Uttara-khaṇḍa · Chapter 212
Sourceनारद उवाच- इत्युक्त्वा तस्य विप्रस्य पितरौ दिव्यरूपिणौ । विमानवरमारुह्य गतौ हरिपुरं प्रति १। तयोः पुत्रस्तु तत्रैव कोशलायां दिनत्रयम् । उषित्वा स्वगृहं प्रायात्चिंतयंस्तीर्थवैभवम् २। इयमेव तु कथ्यंते विबुधैः कोशला नृप । कथयिष्यामि तत्तेऽहं श्रवणोत्सुकचेतसे ३। ते दाक्षिणात्या बटवस्तस्यामूषु मुमूर्षवः । समर्थार्थप्रदायिन्यां कोशलायां विपद्यताम् ४। कश्चिदेकस्तदा तेषु तामनादृत्य कोशलाम् । गच्छन्नारायणस्थानं विष्णुना वारितः पथि ५। वृद्धब्राह्मणरूपेण प्रोक्तं चेति द्विजं प्रति । वृद्धब्राह्मण उवाच- क्व यासि ब्राह्मणश्रेष्ठ त्यक्त्वेमां कोशलां शुभाम् ६। इंद्रप्रस्थमिदं तीर्थं सर्वतीर्थोत्तमं द्विज । कोशला ह्यत्र पुत्रेयं मुक्तिदा विष्णुवल्लभा ७। यत्र यासि विहायैनां निष्कामपददायिनीम् । न सिद्धिर्भविता तत्र विष्णुस्ते च पराङ्मुखः ८। मुक्तिं चेदिच्छसे विप्र तीर्थेन्या संप्रगृह्य च । यस्य यस्येच्छया स्नासि तं तं वर्गं प्रदास्यति ९। तव दृष्टिपथे विप्र सर्पोऽपि सुरतामियात् । अस्याः प्रसादतो मुक्तौ स्वर्गस्थौ विप्रदंपती १०। संजातप्रत्ययोऽपि त्वमेतन्माहात्म्यदर्शनात् । लब्ध्वा भाग्योदयेनापि कथमेनां विमुंचसि ११। यथा कश्चित्तृषार्तोऽपि लब्ध्वाप्यमृतवारिधिम् । तं त्यक्त्वा याति पंकांभस्तद्वत्त्वं मूढ दृश्यसे १२। यथा चिंतामणिं कश्चित्कूपे क्षिपति मोहितः । हस्तस्थं या गतिस्तस्य दृश्यते सा गतिस्तव १३। आराध्य विष्णुं विश्वेशं यथा कश्चित्पुमान्कुधीः । सुखमैंद्रियकं तुच्छं याचते सा गतिस्तव १४। न याति कोशलामेनां त्यक्त्वा सर्वार्थदायिनीम् । स्नातस्यात्र दिव प्राप्तिर्मृतस्यामृतसंस्थितिः १५। नारद उवाच- राजन्नाकर्ण्य विप्रोऽसौ द्विजश्रेयभृतो हरेः । वाक्यं प्रोवाच विप्राय श्रेष्ठं बदरिकाश्रमम् १६। विप्र उवाच- भो भो विप्रवर श्रद्धा तव वाक्येन जायते । मम श्रुतवतः पूर्वमल्पग्रामस्य वैभवम् १७। इंद्रप्रस्थमिदं तीर्थं न कदाचिन्मया श्रुतम् । कुतस्तु कोशलावृद्ध एतदंतरवर्तिनी १८। यत्र नारायणः साक्षान्मुक्ता यत्र च योगिनः । मुक्त्वा तमाश्रमं पुण्यं तिष्ठाम्यत्र कथं द्विज १९। यथागत्य स्वयं विष्णुरित्युक्त्वा मां निवारयेत् । बदर्याश्चाधिकं क्षेत्रमिंद्रप्रस्थमिदं द्विज २०। तदाहं न प्रतिष्ठामि चालितोऽपि तमाश्रमम् । मुक्तिकामः स्वसदनान्नान्यथा स्थितिरत्र मे २१। नारद उवाच- इत्युक्ते तेन विप्रेण प्रादुरासीच्चतुर्भुजः । विहाय प्राकृतं रूपं दिव्यरूपधरो हरिः २२। उवाच च महाभागं तं द्विजं मोक्षकामुकम् । विष्णुरुवाच- इंद्रप्रस्थमिदं विप्र सर्वतीर्थोत्तमोत्तमम् । ब्रह्मज्ञेष्विव सर्वेषु शंभुर्गंगानदीष्विव २३। हिमवानिव शैलेषु पक्षिराडिव पक्षिषु । त्रिदशेषु यथा शक्रो वैष्णवेष्विव नारदः २४। तेजस्विषु यथा सूर्यः क्षीराब्धिरिव चाब्धिषु । यथा वर्णेषु भूदेवः सृष्टिष्विव पितामहः २५। विष्णोर्यथावतारेषु कौशल्या जनितो वरः । तथा समस्ततीर्थेषु शक्रप्रस्थमिदं वरम् २६। निष्कामो वा सकामो वा याति तीर्थे क्वचिन्नरः । तत्र तत्र समस्तात्मा फलदाताहमेव वै २७। इंद्रप्रस्थांतरगतां त्यक्त्वा यो याति कोशलाम् । स नो फलमवाप्नोति भक्तो वरदवृंदपात् २८। नारद उवाच- एवं निशम्य तद्वाक्यं दृष्ट्वा तद्रूपमुत्तमम् । प्रणिपत्य रमाकांतं तस्यामेवागमद्द्विजः २९। भगवानपि विश्वात्मा सपद्यंतर्दधे विभुः । तत्त्वमुद्दिश्य तं विप्रं तेन भावेन पूजितः ३०। तत्रागत्य स विप्रोऽसौ कोशलायां नराधिप । कथयामास तद्वृत्तं सर्वं सर्वान्स्वसंगिनः ३१। तेपि श्रुत्वा महाभागा दाक्षिणात्या द्विजातयः । तस्यामनशनं कृत्वा तत्यजुः प्राकृतं वपुः ३२। तदेव गरुडारूढः श्रीविष्णुं समुपागतः । विमानैः स्वगणैः सार्द्धं तावद्भिर्दीप्तिभास्वरैः ३३। ते तं दृष्ट्वा समायांतं विमानं गणसंयुतम् । वपुषा दिव्यरूपेण दंडवत्पतिता भुवि ३४। तुष्टवुश्च द्विजाः सर्वे दिव्यज्ञानवपुर्द्धराः । तं दिव्यरूपिणं देवदेववंद्यपदांबुजम् ३५। ब्राह्मणा ऊचुः - नमस्तेऽतसीपुष्पसंकाशभासं तनुं बिभ्रते पीतवासो वृताय । लसत्कुंडलप्रोतनानोपलाय श्रुतौ चंचला व्यापिनीलांबुदाय ३६। भक्तिस्त्वदीया किल कल्पवल्ली समाश्रिता यच्छति चित्तवांच्छितम् । यथा तथैषा तव कोशला विभो जनैरुभे ते कृपया तवाप्यते ३७। वंदामहे ते चरणारविंदं वृदांरकैर्वृंदितमीश्वराद्यैः । विचिंत्यमानं हृदि योगिवृंदैः कंदं परानंदभुवो विमुक्तेः ३८। प्राप्ताः कामं श्रीपतेत्वत्स्वरूपं श्रीवत्साद्यैर्लक्षितं चारुचिह्नैः । वांच्छामस्ते दासभावं तथापि प्राप्तं सर्वैरादृतं नारदाद्यैः ३९। यत्सौख्यं ते दासभावं गतानां तन्नो लक्ष्म्या वक्षसोंतर्वसंत्याः । तज्जानाति श्रीपते श्रीमहेशो नान्यो लोके येन तच्चानुभूतम् ४०। मध्येऽस्माकं श्रीपते सेवकानां नीरागाणामप्यसौ माननीयः । अस्मात्तं ते नारदाद्या मुनीशास्त्वद्भक्ताप्तैर्लोकनाथं भजंते ४१। कामं ब्रह्मानंदमासोंतरात्मा त्वद्दास्ये नो तृप्तिमायाति शंभुः । वारंवारं त्वद्गुणानाग्रहीतुं नृत्यत्युच्चैस्त्वत्परो भावयुक्तः ४२। हेतोरस्माद्देहिनः स्वस्य दास्यं यत्प्राप्तानां नोर्मयः संभवंति । त्वच्चिह्नांगौ द्वारपालौ तदीयौ मोहाद्धामप्राप्य तौ तत्स्वकीयम् ४३। लोकादस्मादंतरेण त्वदिच्छा त्वल्लोकानां नोद्यते चाशुपातः । को जानीयात्तावकीमत्र मायां दुर्विज्ञेयां ब्रह्म शर्वादिदेवैः ४४। नारद उवाच- एवं तैः स्तूयमानः स प्रभुर्निजपदोन्मुखः । उवाच तान्दाक्षिणात्यान्मेघगंभीरया गिरा ४५। श्रीभगवानुवाच- भोभो द्विजा भवंतोऽस्या कोशलायाः प्रसादतः । सारूप्यमपि मे प्राप्ता दासभावं च यास्यथ ४६। अद्यप्रभृति मे विप्रास्तीर्थमेतदनुत्तमम् । दक्षिणकोशलेत्युच्चैर्नाम्ना ख्यातं भविष्यति ४७। यत्र दाशरथी भूत्वा निहनिष्यद्दशाननम् । सा कथ्यते मुनिवरैः सर्वैरुत्तरकोशला ४८। विपन्नो ज्ञानवान्यस्या वैकुंठमधिरोहति । विनापि तद्वसेद्योऽस्यां सोऽपि स्वर्गं च गच्छति ४९। इमां ततो दशगुणामाहुर्दक्षिणकोशलाम् । एकादशगुणामेके सम्यगाहुर्मुनीश्वराः ५०। इयानेव विशेषोऽस्ति तस्या अस्या मतिर्मम । तस्यां मृतं नयंत्येते वैकुंठं मामका गणाः ५१। अस्यां मृतं स्वयमहमनन्यवदमानसम् । आरोप्य गरुडं दत्त्वा सारूप्यं प्रापयामि तत् ५२। नारद उवाच- इत्युक्त्वा तान्द्विजान्विष्णुर्नीत्वा वैकुंठमभ्यगात् । महिमानं स्तुवन्नस्य स्वयं तीर्थस्य भूपते ५३। एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं कारणं जगतीपते । येनेयं कथ्यते विज्ञैरिह दक्षिणकोशला ५४। कलिमलकुलहंता शृण्वतां मानवानां कमलनयनपादप्राप्तये वांच्छितश्च । नृपवर महिमा ते वर्णितः कोशलाया मधुवनभववृत्तं शृण्वतस्ते वदामि ५५। इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्साहस्र्यां संहितायामुत्तरखंडे कालिंदीमाहात्म्ये कोशलामहिमावर्णनंनाम द्वादशाधिकद्विशततमोऽध्यायः २१२।
nārada uvāca- ityuktvā tasya viprasya pitarau divyarūpiṇau | vimānavaramāruhya gatau haripuraṃ prati 1| tayoḥ putrastu tatraiva kośalāyāṃ dinatrayam | uṣitvā svagṛhaṃ prāyātciṃtayaṃstīrthavaibhavam 2| iyameva tu kathyaṃte vibudhaiḥ kośalā nṛpa | kathayiṣyāmi tatte'haṃ śravaṇotsukacetase 3| te dākṣiṇātyā baṭavastasyāmūṣu mumūrṣavaḥ | samarthārthapradāyinyāṃ kośalāyāṃ vipadyatām 4| kaścidekastadā teṣu tāmanādṛtya kośalām | gacchannārāyaṇasthānaṃ viṣṇunā vāritaḥ pathi 5| vṛddhabrāhmaṇarūpeṇa proktaṃ ceti dvijaṃ prati | vṛddhabrāhmaṇa uvāca- kva yāsi brāhmaṇaśreṣṭha tyaktvemāṃ kośalāṃ śubhām 6| iṃdraprasthamidaṃ tīrthaṃ sarvatīrthottamaṃ dvija | kośalā hyatra putreyaṃ muktidā viṣṇuvallabhā 7| yatra yāsi vihāyaināṃ niṣkāmapadadāyinīm | na siddhirbhavitā tatra viṣṇuste ca parāṅmukhaḥ 8| muktiṃ cedicchase vipra tīrthenyā saṃpragṛhya ca | yasya yasyecchayā snāsi taṃ taṃ vargaṃ pradāsyati 9| tava dṛṣṭipathe vipra sarpo'pi suratāmiyāt | asyāḥ prasādato muktau svargasthau vipradaṃpatī 10| saṃjātapratyayo'pi tvametanmāhātmyadarśanāt | labdhvā bhāgyodayenāpi kathamenāṃ vimuṃcasi 11| yathā kaścittṛṣārto'pi labdhvāpyamṛtavāridhim | taṃ tyaktvā yāti paṃkāṃbhastadvattvaṃ mūḍha dṛśyase 12| yathā ciṃtāmaṇiṃ kaścitkūpe kṣipati mohitaḥ | hastasthaṃ yā gatistasya dṛśyate sā gatistava 13| ārādhya viṣṇuṃ viśveśaṃ yathā kaścitpumānkudhīḥ | sukhamaiṃdriyakaṃ tucchaṃ yācate sā gatistava 14| na yāti kośalāmenāṃ tyaktvā sarvārthadāyinīm | snātasyātra diva prāptirmṛtasyāmṛtasaṃsthitiḥ 15| nārada uvāca- rājannākarṇya vipro'sau dvijaśreyabhṛto hareḥ | vākyaṃ provāca viprāya śreṣṭhaṃ badarikāśramam 16| vipra uvāca- bho bho vipravara śraddhā tava vākyena jāyate | mama śrutavataḥ pūrvamalpagrāmasya vaibhavam 17| iṃdraprasthamidaṃ tīrthaṃ na kadācinmayā śrutam | kutastu kośalāvṛddha etadaṃtaravartinī 18| yatra nārāyaṇaḥ sākṣānmuktā yatra ca yoginaḥ | muktvā tamāśramaṃ puṇyaṃ tiṣṭhāmyatra kathaṃ dvija 19| yathāgatya svayaṃ viṣṇurityuktvā māṃ nivārayet | badaryāścādhikaṃ kṣetramiṃdraprasthamidaṃ dvija 20| tadāhaṃ na pratiṣṭhāmi cālito'pi tamāśramam | muktikāmaḥ svasadanānnānyathā sthitiratra me 21| nārada uvāca- ityukte tena vipreṇa prādurāsīccaturbhujaḥ | vihāya prākṛtaṃ rūpaṃ divyarūpadharo hariḥ 22| uvāca ca mahābhāgaṃ taṃ dvijaṃ mokṣakāmukam | viṣṇuruvāca- iṃdraprasthamidaṃ vipra sarvatīrthottamottamam | brahmajñeṣviva sarveṣu śaṃbhurgaṃgānadīṣviva 23| himavāniva śaileṣu pakṣirāḍiva pakṣiṣu | tridaśeṣu yathā śakro vaiṣṇaveṣviva nāradaḥ 24| tejasviṣu yathā sūryaḥ kṣīrābdhiriva cābdhiṣu | yathā varṇeṣu bhūdevaḥ sṛṣṭiṣviva pitāmahaḥ 25| viṣṇoryathāvatāreṣu kauśalyā janito varaḥ | tathā samastatīrtheṣu śakraprasthamidaṃ varam 26| niṣkāmo vā sakāmo vā yāti tīrthe kvacinnaraḥ | tatra tatra samastātmā phaladātāhameva vai 27| iṃdraprasthāṃtaragatāṃ tyaktvā yo yāti kośalām | sa no phalamavāpnoti bhakto varadavṛṃdapāt 28| nārada uvāca- evaṃ niśamya tadvākyaṃ dṛṣṭvā tadrūpamuttamam | praṇipatya ramākāṃtaṃ tasyāmevāgamaddvijaḥ 29| bhagavānapi viśvātmā sapadyaṃtardadhe vibhuḥ | tattvamuddiśya taṃ vipraṃ tena bhāvena pūjitaḥ 30| tatrāgatya sa vipro'sau kośalāyāṃ narādhipa | kathayāmāsa tadvṛttaṃ sarvaṃ sarvānsvasaṃginaḥ 31| tepi śrutvā mahābhāgā dākṣiṇātyā dvijātayaḥ | tasyāmanaśanaṃ kṛtvā tatyajuḥ prākṛtaṃ vapuḥ 32| tadeva garuḍārūḍhaḥ śrīviṣṇuṃ samupāgataḥ | vimānaiḥ svagaṇaiḥ sārddhaṃ tāvadbhirdīptibhāsvaraiḥ 33| te taṃ dṛṣṭvā samāyāṃtaṃ vimānaṃ gaṇasaṃyutam | vapuṣā divyarūpeṇa daṃḍavatpatitā bhuvi 34| tuṣṭavuśca dvijāḥ sarve divyajñānavapurddharāḥ | taṃ divyarūpiṇaṃ devadevavaṃdyapadāṃbujam 35| brāhmaṇā ūcuḥ - namaste'tasīpuṣpasaṃkāśabhāsaṃ tanuṃ bibhrate pītavāso vṛtāya | lasatkuṃḍalaprotanānopalāya śrutau caṃcalā vyāpinīlāṃbudāya 36| bhaktistvadīyā kila kalpavallī samāśritā yacchati cittavāṃcchitam | yathā tathaiṣā tava kośalā vibho janairubhe te kṛpayā tavāpyate 37| vaṃdāmahe te caraṇāraviṃdaṃ vṛdāṃrakairvṛṃditamīśvarādyaiḥ | viciṃtyamānaṃ hṛdi yogivṛṃdaiḥ kaṃdaṃ parānaṃdabhuvo vimukteḥ 38| prāptāḥ kāmaṃ śrīpatetvatsvarūpaṃ śrīvatsādyairlakṣitaṃ cārucihnaiḥ | vāṃcchāmaste dāsabhāvaṃ tathāpi prāptaṃ sarvairādṛtaṃ nāradādyaiḥ 39| yatsaukhyaṃ te dāsabhāvaṃ gatānāṃ tanno lakṣmyā vakṣasoṃtarvasaṃtyāḥ | tajjānāti śrīpate śrīmaheśo nānyo loke yena taccānubhūtam 40| madhye'smākaṃ śrīpate sevakānāṃ nīrāgāṇāmapyasau mānanīyaḥ | asmāttaṃ te nāradādyā munīśāstvadbhaktāptairlokanāthaṃ bhajaṃte 41| kāmaṃ brahmānaṃdamāsoṃtarātmā tvaddāsye no tṛptimāyāti śaṃbhuḥ | vāraṃvāraṃ tvadguṇānāgrahītuṃ nṛtyatyuccaistvatparo bhāvayuktaḥ 42| hetorasmāddehinaḥ svasya dāsyaṃ yatprāptānāṃ normayaḥ saṃbhavaṃti | tvaccihnāṃgau dvārapālau tadīyau mohāddhāmaprāpya tau tatsvakīyam 43| lokādasmādaṃtareṇa tvadicchā tvallokānāṃ nodyate cāśupātaḥ | ko jānīyāttāvakīmatra māyāṃ durvijñeyāṃ brahma śarvādidevaiḥ 44| nārada uvāca- evaṃ taiḥ stūyamānaḥ sa prabhurnijapadonmukhaḥ | uvāca tāndākṣiṇātyānmeghagaṃbhīrayā girā 45| śrībhagavānuvāca- bhobho dvijā bhavaṃto'syā kośalāyāḥ prasādataḥ | sārūpyamapi me prāptā dāsabhāvaṃ ca yāsyatha 46| adyaprabhṛti me viprāstīrthametadanuttamam | dakṣiṇakośaletyuccairnāmnā khyātaṃ bhaviṣyati 47| yatra dāśarathī bhūtvā nihaniṣyaddaśānanam | sā kathyate munivaraiḥ sarvairuttarakośalā 48| vipanno jñānavānyasyā vaikuṃṭhamadhirohati | vināpi tadvasedyo'syāṃ so'pi svargaṃ ca gacchati 49| imāṃ tato daśaguṇāmāhurdakṣiṇakośalām | ekādaśaguṇāmeke samyagāhurmunīśvarāḥ 50| iyāneva viśeṣo'sti tasyā asyā matirmama | tasyāṃ mṛtaṃ nayaṃtyete vaikuṃṭhaṃ māmakā gaṇāḥ 51| asyāṃ mṛtaṃ svayamahamananyavadamānasam | āropya garuḍaṃ dattvā sārūpyaṃ prāpayāmi tat 52| nārada uvāca- ityuktvā tāndvijānviṣṇurnītvā vaikuṃṭhamabhyagāt | mahimānaṃ stuvannasya svayaṃ tīrthasya bhūpate 53| etatte sarvamākhyātaṃ kāraṇaṃ jagatīpate | yeneyaṃ kathyate vijñairiha dakṣiṇakośalā 54| kalimalakulahaṃtā śṛṇvatāṃ mānavānāṃ kamalanayanapādaprāptaye vāṃcchitaśca | nṛpavara mahimā te varṇitaḥ kośalāyā madhuvanabhavavṛttaṃ śṛṇvataste vadāmi 55| iti śrīpādme mahāpurāṇe paṃcapaṃcāśatsāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāmuttarakhaṃḍe kāliṃdīmāhātmye kośalāmahimāvarṇanaṃnāma dvādaśādhikadviśatatamo'dhyāyaḥ 212|
English translation
Nārada said :
1-6a. Speaking like that, the brāhmaṇa ’s parents, of divine forms, got into the excellent aeroplane, and went to Viṣṇu ’s city. Their son, having lived there in Kośalā only for three days, went home, th inking about the grandeur of the holy place. This, O king, is called Kośalā by the wise. I shall tell (about) it to you whose mind has a curiosity to listen to it. Having gone to that Kośalā, the brāhmaṇa chaps from the south, desiring to die (there), lived in it giving proper objects. One of them going to Nārāyaṇa ’s place after ignoring it, was stopped by Viṣṇu in the guise of an old brāhmaṇa. He thus spoke to the brāhmaṇa:
The old brāhmaṇa said :
6b-15. O best brāhmaṇa, ignoring this auspicious Kośalā, where are you going? O brāhmaṇa, this holy place Indraprastha is the best of all holy places. O son, here is this Kośalā, dear to Viṣṇu, and giving salvation. Success will not come to you there, where you are going after ignoring this giving a position free from all desires; and Viṣṇu will be averse to you. O brāhmaṇa, if you desire salvation, then this holy place will give you that object, with the desire of which, you, after taking a pledge, will bathe at this holy place. O brāhmaṇa, even within the range of your sight (i.e. when you were seeing), a serpent became a god. Due to the favour of this the brāhmaṇa couple resides in heaven. How then do you, even after having reached it due to the dawn of good fortune, and even after being convinced on seeing its greatness, ignore it? O fool, you appear to be like one who, after being oppressed by thirst, leaves the ocean of nectar, and goes to muddy water. Your fate appears to be like that of him who, being deluded, throws into a well the desire-yielding gem that was in his hand. Your fate is that of a foolish man who, after having propitiated Viṣṇu, desires the worthless pleasure of senses. No man goes (to another place) after having ignored this Kośalā, giving all desired objects. One who bathes here, goes to heaven. One who dies here lives among the immortal.
Nārada said :
16. O king, having heard (these) words of Viṣṇu, upholding the welfare of brāhmaṇas , he spoke to the brāhmaṇa, “ Badarikāśrama is the best.”
The brāhmaṇa said :
17-21. O best brāhmaṇa, in me who have heard about the grandeur of the small village, faith is produced by means of these words of you. I have never heard about this holy place, Indraprastha. O old one, how is Kośalā (situated) in it, where actually Viṣṇu (lives), and where the meditating saints are liberated. How should I ignore that meritorious hermitage and stay here as Viṣṇu, having himself come (here), and telling me like this, would stop me? O brāhmaṇa, this holy place is superior to Badarī . So, though driven to that hermitage, I shall not proceed (to it). Desiring salvation (I have come here). Otherwise I would not have stayed here.
Nārada said :
22-23a. When the brāhmaṇa spoke like this, Viṣṇu, the four-armed one, giving up the ordinary form (of a man), and having a divine form, said to the noble brāhmaṇa, desiring salvation:
Viṣṇu said :
23b-28. This Indraprastha is best of all holy places. As Śiva is among all those who know Brahman , as Gaṅgā is among rivers, as Himālaya is among mountains, as Garuḍa is among birds, as Śakra is among gods, as Nārada is among Viṣṇu’s devotees, as the Sun is among luminaries, as the Milky Ocean is among oceans, as brāhmaṇa is among castes, as the grand-sire is among the created, as the son of Kausalyā is among the incarnations of Viṣṇu, so is this holy place Indraprastha the best of all holy places. A man, without or with a desire, sometimes goes to a holy place. At every place I myself am the giver of the fruit. A devotee who goes (to another holy place) by ignoring Kośalā situated in Indraprastha, does not obtain the fruit from the protector of the host of the givers of fruits.
Nārada said :
29-35. Having thus heard those words, and having seen that excellent form, and having saluted Viṣṇu, the brāhmaṇa left. The lord, the soul of the universe, instantly disappeared. He devoutly worshipped that brāhmaṇa as the supreme principle. Having come there to Kośalā the brāhmaṇa told the entire account to all his companions, O king. Those noble brāhmaṇas from the south, did not eat there and abandoned their ordinary bodies. Just then, Śrī Viṣṇu mounted upon Garuḍa came there with his attendants in those many aeroplanes shining with lustre. They, with divine forms, seeing him and the aeroplanes with attendants, fell prostrate like staffs on the earth. All the brāhmaṇas, having divine knowledge and bodies praised that god of divine form whose lotus-like feet are adored by gods.
The brāhmaṇas said :
36-44. Salutation to you who have a body shining like an atasī-flower, who have covered yourself with a yellow garment, who have various lotuses put on the bright ear-rings, who have put blue small lotuses on your ears. Devotion to you is indeed the desire-yielding creeper (tree) which, when resorted to, gives what is desired by the mind. Similar is this your Kośalā with objects of enjoyment. The two are secured through your grace. We salute your lotus-like feet saluted by respectable hosts of gods etc., thought of by delighted groups of meditating saints, and the root of salvation, the source of the highest joy. O lord of Lakṣmī , we have reached your form, distinguished with charming marks like Śrīvatsa etc.; yet we long for your service, secured and honoured by Nārada and others. (Even) Lakṣmī, residing within your chest (i.e. in your heart) does not have that happiness which is obtained by those who have become your servants. O lord of Lakṣmī, Śrī Maheśa knows it. He and none else has experienced it in the world. Among us, even having no attachment, he is to be honoured. The best sages like Nārada, your devotees, worship the lord of the worlds, due to him. Śambhu , though his heart is full of the joy due to Brahman, is satisfied only by serving you. Full of devotion to you he repeatedly dances excessively to receive your virtues. For this reason human beings who have secured your service, have no desires. His two doorkeepers, with your marks on their bodies reach their own abode through delusion(?). Your desire is with reference to this world. Quick fall of your worlds never takes place. Who would know your Maya which is difficult to be known by gods like Brahmā , Śiva etc.?
Nārada said :
45. That lord, eager to reach his place, being thus praised by them, said with a voice deep like that of clouds, to the southerners.
The lord said :
46-52. O brāhmaṇas, due to the grace of this Kośalā you have obtained absorption into me. You will also obtain my service. O brāhmaṇas, from today this excellent holy place of me will be known by the great name ‘Dakṣiṇakośalā’, where, Rāma , born as Daśaratha ’s son, will kill Rāvaṇa . That where a poor wise man goes up to Vaikuṇṭha is called Uttarakośalā by all excellent sages. Even he who would live here without that (i.e. knowledge) goes to heaven. They say that this Dakṣiṇakośalā is ten times superior to it. Some best sages describe it to be eleven times superior. I think the difference between that and this is: My attendants carry to Vaikuṇṭha one who dies there; while I myself take him who dies here; putting him on Garuḍa I absorb him into myself.
Nārada said :
53-55. O king, having thus spoken to those brāhmaṇas, and taking them (with himself) and himself praising the greatness of this holy place, Viṣṇu went to Vaikuṇṭha. O lord of the world,
I have told you the reason for which the wise call her Dakṣiṇakośalā. O best king, I have described to you the greatness of Kośalā which destroys the sins of Kali , which is desired for reaching the feet of the Lotus-eyed (Viṣṇu); (now) I shall tell you the account that took place in Madhuvana .
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 44948, revision 336625 (2022-04-25T13:50:46Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc365796.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.