Mudgalapurana 2.7: bhogamokṣavarṇanaṃ nāma saptamo'dhyāyaḥ

2.7.p1

śrīgaṇeśāya namaḥ ||

Salutation to the glorious Gaṇeśa.

2.7.1

mudgala uvāca |
dakṣakanyāprasūtebhyaḥ pitaraḥ paramādṛtāḥ |
gaṇeśārādhanaṃ tebhyo daduḥ pratyekamādarāt ||

Mudgala said:
The fathers, highly honoring those born of Dakṣa’s daughters,
respectfully gave the worship of Gaṇeśa to each of them.

2.7.2

nānāmantrānyathānyāyaṃ sādhayitvā ca te vane |
gatvā'japaṃśca herambaṃ dhyātvā tapasi saṃsthitaḥ ||

And after properly accomplishing various mantras, having gone into the forest,
they recited them, meditating on Heramba, established in asceticism.

2.7.3

tato varṣasahasreṇa parituṣṭā gajānanaḥ |
varaṃ dātuṃ yayau tatra bhaktibhāvena toṣitaḥ ||

Then, after a thousand years, Gajānana was well-pleased;
satisfied by their devotional attitude, he went there to grant a boon.

2.7.4

taṃ dṛṣṭvā tuṣṭuvuḥ sarve baddhāñjalipuṭāḥ prabhum |
bhaktibhāvasamāyuktā gaṇeśaṃ sarvasiddhidam ||

Beholding that lord, they all praised Gaṇeśa, the bestower of all perfection,
with joined palms, filled with the sentiment of devotion.

2.7.5

ṛṣiputrā ūcuḥ |
namaste vakratuṇḍāya bhaktarakṣakarūpiṇe |
brahmākārāya devāya brahmabhūtāya te namaḥ ||

The sons of the ṛṣis said:
Salutation to Vakratuṇḍa, whose form protects devotees,
to the god whose form is Brahman, who has become Brahman, salutation to you!

2.7.6

manovāgatirūpāya manovāragamyamūrtaye |
yogākārāya yogāya yogine te namo namaḥ ||

To you whose nature transcends mind and speech, whose form is unattainable by mind and speech,
whose embodiment is yoga, who are yoga, the yogin, salutation, salutation!

2.7.7

nirākārāya vighneśa bhaktavighnanivāraka |
śāntirūpāya sarvatra śāntidāya namo namaḥ ||

To the formless one, O Vighneśa, remover of the obstacles of devotees,
whose nature is peace, bestower of peace everywhere, salutation, salutation!

2.7.8

sṛṣṭirakṣaṇasaṃhārakāriṇe te namo namaḥ |
sarvapūjyāya sarvāya namaḥ sarvādimūrtaye ||

To the maker of creation, preservation, and destruction, salutation, salutation to you!
To the one worthy of all worship, to Śarva, salutation to the primeval form of all!

2.7.9

māyāvikārahīnāya māyine mohadāyine |
māyādhārāya māyāyāścālakāya namo namaḥ ||

To the one free from the modifications of māyā, the master of māyā, the giver of delusion,
the support of māyā, the impeller of māyā, salutation, salutation!

2.7.10

anantavibhayāyaivānantodāraparākrama |
anantānanahastāya sarvasākṣinnamo'stu te ||

To the one of boundless glory, O you of endless and generous prowess,
possessor of endless faces and hands, witness of all, let there be salutation to you!

2.7.11

vedāntāgamyarūpastvaṃ dṛṣṭo vai bhāgyagauravāt |
stutiṃ kartuṃ samarthā na vayaṃ tava gajānana ||

You whose form is inaccessible even to the Upaniṣads have been beheld through the weight of good fortune;
we are not capable of praising you, O Gajānana.

2.7.12

dhanyo no janako deva vayaṃ dhanyatamā vibho |
vidyā vrataṃ tapo mantro'smākaṃ gaṇapadarśanāt ||

Blessed is our father, O God; we are most blessed, O omnipresent one!
Our knowledge, vow, austerity, and mantra [have borne fruit] from the vision of the lord of gaṇas.

2.7.13

varadaścedekadanta bhaktiṃ dehi dṛḍhāṃ tvayi |
yayā māyāmayo moho naśyedvai varada prabho ||

If you are a granter of boons, O Ekadanta, grant steadfast devotion to you,
by which delusion consisting of māyā may indeed be destroyed, O boon-giving lord!

2.7.14

svasvakāryeṣu sāmarthyaṃ dehi deva gajānana |
yadyadicchāmahe tattat saphalaṃ bhavatu prabho ||

Grant us competence in our respective duties, O divine Gajānana;
whatever we desire, let that become fruitful, O lord!

2.7.14.p1

evamuktvā pūjayanta upacārairanekaśaḥ |
(

Having spoken thus, worshipping with numerous offerings,
(

2.7.15

khaṃ. 2 a. 7 pāna 17) praṇemurbhaktiyuktāstaṃ saromāñcā babhūvire ||

section 2, chapter 7, page 17) they bowed with devotion and their hair stood on end.

2.7.16

tatastānabravīddevo bhavatāṃ yaccikīrṣitam |
tadeva saphalaṃ sarvaṃ bhaviṣyati na saṃśayaḥ ||

Then the god spoke to them: "Whatever is wished to be done by you,
all of that will be fruitful; there is no doubt.

2.7.17

bhaktirmadīyapādeṣu bhaviṣyati sukhapradā |
sāmarthyaṃ svasvakāryeṣu dṛḍhā khyātirbhaviṣyati ||

Devotion to my feet will bestow happiness;
there will be competence in your respective duties, and steadfast renown.

2.7.18

bhavatkṛtamidaṃ stotraṃ sarvasiddhikaraṃ bhavet |
yaḥ śṛṇoti naro bhaktyā paṭhedvai tasya siddhidam ||

This hymn of praise composed by you shall bring all perfection;
it will bestow perfection to any man who hears it or reads it with devotion.

2.7.19

ekaviṃśativāraṃ ca paṭhettāvaddināni yaḥ |
sa sadyaḥ phalamāpnoti cittepsitamasaṃśayam ||

And whoever reads it twenty-one times for that many days,
he immediately obtains the desired fruit in his heart, without a doubt."

2.7.20

evamuktvā gaṇādhīśastatraivāntaradhīyata |
te ca svasvagṛhe sarve yayurharṣasamanvitāḥ ||

Having spoken thus, the Gaṇādhīśa vanished right there;
and they all went to their respective homes filled with joy.

2.7.21

striyaśca puruṣāḥ sarve dakṣakanyā samudbhavāḥ |
sukhinaḥ svasvakāryeṣu babhūvurjñānasaṃyutāḥ ||

And all the women and men born of Dakṣa’s daughters
became happy in their respective duties, endowed with knowledge.

2.7.22

śaunaka uvāca |
atriputrā mahābhāgā brahmaviṣṇuśivātmakāḥ |
taccaritraṃ vistarataḥ śrotumicchāmi tadvada ||

Śaunaka said:
Those highly fortunate sons of Atri are composed of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva;
I wish to hear their deeds in detail; speak of that.

2.7.23

sūta uvāca |
brahmaṇoṃ'śasamudbhūtaścandrastapasi saṃsthitaḥ |
gaṇeśātsa varaṃ labdhvā'mṛtarūpo babhūva ha ||

Sūta said:
Candra, born from a portion of Brahmā, became established in asceticism;
having obtained a boon from Gaṇeśa, he indeed became the embodiment of nectar.

2.7.24

kalābhiḥ sarvadevānāṃ poṣakaḥ sa tathā nṛṇām |
kiraṇairannabhāvasya vṛddhikṛt sarvadā'bhavat ||

With his digits, he nourishes all the gods and likewise men;
with his rays, he constantly makes the essence of food increase.

2.7.25

datto viṣṇukalāṃśena sambhūto yogadhārakaḥ |
krameṇa yogamārgeṇa nānābrahmasu saṃsthitaḥ ||

Datta was born from a fractional part of Viṣṇu, upholder of yoga;
gradually, through the path of yoga, he became established in various states of Brahman.

2.7.26

jaḍonmattapiśācādibālānandādikā mune |
avasthāḥ sādhayāmāsa nānābhūmiprakāśikāḥ ||

O sage, he mastered the states of an inert being, a madman, an evil spirit, a child, bliss, and so forth,
which illumine various levels [of realization].

2.7.27

taṃ dṛṣṭvā yoginaṃ sarve sevāyāmabhavan parāḥ |
dvijādyāḥ sarvavarṇāścāśramasthā bhaktibhāvataḥ ||

Seeing that yogin, everyone became dedicated to serving him— / the twice-born and all the other classes, and the people of all life stages, out of feelings of devotion.

2.7.28

kṣaṇaṃ viśrāmamatyantaṃ na lebhe munisattamaḥ |
datto vihvalatāṃ yātaḥ kiṅkaromītyacintayat ||

The best of sages did not get the slightest moment of rest. / Overwhelmed, Datta thought, “What shall I do?”

2.7.29

tatastena jale vipra mamajje yogadhāraṇāt |
pratīkṣayantastattīre sthitāḥ sarve'bhavan janāḥ ||

Then, O Brahmin, by means of yogic concentration, he plunged into the water. / All the people remained standing on its bank waiting.

2.7.30

tato dattena sidhyā ca mokṣalakṣmīḥ prakāśitā |
gṛhītvā vāmabhāge tāṃ niḥsṛto jalāmadhyataḥ ||

Then Datta, by his perfection, manifested Mokṣalakṣmī. / Taking her on his left side, he emerged from the midst of the water.

2.7.31

dakṣiṇe madyakumbhaṃ sa haste dhṛtvā papau svayam |
striyā saha vilāsena bhogayukto babhūva ha ||

Holding a jar of liquor in his right hand, he drank it himself. / In amorous play with the woman, he was indeed engaged in sensual enjoyment.

2.7.32

tyaktastairatrijo yogī bhraṣṭo'yamiti bhāvataḥ |
sukhena yogamāsthāya saṃsthito'trisamudbhavaḥ ||

Thinking, “He has fallen [from virtue],” they abandoned the yogin, Atri’s son. / Remaining established in yoga at his ease, Atri’s son stayed there.

2.7.33

gate kiyati kāle ca devāsurasamudbhavam |
yuddhaṃ dāruṇarūpaṃ vai jātaṃ tatra samīpataḥ ||

When some time had passed, a battle arising between the gods and the asuras, / of a truly terrifying nature, broke out near that very place.

2.7.34

daityairdevāstato bhagnāḥ palāyanta diśo daśa |
tatrā''yayuḥ susambhītā rakṣa rakṣeti cābruvan ||

Broken by the Daityas, the gods then fled in all ten directions. / Terrified, they came there and cried, “Protect us, protect us!”

2.7.35

tato surā yayuḥ sarve nagnaśastradharā balāt |
tān dṛṣṭvā'marasaṅghāste palāyanaparā bata ||

Then all the asuras arrived by force, brandishing bare weapons. / Seeing them, alas, those hosts of immortals took to flight.

2.7.36

daityā dṛṣṭvā mahālakṣmīṃ mokṣarūpāṃ surūpiṇīm |
tāṃ gṛhītvā yayuḥ sarve dhṛtvā mohena mastake ||

Seeing Mahālakṣmī, beautiful of form, whose very nature is liberation, / the Daityas seized her, carried her on their heads out of delusion, and went away.

2.7.37

mokṣalakṣmīśca taistatra yadi pādeṣu sandhṛtā |
tadā teṣāṃ jayaprāptirjātāsīnnātra saṃśayaḥ ||

And if Mokṣalakṣmī had been held by them at their feet, / then victory would have fallen to them; of this there is no doubt.

2.7.38

ato nistejasā spṛṣṭā daityā devaiḥ prapīḍitāḥ |
palāyanta bhayāt sarve pātālaṃ viviśuḥ punaḥ ||

Consequently, touched by her lusterlessness and harassed by the gods, / all the Daityas fled in terror and entered the underworld again.

2.7.39

mokṣalakṣmīstatasteṣāṃ paśyatāṃ munisattama |
antardhānaṃ yayau devī brahmaṇi brahmabhāvitā ||

Then, as they looked on, O best of sages, Mokṣalakṣmī, / the goddess absorbed in Brahman, vanished into Brahman.

2.7.39.p1

śaunaka uvāca |
sūta kūṭaṃ tvayā proktaṃ na buddhaṃ tanmayādhunā |
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Śaunaka said: / O Sūta, you have spoken a riddle; I have not understood it now.

2.7.40

khaṃ. 2 a. 7 pāna 18) mokṣalakṣmīḥ śiraḥ spṛṣṭā daityānāṃ duḥkhadā katham ||

(Section 2, Chapter 7, Page 18) How did Mokṣalakṣmī, touched on their heads, bring grief to the Daityas?

2.7.41

sūta uvāca |
samyakpṛṣṭaṃ tvayā brahman kathayāmi yathā śrutam |
vyāsāt sarvajñamukhyācca śṛṇu śaunaka yatnataḥ ||

Sūta said: / You have asked well, O Brahmin; I shall explain as I have heard it / from Vyāsa, foremost of the omniscient. Listen attentively, O Śaunaka.

2.7.42

rajastamoyutā daityā bhogalakṣmīparāyaṇāḥ |
paradravyaharāḥ sarve parastrīgāminastathā ||

Endowed with passion and darkness, the Daityas are devoted to Bhogalakṣmī; / they seize the wealth of others, and they go with other men’s wives.

2.7.43

parāpakārakartāro jantubhyo duḥkhadāḥ smṛtāḥ |
sadā madyādibhiryuktāḥ pāpācārā viśeṣataḥ ||

They harm others and are known to bring suffering to living beings. / Always addicted to liquor and the like, they are especially evil in conduct.

2.7.44

sādhūnāṃ munimukhyānāṃ devānāṃ yogināṃ tathā |
vedaśāstrapurāṇānāṃ nindakā bhayadāyakāḥ ||

They are revilers and terrifiers of holy men, foremost sages, / gods, and yogins, and of the Vedas, scriptures, and purāṇas.

2.7.45

ityādibahubhirdoṣaiḥ saṃyuktāste mahāsurāḥ |
sadā bhogapriyā jñeyā muktau nārhā ataḥ kadā ||

Possessed of these and many other faults, those great asuras / must be understood as always fond of enjoyment; hence they are never fit for liberation.

2.7.46

dehaṃ sarvakriyāṇāṃ te kartāraṃ prāpya daityapāḥ |
sarvathā muktimutsṛjya bhogecchāyāṃ mano dadhuḥ ||

Obtaining a body that is the agent of all actions, those lords of Daityas / completely cast aside liberation and set their minds on the desire for enjoyment.

2.7.47

atastaiścaraṇāghātairhatā muktirviśeṣataḥ |
bhogalakṣmīḥ śirobhistairvanditā tatra yatnataḥ ||

Therefore liberation was particularly struck down by them with kicks of their feet, / while Bhogalakṣmī was zealously honored by them with their heads.

2.7.48

devarṣayaḥ sadā yatnairmuktimicchanti sarvadā |
ataste mastake devīṃ dhārayāmāsurañjasā ||

The godly seers constantly strive and always long for liberation; / hence they naturally carried the goddess on their heads.

2.7.49

asurairyogisaṅgena dhṛtā muktiryadā mune |
śirasyapi śubhā sā na kāraṇaṃ kathayāmi te ||

When liberation was taken by the asuras through association with the yogin, O sage, / it was not auspicious even on their heads; I shall explain the reason to you.

2.7.50

durācārādisaṃyuktā bhogabuddhiparāyaṇāḥ |
tebhyaḥ kutaḥ sā śubhadā kupitā tānnihanti vai ||

They are wicked in conduct and committed to an attitude of enjoyment; / how could she bring good fortune to them? Angered, she destroys them indeed.

2.7.51

gṛhītā viṣayāsaktairnecchitā paśya śaunaka |
caraṇāghātakairdevī tāḍitā ca tadā bhavet ||

Seized by those addicted to sensual objects, she was not truly desired, see, Śaunaka! / In that case the goddess is as though struck down by those who kick her with their feet.

2.7.52

ato bhogepsubhirvipra vandyā bhogapradāyinī |
yadi muktirdurācārairdhṛtā tānnāśayiṣyati ||

Therefore, O Brahmin, the giver of enjoyment is to be honored by those seeking enjoyment; / if liberation is held by the wicked, it will destroy them.

2.7.53

iti te kathitaṃ sarvaṃ kāraṇaṃ munisattama |
tathā mokṣepsubhirbhogalakṣmīścaraṇatāḍitā ||

2.7.54

yatra bhogaḥ priyo nityaṃ tatra muktirna vidyate |
yatra muktiḥ priyā nityaṃ tatra bhogaḥ kuto bhavet ||

Where enjoyment is always cherished, liberation does not exist; / where liberation is always cherished, how could there be enjoyment?

2.7.55

vāsānāyuktarūpā ca bhogalakṣmīrna saṃśayaḥ |
nirvāsanamayī mokṣalakṣmīrjānīhi śaunaka ||

Bhogalakṣmī’s nature is endowed with latent desires, of this there is no doubt; / understand, O Śaunaka, that Mokṣalakṣmī consists of freedom from latent desires.

2.7.55.c1

oṃ tatsaditi śrīmadāntye purāṇopaniṣadi śrīmanmaudgale mahāpurāṇe dvitīye khaṇḍe ekadantacarite bhogamokṣavarṇanaṃ nāma saptamo'dhyāyaḥ ||

Om tat sat. Thus ends the seventh chapter, named “The Description of Enjoyment and Liberation,” in the Ekadanta narrative of the second section in the glorious and final Purāṇopaniṣad, the glorious Maudgala Mahāpurāṇa.