The Telling of the Tamasic Scriptures

Verse 1 (padma.6.236.1)

पार्वत्युवाच- तामसानि च शास्त्राणि समाचक्ष्व ममानघ । संप्रोक्तानिच तैर्व्विप्रैर्भगवद्भक्तिवर्जितैः । तेषां नामानि क्रमशः समाचक्ष्व सुरेश्वर ।

pārvatyuvāca tāmasāni ca śāstrāṇi samācakṣva mamānagha saṁproktānica tairvviprairbhagavadbhaktivarjitaiḥ teṣāṁ nāmāni kramaśaḥ samācakṣva sureśvara

Parvati said: O sinless one, tell me also of the Tamasic scriptures proclaimed by those Brahmins devoid of devotion to the Lord. Tell me their names too, in order, O Lord of gods.

Verse 2 (padma.6.236.2)

रुद्र उवाच- शृणु देवि प्रवक्ष्यामि तामसानि यथाक्रमम् ।

rudra uvāca śṛṇu devi pravakṣyāmi tāmasāni yathākramam

Rudra said: Listen, O Goddess, I shall tell the Tamasic scriptures in order.

Verse 3 (padma.6.236.3)

तेषां स्मरणमात्रेण मोहः स्याज्ज्ञानिनामपि । प्रथमं हि मयैवोक्तं शैवं पाशुपतादिकम् ।

teṣāṁ smaraṇamātreṇa mohaḥ syājjñānināmapi prathamaṁ hi mayaivoktaṁ śaivaṁ pāśupatādikam

By the mere remembrance of them, delusion arises even in the wise. First of all, I myself proclaimed the Shaiva and the Pashupata and such others.

Verse 4 (padma.6.236.4)

मच्छक्त्यावेशितैर्व्विप्रैः प्रोक्तानि च ततः शृणु । कणादेन तु संप्रोक्तं शास्त्रं वैशेषिकं महत् ।

macchaktyāveśitairvvipraiḥ proktāni ca tataḥ śṛṇu kaṇādena tu saṁproktaṁ śāstraṁ vaiśeṣikaṁ mahat

Then hear those proclaimed by Brahmins entered by my power: by Kanada was proclaimed the great Vaisheshika scripture,

Verse 5 (padma.6.236.5)

गौतमेन तथा न्यायं सांख्यं तु कपिलेन वै । धिषणेन तथा प्रोक्तं चार्व्वाकमतिगर्हितम् ।

gautamena tathā nyāyaṁ sāṁkhyaṁ tu kapilena vai dhiṣaṇena tathā proktaṁ cārvvākamatigarhitam

by Gautama the Nyaya, and by Kapila the Sankhya; and by Brihaspati the most despicable Charvaka doctrine was proclaimed.

Verse 6 (padma.6.236.6)

दैत्यानां नाशनार्थाय विष्णुना बुद्धरूपिणा । बौद्धशास्त्रमसत्प्रोक्तं नग्ननीलपटादिकम् ।

daityānāṁ nāśanārthāya viṣṇunā buddharūpiṇā bauddhaśāstramasatproktaṁ nagnanīlapaṭādikam

For the destruction of the daityas, by Vishnu in the form of Buddha, the false Buddhist scripture was proclaimed, including the naked and blue-robed orders and such others.

Verse 7 (padma.6.236.7)

मायावादमसच्छास्त्रं प्रच्छन्नं बौद्ध उच्यते । मयैव कथितं देवि कलौ ब्राह्मणरूपिणा ।

māyāvādamasacchāstraṁ pracchannaṁ bauddha ucyate mayaiva kathitaṁ devi kalau brāhmaṇarūpiṇā

The false doctrine called Mayavada is itself termed concealed Buddhism. O Goddess, in the Kali age I myself, in the form of a Brahmin, proclaimed it —

Verse 8 (padma.6.236.8)

अपार्थं श्रुतिवाक्यानां दर्शयन्लोकगर्हितम् । स्वकर्म्मरूपं त्याज्यत्वमत्रैव प्रतिपाद्यते ।

apārthaṁ śrutivākyānāṁ darśayanlokagarhitam svakarmmarūpaṁ tyājyatvamatraiva pratipādyate

showing meaningless, people-condemned interpretations of the words of the Shruti — in this very doctrine the abandonment of one's own prescribed duty is established.

Verse 9 (padma.6.236.9)

सर्वकर्म्मपरिभ्रष्टैर्वैधर्म्मत्वं तदुच्यते । परेशजीवपारैक्यं मया तु प्रतिपाद्यते ।

sarvakarmmaparibhraṣṭairvaidharmmatvaṁ taducyate pareśajīvapāraikyaṁ mayā tu pratipādyate

That state of those fallen from all prescribed action is called 'beyond dharma.' I myself established the absolute oneness of the Supreme Lord and the individual soul,

Verse 10 (padma.6.236.10)

ब्रह्मणोस्य स्वयं रूपं निर्गुणं वक्ष्यते मया । सर्वस्य जगतोऽप्यत्र मोहनार्थं कलौ युगे ।

brahmaṇosya svayaṁ rūpaṁ nirguṇaṁ vakṣyate mayā sarvasya jagato'pyatra mohanārthaṁ kalau yuge

and declared the nature of this Brahman to be, of itself, without attributes — all this was done in the Kali age only to delude the entire world.

Verse 11 (padma.6.236.11)

वेदार्थवन्महाशास्त्रं मायया यदवैदिकम् । मयैव कल्पितं देवि जगतां नाशकारणात् ।

vedārthavanmahāśāstraṁ māyayā yadavaidikam mayaiva kalpitaṁ devi jagatāṁ nāśakāraṇāt

That great scripture, which through illusion seems to carry the meaning of the Veda but is in truth non-Vedic, was devised by me myself, O Goddess, for the ruin of the world.

Verse 12 (padma.6.236.12)

मदाज्ञया जैमिनिना पूर्वं वेदमपार्थकम् । निरीश्वरेण वादेन कृतं शास्त्रं महत्तरम् ।

madājñayā jaimininā pūrvaṁ vedamapārthakam nirīśvareṇa vādena kṛtaṁ śāstraṁ mahattaram

By my own command, Jaimini in former times, through a Lordless doctrine that rendered the Veda meaningless, composed a still greater scripture.

Verse 13 (padma.6.236.13)

शास्त्राणि चैव गिरिजे तामसानि निबोध मे । पुराणानि च वक्ष्यामि तामसानि यथाक्रमात् ।

śāstrāṇi caiva girije tāmasāni nibodha me purāṇāni ca vakṣyāmi tāmasāni yathākramāt

O Girija, know from me these Tamasic scriptures. Now I shall tell you the Tamasic Puranas too, in order.

Verse 14 (padma.6.236.14)

ब्राह्मं पाद्मं वैष्णवं च शैवं भागवतं तथा । तथैव नारदीयं तु मार्कण्डेयन्तु सप्तमम् ।

brāhmaṁ pādmaṁ vaiṣṇavaṁ ca śaivaṁ bhāgavataṁ tathā tathaiva nāradīyaṁ tu mārkaṇḍeyantu saptamam

Brahma, Padma, Vaishnava, Shaiva, likewise Bhagavata, likewise Naradiya, and Markandeya as the seventh —

Verse 15 (padma.6.236.15)

आग्नेयमष्टमं प्रोक्तं भविष्यं नवमं तथा । दशमं ब्रह्मवैवर्तं लिङ्गमेकादशं स्मृतम् ।

āgneyamaṣṭamaṁ proktaṁ bhaviṣyaṁ navamaṁ tathā daśamaṁ brahmavaivartaṁ liṅgamekādaśaṁ smṛtam

Agneya declared the eighth, Bhavishya the ninth, Brahmavaivarta the tenth, and Linga considered the eleventh.

Verse 16 (padma.6.236.16)

द्वादशं च वराहं च वामनं च त्रयोदशम् । कौर्म्मं चतुर्दशं प्रोक्तं मात्स्यं पंचदशं स्मृतम् ।

dvādaśaṁ ca varāhaṁ ca vāmanaṁ ca trayodaśam kaurmmaṁ caturdaśaṁ proktaṁ mātsyaṁ paṁcadaśaṁ smṛtam

Varaha the twelfth, and Vamana the thirteenth; Kaurma declared the fourteenth, and Matsya considered the fifteenth.

Verse 17 (padma.6.236.17)

षोडशं गारुडं प्रोक्तं स्कंदं सप्तदशं स्मृतम् । अष्टादशं तु ब्रह्मांडं पुराणानि यथाक्रमम् ।

ṣoḍaśaṁ gāruḍaṁ proktaṁ skaṁdaṁ saptadaśaṁ smṛtam aṣṭādaśaṁ tu brahmāṁḍaṁ purāṇāni yathākramam

Garuda declared the sixteenth, Skanda considered the seventeenth, and Brahmanda the eighteenth — the eighteen Puranas, in this order.

Verse 18 (padma.6.236.18)

मात्स्यं कौर्मं तथा लैड्गं शैवं स्कांदं तथैव च । आग्नेयं च षडेतानि तामसानि निबोध मे ।

mātsyaṁ kaurmaṁ tathā laiḍgaṁ śaivaṁ skāṁdaṁ tathaiva ca āgneyaṁ ca ṣaḍetāni tāmasāni nibodha me

Matsya, Kaurma, and likewise Linga, Shaiva, and Skanda, and likewise Agneya — know these six as Tamasic.

Verse 19 (padma.6.236.19)

वैष्णवं नारदीयं च तथा भागवतं शुभम् । गारुडं च तथा पाद्मं वाराहं शुभदर्शने ।

vaiṣṇavaṁ nāradīyaṁ ca tathā bhāgavataṁ śubham gāruḍaṁ ca tathā pādmaṁ vārāhaṁ śubhadarśane

Vaishnava, Naradiya, and the auspicious Bhagavata, and Garuda, and likewise Padma and Varaha, O one of auspicious sight —

Verse 20 (padma.6.236.20)

सात्विकानि पुराणानि विज्ञेयानि शुभानि वै । ब्रह्मांड ब्रह्मवैवर्त्तं मार्कंडेयं तथैव च ।

sātvikāni purāṇāni vijñeyāni śubhāni vai brahmāṁḍa brahmavaivarttaṁ mārkaṁḍeyaṁ tathaiva ca

these should be known as the Sattvic Puranas, indeed auspicious. Brahmanda, Brahmavaivarta, and Markandeya —

Verse 21 (padma.6.236.21)

भविष्यं वामनं ब्राह्मं राजसानि निबोध मे । सात्विका मोक्षदाः प्रोक्ता राजसाः सर्वदा शुभाः ।

bhaviṣyaṁ vāmanaṁ brāhmaṁ rājasāni nibodha me sātvikā mokṣadāḥ proktā rājasāḥ sarvadā śubhāḥ

Bhavishya, Vamana, and Brahma — know these as Rajasic. The Sattvic are declared to bestow liberation; the Rajasic are ever auspicious, bestowing worldly good;

Verse 22 (padma.6.236.22)

तथैव तामसा देवि निरयप्राप्तिहेतवः । तथैव स्मृतयः प्रोक्ता ऋषिभिस्त्रिगुणान्विताः ।

tathaiva tāmasā devi nirayaprāptihetavaḥ tathaiva smṛtayaḥ proktā ṛṣibhistriguṇānvitāḥ

and likewise, O Goddess, the Tamasic Puranas are the cause of attaining hell. Likewise, the Smritis proclaimed by the sages are also endowed with the three gunas —

Verse 23 (padma.6.236.23)

सात्विका राजसाश्चैव तामसा शुभदर्शने । वासिष्ठं चैव हारीतं व्यासं पाराशरं तथा ।

sātvikā rājasāścaiva tāmasā śubhadarśane vāsiṣṭhaṁ caiva hārītaṁ vyāsaṁ pārāśaraṁ tathā

Sattvic, Rajasic, and Tamasic, O one of auspicious sight. Vasishtha, likewise Harita, Vyasa, and Parashara —

Verse 24 (padma.6.236.24)

भारद्वाजं काश्यपं च सात्विका मुक्तिदाः शुभाः । याज्ञवल्क्यं तथात्रेयं तैत्तिरं दाक्षमेव च ।

bhāradvājaṁ kāśyapaṁ ca sātvikā muktidāḥ śubhāḥ yājñavalkyaṁ tathātreyaṁ taittiraṁ dākṣameva ca

Bharadvaja, and Kashyapa — these are the Sattvic, auspicious, liberation-bestowing Smritis. Yajnavalkya, likewise Atreya, Taittira, and Daksha,

Verse 25 (padma.6.236.25)

कात्यायनं वैष्णवं च राजसां स्वर्गदाः शुभाः । गौतमं बार्हस्पत्यं च सांवर्त्तं च यमं स्मृतम् ।

kātyāyanaṁ vaiṣṇavaṁ ca rājasāṁ svargadāḥ śubhāḥ gautamaṁ bārhaspatyaṁ ca sāṁvarttaṁ ca yamaṁ smṛtam

Katyayana, and Vaishnava — these are the Rajasic, auspicious, heaven-bestowing Smritis. Gautama, Barhaspatya, and likewise Samvarta and Yama —

Verse 26 (padma.6.236.26)

साख्यं चौशनसं चेति तामसा निरयप्रदाः । किमत्र बहुनोक्तेन पुराणेषु स्मृतिष्वपि ।

sākhyaṁ cauśanasaṁ ceti tāmasā nirayapradāḥ kimatra bahunoktena purāṇeṣu smṛtiṣvapi

and likewise Sankhya and Aushanasa — these are the Tamasic, hell-bestowing Smritis. What need is there to say more here — among the Puranas and Smritis alike,

Verse 27 (padma.6.236.27)

तामसा नरकायैव वर्जयेत्तान्विचक्षणः । एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं प्रसंगाच्छुभदर्शनम् । शेषां च प्रभवावस्थां हरेर्वक्ष्यामि ते शृणु ।

tāmasā narakāyaiva varjayettānvicakṣaṇaḥ etatte sarvamākhyātaṁ prasaṁgācchubhadarśanam śeṣāṁ ca prabhavāvasthāṁ harervakṣyāmi te śṛṇu

the Tamasic texts serve only for hell — the discerning man should avoid them. O one of auspicious sight, all this has been told to you in passing. Now listen — I shall also tell you of Shesha's origin and of Hari's glory.