ततश्च ब्रह्मणो लोकं प्राप्य तेजोमयं वपुः । तत्रैव ज्ञानमासाद्य निर्वाणं परमृच्छति
Then, reaching the world of Brahma, he attains a body of light; there, gaining knowledge, he achieves the supreme liberation.
सद्भिः सह वसेद्धीमान्सत्तीर्थे स्नानमाचरेत् । कुर्यादेव सदालापं सच्छास्त्रं शृणुयान्नरः
The wise man should dwell with the virtuous, bathe at holy places, always engage in noble conversation, and listen to true scripture.
तत्र पाद्मं महाशास्त्रं सर्वाम्नायफलप्रदम् । स्वर्गखंडं च तन्मध्ये महापुण्यफलप्रदम्
There, the great scripture Padma, which bestows the fruits of all traditions, and within it the section on heaven, grants the highest rewards of merit.
भजध्वं गोविंदं नमत हरिमेकं सुरवरं गमिष्यध्वं लोकानतिविमलभोगानतितराम् । शृणुध्वं हे लोका वदत हरिनामैकमतुलं यदीच्छावीचीनां सुखतरणमिष्टानि लभत
Worship Govinda, bow to Hari, the one supreme god; you will attain worlds of purest enjoyments. Hear, O people, and recite the matchless name of Hari; if you desire to cross the ocean of suffering, you will obtain your cherished wishes.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे स्वर्गखंडे द्विषष्टितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the sixty-second chapter in the section on heaven of the glorious Padma Mahapurana.
नमामि गोविन्दपदारविंदं सदेंदिरावंदितमुत्तमाढ्यम् । जगज्जनानां हृदि संनिविष्टं महाजनैकायनमुत्तमोत्तमम्
I bow to the lotus feet of Govinda, worshipped by Lakshmi, supremely exalted, who dwells in the hearts of all beings, the highest refuge of the great.
एकदा मुनयः सर्वे ज्वलज्ज्वलनसन्निभाः । हिमवद्वासिनः सर्वे मुनयो वेदपारगाः
Once, all the sages, blazing like fire, dwelling in the Himalayas, and 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 Mahendra mountain and those residing in Vindhya,
येऽर्बुदारण्यनिरताः पुष्करारण्यवासिनः । श्रीशैलनिरता ये च कुरुक्षेत्रनिवासिनः
Those devoted to 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 Daṇḍakāraṇya, those devoted to the Jambū path, and those residing in Satya,
एते चान्ये च बहवः सशिष्या मुनयोऽमलाः । नैमिषं समुपायाताः शौनकं द्रष्टुमुत्सुकाः
And many other pure sages with their disciples, all eagerly came to Naimisha to see Shaunaka.
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 in due order.
शौनकेन प्रदत्तेषु आसीनास्ते तपोधनाः । कृष्णाश्रिताः कथाः पुण्याः परस्परमथाब्रुवन्
Seated on the seats provided by Shaunaka, the ascetics devoted to austerity, who had taken refuge in Krishna, began to speak to one another of sacred stories.
कथांतेषु ततस्तेषां मुनीनां भावितात्मनाम् । आजगाम महातेजाः सूतस्तत्र महाद्युतिः
As their conversation among those sages of purified minds came to an end, the illustrious Sūta, radiant with great energy, arrived there.
व्यासशिष्यः पुराणज्ञो रोमहर्षणसंज्ञकः । तान्प्रणम्य यथान्यायं स तैश्चैवाभिपूजितः
He was the disciple of Vyāsa, learned in the Purāṇas, known by the name Romaharṣaṇa; after duly bowing to them, he was honored by them as well.
उपविष्टं यथायोग्यं शौनकाद्या महर्षयः । व्यासशिष्यं सुखासीनं सूतं वै रोमहर्षणम्
Shaunaka and the other great sages seated Romaharṣaṇa, Vyāsa's disciple, comfortably and appropriately among them.
तं पप्रच्छुर्महाभागाः शौनकाद्यास्तपोधनाः । ऋषय ऊचुः-। पौराणिक महाबुद्धे रोमहर्षण सुव्रत
Those greatly fortunate ascetics, led by Shaunaka, questioned him; the sages said: 'O wise one versed in the Purāṇas, O Romaharṣaṇa, steadfast in your vows—'
त्वत्तः श्रुता महापुण्याः पुरा पौराणिकीः कथाः । सांप्रतं च प्रवृत्ताः स्म कथायां सक्षणा हरेः
'From you we have previously heard the highly meritorious ancient tales of the Purāṇas; now we are engaged in stories concerning Hari.'
स वै पुंसां परोधर्मो यतो भक्तिरधोक्षजे । पुनः पुराणमाचक्ष्व हरिवार्ता समन्वितम्
'That alone is the supreme duty of people, from which devotion to the Transcendent arises; therefore, tell again the Purāṇa filled with the stories of Hari.'
हरेरन्या कथा सूत श्मशानसदृशी स्मृता । हरिस्तीर्थस्वरूपेण स्वयं तिष्ठति तच्छ्रुतम्
'O Sūta, stories other than those of Hari are regarded as like a cremation ground; Hari himself abides in the form of holy places—this has been heard.'
तीर्थानां पुण्यदातॄणां नामानि किल कीर्तय । कुत एतत्समुत्पन्नं केन वा परिपाल्यते
'Recite, indeed, the names of those holy places that bestow merit; from where did they 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 ultimately dissolve? Which fields are meritorious, and which revered stone elevations?'
नद्यश्च काः पराः पुण्या नृणां पापहराः शुभाः । एतत्सर्वं महाभाग कथयस्व यथाक्रमम्
'Which rivers are supreme, holy, auspicious, and remove the sins of people? O greatly fortunate one, tell all this in proper order.'
सूत उवाच-। साधुसाधु महाभागाः साधुपृष्टं तपोधनाः । तं प्रणम्य प्रवक्ष्यामि पुराणं पद्मसंज्ञकम्
Sūta said: 'Excellent, excellent, O greatly fortunate ones! You have asked well, O ascetics. Bowing to you, I shall relate the Purāṇa called Padma.'
पाराशर्यं परमपुरुषं विश्ववेद्यैकयोनिं विद्याधारं विपुलमतिदं वेदवेदांतवेद्यम् । शश्वच्छांतं स्वमतिविषयं शुद्धतेजोविशालं वेदव्यासं विततयशसं सर्वदाहं नमामि
I always bow to Vedavyāsa, son of Parāśara, the supreme person, the sole source known to the universe, the support of knowledge, of vast and profound intellect, known through the Vedas and Vedānta, ever peaceful, beyond sense-objects, of pure and immense brilliance, and of unfailing fame.
नमो भगवते तस्मै व्यासायामिततेजसे । यस्य प्रसादाद्वक्ष्यामि नारायणकथामिमाम्
Salutations to that blessed Vyāsa of boundless splendor, by whose grace I shall declare this tale of Nārāyaṇa.
प्रवक्ष्यामि महापुण्यं पुराणं पद्मसंज्ञितम् । सहस्रं पंचपंचाशत्षड्भिः खंडैः समन्वितम्
I shall narrate the highly meritorious Purāṇa called Padma, which consists of fifty-five sections and a thousand chapters.
तत्रादावादिखंडं स्याद्भूमिखंडं ततः परम् । ब्रह्मखंडं च तत्पश्चात्ततः पातालखंडकम्
Therein, at the beginning, is the Ādikhaṇḍa, then the Bhūmikhaṇḍa, next the Brahmakhaṇḍa, and after that, the Pātālakhāṇḍa.
क्रियाखंडं ततः ख्यातमुत्तरं खंडमंतिमम् । एतदेव महापद्ममद्भुतं यन्मयं जगत्
Then comes the Kriyākhaṇḍa, and after that, the well-known Uttarakhaṇḍa as the final section; this wondrous Mahāpadma is the very substance of the world.
तद्वृत्तांताश्रयं तस्मात्पाद्ममित्युच्यते बुधैः । एतत्पुराणममलं विष्णुमाहात्म्यमुत्तमम्
Because it is based on those events, it is called Padma by the wise; this spotless Purāṇa is the highest glorification of Viṣṇu.