्टहृदयाश्च ते २६१। अथोचे लोमशस्तत्र सदयं गगनांगणे । पश्यंतु श्रद्धया सर्वे तीर्थराजमिमं भुवि २६२। विना ज्ञानं प्रयागेऽस्मिन्मुच्यंते सर्वजंतवः । इष्ट्वात्रैव महायज्ञं स्रष्टुकामः प्रजापतिः २६३। अवाप सृष्टिसामर्थ्यं ततः सृष्टिं चकार सः । अत्र नारायणः सस्नौ पत्नीकामः सितासिते २६४। अतः स लब्धवान्लक्ष्मीं भार्याममृतमंथने । उषित्वा चात्र षण्मासं स्नात्वा वेण्यां यथेच्छया २६५। त्रिपुरं घातयामास त्रिबाणेन त्रिशूलभृत् । इमानि त्रीणि कुंडानि दीप्तान्यजस्रवह्निभिः २६६। एष तृप्तिं गतो वह्निर्यः केनापि च पुष्यति । अत्र देवास्त्रयस्त्रिंशत्तृप्ता मुमुदिरे भृशम् २६७। आविर्भूतो महेशोऽत्र नीलकंठः कपालभृत् । अनिशंस सुरैः सेव्य आयातोंजलये बटुः २६८। मृकंडसूनुना कल्पे प्रविश्य यन्मुखे स्थितम् । लोके ज्वालाकुले सोऽयं योगरूपी जनार्दनः २६९। सेयं भागीरथी शंभोः सर्वदुःखापहारिणी । सिद्ध्यर्थं सेव्यते सिद्धैर्भुक्तिमुक्तिफलप्रदा २७०। अनिशं भूतिदा या च स्वर्गमार्गे ह्यनुत्तमा । स्वर्गहेतुश्च या देवी सेयं भागीरथी नदी २७१। यदंभः स्नानमात्रेण विकर्तन सलोकताम् । लभंते प्राणिनः सर्वे नदी सा यमुना स्वयम् २७२। अनयोः पुण्यनद्योश्च संगमः सुखदो मुने । अत्र स्नाता न पच्यंते नरके ज्ञानभाविताः २७३। विना ज्ञानं प्रयागेऽस्मिन्मुच्यंते सर्वजंतवः । अन्यच्च श्रूयतां विप्र इतिहासं पुरातनम् २७४। शृण्वतां सर्वपापघ्नं सर्वरोगविनाशनम् । ऋचीकेन पुरा शप्तो गंधर्वो वायसोऽभवत् २७५। शापं मुमोच सोऽत्रैव स्नातः सद्यः सितासिते । वासवस्य तु शापेन स्वर्गाद्भ्रष्टाप्सरोर्वशी २७६। स्वर्गकामा च सा सस्नौ लेभे स्वर्गं ततोचिरात् । पुत्रं च शंकरं लेभे ययातिर्नाहुषो मुने २७७। पुत्रकामः प्रयागे हि स्नात्वा पुण्ये सितासिते । धनकामः पुरा शक्रः सुस्नातोऽत्र द्विजोत्तम २७८। धनदस्य निधीन्सर्वाञ्जहार स च मायया । कश्यपोऽत्र तपस्तेपे शिवाराधनतत्परः २७९। अस्मिंस्तीर्थे भरद्वाजो योगसिद्धिमवाप्तवान् । अस्मिंस्तीर्थे पुरा विप्र योगेशाः शांतमानसाः २८०। योगस्य फलभूमिं तु लेभिरे सनकादयः । अस्मिन्माघे तु ये स्नाता गंगायामुनसंगमे २८१। तारारूपाश्च ते सर्वे तैर्व्याप्तं सकलं जगत् । विंदंति कामिनः कामान्मुक्तिं यांति मुमुक्षवः २८२। विंदंति साधकाः सिद्धिं प्रयागे हि द्विजोत्तम । सांप्रतं मुक्तिकामास्तु कन्याश्चापि सुतश्च ते २८३। मद्वाक्यादत्र मज्जंतु सर्वे त्वं च सितासिते । प्राक्कालीनाघविध्वंसि वेणीजलबलेन तु २८४। लभंतामखिलं लक्ष्मीं प्राप्तशापमहाफलाम् । एवमार्षवचः सत्यमतींद्रियमलंघनम् २८५। श्रुत्वा चोत्कंठचित्तास्तेसर्वे स्नानाय चोद्यताः । प्रयागं प्राप्य दुष्प्राप्यं पैशाच्यं विजहुः क्षणात् २८६। विमुक्ताः शापदुःखेन तनुं स्वां स्वां च लेभिरे । दृष्ट्वा वेदनिधिः पुत्रं ताः कन्या दिव्यरूपिणीः २८७। तुष्टाव लोमशं प्रीत्या प्रसन्नेनांतरात्मना । त्वदनुग्रहमात्रेणोत्तीर्णः पापमहार्णवः २८८। इदानीमुचितं ब्रूहि बालानामृषिसत्तम । लोमश उवाच। कुमारोधीतवेदोऽयं समाप्तनियमो युवा २८९। आसां तु सानुरागाणां गृह्णातु करपंकजम् । ततो लोमशवाक्येन स्वपितुर्वचनात्तदा २९०। विवाहविधिना चाशु ब्रह्मचारी स धार्मिकः । शुभद्रव्यैश्च मंत्रैश्च ऋषिभिः कृतमंगलः २९१। पंचानामपि कन्यानां पाणिं जग्राह धर्मतः । आनंदिन्यस्तदा सर्वाः कन्याः पूर्णमनोरथाः २९२। बभूवुः स कुमारश्च संतुष्टश्च बभूव ह । दत्त्वानुज्ञां मुनिः सोऽथ लोमशस्तैर्नमस्कृतः २९३। जगाम स्वाश्रमं मेरुं पर्वतं सुरसेवितम् । ततो वेदनिधी राजन्स्नुषाः पंचसुतं तथा । पुरस्कृत्य मुदायुक्तो धनदस्य पुरं ययौ २९४। इति नृपवरमाघे स्नानसंजातपुण्यान्मुनिवरवचसा द्राक्तीर्थराजप्रयागे । सकलकलुषमुक्ताः पंच गंधर्वकन्या अलमभिगतलाभात्प्राप्य तर्षं च जग्मुः २९५। परमिममितिहासं पावनं तीर्थभूतं वृजिनविलयहेतुं यः शृणोतीह नित्यम् । स भवति खलु पूर्णः सर्वकामैरभीष्टैर्व्रजति च सुरलोके दुर्लभो धर्मयुक्तः २९६। इतिहासमिमं श्रुत्वा पूजयेद्यस्तु पाठकम् । गोभिर्हिरण्यवस्त्रैश्च ब्रह्मतुल्यो यतो हि सः २९७। वाचके पूजिते यस्माद्विष्णुर्भवति पूजितः । तस्मात्प्रपूजयेन्नित्यं यदीच्छेत्सफलं भवम् २९८। इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्सहस्रसंहितायामुत्तरखंडे माघमाहात्म्ये वसिष्ठदिलीपसंवादे गंधर्वकन्यापरिणयोनामैकोनत्रिंशाधिकशततमोऽध्यायः। १२९।

vasiṣṭha uvāca| śrūyatāṃ ye piśācāśca mocitāstena tadvane | āsīdrājā citranāmā drāviḍe viṣaye purā 1| somānvaye mahāvīraḥ śūraḥ śastrāstrapāragaḥ | gajavājirathaughaiśca saṃpanno vikramī sadā 2| svarṇairnānāvidhai ratnaiḥ pūrṇakośo mahādhanaḥ | madhye nārīsahasrasya sadā krīḍati tatparaḥ 3| straiṇaḥ kāmī sadā lubdhaścaṃḍakopaḥ sa pārthivaḥ | na karoti vaco dharmyaṃ sacivaiḥ samudīritam 4| viṣṇuṃ niṃdati so'tyarthaṃ vaiṣṇavāndveṣṭi sarvadā | ko'sau viṣṇuḥ kva dṛṣṭo'sau kva cāste kena kīrtyate 5| itthaṃ na sahate viṣṇuṃ sa rājā daivamohitaḥ | nārāyaṇaṃ bhajaṃte ye tānpīḍayati kopitaḥ 6| na brāhmaṇānna vedāṃśca vaidikaṃ karma na vratam | na dānaṃ manyate dātuṃ pākhaṃḍasthitisaṃsthitaḥ 7| anītyā caṃḍadaṃḍaiśca prajāpīḍāṃ karoti saḥ | niṣṭhuro nirdayaḥ krūraḥ puṇyakāryaparāṅmukhaḥ 8| cyutācāro'cyutadveṣṭā cyutāgniśca cyutakriyaḥ | so'nuśāsti janaṃ bhūpaḥ kālarūpa ivāparaḥ 9| tato bahutithe kāle sa rājā paṃcatāṃ gataḥ | vaidikena vidhānena lebhe naivordhva daihikam 10| atha kiṃkarayūthena pīḍyamāno bhṛśaṃ tadā | ayaḥkīlamaye mārge taptasiktā prapūrite 11| caṃḍārkaraśmisaṃtapte vṛkṣacchāyāvivarjite | taptāṃgāraprakīrṇe ca vahnijvālāsamākule 12| lohatuṃḍaiśca kākolairhanyamānaḥ sudāruṇaiḥ | vṛkairdaṃṣṭrākarālaiśca śvabhirghoraiśca bhakṣitaḥ 13| śṛṇvankraṃditamanyeṣāṃ nṛṇāṃ kilbiṣakāriṇām | jagāma pārthivo lokamaṃtakasya bhayāvaham 14| śṛṇu bhūpagatiṃ tasya tasmi~lloke suduḥsahām | nirayānnirayaṃ yātaḥ paryāyeṇa sa bhūpatiḥ 15| ādau prayātastāmisre dāruṇe bhūriduḥkhade | punaścaivāṃdhatāmisre yatra duḥkhaṃ niraṃtaram 16| gato'naṃtaramatyugraṃ mahārauravarauravam | narakaṃ kālasūtraṃ ca mahānarakameva ca 17| paścānmagnaḥ sa bhūpālo dustare duḥkhamūrchitaḥ | saṃjīvane mahāvīcau tāpane saṃpratāpane 18| pratāpanarakaṃ rājā duḥkhāgnipluṣṭamānasaḥ | saṃpātaṃ ca sa kākolaṃ kuḍmalaṃ pūtimṛttikam 19| lohaśaṃkuṃ mṛgīyaṃtraṃ paṃthānaṃ śālmalinadīm | praviṣṭo'tha mahābhīmaṃ durdarśaṃ durgamaṃ punaḥ 20| asipatravanaṃ caiva lohacārakameva ca | evameteṣu sarveṣu patitvā pāpakṛnnṛpaḥ 21| aviṃdannarake ghore saṃtāpaṃ yātanāmayam | viṣṇupradveṣaghoṣeṇa yugānāmekaviṃśatiḥ 22| bhuktvā ca yātanāṃ yāmyāṃ nistīrṇanarako nṛpaḥ | samayādgirirāje tu piśāco'bhūttadā mahān 23| sa bhrāmyati diśaḥ sarvā vane tasminbubhukṣitaḥ | na paśyatyaśanaṃ toyaṃ merāvapi sadā girau 24| kadācitparyaṭanso'tha piśācaḥ śokapīḍitaḥ | plakṣaprasravaṇāraṇyaṃ praviṣṭo bhāvisatphalam 25| bibhītakatarucchāyāṃ samāśritya suduḥkhitaḥ | hā hato'smīti cākraṃdadghoramuccaiḥ punaḥ punaḥ 26| kṣruttṛḍbhyāṃ muhyamānasya sarvabhūtadruho mama | janmanosya duraṃtasya kathamaṃto bhaviṣyati 27| ādau pāpasamudre'sminduḥkhakallolamālinī | karāvalaṃbanaṃ kodya nimagnasya pradāsyati 28| itthaṃ tasya piśācasya rodanaṃ dīnacetasaḥ | devadyutiradhīyānaḥ śuśrāva karuṇāmayam 29| samāgamya tatastatra taṃ piśācaṃ dadarśa saḥ | vikarālamukhaṃ bhīmaṃ piśaṃganayanaṃ kṛśam 30| ūrdhvamūrdhajakṛṣṇāṃgaṃ yamadūtamivāparam | lalajjihvaṃ ca laṃboṣṭhadīrghajaṃghaṃ śirākulam 31| dīrghāṃghriṃ śuṣkatuṃḍaṃ ca gartākṣaṃ śuṣkapaṃjaram | athāmuṃ kautukāviṣṭaḥ papraccha munipuṃgavaḥ 32| devadyutiruvāca| ko'si tvaṃ bhīṣaṇākāraḥ kuto rodiṣi dāruṇam | avastheyaṃ kuto brūhi kiṃcāhaṃ karavāṇi te 33| mamāśramapraviṣṭā hi duḥkhabhājo na jaṃtavaḥ | modaṃte kevalaṃ sarve vaiṣṇave bhavane yathā 34| vada tvaṃ satvaraṃ bhadra duḥkhasyaitasya kāraṇam | kālakṣepaṃ na kurvaṃti prāpte'the hi manīṣiṇaḥ 35| vasiṣṭha uvāca| śrutvaitadvacanaṃ prītaḥ piśācastyaktarodanaḥ | uvāca dīnayā vācā praśrayāvanatastadā 36| piśāca uvāca| sarvāṃgavyāpi saṃtāpaṃ jahāra tvadvaco mayi | grīṣme dāvānalodbhūtaṃ varṣanmegha ivācale 37| yanme'sti sukṛtaṃ kiṃcittena dṛṣṭo'si me dvija | na hyasaṃcitapuṇyānāṃ sadbhirekatrasaṃgamaḥ 38| ityuktvā kathayāmāsa pūrvavṛttāṃtamātmanaḥ | viṣṇudveṣapradoṣeṇa daśāmetāmahaṃ gataḥ 39| yannāmaprāṇānmukto hi smṛtvā viṣṇupadaṃ vrajet | pāpiṣṭho hi harau tasminmamadveṣo'bhavaddvija 40| yaḥ pālayati bhūtāni dharmaṃ yāti jagattraye | yoṃ'tarātmā ca bhūtānāṃ tasmindveṣo mamābhavat 41| karmaṇāṃ phalado yo'tra sarvavedeṣu gīyate | tapobhirijyate vipraiḥ samadveṣavaśaṃgataḥ 42| tyaktakriyaiḥ priyāraṇyairniḥsaṃgaikacaraiśca yaḥ | vedāṃte yatibhiściṃtyaḥ sa me dveṣī harirdvija 43| brahmādayaḥ surāḥ sarve yoginaḥ sanakādayaḥ | muktyarthamarcayaṃtīha sa viṣṇurdveṣito mayā 44| ādau madhye'vasāne yo viśvadhātā sanātanaḥ | yasya naivādimadhyāṃtāḥ same dveṣapadaṃ yayau 45| yanmayā sukṛtaṃ karma kṛtaṃ prāktanajanmani | viṣṇudveṣāgninā dagdhaṃ tatsarvaṃ bhasmasādabhūt 46| kathaṃcidasya pāpasya sīmāṃ drakṣyāmi cedaham | muktvā nārāyaṇaṃ nānyamarcayiṣyāmi devatām 47| viṣṇudveṣācciraṃ bhuktvā mayā narakayātanām | nirayānnisṛtaḥ so'haṃ paiśācīṃ yonimāgataḥ 48| adhunā karmamaṃtraiḥ kairathānītastvadāśramam | yatra tvaddarśanārkānme naṣṭaṃ duḥkhamayaṃ tamaḥ 49| prāpyate maraṇaṃ yatra baṃdhanaṃ śrīḥ sukhaṃ vadhūḥ | sa tatra nīyate svena karmaṇā galahastinā 6.129.50| idānīmucitaṃ karma brūhi paiśācyanāśanam | paropakārakārye hi na dhanyā maṃdagāminaḥ 51| devadyutiruvāca| aho muṣṇāti māyeyaṃ devāsuranṛṇāṃ smṛtim | yayā deveṣvapi dveṣo jāyate dharmanāśanaḥ 52| sraṣṭā pālayitā haṃtā jagatāṃ yo maheśvaraḥ | ātmā ca sarvabhūtānāṃ taṃ mūḍho dveṣṭi kaḥ katham 53| bhavaṃti sarvakarmāṇi saphalāni yadarpaṇāt | tadbhaktivimukho martyaḥ ko na yātīha durgatim 54| śrutismṛtisadācāravihitaṃ karma kevalam | sevitavyaṃ caturvarṇairbhajannārāyaṇaṃ sadā 55| anyathā nirayaṃ yāṃti vinā hyāgamasevanāt | ato vedaviruddhārthaṃ śāstroktaṃ karma saṃtyajet 56| svabuddhiracitaiḥ śāstraiḥ pratāryeha tu bāliśān | vighnaṃti śreyaso mārgaṃ lokanāśāya kevalam 57| viṣṇuṃ niṃdaṃti vedāṃśca tapo niṃdaṃti saddvijān | tena te narakaṃ yāṃti hyasacchāstraniṣevaṇāt 58| ayameva yathā rājā draviḍo nirayaṃ gataḥ | dviṣannārāyaṇaṃ devaṃ devadevaṃ jagatprabhum 59| tasmāddveṣaṃ hi deveṣu brāhmaṇeṣu viśeṣataḥ | saṃtyajetpuṇyakāmo'tra vedabāhyāṃ kriyāṃ tyajet 60| ityuktvā kathayāmāsa piśācāya hi taṃ muniḥ | prayāgaṃ gaccha bho bhadra māghamāsaṃ vicāraya 61| yatra te niścitā muktiḥ paiśācyānnātra saṃśayaḥ | tatrāplutā divaṃ yāṃti śrutireṣā sanātanī 62| vijahāti narastatra prāktanaṃ karma duṣkṛtam | prayāgasnānato nāsti kvāpyanyadadhikaṃ param 63| prāyaścittaṃ taporūpaṃ dānarūpaṃ kriyātmakam | yāgayogādhikaṃ viddhi prayāgaṃ pāpināmapi 64| svargāpavargayordvāraṃ tatpṛthivyāmapāvṛtam | sitāsitoda veṇī yā tāṃ hitvā bhuvi nāparā 65| pāpanaigaḍabaddhasya chedanaikakuṭhārikā | kva viṣṇuḥ sūryatejo'gnirgaṃgāyāmunasaṃgamaḥ 66| kva varākī nṛṇāṃ tucchā pāparāśi tṛṇāhutiḥ | malīmasaghanadhvaṃse yathā śaradi caṃdramāḥ 67| bhāti pāpakṣayādūrdhvaṃ naro veṇījalāplutaḥ | sitāsitasya māhātmyamahaṃ vaktuṃ na te kṣamaḥ 68| yattoyakaṇasaṃspṛṣṭo muktaḥ keralako dvijaḥ | iti vākyamṛṣeḥ śrutvā piśācastuṣṭamānasaḥ 69| muktaduḥkhaiva prītaḥ papraccha praṇayānmunim | kathaṃ keraladeśīyo dvijo mukto mahāmune 70| etaṃ kathaya vṛttāṃtaṃ saṃśritya karuṇāṃ mayi 71| devadyutiruvāca| piśāca śṛṇu puṇyāṃ me kathāṃ kathayataḥ śubhām | kerale vasunāmātra brāhmaṇo vedapāragaḥ 72| dāyādairhṛtavittastu nirdhano baṃdhuvarjitaḥ | janmabhūmiṃ parityajya mahāduḥkhena duḥkhitaḥ 73| deśāddeśaṃ paribhrāmya kālena mahatā punaḥ | praviśya sa mahāraṇyamīṣadvyādhiprapīḍitaḥ 74| gacchaṃstīrthāṃtaraṃ śrāṃtaḥ kṣutkṣāmo viṃdhyaparvate | durbhikṣeṇa mṛtiṃ lebhe na dāhaṃ caurdhvadehikam 75| tena karmavipākena tatraiva girigahvare | pretībhūtaściraṃ kālamuvāsa nirjane vane 76| śītātapaparikliṣṭo nirāhāro nirūdakaḥ | digaṃbaro vyupānatko girā hāheti niḥśvasan 77| itastataḥ paribhrāmya vāyubhūtaḥ sa keralaḥ | dvijo na śaraṇaṃ lebhe na sukhaṃ kutracittadā 78| saṃśocati sma duḥkhārte naiva paśyati sadgatim | sarvadā dattadānaṃ sa bhuṃkte svaṃ karmaṇaḥ phalam 79| havirjuhvati nāgnau ye goviṃdaṃ nārcayaṃti ye | bhajaṃte nātmavidyāṃ ye sutīrthavimukhāśca ye 80| suvarṇavastratāṃbūlaṃ maṇimannaṃ phalaṃ jalam | ārtebhyo na prayacchaṃti sarve te kṛtahīnakāḥ 81| brahmasvaṃ ca parasvaṃ ca strīdhanāni haraṃti ye | balena chadmanā vāpi dhūrtāśca paravaṃcakāḥ 82| dāṃbhikaḥ kuhakāścaurā ye ca pāvakavṛttayaḥ | bālavṛddhāturastrīṣu nirdayāḥ satyavarjitāḥ 83| agnidā garadā ye ca ye cānye kūṭasākṣiṇaḥ | agamyāgāminaḥ sarve ye cānye grāmayājinaḥ 84| pitṛmātṛsnuṣāpatyasvadāratyāginaśca ye | ye kadaryāśca lubdhāśca nāstikā dharmadūṣakāḥ 85| tyajaṃti svāminaṃ yuddhe tyajaṃti śaraṇāgatam | gavāṃbhūmeśca haṃtāro ye cānye ratnadūṣakāḥ 86| parāpavādinaḥ pāpā devatāguruniṃdakāḥ | mahākṣetreṣu sarveṣu pratigraharatāśca ye 87| paradroharatā ye ca yathā ca prāṇihiṃsakāḥ | kupratigrāhiṇaḥ sarve te bhavaṃti punaḥ punaḥ 88| pretarākṣasapaiśāca tiryagvṛkṣakuyoniṣu | na teṣāṃ sukhaleśo'sti iha loke paratra ca 89| tasmāttyaktvā niṣiddhārthaṃ vihitaṃ karma cācaret | yajñaṃ dānaṃ tapastīrthaṃ maṃtraṃ devaṃ guruṃ bhajet 90| vipākaṃ karmaṇāṃ dṛṣṭvā yonikoṭiṣu dustaram | caturbhirapi varṇaiśca sevyo dharmo niraṃtaram 91| iti pretagatiṃ dṛṣṭvā pāpabījotthitāṃ hi saḥ | kṛtvā dharmopadeśaṃ ca punastasmai dvijo'bravīt 92| itthaṃ sa keralaḥ preto vartamāno girau tadā | ativāhya ciraṃ kālamapaśyatpathikaṃ pathi 93| vahaṃtaṃ dvau karaṃḍau ca veṇī jalayutau tathā | gāyaṃtaṃ pramukhā devaṃ puṇyaślokaṃ janārdanam 94| taṃ dṛṣṭvā sahasā preto mārgarodhaṃ cakāra saḥ | darśayāmāsa cātmānaṃ mā bhaiṣīrityuvāca saḥ 95| pānīyaṃ pātumicchāmi tvattaḥ kārpāṭikottama | na pāsyasi jalaṃ cenmāṃ prāṇā yāsyaṃti me dṛḍham 96| iti pretavacaḥ śrutvā pāṃthaḥ pratyāha kautukāt | kārpaṭīka uvāca| kastvaṃ duḥkhābhibhūtastu kṛśo mlāno digaṃbaraḥ 97| jīvaśeṣo mumūrṣuśca vikṛto bhayavardhanaḥ | navadhūmamayākāraścaṃḍaścaṃcalalocanaḥ 98| padbhyāmaspṛṣṭabhūmistvaṃ nirmāṃsodarabāhukaḥ | iti tadvacanaṃ śrutvā preto vākyamathābravīt 99| preta uvāca| śṛṇu dharmiṣṭha te vacmi yenāhamīdṛśo'bhavam | brāhmaṇo'dattadāno'haṃ lobhī ca malinakriyaḥ 6.129.100| parānnaṃ ca sadā bhuktamekākī miṣṭabhojanaḥ | mayā dattā na bhikṣāpi haṃtakāro na puṣkalaḥ 101| na kṛto vaiśvadevastu prakṣipto na bahirbali | bhūtānāṃ tu tṛṣārtānāṃ na hatā payasā ca tṛṭ 102| kadācitpitaro naiva tarpitā aṭatā mahīm | na ca śrāddhaṃ kṛtaṃ kvāpi pūjitā naiva devatāḥ 103| varṣātapaparitrāṇaṃ na dattaṃ pādarakṣaṇam | jalapātraṃ na dattaṃ ca tāṃbūlaṃ nauṣadhaṃ mayā 104| na gṛhe vasatirdattā nātithyaṃ kasyacitkṛtam | aṃdhavṛddhādhanānātha dīnāḥ pānānnatoṣitāḥ 105| gavāṃ grāso na datto vai na rogī parimocitaḥ | na dattā na hutā vipra pavitrāśca tilā mayā 106| pṛthivyāṃ tiladātāro na bhavaṃti tu madvidhāḥ | vyatīpāte na dattaṃ hi kiṃcitsvarṇaṃ mahāphalam 107| saṃkrāṃtāvuparāge ca na dattaṃ sūryacandrayoḥ | parvāṇyanyāni sarvāṇi jagmuḥ śūnyāni me dvija 108| tithayaḥ kārtike mukhyā jātā vaṃdhyāḥ sadā mama | pitṛbhyo naiva dattaṃ vā aṣṭakāsu maghāsu ca 109| dvijānāṃ na kṛtā prītirmanvādiṣu yugādiṣu | na dattastilatailena pradīpaḥ kārtike mayā 110| na snāto māghamāse'haṃ rūpasaubhāgyakāmade | dvijāya vedaviduṣe gautamyāṃ siṃhage gurau 111| mayā saṃkalpitaṃ dravyaṃ na dattaṃ pūrvajanmani | na snāto'haṃ kṛṣṇaveṇyāṃ tathā kanyāgate gurau 112| agniṃ prajvālya kāṣṭhaughaiḥ snātānāṃ pauṣamāghayoḥ | śītārtānāṃ ca viprāṇāṃ na kṛto jāḍyanigrahaḥ 113| mādhavādiṣu māseṣu na dattaṃ śītalaṃ jalam | mayā nāro'pito'śvattho nyagrodho naiva vardhitaḥ 114| baṃdīgṛhānmayā muktirna kṛtā prāṇināṃ kvacit | na prāṇibhayasaṃtrasto rakṣitaḥ śaraṇāgataḥ 115| nopoṣyātra trirātrāṇi toṣito madhusūdanaḥ | kṛcchrātikṛcchrapārākaṃ tathā cāṃdrāyaṇaṃ dvija 116| athānyattaptakṛcchraṃ ca tathā sāṃtapanāni ca | vratānyetāni puṇyāni juṣṭānīṃdrādibhiḥ suraiḥ 117| caritvā na mayā tāni dehaḥ saṃśoṣitaḥ purā | itthaṃ pūrvabhavo vaṃdhyo mama jāto dvijottama 118| paśya dvija mahākrūrāmadbhutāmatra janmani | gatiṃ dūraprabodhāṃ tu mama pūrvasya karmaṇaḥ 119| saṃti māṃsāni mārgeṣu vṛkavyāghrahatāni vai | phalānyanyāni śailesminśukaistyaktāni sarvataḥ 120| puṇyāni ca sugaṃdhīni phalāni rasavaṃti ca | mūlāni tu subhakṣyāṇi mṛdūni madhurāṇi ca 121| nānāvidhāni tiṣṭhaṃti madhūni subahūnyapi | srotasāṃ nirjharāṇāṃ ca saṃti vārīṇi sarvaśaḥ 122| sulabheṣu padārtheṣu sarveṣveteṣu parvate | nekṣehamaśanaṃ kvāpi daivenāpi hataṃ sadā 123| vātāhāreṇa jīvāmi yathā jīvaṃti pannagāḥ | punarjīvāmi bho vipra devayoniprabhāvataḥ 124| balena prajñayā nityaṃ maṃtrapauruṣavikramaiḥ | sahāyaiścaiva mitraiśca nālabhyaṃ labhate naraḥ 125| lābhālābhe sukhe duḥkhe vivāhe mṛtyujīvane | bhoge roge viyoge ca daivameva hi kāraṇam 126| kurūpāḥ kukulā mūrkhāḥ kutsitācāraniṃditāḥ | śauryavikramahīnāśca daivādrājyāni bhuṃjate 127| kāṇāḥ khaṃjā abhavyāśca nītihīnāśca durguṇāḥ | napuṃsakāśca dṛśyaṃte daivādrājye pratiṣṭhitāḥ 128| yairdattāśca tilā gāvo hiraṇyaṃ vasanāni ca | gaurī kanyā ca yairdattā yairdattā ca vasuṃdharā 129| śayyāsanāni tāṃbūlaṃ maṃdirāṇi dhanāni ca | bhakṣyabhojyāni dattāni caṃdanānyagarūṇi ca 130| aṭavyāṃ parvatāgre ca grāme vā nagare'pi vā | puraḥ puraḥśca tiṣṭhaṃti teṣāṃ bhogāḥ prayatnataḥ 131| saṃtyatra parvate'nye'pi rākṣasā balavattarāḥ | rākṣasāśca piśācāśca piśācyaścātidāruṇāḥ 132| kadācicca kathaṃcicca kvāpi yatra svakarmaṇā | labhaṃte cānnapānāni paryaṭaṃto vanevane 133| iti śrutvā'tra tebhyaśca mā bhayaṃ bhavatāṃ bhavet | śuciṃ goviṃdabhaktaṃ tvāṃ na te draṣṭumapi kṣamāḥ134| viṣṇubhaktitanutrāṇaṃ nārāyaṇaparāyaṇam | na spṛśaṃti na paśyaṃti rākṣasāḥ pretapūtanāḥ 135| bhūtavetālagaṃdharvāḥ śākinyaścāryakā grahāḥ| revatyo vṛddharevatyo mukhamaṃḍyastathā grahāḥ 136| yakṣā bālagrahāḥ krūrā duṣṭā vṛddhagrahāśca ye | tathā mātṛgrahā bhīmā grahāścānye vināyakāḥ 137| kṛtyāḥ sarpāśca kūṣmāṃḍā ye cānye duṣṭajaṃtavaḥ | na paśyaṃti paraṃ vipra vaiṣṇavaṃ brāhmaṇaṃ śucim 138| śuciṃ rakṣaṃti bhūtāni dharmiṣṭhaṃ pīḍayaṃti na | rakṣaṃti ca śuciṃ nityaṃ grahanakṣatradevatāḥ 139| goviṃdanāma jihvāgre hṛdi vedastu saṃsthitaḥ | śuciśca dānaśīlaśca tvaṃ sarvatrākutobhayaḥ 140| evaṃ brāhmaṇa tiṣṭhāmi bhuṃjānaḥ karmaṇaḥ phalam | na śocāmīti matvā'haṃ vimṛśya ca punaḥ punaḥ 141| na dunomi tathā tāvadyāvajjaṃbālinī taṭe | sārasodīritaṃ vākye śrutaṃ paryaṭatā mayā 142| brāhmaṇa uvāca| sārasodīritaṃ vākyaṃ kīdṛśaṃ hi śrutaṃ tvayā | tadahaṃ śrotumicchāmi brūhi tvaṃ preta satvaram 143| preta uvāca| bravīmi sārasaṃ vākyaṃ śṛṇu kārpāṭikottama | dhūsarā nāma kakṣe'sminnadīgirisamudbhavā 144| sadā jalaśayottālā mattadaṃtikulākulā | mahākakubhaśobhāḍhyā snigdhajaṃbūmanoharā 145| tasyāstīramahaṃ prāpto gāhamāno vanaṃ ghanam | mayi tiṣṭhati vai tatra phalabhojanakāmyayā 146| vanāṃtarātsamuḍḍīya sāraso lakṣmaṇā yutaḥ | āgatya pulinaṃ nadyāḥ sevituṃ bahupakṣibhiḥ 147| pītvā tatraiva pānīyaṃ ramitvā bhāryayā saha | suptaḥ pakṣapuṭe vāme praveśya ca śiromukham 148| etasminnaṃtare dṛṣṭaḥ pādapādavatīrya ca | raktānanaḥ suraktākṣo daṃḍī dṛḍhanakhāvali 149| lomaśo dīrghalāṃgūlaścalaceṣṭo hi vānaraḥ | yatrāsau sārasaḥ suptastatra vegena cāgataḥ 6.129.150| samāgatya ca jagrāha sārasaṃ caraṇe dṛḍham | karābhyāṃ krūrayā buddhyā paśyatāṃ bahupakṣiṇām 151| uḍḍīyoḍḍīya te sarve gatāścānyatra khecarāḥ | sārasī bhītabhītā ca virāvānkurvatī sthitā 152| sāraso bhagnanidrastu trāsāccalitalocanaḥ | avalokitavāñchīghraṃ tadottāmya śirodharām 153| vilokya vānaraṃ duṣṭaṃ haṃtukāmaṃ sudāruṇam | tadā saṃbhāṣayāmāsa girā madhurayā khagaḥ 154| aparādhaṃ vinā māṃ tvaṃ kiṃ śākhāmṛga bādhase | sāparādhā janā loke vadhyaṃte bhūmipairapi 155| na pīḍayitumarhaṃti tvādṛśā uttamā janāḥ | asmānahiṃsakānsādhūnparavṛttiparāṅmukhān 156| jalaśaivālabhakṣāṃśca khecarānvanavāsinaḥ | svadāraratiśīlāṃśca paradārābhivarjitān 157| na pīḍayitumarhaṃti tvadvidhā vānarottama | parāpavādapaiśunyāndvijānparamasevakān 158| śākhāmṛga vimuṃcāśu sarvathā māmanāgasam | jānāmi tava janmāhaṃ na tvaṃ vetsi tu māmakam 159| ityākarṇya vacastasya mumoca sārasaṃ tadā | capalo vānaraḥ śīghramāha dūre vyavasthitaḥ 160| vānara uvāca| brūhi re tvaṃ kathaṃ vetsi mama janma purātanam | tvaṃ pakṣī jñānahīnaśca tiryakcāhaṃ vanecaraḥ 161| sārasa uvāca| jāne'haṃ tāvakaṃ janma jātismaramiti sphuṭam | tvaṃ hi viṃdhyādhipo rājā prāgbhave parvateśvaraḥ 162| ahaṃ pūjyatamo viprastava vaṃśe purohitaḥ | tena pratyabhijānāmi tvāṃ samyagvānarottama 163| imāṃ pālayatā bhūmiṃ prajāḥ sarvāḥ prapīḍitāḥ | tvayā vivekahīnena bhṛśaṃ saṃcayatā dhanam 164| prajāpīḍānatāpottha vahnijvālaistu vānara | prāktvaṃ dagdhaḥ punaḥ kṣiptaḥ kuṃbhīpāke'ti dāruṇe 165| punaḥ punaḥśca dagdhena jātena ca punaḥ punaḥ | nārakeṇa śarīreṇa samāstriṃśadgataṃ tvayā 166| kurvatā dāruṇāñchabdānrudatā ca punaḥ punaḥ | kuṃbhīpākānale tīvrā hyanubhūtāśca yātanāḥ 167| nistīrṇanarako bhūyaḥ pāpaśeṣeṇa sāṃpratam | prāpto'si vānaraṃ janma yena māṃ haṃtumicchasi 168| viprasyopavanātpūrvaṃ pakvaraṃbhāphalāni vai | ananujñāpya bhuktāni tvayāpahṛtya pauruṣāt 169| vipākaḥ karmaṇastasya phalate paśya dāruṇaḥ | vānarastvaṃ vane vāso hyadhunā tena vartase 170| aśubhasya śubhasyāpi purāvihitakarmaṇaḥ | bhogaḥ krīḍati bhūteṣu nollaṃghyastridaśairapi 171| itthaṃ tvajjanma jānāmi yathāvattu sahetukam | prāptaḥ sārasadeho'pi jñānenāparimohitaḥ 172| preta uvāca| iti śrutvā kathāṃ vipra vānaropyāha sārasam | samyagvetti bhavānnūnaṃ kathaṃ tvaṃ pakṣitāṃ gataḥ 173| sārasa uvāca| kathayiṣyāmi tatkarma yenāhaṃ durgatiṃ gataḥ | pakṣiyoniṃ gato yena tatsarvaṃ śrotumarhasi 174| dhānyaṃ khāriśataṃ sāgramutsṛṣṭaṃ hi tvayā purā | bahubhyo brāhmaṇebhyaśca carmadāyāṃ ravigrahe 175| paurohityamadāllobhādvaṃcayitvā dvijāṃstathā | kiṃciddattvā tu tebhyaśca gṛhītamakhilaṃ mayā 176| viprasādhāraṇadravyagrahaṇotpannapātakāt | patitaḥ kālasūtre'haṃ narake raktakardame 177| calatkrimisusaṃpūrṇe durgaṃdhe pūyaphenile | ānābhestatra magnosmi lihanpūyamadhomukhaḥ 178| tathopari mahāgṛdhrairbhakṣyamāṇastu vāyasaiḥ | krimibhistudyamānastu mama deho niraṃtaram 179| tasmiñchoṇitapaṃke'haṃ nirucchvāso'bhavaṃ tadā | muhūrto'pi mahākalpasamo jāto mamātra vai 180| yātanāścānubhūtāśca samāstrirayutaṃ mayā | vaktuṃ ca tanna śaknomi duḥkhaṃ vānara nārakam 181| paurohityaṃ mahāghoraṃ pāpadaṃ ca svabhāvataḥ | devopajīvanaṃ yatra brāhmaṇasyopajīvanam 182| rājñaḥ pratigraho ghorastena dagdhā dvijātayaḥ | teṣāmapi hareddravyaṃ purodhāstena nārakī 183| rājā yatkurute pāpaṃ purā dehena dhīyate | tasya tena purodhāśca gīyate tatvadarśibhiḥ 184| daivātkathamapi prāpta uttāro narakāṃbudheḥ | mayādau daivayogena śakunitvamupasthitam 185| apahṛtya purā kāṃsyabhājanaṃ bhaginīgṛhāt | ākṣikāya mayā dattaṃ tena me sārasī gatiḥ 186| iyaṃ ca brāhmaṇī pūrvaṃ kāṃsyacorī sudāruṇā | teneyaṃ sārasī jātā mama bhāryā sadharmiṇī 187| itthaṃ vānara te sarvaṃ kathitaṃ karmaṇaḥ phalam | vṛttaṃ ca vartamānaṃ ca bhaviṣyaṃ śṛṇu sāṃpratam 188| ahaṃ haṃso bhaviṣyāmi tvaṃ ca haṃso bhaviṣyasi | haṃsīyamapi madbhāryā sārasī ca bhaviṣyati 189| deśe ca kāmarūpe vai sthāsyāmo vai yathāsukham | yoginīṃ bhāvikalyāṇīṃ yāsyāmastadanaṃtaram 190| tataśca mānuṣaṃ janma prāpyāmo durlabhaṃ punaḥ | śreyastadviparītaṃ ca prāṇibhiryatra sādhyate 191| evaṃ sarvāñchivo jaṃtūnmohayitvā svamāyayā | sukhairbhunakti duḥkhaiśca nāsmāneva tu kevalam 192| ayaṃ loke pravṛttaśca mārgo vividhanirmitaḥ | dharmādharmamayo'tyarthe sukhaduḥkhaphalātmakaḥ 193| sevitaḥ prāṇibhiḥ sarvaiḥ sarvadā vā punaḥ punaḥ | devāsuranaravyāghra krimikīṭajalecaraiḥ 194| nātikrāṃto hi kenāpi paṃthā'yaṃ duḥkhakaṃṭakaḥ | viraktānyoginodhyāyaṃ vināvedāṃtapāragān 195| aṇorvāpi gurorvāpi puṇyāpuṇyasya karmaṇaḥ | dadātīha phalaṃ jñātvā deśaṃ kālaṃ maheśvaraḥ 196| itthaṃ vidhividhānajñāṃ māyāṃ jñātveśvarasya ca | na śocaṃti na tapyaṃti na vyathaṃti mahādhiyaḥ 197| nānyathā śakyate kartuṃ vipākaḥ pūrvakarmaṇām | upāyaiḥ prajñayā vāpi śākhāmṛgasurairapi 198| purā tvaṃ bhūpatirjātaḥ paścājjāto'si nārakī | adhunā vānaro bhūyo janma prāpsyasi tādṛśam 199| iti matvā viśokastvaṃ śākhāmṛga yathāsukham | pratīkṣāṃ kuru kālasya ramamāṇo'tra kānane 6.129.200| ahamapyevamīśāna māyābaddho vane vane | kṣapayiṣyāmi vai janma dhairyamāsthāya sārasam 201| vānara uvāca| mayā tvaṃ pūjitaḥ pūrvaṃ naumi tvāmadhunāpyaham | jātismaro'si jānāmi sarvaṃ matpūrvadaihikam 202| tiṣṭha sārasa sārasyā śivamastu sadā tava | tvadvākyādgatamoho'haṃ vicariṣyāmi sarvadā 203| preta uvāca| imaṃ ramyaṃ vicitraṃ ca pāvanaṃ paramaṃ dvija | pakṣivānarasaṃvādaṃ śrutaṃ yāvannadītaṭe 204| tāvanmamāpi bodho'bhūttena śokaḥ kṣayaṃ gataḥ | idānīṃ jāhnavītoyamāhātmyaṃ paramādbhutam 205| dṛṣṭvātra brāhmaṇaśreṣṭha tvāṃ yāce jāhnavījalam | pretatvāttartukāmo'haṃ tīvrā tṛṣṇā prapīḍitaḥ 206| asminnevācale dṛṣṭaṃ mayāścaryaṃ ca vai dvija | gaṃgātoyasya tāvaddhi pātumicchāmi tajjalam 207| pāriyātrodbhavaḥ ko'pi brāhmaṇo grāmayājakaḥ | ayājyayājanādviṃdhye saṃbhūto brahmarākṣasaḥ 208| asmatsaṃgasya lobhe sthito'sau hāyanāṣṭakam | tasyāsthīni suputreṇa saṃcitāni dvijottama 209| kṣiptānyānīya gaṃgāyāṃ tīrthe kanakhale'male | tatkṣaṇādeva mukto'sau rākṣasatvātsudāruṇāt 210| iti gaṃgājalasnāna mahimā mahadadbhutam | sākṣāddṛṣṭo mayā tena gāṃgeyaṃ prārthitaṃ jalam 211| purastādyatkṛtastīrthe mayā bhūriparigrahaḥ | na kṛtastu pratīkārastasya jāpyādilakṣaṇaḥ 212| tena me pretarūpasya durlabhodakabhojanam | sahasraṃ yatra varṣāṇāmatītaṃ viṃdhyaparvate 213| iti te kathitaṃ sarvaṃ hitvā lajjāṃ garīyasīm | idānīṃ dhārmikaśreṣṭha jaladānena satvaram 214| saṃtarpaya mama prāṇānkaṃṭhamātrāvalaṃbitān | durlabhaṃ pretabhāve'pi jīvitaṃ prāṇināmiha 215| śarīraṃ rakṣaṇīyaṃ hi sarvathā sarvadā naraiḥ | nahīcchaṃti tanutyāgamapi kuṣṭhādi rogiṇaḥ 216| devadyutiruvāca| iti tadvacanaṃ śrutvā vismayaṃ paramaṃ gataḥ | pathikaściṃtayāmāsa kṛpāṃ prete samudvahan 217| pāpapuṇyaphalaṃ loke pratyakṣaṃ dṛśyate khalu | devadānavamānuṣyaṃ tiryaktvaṃ krimikīṭakam 218| nānāyoniṣu janmāni nānāvyādhiprapīḍanam | maraṇaṃ bālavṛddhānāmaṃdhatvaṃ kubjatā tathā 219| aiśvaryaṃ ca daridratvaṃ pāṃḍityaṃ mūrkhatā tathā | etāśca racanā loke bhavaṃti kathamanyathā 220| te dhanyāḥ karmabhūmau ye nyāyamārgārjitaṃ dhanam | satpātrebhyaḥ prayacchaṃti kurvaṃti cātmano hitam 221| bhūmiratnahiraṇyāni gāvo dhānyaṃ gṛhaṃ gajāḥ | rathāśvavasanagrāmāḥ siddhamannaṃ phalaṃ jalam 222| kanyā divyauṣadhamannaṃ chatropānadvarāsanam | śayyā tāṃbūla mālyāni tālavṛṃtaṃ varāsanam 223| sarvametatpradātavyaṃ lokatrayajigīṣubhiḥ | dattaṃ hi prāpyate svarge dattameva hi bhujyate 224| chatracāmarayānāni varāśvavaravāraṇāḥ | harmyāṇi varaśayyāśca gomahiṣyo varastriyaḥ 225| annabhūṣaṇamuktāśca putrā dāsyo mahākulam | āyurārogyamaiśvaryaṃ kalā vidyāsu kauśalam 226| dānasyaiva phalaṃ sarvaṃ prāpyate bhuvi mānavaiḥ | tasmāddeyaṃ prayatnena nādattamupatiṣṭhati 227| dharmiṣṭhena tu pāṃthena gātheyaṃ samagāyata | iti śrutvā punaḥ pretaḥ provāca hyārtamānasaḥ 228| manye dharmajñakalpo'si pāṃtha tvaṃ nātra saṃśayaḥ | dehi me jīvanaṃ vāri cātakāya ghano yathā 229| etasminprāṇadāne hi mā vilaṃbaṃ kṛthā bahu | tataḥ pratyāha pāṃthastu vacanaṃ nyāyagarbhitam 230| bhṛgukṣetre śṛṇu preta pitarau mama tiṣṭhataḥ | tadarthaṃ tīrtharājasya mayā vāri samāhṛtam 231| tatsitāsitapānīyaṃ madhye ca prārthitaṃ tvayā | na jāne dharmasaṃdehaḥ kimatra mama yujyate 232| balābalaṃ vicārārthaṃ kariṣye prabalaṃ vidhim | vedebhyo dharmaśāstrebhyo nāhaṃ mānena kevalam 233| hayamedhādi yajñebhyaḥ sarvebhyopyadhikaṃ matam | ṛṣibhirdevatābhiśca prāṇināṃ prāṇarakṣaṇam 234| iti dattvā varaṃ vāri kṛttvā pretasya rakṣaṇam | pitrarthaṃ punarādāya jalaṃ neṣyāmi pāvanam 235| eṣa me prabalo bhāti śuddhadharmaprado vidhiḥ | paropakaraṇādanyatsarvamalpaṃ smṛtaṃ budhaiḥ 236| paropakāribhirdattā api prāṇā nṛbhirmudā | adbhiḥ paropakāraḥ syātkiṃ na labdhaṃ mayā punaḥ 237| dadhīcinā purā gītaḥ śloko'yaṃ śrūyate bhuvi | sarvadharmamayaḥ sāraḥ sarvadharmajñasaṃmataḥ 238| paropakāraḥ kartavyaḥ prāṇairapi dhanairapi | paropakārajaṃ puṇyaṃ tulyaṃ kratuśatairapi 239| ityuktvā pradadau toyaṃ gaṃgāyāmunasaṃbhavam | pretāya prāṇarakṣārthaṃ sa dharmiṣṭho varo dvijaḥ 240| pretaḥ prīto jalaṃ pītvā hyabhiṣicya śirastathā | prajahau pretadehaṃ taṃ divyadeho'bhavatkṣaṇāt 241| tadāścaryaṃ mahaddṛṣṭvā nijagāda sa keralaḥ | aho vimuktaḥ pretatvādveṇīpānīyabiṃdubhiḥ 242| brahmāpi naiva śaknoti manye vaktumapāṃ guṇam | gaṅgātoyaṃ mahādevo dhatte ke kathamanyathā 243| aciṃtyaśaktigaṃgāṃbhastilamātraṃ tu yaḥ pibet | devo bhavetsa siddho vā garbhe naiva ca saṃviśet 244| na gaṃgā sadṛśī siddhirna gaṃgā sadṛśī matiḥ | na gaṃgāsadṛśī muktirgaṃgā sarvādhikā yataḥ 245| tasmātsarvaprayatnena mahābhaktyā ca dhārmika | karasthaṃ tasya kaivalyaṃ yogaṃ gāṃ sevate sadā 246| āyuṣmānbhava pāṃthatvaṃ mā dharmavirato bhava | tvayā'haṃ tāritaḥ sadyo gaṃgāṃbukaṇadānataḥ 247| ityuktvā prasthito nākaṃ piśācastu sa keralaḥ | āśīrbhirabhinaṃdyātha pāṃthaṃ baṃdhuvaraṃ naram 248| pretaṃ vimokṣya pāṃtho'pi punarādāya tajjalam | gatastenaiva mārgeṇa smaraṃstīrthodakautukam 249| vasiṣṭha uvāca| itthaṃ prayāgamāhātmyaṃ śrutvā natvā ca taṃ munim | prayāgaṃ sahasā māghe piśācaḥ satvaraṃ gataḥ 6.129.250| snātvā sitāsite so'pi māghamāse dvijottama | piśācaḥ kṣīṇapāpastu paiśācīṃ vijahau tanum 251| divyadehastato bhūtvā drāviḍo bhūpatistadā | stuvannārāyaṇaṃ devaṃ bhaktyā doṣavivarjitaḥ 252| gaṃdharvaiḥ stūyamānastu nākanārīsupūjitaḥ | uttamena vimānena puraṃdarapuraṃ yayau 253| iti te kathitaṃ vipra pūrvavṛttaṃ sakautukam | itihāsaṃ dvijaśreṣṭha sadyaḥ pātakanāśanam 254| jñānadaṃ mokṣadaṃ vipra śrutaṃ durgatināśanam | iti te kathitaṃ sarvaṃ purāvṛttaṃ sakautukam 255| itihāsaṃ dvijaśreṣṭha śrutaṃ durgatināśanam | adhunā tu mayā sārdhamimāḥ kanyāḥ sutaśca te 256| tvaṃ cāyātu prayāgaṃ vai sarve sadgatimīpsavaḥ | māghasnānaṃ prakurmo'tra devānāmapi durlabham 257| tatra mokṣyaṃti paiśācyaṃ sadyaḥ pāpasamudbhavam 258| maheśa uvāca| evaṃ vasiṣṭhavaktrābjakathāmadhurasaṃmudā | pītvā pramuditāḥ sarve nistīrṇā narakārṇavāt 259| prasthitāstena sārdhaṃ te satvaraṃ vyomni harṣitāḥ | dilīpa śṛṇu tatsarvaṃ tattīrthaṃ tu sitāsitam 260| satvaraṃ vyomamārgeṇa kāmamāsādya duḥsahāḥ | samāgamya tadā tatra saṃhṛṣṭahṛdayāśca te 261| athoce lomaśastatra sadayaṃ gaganāṃgaṇe | paśyaṃtu śraddhayā sarve tīrtharājamimaṃ bhuvi 262| vinā jñānaṃ prayāge'sminmucyaṃte sarvajaṃtavaḥ | iṣṭvātraiva mahāyajñaṃ sraṣṭukāmaḥ prajāpatiḥ 263| avāpa sṛṣṭisāmarthyaṃ tataḥ sṛṣṭiṃ cakāra saḥ | atra nārāyaṇaḥ sasnau patnīkāmaḥ sitāsite 264| ataḥ sa labdhavānlakṣmīṃ bhāryāmamṛtamaṃthane | uṣitvā cātra ṣaṇmāsaṃ snātvā veṇyāṃ yathecchayā 265| tripuraṃ ghātayāmāsa tribāṇena triśūlabhṛt | imāni trīṇi kuṃḍāni dīptānyajasravahnibhiḥ 266| eṣa tṛptiṃ gato vahniryaḥ kenāpi ca puṣyati | atra devāstrayastriṃśattṛptā mumudire bhṛśam 267| āvirbhūto maheśo'tra nīlakaṃṭhaḥ kapālabhṛt | aniśaṃsa suraiḥ sevya āyātoṃjalaye baṭuḥ 268| mṛkaṃḍasūnunā kalpe praviśya yanmukhe sthitam | loke jvālākule so'yaṃ yogarūpī janārdanaḥ 269| seyaṃ bhāgīrathī śaṃbhoḥ sarvaduḥkhāpahāriṇī | siddhyarthaṃ sevyate siddhairbhuktimuktiphalapradā 270| aniśaṃ bhūtidā yā ca svargamārge hyanuttamā | svargahetuśca yā devī seyaṃ bhāgīrathī nadī 271| yadaṃbhaḥ snānamātreṇa vikartana salokatām | labhaṃte prāṇinaḥ sarve nadī sā yamunā svayam 272| anayoḥ puṇyanadyośca saṃgamaḥ sukhado mune | atra snātā na pacyaṃte narake jñānabhāvitāḥ 273| vinā jñānaṃ prayāge'sminmucyaṃte sarvajaṃtavaḥ | anyacca śrūyatāṃ vipra itihāsaṃ purātanam 274| śṛṇvatāṃ sarvapāpaghnaṃ sarvarogavināśanam | ṛcīkena purā śapto gaṃdharvo vāyaso'bhavat 275| śāpaṃ mumoca so'traiva snātaḥ sadyaḥ sitāsite | vāsavasya tu śāpena svargādbhraṣṭāpsarorvaśī 276| svargakāmā ca sā sasnau lebhe svargaṃ tatocirāt | putraṃ ca śaṃkaraṃ lebhe yayātirnāhuṣo mune 277| putrakāmaḥ prayāge hi snātvā puṇye sitāsite | dhanakāmaḥ purā śakraḥ susnāto'tra dvijottama 278| dhanadasya nidhīnsarvāñjahāra sa ca māyayā | kaśyapo'tra tapastepe śivārādhanatatparaḥ 279| asmiṃstīrthe bharadvājo yogasiddhimavāptavān | asmiṃstīrthe purā vipra yogeśāḥ śāṃtamānasāḥ 280| yogasya phalabhūmiṃ tu lebhire sanakādayaḥ | asminmāghe tu ye snātā gaṃgāyāmunasaṃgame 281| tārārūpāśca te sarve tairvyāptaṃ sakalaṃ jagat | viṃdaṃti kāminaḥ kāmānmuktiṃ yāṃti mumukṣavaḥ 282| viṃdaṃti sādhakāḥ siddhiṃ prayāge hi dvijottama | sāṃprataṃ muktikāmāstu kanyāścāpi sutaśca te 283| madvākyādatra majjaṃtu sarve tvaṃ ca sitāsite | prākkālīnāghavidhvaṃsi veṇījalabalena tu 284| labhaṃtāmakhilaṃ lakṣmīṃ prāptaśāpamahāphalām | evamārṣavacaḥ satyamatīṃdriyamalaṃghanam 285| śrutvā cotkaṃṭhacittāstesarve snānāya codyatāḥ | prayāgaṃ prāpya duṣprāpyaṃ paiśācyaṃ vijahuḥ kṣaṇāt 286| vimuktāḥ śāpaduḥkhena tanuṃ svāṃ svāṃ ca lebhire | dṛṣṭvā vedanidhiḥ putraṃ tāḥ kanyā divyarūpiṇīḥ 287| tuṣṭāva lomaśaṃ prītyā prasannenāṃtarātmanā | tvadanugrahamātreṇottīrṇaḥ pāpamahārṇavaḥ 288| idānīmucitaṃ brūhi bālānāmṛṣisattama | lomaśa uvāca| kumārodhītavedo'yaṃ samāptaniyamo yuvā 289| āsāṃ tu sānurāgāṇāṃ gṛhṇātu karapaṃkajam | tato lomaśavākyena svapiturvacanāttadā 290| vivāhavidhinā cāśu brahmacārī sa dhārmikaḥ | śubhadravyaiśca maṃtraiśca ṛṣibhiḥ kṛtamaṃgalaḥ 291| paṃcānāmapi kanyānāṃ pāṇiṃ jagrāha dharmataḥ | ānaṃdinyastadā sarvāḥ kanyāḥ pūrṇamanorathāḥ 292| babhūvuḥ sa kumāraśca saṃtuṣṭaśca babhūva ha | dattvānujñāṃ muniḥ so'tha lomaśastairnamaskṛtaḥ 293| jagāma svāśramaṃ meruṃ parvataṃ surasevitam | tato vedanidhī rājansnuṣāḥ paṃcasutaṃ tathā | puraskṛtya mudāyukto dhanadasya puraṃ yayau 294| iti nṛpavaramāghe snānasaṃjātapuṇyānmunivaravacasā drāktīrtharājaprayāge | sakalakaluṣamuktāḥ paṃca gaṃdharvakanyā alamabhigatalābhātprāpya tarṣaṃ ca jagmuḥ 295| paramimamitihāsaṃ pāvanaṃ tīrthabhūtaṃ vṛjinavilayahetuṃ yaḥ śṛṇotīha nityam | sa bhavati khalu pūrṇaḥ sarvakāmairabhīṣṭairvrajati ca suraloke durlabho dharmayuktaḥ 296| itihāsamimaṃ śrutvā pūjayedyastu pāṭhakam | gobhirhiraṇyavastraiśca brahmatulyo yato hi saḥ 297| vācake pūjite yasmādviṣṇurbhavati pūjitaḥ | tasmātprapūjayennityaṃ yadīcchetsaphalaṃ bhavam 298| iti śrīpādme mahāpurāṇe paṃcapaṃcāśatsahasrasaṃhitāyāmuttarakhaṃḍe māghamāhātmye vasiṣṭhadilīpasaṃvāde gaṃdharvakanyāpariṇayonāmaikonatriṃśādhikaśatatamo'dhyāyaḥ| 129|

English translation

Summary : The Deliverance of the Five Gandharva Maidens and Vedanidhi ’s Son from Imphood.

Vasiṣṭha said :

1-9. Hear as to how many imps were liberated by him in the forest. Formerly in the Drāviḍa country there was a king named Citra . (He was born) in the Soma family, was a great hero, brave and had mastered the science of weapons and missiles. He, the brave one, was always possessed of streams of elephants, horses and chariots. His treasury was full of gold and many kinds of gems. He was very rich. He, with fondness, always sported in the midst of a thousand women. Being excessively fond of women, passionate, always greedy, quick-tempered, the king did not do (i.e. obey) the pious words uttered by his ministers. He very much censured Viṣṇu , and always hated Viṣṇu’s devotees: (He said:) “Who is that Viṣṇu? Where is he seen? Where does he stay? Who tells about him?” In this way, the king, deluded by destiny did not put up with Viṣṇu. He, being angry, troubled those who worshipped Viṣṇu. Remaining in the condition of the heretics he did not honour brāhmaṇas , the Vedas , Vedic rites or a vow, and did not think of giving a gift. He harassed his subjects by inflicting severe punishment immorally. He was cruel, pitiless, wicked, and averse to auspicious acts. He was fallen from (good) conduct; he hated Viṣṇu; he had fallen from (maintaining sacred) fire and from (religious) acts. The king, as it were, of the form of another Yama , ruled over his subjects.

10-14. Then after a long time the king died. But he did not receive obsequies as enjoined in the Vedic texts. The king, then, being very much troubled by the hosts of (Yama’s) servants, went to Yama’s world along the path full of iron nails, covered with heated sand, heated by the rays of the hot sun, having no shadow of a tree, spread over with burning charcoals, and full of flames of fire, (and was) being struck by very ferocious serpents with iron-faces and being eaten (i.e. gnawed) by wolves with fierce fangs and fierce dogs while hearing the wailing of other men who had committed sins.

15-32. O king, hear about his unbearable condition in that world. The king went in succession from one hell to another. First he went to the (hell called) Tāmisra , fearful and giving great agony. Then (he went to) Andhatāmisra , where there was constant misery. Then he went to the very fierce Mahāraurava , then to Kālasūtra , Mahānaraka. Then the king, insensible due to grief, sank into Sañjīvana, Mahāvīci, Tapana , Sampratāpana, difficult to cross. (Then) the king, with his mind burnt by pain, went to Sampāta , Kākola, Kuḍmala , Pūtimṛttika, Lohaśa, Mṛgīyantra, and Panthāna, and to the river Śālmali . Then he entered a hell, very fierce, difficult to see, and inaccessible. (Then to) Asipatravana , Lohacāraka. In this way the sinful king, having fallen into all these (hells), met with terrible torment full of pangs. Then the king, due to his proclamation of great hatred of Viṣṇu, having experienced the torment inflicted by Yama for twenty-one yugas , crossed the hells, and after (proper) time, he became a great evil spirit. Being hungry, he wanders in all directions in this forest. Even on the Meru mountain he does not come across food or water. The evil spirit oppressed by grief, while wandering, entered Plakṣaprasravaṇa forest (as a result) of the future good fruit. Extremely grieved he resorted to the shade of a bibhītaka tree. He loudly and fiercely cried again and again: “Oh! I am lost. How will this unhappy existence of me who am being carried by hunger and thirst, who have sought to hurt all beings, come to an end? Who will today first give a hand to me who am plunged into this ocean of sins, having a series of billows of miseries?” Devadyuti who was studying, heard this piteous wailing of the goblin of a helpless mind. Having then come there, he saw the imp, of a fierce face, fearful, of tawny eyes and weak, with his hair raised up, of a dark body, and as it were another messenger of Yama, with his tongue lolling, with long (i.e. protruded) lips, with long shanks, and full of veins, having long toes, with his mouth parched up, with his eyes like cavities, and with his skeleton (i.e. body) dry. Then the best sage, full of curiosity, asked him:

Devadyuti said :

33-35. Who are you of a fierce form? Why do you weep fiercely? Due to what are you reduced to this condition? Tell me what can I do for you? Beings who have entered my hermitage never experience grief. All just rejoice as in the abode of Viṣṇu. O good man, quickly tell me the cause of this misery. The wise do not delay when the (desired) object has come (near).

Vasiṣṭha said :

36. Hearing these words, the evil spirit giving up (i.e. ceasing) weaping, bowing with politeness, spoke in a melancholy voice:

The evil spirit said :

37-46. Your words have removed the torment covering my entire body, as the showering cloud removes (the heat) due to a wild fire on a mountain. O brāhmaṇa , you are seen by me due to the religious merit that I have. Those who have not collected merit, do not meet the good.

Speaking like this, he told him his former account. “I have been reduced to this condition due to great hatred for Viṣṇu. O brāhmaṇa, I entertained the most sinful hatred for that Viṣṇu, remembering whose name a dead person would go to his position. I hated him who protects the beings, who maintains piety in the three worlds, and who is the innermost soul of beings. He who gives here the fruits of acts, who is sung (i. e. praised) in all Vedas, who is worshipped with penance, was hated by me. O brāhmaṇa, that Viṣṇu who is fit to be meditated upon in the Upaniṣads by ascetics who have given up (ordinary) acts, to whom forests are dear, and who move all alone without company, was hated by rne. That Viṣṇu, whom all gods like Brahmā , (all) meditating saints like Sanaka worship for salvation, was hated by me. The ancient supporter of the universe in the beginning, middle and end, who has no beginning, middle or end, was hated by me. All those good acts done by me in my former existence, were burnt by my hatred for Viṣṇu, and were reduced to ash.

47-51. If somehow I see the limit (i.e. the end) of this sin, I shall not worship any other deity except Viṣṇu Having, due to my hatred of Viṣṇu, experienced for a long time the torment (inflicted) by Yama, I have come out of the hell, and have come to (i.e. am born in) the stock of an evil spirit. Now due to which active charms am I brought to your hermitage where due to the sun of your sight the darkness in the form of (my) misery has perished? A man is taken by his own compulsive actto that place where he obtains death, bondage, happiness, wealth or a bride. Now tell me the proper act destroying my imphood. The blessed ones do not move slowly in the act of obliging others.”

Devadyuti said :

52-60. Oh, this Maya steals the memory of gods, demons and men. Due to it a hatred, destroying piety, is produced even among gods. Which fool hates, and in what way, the great lord, the creator, protector and destroyer of the worlds, and the soul of all beings? Which man, averse to devotion for him, due to offering whom all acts are fruitful, would not meet with misery? All the four castes, always worshipping Nārāyaṇa , should practise the acts laid down by holy texts, codes of laws and practices of the good. Otherwise, without resorting to the holy texts men go to hell. Therefore, a man should abandon a deed laid down in religious texts which is opposed to the import of the Vedas. Those, deceiving childish people in this world by means of self-composed religious texts, mar the path to, bliss, thus harming the world. They censure Viṣṇu, the Vedas, austerities, good brāhmaṇas; therefore, due to their following wrong religious texts, they go to hell, as this very king of the Draviḍa country, hating god Viṣṇu, the lord of gods, and the master of the world, went to hell. Therefore, one desiring religious merit, should give up hatred for especially deities and brāhmaṇas, and should abandon an act outside (i.e. not enjoined by) the Vedas.

61-71. Speaking like this, the sage told the goblin (what was) good (for him): “O good one, go to Prayāga . Think of the month of Māgha . There you will undoubtedly be free from (this) imphood. This is (what) the ancient holy text (says): ‘Those bathing there go to heaven.’ A man casts off there (the fruit of) his former bad acts. There is nowhere any greater expiation in the form of penance, in the form of gifts, in the form of rites than a bath at Prayāga. Know that there is no sacrifice or abstract meditation superior (to that). It is a gate to heaven and salvation that is (kept) open on the earth. There is no other axe barring Prayāga having white and black water (of Gaṅgā and Yamunā ) on the earth, which cuts off (the fetters of him) who is bound by the fetters of sin. What a great disparity there is between the confluence of Gaṅgā and Yamunā, Viṣṇu, Sun’s lustre and fire, and the poor, despicable, oblation of the grass (i.e. hay) in the form of a heap of sins of men! A man who has bathed at the confluence shines, after his sin is destroyed, like the moon in the autumn, after the mass of impurity is destroyed. I am not able to tell you the importance of Prayāga, by touching a drop of which a brāhmaṇa from Kerala got released.” Hearing these words of the sage, the evil spirit was delighted at heart. Free from grief, he affectionately asked the sage: “O great sage, how was the inhabitant of the Kerala country released? Being kind to me, tell the account to me.

Devadyuti said :

72-77. O evil spirit, listen to the meritorious, auspicious tale from me who am telling it. In Kerala lived a brāhmaṇa named Vasu , a master of the Vedas. He was robbed of his wealth by his relatives; he was poor; he was abandoned by his kinsmen. Grieved due to great agony, he left his motherland. He, suffering slightly from a disease, moved from one country to another, and after a long time entered a great forest. While going to another holy place, he, being tired, and emaciated due to hunger, died due to scarcity of provisions on the Vindhya mountain and did not have (proper) funeral and obsequies. Due to that ripening of his acts he became a spirit in the cave of that mountain only and lived in the solitary forest for a long time. He was troubled by cold and heat, was without food and water, was naked, was bare-footed, and sighed and uttered (the words) ‘Oh, Oh!’

78-96a. Wandering here and there that Keralite brāhmaṇa, turned into a spirit, obtained happiness nowhere. Afflicted by grief he wailed and did not find a happy state. He experienced the fruit of his act of having never given a gift. All those who do not make offerings into fire, who do not worship Viṣṇu, who do not resort to knowledge of the self, who turn away from holy places, who do not give gold, garments, tāmbūla , gems, food, fruits, water to the distressed, are without any aim (in life). All those who snatch away the wealth of a brāhmaṇa or another person, or of women, through force or fraud—all such rogues who deceive others, hypocrites, cheats, thieves, who subsist on fire, who are cruel to children, old persons, patients, women, and are without truthfulness, who set fire (to others’ property), who administer poison, who stand as false witnesses, who practise illicit intercourse, who act as priest at vulgar sacrifices, who abandon their fathers, mothers, daughters-in-law, children, wives, who are miserly, greedy, atheists, and censurers of religious practices, who forsake their master, and abandon those who have surrendered to them in a battle, who snatch away cows and land, and who defile others’ gems, who censure others, who are sinful, who reproach deities and preceptors (or elders), who are always engaged in accepting gifts at great holy places, who are engaged in deceiving others, so also those who harm beings, who accept bad gifts, are born again and again in the vile stocks of spirits, demons, imps, birds and beasts and trees. They do not get the slightest happiness in this world or in the next. Therefore, one should give up a prohibited act and perform one that is laid down (in sacred texts). One should resort to sacrifices, (giving) gifts, penance, holy places, hymns, deities, preceptors. Even all the four castes, having realised the effect of their acts in crores of stocks, difficult to cross, should constantly practise piety. The brāhmaṇa, having thus seen his condition as an evil spirit due to his sins, advised him about piety and again spoke to him. That evil spirit of the Keralite, thus living on the mountain, passed a long time, and saw a traveller on the path. He was carrying two bamboo-boxes (containing pitchers) with water, and was singing (the glory of) the chief god Viṣṇu of good fame. Seeing him the evil spirit suddenly obstructed his way. He presented himself (to him), and said: “Do not get frightened. O best pilgrim, I desire to drink water from you. If you do not give me water to drink, my life will certainly depart.” Hearing these words of the evil spirit the traveller spoke through curiosity to him:

The pilgrim said :

96b-99. Who are you overcome with grief, emaciated, melancholy, naked, (remaining) with just your life left, about to die, deformed, increasing (others’) fear, having the form of a fresh smoke, fierce, of fickle eyes. You have not touched the ground with your feet. You are not having (much) flesh (in your) belly and arms.

Hearing these words of him, the evil spirit said (these) words:

The evil spirit said :

100-118. O most pious one, listen, I (shall) tell you the reason why I have become like this. I am a brāhmaṇa who never gave gifts, who am greedy, and whose acts are dirty. I always ate others’ food. I ate all alone, and ate sweets. I did not give alms. I did not make any offering to guests. I did not perform the Vaiśvadeva (i.e. an offering to all gods); I never threw (i.e. kept) an oblation outside. I never quenched with water the thirst of beings that were oppressed with thirst. I, wandering over the earth, never gratified my dead ancestors. I never offered a śrāddha and did not at all worship deities. I never gave (anyone, an umbrella) a protection against rain or heat; nor any (sandals) to protect the feet. I never gave a water-vessel, or a tāmbūla, or a medicine (to anyone). I never offered a residence in my house (to anyone), nor did I show hospitality to anyone. I did not satisfy the blind, the old, the poor, the forlorn, the helpless with drink or food. I never gave a mouthful (of grass) to cows; I never gave relief to a patient. I never offered, or gave into fire (the oblation of) pure sesamum-seeds, O brāhmaṇa. On the earth, there are not givers of sesamum-seeds like me(?). At the time of a portentous calamity I did not give any gold having great fruit. I did not give (any gift) on a Saṃkrānti day and on the days of the solar or lunar eclipse. O brāhmaṇa, I passed the parvan days also void (of any gift). All the important days in Kārtika were always fruitless for me. On the Aṣṭakā [1] days or Maghā [2] days I did not offer anything to the dead ancestors. I did not bathe (at a holy place) in Māgha which gives (good) form, fortune and desired objects. When Jupiter enters Leo, I did not give anything to a brāhmaṇa learned in the Vedas on the bank of Gautamī , in my former existence. Similarly I did not bathe in Kṛṣṇaveṇī , when the Jupiter entered Virgo. I never controlled the cold of brāhmaṇas afflicted by cold, who had bathed after kindling fire with heaps of wood in Pauṣa and Māgha. I did not give cold water (to people) in months like Vaiśākha . I did not plant an aśvattha tree, nor did I rear a fig-tree. I never released beings from a prison. I never protected one who was afflicted through fear of (other) beings and who had sought my shelter. I have not gratified Viṣṇu by fasting for three nights. O brāhmaṇa, vows like Kṛcchra , Atikṛcchra, Pārāka, and so also Cāndrāyaṇa , another vow like Taptakṛcchra, so also Sāntapana vows—all these auspicious vows were observed by gods like Indra . I did not observe them and parch up my body formerly. O best brāhmaṇa, my former existence was fruitless in this way.

119-133. O brāhmaṇa, mark the very cruel and wonderful fruits, very difficult to understand, of my former acts, (which I am having) in this existence. On this mountain there are (pieces of) flesh (of animals) killed by wolves and tigers, so also of fruits abandoned everywhere by parrots. There are good, fragrant and juicy fruits, so also soft, and roots very fit to be eaten. There are honeys of very many kinds. Everywhere there is water of streams and springs. Even though all these things are easily available on the mountain, I do not find any food (as it is) destroyed by destiny. I subsist on air, as do the serpents. O brāhmaṇa, I am alive due to the prowess of the divine stock. (Even) with power, intellect, hymns, valour, brave acts, companions and friends, a man cannot obtain the unobtainable. In this world destiny alone is the cause of acquisition or non-acquisition, pleasure or pain, marriage, death, life, enjoyment, disease or separation. The ugly, those coming from bad families, fools, those of abhorred conduct, the censured ones, those that are without bravery or valour, enjoy kingdom due to (good) fortune. The squint-eyed ones, the lame, the unworthy, the immoral, the vicious, eunuchs, are seen to be enthroned due to (good) fortune. In front of those who have given sesamum-seeds, cows, gold and garments, af air girl (in marriage), who have given (a piece of) land, a bed, seats, tāmbūla, houses, wealth, eatables, food, sandal and agaru (sandal), stand enjoyments in a forest, at the top of a mountain, in a village, or even in a city, with great care. On this mountain also stay more powerful demons, so also very fierce demons, goblins and female goblins. At some time, somehow, somewhere, they, wandering in the forest, get food and drink in every forest.

134-142. Having heard this you should not be afraid of them. They are not capable of even looking at you, a pure devotee of Viṣṇu. Demons, evil spirits and demonesses neither touch nor see him whose body is protected by devotion for Viṣṇu and who depends upon Viṣṇu. Ghosts, goblins, gandharvas , female attendants of Durgā , respectable Planets, Revatīs , Vṛddharevatīs, Mukhamaṇḍīs, so also (other) Planets, Yakṣas , young Planets, cruel, wicked, old Planets, so also Mātṛgrahas, fierce Planets, other Vināyakas also, Kṛtyās , serpents, Kūṣmāṇḍa , so also other wicked beings, do not look at a pure great brāhmaṇa, Viṣṇu’s devotee, O brāhmaṇa. Imps protect a pure and the most religious person, and do not trouble him. The Planets, Stars and deities always protect a pure person. On the tip of your tongue is Viṣṇu’s name. In your heart remains the Veda . You are pure and devoted to giving gifts. You have fear from nowhere. O brāhmaṇa, thus I remain undergoing the fruits of my acts. Thinking and deliberating like this again and again, I do not wail. Similarly I am not pained as long as I remember the words of the crane, which I, when I was wandering, heard on the bank of the Jambālinī.

The brāhmaṇa said :

143. What kind of(i.e. which) words uttered by the crane did you hear? I desire to hear them. O evil spirit, tell them quickly.

The evil spirit said :

144-153. I shall tell you the words of the crane. O best pilgrim, listen to them. In the interior of this forest there is a river Dhūsarā by name, rising from a mountain. She is always violent due to fisḥ, and full of intoxicated elephants, rich with the beauty of great arjuna trees, and charming with glossy jambū fruits. Roaming in the dense forest, I reached her bank. When I remained there with a desire to eat fruits, a crane, along with a female crane, flew from another forest and came there to resort to the sand-bank with many birds. Having drunk water and sported just there with his mate, and putting the top of his head (i.e. his beak) into the cavity in his left wing, he slept. In the meanwhile was seen a monkey, getting down from the tree. His face was red. His eyes were very red. He was proud, and had strong rows of nails. He had (profuse) hair on his body, had a long tail, was quick in his movements. He speedily came there where the crane had slept. Coming (to the crane), he, with both his hands cruelly seized tightly the leg of the crane even as many birds were watching. All the birds, flew and flew and went elsewhere. The female crane remained (there) frightened and crying. The crane, with his sleep disturbed, with his eyes trembling due to fear, raised his neck quickly and saw (the monkey).

154-160. Seeing the wicked and very fierce monkey, desiring to kill him, the bird spoke to him in a sweet voice: “O monkey, why do you trouble me without any fault (of mine)? In the world, even the kings punish guilty persons. Good persons (i.e. beings) like you do not trouble harmless good birds averse to other (means of) subsistence, eating the moss in water, living in a forest, always bent upon sporting with their own mates, and avoiding others’ mates. O best monkey, (beings) like you do not trouble birds free from censuring others and from wickedness, and the best servants. O monkey, quickly leave me who am fully innocent. I remember your (former) existence. But you do not know mine.” Having heard these words of (i.e. uttered by) him, the quick monkey left him and remaining away quickly said to him:

The monkey said :

161. Tell me how you know my former existence. You are a bird having no knowledge, and I am an animal moving in the forest.

The crane said :

162-172. I know your (former) existence (due to my) clearly remembering your condition in your former life. In the former life you were Parvateśvara , the king of the Vindhya region. I was the most respected priest in your family. Therefore, O best monkey, I know (the former life of) you. While protecting this land, you, without discrimination, and collecting much wealth, harassed all (your) subjects. O monkey, you were first burnt by the flames of fire due to the torment inflicted on the subjects, and then were thrown into the very fierce Kumbhīpāka . Being repeatedly burnt and being born, you, uttering fierce words, and weeping again and again, and experiencing, with your hellish body, a terrible agony due to the fire in the Kumbhīpāka passed thirty years. After you again crossed (i.e. went out of) the hell, you have obtained this existence of the monkey due to the remaining sin, due to which you now desire to kill me. Formerly through your valour you took away bananas from the grove of a brāhmaṇa without being permitted by him. Note that the ripening of that act is giving its fruit. Therefore, due to it you are still a monkey, and are now living in the forest. The undergoing (of the fruit) of a good or bad act done previously plays among (i.e. is effective on) beings. Even gods cannot pass over it. Thus I know your (former) life properly and with its cause. Not being deluded by my knowledge, I too obtained this crane’s body.

The evil spirit said :

173. O brāhmaṇa, hearing this account the monkey too said to the crane: “You know (everything) properly, (then) how were you born as a bird?”

The crane said :

174-187. I shall tell you about that act due to which I met with misery and due to which I went to (i.e. was born in) the stock of a bird. Please listen to all that. To give it to many brāhmaṇas on Carmadā at the time of a solar eclipse you had laid aside (stock of) grains measuring a hundred khāris . Through my arrogance of (being your) priest and through greed, I, deceiving the brāhmaṇas, gave them a little and all (the remaining) I look (for myself). Due to the sin springing from taking the wealth (to be given) in common to the brāhmaṇas, I fell into the Kālasūtra hell, full of mire of blood, which was quite full of moving insects, having a bad odour, foamy with pus; with my face down and licking the pus, I was plunged into it up to my navel. Similarly from above my body was being constantly eaten up by great vultures and crows, and was being cut off by insects. In that mire of blood I became breathless; and even a short time there was as much as a kalpa for me. For three myriad years I experienced the agony. O monkey, I am not able to describe that misery (I had) in the hell. Priesthood is very fearful and naturally causes sin. In it the living of a brāhmaṇa is like that of a god. Acceptance of gifts from a king is fearful. Due to it brāhmaṇas were burnt. The priest would snatch away even their wealth. Due to that he becomes a hellish (being). The wise declare that the sin which a king first physically commits, is fixed on the priest. Luckily somehow I crossed the ocean of hell. Due to luck I first reached the stock of a bird. I got this condition (i.e. existence) of a crane, as, formerly, after taking a brass-metal pot from my sister, I gave it to a gambler. And this was a very fearful brāhmaṇī , who stole brass-metal. Due to that she has become my lawful wife, the female crane.

188-201. O monkey, I have thus told you the entire fruit of (my acts). Now listen to the past, the present and the future. I shall be (born as) a swan; and you will also be (born as) a swan. This my wife, the female crane, will be (born as) a female swan. We shall live happily in the Kāmarūpa country. After that we shall go to a female devotee, (who will be) good (to us) in future. Then we shall obtain existence as humans, difficult to get, where virtue and its opposite are secured by beings. Śiva , having thus deluded all beings with his Mayā , rejoices by giving pleasures and pains not only to us but to all beings. This is the way created variously in the world, which is full of virtue and vice and the nature of its fruit is pleasure and pain. It is always or repeatedly followed by all beings, gods, demons, human beings, tigers, worms, insects and aquatic animals. Without thinking about detached meditating saints who have mastered the Upaniṣads, no one has crossed this path having thorns of misery. Maheśvara , considering the place and time gives in this world the fruit of virtuous or vicious deed of the size of an atom or a big one. Very intelligent persons, knowing the Māyā of the lord, knowing what is to be done according to the sacred laws, do not grieve, nor are they tormented, nor are they troubled. O monkey, the effect of the former deeds cannot be changed with means or intelligence even by gods. Formerly you were born as a king, then were born as a hellish being. Now being born as a monkey, you will get an existence like that (i.e. according to your former deeds). Thinking like this, O monkey, being free from grief, and enjoying in this forest, wait for your death. I, too, bound by the Māyā of the Lord, and mustering courage, will pass my existence as a crane in forest after forest.

The monkey said :

202-203. I honoured you before. Even now I praise you. You remember (our) former existence. (Now) I know everything about our former life. O crane, live with the female crane. May you always have well-being. I whose illusion has gone due to your words, will (now) always move.

The evil spirit said :

204-216. O brāhmaṇa, when, on the bank of the river I heard this charming, wonderful, highly purifying dialogue between the bird (i.e. the crane) and the monkey, I too was enlightened, and due to that my grief disappeared. Seeing the very wonderful greatness of the water of Gaṅgā, I, O best brāhmaṇa, now ask you for the water of Gaṅgā. I desire to be emancipated from this state of the evil spirit. I am oppressed with severe thirst. O brāhmaṇa, on this mountain only I saw a great wonder of the water of Gaṅgā. (Therefore,) I desire to drink that water. A brāhmaṇa, born on Pāriyātra , acted as priest at the village-sacrifices. Due to acting as a priest at the sacrifices of those who were incompetent to offer sacrifices, he was born as a brahmarākṣasa on Vindhya. Due to his desire for my company, he stayed there for eight years. O best brāhmaṇa, his good son collected his bones (after burning his corpse). Bringing them to the pure holy place of Kanakhala , he cast them into Gaṅgā. That moment only he became free from the very fierce demonhood. Thus, I actually saw the wonderful greatness of a bath in Gaṅgā. Therefore, I asked (you) for this water of Gaṅgā. Since, formerly I procured many possessions at the holy place, and did not counteract (the effect of) them in the form of muttering (of hymns) etc., therefore, I, of the form of an evil spirit am not getting water and food easily. On this Vindhya mountain a thousand years have thus passed. Giving up great shame (i.e. being very shameless), I have told you everything. O most religious one, now quickly gratify my life being in the throat (i.e. about to depart), by giving me water. In this world life even in the condition of an evil spirit is difficult to be obtained by beings. By all means men should always protect their body. Even those suffering from leprosy etc. do not desire to abandon their bodies.

Devadyuti said :

217-227. Hearing these words of (i.e. uttered by) him, the pilgrim was much amazed, and feeling compassion for the evil spirit, thought: ‘In the world the fruit of sin or religious merit is actually seen as birth as a god, a demon, a man, a lower animal, an insect or a worm—thus birth in many stocks and being troubled by many diseases. So also death of children or old persons, blindness and hunch-backedness. So also affluence, poverty, wisdom, folly. These affects take place. How can they be otherwise? Those who in their place of work give to worthy recipients money earned through just ways, and (thus) accomplish their own well-being, are blessed. Land, gems, gold, cows, grains, a house, elephants, chariots, horses, garments, villages, ready food, fruits, water, so also one’s daughter, a divine medicine, food, umbrella, sandals, an excellent seat, a bed, a tāmbūla, flowers, a fan, excellent seat—all this should be given by those desiring to win the three worlds. What is given is received in heaven; what is given is alone enjoyed. Umbrellas, chowries, vehicles, excellent horses, excellent elephants, mansions, excellent beds, cows, buffaloes, and excellent women, food, ornaments, pearls, sons, maid-servants, a noble family, (long) life, (good) health, affluence, skill in arts and lores—all this is obtained by men on the earth as the fruit of giving (gifts) only. Therefore give carefully. That which is not given does not stand by one.’

228-239. This verse was sung by the most religious traveller. Hearing thus, the evil spirit, with his mind afflicted, spoke again: “O traveller, I think you are almost like one coversant with Dharma . There is no doubt about it. Give me jīvana (life/water) as the cloud (gives) water to a cātaka . Do not much delay in giving me the gift of my life.” Then the traveller replied in words pregnant with justice. “O evil spirit, listen. My parents stay at Bhṛgukṣetra . For them I have brought the water from (Prayāga) the lord of holy places. (But now) in the middle (i.e. on my way) you have asked for that white and black water (i.e. from Prayāga). I do not know whether any doubt on my part for a religious act is proper now. For the strength or weakness (of this act) I shall do (i.e. follow) the great order from the Vedas and the religious texts. (I will) not (do anything) through pride only. The sages and deities have looked upon the protection of the life of beings as superior to all the sacrifices like the horse-sacrifice. Thus giving you that excellent water and protecting you, the evil spirit, I shall again bring the purifying water and take it (to my parents). This appears to me to be a powerful act giving me religious merit. The wise have said that all else except obliging others is inferior. Men, obliging others, have gladly offered even their (own) life. By giving water there would be an obligation. Then what is not gained by me? This verse, formerly sung by Dadhīci is heard (i.e. well-known) on the earth: ‘Benevolence even with (i.e. at the cost of one’s) life or wealth, which is full of all piety and is its essence, is approved by all those who are conversant with Dharma. The religious merit due to obliging others is equivalent to hundreds of sacrifices’.”

240-249. Speaking like this, that excellent, most religious brāhmaṇa gave to the evil spirit, the water (from the confluence of) Gaṅgā and Yamunā for the protection of his life. The evil spirit drank the water and sprinkled his head with it. That moment only he abandoned his body of evil spirit, and became one with a divine body. Seeing that great wonder, the Keralite said: “Oh, due to the drops of the water from Veṇī (i.e. Trivenī), I am freed from the condition of an evil spirit. I think even Brahmā cannot describe the merit of the water. Otherwise, why does Śiva have the water of Gaṅgā on his head? He who would drink the water of Gaṅgā as much as the size of a sesamum (i.e. even a small drop), whose power is inconceivable, would be a god or a siddha . He would not enter the womb (i.e. would not be born again). There is no accomplishment like Gaṅgā, no knowledge like Gaṅgā, no salvation like Gaṅgā, since Gaṅgā is superior to all. Therefore, O religious one, final beatitude is in the hand of him who, with all efforts and great devotion, always resorts to Gaṅgā. O traveller, live long, do not desist from piety. By giving me a drop of the water of Gaṅgā, you have instantly emancipated me.” Saying so, that evil spirit from Kerala, after having congratulated that excellent brother, the traveller, with blessings, proceeded to hevaen. That traveller also again brought the water, and bringing to his mind the wonder (caused by) the water from the holy place, went the same way (as he had come).

Vasiṣṭha said :

250-258. Thus hearing the greatness of Prayāga and saluting the sage, the evil spirit at once and quickly went to Prayāga in Māgha. O best brāhmaṇa, that evil spirit too, having bathed at Prayāga in the month of Māgha, and with his sins destroyed, gave up that body of the evil spirit. Then that Draviḍa king, being one with a divine body, devoutly praising god Viṣṇu, and free from blemishes, being praised by gandharvas, being honoured by divine ladies, went in an excellent aeroplane, to the city of Indra. O brāhmaṇa, I have thus told you, the former, wonderful historical account which instantly destroys sins. You have thus heard (the account) giving knowledge, giving salvation, and destroying misery. I have thus told you the wonderful old account; O best brāhmaṇa, you have heard the old account destroying misery. Now, with me these girls, this your son, and you—all desiring felicity, should come to Prayāga. There we shall have the Māgha bath difficult to be had even by gods. There they will instantly give up their goblinhood caused by sin.

Śiva said :

259-286. Having thus gladly drunk the sweet juice of the story from the lotus-like mouth of Vasiṣṭha , all were much delighted, and they crossed the ocean of hell. Being delighted they proceeded with him in the sky. O Dilīpa , hear all (about) that holy place Sitāsita (i.e. Prayāga). They who were irresistible, having secured their desired object, quickly came there, and that time they were happy in their heart. Then Lomaśa kindly said in the courtyard of the sky: “Let all see this lord of holy places on the earth. All beings are freed at this Prayāga, (even) without knowledge. The Creator, desiring to create, performed a sacrifice here only. (Then) he obtained the power to create and then created (the universe). Viṣṇu, desiring a wife, bathed here atPrayāga. Therefore, he obtained Lakṣmī as his wife at the time of churning (out) the nectar here (only). Having lived here for six months, and having bathed at Veṇī at will, the Trident-holder killed with three arrows Tripura . These three ponds are blazing with perpetual fires. This fire is satisfied, and is nourished with even water. Here the thirty-three gods, being contented, were much delighted. Śiva, Nīlakaṇtha, Kapālabhṛt (literally, holder of a skull), the chap served constantly by gods, came here (to offer) a handful (of water). This is that Viṣṇu, of the form of abstract meditation, in whose fit mouth, the son of Mṛkaṇḍa , having entered when the world was full of flames, stayed. This is that Śiva’s Bhāgīrathī which removes all misery, For perfection she is served by siddhas , and gives enjoyment and salvation. She who always gives bliss, is excellent on the path to heaven. This is that river Bhāgīrathī, the goddess, that is the cause of (i.e. that leads one to) heaven. This is that river Yamunā herself, by merely bathing in whose water, beings obtain the same world as that of the Sun. O sage, the confluence of these two auspicious rivers gives happiness. Those who have bathed here, being sanctified by knowledge, are not roasted in hell. All beings, (even) without (having) knowledge, are liberated at this Prayāga. O brāhmaṇa, listen to another old historical account which destroys all sins and diseases of the listeners. Formerly a gandharva, cursed by Ṛcīka , became a crow. He at once got rid of the curse when he bathed here, that is at Prayāga only. Due to Indra’s curse the celestial nymph Urvaśī dropped from heaven. She, desiring (to go to) heaven, bathed (here) and soon obtained heaven. O sage, Nahuṣa ’s son Yayāti obtained a propitious son after he, longing for a son, bathed at Prayāga having the holy white and black water (of Gaṅgā and Yamunā). O best brāhmaṇa, formerly Indra, longing for wealth bathed well here. Through deceit he snatched all the treasures of Kubera . Kaśyapa intent on propitiating Śiva, practised penance here. At this holy place Bharadvāja obtained perfection in abstract meditation. O brāhmaṇa, formerly at this holy place, Sanaka and others, masters of abstract meditation and of tranquil minds, obtained the fruit—the object of their abstract meditation. Those who have bathed here at the confluence of Gaṅgā and Yamunā in (the month of) Māgha, have become of the form of Stars and have pervaded the entire world. Those desiring (some objects) obtain their desired objects, and those desiring salvation obtain salvation. Those desiring perfection obtain it at Prayāga, O best brāhmaṇa. Now these maidens and your son long for salvation. On my word let all of them bathe here at Prayāga. Due to the efficacy of the water of the Veṇī (i.e. the confluence of Gaṅgā, Yamunā and Sarasvatī ), may they obtain the entire wealth, the great fruit of the curse received by them [3] .” Hearing these super-sensible [4] , true and unsurpassable words of the sage all they, with eager minds, were ready to bathe. Having reached Prayāga, difficult to get, they, in a moment, gave up their goblinhood.

287-289a. Freed from the agony of the curse, they obtained their respective bodies. Vedanidhi, seeing his son and those girls of divine forms, and with his mind pleased, affectionately praised Lomaśa. “Due to your favour only, this great ocean of sin has been crossed. O best sage, now speak what is proper for (these) children.”

Lomaśa said :

289b-298. This young boy has studied the Vedas and has completed his vow. Let him accept the lotus-like hand of these, full of love (for him).

Then by Lomaśa’s words and those of his father, that pious celibate had the auspicious rite performed by the sages with auspicious articles and hymns. According to the religious rule he accepted the hand of all the five girls. All the girls were then delighted and had their desires satisfied. The boy also was pleased. That sage Lomaśa, having granted them permission, and being saluted by them, went to his hermitage, the Meru mountain, resorted to by gods. Then, O king, Vedanidhi, taking with him his five daughters-in-law and his son, and being delighted, went to Kubera’s city. O best king, due to the religious merit arising from the bath in Māgha at the lord of holy places, Prayāga, and due to the words of the excellent sage, the five gandharva girls got free from all sins, and due to having got the desired object had their desires fulfilled. He who everyday listens to this great historical account, which is purifying, which has become an object of veneration, which is the cause of the destruction of sins, becomes complete with all desired objects, and being rare and endowed with religious merit goes to the world of gods. He who, having heard this historical account, would honour the reader with cows, gold, garments,—since the reader is like Brahmā—(obtains religious merit). Since the reader is honoured, Viṣṇu is worshipped; therefore, a man who would desire his worldly existence to be fruitful, should everyday honour him.

[1]: [1] : Aṣṭakā—A group of three days (7th, 8th and 9th) beginning from the seventh day after the full moon.

[2]: [2] : Maghā—Name of the tenth lunar mansion containing five stars.

[3]: [3] : prāptaśāpamahāphalāṃ [?]

[4]: [4] : atindrīya [?]

Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 44692, revision 333888 (2022-03-19T00:54:31Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc365708.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.