The Skanda Purana

by G. V. Tagare | 1950 | 2,545,880 words

This page describes Pushpa Acquires Prosperity which is chapter 159 of the English translation of the Skanda Purana, the largest of the eighteen Mahapuranas, preserving the ancient Indian society and Hindu traditions in an encyclopedic format, detailling on topics such as dharma (virtous lifestyle), cosmogony (creation of the universe), mythology (itihasa), genealogy (vamsha) etc. This is the one hundred fifty-ninth chapter of the Tirtha-mahatmya of the Nagara-khanda of the Skanda Purana.

Chapter 159 - Puṣpa Acquires Prosperity

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Sūta said:

1-3. Taking the excellent lady named Māhikā Puṣpa joyously went to the abode of Maṇibhadra together with all the kinsmen to the accompaniment of conches and other musical instruments.

None of them there had any doubt about him. Thanks to the favour of Bhāskara or others, he reached that abode as though it were his ancestral home.

4-6. He sat in the centre and summoned all the kinsmen. He said: “Today my fortune has hung in the balance. Though it oscillated it stood steady by the words of this excellent wife. So long extreme miserliness had overpowered me.

Today I have become aware that fortune is unsteady. In fact I have abandoned it. Hence I shall share it entirely with kinsmen, Brāhmanas and deities. I take a solemn oath myself.”

7. After saying thus he called them severally uttering their names and gave them clothes and ornaments befittingly.

8. Then he invited Brāhmaṇas conversant with the Vedas individually by their names. With faith he gave each of them cash and clothes.

9. Then, O excellent Brāhmanas, he gave good food with delicacies and clothes to dancers, blind beggars and wretched people.

10. After dismissing the kinsmen along with the Brāhmaṇas, he himself took food in the company of his wife.

11. Thus another man’s wealth was acquired by him which he enjoyed for long as he pleased along with his wife.

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