चतुर्वर्गफलं भुक्त्वा ते यास्यंति हरिं पुनः । द्वाविंशतिसहस्राणि संहितापद्मसंज्ञिता
Having enjoyed the fruit of the four aims of life, they will go to Hari again; the collection called Padma consists of twenty-two thousand verses.
द्वापरे कथिता विप्र ब्रह्मणा परमात्मना । द्वादशैव सहस्राणां पद्माख्या सा तु संहिता
In the Dvapara, O Brahmin, as declared by Brahma, the Supreme Self, the collection called Padma consists of only twelve thousand verses.
कलौ युगे पठिष्यंति मानवा विष्णुतत्पराः । एकोर्थश्चैकभावश्च चतुर्ष्वपि प्रवर्तितः
In the Kali Yuga, men devoted to Vishnu will recite it; the same meaning and essence are maintained in all four ages.
संहितास्वेव विप्रेंद्र शेषाख्यानप्रविस्तरः । द्वादशैव सहस्राणि नाशं यास्यंति सत्तम
O best of Brahmins, in the collections, the expansion of the remaining stories is found; only twelve thousand will remain, O noble one.
कलौ युगे तु संप्राप्ते प्रथमं हि भविष्यति । भूमिखंडं नरः श्रुत्वासर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते
When the Kali Yuga arrives, first, by hearing the section called Bhumikhanda, a person is freed from all sins.
मुच्यते सर्वदुःखेभ्यः सर्वरोगैः प्रमुच्यते । अन्यत्सर्वं परित्यज्य जपं दानं तथा श्रुतम्
He is freed from all sufferings and released from all diseases; abandoning everything else—recitation, giving, and study—
श्रोतव्यं हि प्रयत्नेन पद्माख्यं पापनाशनम् । प्रथमं सृष्टिखंडं तु द्वितीयं भूमिखंडकम्
One should diligently listen to the Padma, which destroys sin; first is the Srishti Khanda, second is the Bhumi Khanda.
तृतीयं स्वर्गखंडं च पातालं तु चतुर्थकम् । पंचमं चोत्तरं खंडं सर्वपापप्रणाशनम्
The third is the Svarga Khanda, the fourth is the Patala Khanda, and the fifth is the Uttara Khanda, which destroys all sins.
यः शृणोति नरो भक्त्या पंचखंडान्यनुक्रमात् । गोप्रदानसहस्रस्य मानवो लभते फलम्
Whoever listens with devotion to the five sections in order attains the fruit of giving a thousand cows.
महाभाग्येन लभ्यंते पंचखंडानि भूसुराः । श्रुतानि मोक्षदानि स्युः सत्यं सत्यं न संशयः
O Brahmins, the five sections are obtained by great fortune; when heard, they grant liberation—truly, truly, there is no doubt.
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे पंचपंचाशत्सहस्रसंहितायां वेनोपाख्याने पंचविंशत्यधिकशततमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the one hundred twenty-fifth chapter in the story of Vena, in the Bhumikhanda of the glorious Padma Purana, in the collection of fifty-five thousand verses.
नमामि गोविन्दपदारविंदं सदेंदिरावंदितमुत्तमाढ्यम् । जगज्जनानां हृदि संनिविष्टं महाजनैकायनमुत्तमोत्तमम्
I bow to the lotus feet of Govinda, praised by Indira and the best of the exalted, abiding in the hearts of all beings, the supreme refuge of the great and the best among the best.
एकदा मुनयः सर्वे ज्वलज्ज्वलनसन्निभाः । हिमवद्वासिनः सर्वे मुनयो वेदपारगाः
Once, all the sages, blazing like fire, dwelling in the Himalayas, all accomplished in the Vedas,
त्रिकालज्ञा महात्मानो नानापुण्यसमाश्रयाः । महेंद्राद्रिरता ये च ये च विंध्यनिवासिनः
knowers of the three times, great souls, established in various merits, those devoted to Mount Mahendra and those residing on the Vindhya,
येऽर्बुदारण्यनिरताः पुष्करारण्यवासिनः । श्रीशैलनिरता ये च कुरुक्षेत्रनिवासिनः
those engaged in the Arbudā forest, those living in the Puṣkara forest, those devoted to Śrīśaila, and those residing in Kurukṣetra,
धर्म्मारण्यरता ये च दंडकारण्यवासिनः । जंबूमार्गरता ये च ये च सत्यनिवासिनः
those devoted to the Dharmāraṇya, those living in the Daṇḍaka forest, those devoted to the Jambū path, and those residing in Satya,
एते चान्ये च बहवः सशिष्या मुनयोऽमलाः । नैमिषं समुपायाताः शौनकं द्रष्टुमुत्सुकाः
these and many other pure sages with their disciples, eager to see Śaunaka, came together to Naimiṣa.
तं पूजयित्वा विधिवत्तेन ते च सुपूजिताः । आसनेषु विचित्रेषु बृस्यादिषु यथाक्रमम्
Having worshipped him according to the proper rites, and being duly honored by him, they sat in various splendid seats and on mats, each in order.
शौनकेन प्रदत्तेषु आसीनास्ते तपोधनाः । कृष्णाश्रिताः कथाः पुण्याः परस्परमथाब्रुवन्
Seated on the seats provided by Śaunaka, those ascetics, devoted to austerity, began to speak among themselves of sacred stories connected with Kṛṣṇa.
कथांतेषु ततस्तेषां मुनीनां भावितात्मनाम् । आजगाम महातेजाः सूतस्तत्र महाद्युतिः
As their stories ended, among those sages of purified minds, there arrived the illustrious Sūta, radiant with great splendor.
व्यासशिष्यः पुराणज्ञो रोमहर्षणसंज्ञकः । तान्प्रणम्य यथान्यायं स तैश्चैवाभिपूजितः
A disciple of Vyāsa, knower of the Purāṇas, named Romaharṣaṇa, after bowing to them as is proper, was also honored by them.
उपविष्टं यथायोग्यं शौनकाद्या महर्षयः । व्यासशिष्यं सुखासीनं सूतं वै रोमहर्षणम्
The great sages, beginning with Śaunaka, seated Romaharṣaṇa, the Sūta and disciple of Vyāsa, comfortably and appropriately.
तं पप्रच्छुर्महाभागाः शौनकाद्यास्तपोधनाः । ऋषय ऊचुः-। पौराणिक महाबुद्धे रोमहर्षण सुव्रत
Those blessed sages, headed by Śaunaka, rich in austerity, questioned him: The sages said: O learned one in the Purāṇas, great in wisdom, Romaharṣaṇa, steadfast in vows,
त्वत्तः श्रुता महापुण्याः पुरा पौराणिकीः कथाः । सांप्रतं च प्रवृत्ताः स्म कथायां सक्षणा हरेः
From you we have previously heard the highly meritorious ancient stories; now we are engaged in the narration of the acts of Hari.
स वै पुंसां परोधर्मो यतो भक्तिरधोक्षजे । पुनः पुराणमाचक्ष्व हरिवार्ता समन्वितम्
That indeed is the supreme duty of men, from which devotion to the Transcendent arises; therefore, tell again the Purāṇa filled with tales of Hari.
हरेरन्या कथा सूत श्मशानसदृशी स्मृता । हरिस्तीर्थस्वरूपेण स्वयं तिष्ठति तच्छ्रुतम्
O Sūta, stories other than those of Hari are considered like cremation grounds; Hari himself abides in the form of sacred places, this is heard.
तीर्थानां पुण्यदातॄणां नामानि किल कीर्तय । कुत एतत्समुत्पन्नं केन वा परिपाल्यते
Recite, indeed, the names of those sacred places that bestow merit; from where did these arise, and by whom are they maintained?
कस्मिन्विलयमभ्येति जगदेतच्चराचरम् । क्षेत्राणि कानि पुण्यानि के च पूज्याः शिलोच्चयाः
Into what do all these moving and unmoving worlds dissolve? Which fields are meritorious, and which revered clusters of stones?
नद्यश्च काः पराः पुण्या नृणां पापहराः शुभाः । एतत्सर्वं महाभाग कथयस्व यथाक्रमम्
Which rivers are supreme, holy, auspicious, and removers of sin for men? O blessed one, tell all this in proper order.
सूत उवाच-। साधुसाधु महाभागाः साधुपृष्टं तपोधनाः । तं प्रणम्य प्रवक्ष्यामि पुराणं पद्मसंज्ञकम्
Sūta said: Excellent, excellent, O blessed ones, you have asked well, O ascetics; bowing to you, I shall relate the Purāṇa called Padma.