English Padmapuran-2

Glorification of Gita Chapter II

Devasarman, Mitravat & Tiger

(Chapter 176, Padma Purana, Part-VIII)

 The lord said:
The excellent account of the first chapter has been narrated. O Laksmi, also listen to the importance of the other chapters. In the southern direction, in the city called Purandara, (a city) of the teachers of sacred texts, there lived a rich man, well-known as Devasarman. He honoured guests; he was a learned person; he was proficient in the Vedas and (other) sacred texts; he offered hosts of sacrifices and was always dear to the ascetics. Offering oblations into fire, he pleased the gods for a long time. The religious-minded one did not obtain conclusive peace. Desiring beatitude, he everyday waited upon ascetics with truthful intentions, with not a few rites. When he was doing like this, and when a long time had elapsed, some Muktakarman formerly appeared on the earth. He had direct knowledge (of the supreme spirit); had no desire; had fixed his gaze on the tip of his nose; his mind was tranquil; he meditated on the highest Brahman; and was full of joy. The learned one, having held (i.e. touched) his feet with an humble mind, offered him reception due to a guest in the proper manner. Bowing to the ascetic, pleased with his pure disposition, he asked him about his final beatitude, The sage told him about a teacher, a goatherd, named Mitravat, (living) in the city named Saupura. He, having saluted his feet, went to the prosperous Saupura and saw a large forest in the region to its north. It was charming with the fragrance of many flowers tossed by the wind. It had filled the quarters with the sound of the humming of the intoxicated bees. In that forest on the bank of a river, he saw Mitravat with his eyes fixed and seated on a stoneslab. He was surrounded by animals which, though mutually hostile, had given up their natural hostility, in the garden, resplendent with slow breezes. He was as it were sprinkling nectar on the earth, with (his mind) full of pity and charming with the delight of destiny, when the herds of deer were peaceful. He, excited and with his mind pleased, and with his head slightly bent, politely approached him too and honoured him. Then the learned one, with his mind concentrated, remained by the side of Mitravat. He, being composed, asked him whose time of meditation was over. (1-17)

 Devasarman said:
I desire to know myself. So, regarding this desire, please teach me the means that has secured success. (18)

 The lord said:
Having thought for a while, that Mitravat also spoke like this: (19a)

 Mitravat said:
O learned one, know an old account being narrated by me. On the bank of Godavari, there was a city named Pratisthana. There was (a man) Durdama by name (born) in the family of the learned. There was king Vikrama, being served (by people); everyday he accepted gifts, and (thus) fed his belly. Binding him with the noose of Death, Death took him to Yama's abode. Having experienced torments in all hells, he was born in a family of brahmanas of a bad character. He was attended by learning (obtained) in the previous birth. He married a haughty girl from a mean family. In course of time, she abandoned childhood and entered youth. Her breasts were stout, buttocks fine, eyes perturbed with passion; she did not put up with her husband of a bad character; and loved other men as husbands. Desiring to earn her livelihood, she went out of the city. For a long time she was sexually united with a lustful man born as a chandala. As a result of union with him she conceived, and a daughter was born. She was his wife only due to a former sinful attachment. The same, (getting) old, was born as a female imp. Due to bad company and attachment to bad women she became wicked-minded. Having an ardent desire for tasting blood she ate a diseased fowler. She roamed in the fearful forest, and was outcast by people, on seeing her. Having reached the world of the dead, the fowler became a tiger, due to the efficacy of the killing, after having stayed in fierce hells. She too, of a wicked mind, died in course of time. Having gone to dreadful hells, she was born as a female goat in my house. O learned one, I, not noticing a fearful tiger, as it were devouring everything, looked after her and others. Seeing him to have come, I, afraid of death, left the flock of the female goats, and ran (away) due to fear. The tiger, remembering former hostility came near. The female goat quickly went near him having plough-like fangs. She giving up her fear and abandoning her hostility, stood there unrestrained. The tiger too, free from hatred, was quiet. Seeing him like that, she started speaking: "O tiger, lift me up carefully and eat me as desired by you. You are not having this intention. How did you give up your hostile intention?" Hearing these words the tiger, free from hatred, then spoke these words: "At this place my hatred has gone (away); my hunger and thirst have passed (away). Therefore, I do not long for you who have stood by me." (19b-38)

 Thus addressed, she spoke again: "How did I become fearless? What do you know to be the cause of this? If (you know), please tell (it) to me". The tiger, thus addressed (by her), again spoke to the female goat : "I do not know it". Then they moved out to ask the great one who had gone ahead. The two having come to me, asked me who was much amazed. With the two I asked the lord of monkeys. The monkey, O brahmana, (on being) asked by me, respectfully said to him these words: "O goatherd, listen; about this I shall tell (you) an old account. See, this great abode was formerly in a forest. Here Druhina had installed Shiva's Phallus. An intelligent (person), Sukarman by name, practising penance, worshipped Shiva honoured by gods after having brought wild flowers. Having bathed (the Phallus) with the river-water, he lived there just by that deed (of worshipping Shiva). After a long time a guest came to him. Having fetched fruits, he offered them to him. Being pleased with that hospitality, he said to Sukarman : "What is the root of the act, enjoying the fruit of which you are staying here? Why do you just desire to live in the way of servile imitation'!" He, thus addressed by the sage who was mostly pleased, spoke in reply clear words, most beneficial to himself: "O learned one, I really know the fruit of this act. Sambhu is served merely for the desire of enjoyment. The fruit-the result-of this service of Shiva is that you will favour me, knowing my desire." Having heard these true and pleasant words of him, the ascetic, being pleased, wrote the second chapter of the Gita on the stoneslab and ordered the brahmana to recite and study it quickly: "Your desire will easily bear fruit everywhere." The intelligent one, speaking Iike this, disappeared (even) when he was watching. He, being amazed, constantly remained (reciting the Giti) by his order. Then, after a long time, wherever the devout one, of a pleased mind, went, the penance grove became quiet. There was no antagonism, no hunger, no thirst, no fear due to the penance of him, muttering the second chapter. (39-55)

 Mitravat said:
Thus addressed by him, and having heard a great story, I, allowed by the pleased one, went with the female goat and the tiger. Having gone to the stoneslab I saw the chapter that is written (there). One should recite it. By its revision only, he reached the excellent, concluding limit of penance. O good one, therefore, you should everyday recite that chapter. Due to that your salvation will not be a remote occurrence.

 Devasarman was (thus) advised by Mitravat himself. Bowing down and honouring him, he went to the city of Purandara. Having met there in a temple certain wise man, he told him this account, and then recited this chapter. Taught by him, the pure-minded one carefully recited the second chapter and obtained the blameless, highest position. I have thus told you the account of the second chapter. Now listen, O Indira, I shall tell you the importance of the third chapter. (56-62)
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SUMMARY

 Lord Vishnu continued His glorification of the Bhagavad-gita “Please listen carefully Lakshmidevi, as I tell you the glories of the Second Chapter.” Once a learned brahmana named Devasharma satisfied the demigods. But he remained unhappy because he desired to know the Absolute Truth. Out of his strong desire for such knowledge Devasharma spoke with many sages and rendered service to them. One day he met a meditating Yogi who was peaceful and devoid of material desires. The yogi who had complete knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, advised Devasharma to meet Mitravan a goatherd in Asau-pura, and take instruction from him in the science of God realization.

 Hearing this Devasharma offered respectful obeisances to the yogi and left to find Mitravan. When Devasharma arrived in Asau-pura, he found Mitravan in a beautiful forest, beside a small river, sealed atop some rocks. Mitravan looked peaceful, and his goats moved here and there fearlessly. Some goats even sat next to tigers and other ferocious animals. Devasharma also became peaceful, and he approached Mitravan to inquire about devotion to Lord Krishna.

 Mitravan narrated the following story: “My dear Devasharma, once when I was in this forest herding goats by the bank of this river, a tiger attacked. After the goats ran away and so did I. From a distance I saw one goat being chased by the tiger. But suddenly a strange wonderful thing happened: the tiger lost its anger and no longer desired to eat the goat.” Mitravan described that both the tiger and goat were confused by this sudden peacefulness and so they approached him to ask what had happened. Mitravan in turn, inquired from a monkey who told him the story of Sukama, a learned sage.

 Sukama had once pleased another sage by feeding him sumptuously and speaking pleasant words. The pleased sage gave Sukama the second chapter of the Bhagavad-gita written on stone. The sage left after giving Sukama an instruction to recite this chapter daily. Because Sukama followed this instruction, he quickly attained complete knowledge of Lord Krishna. And because of his devoted austerities, performed at the very place where Mitravan and the monkey were standing, anyone who came there no longer fell the pangs of hunger and thirst and at once attained complete peace.

 Thereafter Mitravan told Devasharma that he and the tiger and goat had later found the stone in a temple and had begun reciting the second chapter of the Bhagavad-gita daily. In this way they had quickly attained devotion to Lord Krishna. Devasharma decided to carefully follow Mitravan’s example, and thereafter, in the village where Devasharma lived, visitors would recite with him the second chapter of the Bhagavad-gita. In this way Devasharma attained the mercy and the lotus feet of Lord Krishna.

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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:
संस्कृत श्लोक - Sanskrit Padmapuran-2

বাংলা অনুবাদ - Bengali Padmapuran-2
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Typed, OCR-ed, edited and uploaded by rk

Acknowledges Keshav Srinivasan for citing the Online Sources#1a,b of Padma Purana.

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