Brahma Purana — Chapter 118

BrP 118.1

अश्वत्थतीर्थम् आख्यातं पिप्पलं च ततः परम् उत्तरे मन्दतीर्थं तु तत्र व्युष्टिम् इतः शृणु ॥

aśvatthatīrtham ākhyātaṃ pippalaṃ ca tataḥ param uttare mandatīrthaṃ tu tatra vyuṣṭim itaḥ śṛṇu //

The Aśvattha ford is proclaimed, and beyond that the Pippala; but to the north is the Manda ford — hear now the reward there.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 118.2

पुरा त्व् अगस्त्यो भगवान् दक्षिणाशापतिः प्रभुः देवैस् तु प्रेरितः पूर्वं विन्ध्यस्य प्रार्थनं प्रति ॥

purā tv agastyo bhagavān dakṣiṇāśāpatiḥ prabhuḥ devais tu preritaḥ pūrvaṃ vindhyasya prārthanaṃ prati //

But formerly the lord Agastya, the mighty master of the southern quarter, was sent by the gods with regard to (their) petition concerning the Vindhya.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 118.3

स शनैर् विन्ध्यम् अभ्यागात् सहस्रमुनिभिर् वृतः तम् आगत्य नगश्रेष्ठं बहुवृक्षसमाकुलम् ॥

sa śanair vindhyam abhyāgāt sahasramunibhir vṛtaḥ tam āgatya nagaśreṣṭhaṃ bahuvṛkṣasamākulam //

Slowly he approached the Vindhya, surrounded by a thousand sages; and having come to that best of mountains, thick with many trees—

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 118.4

स्पर्धिनं मेरुभानुभ्यां विन्ध्यं शृङ्गशतैर् वृतम् अत्युन्नतं नगं धीरो लोपामुद्रापतिर् मुनिः ॥

spardhinaṃ merubhānubhyāṃ vindhyaṃ śṛṅgaśatair vṛtam atyunnataṃ nagaṃ dhīro lopāmudrāpatir muniḥ //

—the Vindhya, which rivalled Meru and the sun, ringed with hundreds of peaks, an exceedingly lofty mountain—the steadfast sage, the husband of Lopāmudrā,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 118.5

कृतातिथ्यो द्विजैः सार्धं प्रशस्य च नगं पुनः इदम् आह मुनिश्रेष्ठो देवकार्यार्थसिद्धये ॥

kṛtātithyo dvijaiḥ sārdhaṃ praśasya ca nagaṃ punaḥ idam āha muniśreṣṭho devakāryārthasiddhaye //

having been received as a guest, together with the twice-born, and having praised the mountain again, that best of sages said this, for the accomplishment of the purpose of the gods' business:

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 118.6

अहं यामि नगश्रेष्ठ मुनिभिस् तत्त्वदर्शिभिः तीर्थयात्रां करोमीति दक्षिणाशां व्रजाम्य् अहम् ॥

ahaṃ yāmi nagaśreṣṭha munibhis tattvadarśibhiḥ tīrthayātrāṃ karomīti dakṣiṇāśāṃ vrajāmy aham //

"I am going, O best of mountains, with sages who see the truth; I shall make a pilgrimage to the sacred fords—so I go to the southern quarter.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 118.7

देहि मार्गं नगपते आतिथ्यं देहि याचते यावद् आगमनं मे स्यात् स्थातव्यं तावद् एव हि ॥

dehi mārgaṃ nagapate ātithyaṃ dehi yācate yāvad āgamanaṃ me syāt sthātavyaṃ tāvad eva hi //

Give (me) a way, O lord of mountains; grant hospitality to (me who) ask (it). Until my return comes about, just so long must you remain (as you are).

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 118.8

नान्यथा भवितव्यं ते तथेत्य् आह नगोत्तमः आक्रामन् दक्षिणाम् आशां तैर् वृतो मुनिभिर् मुनिः ॥

nānyathā bhavitavyaṃ te tathety āha nagottamaḥ ākrāman dakṣiṇām āśāṃ tair vṛto munibhir muniḥ //

It must not be otherwise for you." "So be it," said the best of mountains; and the sage, surrounded by those sages, set out treading toward the southern quarter.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 118.9

शनैः स गौतमीम् आगात् सत्त्रयागाय दीक्षितः यावत् संवत्सरं सत्त्रम् अकरोद् ऋषिभिर् वृतः ॥

śanaiḥ sa gautamīm āgāt sattrayāgāya dīkṣitaḥ yāvat saṃvatsaraṃ sattram akarod ṛṣibhir vṛtaḥ //

Slowly he came to the Gautamī, consecrated for the performance of a sattra sacrifice; surrounded by seers, he carried out the sattra for a full year.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 118.10

कैटभस्य सुतौ पापौ राक्षसौ धर्मकण्टकौ अश्वत्थः पिप्पलश् चेति विख्यातौ त्रिदशालये ॥

kaiṭabhasya sutau pāpau rākṣasau dharmakaṇṭakau aśvatthaḥ pippalaś ceti vikhyātau tridaśālaye //

Kaiṭabha's two sons, evil rākṣasas, thorns in the side of dharma, were known in the abode of the thirty (gods) as Aśvattha and Pippala.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 118.11

अश्वत्थो ऽश्वत्थरूपेण पिप्पलो ब्रह्मरूपधृक् ताव् उभाव् अन्तरं प्रेप्सू यज्ञविध्वंसनाय तु ॥

aśvattho 'śvattharūpeṇa pippalo brahmarūpadhṛk tāv ubhāv antaraṃ prepsū yajñavidhvaṃsanāya tu //

Aśvattha in the form of an aśvattha tree, Pippala taking the form of a brahmin—those two, seeking an opening, in order to wreck the sacrifice,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 118.12

कुरुतां काङ्क्षितं रूपं दानवौ पापचेतसौ अश्वत्थो वृक्षरूपेण पिप्पलो ब्राह्मणाकृतिः ॥

kurutāṃ kāṅkṣitaṃ rūpaṃ dānavau pāpacetasau aśvattho vṛkṣarūpeṇa pippalo brāhmaṇākṛtiḥ //

—the two dānavas of wicked mind assumed the form they desired: Aśvattha in the form of a tree, Pippala with the appearance of a brahmin.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 118.13

उभौ तौ ब्राह्मणान् नित्यं पीडयेतां तपोधन आलभन्ते च ये ऽश्वत्थं तांस् तान् अश्नात्य् असौ तरुः ॥

ubhau tau brāhmaṇān nityaṃ pīḍayetāṃ tapodhana ālabhante ca ye 'śvatthaṃ tāṃs tān aśnāty asau taruḥ //

Both of them constantly afflicted the brahmins, O you rich in austerity; and those who touch the aśvattha, all of them that tree devours.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 118.14

पिप्पलः सामगो भूत्वा शिष्यान् अश्नाति राक्षसः तस्माद् अद्यापि विप्रेषु सामगो ऽतीव निष्कृपः ॥

pippalaḥ sāmago bhūtvā śiṣyān aśnāti rākṣasaḥ tasmād adyāpi vipreṣu sāmago 'tīva niṣkṛpaḥ //

The rākṣasa Pippala, having become a singer of the Sāman, devours his pupils; therefore even today, among brahmins, a Sāman-singer is exceedingly pitiless.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 118.15

क्षीयमाणान् द्विजान् दृष्ट्वा मुनयो राक्षसाव् इमौ इति बुद्ध्वा महाप्राज्ञा दक्षिणं तीरम् आश्रितम् ॥

kṣīyamāṇān dvijān dṛṣṭvā munayo rākṣasāv imau iti buddhvā mahāprājñā dakṣiṇaṃ tīram āśritam //

Seeing the twice-born wasting away, the greatly wise sages, understanding that these two were rākṣasas, (went to him who) dwelt on the southern bank—

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 118.16

सौरिं शनैश्चरं मन्दं तपस्यन्तं धृतव्रतम् गत्वा मुनिगणाः सर्वे रक्षःकर्म न्यवेदयन् ॥

sauriṃ śanaiścaraṃ mandaṃ tapasyantaṃ dhṛtavratam gatvā munigaṇāḥ sarve rakṣaḥkarma nyavedayan //

—to Sauri, Śanaiścara, the Slow One, practising austerity, holding fast to his vow: all the throngs of sages went and reported the deed of the rākṣasas.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 118.17

सौरिर् मुनिगणान् आह पूर्णे तपसि मे द्विजाः राक्षसौ हन्म्य् अपूर्णे तु तपस्य् अक्षम एव हि ॥

saurir munigaṇān āha pūrṇe tapasi me dvijāḥ rākṣasau hanmy apūrṇe tu tapasy akṣama eva hi //

Sauri said to the throngs of sages: "When my austerity is complete, O twice-born, I shall slay the two rākṣasas; but while the austerity is incomplete I am simply unable."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 118.18

पुनः प्रोचुर् मुनिगणा दास्यामस् ते तपो महत् इत्य् उक्तो ब्राह्मणैः सौरिः कृतम् इत्य् आह तान् अपि ॥

punaḥ procur munigaṇā dāsyāmas te tapo mahat ity ukto brāhmaṇaiḥ sauriḥ kṛtam ity āha tān api //

Again the throngs of sages said: "We will give you great (merit of) austerity." Thus addressed by the brahmins, Sauri said to them, "It is done."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 118.19

सौरिर् ब्राह्मणवेषेण प्रायाद् अश्वत्थरूपिणम् राक्षसं ब्राह्मणो भूत्वा प्रदक्षिणम् अथाकरोत् ॥

saurir brāhmaṇaveṣeṇa prāyād aśvattharūpiṇam rākṣasaṃ brāhmaṇo bhūtvā pradakṣiṇam athākarot //

Sauri, in the guise of a brahmin, went to the rākṣasa who had the form of an aśvattha tree; having become a brahmin, he then made a circumambulation of it.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 118.20

प्रदक्षिणं तु कुर्वाणं मेने ब्राह्मणम् एव तम् नित्यवद् राक्षसः पापो भक्षयाम् आस मायया ॥

pradakṣiṇaṃ tu kurvāṇaṃ mene brāhmaṇam eva tam nityavad rākṣasaḥ pāpo bhakṣayām āsa māyayā //

As he was making the circumambulation, (the rākṣasa) took him to be a brahmin indeed; and the evil rākṣasa, as always, devoured him by his magic.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 118.21

तस्य कायं समाविश्य चक्षुषान्त्राण्य् अपश्यत दृष्टः स राक्षसः पापो मन्देन रविसूनुना ॥

tasya kāyaṃ samāviśya cakṣuṣāntrāṇy apaśyata dṛṣṭaḥ sa rākṣasaḥ pāpo mandena ravisūnunā //

Having entered his body, with his eye he looked upon (his) entrails; that evil rākṣasa was (thus) looked upon by the Slow One, the son of the Sun,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 118.22

भस्मीभूतः क्षणेनैव गिरिर् वज्रहतो यथा अश्वत्थं भस्मसात् कृत्वा अन्यं ब्राह्मणरूपिणम् ॥

bhasmībhūtaḥ kṣaṇenaiva girir vajrahato yathā aśvatthaṃ bhasmasāt kṛtvā anyaṃ brāhmaṇarūpiṇam //

In an instant he was reduced to ashes, like a mountain struck by the thunderbolt. Having turned Aśvattha to ash, (he approached) another, one in brahmin form,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 118.23

राक्षसं पापनिलयम् एक एव तम् अभ्यगात् अधीयानो विप्र इव शिष्यरूपो विनीतवत् ॥

rākṣasaṃ pāpanilayam eka eva tam abhyagāt adhīyāno vipra iva śiṣyarūpo vinītavat //

the rākṣasa, that abode of sin — quite alone he went up to him, like a brahmin engaged in study, in the guise of a pupil, as though humble.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 118.24

पिप्पलः पूर्ववच् चापि भक्षयाम् आस भानुजम् स भक्षितः पूर्ववच् च कुक्षाव् अन्त्राण्य् अवैक्षत ॥

pippalaḥ pūrvavac cāpi bhakṣayām āsa bhānujam sa bhakṣitaḥ pūrvavac ca kukṣāv antrāṇy avaikṣata //

Pippala too, just as before, devoured the son of the sun; and, devoured just as before, he looked at the entrails within the belly.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 118.25

तेनालोकितमात्रो ऽसौ राक्षसो भस्मसाद् अभूत् उभौ हत्वा भानुसुतः किं कृत्यं मे वदन्त्व् अथ ॥

tenālokitamātro 'sau rākṣaso bhasmasād abhūt ubhau hatvā bhānusutaḥ kiṃ kṛtyaṃ me vadantv atha //

Merely by being looked at by him that rākṣasa was reduced to ash. Having slain both, the son of the sun (said): "Let them now say what I should do."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 118.26

मुनयो जातसंहर्षाः सर्व एव तपस्विनः ततः प्रसन्ना ह्य् अभवन्न् ऋषयो ऽगस्त्यपूर्वकाः ॥

munayo jātasaṃharṣāḥ sarva eva tapasvinaḥ tataḥ prasannā hy abhavann ṛṣayo 'gastyapūrvakāḥ //

The sages, all of them ascetics, were filled with delight; then the seers headed by Agastya became well pleased.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 118.27

वरान् ददुर् यथाकामं सौरये मन्दगामिने स प्रीतो ब्राह्मणान् आह शनिः सूर्यसुतो बली ॥

varān dadur yathākāmaṃ sauraye mandagāmine sa prīto brāhmaṇān āha śaniḥ sūryasuto balī //

They granted boons as he wished to the son of the Sun, the slow-moving one; and he, pleased, the mighty Śani, son of Sūrya, said to the brahmins:

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 118.28

मद्द्वारे नियता ये च कुर्वन्त्य् अश्वत्थलम्भनम् तेषां सर्वाणि कार्याणि स्युः पीडा मद्भवा न च ॥

maddvāre niyatā ye ca kurvanty aśvatthalambhanam teṣāṃ sarvāṇi kāryāṇi syuḥ pīḍā madbhavā na ca //

"Those who, being disciplined, perform the touching of the aśvattha at my door — all their undertakings shall succeed, and there shall be no affliction arising from me."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 118.29

तीर्थे चाश्वत्थसंज्ञे वै स्नानं कुर्वन्ति ये नराः तेषां सर्वाणि कार्याणि भवेयुर् अपरो वरः ॥

tīrthe cāśvatthasaṃjñe vai snānaṃ kurvanti ye narāḥ teṣāṃ sarvāṇi kāryāṇi bhaveyur aparo varaḥ //

"And those men who bathe in the tīrtha named Aśvattha — all their undertakings shall come about" — this was a further boon.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 118.30

मन्दवारे तु ये ऽश्वत्थं प्रातर् उत्थाय मानवाः आलभन्ते च तेषां वै ग्रहपीडा व्यपोहतु ॥

mandavāre tu ye 'śvatthaṃ prātar utthāya mānavāḥ ālabhante ca teṣāṃ vai grahapīḍā vyapohatu //

"And as for those men who on Saturday, rising at dawn, touch the aśvattha — let the affliction of the planet be removed from them."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 118.31

ततः प्रभृति तत् तीर्थम् अश्वत्थं पिप्पलं विदुः तीर्थं शनैश्चरं तत्र तत्रागस्त्यं च सात्त्रिकम् ॥

tataḥ prabhṛti tat tīrtham aśvatthaṃ pippalaṃ viduḥ tīrthaṃ śanaiścaraṃ tatra tatrāgastyaṃ ca sāttrikam //

From that time on they know that tīrtha as Aśvattha and as Pippala; there too is the tīrtha Śanaiścara, and there the Āgastya and the Sāttrika,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 118.32

याज्ञिकं चापि तत् तीर्थं सामगं तीर्थम् एव च इत्याद्यष्टोत्तराण्य् आसन् सहस्राण्य् अथ षोडश तेषु स्नानं च दानं च सत्त्रयागफलप्रदम् ॥

yājñikaṃ cāpi tat tīrthaṃ sāmagaṃ tīrtham eva ca ityādyaṣṭottarāṇy āsan sahasrāṇy atha ṣoḍaśa teṣu snānaṃ ca dānaṃ ca sattrayāgaphalapradam //

and that Yājñika tīrtha, and the Sāmaga tīrtha as well — thus there were sixteen thousand and one hundred and eight (tīrthas); bathing and giving in them yields the fruit of the sattra sacrifice.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition