विष्णुपुराणम् — द्वितीयांशे पञ्चदशोऽध्यायः | viṣṇupurāṇam

श्रीपराशर उवाच ।

इत्युक्ते मौनिनं भूयश्चिन्तयानं महीपतिम् ।
प्रत्युवाचाथ विप्रोसावद्वैतान्तर्गतां कथाम् ॥

Summary AI After the king became silent and contemplative upon hearing those words, the brāhmaṇa responded by narrating a story concerning the essence of non-duality (advaita).

ब्राह्मण उवाच ।

२.१५.२

श्रूयतां नृपशार्दूल यद्गीतमृभुणा पुरा ।
अवबोधं जनयता निदाघस्य महात्मनः ॥

Summary AI O tiger among kings, listen to the discourse that was previously sung by Ṛbhu while he was imparting spiritual awakening to the high-souled Nidāgha.

२.१५.३

ऋभुनामाभवत्पुत्रो ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः ।
विज्ञाततत्त्वसद्भावो निसर्गादेव भूपते ॥

Summary AI O King, there was a son of Brahmā named Ṛbhu. By his very nature, he was a realized soul who understood the true essence of reality.

२.१५.४

तस्य शिष्यो निदाघोभूत्पुलस्त्यतनयः पुरा ।
प्रादादशेषविज्ञानं स तस्मै परया मुदा ॥

Summary AI In ancient times, Nidāgha, the son of Pulastya, became Ṛbhu's disciple. With great joy, Ṛbhu imparted the entirety of transcendental knowledge to him.

२.१५.५

अपाप्तज्ञानतन्त्रस्य न तस्याद्वैतवासना ।
स ऋभुस्तर्कयामास निदाघस्य नरेश्वर ॥

Summary AI O Lord of men, since Nidāgha had not fully mastered the systems of knowledge, he lacked the latent impression of non-duality (advaita-vāsanā). Ṛbhu reflected on this state of his disciple.

२.१५.६

देविकायास्तटे वीरनगरं नाम वै पुरम् ।
समृद्दमतिरम्यं च पुलस्त्येन विवेशित्म ॥

Summary AI On the banks of the Devikā river, there was a prosperous and exceedingly beautiful city named Vīranagara, which had been established by Pulastya.

२.१५.७

रम्योपवनपर्यन्ते स तस्मिन्पार्थिवोत्तम ।
निदाघो नाम योगज्ञ ऋभुशिष्यो ऽवसत्पुरा ॥

Summary AI O best of kings, in that city surrounded by lovely groves, the disciple of Ṛbhu named Nidāgha, who was an expert in Yoga, used to reside.

२.१५.८

दिव्ये वर्षसहस्रे तु समतीतेस्य तत्पुरम् ।
जगाम स ऋभुः शिष्यं निदाघमवलोककः ॥

Summary AI When a thousand divine years had passed, Ṛbhu went to that city with the intention of seeing his disciple Nidāgha.

२.१५.९

स तस्य वैश्वदेवान्ते द्वारालोकनगोचरे ।
स्थितस्तेन गृहीतार्घ्यो निजवेश्म प्रवेशितः ॥

Summary AI Ṛbhu stood at the doorway just as the Vaiśvadeva ritual concluded. Nidāgha received him with the traditional offering (arghya) and led him into his home.

२.१५.१०

प्रक्षालिताङ्घ्रिपाणिं च कृता सनपरिग्रह्म ।
उवाच स द्विजाश्रेष्ठो भुज्यतामिति सादरम् ॥

Summary AI After Ṛbhu had washed his hands and feet and taken a seat, the virtuous Nidāgha respectfully said to him, "Please partake of a meal."

२.१५.११

ऋभुरुवाच भो विप्रवर्य भोक्तव्यं यदन्नं भवतो गुहे ।
तत्कथ्यतां कदन्नेषु न प्रीतिः सततं मम ॥

Summary AI Ṛbhu replied, "O best of brāhmaṇas, tell me what food is available to be eaten in your house. I never have a liking for inferior food."

निदाघ उवाच ।

२.१५.१२

सक्तुयावकवाट्यानामपूपानां च मे गृहे ।
यद्रोचते द्विजश्रेष्ठ तत्त्वं भुक्ष्व यथेच्छया ॥

Summary AI Nidāgha replied, "O best of dvijas, in my house there are meal-cakes, barley-gruel, and flour-cakes. Please eat whatever you desire from these."

२.१५.१३

ऋभुरुवाच कदन्नानि द्विजौतानि मृष्टमन्नं प्रयच्छ मे ।
संयावपायसादीनि द्रप्सफाणितवन्ति च ॥

Summary AI Ṛbhu said, "O dvija, these are inferior foods. Give me delicious fare such as saṃyāva and milk-rice (pāyasa) along with curds and molasses."

निदाघ उवाच ।

२.१५.१४

हेहे शालिनि मद्गेहे यत्किञ्चिदतिशोभनम् ।
भक्ष्योपसाधनं मृष्टं तेनास्यान्नं प्रसाधय ॥

Summary AI Nidāgha then told his wife, "O virtuous one, use whatever excellent and sweet ingredients are in our house to prepare a fine meal for him."

ब्राह्मण उवाच ।

२.१५.१५

इत्युक्ता तेन सा पत्नीमृष्टमन्नं द्विजस्य यत् ।
प्रसादितवती तद्वै भर्तुर्वचनगौरवात् ॥

Summary AI Being addressed thus, the wife, out of respect for her husband's command, prepared a delicious and pleasant meal for the brāhmaṇa.

२.१५.१६

तं भुक्तवन्तमिच्छातो मृष्टमन्नं महामुनिम् ।
निदाधः प्राह भूपाल प्रश्रयावनतः स्थितः ॥

Summary AI O King, after the great sage had eaten the delicious food to his satisfaction, Nidāgha stood before him, bowing with humility, and spoke.

निदाघ उवाच ।

२.१५.१७

अपिते परमा तृप्तिरुत्पन्ना तुष्टिरेव च ।
अपि ते मानसंस्वस्थमाहारेण कृतं द्विज ॥

Summary AI "O dvija, have you achieved supreme satisfaction and contentment? Is your mind now at ease and composed after having this meal?"

२.१५.१८

क्वनिवासो भवान्विप्र क्व च गन्तुंसमुद्यतः ।
आगम्यते च भवता यतस्तच्च द्विजोच्यताम् ॥

Summary AI "O brāhmaṇa, where is your residence? Where are you planning to go? And please tell me from where you have arrived."

२.१५.१९

ऋमुरुवाच क्षुद्यस्य तस्य भुक्तेन्ने तृप्तिर्ब्राह्मण जायते ।
न मे क्षुन्नाभवत्तृप्तिः कस्मान्मां परिपृच्छसि ॥

Summary AI Ṛbhu replied, "O brāhmaṇa, satisfaction from food arises for one who feels hunger. Since I never experienced hunger, why do you ask me about satisfaction?"

२.१५.२०

वह्निना पार्थिवे धातौ क्षपिते क्षुत्समुद्भवः ।
भवत्यम्भसि च क्षीणे नृणां तृडपि जायते ॥

Summary AI Hunger arises in men when the fire element consumes the earthly element, and thirst occurs when the watery element is depleted.

२.१५.२१

क्षुत्तुष्णे देहधर्माख्ये न ममैते यतो द्विज ।
ततः क्षुत्सम्भवाभावात्तृप्तिरस्त्येव मे सदा ॥

Summary AI O twice-born! Since hunger and thirst are characteristics of the body and do not belong to me, there is an absence of hunger in me; thus, I am always satisfied.

२.१५.२२

मनसः स्वस्थता तुष्टिश्चित्तधर्माविमौ द्विज ।
चेतसो यस्य तत्पृच्छ पुमानेभिर्न युज्यते ॥

Summary AI O twice-born! Mental composure and satisfaction are attributes of the mind. Inquire of him who possesses such a mind; the true Self is not associated with these qualities.

२.१५.२३

क्व निवासस्तवेत्युक्तं क्व गन्तासि च यत्त्वाया ।
कुताश्चागम्यते तत्र त्रितयेपि निबोध मेः ॥

Summary AI Listen to my reply regarding the three questions you asked: "Where is your residence?", "Where are you going?", and "From where have you come?".

२.१५.२४

पुमान्सर्वगतो व्यापी आकाशवदयं यतः ।
कुतः कुत्र क्व गन्तासीत्ये तदप्यर्थवत्कथम् ॥

Summary AI Since the Self is all-pervading and omnipresent like space, how can questions like "Whence?", "Where?", or "Whither are you going?" carry any real meaning?

२.१५.२५

सो ऽहं गन्ता न चागन्ता नैकदेशनिकेतनः ।
त्वं चान्ये च न च त्वं च नान्ये नैवाहमप्यहम् ॥

Summary AI I am neither a traveler nor a comer, nor am I confined to a single place. You, others, and I are not distinct entities, nor do these individual identities truly exist.

२.१५.२६

मृष्टं न मृष्टमप्येषा जिज्ञासा मे कृता तव ।
किं वक्ष्यसीति तत्रापि श्रूयतां द्विजसत्तम ॥

Summary AI O best of the twice-born! You asked whether the food was savory or not to see what I would say. Now, listen to my response regarding that as well.

२.१५.२७

किमस्वाद्वथ वा मृष्टं भुञ्जतोस्ति द्विजोत्तम ।
मृष्टमेव यथा मृष्टं तदेवोद्वेगकारकम् ॥

Summary AI O best of the twice-born! What is savory or unsavory to one who is eating? That which is considered savory can eventually become a cause of disgust or discomfort.

२.१५.२८

अमृष्टं जायते मृष्टं मृष्टादुद्विजते जनः ।
आदिमध्यावसानेषु किमन्नं रुचिकारकम् ॥

Summary AI What is unsavory may become savory, and a person may become weary of savory food. Is there any food that remains delicious at the beginning, middle, and end?

२.१५.२९

मृण्मयं हि गृहं यद्वन्मृदा लिप्तं स्थिरं भवेत् ।
पर्थिवोयं तथा देहः पार्थिवैः परमाणुभिः ॥

Summary AI Just as a house made of earth remains stable when smeared with earth, so too is this earthly body sustained by earthly particles.

२.१५.३०

यवगोधूममुद्गादि घृतं तैलं पयो दधि ।
गुडंफलादीनि तथा पार्थिवाः परमाणवः ॥

Summary AI Barley, wheat, mung beans, clarified butter, oil, milk, curd, sugar, and fruits are all merely earthly particles.

२.१५.३१

तदेतद्भवता ज्ञात्वा मृष्टामृष्टविचारि यत् ।
तन्मनःसमतालम्बि कार्यं साम्यं हि मुक्तये ॥

Summary AI Understanding this, you should abandon the distinction between savory and unsavory and cultivate equanimity of mind, for equality of vision leads to liberation.

ब्राह्मण उवाच ।

२.१५.३२

इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तस्य परमार्थश्रितं नृप ।
प्रणिपत्य महाभागो निदाघो वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥

Summary AI O King! Having heard these words grounded in the supreme truth, the illustrious Nidāgha prostrated himself and spoke as follows.

२.१५.३३

प्रसीद मद्धितार्थाय कथ्यतां यत्त्वमागतः ।
नष्टो मोहस्तवाकर्ण्य वचांस्येतानि मे द्वीज ॥

Summary AI O twice-born! Be gracious to me and tell me for my own benefit who you are. Upon hearing these words of yours, my delusion has been destroyed.

२.१५.३४

ऋभुरुवाच ऋमुरस्मि तवाचार्यः प्रज्ञादानाय ते द्विज ।
इहाग तोहं यास्यामि परमार्थस्तवोदितः ॥

Summary AI Ṛbhu said: O twice-born! I am your teacher, Ṛbhu. I came here to bestow wisdom upon you. Now I shall depart, as the supreme truth has been revealed to you.

२.१५.३५

एवमेकमिदं विद्धि न भेदि सकलं जगत् ।
वासुदेवाभिधेयस्य स्वरूपं परमात्मनः ॥

Summary AI Know that this entire universe is one and not distinct; it is the essential form of the Supreme Soul, known by the name Vāsudeva.

ब्राह्मण उवाच ।

२.१५.३६

तथत्युक्त्वा निदाघेन प्रणिपातपुरःसरम् ।
पूजतः परया भक्त्या इच्छातः प्रययाव् ऋभुः ॥

Summary AI After Nidāgha said, "So be it," and worshipped him with supreme devotion and prostration, Ṛbhu departed according to his own will.

इति श्रीविष्णुमहापुराणे द्वितीयेऽंशे पञ्चदशो ऽध्यायः ।