Vishnu Purana — Amsha 2 — Chapter 15

ViP 2 15.1

इत्य् उक्ते मौनिनं भूयश् चिन्तयानं महीपतिम् प्रत्युवाचाथ विप्रो ऽसाव् अद्वैतान्तर्गतां कथाम् ॥

ity ukte mauninaṃ bhūyaś cintayānaṃ mahīpatim pratyuvācātha vipro 'sāv advaitāntargatāṃ kathām //

When this had been said, that brahman then spoke again to the king, who was silent and pondering, a discourse belonging to (the doctrine of) non-duality.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 2 15.2

श्रूयतां नृपशार्दूल यद् गीतम् ऋभुणा पुरा अवबोधं जनयता निदाघस्य द्विजन्मनः ॥

śrūyatāṃ nṛpaśārdūla yad gītam ṛbhuṇā purā avabodhaṃ janayatā nidāghasya dvijanmanaḥ //

Hear, O tiger among kings, what was sung of old by Ṛbhu when he was awakening understanding in the twice-born Nidāgha.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 2 15.3

ऋभुर् नामाभवत् पुत्रो ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः विज्ञाततत्त्वसद्भावो निसर्गाद् एव भूपते ॥

ṛbhur nāmābhavat putro brahmaṇaḥ parameṣṭhinaḥ vijñātatattvasadbhāvo nisargād eva bhūpate //

There was a son of Brahmā the highest lord, Ṛbhu by name, who by his very nature had understood the true being of reality, O lord of the earth.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 2 15.4

तस्य शिष्यो निदाघो ऽभूत् पुलस्त्यतनयः पुरा प्रादाद् अशेषविज्ञानं स तस्मै परया मुदा ॥

tasya śiṣyo nidāgho 'bhūt pulastyatanayaḥ purā prādād aśeṣavijñānaṃ sa tasmai parayā mudā //

His pupil in former times was Nidāgha, the son of Pulastya; with the greatest gladness he imparted to him knowledge without remainder.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 2 15.5

अवाप्तज्ञानतत्त्वस्य न तस्याद्वैतवासनाम् स ऋभुस् तर्कयाम् आस निदाघस्य नरेश्वर ॥

avāptajñānatattvasya na tasyādvaitavāsanām sa ṛbhus tarkayām āsa nidāghasya nareśvara //

Ṛbhu judged that Nidāgha, though he had obtained the truth of knowledge, did not have the inclination toward non-duality, O lord of men.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 2 15.6

देविकायास् तटे वीरनगरं नाम वै पुरम् समृद्धम् अतिरम्यं च पुलस्त्येन निवेशितम् ॥

devikāyās taṭe vīranagaraṃ nāma vai puram samṛddham atiramyaṃ ca pulastyena niveśitam //

On the bank of the Devikā there was a city named Vīranagara, prosperous and exceedingly delightful, founded by Pulastya.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 2 15.7

रम्योपवनपर्यन्ते स तस्मिन् पार्थिवोत्तम निदाघो नाम योगज्ञ ऋभुशिष्यो ऽवसत् पुरा ॥

ramyopavanaparyante sa tasmin pārthivottama nidāgho nāma yogajña ṛbhuśiṣyo 'vasat purā //

At the edge of a lovely grove in that city, O best of kings, there formerly dwelt Nidāgha by name, knower of yoga, the pupil of Ṛbhu.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 2 15.8

दिव्ये वर्षसहस्रे तु समतीते ऽस्य तत् पुरम् जगाम स ऋभुः शिष्यं निदाघम् अवलोकितुम् ॥

divye varṣasahasre tu samatīte 'sya tat puram jagāma sa ṛbhuḥ śiṣyaṃ nidāgham avalokitum //

When a thousand divine years had passed, that Ṛbhu went to his city to see his pupil Nidāgha.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 2 15.9

स तस्य वैश्वदेवान्ते द्वारालोकनगोचरे स्थितस् तेन गृहीतार्घो निजवेश्मप्रवेशितः ॥

sa tasya vaiśvadevānte dvārālokanagocare sthitas tena gṛhītārgho nijaveśmapraveśitaḥ //

At the close of (Nidāgha's) offering to the All-gods (he) stood within sight of the doorway; he was welcomed by him with the water of hospitality and brought into his own house.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 2 15.10

प्रक्षालिताङ्घ्रिपाणिं च कृतासनपरिग्रहम् उवाच स द्विजश्रेष्ठो भुज्यताम् इति सादरम् ॥

prakṣālitāṅghripāṇiṃ ca kṛtāsanaparigraham uvāca sa dvijaśreṣṭho bhujyatām iti sādaram //

And when (the guest) had washed his feet and hands and had taken the seat offered him, that best of brahmins said respectfully, "Let (food) be eaten."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 2 15.11

भो विप्रवर्य भोक्तव्यं यद् अन्नं भवतो गृहे तत् कथ्यतां कदन्नेषु न प्रीतिः सततं मम ॥

bho vipravarya bhoktavyaṃ yad annaṃ bhavato gṛhe tat kathyatāṃ kadanneṣu na prītiḥ satataṃ mama //

"Sir, best of brahmins, what food is there in your house that is to be eaten? Let that be told; I never have any liking for poor food."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 2 15.12

सक्तुयावकवाट्यानाम् अपूपानां च मे गृहे यद् रोचते द्विजश्रेष्ठ तत् त्वं भुङ्क्ष्व यथेच्छया ॥

saktuyāvakavāṭyānām apūpānāṃ ca me gṛhe yad rocate dvijaśreṣṭha tat tvaṃ bhuṅkṣva yathecchayā //

"In my house there are barley-meal, barley gruel, parched grain, and cakes: whichever pleases you, best of brahmins, eat that as you wish."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 2 15.13

कदन्नानि द्विजैतानि मिष्टम् अन्नं प्रयच्छ मे संयावपायसादीनि द्रप्सफाणितवन्ति च ॥

kadannāni dvijaitāni miṣṭam annaṃ prayaccha me saṃyāvapāyasādīni drapsaphāṇitavanti ca //

"These are poor foods, brahmin; give me sweet food — things like wheat-cakes and rice-milk, with curds and molasses-syrup."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 2 15.14

हे हे शालिनि मद्गेहे यत् किंचिद् अतिशोभनम् भक्ष्योपसाधनं मिष्टं तेनास्यान्नं प्रसाधय ॥

he he śālini madgehe yat kiṃcid atiśobhanam bhakṣyopasādhanaṃ miṣṭaṃ tenāsyānnaṃ prasādhaya //

"Ho there, Śālinī! Whatever is most excellent in my house, and whatever sweet food-preparation there is, with that make ready his meal."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 2 15.15

इत्य् उक्ता तेन सा पत्नी मिष्टम् अन्नं द्विजस्य यत् प्रसाधितवती तद् वै भर्तुर् वचनगौरवात् ॥

ity uktā tena sā patnī miṣṭam annaṃ dvijasya yat prasādhitavatī tad vai bhartur vacanagauravāt //

Thus addressed by him, that wife made ready for the brahmin whatever sweet food (there was), out of respect for her husband's word.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 2 15.16

तं भुक्तवन्तम् इच्छातो मिष्टम् अन्नं महामुनिम् निदाघः प्राह भूपाल प्रश्रयावनतः स्थितः ॥

taṃ bhuktavantam icchāto miṣṭam annaṃ mahāmunim nidāghaḥ prāha bhūpāla praśrayāvanataḥ sthitaḥ //

When the great sage had eaten the sweet food to his liking, Nidāgha, standing bowed in deference, said to him, O king:

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 2 15.17

अपि ते परमा तृप्तिर् उत्पन्ना तुष्टिर् एव च अपि ते मानसं स्वस्थम् आहारेण कृतं द्विज ॥

api te paramā tṛptir utpannā tuṣṭir eva ca api te mānasaṃ svastham āhāreṇa kṛtaṃ dvija //

"Has the highest satisfaction arisen in you, and contentment too? Has the food made your mind at ease, brahmin?"

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 2 15.18

क्वनिवासो भवान् विप्र क्व च गन्तुं समुद्यतः आगम्यते च भवता यतस् तच् च द्विजोच्यताम् ॥

kvanivāso bhavān vipra kva ca gantuṃ samudyataḥ āgamyate ca bhavatā yatas tac ca dvijocyatām //

"Where is your dwelling, brahmin, and where are you set out to go? And from where do you come? Let that too be told, brahmin."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 2 15.19

क्षुद् यस्य तस्य भुक्ते ऽन्ने तृप्तिर् ब्राह्मण जायते न मे क्षुद् अभवत् तृप्तिं कस्मान् मां परिपृच्छसि ॥

kṣud yasya tasya bhukte 'nne tṛptir brāhmaṇa jāyate na me kṣud abhavat tṛptiṃ kasmān māṃ paripṛcchasi //

"For him who has hunger, satisfaction arises when food is eaten, brahmin; I had no hunger — why do you ask me about satisfaction?

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 2 15.20

वह्निना पार्थिवे धातौ क्षपिते क्षुत्समुद्भवः भवत्य् अम्भसि च क्षीणे नृणां तृड् अपि जायते ॥

vahninā pārthive dhātau kṣapite kṣutsamudbhavaḥ bhavaty ambhasi ca kṣīṇe nṛṇāṃ tṛḍ api jāyate //

When the earthy element is consumed by fire, hunger arises; and when the water is diminished, thirst too arises in men.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 2 15.21

क्षुत्तृष्णे देहधर्माख्ये न ममैते यतो द्विज ततः क्षुत्संभवाभावात् तृप्तिर् अस्त्य् एव मे सदा ॥

kṣuttṛṣṇe dehadharmākhye na mamaite yato dvija tataḥ kṣutsaṃbhavābhāvāt tṛptir asty eva me sadā //

Since hunger and thirst, which are called properties of the body, are not mine, brahmin, therefore, because hunger does not arise, satisfaction is always mine.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 2 15.22

मनसः स्वस्थता तुष्टिश् चित्तधर्माव् इमौ द्विज चेतसो यस्य तत् पृच्छ पुमान् एभिर् न युज्यते ॥

manasaḥ svasthatā tuṣṭiś cittadharmāv imau dvija cetaso yasya tat pṛccha pumān ebhir na yujyate //

Ease of mind and contentment — these two are properties of the mind, brahmin; ask him whose the mind is: the Self (puruṣa) is not joined with these.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 2 15.23

क्व निवासस् तवेत्य् उक्तं क्व गन्तासि च यत् त्वया कुतश् चागम्यते तत्र त्रितये ऽपि निबोध मे ॥

kva nivāsas tavety uktaṃ kva gantāsi ca yat tvayā kutaś cāgamyate tatra tritaye 'pi nibodha me //

As for what was said by you — 'Where is your dwelling?' and 'Where will you go?' and 'From where do you come?' — hear from me about that trio as well.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 2 15.24

पुमान् सर्वगतो व्यापी आकाशवद् अयं यतः कुतः कुत्र क्व गन्तासीत्य् एतद् अप्य् अर्थवत् कथम् ॥

pumān sarvagato vyāpī ākāśavad ayaṃ yataḥ kutaḥ kutra kva gantāsīty etad apy arthavat katham //

Since this Self goes everywhere, pervading like space, how can even this 'From where? Where? Where will you go?' have any meaning?

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 2 15.25

सो ऽहं गन्ता न चागन्ता नैकदेशनिकेतनः त्वं चान्ये च न च त्वं च नान्ये नैवाहम् अप्य् अहम् ॥

so 'haṃ gantā na cāgantā naikadeśaniketanaḥ tvaṃ cānye ca na ca tvaṃ ca nānye naivāham apy aham //

I am that: neither a goer nor a comer, not housed in one place; and you and others are not, nor are you, nor others, nor am I even I.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 2 15.26

मृष्टं न मृष्टम् इत्य् एषा जिज्ञासा मे कृता तव किं वक्ष्यतीति तत्रापि श्रूयतां द्विजसत्तम ॥

mṛṣṭaṃ na mṛṣṭam ity eṣā jijñāsā me kṛtā tava kiṃ vakṣyatīti tatrāpi śrūyatāṃ dvijasattama //

And as for this inquiry you made of me, 'Is it sweet or not sweet?' — thinking 'what will he say?' — on that too let it be heard, best of brahmins.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 2 15.27

किम् अस्वाद्व् अथ वा मृष्टं भुञ्जतो ऽन्नं द्विजोत्तम मृष्टम् एव यदामृष्टं तद् एवोद्वेगकारणम् ॥

kim asvādv atha vā mṛṣṭaṃ bhuñjato 'nnaṃ dvijottama mṛṣṭam eva yadāmṛṣṭaṃ tad evodvegakāraṇam //

What, best of brahmins, is tasteless or sweet for one eating food? What is sweet, when it is not sweet, is the very cause of aversion.

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

ViP 2 15.28

अमृष्टं जायते मृष्टं मृष्टाद् उद्विजते जनः आदिमध्यावसानेषु किम् अन्नं रुचिकारकम् ॥

amṛṣṭaṃ jāyate mṛṣṭaṃ mṛṣṭād udvijate janaḥ ādimadhyāvasāneṣu kim annaṃ rucikārakam //

The unsweet becomes sweet, and (then) people are repelled by the sweet: at the beginning, middle and end, what food is a producer of relish?

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 2 15.29

मृण्मयं हि गृहं यद्वन् मृदा लिप्तं स्थिरं भवेत् पार्थिवो ऽयं तथा देहः पार्थिवैः परमाणुभिः ॥

mṛṇmayaṃ hi gṛhaṃ yadvan mṛdā liptaṃ sthiraṃ bhavet pārthivo 'yaṃ tathā dehaḥ pārthivaiḥ paramāṇubhiḥ //

For just as a house made of clay becomes firm when plastered with clay, so this body, made of earth, (is sustained) by earthy atoms.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 2 15.30

यवगोधूममुद्गादि घृतं तैलं पयो दधि गुडं फलादीनि तथा पार्थिवाः परमाणवः ॥

yavagodhūmamudgādi ghṛtaṃ tailaṃ payo dadhi guḍaṃ phalādīni tathā pārthivāḥ paramāṇavaḥ //

Barley, wheat, mung beans and the rest, ghee, oil, milk, curds, molasses, fruits and so forth—these too are earthy atoms.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 2 15.31

तद् एतद् भवता ज्ञात्वा मृष्टामृष्टविचारि यत् तन् मनः समतालम्बि कार्यं साम्यं हि मुक्तये ॥

tad etad bhavatā jñātvā mṛṣṭāmṛṣṭavicāri yat tan manaḥ samatālambi kāryaṃ sāmyaṃ hi muktaye //

Therefore, knowing this, that mind of yours which discriminates between tasty and untasty should be made to rest in equality; for equality (leads) to liberation.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 2 15.32

इत्य् आकर्ण्य वचस् तस्य परमार्थाश्रितं नृप प्रणिपत्य महाभागो निदाघो वाक्यम् अब्रवीत् ॥

ity ākarṇya vacas tasya paramārthāśritaṃ nṛpa praṇipatya mahābhāgo nidāgho vākyam abravīt //

Having heard this speech of his, which rested on the highest truth, O king, the greatly fortunate Nidāgha bowed down and spoke these words:

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 2 15.33

प्रसीद मद्धितार्थाय कथ्यतां यस् त्वम् आगतः नष्टो मोहस् तवाकर्ण्य वचांस्य् एतानि मे द्विज ॥

prasīda maddhitārthāya kathyatāṃ yas tvam āgataḥ naṣṭo mohas tavākarṇya vacāṃsy etāni me dvija //

"Be gracious, for my benefit let it be told who you are who have come; my delusion is destroyed on hearing these words of yours, O twice-born."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 2 15.34

ऋभुर् अस्मि तवाचार्यः प्रज्ञादानाय ते द्विज इहागतो ऽहं यास्यामि परमार्थस् तवोदितः ॥

ṛbhur asmi tavācāryaḥ prajñādānāya te dvija ihāgato 'haṃ yāsyāmi paramārthas tavoditaḥ //

"I am Ṛbhu, your teacher; I have come here to bestow wisdom on you, O twice-born. Now I shall go; the highest truth has been declared to you.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 2 15.35

एवम् एकम् इदं विद्धि न भेदि सकलं जगत् वासुदेवाभिधेयस्य स्वरूपं परमात्मनः ॥

evam ekam idaṃ viddhi na bhedi sakalaṃ jagat vāsudevābhidheyasya svarūpaṃ paramātmanaḥ //

Know this whole world thus to be one, not divided—the very own form of the supreme Self who is named Vāsudeva."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 2 15.36

तथेत्य् उक्त्वा निदाघेन प्रणिपातपुरःसरम् पूजितः परया भक्त्या इच्छातः प्रययाव् ऋभुः ॥

tathety uktvā nidāghena praṇipātapuraḥsaram pūjitaḥ parayā bhaktyā icchātaḥ prayayāv ṛbhuḥ //

Saying "So be it," and being honoured by Nidāgha with supreme devotion, prostration coming first, Ṛbhu went away at his pleasure.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition