Atri Instructs Anga in the Way to Obtain a Son Equal to Indra

Verse 1 (padma.2.31.1)

सूत उवाच- अथ त्वंगो महातेजा दृष्ट्वा इंद्रस्य संपदम् । भोगं चैव विलासं च लीलां तस्य महात्मनः

sūta uvāca- atha tvaṁgo mahātejā dṛṣṭvā iṁdrasya saṁpadam bhogaṁ caiva vilāsaṁ ca līlāṁ tasya mahātmanaḥ

Suta said: Then Anga, of great splendor, having seen Indra's prosperity, his enjoyment, his revelry, and the sport of that great soul—

Verse 2 (padma.2.31.2)

कथं मे इंद्र सदृशः पुत्रः स्याद्धर्मसंयुतः । चिंतयित्वा क्षणं चैव अंगो धर्मभृतां वरः

kathaṁ me iṁdra sadṛśaḥ putraḥ syāddharmasaṁyutaḥ ciṁtayitvā kṣaṇaṁ caiva aṁgo dharmabhṛtāṁ varaḥ

—thought: 'How may I have a son like Indra, joined with dharma?' Having pondered for a moment, Anga, foremost of the upholders of dharma—

Verse 3 (padma.2.31.3)

स्वकं गेहं समायातः स त्वंगः सत्यतत्परः । अत्रिं पप्रच्छ पितरं प्रणतो नम्रकंधरः

svakaṁ gehaṁ samāyātaḥ sa tvaṁgaḥ satyatatparaḥ atriṁ papraccha pitaraṁ praṇato namrakaṁdharaḥ

—came to his own home, that Anga devoted to truth, and asked his father Atri, bowing, his neck bent low:

Verse 4 (padma.2.31.4)

कोऽयं पुण्यः समाचारैरिंद्रत्वं भुंजते महत् । कस्य पुण्यस्य वै पुष्टिः किं कृतं कर्म कीदृशम्

ko'yaṁ puṇyaḥ samācārairiṁdratvaṁ bhuṁjate mahat kasya puṇyasya vai puṣṭiḥ kiṁ kṛtaṁ karma kīdṛśam

'Who is this meritorious one who, through his own conduct, enjoys the great state of Indra? By whose merit is this nourished? What deed was performed, and of what kind?'

Verse 5 (padma.2.31.5)

कीदृशं तप एतस्य कमाराधितवान्पुरा । एतन्मे विस्तरेण त्वं ब्रूहि सत्यवतां वर

kīdṛśaṁ tapa etasya kamārādhitavānpurā etanme vistareṇa tvaṁ brūhi satyavatāṁ vara

'What austerity did he perform? Whom did he worship of old? Tell me this in full, O foremost of the truthful.'

Verse 6 (padma.2.31.6)

अत्रिरुवाच- साधुसाधु महाभाग यद्येवं पृच्छसे मयि । चरित्रमिंद्रस्य वत्स तन्मे निगदतः शृणु

atriruvāca- sādhusādhu mahābhāga yadyevaṁ pṛcchase mayi caritramiṁdrasya vatsa tanme nigadataḥ śṛṇu

Atri said: 'Well said, well said, O greatly fortunate one, that you ask me thus. The character of Indra, my son — hear it as I declare it.'

Verse 7 (padma.2.31.7)

सुव्रतो नाम मेधावी पुरा ब्राह्मणसत्तमः । तेन कृष्णो हृषीकेशस्तपसा चैव तोषितः

suvrato nāma medhāvī purā brāhmaṇasattamaḥ tena kṛṣṇo hṛṣīkeśastapasā caiva toṣitaḥ

'There was of old a wise, worthy brahmin named Suvrata; by him was Krishna Hrishikesha pleased through austerity.'

Verse 8 (padma.2.31.8)

पुण्यगर्भं पुनः प्राप्तो ह्यदित्याः कश्यपात्किल । विष्णोश्चैव प्रसादेन सुरराजो बभूव ह

puṇyagarbhaṁ punaḥ prāpto hyadityāḥ kaśyapātkila viṣṇoścaiva prasādena surarājo babhūva ha

'He entered once more a meritorious womb, indeed of Aditi by Kashyapa; and by the very grace of Vishnu he became the king of the gods.'

Verse 9 (padma.2.31.9)

अंग उवाच- कथमिंद्रसमः पुत्रो मम स्यात्पुत्रवत्सल । तदुपायं समाचक्ष्व भवाञ्ज्ञानवतां वरः

aṁga uvāca- kathamiṁdrasamaḥ putro mama syātputravatsala tadupāyaṁ samācakṣva bhavāñjñānavatāṁ varaḥ

Anga said: 'How may I have a son equal to Indra, O one devoted to sons? Tell me the means to that, you who are foremost among the knowledgeable.'

Verse 10 (padma.2.31.10)

अत्रिरुवाच- समासेनैव तस्यैव सुव्रतस्य महात्मनः । चरित्रमखिलं पुण्यं निशामय महामते

atriruvāca- samāsenaiva tasyaiva suvratasya mahātmanaḥ caritramakhilaṁ puṇyaṁ niśāmaya mahāmate

Atri said: 'In brief, hear the whole meritorious character of that very great soul Suvrata, O great-minded one.'

Verse 11 (padma.2.31.11)

यथा सुव्रत मेधावी पुराराधितवान्हरिम् । तस्य भावं च भक्तिं च ध्यानं चैव महात्मनः

yathā suvrata medhāvī purārādhitavānharim tasya bhāvaṁ ca bhaktiṁ ca dhyānaṁ caiva mahātmanaḥ

'How that wise Suvrata worshipped Hari of old — his disposition, his devotion, and his meditation, of that great soul—'

Verse 12 (padma.2.31.12)

समालोक्य जगन्नाथो दत्तवान्वै महत्पदम् । स ऐंद्रं सर्वभोगाढ्यं त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम्

samālokya jagannātho dattavānvai mahatpadam sa aiṁdraṁ sarvabhogāḍhyaṁ trailokyaṁ sacarācaram

'—beholding these, the Lord of the world indeed granted him that great station, that station of Indra, rich in every enjoyment, over the three worlds together with all that moves and does not move.'

Verse 13 (padma.2.31.13)

विष्णोश्चैव प्रसादाच्च पदं भुंक्ते त्रिलोकधृक् । एवं ते सर्वमाख्यातमिंद्रस्यापि विचेष्टितम्

viṣṇoścaiva prasādācca padaṁ bhuṁkte trilokadhṛk evaṁ te sarvamākhyātamiṁdrasyāpi viceṣṭitam

'By the very grace of Vishnu does he enjoy that station, sustainer of the three worlds. Thus has all of Indra's own conduct been declared to you.'

Verse 14 (padma.2.31.14)

भक्त्या तुष्यति गोविंदो भावध्यानेन सत्तम । सर्वं ददाति तुष्टात्मा भक्त्या संतोषितो हरिः

bhaktyā tuṣyati goviṁdo bhāvadhyānena sattama sarvaṁ dadāti tuṣṭātmā bhaktyā saṁtoṣito hariḥ

'Govinda is pleased through devotion, through true feeling and meditation, O worthy one; his soul content, Hari, satisfied by devotion, gives everything.'

Verse 15 (padma.2.31.15)

तस्मादाराध्य गोविंदं सर्वदं सर्वसंभवम् । सर्वज्ञं सर्ववेत्तारं सर्वेषां पुरुषं वरम्

tasmādārādhya goviṁdaṁ sarvadaṁ sarvasaṁbhavam sarvajñaṁ sarvavettāraṁ sarveṣāṁ puruṣaṁ varam

'Therefore, worship Govinda, the all-giver, the source of all, the all-knowing, the knower of all, the excellent Purusha of all—'

Verse 16 (padma.2.31.16)

तस्मात्प्राप्स्यसि सर्वं त्वं यद्यदिच्छसि नंदन

tasmātprāpsyasi sarvaṁ tvaṁ yadyadicchasi naṁdana

'—from him you shall obtain everything, whatever you desire, my son.'

Verse 17 (padma.2.31.17)

सुखस्य दाता परमार्थदाता मोक्षस्य दाता जगतां हि नाथः । तस्मात्तमाराधय गच्छ पुत्र संप्राप्स्यसे इंद्रसमं हि पुत्रम्

sukhasya dātā paramārthadātā mokṣasya dātā jagatāṁ hi nāthaḥ tasmāttamārādhaya gaccha putra saṁprāpsyase iṁdrasamaṁ hi putram

'The giver of happiness, the giver of the supreme goal, the giver of liberation, the very lord of the worlds — therefore worship him; go, my son, and you shall surely obtain a son equal to Indra.'

Verse 18 (padma.2.31.18)

आकर्ण्य वाक्यं परमार्थयुक्तमुक्तं महात्मा ऋषिणा हि तेन । संगृह्य तत्त्वं वचनस्य तस्य प्रणम्य तं शाश्वतमभ्ययात्सः

ākarṇya vākyaṁ paramārthayuktamuktaṁ mahātmā ṛṣiṇā hi tena saṁgṛhya tattvaṁ vacanasya tasya praṇamya taṁ śāśvatamabhyayātsaḥ

Hearing this word, joined with the supreme truth, spoken by that great-souled sage, and grasping the essence of his word, that Anga, bowing to him, then approached that Eternal One.

Verse 19 (padma.2.31.19)

आमंत्र्य चांगः पितरं महात्मा ब्रह्मात्मजं ब्रह्मसमानमेव । संप्राप्तवान्मेरुगिरेस्तु शृंगं तं कांचनै रत्नमयैः समेतम्

āmaṁtrya cāṁgaḥ pitaraṁ mahātmā brahmātmajaṁ brahmasamānameva saṁprāptavānmerugirestu śṛṁgaṁ taṁ kāṁcanai ratnamayaiḥ sametam

Having taken leave of his father, that great soul Anga — that son of Brahma's line, equal indeed to Brahma — reached the golden, jewel-adorned peak of Mount Meru.