Glorification of the Gita Chapter XVIII
A brahmana becomes Indra
(Chapter 192, Padma Purana, Part-IX)Parvati said:
O Shiva, you have told me the greatness of the seventeenth chapter. (Now) tell me the importance of the eighteenth chapter. (1)
The lord said:
O you daughter of the (Himalaya) Mountain, listen to the greatness of the eighteenth chapter which is holy, which is the essence of all holy texts, which is the elixir that has come to the ears, which is intent on tearing off the mass of pangs in the worldly existence, which is the great secret of the siddhas, which is capable of uprooting ignorance, which is vitality, which is the best, the highest position of Kaitabha's enemy (i.e. Vishnu), which is the root of the creeper of discretion, which removes the dirt of passion and anger, which gave repose to the hearts of gods like Indra, which amused the minds of the great meditating saints like Sanaka, which has given a setback to the roars of Yama merely by its being recited, which is the cause of uprooting the roots of one hundred and eight diseases. O you whose gait is like that of an elephant, there is no greater secret than this. It removes the three (kinds of) torments and destroys major sins. As I am eternal among times, as the desire-yielding cow is among the beasts, as Vyasa is among the best sages, or as he who knows Brahman is among the Vyasas, as Indra is among gods, as Guru (i.e. Brihaspati) is superior to Sukra, as among the liquids nectar is the best and well-known in the world, as Kailasa is among mountains, and as Indra is among gods, as Puskara is among the holy places, as lotus is among flowers, as in the worlds Arundhati is among the chaste and virtuous wives, as the horse-sacrifice is among the sacrifices, as Paradise is among the gardens, as among all Rudras is my follower Virabhadra, as a gift of land is among gifts, as Godavari is among rivers, as Hariksetra is recommended for all religious rites, so is the greatness of the eighteenth chapter excellent in the world. About it, O Parvati, listen devoutly to this auspicious account, so that by merely listening to it a being is free from sins. (2-15a)
On the peak of Meru there was a beautiful city (named) Amaravati. It was formerly fashioned for my amusement by Visvakarman. It is always full of virtues, and resorted to by crores of gods. There, palaces giving desired objects and built with desire-yielding stones, excel. It (spread) up to the city of Brahma. It possessed a mass of lustre, and is well-known like the knowledge of the Supreme Spirit. There happily sitting under the shade of the desire-yielding tree Saci enjoyed the song sung by gandharva women. The divine river there turned bloody due to the billows of the blood of the demons whose lives were crushed by gods. There the gods, repeatedly remembering the ancient sweet ambrosia, and being emaciated with hunger, everyday drank the digit of the moon. In it, resembling final beatitude, formerly lived Indra. The prosperous one was accompanied by Saci, and was waited upon by all gods. When once he was seated comfortably he saw a great man having a thousand eyes, waited upon by Vishnu's messengers, coming (to him). Then due to his lustre Indra was overpowered. He quickly fell into the hall from his jewelled throne. When he went away from the throne, Vishnu's soldiers tied him with the strap of the sovereignty over the gods. Pulomaja quickly sat on the left lap of that great Indra who was consecrated to the accompaniment of sounds of drums. Then gods along with their wives sang divine songs. The celestial ladies waved lights before him. Then sages gave him blessings with (hymns from) the Vedas. The bands of celestial nymphs like Rambha danced before him. Gandharvas sang charming songs with auspicious desires. (15b-28)
Thus they served the new Indra who had not performed a hundred sacrifices. Seeing that old Indra was amazed. ''By me (him?) lakes were never fashioned on the path; trees giving rest "to travellers were never planted. God Tripurabhairava (i.e. Shiva) was never seen. Goddess Madalasa living in the place of treasure was never worshipped. Sarngadhara residing at Meghankara was never seen. A bath was never taken at Viraja. The city of Kasi was never visited. Narahari himself residing at the divine grove was never seen. Eranda Vishnu Heramba(?) was never contemplated upon. Mother Renuka living in the city was never seen. The goddess living at Danapura was never devoutly worshipped. Tryambaka with three phalluses was not devoutly seen at Tripura. Somanatha living at the Sardula lake was never seen. Ghusrnesa living at Revapura was never seen. Naganatha, well known in the city of Nagadanta, was never seen. Great Amritesvara residing at Parnagrama was never seen. Harihara himself living on the bank of Tungabhadra was never seen. Srinivasa residing on Venkatadri was not properly seen. Sriranga residing at Kaveri Karnika was not at all seen. Poor and helpless and wailing people were not released from gaol. Beings were not honoured with (i.e. by giving them) food during a famine. On no night a water-fountain was erected at a place without water. A bath was not taken in Godavari. Harinesvara was not seen. A bath was not taken in Krishnaveni, when Jupiter was in the Zodiacal sign Libra. Not a piece of land was given. Poets were not at all honoured. A sacrificial session was never performed at the holy places. Sacrifices also were not performed in villages. Water places containing much water were never made on the path. At no place temples of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva were built. Those that were overcome with fear and sought my shelter were never protected. Due to one act of religious merit how such a divine gift was got?" (29-44)
Being full of thought like this, Indra, being dejected, hastily went to ask Vishnu to the cave in the Milky Ocean. Having entered there that Indra saw Vishnu who was asleep. All of a sudden he told him of his being deprived of sovereignty. (45-46)
Indra said:
O Vishnu, in order to please you I formerly performed a hundred sacrifices. Due to that religious merit I obtained the position of Indra. Now some new person has become lndra in heaven. He has not done religious acts, nor has he performed sacrifices. O Acyuta, how is my throne ascended by him? (47-49)
Mahadeva said:
Having heard the words of him who was speaking like this, Vishnu, with his eyes dilating due to smile, spoke sweet words. (50)
The lord said:
What is the use of gifts, giving small fruits? What is the use of austerities or sacrifices? Remaining on the earth, he formerly pleased me. (51)
Indra said:
O lord, by means of which act, did the brahmana please you, due to which being pleased you gave him Indra's position? (52)
The lord said:
He mutters five verses from the eighteenth chapter of the Gita. Due to that religious merit, the crown gem of all (kinds of) religious merit, he obtained your excellent sovereign empire. Be steady.
Hearing these words of Vishnu, Indra, who had (thus) known the means, took the guise of a brahmana and went to the bank of Godavari. There he saw the very auspicious and excellent Kalikagrama. There god Kalesvara, crushing Death, resides. There on the bank of Godavari, he saw a very religious, kind brahmana who had mastered the Vedas, who everyday muttered the eighteenth chapter and whose mind was controlled. Then having rolled at his feet with great joy, he recited the eighteenth chapter taught by him. Then due to that religious merit he secured union with Vishnu. And knowing the position of gods like Indra to be small, he abandoned it, and went to Vishnu's city. Therefore, only this is a great truth for the sages. I have told you the divine importance of the eighteenth chapter, by just hearing which one is free from all sins. Thus I have told you the importance of the Gita, which destroys sins, which is meritorious, purifying, which gives (long) life, which leads (one) to heaven, and which is a great means of securing prosperity. O noble one, a man who devoutly listens to it, obtains the fruit of all sacrifices and would obtain absorption into Vishnu. (53-63)
Thus ends the “Glory of the Gita” contained in the Padma Purana.
Om Tat Sat
---xxx---
SUMMARY
After telling Parvati the glories of the seventeenth chapter of the Bhagavad-gita, Lord Shiva, said “O daughter of the Himalayas, please listen to the glories of the eighteenth chapter of the Bhagavad-gita which is higher than the Vedas and which bestows unlimited bliss. When it enters one’s ears, it destroys all material desires. For the pure devotee, it is divine nectar. It is Lord Vishnu’s very life, and it is a solace to the hearts of Lord Indra and the demigods, as well as to the great yogis headed by Sanaka and Sananda. One who recites it sends the messengers of Yamaraja far away. There is no other recitation able so quickly to destroy all sin or free one from the threefold miseries of this world. Now listen with great devotion.” Then he told the following story.
On the topmost peak of Mount Meru, the fabulous golden mountain standing in the center of the universe, is Amaravati, where Lord Indra is served by the demigods. One day Indra saw a beautiful young person arrive, being served by the servants of Lord Vishnu. When Lord Indra saw this, he at once fell to the ground, and the crown he had been wearing was placed on the young person’s head. Thereupon all the demigods and denizens of the heavenly planets started to worship and serve the new King Indra, even though he had not performed the one hundred horse sacrifices the holder of the post of Indra usually performs.
When the old Indra saw this, be was very much surprised, and he wondered how this new Indra had attained the post without the necessary activities. The old Indra, greatly disturbed, went to the ocean of milk to pray to Lord Vishnu. Upon finally obtaining an audience with Lord Vishnu, the old Indra asked, “My dear Lord Vishnu, in the past I performed many sacrifices and pious activities, for which I was installed as the lord of heaven. But now another person has taken my place, and apparently he never performed any great Vedic sacrifices. So how is it possible that he obtained the throne?
Lord Vishnu replied, “My dear Indra, that great soul has daily recited the eighteenth chapter of the Bhagavad-gita. During his life he recited five verses from this daily, and by doing so he obtained the results of all pious activities and sacrifices. After enjoying as the king of heaven for many years, he will enter My personal abode. If you also recite this chapter daily, you also can do this.”
After hearing Lord Vishnu’s words, the former Indra took the form of a brahmana went to the town of Kalikagrama, the sacred residence of Kaleshvara, a form of the Supreme Lord. Near this town, on the bank of the Godavari River, sat a pure, merciful brahmana who understood the topmost goal and secret of the Vedic literatures. Daily he sat there and recited verses of the eighteenth chapter of the Bhagavad-gita. The former Indra, happy to see him, at once fell at his feet and requested him to teach him this chapter.
After reciting from the eighteenth chapter, the former Indra attained the topmost abode, Vishnuloka, where he realized that the pleasure he had enjoyed as Indra had been insignificant. For this reason, the eighteenth chapter of the Bhagavad-gita is especially chanted by great sages, who quickly attain the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu.
_____________________________________________
Online Sources:
1a) Padma Purana, Uttarkhandam : West Bengal Public Library Network
1b) Padma Purana, Uttarkhandam : Digital Library of India
1c) Padma Purana, Uttarkhandam : Derived from 1a,b
Hard Copy Source: (scanned "PDF"s from Online Source#1a,b)
"The Padma-Purana (English)" by Veda Vyasa, 1954 & 1956. Translated by Sri N.A. Deshpande, Indian Translation Series of the UNESCO Collection of Representative Works, jointly sponsored by UNESCO & Government of India. Part VIII & IX, First Edition. 2906-2970p. Published by Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Pvt.Ltd., Bungalow Road, Jawahar Nagar, Delhi-1110007. Printed by Jainendra Prakash Jain at Jainendra Press, A-45 Naraina Industrial Area, Phase 1, New Delhi-110028.
Online References:
- http://www.bhagavad-gita.us
- http://www.gita-society.com/scriptures/GitaMahatmya.IGS.pdf
- http://www.iskconbangalore.org/gitamahatmya-introduction
- https://archive.org/details/puran_padam
संस्कृत श्लोक - Sanskrit Padmapuran-18
বাংলা অনুবাদ - Bengali Padmapuran-18
_____________________________________________
বাংলা অনুবাদ - Bengali Padmapuran-18
_____________________________________________
Typed, OCR-ed, edited and uploaded by rk
No comments:
Post a Comment