lomaharSaNa uvAca


evaM purA munInvyAsaH purANaM zlakSNayA girA | dazASTadoSarahitairvAkyaiH sAratarairdvijAH || 1


pUrNamastamalaiH zuddhairnAnAzAstrasamuccayaiH | jAtizuddhasamAyuktaM sAdhuzabdopazobhitam || 2


pUrvapakSoktisiddhAntapariniSThAsamanvitam | zrAvayitva yathAnyAyaM virarAma mahAmatiH || 3


te`pi zrutvA munizreSThAH purANaM vedasaMmitam | AdyaM brAhmAbhidhAnaM ca sarvavAJchAphalapradam || 4


hRSTA babhUvuH suprItA vismitAzca punaH punaH | prazazaMsustadA vyAsaM kRSNadvaipAyanaM munim || 5

Lomarshana said: `Oh twice born! In this way to the sages of old, Vyasa, by praising the excellent and polished ancient legend in statements free from the eighteen faults, pure and shining as the full moon and genuine, a collection of distinct rules as enjoined by pure caste adorned by the exclamation of `well done! and fully endowed with complete knowledge of expression of the prima facie argument, caused it to be heard. Then in an unjust manner the great minded one terminated. They, the best of the inspired persons, assuredly heard an ancient legend conformable to the veda, unparalleled and a dictionary of Brahma giving the result of every wish. Thrilled they were, very delighted and amazed, then, at one time and at another Krishnadvaipayana Vyasa was proclaimed.

munaya UcuH


aho tvayA munizreSTha purANaM zrutisaMmitam | sarvAbhipretaphaladaM sarvapApaharaM param || 6


proktaM zrutaM tathA`smAbhirvicitrapadamakSaram | na te`styaviditaM kiMcittriSu lokeSu vai prabho || 7


sarvajJastvaM mahAbhAga deveSviva bRhaspatiH | namasyAmo mahaprAjNaM brahmiSThaM tvAM mahAmunim || 8


yena tvayA tu vedArtha bhArate prakaTIkRtAH | kaH zaknoti guNAnvaktuM tava sarvAnmahAmune || 9


adhItya caturo vedAnsAGgAnvyAkaraNAni ca | kRtavAnbhArataM zAstraM tasmai jJAnAtmane namaH || 10


namo`stu te vyAsa vizAlabuddhe, phullArravindAyatapatranetra | yena tvayA bhAratatailapUrNaH, prajvAlito jJAnamayaH pradIpaH || 11


ajJAnatimirAndhAnAM bhrAmitAnAM kudRSTibhiH | jJAnAJjanazalAkena tvayA conmIlitA dRzaH || 12


evamuktvA samabhyarcya vyAsaM te caiva pUjitAH | jagmuryathAgataM sarve kRtakRtyAH svamAzramam 13

The munis said:`Ah! Hearing of ancient legend meted out by you chief of munis, the many colored portions of syllables told to and heard by us in that manner, brings the gain of all intentions and is best in destroying all evil. Oh master! That does not exist in the three worlds of which something is not known, truly, as you are omniscient. Great eminence, homage is paid to you like in the same manner to the lord of prayer and devotion among the gods. Great muni, you are very wise and a brahman of the highest degree by which, indeed, you have displayed the purpose of the knowledge of Bharata. Who is capable of speaking all your qualities, great muni? Obeisance to having studied the ingenious body of knowledge and grammar and having made the treatise of the Bharatas, and to that knowing of the principle of life. Obeisance be to you, Vyasa, of extensive intelligence and with eyes like the unrestrained and expanded lotus leaf. You have filled the lantern of knowledge with the oil of the story of the Bharatas by which it burns; and those who mistake falsely in blindness of dark ignorance because of weak sight, by your applying the ointment of knowing, have had opened the sight of their eyes. Having so said this was the great honor they paid to Vyasa, and all those having done their duty went by the way they came to their own hermitages.

tathA mayA munizreSThA kathitaM hi sanAtanam | purANaM sumahApuNyaM sarvapApapraNAzanam || 14


yathA bhavadbhiH pRSTo`haM saMpraznaM dvijasattamAH | vyAsaprasAdAttatsarvaM mayA saMparikIrtitam || 15


dam gRhasthaiH zrotavyaM yatibhirbrahmacAribhiH | dhanasaukhyapradaM nRNAM pavitraM pApanAzanam || 16


tathA brahmaparairviprairbrAhmaNAdyaiH susaMyataiH | zrotavyaM suprayatnena samyak zreyo`bhikANkSibhiH || 17


prApnoti brAhmaNo vidyAM kSatriyo vijayaM raNe | vaizyastu dhanamakSayyaM zUdraH sukhamavApnuyAt || 18


yaM yaM kAmamabhidhyAyaJzRNoti puruSaH zuciH | taM taM kAmamavApnoti naro nAstyatra saMzayaH || 19

Best of the munis! Oh best of the twice born! In which manner your honors inquiring about it asked me, in that manner the ancient legend and discourse of old, extremely auspicious and causing all evil to disappear, all that was enumerated fully by me in Vyasas` clearness of style. This is worth hearing by householders, ascetics, and unmarried students. It is bestowing of wealth and comfort on men, purifying and destroys wickedness. Thus, by those excellent brahman sages in the highest brahman and by those who are controlled, this is worth hearing with persevering effort and desire of complete bliss. Brahmans attain to knowledge, the reigning order to triumph in war business, indeed, the working man to undecaying wealth and shudras may gain that which is pleasant. The unsullied person whosoever repeatedly listening and meditating on this according to desire, that man attains to his desires, the uncertainty does not exist in this matter.

purANaM vaiSNavaM tvetatsarvakilviSanAzanam | viziSTaM sarvazAstrebhyaH puruSArthopapAdakam || 20


etadvo yanmayA``khyAtaM purANaM vedasaMmitam | rute`sminsarvadoSotthaH pAparAziH praNazyati || 21


prayAge puSkare caiva kurukSetre tathA`rbude | upoSya yadavApnoti tadasya zravaNAnnaraH || 22


yadagnihotre suhute varSe nA``pnoti vai phalam | mahApuNyamayaM viprAstadasya zravaNAtsakRt || 23


yajjeSThazukladvAdazyAM snAtvA vai yamunAjale | mathurAyAM hariM dRSTvA prApnoti puruSaH phalam || 24


tadApnoti phalaM samyaksamAdhAnena kIrtanAt | purANe`sya hito viprAH kezavArpitamAnasaH || 25


yatphalaM kri yamalokya puruSo`tha labhennaraH | tatphalaM samavApnoti yaH paThecchRNuyAdapi || 26


idaM yaH zraddhayA nityaM purANaM vedasaMmitam | yaH paThecchRNuyAnmartyaH sa yAti bhuvanaM hareH || 27


zrAvayedbrAhmaNo yastu sadA parvasu saMyataH | ekAdazyAM dvAdazyAM ca viSNulokaM sa gacchati || 28

This ancient legend of Vishnu removes all that is faulty in you and is distinct from all treatises that make visible the objects of human pursuit. In listening to this ancient legend equal to the veda which was made known to you by me, the mass of evil derived from all faults disappears. What a man attains to by having fasted in the place of sacrifice, in the place of pilgrimage, and in that manner so in the field of the Kurus and on the mountain, that he attains to from the hearing of this. What result, indeed, the sages do not meet with in yearly well offered sacrificing to Agni, that they reach from the hearing once of this, this being extremely auspicious. Oh Vipras! What result the person attains by bathing on the first bright twelfth day in the water of the Yamuna and beholding Vishnu Krishna in various towns, that result he meets with by the repeating with whole intentness of this legend and having the advantage of the mind fixed upon Kesava! What result is received by a man from the rules of kri bestowing freedom of the soul, that result he incurs surely who may hear and in reading. The mortal who may hear and read this ancient legend equal to the veda regularly and with faith, he goes to the world of Vishnu Krishna. The brahman who, indeed, has heard and read, having always held fast on the eleventh and twelfth festival days, he goes to Vishnus` world.

idaM yazasyamAyuSyaM sukhadaM kIrtivardhanam | balapuSTipradaM nRNAM dhanyaM duHsvapnanAzanam || 29


trisaMdhyaM yaH paThedvidvAJzraddhayA susamAhitaH | idaM variSThamAkhyAnaM sa sarvamIpsitaM labhet || 30


rogArto mucyate rogAd baddho mucyeta bandhanAt | bhayAdvimucyate bhIta ApadApanna ApadaH || 31


jAtismaratvaM vidyAM ca putrAnmedhAM pazUndhRtim | dharmaM cArthaM ca kAmaM ca mokSaM tu labhate naraH || 32


yAnyAnkAmAnabhipretya paThetprayatamAnasaH | tAMstAnsarvAnavApnoti puruSo nAtra saMzayaH || 33

This is conferring of fame, gives long life and pleasure, causes fame to increase, gives strength and comfort of men, and it bestows wealth and removes of bad dreams. Who at dawn, noon and sunset, in learned and faithful reading, has had the mind intently fixed of this most excellent story, he may receive every desire. The afflicted by sickness are delivered from sickness, the bound will be set free from the bond, from fear are released the frightened and the misfortunate got in misfortune. Indeed, the man receives recollection of former existence and knowledge, sons, sacrificial victims, kine, customary observance and purpose and pleasure and liberation. Whatever desires are meant in the intent mental reading, all those the soul attains, in this matter there is no doubt.

yazcedaM satataM zRNoti manujaH svargApavargapradaM, viSNuM lokaguruM praNamya varadaM bhaktyekacittaH zuciH |


bhuktvA cAtra sukhaM vimukta kaluSaH svarge ca divyaM sukhaM, pazcAdyAti hareH padaM su vimalaM mukto guNaiH prAkRtaiH || 34


tasmAdvipravaraiH svadharmaniratairmuktyekamArgepsubhis, tadvatkSatriyapuMgavaistu niyataiH zreyorthibhiH sarvadA |


vaizyaizcAnudinaM vizuddhakulajaiH zUdraistathA dhArmikaiH, zrotavyaM tvidamuttamaM bahuphalaM dharmArthamokSapradam || 35

Who, born of Manu also listens constantly to this is bestowed of Indras` paradise and exemption from transmigration. Bowing down before Vishnu, teacher of the world and benefactor, absorbed in unsullied attachment, having enjoyed also in this pleasance free from impurities and the celestial pleasance in Indras` paradise, he afterward goes to the perfectly pure position of Vishnu Krishna set free of unrefined qualities. For that eminent brahman attached to his own duty of striving to obtain release by one path, like that the disciplined eminent man endowed with sovereignty, indeed, desiring felicity at all times, and the well born working man every day completely cleansed, and in that manner the virtuous shudra, this in the highest degree is worth hearing and bestows numerous benefits, custom, purpose and liberation.

dharme matirbhavatu vaH puruSottamAnAM, sa hyeka eva paralokagatasya bandhuH |


arthAH striyazca nipuNairapi sevyamAnA, naiva prabhAvamupayAnti na ca sthiratvam || 36


dharmeNa rAjyaM labhate manuSyaH, svargaM ca dharmeNa naraH prayAti |


Ayuzca kIrtiM ca tapazca dharmaM, dharmeNa mokSaM labhate manuSyaH || 37


dharmo`tra mAtApitarau narasya, dharmaH sakhA cAtra pare ca loke |


trAtA ca dharmastviha mokSadazca, dharmAdRte nAsti tu kiMcideva || 38


idaM rahasyaM zreSThaM ca purANaM vedasaMmitam | na deyaM duSTamataye nAstikAya vizeSataH || 39


idaM mayoktaM pravaraM purANaM, pApApahaM dharmavivardhanaM ca |


zrutaM bhavadbhiH paramaM rahasyam AjJApayadhvaM munayo vrajAmi || 40

In custom be devoted you, best of men, because that is the one thing that connects one gone to the future world. Certainly there is no strength nor any consistency in the purpose of women, even though clever in being served and also in approaching them for sexual intercourse. By custom one gains possession of sovereignty useful to man, and by custom a man advances towards Indras` paradise. Life and fame and penance is custom and by custom one receives liberation useful to man. Custom, then, is the father and mother of man and custom is the friend in this place and in the final world. Custom is also the protector in this world and gives liberation. Indeed, other than attentiveness to custom there is certainly nothing. This most excellent and mysterious ancient legend, equal to the veda, is not to be shown to the malevolent and especially to the atheistical. This principal ancient legend, keeping back evil and promoting custom, a primary secret doctrine, was spoken by me and listened to by your honors. Give permission to go, inspired persons! I move on.