जीवनं सर्वभूतानां यत्र लोकः प्रलीयते । आनंदं ब्रह्मणः सूक्ष्मं यत्पश्यंति मुमुक्षवः
That which is the life of all beings, where the worlds dissolve, the subtle bliss of Brahman, which the seekers of liberation perceive.
तन्मध्ये निहितं ब्रह्म केवलं ज्ञानलक्षणम् । अनंतं सत्यमीशानं विचिंत्यासीत वाग्यतः
In its midst is established Brahman alone, characterized by knowledge, infinite, true, the lord; one should contemplate it, remaining silent.
गुह्याद्गुह्यतमं ज्ञानं यतीनामेतदीरितम् । योवतिष्ठेत्सदानेन सोश्नुते योगमैश्वरम्
This knowledge, most secret among secrets, is spoken of for ascetics; whoever always abides in it, attains the yoga of lordliness.
तस्माज्ज्ञानरतो नित्यमात्मविद्यापरायणः । ज्ञानं समभ्यसेद्ब्रह्म येन मुच्येत बंधनात्
Therefore, one who is always devoted to knowledge and self-realization should diligently practice knowledge of Brahman, by which one is freed from bondage.
मत्वा पृथक्त्वमात्मानं सर्वस्मादेव केवलम् । आनंदमक्षरं ज्ञानं ध्यायेत च ततः परम्
Having considered the self as distinct from everything, as solely blissful, imperishable, and knowledge, one should then meditate upon the supreme.
यस्माद्भवंति भूतानि यज्ज्ञात्वा नेह जायते । स तस्मादीश्वरो देवः परस्ताद्योधितिष्ठति
From whom beings arise, and knowing whom nothing is born here; he, therefore, is the lord, the deity, established beyond all.
यदंतरे तद्गमनं शाश्वतं शिवमव्ययम् । य इदं स्वपरोक्षस्तु स देवः स्यान्महेश्वरः
That eternal, auspicious, imperishable presence within, whose attainment is hidden; he alone is the great lord.
व्रतानि यानि भिक्षूणां तथैवायं व्रतानि च । एकैकातिक्रमेणैव प्रायश्चित्तं विधीयते
The vows prescribed for mendicants, and likewise these vows, for each transgression, expiation is prescribed.
उपेत्य च स्त्रियं कामात्प्रायश्चित्तं समाहितः । प्राणायामसमायुक्तं कुर्य्यात्सांतपनं शुचिः
If, out of desire, one approaches a woman, one should perform expiation with concentration, practicing prāṇāyāma and the sāntapana penance, remaining pure.
ततश्चरेत नियमात्कृच्छ्रं संयतमानसः । पुनराश्रममागम्य चरेद्भिक्षुरतंद्रितः
Then, observing discipline, undertaking the kṛcchra penance with a controlled mind, one should return to the order and practice the mendicant's vow without negligence.
न धर्मयुक्तमनृतं हिनस्तीति मनीषिणः । तथापि च न कर्तव्यः प्रसंगो ह्येष दारुणः
The wise say that a falsehood spoken in accordance with dharma does not cause harm; yet even so, it should not be practiced, for its consequences are dreadful.
एकरात्रोपवासश्च प्राणायामशतं तथा । उक्त्वानृतं प्रकर्तव्यं यतिना धर्मलिप्सुना
A single night's fasting and a hundred breath-control exercises should be performed by an ascetic who, desiring righteousness, has spoken an untruth.
परमापद्गतेनापि न कार्यं स्तेयमन्यतः । स्तेयादभ्यधिकः कश्चिन्नास्त्यधर्म इति स्मृतिः
Even in the greatest distress, one must not commit theft; scripture declares that there is no unrighteousness greater than stealing.
हिंसा चैवापरा तृष्णा याच्ञात्मज्ञाननाशिका । यदेतद्द्रविणं नाम प्राणा ह्येते बहिश्चराः २७ द्रविण। स तस्य हरते प्राणान्यो यस्य हरते धनम् । एवं कृत्वा स दुष्टात्मा भिन्नवृत्तो व्रतच्युतः
Violence and excessive craving, as well as begging, destroy self-knowledge; this wealth called 'draviṇa' is like life itself, for these are outward-moving vital forces. He who takes another's wealth takes their life; thus, having done so, that wicked soul, deviated from conduct, falls from his vow.
भूयो निर्वेदमापन्नश्चरेद्भिक्षुरतंद्रितः । अकस्मादेव हिंसां तु यदि भिक्षुः समाचरेत्
Having become disillusioned, the mendicant should practice his discipline without sloth; but if, by chance, he commits violence, then—
कुर्यात्कृच्छ्रातिकृच्छ्रं तु चांद्रायणमथापि वा । स्कंदेतेंद्रियदौर्बल्यात्स्त्रियं दृष्ट्वा यतिर्यदि
He should undertake the most severe penance, or the Cāndrāyana expiation; if, due to weakness of the senses, the ascetic falls after seeing a woman—
तेन धारयितव्या वै प्राणायामास्तु षोडश । दिवास्कंदे त्रिरात्रं स्यात्प्राणायामशतं बुधाः
He must then perform sixteen breath-control exercises; if the fall occurs during the day, three nights' penance is required, and the wise prescribe a hundred breath-control exercises.
एकान्ने मधुमांसे च नवश्राद्धे तथैव च । प्रत्यक्षलवणे चोक्तं प्राजापत्यं विशोधनम्
For eating alone, honey, meat, or at a new śrāddha, and for taking salt directly, the Prājāpatya expiation is prescribed for purification.
ध्याननिष्ठस्य सततं नश्यते सर्वपातकम् । तस्मान्नारायणं ध्यात्वा तस्य ध्यानपरो भवेत्
For one who is steadfast in meditation, all sin is destroyed; therefore, meditating on Nārāyaṇa, he should be devoted to meditation.
यद्ब्रह्मणः परं ज्योतिः प्रविष्टाक्षरमव्ययम् । योंतरात्मा परं ब्रह्म स विज्ञेयो महेश्वरः
That supreme light of Brahman, which enters the imperishable, immutable, inner self—the supreme Brahman—is to be known as Maheśvara.
एष देवो महादेवः केवलः परमं शिवः । तदेवाक्षरमद्वैतं तदा नित्यं परं पदम्
This god, the great god, is alone the highest Śiva; that alone is the imperishable nondual, that eternal supreme abode.
तस्मान्महीयते देवे स्वधाम्नि ज्ञानसंज्ञिते । आत्मयोगात्परे तत्वे महादेवस्ततः स्मृतः
Therefore, the god is exalted in his own abode, known as knowledge; through union with the self in the highest truth, he is called Mahādeva.
नान्यं देवं महादेवाद्व्यतिरिक्तं प्रपश्यति । तमेवात्मानमन्वेति यः स याति परं पदम्
He sees no other god apart from Mahādeva; whoever follows him as the self attains the supreme abode.
मन्यंते ये स्वमात्मानं विभिन्नं परमेश्वरात् । न ते पश्यंति तं देवं वृथा तेषां परिश्रमः
Those who consider their own self as separate from the Supreme Lord do not see that god; their effort is in vain.
एकमेव परं ब्रह्म विज्ञेयं तत्त्वमव्ययम् । स देवस्तु महादेवो नैतद्विज्ञाय बध्यते
The one supreme Brahman, the imperishable truth, is to be known; that god is Mahādeva—without knowing this, one remains bound.
तस्माद्यतेत नियतं यतिः संयतमानसः । ज्ञानयोगरतः शांतो महादेवपरायणः
Therefore, the ascetic should strive constantly, with a controlled mind, devoted to knowledge and yoga, peaceful, and dedicated to Mahādeva.
एष वः कथितो विप्रा यतीनामाश्रमः शुभः । पितामहेन मुनिना विभुना पूर्वमीरितः
This auspicious discipline for ascetics has been told to you, O Brāhmaṇas, as previously spoken by the venerable ancestor and sage.
नापुत्रशिष्ययोगिभ्यो दद्यादेवमनुत्तमम् । ज्ञानं स्वयंभुवा प्रोक्तं यतिधर्म्माश्रयं शिवम्
One should not impart this supreme god, the dharma of ascetics, and the teaching of knowledge spoken by the self-born, to sons, disciples, or yogis.
इति यतिनियमानामेतदुक्तं विधानं सुरवरपरितोषे यद्भवेदेकहेतुः । न भवति पुनरेषामुद्भवो वा विनाशः प्रतिहितमनसो ये नित्यमेवाचरंति
Thus has the prescribed procedure for ascetics been stated, which is the sole cause for pleasing the best of gods. For those whose minds are steadfast, neither birth nor destruction occurs again; they always practice this.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे स्वर्गखंडे षष्टितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the sixtieth chapter in the Svarga-khanda of the glorious Padma Purana.