Uttara-khaṇḍa · Chapter 220
Sourceनारद उवाच- शिवस्यतीर्थराजस्य प्रयागस्य तवाग्रतः । महिमानं महापुण्यं श्रद्धया वर्णयामि ते १। विश्वावसुर्महीपाल गंधर्वो लोकविश्रुतः । एकदा स गतो गातुं सुमेरौ ब्रह्मणः सभाम् २। तत्र सर्वैः सुरश्रेष्ठमुपविष्टं सुविष्टरे । जुष्टं सुरगणैर्भूप विश्वावसुरवैक्षत ३। ब्रह्मासनसमीपे तु वरासनगतं नृप । द्वितीयमिव लोकेशमिंद्रप्रस्थं स एक्षत ४। सुरराजतीर्थराजौ ब्रह्मेंद्रप्रस्थयोर्नृप । चामरोद्धूननं मूर्ध्नि कुर्वंतौ स ददर्श ह ५। अन्यानि देवतीर्थानि तयोर्दूरे महीपते । स्थितानि तेन दृष्टानि बद्धांजलिपुटानि तु ६। तयोरग्रे जगौ राजन्गांधर्वं रागमुत्तमम् । तीर्थैः सममगात्सत्यलोकं देवान्विसृज्य हि ७। अथ विश्वावसुर्द्धीमान्दृष्ट्वा तीर्थस्य वैभवम् । इंद्रप्रस्थस्य राजेंद्र हाहामेतदुवाच ह ८। विश्वावसुरुवाच- भोभो गंधर्वशार्दूल तीर्थमेतन्महाद्भुतम् । इंद्रप्रस्थाख्यमेतस्मिन्संसारे तीर्थराशिषु ९। चराचरगुरुर्ब्रह्मा सुरवंद्य पदांबुजः । तस्यासनसमीपस्थं यदतिष्ठ समासनम् १०। तीर्थराजोऽपि पृष्ठस्थश्चामरं यस्य मस्तके । अधुना भृत्यवज्जातस्तीर्थेष्वन्येषु का कथा ११। पृथिव्यां यानि तीर्थानि त्रिवर्गफलदानि तु । इंद्रप्रस्थमिदं तीर्थं चतुर्वर्गफलप्रदम् १२। अत्र स्थितानि तीर्थानि तादृशानि गुणैर्ध्रुवः । शेषेनापि न शक्यंते स्तोतुं तेषां महागुणाः १३। नारद उवाच-। एवं विश्वावसुर्धीमान्दृष्ट्वेंद्रप्रस्थवैभवम् । गत्वा तस्य गृहं राजन्पावनं सर्वकामदम् १४। यथा देवेषु सर्वेषु शक्रः श्रेष्ठः शचीपतिः । तस्माद्ब्रह्मा च तीर्थेषु प्रयागोऽयं तथा वरः १५। तस्मादपि महाराज शक्रप्रस्थमिदं वरम् । अस्यांतरगतो योऽयं प्रयागो नृप दृश्यते १६। कथयाम्यत्र यद्वृत्तं मोहिन्याः पण्ययोषितः । नर्मदासरितस्तीरे पुरी माहिष्मती नृप १७। मोहिनीनाम तत्रासीद्वेश्या बहुधनान्विता । रूपयौवनसंपन्ना निष्णाता नृत्यगीतयोः १८। तया बहूनि पापानि कृतानि धनलुब्धया । ब्रह्महत्याः कृताः सप्त दास्यश्च बहवो हताः १९। तासां च पातिता गर्भाः बहुशः पापया तया । एवं तया सुतारुण्यं गमितं पापकर्मभिः २०। ततो जरा कियत्काले तद्देहे समपद्यत । जराग्रस्तशरीरा सा निवृत्तविषयस्पृहा २१। न चक्रे मानसं यूनां ते च तां पतिभूपते । पापार्जितं धनं स्वीयं न विश्वसिति कस्यचित् २२। न दत्ते न स्वयं भुंक्ते न निक्षिपति वै क्वचित् । एकदा सा निशीथे तु विबुध्येति विचिंतयत् २३। मृतायां मयि कस्येदं धनं पापैरुपार्जितम् । तं नयिष्यति मां घोरं नरकं भृशदारुणम् २४। दास्यस्तासां च भर्त्तारस्तद्भोक्ष्यंति धनं मम । मयैव सद्गतिस्तस्य कथं न क्रियतेऽधुना २५। एवं विचिंत्य सा धर्मे विधाय मतिमुत्तमाम् । चकारारामसरसि वापीकूपसुरालयान् २६। अभितः पुरमाधत्ते प्रपाः पथिकहेतवे । निदाघे च महाराज तेभ्योऽन्नं प्रददौ च सा २७। धर्मशालां गृहाभ्याशे निवासाय विदेशिनाम् । विदधे सा पुनस्तेभ्यो ददावाहारमुत्तमम् २८। एवं प्रवर्त्तमाना हि धर्मे सा भूपमोहिनी । ज्वरातुराभवत्काले क्वचिच्चेति विचिंतयत् २९। धर्मार्थे हि मया वित्तं व्ययितं भूरि यद्यपि । तथापि स्वर्णरूप्यादि प्रचुरं वर्त्तते परम् ३०। श्रोत्रियेभ्यो ददाम्येतज्ज्ञानेनेति व्यचिंतयत् । विचिंत्येति समाहूता मोहिन्या नगरद्विजाः ३१। नागतास्ते महीपाल ज्ञात्वा घोरं प्रतिग्रहम् । यदा तदा द्विभागं च चक्रे तत्तु धनं स्वकम् ३२। एको भागस्तु दासीनां दत्तोन्यश्च विदेशिनाम् । स्वयं तु निर्द्धना राजन्नभवत्सा तु मोहिनी ३३। तथा समागतं मृत्युं विज्ञायांतिकमंतिके । मुक्त्वा दास्यो धनं नीत्वा यथेष्टगतयोऽभवत् ३४। इति मत्वा यदा ह्येषा ज्वरमुक्ता भविष्यति । तदानीं यद्धनं दत्तं नूनमादास्यते हि तत् ३५। अथ सा लंघनान्यष्टादशकृत्वा महीपते । निजायुषस्तु शेषेण ज्वरमुक्ता तदाभवत् ३६। एका जरद्गवानाम सखी तस्या महीपते । सा तामुपचचाराशु पथ्यादिभिरतंद्रिता ३७। कियद्भिर्वासरैः सा तु पूर्णाहारा व्यजायत । तस्या जरद्गवायास्तु गृहे भुक्तं स्म लज्जया ३८। मया स्थितं सुखेनात्र दुःखमद्य समागतम् । दारिद्र्यान्न मया स्थेयं सचिंत्येति गतान्यतः ३९। गच्छती सा वने राजन्मोहिनी पुरतस्करैः । इति मत्वा विनिहता गृहीत्वा यात्यसौ धनम् ४०। धनमप्राप्य तैस्तस्याः सकाशात्पुरतस्करैः । श्वसती सा परित्यक्ता तस्मिन्नेव वने नृप ४१। अथ वैखानसः कश्चित्प्रयागस्यास्य वै जलम् । बिभ्रत्कमंडलौ राजन्नत्रारण्ये समाययौ ४२। अथ तां पतितां वीक्ष्य शस्त्रविक्षतविग्रहाम् । याचमानामिदं राजन् जीवनं हस्तसंज्ञया ४३। वैखानस उवाच- का त्वं केन शितैः शस्त्रैः सक्षतीकृतविग्रहा । एकाकिनी किमर्थं वा निर्जनारण्यमागता ४४। इंद्रप्रस्थगतस्येदं प्रयागस्य जले शुभे । भाग्योदयेन केनापि प्रापितं प्रियकाम्यया ४५। इत्युक्ता तेन सा वक्तुमक्षमा व्याददे मुखम् । पातुं तद्वारिमहिषी भवेयमिति वांछया ४६। अथैतस्य प्रयागस्य पातितेंबुनि तन्मुखे । तत्याज जीवितं सा तु मोहिनीगणिका नृप ४७। प्राणप्रयाणकाले तु महिषीत्वं च वांच्छयत् । अतः सा महिषी जाता द्राविडे वीरवर्मणः ४८। संभूय केरलाधीश गृहे तीर्थांबुपानतः । कुलशीलधनैश्वर्यसंयुक्तस्य महीपते ४९। हेमगौरं ततः सांगं बभार कमलेक्षणा । अतस्तस्य पिता नाम हेमांगीति चकार ह ५०। एकदा सा तु हेमांगी हेमाभरणभूषिता । कलायाः स्ववयस्याया मंत्रिपुत्र्या गृहं ययौ ५१। तत्र यावकतैलेन स्नापिता भोजिता च सा । विविधान्नैस्तदा राजन्निविष्टा वरविष्टरे ५२। पुष्पोद्ग्रथित धमिल्ला क्षामक्षौमविभूषिता । कलां प्रोवाच दधती मुखे तांबूलवीटिकाम् ५३। हेमांग्युवाच - कले कलय मे वाक्यं कोकिलाकलभाषिणि । गृहे यदद्भुतं वस्तु तव मामभिदर्शय ५४। इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्साहस्र्यां संहितायामुत्तरखंडे कालिंदीमाहात्म्ये इंद्रप्रस्थवर्णनोनाम विंशाधिकद्विशततमोऽध्यायः २२० ।
nārada uvāca- śivasyatīrtharājasya prayāgasya tavāgrataḥ | mahimānaṃ mahāpuṇyaṃ śraddhayā varṇayāmi te 1| viśvāvasurmahīpāla gaṃdharvo lokaviśrutaḥ | ekadā sa gato gātuṃ sumerau brahmaṇaḥ sabhām 2| tatra sarvaiḥ suraśreṣṭhamupaviṣṭaṃ suviṣṭare | juṣṭaṃ suragaṇairbhūpa viśvāvasuravaikṣata 3| brahmāsanasamīpe tu varāsanagataṃ nṛpa | dvitīyamiva lokeśamiṃdraprasthaṃ sa ekṣata 4| surarājatīrtharājau brahmeṃdraprasthayornṛpa | cāmaroddhūnanaṃ mūrdhni kurvaṃtau sa dadarśa ha 5| anyāni devatīrthāni tayordūre mahīpate | sthitāni tena dṛṣṭāni baddhāṃjalipuṭāni tu 6| tayoragre jagau rājangāṃdharvaṃ rāgamuttamam | tīrthaiḥ samamagātsatyalokaṃ devānvisṛjya hi 7| atha viśvāvasurddhīmāndṛṣṭvā tīrthasya vaibhavam | iṃdraprasthasya rājeṃdra hāhāmetaduvāca ha 8| viśvāvasuruvāca- bhobho gaṃdharvaśārdūla tīrthametanmahādbhutam | iṃdraprasthākhyametasminsaṃsāre tīrtharāśiṣu 9| carācaragururbrahmā suravaṃdya padāṃbujaḥ | tasyāsanasamīpasthaṃ yadatiṣṭha samāsanam 10| tīrtharājo'pi pṛṣṭhasthaścāmaraṃ yasya mastake | adhunā bhṛtyavajjātastīrtheṣvanyeṣu kā kathā 11| pṛthivyāṃ yāni tīrthāni trivargaphaladāni tu | iṃdraprasthamidaṃ tīrthaṃ caturvargaphalapradam 12| atra sthitāni tīrthāni tādṛśāni guṇairdhruvaḥ | śeṣenāpi na śakyaṃte stotuṃ teṣāṃ mahāguṇāḥ 13| nārada uvāca-| evaṃ viśvāvasurdhīmāndṛṣṭveṃdraprasthavaibhavam | gatvā tasya gṛhaṃ rājanpāvanaṃ sarvakāmadam 14| yathā deveṣu sarveṣu śakraḥ śreṣṭhaḥ śacīpatiḥ | tasmādbrahmā ca tīrtheṣu prayāgo'yaṃ tathā varaḥ 15| tasmādapi mahārāja śakraprasthamidaṃ varam | asyāṃtaragato yo'yaṃ prayāgo nṛpa dṛśyate 16| kathayāmyatra yadvṛttaṃ mohinyāḥ paṇyayoṣitaḥ | narmadāsaritastīre purī māhiṣmatī nṛpa 17| mohinīnāma tatrāsīdveśyā bahudhanānvitā | rūpayauvanasaṃpannā niṣṇātā nṛtyagītayoḥ 18| tayā bahūni pāpāni kṛtāni dhanalubdhayā | brahmahatyāḥ kṛtāḥ sapta dāsyaśca bahavo hatāḥ 19| tāsāṃ ca pātitā garbhāḥ bahuśaḥ pāpayā tayā | evaṃ tayā sutāruṇyaṃ gamitaṃ pāpakarmabhiḥ 20| tato jarā kiyatkāle taddehe samapadyata | jarāgrastaśarīrā sā nivṛttaviṣayaspṛhā 21| na cakre mānasaṃ yūnāṃ te ca tāṃ patibhūpate | pāpārjitaṃ dhanaṃ svīyaṃ na viśvasiti kasyacit 22| na datte na svayaṃ bhuṃkte na nikṣipati vai kvacit | ekadā sā niśīthe tu vibudhyeti viciṃtayat 23| mṛtāyāṃ mayi kasyedaṃ dhanaṃ pāpairupārjitam | taṃ nayiṣyati māṃ ghoraṃ narakaṃ bhṛśadāruṇam 24| dāsyastāsāṃ ca bharttārastadbhokṣyaṃti dhanaṃ mama | mayaiva sadgatistasya kathaṃ na kriyate'dhunā 25| evaṃ viciṃtya sā dharme vidhāya matimuttamām | cakārārāmasarasi vāpīkūpasurālayān 26| abhitaḥ puramādhatte prapāḥ pathikahetave | nidāghe ca mahārāja tebhyo'nnaṃ pradadau ca sā 27| dharmaśālāṃ gṛhābhyāśe nivāsāya videśinām | vidadhe sā punastebhyo dadāvāhāramuttamam 28| evaṃ pravarttamānā hi dharme sā bhūpamohinī | jvarāturābhavatkāle kvacicceti viciṃtayat 29| dharmārthe hi mayā vittaṃ vyayitaṃ bhūri yadyapi | tathāpi svarṇarūpyādi pracuraṃ varttate param 30| śrotriyebhyo dadāmyetajjñāneneti vyaciṃtayat | viciṃtyeti samāhūtā mohinyā nagaradvijāḥ 31| nāgatāste mahīpāla jñātvā ghoraṃ pratigraham | yadā tadā dvibhāgaṃ ca cakre tattu dhanaṃ svakam 32| eko bhāgastu dāsīnāṃ dattonyaśca videśinām | svayaṃ tu nirddhanā rājannabhavatsā tu mohinī 33| tathā samāgataṃ mṛtyuṃ vijñāyāṃtikamaṃtike | muktvā dāsyo dhanaṃ nītvā yatheṣṭagatayo'bhavat 34| iti matvā yadā hyeṣā jvaramuktā bhaviṣyati | tadānīṃ yaddhanaṃ dattaṃ nūnamādāsyate hi tat 35| atha sā laṃghanānyaṣṭādaśakṛtvā mahīpate | nijāyuṣastu śeṣeṇa jvaramuktā tadābhavat 36| ekā jaradgavānāma sakhī tasyā mahīpate | sā tāmupacacārāśu pathyādibhirataṃdritā 37| kiyadbhirvāsaraiḥ sā tu pūrṇāhārā vyajāyata | tasyā jaradgavāyāstu gṛhe bhuktaṃ sma lajjayā 38| mayā sthitaṃ sukhenātra duḥkhamadya samāgatam | dāridryānna mayā stheyaṃ saciṃtyeti gatānyataḥ 39| gacchatī sā vane rājanmohinī purataskaraiḥ | iti matvā vinihatā gṛhītvā yātyasau dhanam 40| dhanamaprāpya taistasyāḥ sakāśātpurataskaraiḥ | śvasatī sā parityaktā tasminneva vane nṛpa 41| atha vaikhānasaḥ kaścitprayāgasyāsya vai jalam | bibhratkamaṃḍalau rājannatrāraṇye samāyayau 42| atha tāṃ patitāṃ vīkṣya śastravikṣatavigrahām | yācamānāmidaṃ rājan jīvanaṃ hastasaṃjñayā 43| vaikhānasa uvāca- kā tvaṃ kena śitaiḥ śastraiḥ sakṣatīkṛtavigrahā | ekākinī kimarthaṃ vā nirjanāraṇyamāgatā 44| iṃdraprasthagatasyedaṃ prayāgasya jale śubhe | bhāgyodayena kenāpi prāpitaṃ priyakāmyayā 45| ityuktā tena sā vaktumakṣamā vyādade mukham | pātuṃ tadvārimahiṣī bhaveyamiti vāṃchayā 46| athaitasya prayāgasya pātiteṃbuni tanmukhe | tatyāja jīvitaṃ sā tu mohinīgaṇikā nṛpa 47| prāṇaprayāṇakāle tu mahiṣītvaṃ ca vāṃcchayat | ataḥ sā mahiṣī jātā drāviḍe vīravarmaṇaḥ 48| saṃbhūya keralādhīśa gṛhe tīrthāṃbupānataḥ | kulaśīladhanaiśvaryasaṃyuktasya mahīpate 49| hemagauraṃ tataḥ sāṃgaṃ babhāra kamalekṣaṇā | atastasya pitā nāma hemāṃgīti cakāra ha 50| ekadā sā tu hemāṃgī hemābharaṇabhūṣitā | kalāyāḥ svavayasyāyā maṃtriputryā gṛhaṃ yayau 51| tatra yāvakatailena snāpitā bhojitā ca sā | vividhānnaistadā rājanniviṣṭā varaviṣṭare 52| puṣpodgrathita dhamillā kṣāmakṣaumavibhūṣitā | kalāṃ provāca dadhatī mukhe tāṃbūlavīṭikām 53| hemāṃgyuvāca - kale kalaya me vākyaṃ kokilākalabhāṣiṇi | gṛhe yadadbhutaṃ vastu tava māmabhidarśaya 54| iti śrīpādme mahāpurāṇe paṃcapaṃcāśatsāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāmuttarakhaṃḍe kāliṃdīmāhātmye iṃdraprasthavarṇanonāma viṃśādhikadviśatatamo'dhyāyaḥ 220 |
English translation
Nārada said :
1-4. To you I am describing devoutly the very meritorious greatness of the auspicious Prayāga , the principal among holy places. O king, there was a gandharva (named) Viśvāvasu , well-known in the world. Once he went to Brahmā ’s assembly on Sumeru to sing. Viśvāvasu saw there the lord of gods resorted to by all hosts of gods, seated on an excellent seat, O king. O king, near the seat of Brahmā he saw Indraprastha , as if it was another lord of the world, seated on an excellent seat.
5-8. He saw the lord of gods and the chief of holy places waving chowries on the heads of Brahmaprastha and Indraprastha, O king. O king, he also saw there other divine holy places, standing with the palms of their hands joined in obeisance, at a distance from the two. In front of the two he sang an excellent Gāndharva - rāga . Leaving the gods he went to Satya-loka with the holy places. Then, O lord of kings, the intelligent Viśvāvasu, seeing the grandeur of the holy place Indraprastha, spoke these words to Hāhā .
Viśvāvasu said :
9-13. O best of gandharvas , in the world this holy place called Indraprastha is very wonderful among the heaps of (i.e. many) holy places, since he was seated on a seat near that of Brahmā who is the lord of the movable and the immovable, and whose lotus-like feet are saluted by the gods. Even the chief of the holy places standing behind, waved chowries on his head, (thus) becoming his servant. Then what can be said about other holy places? (All) the holy places that are there grant as a fruit (of a visit to them) the three goals of human life; but this holy place Indraprastha grants (all) the four goals. The holy places stationed here are Dhruva in merits. Their great merits cannot be described even by Śeṣa .
Nārada said :
14. O king, the intelligent Viśvāvasu, seeing the grandeur of Indraprastha like this, which was purifying and giving all desired objects, went home.
15-20. As Śakra , lord of Śacī , is the greatest among gods, and Brahmā is superior to him, so is this Prayāga the best of all holy places. Indraprastha is superior even to that, O great king. O king, I shall tell you the account of the prostitute Mohinī , which took place at Prayāga which is seen within it. O king, on the bank of river Narmadā there is the city Māhiṣmatī . In it was a prostitute named Mohinī, who had ample wealth, was endowed with beauty and youth, and skilled in dancing and singing. She, greedy of wealth, committed many sins. She killed seven brāhmaṇas and many maid servants. She, the sinful one, also many times caused their abortions. In this way she passed her good (i.e. valuable) youth in sinful acts.
21-28. Then after some time old age came to her body. She with her body afflicted by old age and with her desire for sensual objects gone, did not have a longing for young men, nor did they have (any longing) for her, O king. About her wealth, earned sinfully, she did not confide in anyone. She did not give it (to anyone); she did not enjoy it herself; she did not deposit it somewhere. Once, at night, she being awakened, thought like this: ‘Whose will this wealth earned sinfully be when I am dead? It will take me to a dreadful hell. The maid servants and their husbands will enjoy that wealth of me. Then now, why should I not make a good use of it?’ Thinking like this, she resolved upon doing righteous acts and constructed gardens, tanks , wells, reservoirs of water and temples. Near the city she fixed a place where water is distributed to travellers in summer; and she gave them food (also), O great king. Near her house she put up a guest house for foreigners to stay in. And she also gave them excellent food.
29-37. O king, when that Mohinī was thus engaged in righteous acts, in course of time old age came to her, and sometime she thought: ‘Though I have spent much money on righteous acts, yet I still have much more wealth in (the form of) gold, silver etc. I shall voluntarily give it to learned brāhmaṇas.’ Thus she thought. Thinking like this Mohinī invited the brāhmaṇas of the city. O king, when they, realising that the acceptance of the wealth from her was fearful, she divided her wealth into two parts. O king, she gave one part to her maid servants and the other to foreigners. She herself became destitute. Knowing that her death was imminent, her maid servants left her, took the wealth, and went (away) as they liked thinking that wealth which would be given by her when she would be free from fever (was already with them). She, after having observed eighteen fasts, was then free from fever, as (a part of the span of) her life was still left, O king. O king, she had one maid named Jaradgavā. Being careful, she actively waited upon her with (i.e. by giving her) salutary diet etc.
38-43. After a few days she was fit to take full diet. With (a sense of) shame she ate in the house of that Jaradgavā. ‘Here (i.e. in the world) I have lived happily. Now misery has come to me. I shall not live in poverty.’ Thinking like this, she went elsewhere. While she was going to a forest, the thieves of the city, thinking ‘This is Mohinī, going after taking wealth’, struck her. O king, not finding wealth with her, they left her breathing in that very forest. Then, O king, some anchorite, carrying water from Prayāga in a water-pot came to the forest. Then seeing her fallen with her body wounded by weapons and asking for the water by means of signs made by her hand,
The anchorite said :
44-50. Who are you? Who has wounded your body with sharp weapons? Why have you, all alone, come to this lonely forest? O auspicious one, with a desire to do good this water of Prayāga, situated in Indraprastha, is brought by me due to good luck.
Thus addressed by him, she, unable to speak, opened her mouth to drink water, with the desire, ‘May I be a queen’. O king, when this water of Prayāga was dropped into her mouth, that prostitute Mohinī gave up her life. At the time of her departure she longed for the status of a queen. Therefore, she, being born in the house of the lord of Kerala , became due to drinking the water of the holy place, the wife of king Vīravarman endowed with (good) family, (good) character, wealth, prosperity, in the Draviḍa country. The lotus-eyed one had a body yellowish like gold. Therefore, her father named her ‘Hemāṅgī’.
51-53. Once that Hemāṅgī, adorned with golden ornaments, went to the house of Kalā , her friend and the minister’s daughter. There she was bathed (after being smeared) with barley oil, was fed with various foods, and was seated on an excellent seat. With her braid tied with flowers, and adorned with thin silken garments, and having a tāmbūla in her mouth, she said to Kalā:
Hemāṅgī said :
54. O Kalā, speaking sweetly but indistinctly like a cuckoo, understand my words. Show me the thing which is wonderful in your house.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 44993, revision 336633 (2022-04-25T14:01:30Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc365804.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.