The Merit of Listening to or Reciting This Purana

Suta said:

1-4a. Having well received the order of Vena that very religious, prince, Prithu, collected all auspicious necessaries (for the sacrifice). Having invited all brahmanas born in various countries, king Vena performed a horse-sacrifice. He gave various kinds of gifts to brahmanas. The lord of the earth physically went to Vishnu's heaven. The religious-minded one eternally lives with Vishnu.

4b-12a. I have thus told you the entire account of that king, which terminates all sins and destroys all misery. That religiousminded king Prithu ruled the earth. The best king milked the earth with the three worlds. He pleased his subjects with virtuous and religious deeds. I have narrated to you the entire Bhumikhanda. The first is the Srstikhanda and the second is Bhumikhapda. I shall again tell you the greatness of Bhumikhanda. The sin of the best man who (just) listens to one verse of this Khanda everyday, perishes. O best brahmanas, listen to the religious merit of him who, the wise one, listens devoutly to a chapter (of this Khanda). He gets that fruit which is obtained by a gift of a thousand cows to brahmanas on an auspicious parvan-day; and Vishnu is pleased with him. A man who everyday reads this Padma Purana, will not meet with difficulties in the Kali Age. Vyasa said:

12b-13a. O you lotus-born one, why is it that very terrible dangers do not come to the meritorious man who listens to the Padma Purana? Brahma said:

13b-28. That fruit, O dear one, which is said to be the fruit of a horse-sacrifice, is seen in (the recital of or listening to) the Padma Purana. That auspicious sacrifice, viz. the horse-sacrifice does not at all exist in the Kali Age. That which is (the Padma) Purana is indeed equal to the horse-sacrifice. Sinful men sticking on sinful ways do not enjoy that meritorious fruit of the horse-sacrifice which gives salvation. O best brahmana, in the Kali Age, men do not enjoy the merit of this meritorious Purana called Padma like the merit of the horse-sacrifice. In the Kali Age sinful men have to go to the ocean of hell. Why will they (then) listen to the meritorious (Purana), accomplishing the four goals (of human life). He, who has listened to this Purana called Padma, has acquired the entire means of the four goals (of human life). Therefore, sacrifices like the horse-sacrifice have disappeared in the Kali Age, O highly intelligent one. They have, with the Vedas, Vedangas and their notes, gone to heaven. Great faith is produced (even) before in a pious man to listen (to the Padma Purana) who, being endowed with goodness, having faith, and devoted to the lord, desires to listen to it with his sons and wife. No great danger would come to a man who listens (to it). But faithlessness is first produced in the reciter and the listener (who are impious). O best brahmana, even greed is produced in the listener. Great and terrible delusion caused by god Vishnu always ruins the listener. Polluters and revilers and sinners are coming up everyday. O Vyasa, the good-minded one should realise: 'Oh! A danger appears to have come up to me', (and) he should perform a sacrifice. With great sacred prayers (in honour) of Vishnu and hymns (addressed to) Vishnu, which give great merit, with the hymn 'Vishnorardta (from the Vishnusukta), with the hymn 'Sahasrasirsd (from the Purusasukta), with the good hymn 'Indam Vishnu', with the hymn 'A Brahma1, with the hymn sacred to Shiva — he should thus perform a sacrifice. So also with the Brhat Saman hymn and with the hymn of twelve letters (viz. Otn namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya). He should perform the sacrifice with the hymn sacred to the particular deity to whom the sacrifice is offered.

29-35a. He should perform the sacrifice with more than eight Sheshamum seeds, (ladles of) ghee, and sacred wood-sticks of the palasa (tree). O brahmana, he should also instal the (representations of) planets and worship them. There (i.e. in the sacrifice) he should worship (Ganesha) the destroyer of calamities, and Sarada — the chief goddess. He should also worship Jataveda, Mahamaya Candika, and the lord of the soil with Sheshamum seeds, rice and ghee and with the hymns (in honour) of those (deities). He should perform the sacrifice in this way. He should give presents to brahmanas. He should give a gift along with a cow according to his capacity. Then calamities disappear and the Purana would accomplish perfection. I shall tell you about the calamity of (i.e. which befalls) him who does not do like this: A disease giving great pain is produced in his body; grief due to (the death of) his wife or son takes place; so also his wealth is lost; undoubtedly he suffers from many severe diseases. He in whose house there is no wealth (to be given to brahmanas) should observe a fast.

35b-41a. When Ekadashi arrives properly, he should worship Vishnu with a devout mind in the sixteen ways of doing homage to a deity. According to his wealth he should then feed the brahmanas. Then having offered it with a solemn vow and offerings to Vishnu, he should take food with relatives, sons and wife. Then he will attain perfection. Those who are devoted to Dharma should listen to the entire text of the Purana. By (doing) that the four goals (of human life) are accomplished, not otherwise. Listen, O brahmana; in the Krta Age sinless men listened to the Purana called Brahma, which consisted of one lakh and twentyfive thousand verses.

41b-49. When the Treta Age arrived, men listened to the entire Purana called Padma, the number of verses in which was half a lakh and two thousand. Enjoying the fruit of the four goals, they would again reach Vishnu. O brahmana, in the Dvapara Age, the text called Padma is said to have twentytwo thousand verses narrated by Brahma, the highest soul. In the Kali Age, men, devoted to Vishnu, will read the text called Padma, consisting of twelve thousand verses only. In all these four texts there is the same import and there is the same sentiment; the remaining (portion) is simply the expansion of the account. The twelve thousand (verses) will disappear, Obest one, and, when Kali Age has arrived, the first (text) will again appear. Having listened to the Bhumikhanda, a man is free from all sins, is free from all sorrows and gets rid of all diseases. Giving up all other (activities) like the muttering of the names (of a deity), giving gifts, and (studying) sacred texts, a man should carefully listen to (the Purana) called Padma. The first is Srstikhanda, the second is Bhumikhanda, the third is Svargakhanda, the fourth Patala, the fifth is Uttarakhanda, destroying all sins.

50. One who devoutly listens to the five Khandas in the serial order, obtains the fruit of the gift of a thousand cows.

51. O brahmanas, with great luck, the five Khandas, are obtained (by a man). They are said to give salvation. This is true, (quite) true. There is no doubt about this.

 

 

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