Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c8.2740

c8.2740

PUNYA I Son of the sage Dīrghatamas. The story of Puṇya as found in Jñānavāsiṣṭha is the following:— There is a mountain called Mahendra in Jambūdvīpa. Dīrghatamas who was doing penance there had two sons named Puṇya and Pāvana. Puṇyakumāra grew up into a boy abounding in virtues. Pāvana was not so broad-minded. When after some time Dīrghatamas, their father died, Puṇyakumāra controlling his sorrow did all the funeral rites; but Pāvana unable to control his sorrow left the place and wandered in the forests weeping bitterly. After some days Puṇyakumāra went in search of his brother and on finding him consoled him and told him that there was nothing to be worried about their father's death. On hearing the learned and moral teachings of Puṇya, Pāvana also got enlightened and after living in that forest for a number of years both of them abandoned their lives.