The Glory of Honoring One's Parents

Verse 1 (padma.2.84.1)

सुकर्मोवाच- एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं चरित्रं पापनाशनम् । पुत्राणां तारकं दिव्यं बहुपुण्यप्रदायकम्

sukarmovāca- etatte sarvamākhyātaṁ caritraṁ pāpanāśanam putrāṇāṁ tārakaṁ divyaṁ bahupuṇyapradāyakam

Sukarma said: "I have told you this entire story, the destroyer of sin, the deliverer of sons, divine and granting abundant merit."

Verse 2 (padma.2.84.2)

प्रत्यक्षं दृश्यते लोके ययातिचरितं श्रुतम् । पूरुणाप्तं महद्राज्यं दुर्गतिं गतवांस्तुरुः

pratyakṣaṁ dṛśyate loke yayāticaritaṁ śrutam pūruṇāptaṁ mahadrājyaṁ durgatiṁ gatavāṁsturuḥ

"This story of Yayati, as heard, is seen directly manifest in the world: great kingship was obtained by Puru; Turu fell into misfortune -"

Verse 3 (padma.2.84.3)

पितृप्रसादात्कोपाच्च यथा जातं तथा पुनः । पुत्राणां तारकं पुण्यं यशस्यं धनधान्यदम्

pitṛprasādātkopācca yathā jātaṁ tathā punaḥ putrāṇāṁ tārakaṁ puṇyaṁ yaśasyaṁ dhanadhānyadam

"- through a father's grace, and through his anger, as it happened, so it happens again - this is the meritorious teaching that delivers sons, brings fame, and grants wealth and grain."

Verse 4 (padma.2.84.4)

शापयुक्ताविमौ चोभौ तुरुश्च यदुरेव च । पितृमातृसमं नास्ति अभीष्टफलदायकम्

śāpayuktāvimau cobhau turuśca yadureva ca pitṛmātṛsamaṁ nāsti abhīṣṭaphaladāyakam

"Both of these - Turu and Yadu - were placed under curses. There is nothing equal to father and mother in granting one's desired fruit."

Verse 5 (padma.2.84.5)

साभिलाषेण भावेन पिता पुत्रं समाह्वयेत् । माता च पुत्रपुत्रेति तस्य पुण्यफलं शृणु

sābhilāṣeṇa bhāvena pitā putraṁ samāhvayet mātā ca putraputreti tasya puṇyaphalaṁ śṛṇu

"When a father, with eager affection, calls out to his son, and a mother says, 'My son, my son' - hear the meritorious fruit of that."

Verse 6 (padma.2.84.6)

समाहूतो यथा पुत्रः प्रयाति मातरं प्रति । यो याति हर्षसंयुक्तो गंगास्नानफलं लभेत्

samāhūto yathā putraḥ prayāti mātaraṁ prati yo yāti harṣasaṁyukto gaṁgāsnānaphalaṁ labhet

"As a son, when called, goes to his mother - he who goes joyfully obtains the fruit of bathing in the Ganga."

Verse 7 (padma.2.84.7)

पादप्रक्षालनं यस्तु कुरुते च महायशाः । सर्वतीर्थफलं भुंक्ते प्रसादात्तु तयोः सुतः

pādaprakṣālanaṁ yastu kurute ca mahāyaśāḥ sarvatīrthaphalaṁ bhuṁkte prasādāttu tayoḥ sutaḥ

"Whatever greatly renowned son washes his parents' feet enjoys the fruit of every sacred place, by their grace."

Verse 8 (padma.2.84.8)

अंगसंवाहनाच्चान्यदश्वमेधफलं लभेत् । भोजनाच्छादनस्नानैर्गुरुं यः पोषयेत्सुतः

aṁgasaṁvāhanāccānyadaśvamedhaphalaṁ labhet bhojanācchādanasnānairguruṁ yaḥ poṣayetsutaḥ

"From massaging their limbs he obtains the fruit of the Ashvamedha sacrifice; whatever son nourishes his elders through food, clothing, and bathing -"

Verse 9 (padma.2.84.9)

पृथ्वीदानसमं पुण्यं तत्पुत्रे हि प्रजायते । सर्वतीर्थमयी गंगा तथा माता न संशयः

pṛthvīdānasamaṁ puṇyaṁ tatputre hi prajāyate sarvatīrthamayī gaṁgā tathā mātā na saṁśayaḥ

"- that son gains merit equal to the gift of the whole earth; the mother is, without doubt, like the Ganga, embodying every sacred place."

Verse 10 (padma.2.84.10)

बहुपुण्यमयः सिंधुर्यथा लोके प्रतिष्ठितः । अस्मिल्लोँके पिता तद्वत्पुराणकवयो विदुः

bahupuṇyamayaḥ siṁdhuryathā loke pratiṣṭhitaḥ asmillom̐ke pitā tadvatpurāṇakavayo viduḥ

"As the ocean, full of great merit, is established in this world, so too, in this world, is the father - so the ancient poets of the Puranas have known."

Verse 11 (padma.2.84.11)

सुकर्मोवाच- भ्रंशते क्रोशते यस्तु पितरं मातरं पुनः । स पुत्रो नरकं याति रौरवाख्यं न संशयः

sukarmovāca- bhraṁśate krośate yastu pitaraṁ mātaraṁ punaḥ sa putro narakaṁ yāti rauravākhyaṁ na saṁśayaḥ

Sukarma said: "Whatever son again curses or scolds his father or mother, that son, without doubt, goes to the hell called Raurava."

Verse 12 (padma.2.84.12)

मातरं पितरं वृद्धौ गृहस्थो यो न पोषयेत् । स पुत्रो नरकं याति वेदनां प्राप्नुयाद्ध्रुवम्

mātaraṁ pitaraṁ vṛddhau gṛhastho yo na poṣayet sa putro narakaṁ yāti vedanāṁ prāpnuyāddhruvam

"Whatever householder son does not support his mother and father in their old age - that son goes to hell and shall surely suffer torment."

Verse 13 (padma.2.84.13)

कुत्सते पापकर्ता यो गुरुं पुत्रः सुदुर्मतिः । निष्कृतिर्नैव दृष्टा वै पुराणैः कविभिः कदा

kutsate pāpakartā yo guruṁ putraḥ sudurmatiḥ niṣkṛtirnaiva dṛṣṭā vai purāṇaiḥ kavibhiḥ kadā

"The evil-minded, sinful son who reviles his elders - no atonement for this has ever been found by the ancient poets of the Puranas."

Verse 14 (padma.2.84.14)

एवंज्ञात्वाह्यहंविप्रपूजयामिदिनेदिने । मातरं पितरं नित्यं भक्त्या नमितकंधरः

evaṁjñātvāhyahaṁviprapūjayāmidinedine mātaraṁ pitaraṁ nityaṁ bhaktyā namitakaṁdharaḥ

"Knowing this, O brahmin, I worship my mother and father every day, my head always bowed in devotion."

Verse 15 (padma.2.84.15)

कृत्याकृत्यं वदेच्चैव समाहूय गुरुर्मम । तत्करोम्यविचारेण शक्त्या स्वस्य च पिप्पल

kṛtyākṛtyaṁ vadeccaiva samāhūya gururmama tatkaromyavicāreṇa śaktyā svasya ca pippala

"Whatever right or wrong action my guru, having summoned me, tells me, O Pippala, that I do without question, with all my strength."

Verse 16 (padma.2.84.16)

तेन मे परमं ज्ञानं संजातं गतिदायकम् । एतयोश्च प्रसादेन संसारे परिवर्तते

tena me paramaṁ jñānaṁ saṁjātaṁ gatidāyakam etayośca prasādena saṁsāre parivartate

"By that, supreme knowledge, granting the highest goal, has arisen in me. By their grace alone do I move about in this world."

Verse 17 (padma.2.84.17)

यच्चकिंचित्प्रकुर्वंति मानवा भुवि संस्थिताः । गृहस्थस्तदहं जाने यच्च स्वर्गे प्रवर्तते

yaccakiṁcitprakurvaṁti mānavā bhuvi saṁsthitāḥ gṛhasthastadahaṁ jāne yacca svarge pravartate

"Whatever householders established on this earth do, however small, that I know; and whatever happens in heaven too -"

Verse 18 (padma.2.84.18)

नागानां च इहस्थोपि चारं जानामि पिप्पल । एतयोश्च प्रसादाच्च त्रैलोक्यं मम वश्यताम्

nāgānāṁ ca ihasthopi cāraṁ jānāmi pippala etayośca prasādācca trailokyaṁ mama vaśyatām

"- even while dwelling here, I know the movements of the Nagas, O Pippala. By their grace alone has the triple world -"

Verse 19 (padma.2.84.19)

गतं विद्याधरश्रेष्ठ भवानर्चतु माधवम् । विष्णुरुवाच- एवं संचोदितस्तेन पिप्पलो हि स्वकर्मणा

gataṁ vidyādharaśreṣṭha bhavānarcatu mādhavam viṣṇuruvāca- evaṁ saṁcoditastena pippalo hi svakarmaṇā

"- come, O best of the Vidyadharas, under my control. Worship Madhava yourself." Vishnu said: "Thus urged by his own past deed -"

Verse 20 (padma.2.84.20)

आनम्य तं द्विजश्रेष्ठं लज्जितोऽपि दिवं ययौ । सुकर्मासोऽपि धर्मात्मा गुरुं शुश्रूषते नृप

ānamya taṁ dvijaśreṣṭhaṁ lajjito'pi divaṁ yayau sukarmāso'pi dharmātmā guruṁ śuśrūṣate nṛpa

- Pippala, bowing to that best of brahmins though ashamed, went to heaven; and Sukarma too, that righteous soul, O king, continued to serve his own guru.

Verse 21 (padma.2.84.21)

एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं पितृतीर्थानुगं मया । अन्यत्किं ते प्रवक्ष्यामि वद वेन महामते

etatte sarvamākhyātaṁ pitṛtīrthānugaṁ mayā anyatkiṁ te pravakṣyāmi vada vena mahāmate

"All this, following upon the Pitr-tirtha, I have told you. What else shall I tell you? Speak, O great sage Vena."