The Padma Purana

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

This page describes account of devasharman’s good deeds of previous birth which is chapter 90 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 ninetieth chapter of the Patala-Khanda (Section On The Nether World) 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 90 - An Account of Devaśarman’s Good Deeds of Previous Birth

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Devaśarman said:

1-4. You have described to me these deeds done (by me) in my former existence; for, O brāhmaṇa, I earned wealth as a śūdra only. (But) O best brāhmaṇa, how is it that I attained brāhmaṇa-hood? Tell me the reason for all this, O you who are proficient in sacred and profane knowledge. Birth in the Bharata country is difficult. More difficult is to get manhood (i.e. to be born as a human being). In manhood to be born as a brāhmaṇa is difficult; and extremely difficult is to be born in a good family. There also, due to what did I get a chaste wife, knowing everything, speaking agreeably, endowed with all virtues and difficult to obtain?

Vasiṣṭha said:

5-16. O brahmaṇa, I shall now describe the righteous deeds that you did in (your) former (existence). If you think (like-listening), listen. There was a brāhmaṇa who was highly religious-minded, who was of a good conduct, who was very wise, who was a devotee of Viṣṇu, who was religious-minded. who was always solely devoted to Viṣṇu. He always roamed over the earth for bathing at the holy places. While wandering the very intelligent one came to your house. Merely on seeing good thought was produced (in your mind), since, when the arrival of the good takes place into one’s house, what is not obtained by one, O brāhmaṇa? Whatever is difficult to be obtained in the world, even the stable place of salvation (is obtained) by service to Viṣṇu. O best one, he (i.e. that brāhmaṇa) asked for a place to stay in. Your wife and you, along with your sons, gave it to him. “O brāhmaṇa, come, come comfortably to my house.” Thus you repeatedly said to that holy brāhmaṇa, a devotee ofViṣṇu. “Stay here comfortably; this is your house, O you of a good vow. Today I am blessed; I am meritorious; I have gone to a holy place. O brāhmaṇa, on seeing you today I have obtained the fruit of (visiting) a sacred place. You have shown me the great meritorious place where cows live.” You shampooed his body, properly rubbed his feet, and washed them with water; and you bathed with the water (flowing from) his feet. You instantly gave ghee, curd, milk and many other substances to that brāhmaṇa, as you were urged by destiny. O glorious brāhmaṇa, with your wife and sons you thus pleased that brāhmaṇa, the devotee of Viṣṇu, and proficient in sacred knowledge.

17-26a. Then, in the bright morning, in the month of Vaiśākha, he who, being pleased, was going to Gaṅgā, taught you through kindness, the greatness of the bath in Vaiśākha; and he made you, with your wife and sons, bathe properly. “As in the world there is no lake like the ocean, similarly there is no (other) month like Vaiśākha, dear to Viṣṇu. Till the month of Vaiśākha, destroying sins, does not arrive, sins remain without any obstacle in the body”. O brāhmaṇa, having heard his words, you resorted (to bathing daily) in Vaiśākha, and with a pleased mind you worshipped Viṣṇu. Beginning with the eleventh day you took a morning-bath (every day) with proper rites, for the remaining five days of the month. Due to your devotion to the brāhmaṇa, you every day took bath in Revā (river) during the month of Vaiśākha. You worshipped the highest lord, the god of gods and the killer of (the demon) Madhu. You did not get (a chance) to bathe for a full month from the beginning. Thus, you could bathe (only) for five days. Due to that religious merit and especially due to the company of that brāhmaṇa, and due to the favour of Govinda (i.e. Viṣṇu) you obtained brāhmaṇa-ahood.

26b-27a. Due to your contact with that month, you got (birth in) this great family which is endowed with truth and righteousness difficult to be obtained (even) by brāhmaṇas.

27b-33a. You also obtained a very chaste wife born in the house (i.e. family) of Cyavana and a teacherofthe Vedas. O great sage, beauty alone is a great ornament of women. The second (ornament) is good character. The third is truthfulness. Always being noble is the fourth (ornament). The fifth (ornament) is excellent religious merit. Sweetness is the sixth (ornament). The seventh (ornament)—a full ornament—is their constant great purity within and without. Devotion to the husband is the eighth (ornament). Service (to him) is the ninth (ornament). Patience is the tenth (ornament). Affection is the eleventh (ornament) of women, O best brāhmaṇa. Your chaste wife, expounder of the Vedas, is adorned with these (ornaments). You have respectfully got her due to your bathing in the month of Vaiśākha.

33b-41. Which difficult things are not obtained by bathing in the month of Vaiśākha and by duly worshipping the lord? You were deluded by attachment. Your mind was occupied by avarice. O brāhmaṇa, in the former existence you amassed wealth only. You never gave it to brāhmaṇas or to other poor people or to your relatives or sons or wife. While dying you thought of greed only. You did not give (gifts); you did not offer oblations into fire; you did not mutter (prayers); you did not die at a holy place. You did not meditate upon god Nārāyaṇa who destroys all sins. When there is wealth with a man, he becomes a miser. What is more painful than that he dies without giving (gifts). By bathing at a sacred place etc., by penance a birth in a (good) family is obtained. O brāhmaṇa, nothing except (the merit due to) the gifts stands by a man. Due to that sinful thought you were reduced to poverty. You were sonless and were always tormented by affliction. Due to the peculiar virtue of bathing in Vaiśākha even for five days and to worship of Viṣṇu at that time, and due to the company of that brāhmaṇa, O brāhmaṇa, you obtained birth in a (good) family.

42-47a. Even brāhmaṇa-hood is difficult (to have). A good son, a (good) family, brāhmaṇa-hood, wealth, grains, excellent women, good birth and death, good enjoyments, so also happiness, always to have a strong desire to give (gifts), generosity, excellent courage—(thus) O brāhmaṇa, all desired accomplishments are had by the favour of that high-souled god, Viṣṇu. Having bathed (daily) in the month of Kārtika, or in the month of Phālguna, or in the month of Vaiśākha, and having worshipped Madhusūdana (i.e. Viṣṇu), having devoutly given presents, having enjoyed worldly pleasures, a man then goes to Viṣṇu. By taking a bath (every day) in the month of Vaiśākha, the row of sins committed in many existences disappears, as, O brāhmaṇa, darkness disappears at sunrise.

47b-54. The self-born one (i.e. Brahma) told me these words. Viṣṇu conceived a pure idea; (so) he first brought about the rite (in) the month of Vaiśākha, to make people go to heaven, after having mentally thought (i.e. known) Yama’s secret. Therefore, in this month of Vaiśākha, that has now come, having bathed, in a sacred place having holy water (every morning) before the sun has risen, and having, with proper rites, worshipped Madhusūdana, and having enjoyed (i.e. having had) sons, grandsons, wealth, good fortune and desired pleasures, you will, in the end, obtain heaven. O brāhmaṇa, I have told you all that (i.e. all those deeds which) you did in the former existence. O glorious one, having known like this, especially (the importance) of Vaiśākha, bathe (daily) and with proper rites worship Viṣṇu, Govinda, Nārāyaṇa, Anāmaya, the god that should be worshipped. (Thereby) you will obtain happiness, a son, wealth and immutable Viṣṇu.

Nārada said:

55-57. The best brāhmaṇa, of great prowess, instructed by Brahmā’s son (i.e. Vasiṣṭha), was glad, and the magnanimous one, having saluted Vasiṣṭha there, and having taken his leave of the brāhmaṇa, went home; and the great sage spoke to his wife, Sumanā: “Due to your favour that brāhmaṇa (i.e. Vasiṣṭha) told me all the account of my former deeds. O good one, Vasiṣṭha brought to light all of them. Today only my delusion is destroyed. I shall devoutly worship Viṣṇu, after (daily) bathing in the month of Vaiśākha.”

Nārada said:

58. Having heard these very pure, very auspicious words leading to an auspicious result, she, who was delighted, said to her dear husband: “You are blessed, since you have been, advised by the brāhmaṇa (i.e. Vasiṣṭha).”

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