Brahma Purana — Chapter 139
BrP 139.1
खड्गतीर्थम् इति ख्यातं गौतम्या उत्तरे तटे तत्र स्नानेन दानेन मुक्तिभागी भवेन् नरः ॥
khaḍgatīrtham iti khyātaṃ gautamyā uttare taṭe tatra snānena dānena muktibhāgī bhaven naraḥ //
On the northern bank of the Gautamī there is (a ford) known as Khaḍgatīrtha; there, by bathing and by giving, a man becomes a partaker of liberation.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 139.2
तत्र वृत्तं प्रवक्ष्यामि शृणु नारद यत्नतः पैलूष इति विख्यातः कवषस्य सुतो द्विजः ॥
tatra vṛttaṃ pravakṣyāmi śṛṇu nārada yatnataḥ pailūṣa iti vikhyātaḥ kavaṣasya suto dvijaḥ //
I shall tell what happened there; listen attentively, Nārada. There was a brahmin well known as Pailūṣa, the son of Kavaṣa.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 139.3
कुटुम्बभारात् परितो ह्य् अर्थार्थी परिधावति न किमप्य् आससादासौ ततो वैराग्यम् आस्थितः ॥
kuṭumbabhārāt parito hy arthārthī paridhāvati na kimapy āsasādāsau tato vairāgyam āsthitaḥ //
Oppressed by the burden of his family, seeking wealth, he ran about in all directions; he obtained nothing at all, and thereupon took to detachment.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 139.4
अत्यन्तविमुखे दैवे व्यर्थीभूते तु पौरुषे न वैराग्याद् अन्यद् अस्ति पण्डितस्यावलम्बनम् ॥
atyantavimukhe daive vyarthībhūte tu pauruṣe na vairāgyād anyad asti paṇḍitasyāvalambanam //
When fate is utterly averse and human effort has become fruitless, there is no other support for a wise man than dispassion.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 139.5
इति संचिन्तयाम् आस तदासौ निःश्वसन् मुहुः क्रमागतं धनं नास्ति पोष्याश् च बहवो मम ॥
iti saṃcintayām āsa tadāsau niḥśvasan muhuḥ kramāgataṃ dhanaṃ nāsti poṣyāś ca bahavo mama //
Thus he pondered then, sighing again and again: "There is no wealth come down (to me) by succession, and I have many to support."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 139.6
मानी चात्मा न कष्टार्हो हा धिग् दुर्दैवचेष्टितम् स कदाचिद् वृत्तियुतो वृत्तिभिः परिवर्तयन् ॥
mānī cātmā na kaṣṭārho hā dhig durdaivaceṣṭitam sa kadācid vṛttiyuto vṛttibhiḥ parivartayan //
"And my self is proud and does not deserve hardship — alas, shame on the workings of ill fate!" At some time, having found a livelihood, changing from one occupation to another,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 139.7
न लेभे तद् धनं वृत्तेर् विरागम् अगमत् तदा सेवा निषिद्धा या काचिद् गहना दुष्करं तपः ॥
na lebhe tad dhanaṃ vṛtter virāgam agamat tadā sevā niṣiddhā yā kācid gahanā duṣkaraṃ tapaḥ //
he did not obtain that wealth; then he grew disgusted with (such) a livelihood: "Service (of others) is forbidden; any (other) is obscure; asceticism is hard to do."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
BrP 139.8
बलाद् आकर्षतीयं मां तृष्णा सर्वत्र दुष्कृते त्वयापकृतम् अज्ञानात् तस्मात् तृष्णे नमो ऽस्तु ते ॥
balād ākarṣatīyaṃ māṃ tṛṣṇā sarvatra duṣkṛte tvayāpakṛtam ajñānāt tasmāt tṛṣṇe namo 'stu te //
"This craving drags me by force into every evil deed; harm has been done by you out of ignorance — therefore, O Craving, homage be to you!"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 139.9
एवं विचिन्त्य मेधावी तृष्णाछेदाय किं भवेत् इत्य् आलोच्य स पैलूषः पितरं वाक्यम् अब्रवीत् ॥
evaṃ vicintya medhāvī tṛṣṇāchedāya kiṃ bhavet ity ālocya sa pailūṣaḥ pitaraṃ vākyam abravīt //
Having reflected thus, the intelligent one considered, "What would serve to cut off craving?" — and that Pailūṣa spoke a word to his father.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 139.10
ज्ञानासिना क्रोधलोभौ संसृतिं चातिदुस्तराम् छेद्मीमां केन हे तात तम् उपायं वद प्रभो ॥
jñānāsinā krodhalobhau saṃsṛtiṃ cātidustarām chedmīmāṃ kena he tāta tam upāyaṃ vada prabho //
"By what means may I cut, with the sword of knowledge, anger and greed, and this transmigration so very hard to cross? Tell me that means, O father, O lord."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 139.11
ईश्वराज् ज्ञानम् अन्विच्छेद् इत्य् एषा वैदिकी श्रुतिः तस्माद् आराधयेशानं ततो ज्ञानम् अवाप्स्यसि ॥
īśvarāj jñānam anvicched ity eṣā vaidikī śrutiḥ tasmād ārādhayeśānaṃ tato jñānam avāpsyasi //
"One should seek knowledge from the Lord" — this is the Vedic revelation; therefore worship Īśāna, and from him you will obtain knowledge.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 139.12
तथेत्य् उक्त्वा स पैलूषो ज्ञानायेश्वरम् आर्चयत् ततस् तुष्टो महेशानो ज्ञानं प्रादाद् द्विजातये प्राप्तज्ञानो महाबुद्धिर् गाथाः प्रोवाच मुक्तिदाः ॥
tathety uktvā sa pailūṣo jñānāyeśvaram ārcayat tatas tuṣṭo maheśāno jñānaṃ prādād dvijātaye prāptajñāno mahābuddhir gāthāḥ provāca muktidāḥ //
Saying "So be it," that Pailūṣa worshipped the Lord for knowledge; then Maheśāna, pleased, granted knowledge to the twice-born. Having attained knowledge, the greatly wise one uttered verses that bestow liberation.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 139.13
क्रोधस् तु प्रथमं शत्रुर् निष्फलो देहनाशनः ज्ञानखड्गेन तं छित्त्वा परमं सुखम् आप्नुयात् ॥
krodhas tu prathamaṃ śatrur niṣphalo dehanāśanaḥ jñānakhaḍgena taṃ chittvā paramaṃ sukham āpnuyāt //
Anger indeed is the first enemy, fruitless, destroying the body; having cut it with the sword of knowledge, one would attain the highest happiness.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 139.14
तृष्णा बहुविधा माया बन्धनी पापकारिणी छित्त्वैतां ज्ञानखड्गेन सुखं तिष्ठति मानवः ॥
tṛṣṇā bahuvidhā māyā bandhanī pāpakāriṇī chittvaitāṃ jñānakhaḍgena sukhaṃ tiṣṭhati mānavaḥ //
Craving is manifold illusion, a binder, a doer of evil; having cut it with the sword of knowledge, a man abides in happiness.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 139.15
सङ्गस् तु परमो ऽधर्मो देवादीनाम् इति श्रुतिः असङ्गस्यात्मनो ह्य् अस्य सङ्गो ऽयं परमो रिपुः ॥
saṅgas tu paramo 'dharmo devādīnām iti śrutiḥ asaṅgasyātmano hy asya saṅgo 'yaṃ paramo ripuḥ //
Attachment is the supreme unrighteousness even of the gods and the rest — so says revelation; for this attachment is the supreme foe of this self, which is (by nature) unattached.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 139.16
छित्त्वैनं ज्ञानखड्गेन शिवैकत्वम् अवाप्नुयात् संशयः परमो नाशो धर्मार्थानां विनाशकृत् ॥
chittvainaṃ jñānakhaḍgena śivaikatvam avāpnuyāt saṃśayaḥ paramo nāśo dharmārthānāṃ vināśakṛt //
Having cut this with the sword of knowledge, one would attain oneness with Śiva. Doubt is the supreme ruin, the destroyer of righteousness and wealth.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 139.17
छित्त्वैनं संशयं जन्तुः परमेप्सितम् आप्नुयात् पिशाचीव विशत्य् आशा निर्दहत्य् अखिलं सुखम् पूर्णाहन्तासिना छित्त्वा जीवन् मुक्तिम् अवाप्नुयात् ॥
chittvainaṃ saṃśayaṃ jantuḥ paramepsitam āpnuyāt piśācīva viśaty āśā nirdahaty akhilaṃ sukham pūrṇāhantāsinā chittvā jīvan muktim avāpnuyāt //
Having cut this doubt, a creature would obtain what is most desired. Hope enters like a she-demon and burns up all happiness; having cut (it) with the sword of full I-ness, one would attain liberation while living.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 139.18
ततो ज्ञानम् अवाप्यासौ गङ्गातीरं समाश्रितः ज्ञानखड्गेन निर्मोहस् ततो मुक्तिम् अवाप सः ॥
tato jñānam avāpyāsau gaṅgātīraṃ samāśritaḥ jñānakhaḍgena nirmohas tato muktim avāpa saḥ //
Then, having obtained knowledge, he resorted to the bank of the Gaṅgā, and, freed from delusion by the sword of knowledge, he thereupon attained liberation.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 139.19
ततः प्रभृति तत् तीर्थं खड्गतीर्थम् इति स्मृतम् ज्ञानतीर्थं च कवषं पैलूषं सर्वकामदम् ॥
tataḥ prabhṛti tat tīrthaṃ khaḍgatīrtham iti smṛtam jñānatīrthaṃ ca kavaṣaṃ pailūṣaṃ sarvakāmadam //
From then on that sacred ford is known as Khaḍgatīrtha, and also Jñānatīrtha, Kavaṣa, and Pailūṣa, granting all desires.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 139.20
इत्यादिषट्सहस्राणि तीर्थान्य् आहुर् महर्षयः अशेषपापतापौघहराणीष्टप्रदानि च ॥
ityādiṣaṭsahasrāṇi tīrthāny āhur maharṣayaḥ aśeṣapāpatāpaughaharāṇīṣṭapradāni ca //
The great seers declare six thousand sacred fords of this kind, which remove the whole flood of sin and suffering and which grant what is wished for.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition