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Uttara-khaṇḍa · Chapter 141

Chapter 141

Unit 553 of 693Uttara-khaṇḍa · Chapter 141Uttara-khaṇḍa · Chapter 1411 source entries

Uttara-khaṇḍa · Chapter 141

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महादेव उवाच। ततो देवि प्रवक्ष्यामि हिरण्यासंगमादनु । धर्मावती नदी यत्र संगता सह गंगया १। तत्र स्नात्वा नरो धन्यस्त्रिदिवं यात्यसंशयम् । यत्र धर्मकृतं तीर्थं यः पश्यति स पुण्यभाक् २। श्राद्धं तत्रैव ये कुर्युर्मुच्यंते पितृजादृणात् । ततश्च मधुरातीर्थं सर्वपापप्रणाशनम् ३। स्नातव्यं मधुरातीर्थे द्रष्टव्यो मधुहा हरिः । यत्र विश्रांतवान्कृष्णो जरासंधभयाकुलः ४। कंसासुरवधे वृत्ते गंतुकामः कुशस्थलीम् । उषित्वा सप्तरात्रं तु स देवश्चंदनातटे ५। भोजवृष्ण्यंधकवृतो वीरैर्यादवपुंगवैः । मधुरातीर्थमासाद्य स्नानं कृत्वा विधानतः ६। मधुरादित्यनामानं यत्र स्थापितवान्हरिः । अष्टादशसहस्राणि विप्राणां यज्ञशालिनाम् ७। स्थापयित्वा ययौ दत्त्वा यानानि विविधानि च । तत्र तीर्थसहस्राणि तिष्ठंति च सुरेश्वरि ८। श्राद्धं तत्र प्रकर्तव्यं पितॄणां हितकाम्यया । न भेतव्यं जरासंधान्मत्तीर्थे वसतां सदा ९। इत्युक्त्वा तान्द्विजान्कृष्णः प्रययौ द्वारकां प्रति । तस्मिंस्तीर्थे नरः स्नात्वा मधुरार्कं प्रपूजयेत् १०। माघस्य शुक्लसप्तम्यां कपिला गो प्रदानतः । चिरं सौख्यानि भुंक्त्वेह पदमादित्यमा व्रजेत् ११। शृणु सुन्दरि वक्ष्यामि इतिहासं पुरातनम् । यं श्रुत्वा मुच्यते लोको ब्रह्महत्यादि पातकात् १२। एकस्मिन्समये देवि मांडव्यो ऋषिसत्तमः । गङ्गाद्वारे महापुण्यं तप्तवांस्तु महत्तपः १३। पत्राशी च फलाशी च वायुभक्षकरः सदा । अहोरात्रं सदा देवि विष्णुध्यानपरायणः १४। योगाभ्यासरतो नित्यं नित्यं धर्मपरायणः । तस्मिन्देशे तु वै देवि राजा वै विश्वमोहनः १५। गजाश्वरथपत्तीनां संपदो बहुला भुवि । सोमचंद्रेति विख्यातः पुत्रस्तस्य सुलक्षणः १६। एकदा तु तदा देवि गतो ह्याखेटके वने । तत्र गत्वा तदा तेन कृत्वा ह्याखेटकक्रियाः १७। स्वात्मानं रमयामास स्वलोकैः परिवारितः । क्रीडारते तदा राज्ञि रात्रिर्जाता सुरेश्वरि १८। तस्यां रात्रौ तदा राजा उवासाखेटके वने । तस्यां रात्र्यां व्यतीतायां मुहूर्ते ब्रह्मसंज्ञके १९। हृतोऽश्वोऽथ विशेषेण चौरेणात्र दुरात्मना । तदा हाहेति शब्दोऽभूत्क्व गतः क्व गतो हरिः २०। तदा राज्ञो भयात्सर्वे गंतुकामाः समुत्सुकाः । चौरेणापहृतश्चाश्व इत्येवं संवदंति हि २१। निरीक्ष्यमाणास्ते सर्वे हरिद्वारं समागताः । ऋषिस्तत्र तु मांडव्यस्तपस्तपति नित्यशः २२। ध्यानेन च समायुक्तो दृष्टोऽसौ तैर्भटैस्तदा । अयं चौरः सदा पापी ध्यानं कृत्वा प्रतिष्ठति २३। बद्ध्वाश्वं तु समायातो ज्ञात्वा राजभटैस्तदा । एवं विचार्य ते सर्वे गृहीत्वा तं महामुनिम् २४। राज्ञे निवेदयामासुस्तं चौरं मुनिसत्तमम् । अश्वापहारी ह्यानीतश्चौरोऽयं नृप सर्वदा २५। आज्ञा दत्ता तदा तेन शूलिकारोपणे पुनः । तदा तैस्तुभटैः सर्वैर्मिलित्वा बंधनं कृतम् २६। पश्चाद्वै शूलिकाप्रोतस्तत्क्षणात्तु कृतस्तदा । न ज्ञातं तेन तत्कर्म शूलिकायाः प्रतोदनम् २७। यतो योगसमारूढो विष्णुध्यानपरायणः । शूलिकाप्रोतनं ज्ञातं कतिचित्कालयोगतः २८। मांडव्योऽहंमृषिश्रेष्ठः केन कर्म इदं कृतम् । त्रिकालज्ञानी सर्वज्ञो भगवांस्तद्व्यचिंतयत् २९। धर्मस्य च इदं कर्म न चान्यस्य कदाचन । योगारूढः स धर्मात्मा गतोऽसौ धर्मसंनिधौ ३०। तत्र गत्वा उवाचेदं शृणु त्वं धर्म सांप्रतम् । त्वं वै धर्म इति ख्यातो लोके वेदे च सर्वदा ३१। शूलिकाप्रोतनं कर्म कथं चैव त्वया कृतम् । तत्सर्वं श्रोतुमिच्छामि त्वत्तो देव न संशयः ३२। धर्म उवाच। शृणुष्व त्वं द्विजश्रेष्ठ पूर्वजन्मनि पातकम् । तदहं कथयिष्यामि कृपां कुरु ममोपरि ३३। बालत्वे तु इदं कर्म पूर्वजन्मजपातकम् । तच्छृणुष्व महाप्राज्ञ भवेऽस्मिन्पातनं कृतम् ३४। एकस्मिन्समये विप्र त्वं गतो विजने वने । तत्र गत्वा त्वया विप्र जीवः शलभसंज्ञकः ३५। आरोऽपितः स वै शूल्यां कर्मणा तेन दुःखितः । राज्ञा शूलेऽर्पितस्त्वं वै कर्मणानेन सुव्रत ३६। सर्वथैव प्रभोक्तव्यं कृतं कर्म शुभाशुभम् । अल्पमात्रमिदं कर्म त्वया भुक्तं न संशयः ३७। सुखी भवतु विप्रेंद्र गच्छ त्वं हि यथेच्छया । एतद्वाक्यं ततः श्रुत्वा मांडव्यो द्विजसत्तमः ३८। उवाच वचनं तत्र सकोपादारुणेक्षणः । मांडव्य उवाच। रे पापिष्ठ दुराचार किं कृतं बहुपातकम् ३९। येन कृत्वा इदं कर्म शूलिकायाः प्रतोदनम् । ममवाक्यप्रकोपेन शूद्रस्त्वं भव सर्वथा ४०। कियता कालयोगेन वंशे वै चंद्रसंज्ञके । जातो विदुरनामाख्यो विष्णुभक्तिपरायणः ४१। तीर्थयात्रामिषेणैव गतः साभ्रमतीं नदीम् । यत्र धर्मावती संगो वर्त्तते च सुरेश्वरि ४२। तत्र वै कृतवान्स्नानं विदुरो धर्मरूपवान् । त्यक्तं तत्र हि शूद्रत्वं धर्मावत्यां न संशयः ४३। एतस्मात्कारणाद्देवि यत्र स्नानं प्रकुर्वते । ते नराः पुण्यकर्माणो गच्छंति परमं पदम् ४४। अत्र श्राद्धं च दानं च ये कुर्वंति नरा भुवि । इहलोके परामृद्धिं प्राप्य तैर्दिविमुद्यते ४५। इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्साहस्र्यां संहितायामुत्तरखंडे उमामहेश्वरसंवादे साभ्रमतीमाहात्म्ये मधुरादित्यमाहात्म्यंनामैकचत्वारिंशदधिक शततमोऽध्यायः १४१।

mahādeva uvāca| tato devi pravakṣyāmi hiraṇyāsaṃgamādanu | dharmāvatī nadī yatra saṃgatā saha gaṃgayā 1| tatra snātvā naro dhanyastridivaṃ yātyasaṃśayam | yatra dharmakṛtaṃ tīrthaṃ yaḥ paśyati sa puṇyabhāk 2| śrāddhaṃ tatraiva ye kuryurmucyaṃte pitṛjādṛṇāt | tataśca madhurātīrthaṃ sarvapāpapraṇāśanam 3| snātavyaṃ madhurātīrthe draṣṭavyo madhuhā hariḥ | yatra viśrāṃtavānkṛṣṇo jarāsaṃdhabhayākulaḥ 4| kaṃsāsuravadhe vṛtte gaṃtukāmaḥ kuśasthalīm | uṣitvā saptarātraṃ tu sa devaścaṃdanātaṭe 5| bhojavṛṣṇyaṃdhakavṛto vīrairyādavapuṃgavaiḥ | madhurātīrthamāsādya snānaṃ kṛtvā vidhānataḥ 6| madhurādityanāmānaṃ yatra sthāpitavānhariḥ | aṣṭādaśasahasrāṇi viprāṇāṃ yajñaśālinām 7| sthāpayitvā yayau dattvā yānāni vividhāni ca | tatra tīrthasahasrāṇi tiṣṭhaṃti ca sureśvari 8| śrāddhaṃ tatra prakartavyaṃ pitṝṇāṃ hitakāmyayā | na bhetavyaṃ jarāsaṃdhānmattīrthe vasatāṃ sadā 9| ityuktvā tāndvijānkṛṣṇaḥ prayayau dvārakāṃ prati | tasmiṃstīrthe naraḥ snātvā madhurārkaṃ prapūjayet 10| māghasya śuklasaptamyāṃ kapilā go pradānataḥ | ciraṃ saukhyāni bhuṃktveha padamādityamā vrajet 11| śṛṇu sundari vakṣyāmi itihāsaṃ purātanam | yaṃ śrutvā mucyate loko brahmahatyādi pātakāt 12| ekasminsamaye devi māṃḍavyo ṛṣisattamaḥ | gaṅgādvāre mahāpuṇyaṃ taptavāṃstu mahattapaḥ 13| patrāśī ca phalāśī ca vāyubhakṣakaraḥ sadā | ahorātraṃ sadā devi viṣṇudhyānaparāyaṇaḥ 14| yogābhyāsarato nityaṃ nityaṃ dharmaparāyaṇaḥ | tasmindeśe tu vai devi rājā vai viśvamohanaḥ 15| gajāśvarathapattīnāṃ saṃpado bahulā bhuvi | somacaṃdreti vikhyātaḥ putrastasya sulakṣaṇaḥ 16| ekadā tu tadā devi gato hyākheṭake vane | tatra gatvā tadā tena kṛtvā hyākheṭakakriyāḥ 17| svātmānaṃ ramayāmāsa svalokaiḥ parivāritaḥ | krīḍārate tadā rājñi rātrirjātā sureśvari 18| tasyāṃ rātrau tadā rājā uvāsākheṭake vane | tasyāṃ rātryāṃ vyatītāyāṃ muhūrte brahmasaṃjñake 19| hṛto'śvo'tha viśeṣeṇa caureṇātra durātmanā | tadā hāheti śabdo'bhūtkva gataḥ kva gato hariḥ 20| tadā rājño bhayātsarve gaṃtukāmāḥ samutsukāḥ | caureṇāpahṛtaścāśva ityevaṃ saṃvadaṃti hi 21| nirīkṣyamāṇāste sarve haridvāraṃ samāgatāḥ | ṛṣistatra tu māṃḍavyastapastapati nityaśaḥ 22| dhyānena ca samāyukto dṛṣṭo'sau tairbhaṭaistadā | ayaṃ cauraḥ sadā pāpī dhyānaṃ kṛtvā pratiṣṭhati 23| baddhvāśvaṃ tu samāyāto jñātvā rājabhaṭaistadā | evaṃ vicārya te sarve gṛhītvā taṃ mahāmunim 24| rājñe nivedayāmāsustaṃ cauraṃ munisattamam | aśvāpahārī hyānītaścauro'yaṃ nṛpa sarvadā 25| ājñā dattā tadā tena śūlikāropaṇe punaḥ | tadā taistubhaṭaiḥ sarvairmilitvā baṃdhanaṃ kṛtam 26| paścādvai śūlikāprotastatkṣaṇāttu kṛtastadā | na jñātaṃ tena tatkarma śūlikāyāḥ pratodanam 27| yato yogasamārūḍho viṣṇudhyānaparāyaṇaḥ | śūlikāprotanaṃ jñātaṃ katicitkālayogataḥ 28| māṃḍavyo'haṃmṛṣiśreṣṭhaḥ kena karma idaṃ kṛtam | trikālajñānī sarvajño bhagavāṃstadvyaciṃtayat 29| dharmasya ca idaṃ karma na cānyasya kadācana | yogārūḍhaḥ sa dharmātmā gato'sau dharmasaṃnidhau 30| tatra gatvā uvācedaṃ śṛṇu tvaṃ dharma sāṃpratam | tvaṃ vai dharma iti khyāto loke vede ca sarvadā 31| śūlikāprotanaṃ karma kathaṃ caiva tvayā kṛtam | tatsarvaṃ śrotumicchāmi tvatto deva na saṃśayaḥ 32| dharma uvāca| śṛṇuṣva tvaṃ dvijaśreṣṭha pūrvajanmani pātakam | tadahaṃ kathayiṣyāmi kṛpāṃ kuru mamopari 33| bālatve tu idaṃ karma pūrvajanmajapātakam | tacchṛṇuṣva mahāprājña bhave'sminpātanaṃ kṛtam 34| ekasminsamaye vipra tvaṃ gato vijane vane | tatra gatvā tvayā vipra jīvaḥ śalabhasaṃjñakaḥ 35| āro'pitaḥ sa vai śūlyāṃ karmaṇā tena duḥkhitaḥ | rājñā śūle'rpitastvaṃ vai karmaṇānena suvrata 36| sarvathaiva prabhoktavyaṃ kṛtaṃ karma śubhāśubham | alpamātramidaṃ karma tvayā bhuktaṃ na saṃśayaḥ 37| sukhī bhavatu vipreṃdra gaccha tvaṃ hi yathecchayā | etadvākyaṃ tataḥ śrutvā māṃḍavyo dvijasattamaḥ 38| uvāca vacanaṃ tatra sakopādāruṇekṣaṇaḥ | māṃḍavya uvāca| re pāpiṣṭha durācāra kiṃ kṛtaṃ bahupātakam 39| yena kṛtvā idaṃ karma śūlikāyāḥ pratodanam | mamavākyaprakopena śūdrastvaṃ bhava sarvathā 40| kiyatā kālayogena vaṃśe vai caṃdrasaṃjñake | jāto viduranāmākhyo viṣṇubhaktiparāyaṇaḥ 41| tīrthayātrāmiṣeṇaiva gataḥ sābhramatīṃ nadīm | yatra dharmāvatī saṃgo varttate ca sureśvari 42| tatra vai kṛtavānsnānaṃ viduro dharmarūpavān | tyaktaṃ tatra hi śūdratvaṃ dharmāvatyāṃ na saṃśayaḥ 43| etasmātkāraṇāddevi yatra snānaṃ prakurvate | te narāḥ puṇyakarmāṇo gacchaṃti paramaṃ padam 44| atra śrāddhaṃ ca dānaṃ ca ye kurvaṃti narā bhuvi | ihaloke parāmṛddhiṃ prāpya tairdivimudyate 45| iti śrīpādme mahāpurāṇe paṃcapaṃcāśatsāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāmuttarakhaṃḍe umāmaheśvarasaṃvāde sābhramatīmāhātmye madhurādityamāhātmyaṃnāmaikacatvāriṃśadadhika śatatamo'dhyāyaḥ 141|

English translation

Mahādeva said :

1-11. O goddess, then I shall, after the description of Hiraṇyāsaṅgama, describe the holy place where the river Dharmavatī joins (Sābhramatī). There is no doubt that a fortunate man bathing there goes to heaven. He who sees there the holy place-fashioned by Yama is meritorious. Those who perform a śrāddha there are free from the debt of their dead ancestors. Then there is the Madhurā - tīrtha , which destroys all sins. One should bathe at Madhurā-tīrtha, and see Viṣṇu , the killer of Madhu . Here, Kṛṣṇa , full of the fear of Jarāsandha , had rested. After the murder of Kaṃsa demon had taken place, he, desirous of going to Kuśasthalī , lived for seven nights on the bank of Candanā , surrounded by Bhoja , Vṛṣṇi , Andhaka and Yādava heroes. He reached Madhurātīrtha and bathed as per rules. There Viṣṇu established (the image) by name Madhurāditya. He settled (there) eighteen thousand brāhmaṇas performing sacrifices, and left after giving them various vehicles. O chief goddess, there are thousands of holy places. One desiring the good of the dead ancestors, should perform a śrāddha there.”You who are staying in my holy place, should never be afraid of Jarasandha .” Having thus told those brāhmaṇas Kṛṣṇa went to Dvārakā . A man having bathed in that holy place, should worship Madhurārka. Due to the gift of a tawny cow on the seventh of the bright fortnight of Māgha , a man after enjoying pleasures here for a long time, would go to the position of the Sun.

12-23. O beautiful lady, listen, I shall tell you an ancient account, hearing which people are free from such sins as the murder of a brāhmaṇa . O goddess, on one occasion, the best sage Māṇḍavya practised very auspicious and severe penance at Gaṅgādvāra . He ate leaves and fruits and always ate (i.e. subsisted on) air. O goddess, day and night he was always greatly devoted to meditating on Viṣṇu. He was engaged in the practice of abstract meditation, and was always given to religious practices. O goddess, king Viśvamohana lived in that country. He had abundant wealth (consisting) of elephants, horses, chariots and foot-soldiers on the earth. His son, of auspicious marks, was Somacandra by name. O goddess, once he went for hunting in the forest. Having gone there, and having had the sports of hunting, he, surrended by his own people, amused himself. When he was engaged in sports, it was night, O goddess. During the night the king stayed in the forest for hunting. When the night passed, and when it was the period (of the day) called Brahma , his horse was stolen by a wicked thief. Then there was a cry, ‘Hā, hā’ ‘Where has the horse gone?’ Then all of them desirous of going away and eager, through the fear of the king, said to one another: “The horse is specially stolen by a thief.” Looking for (it), they all came to Haridvāra . There the sage Māṇḍavya always practised penance. At that time the soldiers saw him lost in meditation: ‘This thief, always a sinner, remains in meditation’.

24-32. Suspecting that he had come (there) after having tied the horse, the king’s soldiers thought like that and seized the great sage They reported to the king about the thief, viz. the best sage. “O king, this snatcher of the horse is brought. O king, he is always a thief.” Then he gave an order to transfix him on a stake. Then all the soldiers came together, and tied him. Then in a moment he was transfixed on a stake. He did not notice that act of being transfixed on a stake. Since he was engaged in abstract meditation and highly devoted to meditation on Viṣṇu, he noticed being transfixed on a stake after some time. “I am Māṇḍavya, the best of sages. Who has done this act?” The revered, omniscient one, who knew (the events of) the three times, thought: ‘This must be the act of Dharma , and of none else’. Engaged in abstract meditation, the pious one went to Dharma. Having gone there, he spoke these (words): “O Dharma, listen now. You are always known as Dharma in the world and the Veda . How did you do the act of transfixing (me) on the stake? O sir, I certainly desire to know all that from you.”

Dharma said :

33-39a. O best brāhmaṇa, listen to the cause of your fall in the previous existence. I shall tell (you) that. Please favour me. In your childhood you did this act—the sin-in your previous existence. O very wise one, listen to the cause of your fall in this existence. O brāhmaṇa, once you had gone to a solitary forest. O brāhmaṇa, having gone there, you put a living moth on a stake. Due to that act it was pained. O you of a good vow, due to that act, you were transfixed on a stake by the king. By all means (the effect of) an auspicious or inauspicious act done by one has to be undergone. You have undoubtedly suffered (the fruit of that) very small act. O best brāhmaṇa, be happy. Go at your will.” Having heard these words, that best brāhmaṇa, Māṇḍavya, with his eyes reddish due to anger then spoke (these words):

Māṇḍavya said :

39b-45. O most sinful one, O you of a bad conduct, what great sin had I committed, having done which, I was (thus) transfixed on a stake? Due to the wrath (contained) in my words, be a śūdra by all means.

After some time, he was born in the family called Candra , was known as Vidura , and was highly devoted to Viṣṇu. O chief goddess, for a pilgrimage he went to the river Sābhramatī, where there is (her) confluence with Dharmavatī. Vidura, of the form of Dharma, bathed there only. He certainly cast his śūdrahood in Dharmavatī. Therefore, O goddess, those meritorious men who bathe here, go to the highest position. Those men who offer a śrāddha and gifts here on the earth, get great prosperity in this world, and rejoice in heaven.

Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 44883, revision 336565 (2022-04-24T15:52:25Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc365720.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.