संतोष एव परमं पुण्यं सौख्यादिकारणम् । असंतोषः परं पापमित्याह भगवान्हरिः
Contentment alone is the highest merit and the cause of happiness, so says Lord Hari; discontent is the greatest sin.
लोभः पापस्य बीजोऽयं मोहो मूलं च तस्य वै । असत्यं तस्य हि स्कंधो महाशाखा सुविस्तरात्
Greed is the seed of sin, and delusion is its root; falsehood is its trunk, and it has great branches spreading far.
मदकौटिल्य पत्राणि कुबुद्ध्या पुष्पितः सदा । अनृतं तस्य सौगंध्यमज्ञानं फलमेव च
Its leaves are intoxication and crookedness, always blossoming with evil intent; its fragrance is falsehood, and its fruit is ignorance.
कुड्यं पाषंडचौराश्च क्रूराः कूटाश्च पापिनः । पक्षिणो मोहवृक्षस्य महाशाखासमाश्रिताः
Heretics, thieves, cruel and deceitful sinners are like the walls, ropes, and birds that take shelter on the great branches of the tree of delusion.
अज्ञानं सुफलं तस्य रसो धर्मं फलस्य हि । भावोदकेन संवृद्धिस्तस्य श्रद्धा क्रतु प्रिया
Ignorance is its abundant fruit; the taste of its fruit is unrighteousness; nourished by the water of disposition, faith is dear to its ritual.
अधर्मेषु रसस्तस्य उत्क्लेदैर्मधुरायते । तादृशैश्च फलैश्चैवसफलो लोभपादपः
Its flavor is in unrighteousness, made sweet by fermentations; and with such fruits, the tree of greed is fruitless.
तस्यच्छायां समाश्रित्य यो नरः परिवर्तते । फलानि तस्य सोऽश्नाति स्वपक्वानि दिनेदिने
Whoever takes refuge in its shade and moves about there eats its ripened fruits day by day.
फलानां च रसेनापि अधर्मेण तु पोषितः । स संपुष्टो भवेन्मर्त्यः पतनाय प्रयच्छति
Even by the taste of its fruits, nourished by unrighteousness, a person who is thus fattened is led toward downfall.
तस्माच्चिंतां परिश्रित्य स्वामि लोभं न कारयेत् । धनपुत्रकलत्राणां चिंतामेतां न कारयेत्
Therefore, having abandoned such anxiety, one should not foster greed; one should not cultivate this anxiety for wealth, children, or spouse.
यो हि विद्वान्नचेत्कांत मूर्खाणां पथमेव हि । मृषा चिंतयते नित्यं दिवारात्रौ विमोहितः
Indeed, the learned one who, like the foolish, always thinks falsely, day and night, is deluded.
शुभार्थं च प्रविंदामि कथं पुत्रानहं लभे । एवं चिंतयते नित्यं दिवारात्रौ विमोहितः
He constantly thinks, day and night, 'How can I obtain sons for auspicious purposes?'—thus he is deluded.
क्षणमेकं प्रपश्येत्स चिंतामध्ये महत्सुखम् । पुनश्चैतन्यमायाति महादुःखेन पीड्यते
In the midst of anxiety, he perceives great happiness for a moment, but then, regaining awareness, he is afflicted by great sorrow.
चिंतामोहौ परित्यज्य अनुवर्तस्व तं द्विज । संसारे नास्ति संबंधः केन सार्धं महामते
Abandoning anxiety and delusion, follow that path, O twice-born; in this world, there is no true connection with anyone, O wise one.
मित्राश्च बांधवाः पुत्राः पितामाता सुतास्तथा । स्वसंबंधा भवंत्येते कलत्रादि तथैव च
Friends, relatives, sons, father, mother, and daughters, as well as one's own kin and wife, all become one's relations.
देवशर्मोवाच-। संबंधः कीदृशो भद्रे तन्मे विस्तरतो वद । येन जायंति ते सर्वे धनपुत्रादि बांधवाः
Devaśarman said: 'O blessed one, what kind of relationship is this? Tell me in detail, by which all these—wealth, sons, and relatives—arise.'
सुमनोवाच-। भर्तः पंचविधाः पुत्रा जायंते तान्वदाम्यहम् । न्यासापहारकं चैकमृणसंबंधिनं परम्
Sumanā said: 'Husband, there are five kinds of sons; I will tell you of them: one who takes away a trust, one bound by debt—these are the foremost.'
रिपुं लभ्यमुदासीनमिति कांत भवंति ते । लक्षणानि प्रवक्ष्यामि तेषामीश पृथक्पृथक्
An enemy, one who is gained, and one who is indifferent—O beloved, these are the types; I will describe their characteristics to you, each separately.
पुत्रा मित्राः प्रिया भार्या पिता माता च बांधवाः । स्वेनस्वेन हि जायंते संबंधेन महीतले
Sons, friends, dear wife, father, mother, and relatives—all are born on earth through their own respective connections.
न्यासापहारभावेन यस्य येन हृतं भुवि । न्यासस्वामी भवेत्पुत्रो गुणवान्रूपवान्भुवि
By the act of taking away a trust, whoever has taken from whom on earth, the owner of the trust becomes the son, endowed with virtue and beauty in the world.
येन ह्यपहृतं न्यासं तस्य गेहे न संशयः । न्यासापहारणं दुःखं स दत्त्वा दारुणं गतः
Whoever has taken the trust, there is no doubt, is born in that person's house; having committed the theft of the trust, he departs after giving great suffering.
न्यासस्वामी सुपुत्रोऽभून्न्यासापहारकस्य च । गुणवान्रूपवांश्चैव सर्वलक्षणसंयुतः
The one who is the master of a trust becomes the good son of the one who took away the trust, endowed with virtues, beauty, and all auspicious marks.
भक्तिं च दर्शयेत्तस्य पुत्रो भूत्वा दिनेदिने । प्रियवाङ्मधुरोवाग्मी बहुस्नेहं विदर्शयेत्
Becoming his son, he shows devotion to him day by day, speaks sweet and pleasant words, and displays great affection.
स्वीयं द्रव्यं समुद्ग्राह्य प्रीतिमुत्पाद्य चातुलाम् । यथा तेन प्रदत्तं तन्न्यासापहरणात्परम्
Taking his own wealth and producing great delight, he gives back to him what was previously entrusted, more than what was taken away.
दुःखमेवं महाभाग दारुणं प्राणनाशनम् । तादृशं तस्य सो दद्यात्पुत्रो भूत्वा महागुणः
O highly fortunate one, in this way, he gives him sorrow—harsh and life-destroying; such a son, possessing great qualities, is born to him.
अल्पायुषस्तथा भूत्वा मरणं चोपगच्छति । दुःखं दत्वा प्रयात्येवं प्रहृत्यैवं पुनःपुनः
Becoming short-lived, he meets with death, causing pain and departing again and again in this manner.
यदाह पुत्रपुत्रेति प्रलापं हि करोति यः । तदा हास्यं करोत्येष कस्तु पुत्रो हि कस्य च
When someone laments, 'My son, my son,' at that time this one laughs, for who is truly a son, and whose son is he?
अनेनापहृतं न्यासं मदीयं पापचारिणा । द्रव्यापहारणेनापि मम प्राणागताः किल
This sinful one took away my entrusted wealth; by the theft of my property, indeed, my very life has been taken.
दुःखेन महता चैव असह्येन च वै पुरा । तदा दुःखं मया दत्वाद्रव्यमुद्ग्राह्यमुत्तमम्
In former times, with great and unbearable suffering, I gave that sorrow, taking away excellent wealth.
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे पातालखंडे वैशाखमाहात्म्ये सप्ताशीतितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the eighty-seventh chapter in the section on the greatness of Vaiśākha in the Pātāla-khaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Purāṇa.
सुमनोवाच- ऋणसंबंधिनं पुत्रं प्रवक्ष्यामि तवाग्रतः । ऋणं यस्य गृहीत्वा यः प्रयाति मरणं किल
Sumanas said: I will tell you, in your presence, about the son connected with debt—he who, having taken a debt, indeed departs at death.