The Puranas as Vishnu's Body and the Closing Glory of the Svarga Khanda

Verse 1 (padma.3.62.1)

सूत उवाच । एवं यन्महिमा लोके लोकनिस्तारकारणम् । तस्य विष्णोः परेशस्य नानाविग्रहधारिणः ।

sūta uvāca evaṁ yanmahimā loke lokanistārakāraṇam tasya viṣṇoḥ pareśasya nānāvigrahadhāriṇaḥ

Suta said: Thus, whatever is the glory in this world that causes the deliverance of the worlds — of that supreme Lord Vishnu, who bears manifold forms —

Verse 2 (padma.3.62.2)

एकं पुराणं रूपं वै तत्र पाद्मं परं महत् । ब्राह्मं मूर्धा हरेरेव हृदयं पद्मसंज्ञितम् ।

ekaṁ purāṇaṁ rūpaṁ vai tatra pādmaṁ paraṁ mahat brāhmaṁ mūrdhā harereva hṛdayaṁ padmasaṁjñitam

the Puranas themselves are one collective form of his; among them, the Padma is supremely great. The Brahma Purana is Hari's very head; the one called Padma is his heart.

Verse 3 (padma.3.62.3)

वैष्णवं दक्षिणो बाहुः शैवं वामो महेशितुः । ऊरू भागवतं प्रोक्तं नाभिः स्यान्नारदीयकम् ।

vaiṣṇavaṁ dakṣiṇo bāhuḥ śaivaṁ vāmo maheśituḥ ūrū bhāgavataṁ proktaṁ nābhiḥ syānnāradīyakam

The Vaishnava Purana is his right arm; the Shaiva is the left arm of the great lord. The Bhagavata is declared to be his thighs; the navel is the Naradiya.

Verse 4 (padma.3.62.4)

मार्कंडेयं च दक्षांघ्रिर्वामो ह्याग्नेयमुच्यते । भविष्यं दक्षिणो जानुर्विष्णोरेव महात्मनः ।

mārkaṁḍeyaṁ ca dakṣāṁghrirvāmo hyāgneyamucyate bhaviṣyaṁ dakṣiṇo jānurviṣṇoreva mahātmanaḥ

The Markandeya is his right foot, and the left is said to be the Agneya. The Bhavishya is the right knee of the great-souled Vishnu himself.

Verse 5 (padma.3.62.5)

ब्रह्मवैवर्तसंज्ञं तु वामजानुरुदाहृतः । लैंगं ह गुल्फकं दक्षं वाराहं वामगुल्फकम् ।

brahmavaivartasaṁjñaṁ tu vāmajānurudāhṛtaḥ laiṁgaṁ ha gulphakaṁ dakṣaṁ vārāhaṁ vāmagulphakam

The one named Brahmavaivarta is declared to be the left knee; the Linga is the right ankle; the Varaha is the left ankle.

Verse 6 (padma.3.62.6)

स्कांदं पुराणं लोमानि त्वगस्य वामनं स्मृतम् । कौर्मं पृष्ठं समाख्यातं मात्स्यं मेदः प्रकीर्तितम् ।

skāṁdaṁ purāṇaṁ lomāni tvagasya vāmanaṁ smṛtam kaurmaṁ pṛṣṭhaṁ samākhyātaṁ mātsyaṁ medaḥ prakīrtitam

The Skanda Purana is his body-hairs; the Vamana is remembered as his skin. The Kaurma is declared to be his back; the Matsya is proclaimed as his fat.

Verse 7 (padma.3.62.7)

मज्जा तु गारुडं प्रोक्तं ब्रह्मांडमस्थि गीयते । एवमेवाभवद्विष्णुः पुराणावयवो हरिः ।

majjā tu gāruḍaṁ proktaṁ brahmāṁḍamasthi gīyate evamevābhavadviṣṇuḥ purāṇāvayavo hariḥ

The Garuda is declared to be his marrow; the Brahmanda is sung as his bones. In this very way, Vishnu, Hari, has become one whose limbs are the Puranas.

Verse 8 (padma.3.62.8)

हृदयं तत्र वै पाद्मं यच्छ्रुत्वामृतमश्नुते । पाद्ममेतत्पुराणं तु स्वयं देवोभवद्धरिः ।

hṛdayaṁ tatra vai pādmaṁ yacchrutvāmṛtamaśnute pādmametatpurāṇaṁ tu svayaṁ devobhavaddhariḥ

There, indeed, the Padma is his heart; hearing it, one partakes of nectar. This Purana, the Padma, has itself become the very god Hari.

Verse 9 (padma.3.62.9)

यस्यैकाध्यायमध्याप्य सर्वैः पापैः प्रमुच्यते । तत्रादिमं स्वर्गमिदं सर्वपाद्मफलप्रदम् ।

yasyaikādhyāyamadhyāpya sarvaiḥ pāpaiḥ pramucyate tatrādimaṁ svargamidaṁ sarvapādmaphalapradam

Having taught even a single chapter of it, one is freed from all sins. Within it, this first khanda, the Svarga Khanda, grants the fruit of the entire Padma Purana.

Verse 10 (padma.3.62.10)

स्वर्गखंडं समाकर्ण्य महापातकिनोपि ये । मुच्यंते तेपि पापेभ्यस्त्वचो जीर्णाद्यथोरगाः ।

svargakhaṁḍaṁ samākarṇya mahāpātakinopi ye mucyaṁte tepi pāpebhyastvaco jīrṇādyathoragāḥ

Having heard the Svarga Khanda, even great sinners — they too are freed from their sins, just as a serpent is freed from its worn-out skin.

Verse 11 (padma.3.62.11)

अपि चेत्सुदुराचारः सर्वधर्म्मबहिष्कृतः । आदिस्वर्गं समाकर्ण्य यत्फलं समवाप्नुयात् ।

api cetsudurācāraḥ sarvadharmmabahiṣkṛtaḥ ādisvargaṁ samākarṇya yatphalaṁ samavāpnuyāt

Even if a man of most wicked conduct, excluded from all dharma, hears the Adi-Svarga —

Verse 12 (padma.3.62.12)

आदिस्वर्गमिदं श्रुत्वा तत्फलं लभते नरः । माघेमासे प्रयागे तु स्नात्वा प्रतिदिनं नरः ।

ādisvargamidaṁ śrutvā tatphalaṁ labhate naraḥ māghemāse prayāge tu snātvā pratidinaṁ naraḥ

having heard this Adi-Svarga, a man obtains that fruit which a man obtains by bathing daily at Prayaga in the month of Magha.

Verse 13 (padma.3.62.13)

यथा पापात्प्रमुच्येत तथा हि श्रवणाद्भवेत् । दत्ता तेन स्वर्णतुला दत्ता चैव धराखिला ।

yathā pāpātpramucyeta tathā hi śravaṇādbhavet dattā tena svarṇatulā dattā caiva dharākhilā

Just as he would be freed from sin by that bathing, so too it comes about through mere hearing. By him, a gift equal to his own weight in gold has been given, and the whole earth has been given as a gift;

Verse 14 (padma.3.62.14)

कृतं वितरणं तेन द्ररिद्रे यत्कृतमृणम् । हरेर्नामसहस्राणि पठितानि ह्यभीक्ष्णशः ।

kṛtaṁ vitaraṇaṁ tena draridre yatkṛtamṛṇam harernāmasahasrāṇi paṭhitāni hyabhīkṣṇaśaḥ

by him, charity has been distributed to the poor, and debts have been forgiven; the thousand names of Hari have indeed been recited repeatedly;

Verse 15 (padma.3.62.15)

सर्वेवे दास्तथाधीतास्तत्तत्कर्मकृतं तथा । अध्यापकाश्च बहवः स्थापिता वृत्तिदानतः ।

sarveve dāstathādhītāstattatkarmakṛtaṁ tathā adhyāpakāśca bahavaḥ sthāpitā vṛttidānataḥ

all the Vedas have likewise been studied, and every corresponding rite has been performed; and many teachers have been established through the gift of livelihood.

Verse 16 (padma.3.62.16)

अभयं भयलोकेभ्यो दत्तं तेन तथा द्विजाः । गुणवंतो ज्ञानवंतो धर्मवंतोनुमानिताः ।

abhayaṁ bhayalokebhyo dattaṁ tena tathā dvijāḥ guṇavaṁto jñānavaṁto dharmavaṁtonumānitāḥ

Freedom from fear has been granted by him to fearful beings, O twice-born; virtuous, knowledgeable, and righteous men have been honored by him;

Verse 17 (padma.3.62.17)

मेषकर्कटयोर्मध्ये तोयं दत्तं सुशीतलम् । ब्राह्मणार्थे गवार्थे च प्राणास्त्यक्ताश्च तेन हि ।

meṣakarkaṭayormadhye toyaṁ dattaṁ suśītalam brāhmaṇārthe gavārthe ca prāṇāstyaktāśca tena hi

cool water has been given to travelers in the season between Aries and Cancer; and his very life has been given up for the sake of Brahmins and cows by him;

Verse 18 (padma.3.62.18)

अन्यानि च सुकर्माणि कृतानि तेन धीमता । येनादिखंडं सदसि श्रुतं संश्रावितं तथा ।

anyāni ca sukarmāṇi kṛtāni tena dhīmatā yenādikhaṁḍaṁ sadasi śrutaṁ saṁśrāvitaṁ tathā

and other good deeds as well have been performed by that wise man who has heard, and caused others to hear, the Adi-Khanda in an assembly.

Verse 19 (padma.3.62.19)

स्वर्गखंडं समाधीत्य नानाभोगान्समश्नुते । अंतःपुरगनारीणां सुखसुप्तः प्रबुध्यते ।

svargakhaṁḍaṁ samādhītya nānābhogānsamaśnute aṁtaḥpuraganārīṇāṁ sukhasuptaḥ prabudhyate

Having thoroughly studied the Svarga Khanda, one enjoys manifold pleasures; sleeping happily, he is awakened by the women of the inner palace —

Verse 20 (padma.3.62.20)

किंकिणीरवसन्नादैस्तथा मधुरभाषणैः । इंद्रस्यार्धासनं भुंक्ते इंद्रलोके वसेच्चिरम् ।

kiṁkiṇīravasannādaistathā madhurabhāṣaṇaiḥ iṁdrasyārdhāsanaṁ bhuṁkte iṁdraloke vasecciram

by the sounds of their tinkling anklets, and by their sweet speech; he enjoys half of Indra's own throne, and dwells long in the world of Indra.

Verse 21 (padma.3.62.21)

ततः सूर्यस्य भवनं चंद्रलोकं ततो व्रजेत् । सप्तर्षिभवने भोगान्भुक्त्वा याति ततो ध्रुवम् ।

tataḥ sūryasya bhavanaṁ caṁdralokaṁ tato vrajet saptarṣibhavane bhogānbhuktvā yāti tato dhruvam

Then he goes to the abode of the Sun, and thence to the world of the Moon; having enjoyed pleasures in the abode of the Seven Sages, he goes thence to Dhruva.

Verse 22 (padma.3.62.22)

ततश्च ब्रह्मणो लोकं प्राप्य तेजोमयं वपुः । तत्रैव ज्ञानमासाद्य निर्वाणं परमृच्छति ।

tataśca brahmaṇo lokaṁ prāpya tejomayaṁ vapuḥ tatraiva jñānamāsādya nirvāṇaṁ paramṛcchati

Then, having attained the world of Brahma, a body made of splendor, having obtained knowledge there itself, he attains the supreme nirvana.

Verse 23 (padma.3.62.23)

सद्भिः सह वसेद्धीमान्सत्तीर्थे स्नानमाचरेत् । कुर्यादेव सदालापं सच्छास्त्रं शृणुयान्नरः ।

sadbhiḥ saha vaseddhīmānsattīrthe snānamācaret kuryādeva sadālāpaṁ sacchāstraṁ śṛṇuyānnaraḥ

The wise man should dwell together with the virtuous; he should bathe at a sacred tirtha; he should always converse rightly; a man should listen to the true scriptures.

Verse 24 (padma.3.62.24)

तत्र पाद्मं महाशास्त्रं सर्वाम्नायफलप्रदम् । स्वर्गखंडं च तन्मध्ये महापुण्यफलप्रदम् ।

tatra pādmaṁ mahāśāstraṁ sarvāmnāyaphalapradam svargakhaṁḍaṁ ca tanmadhye mahāpuṇyaphalapradam

Among these, the great scripture Padma grants the fruit of the entire Vedic tradition; and within it, the Svarga Khanda grants the fruit of great merit.

Verse 25 (padma.3.62.25)

भजध्वं गोविंदं नमत हरिमेकं सुरवरं गमिष्यध्वं लोकानतिविमलभोगानतितराम् । शृणुध्वं हे लोका वदत हरिनामैकमतुलं यदीच्छावीचीनां सुखतरणमिष्टानि लभत ।

bhajadhvaṁ goviṁdaṁ namata harimekaṁ suravaraṁ gamiṣyadhvaṁ lokānativimalabhogānatitarām śṛṇudhvaṁ he lokā vadata harināmaikamatulaṁ yadīcchāvīcīnāṁ sukhataraṇamiṣṭāni labhata

Worship Govinda! Bow to Hari, the one, the best of gods! You shall go to worlds of exceedingly pure, boundless enjoyments. Listen, O people! Utter the one incomparable name of Hari! If you desire an easy crossing over the waves of samsara and to obtain your desired ends, do so.