Teaching of the Brahmin

Verse 1 (padma.5.18.1)

ब्राह्मण उवाच। राजंस्त्वं शृणु यद्वृत्तं नीले पर्वतसत्तमे । यच्छ्रद्दधानाः पुरुषा यांति ब्रह्म सनातनम्

brāhmaṇa uvāca rājaṁstvaṁ śṛṇu yadvṛttaṁ nīle parvatasattame yacchraddadhānāḥ puruṣā yāṁti brahma sanātanam

The brahmin said: "O king, listen to what happened on that finest of mountains, the blue one, in which believing men go to the eternal Brahman."

Verse 2 (padma.5.18.2)

मया पर्यटता तत्र गतं नीलाभिधे गिरौ । गंगासागरतोयेन क्षालितप्रांगणे मुहुः

mayā paryaṭatā tatra gataṁ nīlābhidhe girau gaṁgāsāgaratoyena kṣālitaprāṁgaṇe muhuḥ

"Wandering there, I went to the mountain called Nila, its courtyard repeatedly washed by the water of the Ganga-Sagara."

Verse 3 (padma.5.18.3)

तत्र भिल्ला मया दृष्टाः पर्वताग्रे धनुर्भृतः । चतुर्भुजा मूलफलैर्भक्ष्यैर्निर्वाहितक्लमाः

tatra bhillā mayā dṛṣṭāḥ parvatāgre dhanurbhṛtaḥ caturbhujā mūlaphalairbhakṣyairnirvāhitaklamāḥ

"There I saw Bhils upon the mountain-top, bow in hand, four-armed, their weariness relieved by eating roots and fruits."

Verse 4 (padma.5.18.4)

तदा मे मनसि क्षिप्रं संशयः सुमहानभूत् । चतुर्भुजाः किमेते वै धनुर्बाणधरा नराः

tadā me manasi kṣipraṁ saṁśayaḥ sumahānabhūt caturbhujāḥ kimete vai dhanurbāṇadharā narāḥ

"Then a very great doubt at once arose in my mind: 'Are these four-armed men, bearers of bow and arrow —'"

Verse 5 (padma.5.18.5)

वैकुंठवासिनां रूपं दृश्यते विजितात्मनाम् । कथमेतैरुपालब्धं ब्रह्माद्यैरपि दुर्ल्लभम्

vaikuṁṭhavāsināṁ rūpaṁ dṛśyate vijitātmanām kathametairupālabdhaṁ brahmādyairapi durllabham

"'the very form of the dwellers of Vaikuntha, their senses conquered, made visible? How have these attained what even Brahma and the rest find hard to attain?'"

Verse 6 (padma.5.18.6)

शंखचक्रगदाशार्ङ्गपद्मोल्लसितपाणयः । वनमालापरीतांगा विष्णुभक्ता इवांतिके

śaṁkhacakragadāśārṅgapadmollasitapāṇayaḥ vanamālāparītāṁgā viṣṇubhaktā ivāṁtike

"Their hands adorned with conch, discus, mace, bow, and lotus, their bodies wreathed with forest-garlands, they seemed, close at hand, like devotees of Vishnu."

Verse 7 (padma.5.18.7)

संशयाविष्टचित्तेन मया पृष्टं तदा नृप । यूयं के बत युष्माभिर्लब्धं चातुर्भुजं कथम्

saṁśayāviṣṭacittena mayā pṛṣṭaṁ tadā nṛpa yūyaṁ ke bata yuṣmābhirlabdhaṁ cāturbhujaṁ katham

"My mind filled with doubt, O king, I then asked them: 'Who indeed are you? How have you obtained this four-armed form?'"

Verse 8 (padma.5.18.8)

तदा तैर्बहु हास्यं तु कृत्वा मां प्रतिभाषितम् । ब्राह्मणोऽयं न जानाति पिंडमाहात्म्यमद्भुतम्

tadā tairbahu hāsyaṁ tu kṛtvā māṁ pratibhāṣitam brāhmaṇo'yaṁ na jānāti piṁḍamāhātmyamadbhutam

"Then, laughing much, they replied to me: 'This brahmin does not know the wondrous glory of the food-offering!'"

Verse 9 (padma.5.18.9)

इति श्रुत्वाऽवदं चाहं कः पिंडः कस्य दीयते । तन्मम ब्रूत धर्मिष्ठाश्चतुर्भुजशरीरिणः

iti śrutvā'vadaṁ cāhaṁ kaḥ piṁḍaḥ kasya dīyate tanmama brūta dharmiṣṭhāścaturbhujaśarīriṇaḥ

"Hearing this, I said: 'What is this offering, and to whom is it given? Tell me this, you righteous ones of four-armed body.'"

Verse 10 (padma.5.18.10)

तदा मद्वाक्यमाकर्ण्य कथितं तैर्महात्मभिः । सर्वं तत्र तु यद्वृत्तं चतुर्भुजभवादिकम्

tadā madvākyamākarṇya kathitaṁ tairmahātmabhiḥ sarvaṁ tatra tu yadvṛttaṁ caturbhujabhavādikam

"Then, hearing my words, those great souls told me the whole account of how the four-armed form came to be."

Verse 11 (padma.5.18.11)

किराता ऊचुः। शृणु ब्राह्मण वृत्तांतमस्माकं पृथुकः शिशुः । नित्यं जंबूफलादीनि भक्षयन्क्रीडया चरन्

kirātā ūcuḥ śṛṇu brāhmaṇa vṛttāṁtamasmākaṁ pṛthukaḥ śiśuḥ nityaṁ jaṁbūphalādīni bhakṣayankrīḍayā caran

"The forest-hunters said: 'Listen, brahmin, to our account. A young child of ours, ever eating jambu fruits and the like, wandering in play —'"

Verse 12 (padma.5.18.12)

एकदा रममाणस्तु गिरिशृंगं मनोरमम् । समारुरोह शिशुभिः समंतात्परिवारितः

ekadā ramamāṇastu giriśṛṁgaṁ manoramam samāruroha śiśubhiḥ samaṁtātparivāritaḥ

"'once, while sporting, climbed a lovely mountain-peak, surrounded on every side by other children.'"

Verse 13 (padma.5.18.13)

तदा तत्र ददर्शाहं देवायतनमद्भुतम् । गारुत्मतादिमणिभिः खचितं स्वर्णभित्तिकम्

tadā tatra dadarśāhaṁ devāyatanamadbhutam gārutmatādimaṇibhiḥ khacitaṁ svarṇabhittikam

"'There he saw a wondrous temple of the gods, inlaid with sapphires and other gems, its walls of gold,'"

Verse 14 (padma.5.18.14)

स्वकांत्यातिमिरश्रेणीं दारयद्रविवद्भृशम् । दृष्ट्वा विस्मयमापेदे किमिदं कस्य वै गृहम्

svakāṁtyātimiraśreṇīṁ dārayadravivadbhṛśam dṛṣṭvā vismayamāpede kimidaṁ kasya vai gṛham

"'its own radiance tearing through the rows of darkness like the very sun; seeing it, he was filled with wonder — "What is this? Whose house is this?"'"

Verse 15 (padma.5.18.15)

गत्वा विलोकयामीति किमिदं महतां पदम् । इति संचिंत्य गेहांतर्जगाम बहुभाग्यतः

gatvā vilokayāmīti kimidaṁ mahatāṁ padam iti saṁciṁtya gehāṁtarjagāma bahubhāgyataḥ

"'"Let me go and see — what is this abode of the great ones?" So thinking, by great good fortune, he went inside that house,'"

Verse 16 (padma.5.18.16)

ददर्श तत्र देवेशं सुरासुरनमस्कृतम् । किरीटहारकेयूरग्रैवेयाद्यैर्विराजितम्

dadarśa tatra deveśaṁ surāsuranamaskṛtam kirīṭahārakeyūragraiveyādyairvirājitam

"'and there he beheld the Lord of gods, worshipped by gods and demons, resplendent with crown, necklace, armlets, and a neck-ornament,'"

Verse 17 (padma.5.18.17)

मनोहरावतंसौ च धारयंतं सुनिर्मलौ । पादपद्मे तुलसिका गंधमत्तषडंघ्रिके

manoharāvataṁsau ca dhārayaṁtaṁ sunirmalau pādapadme tulasikā gaṁdhamattaṣaḍaṁghrike

"'wearing two lovely, most spotless earrings, at whose lotus feet the tulasi plant stood, its bees drunk with fragrance,'"

Verse 18 (padma.5.18.18)

शंखचक्रगदाशार्ङ्ग पद्माद्यैर्मूर्तिसंयुतैः । उपासितांघ्रिं श्रीमूर्तिं नारदाद्यैः सुसेवितम्

śaṁkhacakragadāśārṅga padmādyairmūrtisaṁyutaiḥ upāsitāṁghriṁ śrīmūrtiṁ nāradādyaiḥ susevitam

"'bearing in his own form the conch, discus, mace, bow, and lotus, his feet attended, that form of Shri, well served by Narada and the rest.'"

Verse 19 (padma.5.18.19)

केचिद्गायंति नृत्यंति हसंति परमाद्भुतम् । प्रीणयंति महाराजं सर्वलोकैकवंदितम्

kecidgāyaṁti nṛtyaṁti hasaṁti paramādbhutam prīṇayaṁti mahārājaṁ sarvalokaikavaṁditam

"'Some sang, some danced, some laughed in supreme wonder, delighting that great king, honored by all the worlds alone.'"

Verse 20 (padma.5.18.20)

हरिं वीक्ष्य मदीयोर्भस्तत्र संजग्मिवान्मुने । देवास्तत्र विधायोच्चैः पूजां धूपादिसंयताम्

hariṁ vīkṣya madīyorbhastatra saṁjagmivānmune devāstatra vidhāyoccaiḥ pūjāṁ dhūpādisaṁyatām

"'Beholding Hari, that child of ours, O sage, went there too. There the gods, performing worship with incense and the rest, most reverently,'"

Verse 21 (padma.5.18.21)

नैवेद्यं श्रीप्रियस्यार्थे कृत्वा नीराजनं ततः । जग्मुः स्वं स्वं गृहं राजन्कृपां पश्यंत आदरात्

naivedyaṁ śrīpriyasyārthe kṛtvā nīrājanaṁ tataḥ jagmuḥ svaṁ svaṁ gṛhaṁ rājankṛpāṁ paśyaṁta ādarāt

"'made an offering of food for the sake of Shri's beloved, and then, having waved the lamp of blessing, O king, went each to their own home, beholding his grace with reverence.'"

Verse 22 (padma.5.18.22)

महाभाग्यवशात्तेन प्राप्तं नैवेद्यसिक्थकम् । पतितं ब्रह्मदेवाद्यैर्दुर्ल्लभं सुरमानुषैः

mahābhāgyavaśāttena prāptaṁ naivedyasikthakam patitaṁ brahmadevādyairdurllabhaṁ suramānuṣaiḥ

"'By great good fortune he obtained a morsel of that consecrated food, fallen there — food hard to obtain even for Brahma, the gods, and the rest, for gods and men alike.'"

Verse 23 (padma.5.18.23)

तद्भक्षणं च कृत्वाथो श्रीमूर्तिमवलोक्य च । चतुर्भुजत्वमाप्तं वै पृथुकेन सुशोभिना

tadbhakṣaṇaṁ ca kṛtvātho śrīmūrtimavalokya ca caturbhujatvamāptaṁ vai pṛthukena suśobhinā

"'Having eaten it, and then beheld that form of Shri, that lovely boy attained the four-armed state.'"

Verse 24 (padma.5.18.24)

तदास्माभिर्गृहं प्राप्तो बालको वीक्षितो मुहुः । चतुर्भुजत्वं संप्राप्तः शंखचक्रादिधारकः

tadāsmābhirgṛhaṁ prāpto bālako vīkṣito muhuḥ caturbhujatvaṁ saṁprāptaḥ śaṁkhacakrādidhārakaḥ

"'Then, when the boy reached home, we looked at him again and again — he had attained the four-armed state, bearing conch, discus, and the rest.'"

Verse 25 (padma.5.18.25)

अस्माभिः पृष्टमेतस्य किमेतज्जातमद्भुतम् । तदा प्रोवाच नः सर्वान्बालकः परमाद्भुतम्

asmābhiḥ pṛṣṭametasya kimetajjātamadbhutam tadā provāca naḥ sarvānbālakaḥ paramādbhutam

"'We asked him: "What is this wondrous thing that has happened to you?" Then that boy told us all this most wondrous account —'"

Verse 26 (padma.5.18.26)

शिखराग्रे गतः पूर्वं तत्र दृष्टः सुरेश्वरः । तत्र नैवेद्यसिक्थं तु मया प्राप्तं मनोहरम्

śikharāgre gataḥ pūrvaṁ tatra dṛṣṭaḥ sureśvaraḥ tatra naivedyasikthaṁ tu mayā prāptaṁ manoharam

"'"I went earlier to the mountain-peak; there I saw the lord of gods; there I obtained a lovely morsel of consecrated food."'"

Verse 27 (padma.5.18.27)

तस्य भक्षणमात्रेण कारणेन तु सांप्रतम् । चतुर्भुजत्वं संप्राप्तो विस्मयेन समन्वितः

tasya bhakṣaṇamātreṇa kāraṇena tu sāṁpratam caturbhujatvaṁ saṁprāpto vismayena samanvitaḥ

"'"Merely by eating it, for that reason, I have now attained the four-armed state" — thus he spoke, filled with wonder.'"

Verse 28 (padma.5.18.28)

तच्छ्रुत्वा तु वचस्तस्य सद्यः संप्राप्तविस्मयैः । अस्माभिरप्यसौ दृष्टो देवः परमदुर्ल्लभः

tacchrutvā tu vacastasya sadyaḥ saṁprāptavismayaiḥ asmābhirapyasau dṛṣṭo devaḥ paramadurllabhaḥ

"'Hearing his words, we too, at once filled with wonder, went and beheld that god, most rare to attain —'"

Verse 29 (padma.5.18.29)

अन्नादिकं तत्र भुक्तं सर्वस्वादसमन्वितम् । वयं चतुर्भुजा जाता देवस्य कृपया पुनः । गत्वा त्वमपि देवस्य दर्शनं कुरु सत्तम

annādikaṁ tatra bhuktaṁ sarvasvādasamanvitam vayaṁ caturbhujā jātā devasya kṛpayā punaḥ gatvā tvamapi devasya darśanaṁ kuru sattama

"'we too ate food and the rest there, full of every flavor, and by the god's grace became four-armed once more. Go you too, O excellent one, and behold that god,'"

Verse 30 (padma.5.18.30)

भुक्त्वा तत्रान्नसिक्थं तु भव विप्र चतुर्भुजः । त्वया पृष्टं यदाश्चर्यं तदुक्तं वाडवर्षभ

bhuktvā tatrānnasikthaṁ tu bhava vipra caturbhujaḥ tvayā pṛṣṭaṁ yadāścaryaṁ taduktaṁ vāḍavarṣabha

"'and, having eaten a morsel of food there, become four-armed yourself, O brahmin.'" Thus, O bull among brahmins, was told the wonder that you asked about.