Brahma Purana — Chapter 141

BrP 141.1

कपिलासंगमं नाम तीर्थं त्रैलोक्यविश्रुतम् तत्र नारद वक्ष्यामि कथां पुण्याम् अनुत्तमाम् ॥

kapilāsaṃgamaṃ nāma tīrthaṃ trailokyaviśrutam tatra nārada vakṣyāmi kathāṃ puṇyām anuttamām //

There is a ford named Kapilāsaṃgama, renowned in the three worlds. Concerning it, Nārada, I shall tell a holy and unsurpassed tale.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 141.2

कपिलो नाम तत्त्वज्ञो मुनिर् आसीन् महायशाः क्रूरश् चापि प्रसन्नश् च तपोव्रतपरायणः ॥

kapilo nāma tattvajño munir āsīn mahāyaśāḥ krūraś cāpi prasannaś ca tapovrataparāyaṇaḥ //

There was a sage named Kapila, a knower of the truth, of great fame, both harsh and gracious, devoted to austerity and vows.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 141.3

तपस्यन्तं मुनिश्रेष्ठं गौतमीतीरम् आश्रितम् तम् आगत्य महात्मानं वामदेवादयो ऽब्रुवन् ॥

tapasyantaṃ muniśreṣṭhaṃ gautamītīram āśritam tam āgatya mahātmānaṃ vāmadevādayo 'bruvan //

To that best of sages, that great soul, as he practised austerity on the bank of the Gautamī, Vāmadeva and the others came and said (this).

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 141.4

हत्वा वेनं ब्रह्मशापैर् नष्टधर्मे त्व् अराजके कपिलं सिद्धम् आचार्यम् ऊचुर् मुनिगणास् तदा ॥

hatvā venaṃ brahmaśāpair naṣṭadharme tv arājake kapilaṃ siddham ācāryam ūcur munigaṇās tadā //

When, Vena having been slain by the curses of brahmins, dharma was destroyed and there was no king, the hosts of sages then spoke to Kapila, the perfected one, the teacher:

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 141.5

गते वेदे गते धर्मे किं कर्तव्यं मुनीश्वर ॥

gate vede gate dharme kiṃ kartavyaṃ munīśvara //

"The Veda is gone, dharma is gone—what is to be done, O lord of sages?"

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 141.6

ततो ऽब्रवीन् मुनिर् ध्यात्वा कपिलस् त्व् आगतान् मुनीन् ॥

tato 'bravīn munir dhyātvā kapilas tv āgatān munīn //

Then the sage Kapila, having reflected, said to the sages who had come:

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 141.7

वेनस्योरुर् विमथ्यो ऽभूत् ततः कश्चिद् भविष्यति ॥

venasyorur vimathyo 'bhūt tataḥ kaścid bhaviṣyati //

"Vena's thigh must be churned; from it there will come someone."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 141.8

तथैव चक्रुर् मुनयो वेनस्योरुं विमथ्य वै तत्रोत्पन्नो महापापः कृष्णो रौद्रपराक्रमः ॥

tathaiva cakrur munayo venasyoruṃ vimathya vai tatrotpanno mahāpāpaḥ kṛṣṇo raudraparākramaḥ //

The sages did just so, churning Vena's thigh; and there was born a great sinner, black, of terrible might.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 141.9

तं दृष्ट्वा मुनयो भीता निषीदस्वेति चाब्रुवन् निषादः सो ऽभवत् तस्मान् निषादाश् चाभवंस् ततः ॥

taṃ dṛṣṭvā munayo bhītā niṣīdasveti cābruvan niṣādaḥ so 'bhavat tasmān niṣādāś cābhavaṃs tataḥ //

Seeing him, the sages were afraid and said, "Sit down!" (niṣīda). Therefore he became a Niṣāda, and from him arose the Niṣādas.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 141.10

वेनबाहुं ममन्थुस् ते दक्षिणं धर्मसंहितम् ततः पृथुस्वरश् चैव सर्वलक्षणलक्षितः ॥

venabāhuṃ mamanthus te dakṣiṇaṃ dharmasaṃhitam tataḥ pṛthusvaraś caiva sarvalakṣaṇalakṣitaḥ //

They churned the right arm of Vena, the arm joined with dharma; and from it (arose) Pṛthu of mighty voice, marked with all (auspicious) marks,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

BrP 141.11

राजाभवत् पृथुः श्रीमान् ब्रह्मसामर्थ्यसंयुतः तम् आगत्य सुराः सर्वे अभिनन्द्य वराञ् शुभान् ॥

rājābhavat pṛthuḥ śrīmān brahmasāmarthyasaṃyutaḥ tam āgatya surāḥ sarve abhinandya varāñ śubhān //

— glorious Pṛthu became king, endowed with the power of brahman. All the gods came to him and, greeting him (with joy), (gave him) fine boons;

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 141.12

तस्मै ददुस् तथास्त्राणि मन्त्राणि गुणवन्ति च ततो ऽब्रुवन् मुनिगणास् तं पृथुं कपिलेन च ॥

tasmai dadus tathāstrāṇi mantrāṇi guṇavanti ca tato 'bruvan munigaṇās taṃ pṛthuṃ kapilena ca //

and they gave him weapons and mantras possessed of virtues. Then the hosts of sages, together with Kapila, said to that Pṛthu:

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 141.13

आहारं देहि जीवेभ्यो भुवा ग्रस्तौषधीर् अपि ॥

āhāraṃ dehi jīvebhyo bhuvā grastauṣadhīr api //

"Give food to living beings — indeed the herbs that have been swallowed by the earth."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 141.14

ततः स धनुर् आदाय भुवम् आह नृपोत्तमः ॥

tataḥ sa dhanur ādāya bhuvam āha nṛpottamaḥ //

Then that best of kings took up his bow and spoke to the earth:

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 141.15

ओषधीर् देहि या ग्रस्ताः प्रजानां हितकाम्यया ॥

oṣadhīr dehi yā grastāḥ prajānāṃ hitakāmyayā //

"Give up the herbs that have been swallowed, out of a desire for the welfare of the creatures."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 141.16

तम् उवाच मही भीता पृथुं तं पृथुलोचनम् ॥

tam uvāca mahī bhītā pṛthuṃ taṃ pṛthulocanam //

The Earth, frightened, said to him — to that Pṛthu of broad eyes:

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 141.17

मयि जीर्णा महौषध्यः कथं दातुम् अहं क्षमा ॥

mayi jīrṇā mahauṣadhyaḥ kathaṃ dātum ahaṃ kṣamā //

"The great herbs have been digested within me; how am I able to give them?"

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 141.18

ततः सकोपो नृपतिस् ताम् आह पृथिवीं पुनः ॥

tataḥ sakopo nṛpatis tām āha pṛthivīṃ punaḥ //

Then the king, filled with anger, spoke again to that Earth:

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 141.19

नो चेद् ददास्य् अद्य त्वां वै हत्वा दास्ये महौषधीः ॥

no ced dadāsy adya tvāṃ vai hatvā dāsye mahauṣadhīḥ //

"If you do not give them today, then I shall kill you and (myself) give out the great herbs."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 141.20

कथं हंसि स्त्रियं राजञ् ज्ञानी भूत्वा नृपोत्तम विना मया कथं चेमाः प्रजाः संधारयिष्यसि ॥

kathaṃ haṃsi striyaṃ rājañ jñānī bhūtvā nṛpottama vinā mayā kathaṃ cemāḥ prajāḥ saṃdhārayiṣyasi //

"How can you kill a woman, O king, you who are a man of knowledge, O best of kings? And without me, how will you sustain these creatures?"

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 141.21

यत्रोपकारो ऽनेकानाम् एकनाशे भविष्यति न दोषस् तत्र पृथिवि तपसा धारये प्रजाः ॥

yatropakāro 'nekānām ekanāśe bhaviṣyati na doṣas tatra pṛthivi tapasā dhāraye prajāḥ //

"Where benefit to many will come about through the destruction of one, there is no fault, O Earth; by austerity I shall sustain the creatures.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 141.22

न दोषम् अत्र पश्यामि नाचक्षे ऽनर्थकं वचः यस्मिन् निपातिते सौख्यं बहूनाम् उपजायते मुनयस् तद्वधं प्राहुर् अश्वमेधशताधिकम् ॥

na doṣam atra paśyāmi nācakṣe 'narthakaṃ vacaḥ yasmin nipātite saukhyaṃ bahūnām upajāyate munayas tadvadhaṃ prāhur aśvamedhaśatādhikam //

I see no fault in this, nor do I speak a pointless word. He upon whose felling the happiness of many arises — the sages have called the killing of him more (meritorious) than a hundred horse-sacrifices."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 141.23

ततो देवाश् च ऋषयः सान्त्वयित्वा नृपोत्तमम् महीं च मातरं देवीम् ऊचुः सुरगणास् तदा ॥

tato devāś ca ṛṣayaḥ sāntvayitvā nṛpottamam mahīṃ ca mātaraṃ devīm ūcuḥ suragaṇās tadā //

Then the gods and the seers, having soothed that best of kings, and the Earth, the divine mother — the hosts of gods then said:

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 141.24

भूमे गोरूपिणी भूत्वा पयोरूपा महौषधीः देहि त्वं पृथवे राज्ञे ततः प्रीतो भवेन् नृपः प्रजासंरक्षणं च स्यात् ततः क्षेमं भविष्यति ॥

bhūme gorūpiṇī bhūtvā payorūpā mahauṣadhīḥ dehi tvaṃ pṛthave rājñe tataḥ prīto bhaven nṛpaḥ prajāsaṃrakṣaṇaṃ ca syāt tataḥ kṣemaṃ bhaviṣyati //

"O Earth, becoming one who has the form of a cow, give the great herbs in the form of milk to king Pṛthu; then the king will be pleased, and there will be protection of the creatures, and thereafter there will be well-being."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 141.25

ततो गोरूपम् आस्थाय भूम्य् आसीत् कपिलान्तिके दुदोह च महौषध्यो राजा वेनकरोद्भवः ॥

tato gorūpam āsthāya bhūmy āsīt kapilāntike dudoha ca mahauṣadhyo rājā venakarodbhavaḥ //

Then the Earth, assuming the form of a cow, stood near Kapila, and the king born from Vena's hand milked out the great herbs.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 141.26

यत्र देवाः सगन्धर्वा ऋषयः कपिलो मुनिः महीं गोरूपम् आपन्नां नर्मदायां महामुने ॥

yatra devāḥ sagandharvā ṛṣayaḥ kapilo muniḥ mahīṃ gorūpam āpannāṃ narmadāyāṃ mahāmune //

Where the gods together with the gandharvas, the seers, and the sage Kapila (beheld) the Earth who had assumed the form of a cow, in the Narmadā, O great sage —

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

BrP 141.27

सरस्वत्यां भागीरथ्यां गोदावर्यां विशेषतः महानदीषु सर्वासु दुदुहे ऽसौ पयो महत् ॥

sarasvatyāṃ bhāgīrathyāṃ godāvaryāṃ viśeṣataḥ mahānadīṣu sarvāsu duduhe 'sau payo mahat //

in the Sarasvatī, in the Bhāgīrathī, and especially in the Godāvarī, in all the great rivers, he milked out abundant milk.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 141.28

सा दुह्यमाना पृथुना पुण्यतोयाभवन् नदी गौतम्या संगता चाभूत् तद् अद्भुतम् इवाभवत् ॥

sā duhyamānā pṛthunā puṇyatoyābhavan nadī gautamyā saṃgatā cābhūt tad adbhutam ivābhavat //

She, being milked by Pṛthu, became a river of holy waters, and she joined with the Gautamī; that was, as it were, a marvel.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 141.29

ततः प्रभृति तत् तीर्थं कपिलासंगमं विदुः तत्राष्टाशीतिः पूज्यानि सहस्राणि महामते ॥

tataḥ prabhṛti tat tīrthaṃ kapilāsaṃgamaṃ viduḥ tatrāṣṭāśītiḥ pūjyāni sahasrāṇi mahāmate //

From that time on they know that sacred ford as Kapilāsaṃgama (the confluence of Kapilā). There, O great-minded one, eighty-eight thousand venerable

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BrP 141.30

तीर्थान्य् आहुर् मुनिगणाः स्मरणाद् अपि नारद पावनानि जगत्य् अस्मिंस् तानि सर्वाण्य् अनुक्रमात् ॥

tīrthāny āhur munigaṇāḥ smaraṇād api nārada pāvanāni jagaty asmiṃs tāni sarvāṇy anukramāt //

The hosts of sages call them sacred fords, Nārada — purifying in this world even by the mere remembrance (of them); (I shall tell you) all of them in order.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition