Brahma Purana — Chapter 130
BrP 130.1
आपस्तम्बम् इति ख्यातं तीर्थं त्रैलोक्यविश्रुतम् स्मरणाद् अप्य् अशेषाघसंघविध्वंसनक्षमम् ॥
āpastambam iti khyātaṃ tīrthaṃ trailokyaviśrutam smaraṇād apy aśeṣāghasaṃghavidhvaṃsanakṣamam //
(There is) the tīrtha known as Āpastamba, famed in the three worlds, able to destroy the whole mass of sins even by being remembered.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 130.2
आपस्तम्बो महाप्राज्ञो मुनिर् आसीन् महायशाः तस्य भार्याक्षसूत्रेति पतिधर्मपरायणा ॥
āpastambo mahāprājño munir āsīn mahāyaśāḥ tasya bhāryākṣasūtreti patidharmaparāyaṇā //
There was a sage of great wisdom and great fame, Āpastamba; his wife was named Akṣasūtrā, devoted to duty toward her husband.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 130.3
तस्य पुत्रो महाप्राज्ञः कर्किनामाथ तत्त्ववित् तस्याश्रमम् अनुप्राप्तो ह्य् अगस्त्यो मुनिसत्तमः ॥
tasya putro mahāprājñaḥ karkināmātha tattvavit tasyāśramam anuprāpto hy agastyo munisattamaḥ //
His son, of great wisdom and a knower of the truth, was named Karkin. Now Agastya, the best of sages, arrived at his hermitage.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 130.4
तम् अगस्त्यं पूजयित्वा आपस्तम्बो मुनीश्वरः शिष्यैर् अनुगतो धीमांस् तं प्रष्टुम् उपचक्रमे ॥
tam agastyaṃ pūjayitvā āpastambo munīśvaraḥ śiṣyair anugato dhīmāṃs taṃ praṣṭum upacakrame //
Having honoured that Agastya, the wise Āpastamba, lord of sages, followed by his disciples, began to question him.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 130.5
त्रयाणां को नु पूज्यः स्याद् देवानां मुनिसत्तम भुक्तिर् मुक्तिश् च कस्माद् वा स्याद् अनादिश् च को भवेत् ॥
trayāṇāṃ ko nu pūjyaḥ syād devānāṃ munisattama bhuktir muktiś ca kasmād vā syād anādiś ca ko bhavet //
"Of the three gods, O best of sages, which one is to be worshipped? And from which do enjoyment and liberation come? And which is without beginning?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 130.6
अनन्तश् चापि को विप्र देवानाम् अपि दैवतम् यज्ञैः क इज्यते देवः को वेदेष्व् अनुगीयते एतं मे संशयं छेत्तुं वदागस्त्य महामुने ॥
anantaś cāpi ko vipra devānām api daivatam yajñaiḥ ka ijyate devaḥ ko vedeṣv anugīyate etaṃ me saṃśayaṃ chettuṃ vadāgastya mahāmune //
And which, O brahmin, is endless, the deity even of the gods? Which god is worshipped with sacrifices? Which is celebrated in the Vedas? Speak, O Agastya, great sage, to cut away this doubt of mine."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 130.7
धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणां प्रमाणं शब्द उच्यते तत्रापि वैदिकः शब्दः प्रमाणं परमं मतः ॥
dharmārthakāmamokṣāṇāṃ pramāṇaṃ śabda ucyate tatrāpi vaidikaḥ śabdaḥ pramāṇaṃ paramaṃ mataḥ //
"Word (verbal testimony) is said to be the authority concerning dharma, wealth, pleasure and liberation; and among these, Vedic word is held to be the highest authority.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 130.8
वेदेन गीयते यस् तु पुरुषः स परात् परः मृतो ऽपरः स विज्ञेयो ह्य् अमृतः पर उच्यते ॥
vedena gīyate yas tu puruṣaḥ sa parāt paraḥ mṛto 'paraḥ sa vijñeyo hy amṛtaḥ para ucyate //
That Person who is sung of by the Veda is higher than the high. The mortal is to be known as the lower; the immortal is called the higher.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 130.9
यो ऽमूर्तः स परो ज्ञेयो ह्य् अपरो मूर्त उच्यते गुणाभिव्याप्तिभेदेन मूर्तो ऽसौ त्रिविधो भवेत् ॥
yo 'mūrtaḥ sa paro jñeyo hy aparo mūrta ucyate guṇābhivyāptibhedena mūrto 'sau trividho bhavet //
He who is formless is to be known as the higher; the one having form is called the lower. By the difference of pervasion through the qualities, that formed one becomes threefold.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 130.10
ब्रह्मा विष्णुः शिवश् चेति एक एव त्रिधोच्यते त्रयाणाम् अपि देवानां वेद्यम् एकं परं हि तत् ॥
brahmā viṣṇuḥ śivaś ceti eka eva tridhocyate trayāṇām api devānāṃ vedyam ekaṃ paraṃ hi tat //
Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva—the one alone is spoken of in three ways; for what is to be known of all three gods is that one supreme (reality).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 130.11
एकस्य बहुधा व्याप्तिर् गुणकर्मविभेदतः लोकानाम् उपकारार्थम् आकृतित्रितयं भवेत् ॥
ekasya bahudhā vyāptir guṇakarmavibhedataḥ lokānām upakārārtham ākṛtitritayaṃ bhavet //
The pervasion of the One is manifold, according to the differences of quality and action; for the benefit of the worlds the triad of forms comes to be.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 130.12
यस् तत्त्वं वेत्ति परमं स च विद्वान् न चेतरः तत्र यो भेदम् आचष्टे लिङ्गभेदी स उच्यते ॥
yas tattvaṃ vetti paramaṃ sa ca vidvān na cetaraḥ tatra yo bhedam ācaṣṭe liṅgabhedī sa ucyate //
He who knows that supreme truth is the learned one, and no other; and he who declares a difference there is called a breaker of the liṅga (a sectarian divider).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 130.13
प्रायश्चित्तं न तस्यास्ति यश् चैषां व्याहरेद् भिदम् त्रयाणाम् अपि देवानां मूर्तिभेदः पृथक् पृथक् ॥
prāyaścittaṃ na tasyāsti yaś caiṣāṃ vyāhared bhidam trayāṇām api devānāṃ mūrtibhedaḥ pṛthak pṛthak //
There is no expiation for him who would utter a division among these; (yet) even of the three gods the difference of bodily form is separate for each.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 130.14
वेदाः प्रमाणं सर्वत्र साकारेषु पृथक् पृथक् निराकारं च यत् त्व् एकं तत् तेभ्यः परमं मतम् ॥
vedāḥ pramāṇaṃ sarvatra sākāreṣu pṛthak pṛthak nirākāraṃ ca yat tv ekaṃ tat tebhyaḥ paramaṃ matam //
The Vedas are authoritative everywhere with respect to the several forms, each separately; but that One which is formless is held to be higher than they.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 130.15
नानेन निर्णयः कश्चिन् मयात्र विदितो भवेत् तत्राप्य् अत्र रहस्यं यत् तद् विमृश्याशु कीर्त्यताम् निःसंशयं निर्विकल्पं भाजनं सर्वसंपदाम् ॥
nānena nirṇayaḥ kaścin mayātra vidito bhavet tatrāpy atra rahasyaṃ yat tad vimṛśyāśu kīrtyatām niḥsaṃśayaṃ nirvikalpaṃ bhājanaṃ sarvasaṃpadām //
"By this no decision at all has been made clear to me here. Therefore let the secret that lies in this be considered and quickly told—free of doubt, free of alternatives, the vessel of all attainments."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
BrP 130.16
एतद् आकर्ण्य भगवान् अगस्त्यो वाक्यम् अब्रवीत् ॥
etad ākarṇya bhagavān agastyo vākyam abravīt //
Having heard this, the blessed Agastya spoke these words:
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 130.17
यद्यप्य् एषां न भेदो ऽस्ति देवानां तु परस्परम् तथापि सर्वसिद्धिः स्याच् छिवाद् एव सुखात्मनः ॥
yadyapy eṣāṃ na bhedo 'sti devānāṃ tu parasparam tathāpi sarvasiddhiḥ syāc chivād eva sukhātmanaḥ //
"Even though there is no difference among these gods with respect to one another, still every attainment comes from Śiva alone, whose nature is bliss.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 130.18
प्रपञ्चस्य निमित्तं यत् तज् ज्योतिश् च परं शिवः तम् एव साधय हरं भक्त्या परमया मुने गौतम्यां सकलाघौघसंहर्ता दण्डके वने ॥
prapañcasya nimittaṃ yat taj jyotiś ca paraṃ śivaḥ tam eva sādhaya haraṃ bhaktyā paramayā mune gautamyāṃ sakalāghaughasaṃhartā daṇḍake vane //
That which is the cause of the manifold world, and that supreme light, is Śiva. Him alone, Hara, do you propitiate with the highest devotion, O sage—(he who is) the destroyer of every flood of sin, on the Gautamī in the Daṇḍaka forest.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 130.19
एतच् छ्रुत्वा मुनेर् वाक्यं परां प्रीतिम् उपागतः भुक्तिदो मुक्तिदः पुंसां साकारो ऽथ निराकृतिः ॥
etac chrutvā muner vākyaṃ parāṃ prītim upāgataḥ bhuktido muktidaḥ puṃsāṃ sākāro 'tha nirākṛtiḥ //
Having heard the sage's words, he came to the highest delight — (he who is) the giver of enjoyments and the giver of release to men, possessed of form and (yet) formless.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
BrP 130.20
सृष्ट्याकारस् ततः शक्तः पालनाकार एव च दाता च हन्ति सर्वं यो यस्माद् एतत् समाप्यते ॥
sṛṣṭyākāras tataḥ śaktaḥ pālanākāra eva ca dātā ca hanti sarvaṃ yo yasmād etat samāpyate //
Then, being capable, he has the form of creation, and also the very form of preservation; and he is the giver, and he destroys everything — since from him all this reaches its end.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
BrP 130.21
ब्रह्माकृतिः कर्तृरूपा वैष्णवी पालनी तथा रुद्राकृतिर् निहन्त्री सा सर्ववेदेषु पठ्यते ॥
brahmākṛtiḥ kartṛrūpā vaiṣṇavī pālanī tathā rudrākṛtir nihantrī sā sarvavedeṣu paṭhyate //
The Brahmā-form has the character of maker, and likewise the Vaiṣṇava (form) is the preserver; the Rudra-form is the destroyer — so it is recited in all the Vedas.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 130.22
आपस्तम्बस् तदा गङ्गां गत्वा स्नात्वा यतव्रतः तुष्टाव शंकरं देवं स्तोत्रेणानेन नारद ॥
āpastambas tadā gaṅgāṃ gatvā snātvā yatavrataḥ tuṣṭāva śaṃkaraṃ devaṃ stotreṇānena nārada //
Then Āpastamba, going to the Gaṅgā and bathing, firm in his vow, praised the god Śaṃkara with this hymn, O Nārada.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 130.23
काष्ठेषु वह्निः कुसुमेषु गन्धो बीजेषु वृक्षादि दृषत्सु हेम भूतेषु सर्वेषु तथास्ति यो वै तं सोमनाथं शरणं व्रजामि
kāṣṭheṣu vahniḥ kusumeṣu gandho bījeṣu vṛkṣādi dṛṣatsu hema bhūteṣu sarveṣu tathāsti yo vai taṃ somanāthaṃ śaraṇaṃ vrajāmi
He who is the fire in kindling-wood, the fragrance in flowers, the tree and the rest in seeds, the gold in stones, and who likewise exists in all beings — to that Somanātha I go for refuge.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 130.24
यो लीलया विश्वम् इदं चकार धाता विधाता भुवनत्रयस्य यो विश्वरूपः सदसत्परो यः सोमेश्वरं तं शरणं व्रजामि
yo līlayā viśvam idaṃ cakāra dhātā vidhātā bhuvanatrayasya yo viśvarūpaḥ sadasatparo yaḥ someśvaraṃ taṃ śaraṇaṃ vrajāmi
He who made this universe in play, the establisher and ordainer of the three worlds, he whose form is the universe, who is beyond being and non-being — to that Someśvara I go for refuge.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 130.25
यं स्मृत्य दारिद्र्यमहाभिशाप रोगादिभिर् न स्पृश्यते शरीरी यम् आश्रिताश् चेप्सितम् आप्नुवन्ति सोमेश्वरं तं शरणं व्रजामि
yaṃ smṛtya dāridryamahābhiśāpa rogādibhir na spṛśyate śarīrī yam āśritāś cepsitam āpnuvanti someśvaraṃ taṃ śaraṇaṃ vrajāmi
He, remembering whom an embodied one is not touched by poverty, great curses, diseases and the like, and those who have taken refuge in whom obtain what they desire — to that Someśvara I go for refuge.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 130.26
येन त्रयीधर्मम् अवेक्ष्य पूर्वं ब्रह्मादयस् तत्र समीहिताश् च एवं द्विधा येन कृतं शरीरं सोमेश्वरं तं शरणं व्रजामि
yena trayīdharmam avekṣya pūrvaṃ brahmādayas tatra samīhitāś ca evaṃ dvidhā yena kṛtaṃ śarīraṃ someśvaraṃ taṃ śaraṇaṃ vrajāmi
He by whom, having first considered the law of the three (Vedas), Brahmā and the others were made to strive there, and by whom the body was thus made twofold — to that Someśvara I go for refuge.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
BrP 130.27
यस्मै नमो गच्छति मन्त्रपूतं हुतं हविर् या च कृता च पूजा दत्तं हविर् येन सुरा भजन्ते सोमेश्वरं तं शरणं व्रजामि
yasmai namo gacchati mantrapūtaṃ hutaṃ havir yā ca kṛtā ca pūjā dattaṃ havir yena surā bhajante someśvaraṃ taṃ śaraṇaṃ vrajāmi
He to whom the homage goes, and the oblation offered purified by mantra, and whatever worship is performed, and by whom the offered oblation (is what) the gods partake of — to that Someśvara I go for refuge.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
BrP 130.28
यस्मात् परं नान्यद् अस्ति प्रशस्तं यस्मात् परं नैव सुसूक्ष्मम् अन्यत् यस्मात् परं नो महतां महच् च सोमेश्वरं तं शरणं व्रजामि
yasmāt paraṃ nānyad asti praśastaṃ yasmāt paraṃ naiva susūkṣmam anyat yasmāt paraṃ no mahatāṃ mahac ca someśvaraṃ taṃ śaraṇaṃ vrajāmi
Than whom there is nothing else more excellent, than whom there is nothing else more exceedingly subtle, than whom there is nothing greater than the great — to that Someśvara I go for refuge.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 130.29
यस्याज्ञया विश्वम् इदं विचित्रम् अचिन्त्यरूपं विविधं महच् च एकक्रियं यद्वद् अनुप्रयाति सोमेश्वरं तं शरणं व्रजामि
yasyājñayā viśvam idaṃ vicitram acintyarūpaṃ vividhaṃ mahac ca ekakriyaṃ yadvad anuprayāti someśvaraṃ taṃ śaraṇaṃ vrajāmi
He by whose command this variegated universe, of inconceivable form, manifold and vast, proceeds as if with a single action — to that Someśvara I go for refuge.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 130.30
यस्मिन् विभूतिः सकलाधिपत्यं कर्तृत्वदातृत्वमहत्त्वम् एव प्रीतिर् यशः सौख्यम् अनादिधर्मः सोमेश्वरं तं शरणं व्रजामि
yasmin vibhūtiḥ sakalādhipatyaṃ kartṛtvadātṛtvamahattvam eva prītir yaśaḥ saukhyam anādidharmaḥ someśvaraṃ taṃ śaraṇaṃ vrajāmi
In whom there is majesty, sovereignty over all, the very state of being maker, giver and great one, love, fame, happiness, the beginningless law — to that Someśvara I go for refuge.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 130.31
नित्यं शरण्यः सकलस्य पूज्यो नित्यं प्रियो यः शरणागतस्य नित्यं शिवो यः सकलस्य रूपं सोमेश्वरं तं शरणं व्रजामि
nityaṃ śaraṇyaḥ sakalasya pūjyo nityaṃ priyo yaḥ śaraṇāgatasya nityaṃ śivo yaḥ sakalasya rūpaṃ someśvaraṃ taṃ śaraṇaṃ vrajāmi
He who is always the refuge, worthy of worship by all, always dear to one who has come for refuge, who is always benign, who is the form of all — to that Someśvara I go for refuge.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 130.32
ततः प्रसन्नो भगवान् आह नारद तं मुनिम् आत्मार्थं च परार्थं च आपस्तम्बो ऽब्रवीच् छिवम् ॥
tataḥ prasanno bhagavān āha nārada taṃ munim ātmārthaṃ ca parārthaṃ ca āpastambo 'bravīc chivam //
Then the pleased Lord spoke to that sage, O Nārada; and Āpastamba said to Śiva, both for his own sake and for the sake of others.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
BrP 130.33
सर्वान् कामान् आप्नुयुस् ते ये स्नात्वा देवम् ईश्वरम् पश्येयुर् जगताम् ईशम् अस्त्व् इत्य् आह शिवो मुनिम् ॥
sarvān kāmān āpnuyus te ye snātvā devam īśvaram paśyeyur jagatām īśam astv ity āha śivo munim //
"May they obtain all their desires, those who, having bathed, may behold the god, the Lord, the ruler of the worlds" — "So be it," said Śiva to the sage.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 130.34
ततः प्रभृति तत् तीर्थम् आपस्तम्बम् उदाहृतम् अनाद्य् अविद्यातिमिरव्रातनिर्मूलनक्षमम् ॥
tataḥ prabhṛti tat tīrtham āpastambam udāhṛtam anādy avidyātimiravrātanirmūlanakṣamam //
From that time on that tīrtha has been called Āpastamba, able to uproot the mass of darkness that is beginningless ignorance.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition