Skip to main content

Uttara-khaṇḍa · Chapter 219

Chapter 219

Unit 631 of 693Uttara-khaṇḍa · Chapter 219Uttara-khaṇḍa · Chapter 2191 source entries

Uttara-khaṇḍa · Chapter 219

Source

नारद उवाच- इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तस्य पुंडरीको महामनाः । उवाच निजबंधुं तं शृण्वतां निजसंगिनाम् १। पुंडरीक उवाच- केन पुण्येन तीर्थेऽस्मिन्मृत्युर्भरत तेऽभवत् । यदि जानासि तद्ब्रूहि पापं विख्यातमेव ते २। भरत उवाच- पुंडरीक शृणुष्वेदं कथयामि तवाग्रतः । एतत्तीर्थप्रदं पुण्यं कृतं यदिह जन्मनि ३। एकदा तु धनं जित्वा समागच्छन्निजं गृहम् । अपश्यं मृतकं बालं मृतस्यानाथमापणे ४। निधाय तमहं मूर्ध्नि नीत्वा गंगातटे शुभे । वस्त्रादिभिरलंकृत्य चक्रे दाहादिसत्क्रियाम् ५। द्यूतेनोपार्ज्जितं द्रव्यं तत्सर्वं व्ययितं मया । तेन पुण्येन प्राप्तं मे तीर्थमेतच्छुभावहम् ६। कुरु त्वं मम देहस्य संस्कारं दाहपूर्वकम् ७। श्रीनारद उवाच- संस्कारे विहिते राजन्भरतः पापवानपि । तीर्थस्यास्य प्रसादेन पुष्करस्य गतो दिवि । मासमेकं यथा विष्णुः पुंडरीकगृहे हरिः ८। उवासास्य प्रसादेन तीर्थस्य शृणु सांप्रतम् । अत्र तीर्थे स धर्मात्मा भरतस्यापि सद्गतिम् । दृष्ट्वेति हृदये मेने तीर्थमेतत्तु कामदम् ९। अत्रेति वांच्छया सस्नौ पुंडरीकः स पंडितः । माघमासं स्वरूपेण हरिर्वसतु मे गृहे १०। एवं स्नात्वा स कामेन ययौ निजगृहं प्रति । तीर्थेऽत्र नृपतिश्रेष्ठ पुंडरीकोऽखिलार्थदे ११। बंधुभ्यो मरणं भ्रातुर्भरतस्य जगाद ह । तेपि श्रुत्वा शुचं चक्रुर्माययावृतबुद्धयः १२। पुंडरीकस्तदा कुर्वन्गृहे स्वस्मिन्निजक्रियाः । उवासेति महानंदस्तपस्यायास्यते हरिः १३। पूर्णिमायामथो पौष्यां चक्रे स परमोत्सवम् । मत्वेति श्वो गृहे मह्यं हरिरायास्यति ध्रुवम् १४। श्रीखंडजलसेकेन गोमयालेपनेन च । मुक्ताचूर्णचतुष्केन समस्कुरुत केतनम् १५। शतद्वयं ब्राह्मणानां नानाभोज्यैरभोजयत् । वह्वीभिर्दक्षिणाभिश्च तानेव समतोषयत् १६। नानावादित्रकुशलैः कलकंठैश्च गायनैः । रजन्यां स्वजनैर्गायंश्चक्रे जागरणं तथा १७। अथ प्रभाते तान्सर्वान्गायनादीन्विसृज्य सः । गोविंदागमनाकांक्षी गृहमध्ये उपाविशत् १८। अथ तस्य गृहाभ्यासे निवर्त्य निजवाहनम् । प्राविशद्गृहमध्ये तु कर्तुं स्वजनवांछितम् १९। स पुंडरीकस्तं दृष्ट्वा माधवं समुपागतम् । उत्थायासनतस्तूर्णं ववंदे शिरसा नृप २०। उवाच च स धर्म्मात्मा गोविंदालोकनिर्वृतः । संपूज्यार्घादिदानेन विष्टरे तं निवेशितम् २१। पुंडरीक उवाच- भवता भव तापघ्नं सुस्पष्टं तदनुष्ठितम् । तावदत्र त्वया विष्णो स्थीयतां स्थितिकारिणा २२। यावदस्य पुनीतस्य समाप्तिस्तपसो भवेत् । यत्र त्वं सेवकास्ते च वसंति परिचर्यया २३। तत्रैव खलु वैकुंठं सर्वदोषविवर्जितः । यद्गृहे तव कर्माणि वर्ण्यं ते साधुभिर्विभो २४। हरिर्निवसते तत्र सन्मुखादिति नः श्रुतम् । येषां वचसि ते नाम हृदि रूपं च सुंदरम् २५। कर्णयोश्च गुणारोपस्त एव खलु साधवः । भवतो भवते स्वांतं येषां शुश्रूषणे विभो २६। उत्तमांगे च निर्माल्यं त एव खलु साधवः । येषां तु बुद्धिः शत्रौ च मित्रे च कमलापते २७। चयापचययोश्चैव त एव खलु साधवः । येषां विकुरुते चेतो न विकारस्य कारणे २८। संति लक्ष्मीपते नूनं त एव खलु साधवः । यत्र त्वं साधवस्तत्र संतो यत्र ततो भवान् । भवानतो विज्ञाय तां साधुं माघे मम गृहे वस २९। नारद उवाच- इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तस्य पुंडरीकस्य माधवः । उवाच वचनं भासादंतानां भासयन्दिशः ३०। श्रीभगवानुवाच- साधूनामुत्तमः साधुस्त्वं पृथिव्यां महामते । यत्त्वया पुण्यतीर्थे तु स्नातं मत्संगवांछया ३१। उत्तिष्ठ जाह्नवीतोय माघे स्नानं कुरु द्विज । माघांते स्नापयामि त्वां पूर्णिमायां तु पुष्करे ३२। प्रयागे माघमासे तु पूर्णं यत्स्नानजं फलम् । तत्सर्वं पुष्करे तीर्थे दिनैकस्नानतो भवेत् ३३। नारद उवाच- एवमुक्तः स विप्रेंद्रः पुंडरीको मुरारिणा । किंचिदभ्युदिते सूर्ये स्नानं गंगाजलेऽकरोत् ३४। प्रत्यक्ष पुंडरीकाक्ष पुंडरीकः समर्चयत् । तुलसीविकसत्पुष्पयवकुंकुमचंदनैः ३५। धूपैरगरुजैरंगवासितांगं रमापतिम् । नीराजयति कर्पूरदीपकैः पंचभिः स्म सः ३६। चतुर्विधमयैर्भोज्यैर्भोजयित्वा जगद्गुरुम् । सुप्तं स मणिपर्यंके चामरैस्तमवीजयत् ३७। पादसंवाहनं जातु चक्रे तस्य रमापतेः । जातकर्पूरसंयुक्तं ददौ तांबूलवीटकम् ३८। उष्णीषं बध्नतस्तस्य श्रीपतेः पुरतस्तदा । तस्थौ जातु स विप्रेंद्रः करेणानीय दर्पणम् ३९। एवं निजगृहे तस्य वसतः स भवच्छिदः । सपर्यां विदधद्विप्रो माघं निन्ये स मस्तकम् ४०। अथ माघावसाने तु पूर्णिमायां रमापतेः । स्मृतिमात्रागतं तार्क्ष्यमपश्यत्पुरतः स्थितम् ४१। तं दृष्ट्वा पुंडरीकाक्षः पुंडरीकमुवाच ह । श्रीभगवानुवाच- श्रूयतां भो द्विजश्रेष्ठ यद्वचोऽहं वदामि ते ४२। इंद्रप्रस्थगते तीर्थे पुष्करे ते यदृच्छया । स्नानायते मया दत्तं यन्मासमुषितं मया ४३। अद्यपक्षींद्रमारुह्य मया सह महामते । व्रज तीर्थशिरोरत्नं तदेव प्रति पुष्करे ४४। चतुर्वर्गप्रदे तस्मिन्स्नानं कुर्वन्यदीच्छसि । तदहं ते प्रदास्यामि यदहं तद्वशे द्विज ४५। पापोऽपि भरतस्ते वै भ्राता यत्र मृतो गतः । स्वर्गं स्वर्गसुखाकांक्षी किमन्यत्तस्य वर्ण्यते ४६। नारद उवाच- एवमुक्त्वा स देवेंद्रो ब्राह्मणेंद्रं नरेंद्र तम् । पतगेंद्रं समारोप्य सर्वतीर्थेंद्रमागमत् ४७। पुंडरीकस्य देहात्तु तेन तत्प्राणवायुना । समं ज्योतिः स निर्गत्य गोविंदपदमाविशत् ४८। एवं पुष्करतीर्थेऽस्मिन्निंद्रप्रस्थगते नृप । स्नानेन पुंडरीकस्तु लेभे सायुज्यमीश्वरे ४९। एवं तीर्थानुरोधेन गोविंदोऽपि च तद्गृहे । मासमेकं सुखं राजन्नुवास निजबंधुवत् ५०। केन वर्णयितुं शक्यो महिमा पुष्करस्य वै । शक्रप्रस्थगतस्यास्य कोट्यंशो वर्णितो मया ५१। माहात्म्यश्रवणादस्य श्रद्धया लभते नरः । अश्वमेधक्रतुफलं पठनादपि भूपते ५२। इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्साहस्र्यां संहितायामुत्तरखंडे कालिंदीमाहात्म्ये पुष्करमहिमावर्णनोनामैकोनविंशाधिकद्विशततमोऽध्यायः २१९ ।

nārada uvāca- ityākarṇya vacastasya puṃḍarīko mahāmanāḥ | uvāca nijabaṃdhuṃ taṃ śṛṇvatāṃ nijasaṃginām 1| puṃḍarīka uvāca- kena puṇyena tīrthe'sminmṛtyurbharata te'bhavat | yadi jānāsi tadbrūhi pāpaṃ vikhyātameva te 2| bharata uvāca- puṃḍarīka śṛṇuṣvedaṃ kathayāmi tavāgrataḥ | etattīrthapradaṃ puṇyaṃ kṛtaṃ yadiha janmani 3| ekadā tu dhanaṃ jitvā samāgacchannijaṃ gṛham | apaśyaṃ mṛtakaṃ bālaṃ mṛtasyānāthamāpaṇe 4| nidhāya tamahaṃ mūrdhni nītvā gaṃgātaṭe śubhe | vastrādibhiralaṃkṛtya cakre dāhādisatkriyām 5| dyūtenopārjjitaṃ dravyaṃ tatsarvaṃ vyayitaṃ mayā | tena puṇyena prāptaṃ me tīrthametacchubhāvaham 6| kuru tvaṃ mama dehasya saṃskāraṃ dāhapūrvakam 7| śrīnārada uvāca- saṃskāre vihite rājanbharataḥ pāpavānapi | tīrthasyāsya prasādena puṣkarasya gato divi | māsamekaṃ yathā viṣṇuḥ puṃḍarīkagṛhe hariḥ 8| uvāsāsya prasādena tīrthasya śṛṇu sāṃpratam | atra tīrthe sa dharmātmā bharatasyāpi sadgatim | dṛṣṭveti hṛdaye mene tīrthametattu kāmadam 9| atreti vāṃcchayā sasnau puṃḍarīkaḥ sa paṃḍitaḥ | māghamāsaṃ svarūpeṇa harirvasatu me gṛhe 10| evaṃ snātvā sa kāmena yayau nijagṛhaṃ prati | tīrthe'tra nṛpatiśreṣṭha puṃḍarīko'khilārthade 11| baṃdhubhyo maraṇaṃ bhrāturbharatasya jagāda ha | tepi śrutvā śucaṃ cakrurmāyayāvṛtabuddhayaḥ 12| puṃḍarīkastadā kurvangṛhe svasminnijakriyāḥ | uvāseti mahānaṃdastapasyāyāsyate hariḥ 13| pūrṇimāyāmatho pauṣyāṃ cakre sa paramotsavam | matveti śvo gṛhe mahyaṃ harirāyāsyati dhruvam 14| śrīkhaṃḍajalasekena gomayālepanena ca | muktācūrṇacatuṣkena samaskuruta ketanam 15| śatadvayaṃ brāhmaṇānāṃ nānābhojyairabhojayat | vahvībhirdakṣiṇābhiśca tāneva samatoṣayat 16| nānāvāditrakuśalaiḥ kalakaṃṭhaiśca gāyanaiḥ | rajanyāṃ svajanairgāyaṃścakre jāgaraṇaṃ tathā 17| atha prabhāte tānsarvāngāyanādīnvisṛjya saḥ | goviṃdāgamanākāṃkṣī gṛhamadhye upāviśat 18| atha tasya gṛhābhyāse nivartya nijavāhanam | prāviśadgṛhamadhye tu kartuṃ svajanavāṃchitam 19| sa puṃḍarīkastaṃ dṛṣṭvā mādhavaṃ samupāgatam | utthāyāsanatastūrṇaṃ vavaṃde śirasā nṛpa 20| uvāca ca sa dharmmātmā goviṃdālokanirvṛtaḥ | saṃpūjyārghādidānena viṣṭare taṃ niveśitam 21| puṃḍarīka uvāca- bhavatā bhava tāpaghnaṃ suspaṣṭaṃ tadanuṣṭhitam | tāvadatra tvayā viṣṇo sthīyatāṃ sthitikāriṇā 22| yāvadasya punītasya samāptistapaso bhavet | yatra tvaṃ sevakāste ca vasaṃti paricaryayā 23| tatraiva khalu vaikuṃṭhaṃ sarvadoṣavivarjitaḥ | yadgṛhe tava karmāṇi varṇyaṃ te sādhubhirvibho 24| harirnivasate tatra sanmukhāditi naḥ śrutam | yeṣāṃ vacasi te nāma hṛdi rūpaṃ ca suṃdaram 25| karṇayośca guṇāropasta eva khalu sādhavaḥ | bhavato bhavate svāṃtaṃ yeṣāṃ śuśrūṣaṇe vibho 26| uttamāṃge ca nirmālyaṃ ta eva khalu sādhavaḥ | yeṣāṃ tu buddhiḥ śatrau ca mitre ca kamalāpate 27| cayāpacayayoścaiva ta eva khalu sādhavaḥ | yeṣāṃ vikurute ceto na vikārasya kāraṇe 28| saṃti lakṣmīpate nūnaṃ ta eva khalu sādhavaḥ | yatra tvaṃ sādhavastatra saṃto yatra tato bhavān | bhavānato vijñāya tāṃ sādhuṃ māghe mama gṛhe vasa 29| nārada uvāca- ityākarṇya vacastasya puṃḍarīkasya mādhavaḥ | uvāca vacanaṃ bhāsādaṃtānāṃ bhāsayandiśaḥ 30| śrībhagavānuvāca- sādhūnāmuttamaḥ sādhustvaṃ pṛthivyāṃ mahāmate | yattvayā puṇyatīrthe tu snātaṃ matsaṃgavāṃchayā 31| uttiṣṭha jāhnavītoya māghe snānaṃ kuru dvija | māghāṃte snāpayāmi tvāṃ pūrṇimāyāṃ tu puṣkare 32| prayāge māghamāse tu pūrṇaṃ yatsnānajaṃ phalam | tatsarvaṃ puṣkare tīrthe dinaikasnānato bhavet 33| nārada uvāca- evamuktaḥ sa vipreṃdraḥ puṃḍarīko murāriṇā | kiṃcidabhyudite sūrye snānaṃ gaṃgājale'karot 34| pratyakṣa puṃḍarīkākṣa puṃḍarīkaḥ samarcayat | tulasīvikasatpuṣpayavakuṃkumacaṃdanaiḥ 35| dhūpairagarujairaṃgavāsitāṃgaṃ ramāpatim | nīrājayati karpūradīpakaiḥ paṃcabhiḥ sma saḥ 36| caturvidhamayairbhojyairbhojayitvā jagadgurum | suptaṃ sa maṇiparyaṃke cāmaraistamavījayat 37| pādasaṃvāhanaṃ jātu cakre tasya ramāpateḥ | jātakarpūrasaṃyuktaṃ dadau tāṃbūlavīṭakam 38| uṣṇīṣaṃ badhnatastasya śrīpateḥ puratastadā | tasthau jātu sa vipreṃdraḥ kareṇānīya darpaṇam 39| evaṃ nijagṛhe tasya vasataḥ sa bhavacchidaḥ | saparyāṃ vidadhadvipro māghaṃ ninye sa mastakam 40| atha māghāvasāne tu pūrṇimāyāṃ ramāpateḥ | smṛtimātrāgataṃ tārkṣyamapaśyatpurataḥ sthitam 41| taṃ dṛṣṭvā puṃḍarīkākṣaḥ puṃḍarīkamuvāca ha | śrībhagavānuvāca- śrūyatāṃ bho dvijaśreṣṭha yadvaco'haṃ vadāmi te 42| iṃdraprasthagate tīrthe puṣkare te yadṛcchayā | snānāyate mayā dattaṃ yanmāsamuṣitaṃ mayā 43| adyapakṣīṃdramāruhya mayā saha mahāmate | vraja tīrthaśiroratnaṃ tadeva prati puṣkare 44| caturvargaprade tasminsnānaṃ kurvanyadīcchasi | tadahaṃ te pradāsyāmi yadahaṃ tadvaśe dvija 45| pāpo'pi bharataste vai bhrātā yatra mṛto gataḥ | svargaṃ svargasukhākāṃkṣī kimanyattasya varṇyate 46| nārada uvāca- evamuktvā sa deveṃdro brāhmaṇeṃdraṃ nareṃdra tam | patageṃdraṃ samāropya sarvatīrtheṃdramāgamat 47| puṃḍarīkasya dehāttu tena tatprāṇavāyunā | samaṃ jyotiḥ sa nirgatya goviṃdapadamāviśat 48| evaṃ puṣkaratīrthe'sminniṃdraprasthagate nṛpa | snānena puṃḍarīkastu lebhe sāyujyamīśvare 49| evaṃ tīrthānurodhena goviṃdo'pi ca tadgṛhe | māsamekaṃ sukhaṃ rājannuvāsa nijabaṃdhuvat 50| kena varṇayituṃ śakyo mahimā puṣkarasya vai | śakraprasthagatasyāsya koṭyaṃśo varṇito mayā 51| māhātmyaśravaṇādasya śraddhayā labhate naraḥ | aśvamedhakratuphalaṃ paṭhanādapi bhūpate 52| iti śrīpādme mahāpurāṇe paṃcapaṃcāśatsāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāmuttarakhaṃḍe kāliṃdīmāhātmye puṣkaramahimāvarṇanonāmaikonaviṃśādhikadviśatatamo'dhyāyaḥ 219 |

English translation

Nārada said :

1. Hearing these words of him, the noble-minded Puṇḍarika spoke to his brother, when his companions were listening:

Puṇḍarīka said :

2. O Bharata , tell me if you know due to which religious merit you died at this holy place. Your sin is quite well-known.

Bharata said :

3-7. O Puṇḍarīka , listen. I am telling you which religious merit I did in this existence, which gave (i.e. brought) me (to) this holy place. Once, after having snatched wealth, I, while coming back to my house, saw a dead, helpless child of someone in the market. Putting it on my head, taking it to the auspicious bank of Gaṅgā and adorning it with a garment etc. I performed his funeral rites like burning his body. I spent all the wealth I had obtained through gambling. Due to that religious merit I secured (i.e. I reached) this holy place, bringing auspiciousness. Perform funeral rites of my body after burning it.

Śrī Nārada said :

8-16. O king, when the funeral rites were performed, even the sinful Bharata went to heaven by the favour of this holy place. Now listen as to how Viṣṇu , Hari , lived for a month in Puṇḍarīka’s house by the favour of this holy place. The pious one seeing that Bharata got felicity at this holy place, thought in his mind that this holy place gives desired objects. That wise Puṇḍarīka bathed at this holy place with this desire: ‘May Viṣṇu in his original form live in my house during the month of Māgha ’. Having bathed with this desire he went home. O best king, Puṇḍarīka told his brothers about the death of Bharata at this holy place giving all (desired) objects. They too, with their minds covered by Maya , having heard it, lamented. Then Puṇḍarīka, doing his (usual) rites at home, and being highly delighted, lived in his house thinking that Viṣṇu would come due to his penance. On the full-moon day of Pauṣa he celebrated a great festival, thinking that Hari would certainly come to his house the next day. He adorned his house by sprinkling it with sandal mixed with water, smearing it with cow-dung, and by arranging the quadrangle with pearls. He fed two hundred brāhmaṇas with various kinds of food. He gratified them with profuse presents.

17-21. Singing at night with those skilled in playing on various musical instruments and singing sweet songs,he kept a wake with his kinsmen. In the morning having dismissed all those singers etc., he with his mind longing for Viṣṇu’s arrival sat in his house. Then sending back his vehicle from the vicinity of his (i.e. Puṇḍarīka’s) house, he (i.e. Viṣṇu) entered his house to do what was desired by his man. That Puṇḍarīka, having seen that Viṣṇu to have arrived, quickly got up from his seat, and saluted him by (bending down) his head, O king. That pious one, delighted to see Viṣṇu, having worshipped him by offering him materials of worship etc. said to him, seated on a seat:

Puṇḍarīka said :

22-29. You have very clearly done what removes the torment of the mundane existence. O Viṣṇu, you, causing preservation, stay here, till this pure penance would come to an end. Your Vaikuṇṭha , free from all blemishes, exists there only where all your servants, serving (you) live. We have heard from the mouths of the good that, O lord, Viṣṇu lives in that house where your deeds are described. They indeed are the good, in whose speech remains your name, in whose hearts remains your handsome form, and in whose ears remain your virtues. They indeed are the good whose heart (longs) for your service, and on whose heads are the remains of an offering to you. O lord of Lakṣmī , they alone are the good whose mind (views equally) their enemy and their friend, so also their gain and loss. O lord of Lakṣmī, they alone are the good whose mind is not affected by emotions. The good live where you live; you live where the good live. So knowing (me) to be good live in my house during (the month of) Māgha.

Nārada said :

30. Viṣṇu, having heard these words of that Puṇḍarīka, and brightening the quarters with the lustre of his teeth, said (these) words:

The lord said :

31-33. O you very intelligent one, you are the best among the virtuous men on the earth, since with a desire for my company you bathed at the holy place. O brāhmaṇa , get up. Bathe in the water of Gaṅgā in Māgha. At the end of Māgha, on the full-moon day, I shall bathe you at Puṣkara . All that entire fruit due to bathing in the month of Māgha at Prayāga , would be (obtained) due to bathing (just) on one day at the holy place, Puṣkara.

Nārada said :

34-42a. That best brāhmaṇa, Puṇḍarīka, thus addressed by Viṣṇu, bathed in the water of Gaṅgā, when the sun had slightly risen. Puṇḍarīka actually worshipped the lotus-eyed (Viṣṇu) with tulasī (-leaves), blooming flowers, barley, saffron, sandal, and he waved five lights of camphor before the lord of Lakṣmī, whose body was made fragrant with incenses of agaru . Having fed the lord of the world with four kinds of food, he fanned him lying on a jewelled bed with chowries. He shampooed the feet of the lord of Lakṣmī. He gave him a tāmbūla with camphor. Taking a mirror in his hand the best brāhmaṇa stood in front of Lakṣmī’s lord when he was tying the turban. Thus the brāhmaṇa passed the entire month of Māgha in worshipping (Viṣṇu) destroying the mundane existence and living in his house. Then on the full-moon day at the end of Māgha, he saw Garuḍa waiting in front of him, who had come there on merely being remembered by the lord of Lakṣmī. Seeing him, the lotus-eyed (Viṣṇu) said to Puṇḍarīka:

The lord said :

42b-46. O best brāhmaṇa, listen to the words which I am speaking to you. I have given you—viz. that I lived (in your house) for a month—(what was desired by you), when you had by chance gone to the holy place Puṣkara situated in Indraprastha for a bath. O you very intelligent one, today having mounted upon the lord of birds with me go to that Puṣkara (again) which is the crest-jewel of all holy places. O brāhmaṇa, since I am at your disposal, I shall give you, bathing at the place giving the four goals of human life, whatever you desire. Your brother Bharata, though a sinner, desiring heaven got it when he died there. What else can be spoken about him?

Nārada said :

47-52. O lord of kings, having thus spoken to the best brāhmaṇa and putting him on the lord of birds, he came to that best holy place. From Puṇḍarīka’s body a flash went out along with his vital breath and reached Viṣṇu’s position. O king, Puṇḍarīka, by means of a bath at the holy place Puṣkara, situated in Indraprastha, obtained absorption into the lord. Thus by the solicitation of the holy place, even Viṣṇu happily lived in his house like his relative. Who can describe the greatness of Puṣkara situated in Indraprastha? I have described only a part equal to one fraction of a crore. O king, by devoutly listening to or by reciting the greatness, a man obtains the fruit of a horse-sacrifice.

Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 44992, revision 336632 (2022-04-25T14:00:26Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc365803.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.