Suta Romaharsana Agrees to Narrate Padma Purana

1. Om, salutation to (Ganesha) the remover of obstacles. Salutation to the glorious one. I salute the lotus-like feet of Govinda (i.e. Vishnu), which are always saluted by Indira (i.e. Lakshmi), which are called 'the best', which are fixed in the hearts of people, and which are the only, absolutely excellent abode of the great people.

2-6. Once all the sages resembling blazing fire, all the sages living on the Himalaya mountain and masters of the Vedas, knowing (events) of (all) the three times (viz. past, present and future), magnanimous ones, resorting to (i.e. doing) many meritorious (acts), those who lived on the Mahendra mountain, the Vindhya mountain, in the Arbuda forest, in the Puskara forest, on the Shrisaila mountain, in Kuruksetra, in Dharmaranya, in Dandakaranya, Jambumarga, in Satya(-loka) — these and many other spotless sages came along with their disciples, as they were eager to see Shaunaka.

7-8a. The ascetics, having duly worshipped Shaunaka, and being well-honoured by him, sat, in due order, on beautiful seats meant for holy sages and offered by Shaunaka.

8b-12a. They told one another stories about Krishna. At the end of (the narration of) the stories by the sages of pure hearts, there came the very bright, very lustrous Suta, Vyasa's disciple, named Romaharsana, and well-versed in the Puranas. He duly saluted them; they also honoured him. The great, glorious sages, the ascetics, like Shaunaka, asked Romaharsana, Suta, Vyasa's disciple, who was properly and comfortably seated: The sages said:

12b-15. O very intelligent Romaharsana of a good vow and well-versed in the legends of the past, formerly we have heard from you stories from the Puranas. Now we, who are delighted, are engaged in (narrating) the story of Vishnu, since the devotion to Hari is the greatest Dharma of all men. (Please) narrate (to us) again the Purana connected with the account of Vishnu. Any other story about Vishnu, O Suta, is said to be like a crematory. That is a sacred text which in itself remains in the form of Vishnu's story.

16-18. Tell us the name of holy places giving merit. Wherefrom has this mobile and immobile world sprung? By whom is it looked after? In which (object) is it dissolved? Which places of pilgrimage are meritorious? Which mountains are venerable? Which rivers are very meritorious, auspicious and remover of the sins of men? O distinguished one, tell us all this in the proper order. Suta said:

19-21. Well, well, glorious ones, you have asked well, O ascetics. Having saluted that (Vedavyasa) I shall narrate to you the very meritorious Purana called Padma. I always salute that Vedavyasa, Parasara's son, who is the greatest man, who is the only source to be known by all, who is the support of learning, who gives great knowledge, who is to be known by the Vedas and the Upanisads, who is always tranquil, who is the object of his own intellect, who is great due to pure lustre, whose glory has spread. My salutation to that revered Vyasa of unlimited lustre, by whose grace I shall narrate this story about Narayana.

22-24. I shall narrate the very meritorious Purana called Padma which contains fiftyfive thousand verses and has six khandas (i.e. sections). There (i.e. in that Purana) the first one is the Adikhanda. Then comes the Bhumikhanda. After that is Brahmakhanda. Then follows the Patala Khanda. The next one is known as Kriyakhanda, and the last one is Uttarakhanda. This is the great, wonderful lotus, of which the world is full.

25. It is based on the account of that (lotus); therefore the wise call it 'Padma'. This Purana is spotless and excellent, (describing) the greatness of Vishnu.

26-31. (It is the Purana) which, formerly, Vishnu, the god of gods, narrated to Brahma, which Brahma told to Narada, and which Narada narrated to my preceptor. Vyasa taught me, very dear to him, all the Puranas with (treatises on) history, and collections (of verses). I shall narrate to you that Purana, very difficult to obtain, hearing which a man is free from such sins as killing a brahmana. He who listens to it gets (the merit of) having bathed at all the holy places. It gives salvation just by listening to it with great faith and devotion. Even if a person listens to it without faith and devotion, he gets a heap of merit. Therefore make all efforts to make the Padma Purana the (honourable) guest of your ears (i.e. make all efforts to listen to Padma Purana). In (i.e. from) it I shall narrate the Adikhanda which destroys all sins. The sages, who are here, should, along with their disciples, listen to it.

 

CHAPTER TWO

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