The Padma Purana

by N.A. Deshpande | 1951 | 1,261,945 words | ISBN-10: 8120838297 | ISBN-13: 9788120838291

This page describes dharmangada born as suvrata which is chapter 22 of the English translation of the Padma Purana, one of the largest Mahapuranas, detailling ancient Indian society, traditions, geography, as well as religious pilgrimages (yatra) to sacred places (tirthas). This is the twenty-second chapter of the Bhumi-khanda (section on the earth) of the Padma Purana, which contains six books total consisting of at least 50,000 Sanskrit metrical verses.

Disclaimer: These are translations of Sanskrit texts and are not necessarily approved by everyone associated with the traditions connected to these texts. Consult the source and original scripture in case of doubt.

Chapter 22 - Dharmāṅgada Born as Suvrata

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Vyāsa said:

1-3. O noble one, I shall put one question to you. Now speak (i.e. answer) it; you yourself had formerly said that Suvrata meditated upon lord Nārāyaṇa Anāmaya, due to former practice. In which caste was Suvrata born in his former birth? Now tell that to me (and also) how Hari was propitiated by him. O lord of gods, who is he that is full of merit?

Brahmā said:

4-13. In the auspicious city (called) Vaidiśa, full of all prosperity, (lived) a very lustrous, powerful king, the son of Ṛtadhavaja. His very intelligent son was well-known as Rukmabhūṣaṇa. His loyal wife was the glorious Sandhyāvatī. The king's son (i.e. Rukmabhūṣaṇa) having produced a son on her like himself, named him Dharmāṅgada. This (Dharmāṅgada), the most fortunate son of Rukmāṅgada, was endowed with all auspicious marks and was intensely devoted to his father; and he, for the happiness of his father, even gave his own head to Mohinī. Hṛṣīkeśa (i.e. Viṣṇu) was pleased by his Viṣṇuite way of life and devotion to his father; and took him physically to Viṣṇu’s position. He, who knew all codes of conduct, who was a devotee of Viṣṇu, who was best of the Sātvatas, he—Dharmāṅgada, who was very wise, who was well-versed in judgement and knowledge, who was an ornament of piety, living there only gladly enjoyed all divine pleasures according to his desire. When a full thousand yugas were over, he who was piety (himself) and an ornament of piety, dropped from that position, and due to the favour of Viṣṇu, was born as the eldest and most fortunate and intelligent son of Somaśarman, increasing the delight of Sumanā, and named Suvrata. The intelligent one practised penance and was intent upon meditation on Viṣṇu.

14-18a. The best brāhmaṇa, having abandoned blemishes like desire and anger, having controlled the group of senses, continuously practised penance by concentrating his mind and uniting it with Viṣṇu, near Siddheśvara on the best mountain Vaidūrya. The lord of the world, holding a conch, a disc and a mace was well-pleased with the meditation of the noble one, who thus had remained in it for a hundred years. That Keśava, with Lakṣmī, granted him another boon: “O you pious Suvrata, O you best among the wise sages, well-being to you; choose a boon, I am Kṛṣṇa that have come to you.”

18b-19. Having heard these excellent words of Viṣṇu, the intelligent one was full of great joy, and seeing god Janārdana (i.e. Viṣṇu), he joining the palms ofhis hands, saluted him.

Suvrata said:

20. The ocean of mundane existence is full of the waves of very great (i.e. poignant) griefs, and of the ripples of the heaps. of follies. Through my vices and virtues I have reached it. O Janārdana, from it quickly take up me who am helpless.

21-28. When the great cloud of my deeds is thundering, it is. raining, lightning is flashing; due to the heaps of my sins and coverings of the darkness of delusion, I do not have (i.e. I have lost my) sight. (So) O Madhusūdana, give your hand to me, who am helpless. This dense forest of the worldly existence is resorted to by (i.e. has) many trees of great grief, and by many lions of the form of follies. It is blazing with the lustre of the great fire of compassion. O Kṛṣṇa, protect me who am constantly being burnt. The tree of the worldly existence is extremely old and also high. It has the bulbous root of illusion and many branches of pity and many afflictions; it has the leaves of union with one’s. wife etc. It has borne fruit. O lord Murāri, protect me who climbed it and fell from it. O Kṛṣṇa, I am constantly burnt by the fires of griefs, with profuse (columns of) smoke in the form of various delusions, and with distresses like separation resembling death. Give me salvation. Always sprinkle me with water of knowledge, me—who have fallen in the great ditch covered with fearful darkness and called Saṃsāra (i.e. the worldly existence). O Kṛṣṇa, you show a great favour to me who am distressed and suffering from fear. Being disgusted with it, I have sought your refuge. Those, who with controlled minds and full of devotion. meditate upon you with their minds (full of) knowledge, obtain the (highest) position; since saluting the very auspicious pair of your feet the groups of Kinnaras and gods think of you (only). I do not talk to anyone else, I do not worship anyone else, I do. not think about anyone else. I (just) continuously salute the pair of your lotus-like feet. O Kṛṣṇa, today satisfy my desire. Let the heap of my sins go far away. I am your slave, I am your servant in existence after existence. I constantly remember the pair of your lotus-like feet.

29-30a. If, O Kṛṣṇa, you are pleased, then grant me a good boon: O great god, with me take (also) my parents physically to. your abode. There should be no hesitation about it.

Śrīkṛṣṇa said:

30b. There is no doubt that this great affair of you will take place.

31-35. Hṛṣīkeśa was pleased with him and was very much delighted by his devotion. Free from tormentation and destruction the two viz. Sumanā and Somaśarman, went, along with Suvrata to Viṣṇu’s heaven. O you very intelligent one, till a couple of yugas came (i.e. was over) the brāhmaṇa Suvrata enjoyed repeatedly divine worlds. And by the words (i.e. order) of that disc-holder (i.e. Viṣṇu) the very intelligent one again came down to (i.e. was born in) the house of Kaśyapa for the mission of gods; and enjoys Indra’s position due to Viṣṇu’s favour. Well-known as Vasudatta, and saluted by all gods, he enjoys the position of Indra at present.

36. Thus I have told you the entire cause of the propriety of creation. I shall (even), tell (i.e. explain to) you anything else that you ask.

Vyāsa said:

37. The powerful and very intelligent Dharmāṅgada, the son of Rukmāṅgada, was Indra at the time of creation in the first Kṛtayuga.

38-39a. Then, O lord of gods, how is it that there is another Dharmāṅgada on the earth, and also another king (named) Rukmāṅgada, and how is it that this one is also the lord of gods (i.e. Indra)? This doubt has arisen (in my mind); please explain (i.e. remove) it.

Brahmā said:

39b-40a. Oh, I shall tell you that which will remove your doubt. O best brāhmaṇa, the sport of the god is for the creation.

40b-42. As days, fortnights, months, seasons, years and Manus pass (i.e. come and go) in the same way the yugas again and again pass. Then arrives the Kalpa; then, O very intelligent one, I myself go to Janārdana (i.e. Viṣṇu) and the mobile and the immobile go to (i.e. merge into) me. (Then) he, whose nature is contemplation, again creates the universe as before.

43-44a. Again, I, the Vedas, the deities and brāhmaṇas, as well as all kings with their dispositions are born, O noble one. A wise man is not confused by this.

44b-47. As in the former Kalpa the magnanimous king Rukmāṅgada was born, in the same way this well-known brāhmaṇa Dharmāṅgada is born (now). The very intelligent ones like Rāma, Yayāti[1], Nahuṣa,[2] and also the magnanimous Manu and others are born and die. Kings devoted to piety enjoy the position of Indra, as the hero Dharmāṅgada is now enjoying (that) great position. In the same way Vedas, gods, Purāṇas, preceded by Smṛtis (come and go)

48-49. O best brāhmaṇa, I have thus narrated to you Suvrata’s entire account which is meritorious and which leads to good position. O noble one, I shall explain to you the invisible (one).

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Yayāti—Name of a celebrated king of the lunar race. He was the son o Nahuṣa. He married Śukra’s daughter Devayānī, who was cursed by Kaca that she would marry a Kṣatriya. Śarmiṣṭhā, daughter of the king of Asuras was told by her father to be Devayāni’s servant as a sort of recompense for her formerly having slapped and thus insulted Devayānī. Yayāti fell in love with Śarmiṣṭhā and secretly married her. Devayānī came to know about the marriage, and complained to her father of the conduct of Yayāti. Śukra cursed him that he would be prematurely old. Yayāti propitiated him and obtained from him permission to transfer his infirmity to anyone who would accept it. His youngest son Pūru agreed to take it. Yayāti enjoyed youth for a thousand years. With a strenuous effort he renounced his sensual life and restoring youth to Pūru, and appointing him as his successor, he left for a forest to lead a pious and meditating life.

[2]:

Nahuṣa—He was Āyus’ son, Purūravas’ grandson, and Yayāti’s father. He was a very wise and powerful king. For some time, he deputed Indra at latter’s request. He made the Seven Sages to carry him in a palanquin to Indrāṇī’s house, whose love, he thought, he would win. On his way, he insulted the Sages by ordering them to move on (sarpa, sarpa). One of the Sages cursed him to be a sarpa (serpent). He fell down on the earth and remained as a serpent, till he was freed by Yudhiṣṭhira from that condition.

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