पुण्यस्थानेषु तीर्थेषु पठेत्कोटिगुणं भवेत्। ग्रहे भोज्येषु पूजायां ब्रह्मभोज्ये द्विजाग्रतः
—if recited at holy places, sacred fords, the merit becomes a crore-fold; at times of planetary rites, during food, in worship, or in the presence of Brahmins at a Brahmin-feast—
य इदं पठते विप्रस्तस्यानंतफलं भवेत्। तपस्विनां च विप्राणां देवानामग्रतः सुधीः
—whoever recites this, O learned one, obtains endless fruit; and among ascetics, Brahmins, and before the gods, the wise—
यः पठेत्पाठयेद्वापि सुरलोके महीयते
—whoever recites or causes it to be recited is honored in the world of the gods.
इति श्रीपाद्मपुराणे प्रथमे सृष्टिखंडे सूर्यशांतिर्नामाष्टसप्ततितमोऽध्यायः
Thus, in the glorious Padma Purāṇa, in the first section on creation, this is the seventy-eighth chapter, named 'Appeasement of the Sun.'
व्यास उवाच- मध्यदेशे स्वराट् सम्राट् भद्रेश्वर इति श्रुतः। तपोभिर्बहुभिः पूतो व्रतैर्नानाविधैरपि
Vyāsa said: In the central region, there was a sovereign, renowned as Bhadreśvara; purified by many austerities and various vows.
देवांस्तु पूजयेन्नित्यं सुभावेन सदा खलु। तस्य सव्येऽभवत्कुष्ठं करे श्वेतमजायत
He always worshipped the gods daily with a pure mind; on his left hand, leprosy appeared, manifesting as a white patch.
ततो भिषक्प्रयोगाच्च लक्षणं दृश्यते पुरा। आहूय द्विजमुख्यांश्च मंत्रिणः सोब्रवीद्वचः
Then, by the application of physicians, the symptom was seen as before; summoning foremost Brahmins and ministers, he spoke these words:
राजोवाच-। किल्बिषं मे करे विप्रा दुःसहं लोकगर्हितं। तस्मात्पुण्यं महाक्षेत्रं यत्र त्यक्ष्यामि विग्रहं
The king said: 'O Brahmins, there is a grievous, shameful sin on my hand; therefore, I will go to a great holy place where I shall abandon this body.'
आज्ञापयत धर्मज्ञाः परलोकहिताय वै। वंशहीनस्य मे वीराः प्रेत्यामुत्र हितं च यत्
'O knowers of dharma, command me for the good of the next world; O heroes, for one without lineage, what is beneficial hereafter?'
तद्ब्रूत सुप्रसन्ना म उद्दिष्टं यत्करोम्यहं। द्विजा ऊचुः। परित्यक्ते त्वया राष्ट्रे धर्मशीलेन धीमता
'Tell me, O most gracious ones, what is prescribed, what should I do?' The Brahmins said: 'If you, righteous and wise, abandon the kingdom—'
नष्टं जगदिदं राजंस्तस्मान्नो वक्तुमर्हसि। अयमस्य प्रतीकारो ह्यस्माभिरवगम्यते
O King, this world is lost; therefore, you should not speak to us. We have understood the remedy for this.
सूरं मंत्रैर्महादेवं यत्नादाराधय प्रभो। राजोवाच- केनोपायेन विप्रेंद्रास्तोषयिष्यामि भास्करं
With effort, worship the great god Sūrya with mantras, O Lord. The king said: By what means, O best of Brāhmins, shall I please Bhāskara?
अमेध्येनाथ कुष्ठेन लोकानां गर्हितेन च। अदृश्यः सर्वभूतानां गर्हितोस्मि द्विजातयः
With impurity and leprosy, and with what is despised by people, I am unseen by all beings and condemned by the twice-born.
किं करिष्यामि राज्यं च किं स्यादाराधनेन तु। द्विजा ऊचुः-। अत्र स्थित्वा स्वराज्ये तु समुपास्य विरोचनं
What shall I do with the kingdom, and what would be the use of worship? The Brāhmins said: Remaining here in your own kingdom, worship Virocana.
प्रमुच्य किल्विषाद्घोरात्स्वर्गं मोक्षं च लप्स्यसे। एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु राजेंद्रः प्रणिपत्य द्विजोत्तमान्
Freed from terrible sin, you will attain heaven and liberation. Hearing this, the king bowed to the best of Brāhmins.
आकार्षीत्तस्य सूर्यस्य परमाराधनं च यत्। नित्यपूजां तथा मंत्रैरुपहारैर्विलेपनैः
He undertook the supreme worship of that Sūrya, performing daily worship with mantras, offerings, and ointments.
फलैर्नानाविधैरर्घैरक्षतातप तंडुलैः। जपापुष्पार्कपर्णैश्च करवीरकरंजकैः
With various kinds of fruits, offerings, unbroken rice, roasted grains, hibiscus flowers, arka leaves, karavīra and karañja flowers.
रक्तकुंकुमसिन्दूरैस्तथा वासंतिकादिभिः। सुगंधकदलीपत्रैस्तत्फलैः सुमनोहरैः
With red kuṅkuma, vermilion, and also with springtime flowers and others, with fragrant banana leaves and those delightful fruits.
अर्घ्यमौदुंबरे कृत्वा सदा सूर्याय पार्थिवः। आदित्यसंमुखो दत्ते सदा मंत्रिपुरोहितैः
The king always offered arghya to Sūrya in a fig-wood vessel, always facing the sun, together with ministers and priests.
महिषीभिस्तथा चार्घो भोगिनीभिः समंततः। सर्वैरंतःपुरस्थैश्च सपत्नीकैश्च रक्षिभिः
With queens as well, and the arghya was offered by the royal women all around, by all those within the palace, with their wives and by the guards.
चेटवर्गैस्तथान्यैश्च दीयतेऽर्घो दिनेदिने। अर्कशांतिभिरत्युग्रैः स्तोत्रमंत्रादिभिः परैः
By groups of attendants and others, arghya was given every day, with fierce rituals for the appeasement of the sun, and with excellent hymns and mantras.
मूलमंत्रान्यमंत्रैश्च यजंति स्म दिवाकरं। तथार्कांगव्रतं चान्यत्कृतं तैः सुसमाहितैः
They worshipped the sun with root mantras and other mantras; likewise, they performed the vow concerning the limbs of the sun with great concentration.
क्रमात्समांसमासाद्य रोगस्यांतं गतो नृपः। बाधिते चामये घोरे स राजा निखिलं जगत्
Gradually, as the year was completed, the king's disease came to an end; when the terrible illness was subdued, that king and the whole world—
नियम्य कारयामास कल्ये च याजनव्रतम्। एवमेव जपापुष्पं सुगंधं कदलीफलम्
He caused the vow of worship to be performed in the morning with discipline. In the same way, hibiscus flowers and fragrant banana fruits—
बाणैर्जायाभिरालभ्यमर्कपर्णान्यपुष्पकं। एवमेव महापुण्यं कृत्वा सर्वजनप्रियं
Were obtained by the wives with arrows, and arka leaves and flowers as well. In this way, performing great merit, he became beloved by all people.
हविष्यान्नो निराहारो जनो यजति भास्करम्। एवमेव त्रिभिर्वर्गैरर्चितस्तैर्विभाकरः
People, fasting on sacrificial food, worshipped Bhāskara. In this way, the sun was worshipped by them with the three classes.
संतुष्टो भूपमागम्य कृपया चाब्रवीद्वचः। वरं वरय चाभीष्टं यस्ते मनसि वर्तते
Pleased, he came to the king and spoke words with compassion: 'Choose a boon, whatever you desire in your heart.'
सर्वेषां वो हितार्थाय सानुगः पुरवासिनाम्। राजोवाच-। यदीच्छसि वरं दातुं सर्वलोचनमत्प्रियम्
For the welfare of all of you, along with your followers and the city-dwellers— The king said: If you wish to grant a boon, O all-seeing one, let it be what is dear to me.
सर्वेषां नः परं स्वर्गं त्वत्सकाशे भवत्विति। सूर्य उवाच-। अमात्यास्ते द्विजा विप्राः सदारास्सपरिच्छदाः
May the highest heaven be ours in your presence—so be it. The Sun said: Your ministers, O twice-born, your priests, along with their wives and attendants—
नवीनयौवनाः शुद्धा यावदाभूतसंप्लवम्। तिष्ठंतु मत्पुरे रम्ये सर्वभोगैर्निरामयाः
—pure, in the freshness of youth, shall remain in my beautiful city, free from disease, enjoying every pleasure, until the end of the world.