Uttara-khaṇḍa · Chapter 221
Sourceनारद उवाच- इत्युक्ता सा कला राजंस्तया नृपतिभार्यया । स्वकोशात्स्वर्णमंजूषामानाय्य विदधे पुरः १। उवाच च महाराज भार्येऽस्यामहदद्भुतम् । पुस्तकं वर्तते देवि तत्र चित्राणि संति वै २। उद्धाट्य दृश्यतां किंचित्किं किमस्त्यत्र पुस्तके । रंस्यते ते मनो नूनं तत्रस्था लेख्यदर्शने ३। इत्युक्त्वा भूपपत्नी सा दास्या तामुदघाटयत् । मंजूषां तत्र संस्थं च पुस्तकं पाणिनाऽग्रहीत् ४। तत्रावलोकयामास सावतारान्समासतः । पूर्वं ततस्तु भूगोलं पंचाशत्कोटियोजनम् ५। तत्रांधकारसंयुक्ता भूमिर्दृष्टाथ कांचनी । एतयोरंतरे राजँल्लोकालोकश्च पर्वतः ६। सप्तद्वीपास्ततो दृष्ट्वा समुद्रैः सप्तभिर्वृताः । एतेषु नद्यः शैलाश्च खंडानि तु महामते ७। एतद्भारतखंडं सा पश्यंती भूपतिप्रिया । यमुनाजाह्नवी मुख्या सरितः समवैक्षत ८। यमुनातीरगं राजन्निंद्रप्रस्थमिदं शुभम् । ददर्श सा महाभागा तीर्थं व्रजयुतं नृप ९। अत्र तीर्थमिदं दृष्ट्वा प्रयागं ब्रह्मनिर्मितम् । पूर्वजन्मकृतं कर्म सा सस्मार मनस्विनी १०। ततस्तूष्णीं समुत्थाय तूर्णं सा स्वगृहं ययौ । निश्चित्येति न भोक्ष्यामि ततः प्रस्थाय तीर्थकम् ११। तदैव सा तु हेमांगी सहगंतुमसुप्रियम् । वीरवर्माणमाहेदं तीर्थराजं प्रिया सती १२। हेमांग्युवाच- भो भो प्राणपते वाक्यं मदीयं शृणु धर्मदम् । विधेहि च महाभाग तूर्णं पूर्णो भविष्यति १३। पुराहं मोहिनी नाम वेश्या च बहुपापकृत् । यौवने वार्द्धके किंचिद्धर्मे जाता मतिर्मम १४। पापेनोपार्जितां वित्तं धर्मेण व्ययितं मया । निर्द्धनाहं यदा राजन्निर्गता निजपत्तनात् १५। तदा मां निर्जनेऽरण्ये यांती जघ्नुस्तु तस्कराः । वृथा दारिद्र्यसंतप्ता पापा धनजिघृक्षया १६। शितशस्त्रक्षतांगीं मां श्वसंतीं गतचेतनाम् । विसृज्य तस्करास्तत्र गता हतमनोरथाः १७। ततो वैखानसो ह्येकः प्रयागस्य जलं वहन् । इंद्रप्रस्थगतस्यैव वने तत्र समागतः १८। तत्र मां पतितां दृष्ट्वा तदवस्थां स तापसः । का त्वं कुतः किमर्थं वा हता केनेति पृष्टवान् १९। तदा किमपि नोक्तं मे प्रार्थितं पुण्यमंबु तत् । तेन तन्मे मुखे क्षिप्तं ततोऽहं देहमत्यजम् २०। प्राणप्रयाणकाले तु वारितत्सर्वकामदम् । श्रुत्वेति वांच्छितवती महिषी स्यामिति प्रभो २१। तस्य तीर्थांभसो राजन्प्रसादात्ते गृहेश्वरी । जाताहं सत्कुलाचारा शीलया परयो निधेः २२। सांप्रतं द्रष्टुमिच्छामि शक्रप्रस्थगतं नृप । प्रयागं तीर्थराजं तं भवता सह कामदम् २३। प्रस्थास्येहं यदा राजन् तीर्थराजं प्रति प्रभो । तदाहमन्नं भोक्ष्यामि मयेति विहितः पणः २४। राजोवाच- कथमेतद्विजानीयां त्वदुक्तं चललोचने । प्रतीतं कुरु मे भद्रे त्वदुक्तं करवाण्यहम् २५। नारद उवाच- इत्युक्ते तेन भूपेन खे वागित्यभवत्तदा । आकाशवागुवाच- सत्यमुक्तं वचो राजन्ननया तव भार्यया २६। इंद्रप्रस्थे गते पुण्ये प्रयागे तीर्थपुंगवे । तत्र गत्वा कुरु स्नानं लप्स्यसे यद्यदिच्छसि २७। नारद उवाच- निशम्येति ततो वाणीं नृपो गगनसंभवाम् । दंडवत्पतितो भूमौ तद्वक्तारं नमाम्यहम् २८। अथ मंत्रिणमाहूय राज्यमारोप्य तत्र वै । तया सह समारुह्य रथं तीर्थवरं ययौ २९। कतिभिर्वासरैरत्र हेमांग्या सह आययौ । उपजहृ तीर्थराजे क्षीरं भार्यायुतो नृपः ३०। सस्नतुस्तौ शिवे तीर्थे दंपती तत्र कामदे । प्रयागे तेन वपुषा वैकुंठप्राप्तिरस्तु मे ३१। प्रतीच्छया स्नानमात्रे मिथुने तत्र भूपते । आगतौ सुरशार्दूलौ हंसपक्षींद्रवाहनौ ३२। आगतौ तौ समालोक्य वीरवर्मा स भूपतिः । प्रणम्य शिरसा देवौ तुष्टावैकाग्रमानसः ३३। राजोवाच- नमो वां सुरशार्दूलौ बिभ्रद्भ्यामसितारुणे । वपुषी क्षौमवासांसि हेमसिंदूरभानि च ३४। वंदे युवां सत्वरजः प्रधानौ चराचरस्य स्थितिसर्गहेतू । वैकुंठसत्याद्भुतलोकनाथौ चतुर्द्विबाहू खगराजवाहौ ३५। वैराग्यसंरागवतां जनानां सन्मुक्तिभुक्तिप्रतिपादिकौ च । वृंदारके वंदितपादपद्मौ सद्भावनम्रेण नमामि मूर्ध्ना ३६। गोविंदवृंदारकवंद्यपाद न कोऽपि जानाति तव स्वरूपम् । यतः परस्त्वं प्रकृतेश्च पुंसो मनोवचोभ्यामपि दूरवर्ती ३७। धन्यः सलोके पुरुषः परात्मन्यो विश्वमेतत्क्षणिकं विचिंत्य । अनन्यचेता भजति त्वदीय पादारविंदं मुनिवृंदवंद्यम् ३८। त्वत्पादसेवनंनाम तीर्थमेतच्च दुर्लभम् । जनानां भजमानानां वांछितार्थफलप्रदम् ३९। तथाप्येतद्द्वयं सेव्यं मुक्तये नान्यलब्धये । अन्यकामनया यस्तु सेवते स तु वंचितः ४०। संतो भवंतमासेव्य तीर्थमेतच्च मुक्तिदम् । नान्यमिच्छंत्यतिक्रम्य सर्वलोकान्जिजीषवः ४१। नारद उवाच- इत्यभिष्टूय देवेशं लोकेशं स च भूपतिः । तस्थौ यदा तदा राजन्हेमांगी सा जगाद ह ४२। पद्मापते पद्मपलाशलोचन ब्रह्मन्करालासन भारती गुरो । नमो युवाभ्यां यदि दीनचेतसे प्रसीदतां तारयतां भवाब्धेः ४३। तीर्थस्यास्य प्रसादेन जाताहं महिषी प्रभो । युवयोर्दर्शनं जातं देवानामपि दुर्लभम् ४४। युवामखिलचित्तज्ञौ दत्तं नौ मानसेप्सितम् । स्नानकाले यदावाभ्यां विहितं पारमार्थिकम् ४५। एवं ताभ्यामुभाभ्यां तौ संस्तुतौ देवपुंगवौ । प्रसन्नवदनौ भूत्वा प्रोचतुर्दंपती प्रति ४६। हरिब्रह्माणावूचतुः । धन्या त्वमसि हेमांगि यतोऽयं तारितः पतिः । त्वया राज्यसुखासक्त चित्तोप्येतत्समागमात् ४७। राज्ञां विषयसक्तानां दुर्लभा मुक्तिरीदृशी । त्वद्भर्तुर्यादृशी जाता तीर्थस्यास्य प्रसादतः ४८। नारद उवाच- इत्युक्त्वा तौ समालोक्य गरुडं पक्षिपुंगवम् । जग्मतुस्तौ सुरश्रेष्ठौ सत्यलोकं नरेश्वर ४९। तत्र ते ब्रह्मणा सर्वे पूजिता विधिवन्नृप । तस्य चित्तानुरोधेन तस्थुरेकं मुहूर्तकम् ५०। अथ ताभ्यामुभाभ्यां स दंपतीभ्यां समं हरिः । आरुह्य गरुडं श्रीमद्वैकुंठमगमन्नृप ५१। इत्येतत्कथितं तुभ्यं तीर्थराजस्य वैभवम् । पुण्यं समस्तपापघ्नं यशस्यं सुतदं नृप ५२। य एतच्छृणुयान्नित्यं पठेदपि च मानवः । स गच्छेद्वांछितं स्थानं सत्यमेतन्मयोदितम् ५३। इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्साहस्र्यां संहितायामुत्तरखंडे इंद्रप्रस्थमाहात्म्ये प्रयागवर्णनंनामैकविंशत्यधिकद्विशततमोऽध्यायः २२१ ।
nārada uvāca- ityuktā sā kalā rājaṃstayā nṛpatibhāryayā | svakośātsvarṇamaṃjūṣāmānāyya vidadhe puraḥ 1| uvāca ca mahārāja bhārye'syāmahadadbhutam | pustakaṃ vartate devi tatra citrāṇi saṃti vai 2| uddhāṭya dṛśyatāṃ kiṃcitkiṃ kimastyatra pustake | raṃsyate te mano nūnaṃ tatrasthā lekhyadarśane 3| ityuktvā bhūpapatnī sā dāsyā tāmudaghāṭayat | maṃjūṣāṃ tatra saṃsthaṃ ca pustakaṃ pāṇinā'grahīt 4| tatrāvalokayāmāsa sāvatārānsamāsataḥ | pūrvaṃ tatastu bhūgolaṃ paṃcāśatkoṭiyojanam 5| tatrāṃdhakārasaṃyuktā bhūmirdṛṣṭātha kāṃcanī | etayoraṃtare rāja~llokālokaśca parvataḥ 6| saptadvīpāstato dṛṣṭvā samudraiḥ saptabhirvṛtāḥ | eteṣu nadyaḥ śailāśca khaṃḍāni tu mahāmate 7| etadbhāratakhaṃḍaṃ sā paśyaṃtī bhūpatipriyā | yamunājāhnavī mukhyā saritaḥ samavaikṣata 8| yamunātīragaṃ rājanniṃdraprasthamidaṃ śubham | dadarśa sā mahābhāgā tīrthaṃ vrajayutaṃ nṛpa 9| atra tīrthamidaṃ dṛṣṭvā prayāgaṃ brahmanirmitam | pūrvajanmakṛtaṃ karma sā sasmāra manasvinī 10| tatastūṣṇīṃ samutthāya tūrṇaṃ sā svagṛhaṃ yayau | niścityeti na bhokṣyāmi tataḥ prasthāya tīrthakam 11| tadaiva sā tu hemāṃgī sahagaṃtumasupriyam | vīravarmāṇamāhedaṃ tīrtharājaṃ priyā satī 12| hemāṃgyuvāca- bho bho prāṇapate vākyaṃ madīyaṃ śṛṇu dharmadam | vidhehi ca mahābhāga tūrṇaṃ pūrṇo bhaviṣyati 13| purāhaṃ mohinī nāma veśyā ca bahupāpakṛt | yauvane vārddhake kiṃciddharme jātā matirmama 14| pāpenopārjitāṃ vittaṃ dharmeṇa vyayitaṃ mayā | nirddhanāhaṃ yadā rājannirgatā nijapattanāt 15| tadā māṃ nirjane'raṇye yāṃtī jaghnustu taskarāḥ | vṛthā dāridryasaṃtaptā pāpā dhanajighṛkṣayā 16| śitaśastrakṣatāṃgīṃ māṃ śvasaṃtīṃ gatacetanām | visṛjya taskarāstatra gatā hatamanorathāḥ 17| tato vaikhānaso hyekaḥ prayāgasya jalaṃ vahan | iṃdraprasthagatasyaiva vane tatra samāgataḥ 18| tatra māṃ patitāṃ dṛṣṭvā tadavasthāṃ sa tāpasaḥ | kā tvaṃ kutaḥ kimarthaṃ vā hatā keneti pṛṣṭavān 19| tadā kimapi noktaṃ me prārthitaṃ puṇyamaṃbu tat | tena tanme mukhe kṣiptaṃ tato'haṃ dehamatyajam 20| prāṇaprayāṇakāle tu vāritatsarvakāmadam | śrutveti vāṃcchitavatī mahiṣī syāmiti prabho 21| tasya tīrthāṃbhaso rājanprasādātte gṛheśvarī | jātāhaṃ satkulācārā śīlayā parayo nidheḥ 22| sāṃprataṃ draṣṭumicchāmi śakraprasthagataṃ nṛpa | prayāgaṃ tīrtharājaṃ taṃ bhavatā saha kāmadam 23| prasthāsyehaṃ yadā rājan tīrtharājaṃ prati prabho | tadāhamannaṃ bhokṣyāmi mayeti vihitaḥ paṇaḥ 24| rājovāca- kathametadvijānīyāṃ tvaduktaṃ calalocane | pratītaṃ kuru me bhadre tvaduktaṃ karavāṇyaham 25| nārada uvāca- ityukte tena bhūpena khe vāgityabhavattadā | ākāśavāguvāca- satyamuktaṃ vaco rājannanayā tava bhāryayā 26| iṃdraprasthe gate puṇye prayāge tīrthapuṃgave | tatra gatvā kuru snānaṃ lapsyase yadyadicchasi 27| nārada uvāca- niśamyeti tato vāṇīṃ nṛpo gaganasaṃbhavām | daṃḍavatpatito bhūmau tadvaktāraṃ namāmyaham 28| atha maṃtriṇamāhūya rājyamāropya tatra vai | tayā saha samāruhya rathaṃ tīrthavaraṃ yayau 29| katibhirvāsarairatra hemāṃgyā saha āyayau | upajahṛ tīrtharāje kṣīraṃ bhāryāyuto nṛpaḥ 30| sasnatustau śive tīrthe daṃpatī tatra kāmade | prayāge tena vapuṣā vaikuṃṭhaprāptirastu me 31| pratīcchayā snānamātre mithune tatra bhūpate | āgatau suraśārdūlau haṃsapakṣīṃdravāhanau 32| āgatau tau samālokya vīravarmā sa bhūpatiḥ | praṇamya śirasā devau tuṣṭāvaikāgramānasaḥ 33| rājovāca- namo vāṃ suraśārdūlau bibhradbhyāmasitāruṇe | vapuṣī kṣaumavāsāṃsi hemasiṃdūrabhāni ca 34| vaṃde yuvāṃ satvarajaḥ pradhānau carācarasya sthitisargahetū | vaikuṃṭhasatyādbhutalokanāthau caturdvibāhū khagarājavāhau 35| vairāgyasaṃrāgavatāṃ janānāṃ sanmuktibhuktipratipādikau ca | vṛṃdārake vaṃditapādapadmau sadbhāvanamreṇa namāmi mūrdhnā 36| goviṃdavṛṃdārakavaṃdyapāda na ko'pi jānāti tava svarūpam | yataḥ parastvaṃ prakṛteśca puṃso manovacobhyāmapi dūravartī 37| dhanyaḥ saloke puruṣaḥ parātmanyo viśvametatkṣaṇikaṃ viciṃtya | ananyacetā bhajati tvadīya pādāraviṃdaṃ munivṛṃdavaṃdyam 38| tvatpādasevanaṃnāma tīrthametacca durlabham | janānāṃ bhajamānānāṃ vāṃchitārthaphalapradam 39| tathāpyetaddvayaṃ sevyaṃ muktaye nānyalabdhaye | anyakāmanayā yastu sevate sa tu vaṃcitaḥ 40| saṃto bhavaṃtamāsevya tīrthametacca muktidam | nānyamicchaṃtyatikramya sarvalokānjijīṣavaḥ 41| nārada uvāca- ityabhiṣṭūya deveśaṃ lokeśaṃ sa ca bhūpatiḥ | tasthau yadā tadā rājanhemāṃgī sā jagāda ha 42| padmāpate padmapalāśalocana brahmankarālāsana bhāratī guro | namo yuvābhyāṃ yadi dīnacetase prasīdatāṃ tārayatāṃ bhavābdheḥ 43| tīrthasyāsya prasādena jātāhaṃ mahiṣī prabho | yuvayordarśanaṃ jātaṃ devānāmapi durlabham 44| yuvāmakhilacittajñau dattaṃ nau mānasepsitam | snānakāle yadāvābhyāṃ vihitaṃ pāramārthikam 45| evaṃ tābhyāmubhābhyāṃ tau saṃstutau devapuṃgavau | prasannavadanau bhūtvā procaturdaṃpatī prati 46| haribrahmāṇāvūcatuḥ | dhanyā tvamasi hemāṃgi yato'yaṃ tāritaḥ patiḥ | tvayā rājyasukhāsakta cittopyetatsamāgamāt 47| rājñāṃ viṣayasaktānāṃ durlabhā muktirīdṛśī | tvadbharturyādṛśī jātā tīrthasyāsya prasādataḥ 48| nārada uvāca- ityuktvā tau samālokya garuḍaṃ pakṣipuṃgavam | jagmatustau suraśreṣṭhau satyalokaṃ nareśvara 49| tatra te brahmaṇā sarve pūjitā vidhivannṛpa | tasya cittānurodhena tasthurekaṃ muhūrtakam 50| atha tābhyāmubhābhyāṃ sa daṃpatībhyāṃ samaṃ hariḥ | āruhya garuḍaṃ śrīmadvaikuṃṭhamagamannṛpa 51| ityetatkathitaṃ tubhyaṃ tīrtharājasya vaibhavam | puṇyaṃ samastapāpaghnaṃ yaśasyaṃ sutadaṃ nṛpa 52| ya etacchṛṇuyānnityaṃ paṭhedapi ca mānavaḥ | sa gacchedvāṃchitaṃ sthānaṃ satyametanmayoditam 53| iti śrīpādme mahāpurāṇe paṃcapaṃcāśatsāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāmuttarakhaṃḍe iṃdraprasthamāhātmye prayāgavarṇanaṃnāmaikaviṃśatyadhikadviśatatamo'dhyāyaḥ 221 |
English translation
Nārada said :
1-3. O king, that Kalā , thus addressed by the king’s wife, got brought a golden box from her treasure, and put it before (her). She said, “O queen, O wife of the great king, this is a very wonderful book. There are pictures in it. Having opened the book a little, see what it contains. By seeing the pictures in it your mind will be delighted.”
4-12. Thus addressed by her, the queen got the box opened by her maid and took with her hand the book that was in it. In it she first saw succinctly (the pictures of) the incarnations. Then she saw the globe having an expanse of fifty crores of yojanas . In it she saw a region full of darkness. Between the two stood the Lokāloka mountain, O king. Then she saw the seven islands surrounded by seven seas. So also in them, she saw rivers, mountains and continents, O very wise one. The wife of the king saw this Bhāratakhaṇḍa . She saw the chief rivers like Yamunā , Gaṅgā . O king, the illustrious one saw this auspicious Indraprastha along with Vraja on the bank of Yamunā. O king, the high-minded one seeing in it the holy place fashioned by Brahmā , recollected the act(s) done by her in her former birth. Then silently getting up she, determining, ‘I shall not eat (food) till I leave for the holy place’, hurriedly went home. Then only, that Hemāṅgī, loving the chief holy place, said to king Vīravarman , dear to her like her own life:
Hemāṅgī said :
13-19. O lord of my life, listen to my righteous words, and carry them out quickly, O illustrious one. (My desire) will be fulfilled. Formerly I was a prostitute. I committed many sins in my youth and in my old age I had a mind to do pious acts. I spent righteously the wealth I had earned sinfully. O king, when I who was penniless, went out of my city and was going in a forest, thieves who were sinful, who were tormented by improper poverty, struck me, with a desire to grab (my) wealth. The thieves, with their desires frustrated, leaving me, with my body wounded with sharp weapons, and breathing (but) unconscious, there, went (away). Then an anchorite carrying the water of Prayāga situated in Indraprastha, came into that forest. The ascetic seeing me lying in that condition there asked me: “Who are you? Wherefrom (have you come)? Why and by whom were you hit?”
20-24. I then did not say anything, but asked for that holy water. He put it into my mouth, and I abandoned (my) body. Hearing that that water fulfils all desires, I desired, O lord, at the time of the departure of my life: ‘May I be (born as) a queen.’ Due to the grace of that holy place I became your wife practising acts of a good family and of a very good character. O king, now I desire to see, along with you, that chief holy place Prayāga situated in Indraprastha and giving all desired objects. O king, I have taken this pledge that I shall eat food only when I proceed to that chief holy place, O lord.
The king said :
25. O you of unsteady eyes, how would I know (to be true) what you said? Convince me, O good one; I would do what you said.
Nārada said :
26a. When the king said like this, there was a voice in the sky.
The divine voice said :
26b-27. O king, your wife has spoken the truth. Having gone to the auspicious Prayāga, the best of all holy places situated in Indraprastha, bathe there; you will get whatever you desire.
Nārada said :
28-33. Having heard the words coming from the sky the king prostrated himself on the ground like a staff, and said, “I salute him who spoke those words.” Then having called his minister, and having entrusted the kingdom to him, he, getting into an excellent chariot, went with her to the excellent holy place. After a few days the king came here with Hemāṅgī. The king with his wife drank the water at the chief holy place. The couple bathed there at that auspicious holy place, giving all desired objects, desiring ‘May I reach Vaikuṇṭha with this body.’ When the couple had just bathed there, the best gods (Brahmā and Viṣṇu ) having the swan and the eagle respectively as their vehicles arrived there. Seeing them who had come there, that king Vīravarman, with a concentrated mind, saluted by (bowing) his head, and praised them.
The king said :
34-41. Salutation to you, O best gods, having dark and tawny bodies and wearing garments like gold and red lead. I salute you, having mainly (qualities of) sattva and rajas , the wonderful lords of Vaikuṇṭha and Satyaloka , having four and two hands, and carried by best birds. I salute by (bowing) my head bent through good thoughts, you, giving good liberation and pleasures to men having detachment and attachment, and with your lotus-like feet saluted by gods. O you whose lotus-like feet are saluted by gods, nobody knows your original form, since you are beyondPrakṛti and transcend the mind and speech of man. O you highest soul, that man is blessed who, thinking this world to be transitory, resorts to your lotus-like feet saluted by hosts of sages. This holy place, where your feet are resorted to, is indeed difficult to be reached by men worshipping you, and it gives all desired objects. Yet these two are to be resorted to for salvation, not secured through any other (means). He who resorts to it with any other desire (than salvation) is (indeed) duped. Desiring to conquer all worlds the good, resorting to you and to this place giving salvation, do not long for anything except it.
Nārada said :
42. When having thus praised the lord of gods and the lord of the worlds, the king remained (silent), then that Hemāṅgī spoke, O king:
Hemāṅgī said :
43-46. O lord of Lakṣmī , O you having eyes like lotus petals, O Brahman having a high seat, and venerable to Sarasvatī , I salute you; if you favour me of a mean heart, then (help me to) cross this ocean of the mundane existence. O lord, due to the grace of this holy place I became a queen. I had your view difficult to be had even by gods. You two know the hearts of all; you have given us the best, which we two had longed for at the time of bathing.
The best gods, thus praised by both, had their faces pleased, and they said to the couple:
Viṣṇu and Brahmā said :
47-48. O Hemāṅgī, you are blessed since you, due to the contact with this holy place, have emancipated your husband whose mind was attached to the pleasures of the kingdom. Such a salvation is difficult to get for kings attached to objects of senses. Your husband has a wife like you due to the grace of this holy place.
Nārada said :
49-53. Speaking like this, and looking at Garuḍa , the best of birds, the two best gods (and the couple) went to Satyaloka, O lord of men. There they (the couple) were all duly honoured by Brahmā, O king. Then they stayed there for some time at the request of him. O king, then with the couple Viṣṇu, mounting on Garuḍa, went to Śrī Vaikuṇṭha . O king, I have thus told you the greatness of the chief holy place, which is meritorious, destroys all sins, leads to success and gives sons. A man who would listen to or read this account daily would go to his desired place. I have told the truth.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 44994, revision 336639 (2022-04-26T00:34:50Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc365805.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.