Uttara-khaṇḍa · Chapter 218
Sourceनारद उवाच- भूयः शृणु महाभाग माहात्म्यं परमाद्भुतम् । अत्रस्थितस्य तीर्थस्य पुष्करस्य शिवप्रदम् १। प्रसादात्तस्य तीर्थस्य विष्णुः सर्वसुरेश्वरः । प्रसन्नं पुंडरीकस्य मासमेकं गृहे वसेत् । अत्र मुक्तिं तदनुजो लेभे पापरतोऽपि हि २। शिबिरुवाच- कः पुंडरीको धर्मात्मा कृतं तेन च कर्म्म किम् । येन प्रसन्नो भगवांस्तद्गृहे मासमावसत् ३। कथं तदनुजः प्राप पापात्मा श्रीहरेः पदम् । तीर्थस्यास्य प्रसादेन सर्वमाख्याहि मे मुने ४। शृण्वतोऽस्य न संतोषो माहात्म्यं मम जायते ५। नारद उवाच- विदर्भनगरे राजन्मालवाख्ये महायशाः । ब्राह्मणो ब्रह्मविच्छांतो विद्वान्विष्णुपरायणः ६। देवर्षिपितृभूतानां मानुषाणां च पोषकः । विषयेषु न संसक्तो लोभमोहादिवर्जितः ७ । स एकदा महाभाग सिंहं प्राप्ते बृहस्पतौ । गोदावरीं महापुण्यां स्नातुं प्रतिजगाम ह ८। दातुं तत्र सुवर्णस्य गृहान्निन्ये पलायुतम् । गच्छन्पथि स धर्मात्मा मनसैतदचिंतयत् ९। मालव उवाच- गृहाद्दानार्थमानीतं मया हेमपलायुतम् । यस्मै कस्मै न दातव्यं दातव्यं पूज्य साधवे १०। निष्किंचनाय विप्राय पात्रायानुपकारिणे । पूज्याय देशे काले च दत्तमक्षयतां व्रजेत् ११। उञ्छवृत्त्या समानीतं दत्त्वा दुर्वाससे मुनिः । शिलोंच्छवृत्तिर्धर्मात्मा स्वं त्यक्त्वा गात्परं पदम् १२। दानवेंद्रो बली राजा पात्रं विज्ञाय वामनम् । विपक्षायाप्यदात्तस्मै त्रिलोकीं स्वभुजार्जिताम् १३। तस्मात्पात्राय दातव्यं धनं धर्म्माजितं मया । गोविंदतुष्टये सम्यक्वांच्छनीयं न तत्फलम् १४। पुंडरीकस्तु धर्मात्मा भागिनेयो गजाह्वयात् । आयास्यति मयाहूतः सर्वपात्रशिरोमणिः १५। आनीतस्य धनस्यार्द्धं तस्मै पात्राय सूनवे । स्वसुर्द्दास्यामि शेषं तु श्रोत्रियेभ्यो यथाविधि १६। नारद उवाच- एवं विचिंत्य धर्मात्मा मालवं स द्विजोत्तमः । कतिचिद्वासरैः प्राप्तः पुण्यां गोदावरीं नृप १७। मिलितस्तस्य धर्मात्मा पुंडरीकः स्वसुः सुतः । तस्य वै पूर्वमायातो मालवस्य महीपते १८। स तत्र विधिना स्नात्वा सिंहसंक्रमवासरे । पुंडरीकाय वित्तार्द्धं ददौ मे प्रीयतां हरिः १९। पुंडरीकोऽपि धर्मात्मा स्नात्वा गोदावरीजले । स्ववित्तस्य चतुर्थांशं श्रोत्रियेभ्यो ददौ मुदा २०। स तत्र विधिवत्स्नात्त्वा दत्वा दानं च शक्तितः । गच्छंतं स्वगृहान्राजन्नित्युवाच स्वसुः सुतम् २१। मालव उवाच- गुरून्प्रति नमस्कारो वाच्यो आशीर्लघून्प्रति । यथावयोर्हि संयोगः क्षणिकोऽयं बभूव ह २२। एवं हि सर्वजंतूनां पुत्रदारादिभिः सह । तस्मात्क्षणिकसंयोगात्संसाराद्यः सुधीर्नरः २३। विरज्येत कृपापात्रं स हरे स्याद्विनिश्चितम् । कृपातः श्रीहरेः प्राणी सत्संगमरतो भवेत् २४। तस्तस्य हरेर्लीलाश्रवणेच्छा हि जायते । श्रुत्वा च कीर्तिता सद्भिर्हरिलीला अपि स्वयम् २५। सुस्पृहं कीर्त्तयत्येव ततः स्मरति केवलम् । ततस्तस्य भवेत्प्रेमगोविंदपदसेवने २६। नरस्ततस्तरत्याशु पोतेनेव महार्णवम् । एतदर्थं हि साधूनां ज्ञानिनां कर्मणां तथा । यत्नो भवति धर्मात्मन्नपि त्वं यत्नवान्भव २७। नारद उवाच- एवमुक्त्वा स वैदर्भः सुतं कथमपि स्वसुः । विसृज्याश्रुमुखो वाष्पपर्याकुलदृशं ययौ २८। पुंडरीकोऽपि धर्मात्मा चचाल स्वगृहं प्रति । कतिभिर्वासरै राजन्नागतोऽत्र शुभास्पदे २९। भरताख्यं कनीयांसं भ्रातरं पतितं भुवि । श्वसंतं क्षतनिर्गच्छद्रुधिराक्तमवैक्षत ३०। पप्रच्छ च रुदन्नुर्च्च्भ्रातः केनेदृशीं दशाम् । गमितोसि किमर्थं वा गृहादिह समागतः ३१। इति पृच्छति राजेंद्र पुंडरीके सपीडया । महत्या भरतः सद्यः पीडितोसूनमुंचत ३२। अवातरत्तदा यानमेकं सगणमद्भुतम् । आकाशात्पश्यतां भूप जनानां तद्गुरोरपि ३३। तदारुह्य स दिव्यांगो भरतः पापकार्यपि । उवाच वचनं ज्येष्ठं भ्रातरं विनमन्निदम् ३४। भरतोवाच- पुंडरीक महाबुद्धे तीर्थस्यास्य प्रसादतः । पुष्करस्य मया प्राप्ता पापिनापि दिवि स्थितिः ३५। मदीयं दारुणं कर्म भ्रातर्जानासि यद्यपि । तथापि कथयाम्यद्य किंचिदज्ञातमस्ति ते ३६। यथा मया प्रभावत्या वेश्यया रमितं सह । तद्गृहं व्ययितं भूरि धनं च मदिराकृते ३७। द्यूतेन हारितं यच्च चौरकर्मसमार्जितम् । शिवरात्र्यां मया शंभुनिर्माल्यं यच्च भक्षितम् ३८। यत्कृते भवता विप्रो जेबुको नाम दूषितः । एतन्मया कृतं कर्म्म विदितं पुंडरीक ते ३९। गोदावरीं गते भ्रातस्त्वयि यत्कृतवानहं । न तत्ते विदितं कर्म कथयामि तदप्यहो ४०। चलितेत्वय्यतिक्रांतोयदापक्षस्तदाह्यहम् । श्रुतवानिति लोकेभ्यो वचनं हरिदुःसहम् ४१। पुंडरीको धनं दातुमाहूतो मातुलेन हि । निजसोदरमाहत्य पुंडरीकं तदा हृतम् ४२। गृहीष्यामि धनं भूरि मालवेन समर्पितम् । महता वसुना तेन तोषयामि प्रभावतीम् ४३। दुरोदरेण क्रीडामि स्वेच्छया तद्विदैः सह । इत्यालोच्य त्वदध्वानं निरुध्याहमिह स्थितः ४४। हत्वा त्वां च धनं भूरि गृहीतुं च महामते । अतिक्रांते धने भ्रातः कुतश्चित्सार्थमागतः ४५। वणिजामत्र सुप्तोऽहं रात्रौ तत्र महामते । अथ कश्चिन्निशीथे तु तस्करो वणिजां धनम् ४६। हर्तुं तत्र समाविष्टः सार्थे जनसमाकुले । नीत्वा यदा धनं किंचित्स चौरस्तु पलायितः । तमन्वधावन्सहसा क्रोशंत इव सेवकाः ४७। सेवका ऊचुः । गृह्यतां गृह्यतामेष चौरोऽयं याति सत्वरम् । मध्याद्बहूनामस्माकमपहृत्य धनं बहु ४८। भरत उवाच- इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तेषां पुरतस्तु तमन्वहम् । अधावं सहसा भ्रातस्तद्गृहीतुं जिहीर्षया ४९। ततस्ते वणिजां भृत्या ज्ञात्वा मां तस्य रक्षकम् । प्रजहुस्तरसा सर्वे सखड्गं खड्गपाणयः ५०। तेषु कश्चिद्द्विजश्रेष्ठो ब्राह्मणोऽहमिति ब्रुवन् । खड्गेन शितधारेण मया पापीयसा हतः ५१। वणिजां सेवकैस्तैस्तु खड्गधारैरहं हतः । गतास्ते वणिजः प्रातर्निजगंतव्यनीवृतम् ५२। ततो भवानिह प्राप्तः श्वसंतं मां ददर्श ह । चलद्रुधिरलिप्तांगं पीडामोहविचेतनम् ५३। इत्येतत्कथितं भ्रातर्यदर्थमहमागतः । अपमृत्युं यथा प्राप्तस्तच्चापि कथितं मया ५४। इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्सहस्रसंहितायामुत्तरखंडे कालिंदीमाहात्म्येऽष्टादशाधिकद्विशततमोऽध्यायः २१८ ।
nārada uvāca- bhūyaḥ śṛṇu mahābhāga māhātmyaṃ paramādbhutam | atrasthitasya tīrthasya puṣkarasya śivapradam 1| prasādāttasya tīrthasya viṣṇuḥ sarvasureśvaraḥ | prasannaṃ puṃḍarīkasya māsamekaṃ gṛhe vaset | atra muktiṃ tadanujo lebhe pāparato'pi hi 2| śibiruvāca- kaḥ puṃḍarīko dharmātmā kṛtaṃ tena ca karmma kim | yena prasanno bhagavāṃstadgṛhe māsamāvasat 3| kathaṃ tadanujaḥ prāpa pāpātmā śrīhareḥ padam | tīrthasyāsya prasādena sarvamākhyāhi me mune 4| śṛṇvato'sya na saṃtoṣo māhātmyaṃ mama jāyate 5| nārada uvāca- vidarbhanagare rājanmālavākhye mahāyaśāḥ | brāhmaṇo brahmavicchāṃto vidvānviṣṇuparāyaṇaḥ 6| devarṣipitṛbhūtānāṃ mānuṣāṇāṃ ca poṣakaḥ | viṣayeṣu na saṃsakto lobhamohādivarjitaḥ 7 | sa ekadā mahābhāga siṃhaṃ prāpte bṛhaspatau | godāvarīṃ mahāpuṇyāṃ snātuṃ pratijagāma ha 8| dātuṃ tatra suvarṇasya gṛhānninye palāyutam | gacchanpathi sa dharmātmā manasaitadaciṃtayat 9| mālava uvāca- gṛhāddānārthamānītaṃ mayā hemapalāyutam | yasmai kasmai na dātavyaṃ dātavyaṃ pūjya sādhave 10| niṣkiṃcanāya viprāya pātrāyānupakāriṇe | pūjyāya deśe kāle ca dattamakṣayatāṃ vrajet 11| uñchavṛttyā samānītaṃ dattvā durvāsase muniḥ | śiloṃcchavṛttirdharmātmā svaṃ tyaktvā gātparaṃ padam 12| dānaveṃdro balī rājā pātraṃ vijñāya vāmanam | vipakṣāyāpyadāttasmai trilokīṃ svabhujārjitām 13| tasmātpātrāya dātavyaṃ dhanaṃ dharmmājitaṃ mayā | goviṃdatuṣṭaye samyakvāṃcchanīyaṃ na tatphalam 14| puṃḍarīkastu dharmātmā bhāgineyo gajāhvayāt | āyāsyati mayāhūtaḥ sarvapātraśiromaṇiḥ 15| ānītasya dhanasyārddhaṃ tasmai pātrāya sūnave | svasurddāsyāmi śeṣaṃ tu śrotriyebhyo yathāvidhi 16| nārada uvāca- evaṃ viciṃtya dharmātmā mālavaṃ sa dvijottamaḥ | katicidvāsaraiḥ prāptaḥ puṇyāṃ godāvarīṃ nṛpa 17| militastasya dharmātmā puṃḍarīkaḥ svasuḥ sutaḥ | tasya vai pūrvamāyāto mālavasya mahīpate 18| sa tatra vidhinā snātvā siṃhasaṃkramavāsare | puṃḍarīkāya vittārddhaṃ dadau me prīyatāṃ hariḥ 19| puṃḍarīko'pi dharmātmā snātvā godāvarījale | svavittasya caturthāṃśaṃ śrotriyebhyo dadau mudā 20| sa tatra vidhivatsnāttvā datvā dānaṃ ca śaktitaḥ | gacchaṃtaṃ svagṛhānrājannityuvāca svasuḥ sutam 21| mālava uvāca- gurūnprati namaskāro vācyo āśīrlaghūnprati | yathāvayorhi saṃyogaḥ kṣaṇiko'yaṃ babhūva ha 22| evaṃ hi sarvajaṃtūnāṃ putradārādibhiḥ saha | tasmātkṣaṇikasaṃyogātsaṃsārādyaḥ sudhīrnaraḥ 23| virajyeta kṛpāpātraṃ sa hare syādviniścitam | kṛpātaḥ śrīhareḥ prāṇī satsaṃgamarato bhavet 24| tastasya harerlīlāśravaṇecchā hi jāyate | śrutvā ca kīrtitā sadbhirharilīlā api svayam 25| suspṛhaṃ kīrttayatyeva tataḥ smarati kevalam | tatastasya bhavetpremagoviṃdapadasevane 26| narastatastaratyāśu poteneva mahārṇavam | etadarthaṃ hi sādhūnāṃ jñānināṃ karmaṇāṃ tathā | yatno bhavati dharmātmannapi tvaṃ yatnavānbhava 27| nārada uvāca- evamuktvā sa vaidarbhaḥ sutaṃ kathamapi svasuḥ | visṛjyāśrumukho vāṣpaparyākuladṛśaṃ yayau 28| puṃḍarīko'pi dharmātmā cacāla svagṛhaṃ prati | katibhirvāsarai rājannāgato'tra śubhāspade 29| bharatākhyaṃ kanīyāṃsaṃ bhrātaraṃ patitaṃ bhuvi | śvasaṃtaṃ kṣatanirgacchadrudhirāktamavaikṣata 30| papraccha ca rudannurccbhrātaḥ kenedṛśīṃ daśām | gamitosi kimarthaṃ vā gṛhādiha samāgataḥ 31| iti pṛcchati rājeṃdra puṃḍarīke sapīḍayā | mahatyā bharataḥ sadyaḥ pīḍitosūnamuṃcata 32| avātarattadā yānamekaṃ sagaṇamadbhutam | ākāśātpaśyatāṃ bhūpa janānāṃ tadgurorapi 33| tadāruhya sa divyāṃgo bharataḥ pāpakāryapi | uvāca vacanaṃ jyeṣṭhaṃ bhrātaraṃ vinamannidam 34| bharatovāca- puṃḍarīka mahābuddhe tīrthasyāsya prasādataḥ | puṣkarasya mayā prāptā pāpināpi divi sthitiḥ 35| madīyaṃ dāruṇaṃ karma bhrātarjānāsi yadyapi | tathāpi kathayāmyadya kiṃcidajñātamasti te 36| yathā mayā prabhāvatyā veśyayā ramitaṃ saha | tadgṛhaṃ vyayitaṃ bhūri dhanaṃ ca madirākṛte 37| dyūtena hāritaṃ yacca caurakarmasamārjitam | śivarātryāṃ mayā śaṃbhunirmālyaṃ yacca bhakṣitam 38| yatkṛte bhavatā vipro jebuko nāma dūṣitaḥ | etanmayā kṛtaṃ karmma viditaṃ puṃḍarīka te 39| godāvarīṃ gate bhrātastvayi yatkṛtavānahaṃ | na tatte viditaṃ karma kathayāmi tadapyaho 40| calitetvayyatikrāṃtoyadāpakṣastadāhyaham | śrutavāniti lokebhyo vacanaṃ hariduḥsaham 41| puṃḍarīko dhanaṃ dātumāhūto mātulena hi | nijasodaramāhatya puṃḍarīkaṃ tadā hṛtam 42| gṛhīṣyāmi dhanaṃ bhūri mālavena samarpitam | mahatā vasunā tena toṣayāmi prabhāvatīm 43| durodareṇa krīḍāmi svecchayā tadvidaiḥ saha | ityālocya tvadadhvānaṃ nirudhyāhamiha sthitaḥ 44| hatvā tvāṃ ca dhanaṃ bhūri gṛhītuṃ ca mahāmate | atikrāṃte dhane bhrātaḥ kutaścitsārthamāgataḥ 45| vaṇijāmatra supto'haṃ rātrau tatra mahāmate | atha kaścinniśīthe tu taskaro vaṇijāṃ dhanam 46| hartuṃ tatra samāviṣṭaḥ sārthe janasamākule | nītvā yadā dhanaṃ kiṃcitsa caurastu palāyitaḥ | tamanvadhāvansahasā krośaṃta iva sevakāḥ 47| sevakā ūcuḥ | gṛhyatāṃ gṛhyatāmeṣa cauro'yaṃ yāti satvaram | madhyādbahūnāmasmākamapahṛtya dhanaṃ bahu 48| bharata uvāca- ityākarṇya vacasteṣāṃ puratastu tamanvaham | adhāvaṃ sahasā bhrātastadgṛhītuṃ jihīrṣayā 49| tataste vaṇijāṃ bhṛtyā jñātvā māṃ tasya rakṣakam | prajahustarasā sarve sakhaḍgaṃ khaḍgapāṇayaḥ 50| teṣu kaściddvijaśreṣṭho brāhmaṇo'hamiti bruvan | khaḍgena śitadhāreṇa mayā pāpīyasā hataḥ 51| vaṇijāṃ sevakaistaistu khaḍgadhārairahaṃ hataḥ | gatāste vaṇijaḥ prātarnijagaṃtavyanīvṛtam 52| tato bhavāniha prāptaḥ śvasaṃtaṃ māṃ dadarśa ha | caladrudhiraliptāṃgaṃ pīḍāmohavicetanam 53| ityetatkathitaṃ bhrātaryadarthamahamāgataḥ | apamṛtyuṃ yathā prāptastaccāpi kathitaṃ mayā 54| iti śrīpādme mahāpurāṇe paṃcapaṃcāśatsahasrasaṃhitāyāmuttarakhaṃḍe kāliṃdīmāhātmye'ṣṭādaśādhikadviśatatamo'dhyāyaḥ 218 |
English translation
Nārada said :
1-2. O illustrious one, listen to the very wonderful greatness. causing propitiousness, of the holy place Puṣkara , situated here. Viṣṇu , the lord of all gods, being pleased due to the grace of that holy place would live in Puṇḍarīka ’s house for a month. His younger brother, though engaged in committing sins, obtained salvation here only.
Śibi said :
3-5. Who is that righteous Puṇḍarīka? What act did he do, due to which the lord, being pleased, lived in his house? O sage, tell me all that how his sinful younger brother reached Śrī Hari ’s place due to the grace of this holy place. Listening to its greatness I am not being satisfied.
Nārada said :
6-9. In the Vidarbha -city, there lived a brāhmaṇa called Mālava , who was very famous, who knew the Vedas , who was tranquil, learned and highly devoted to Viṣṇu, who worshipped deities, sages, dead ancestors, and fed beings and men. He was not addicted to the objects of senses, and was free from greed and folly. Once that illustrious one went to bathe to the very holy Godāvarī , when Jupiter had entered the Zodiacal sign Leo. To offer (to brāhmaṇas ) there he took ten thousand palas of gold from his house. The righteous one going along the way thought in his mind:
Mālava said (to himself ):
10-16. From my house I have taken ten thousand palas of gold to be given (to brāhmaṇas). They are not to be given to anyone. They are to be given to a respectable good man. That which is given at the proper place and time to a worthy brāhmaṇa who has not rendered any service (to the giver), would be inexhaustible. The righteous sage, himself living by gleaning corn, having given what was obtained by gleaning corn to Durvāsas , gave up his own position, and went to the highest one. King Bali , the lord of the demons, knowing Vāmana to be a worthy recipient, gave him, even his enemy, the three worlds earned with his own arms (i.e. power). Therefore, to please Viṣṇu, I should give my wealth, earned righteously, to a worthy recipient. I should not long for its fruit. My sister’s son, the pious Puṇḍarīka, who is the crest-jewel of all worthy recipients, will come when called from (the city) called Gaja . Half of the wealth brought by me I shall give to that worthy recipient, my sister’s son. The remaining I shall duly give to learned brāhmaṇas.
Nārada said :
17-21. O king, then that best, pious brāhmaṇa Mālava, reached after a few days the holy Godāvarī. His sister’s son, Puṇḍarīka, the pious one, joined him. O king, he had come there before that Mālava. Having duly bathed there, on the day when (the Sun) entered Leo, he gave half of his wealth to Puṇḍarīka, saying, “May Viṣṇu be pleased with me.” That pious Puṇḍarīka also, having bathed in the water of Godāvarī, gladly gave the fourth part of his wealth to learned brāhmaṇas. He (i.e. Mālava), having bathed there and given gifts according to his capacity, spoke to his sister’s son who was going home, O king:
Mālava said :
22-27. Tell (i.e. convey) my salutation to the elders and blessings to the younger, since, our union here has become (i.e. proved) to be momentary. Similarly our union with our sons, wife is momentary. Therefore, that wise man who gets detached from the mundane existence, where the union is momentary, would certainly be fit for Viṣṇu’s favour. Due to viṣṇu’s grace, a being would be interested in good company. Then in him is produced a desire to hear about Viṣṇu’s playful acts. Having heard Viṣṇu’s playful acts narrated by the good, he with a strong desire narrates them and then merely remembers Viṣṇu. Then he has love for serving Viṣṇu’s feet. Then a man quickly crosses (the mundane existence) as a great ocean with a raft. For this reason, the good, the wise exert in deeds. O pious one, therefore, you also exert.
Nārada said :
28-34. Thus speaking, he, with his face bedewed with tears, dismissed his sister’s son, with his eyes full of tears and went (home). The pious Puṇḍarīka also proceeded to his house. O king, after a few days, he came to this auspicious place. He saw his younger brother called Bharata , fallen on the ground, breathing, and smeared with blood flowing out of his wounds. Weeping loudly, he asked his brother: “Due to what are you reduced to this condition? For what purpose have you come here from (your) house?” O lord of kings, when Puṇḍarīka was asking like this Bharata afflicted by great pain, instantly died. O king, while men and his preceptor were watching, a wonderful vehicle with attendants descended from the sky. Having got into it, that Bharata, though he had committed sins, became one of a divine body, saluted his elder brother, and said these words to him:
Bharata said :
35-44a. O very intelligent Puṇḍarīka, due to the grace of this holy place, Puṣkara, I, though a sinner, secured a position in heaven. O brother, though you know my fierce deed, yet I shall today tell it (again), (because) some (part of it) is unknown to you. I dallied with the prostitute Prabhāvatī , and spent much money on liquor in her house. I lost in gambling whatever wealth I had earned by stealing. I ate the remnants of the offering to Śiva on Śivarātri , for which you blamed a brāhmaṇa named Jebuka. O Puṇḍarīka, you know this deed which I did. O brother, you do not know the deed which I did when you went to Godāvarī. I shall tell you that also. When you had left, and a fortnight had passed, I learnt from people words difficult to be borne by a man, viz. that the maternal uncle had called Puṇḍarīka to give him wealth. ‘Having killed Puṇḍarīka, my uterine brother, I shall snatch away the wealth taken by him which (our) maternal uncle has given him; and with that great wealth I shall please Prabhāvatī. I shall play with a gamester and those who know it (i.e. gambling).’
44b-47. Thinking like this I remained blocking your way, to kill you and to take much wealth from you, O you very intelligent one. When the wealth was (to be) taken possession of (by me), O brother, from somewhere a caravan of merchants came, where I had slept at night, O very intelligent one. Then at night a thief entered the place full of the men of the caravan to snatch the wealth of the merchants. When the thief, after having taken some wealth, ran away the servants, crying, suddenly ran after him.
The servants said :
48. Catch him, catch him. He is a thiefgoing away hurriedly after having snatched much wealth in the midst of us (though) many.
Bharata said :
49-54. O brother, having heard these words of them, I suddenly ran after him in front of them with a desire to seize whatever he had snatched. Then the merchants’ servants with swords in their hands, taking me to be his protector, and having a sword in my hand, struck me quickly. I, a sinner, killed an excellent brāhmaṇa among them (though he was) saying, ‘I am a brāhmaṇa’, with a sharp-edged sword. The merchants’ servants killed me with edges of swords (i.e. sharp-edged swords). In the morning the merchants went to the kingdom where they wanted to go. Then you came here and saw me breathing and with my body smeared with blood flowing (from the wounds), and dead due to unconsciousness caused by the injury. O brother, I have thus told you what for I had come here, and I have also told you how I met with a premature death.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 44991, revision 336631 (2022-04-25T13:59:20Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc365802.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.