विष्णुपुराणम् — तृतीयांशे अष्टादशोऽध्यायः | viṣṇupurāṇam

श्रीपारशर उवाच ।

तपस्यभिरतान्सो ऽथ मायामोहो महासुरान् ।
मैत्रेय ददृशे गत्वानर्मदातीरसंश्रितान् ॥

Summary AI O Maitreya, thereafter Māyāmoha went to the banks of the Narmadā river and saw the great Asuras deeply engaged in ascetic penances.

३.१८.२

ततो दिगंबरो मुण्डो बर्हिपिच्छधरो द्विज ।
मायामोहो ऽसुरान्श्लक्ष्णमिदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥

Summary AI O twice-born, then Māyāmoha, appearing naked, with a shaven head and carrying a peacock-feather fan, spoke these smooth and persuasive words to the Asuras.

मायामोह उवाच ।

३.१८.३

हे दैत्यपतयो ब्रूत यदर्थ तप्यते तपः ।
ऐहिकार्थश्च पारत्र्यं तपसः फलमिच्चथ ॥

Summary AI "O lords of the Daityas, tell me why you perform this penance. Do you desire worldly prosperity or rewards in the afterlife as the fruit of your austerities?"

३.१८.४

असुरा ऊचुः पारत्र्यफललाभाय तपश्चर्या महामते ।
अस्माभिरियमारब्धा किं वा ते ऽत्र विवक्षितम् ॥

Summary AI The Asuras replied, "O high-minded one, we have undertaken this penance to attain rewards in the afterlife. What do you wish to say to us regarding this?"

मायामोह उवाच ।

३.१८.५

कुरुध्वं मम वाक्यानि यदि मुक्तिमभीप्सथ ।
अर्हध्वं धर्ममेतं च सर्वे यूयं महाबलाः ॥

Summary AI "If you desire liberation, then follow my instructions. O mighty ones, all of you should embrace this particular dharma."

३.१८.६

धर्मो विमुक्तेरर्हेयं नैतस्मादपरो वरः ।
अत्रैव संस्थिताः स्वर्गं विमुक्तिं वा गमिष्यथ ॥

Summary AI "This dharma is worthy of providing liberation; there is no better path than this. By abiding in this, you shall attain either heaven or final emancipation."

३.१८.७

अर्हध्वं धर्ममेतं च ।
सर्वे यूयं महाबलाः ॥

Summary AI "O mighty ones, you should all embrace this particular dharma."

श्रीपराशर उवाच ।

३.१८.८

एवंप्रकारैर्बहुभिर्युक्तिदर्शनचर्चितैः ।
मायामोहेन ते दैत्या वेदमार्गादपा कृताः ॥

Summary AI Through many such arguments characterized by logic and philosophical perspectives, Māyāmoha led the Daityas away from the path of the Vedas.

३.१८.९

धर्मायैतदधर्माय सदेतन्न सदित्यपि ।
विमुक्तये त्विदं नैतद्विमुक्तिं संप्रयच्छति ॥

Summary AI He confused them by saying, "This is for dharma, that is for adharma; this is real, and that is unreal; this leads to liberation, but that does not grant emancipation."

३.१८.१०

परमार्थोयमत्यर्थं परमार्थो न चाप्ययम् ।
कार्यमेतदकार्यं च नैतदेवं स्फुटं त्विदम् ॥

Summary AI "This is the supreme truth, and this is not the supreme truth; this is to be done, and this is not to be done. It is not so, yet it is clearly this."

३.१८.११

दिग्वाससामयं धर्मो ।
धर्मोयं बहुवाससाम् ॥

Summary AI "This is the dharma of those who are sky-clad (naked), and this is the dharma of those who wear many garments."

३.१८.१२

इत्यनेकान्तवादं च मायामोहेन नैकधा ।
तेन दर्शयता दैत्याःस्वधर्मं त्याजिता द्विज ॥

Summary AI O twice-born, by repeatedly demonstrating this doctrine of manifold aspects (anekāntavāda), Māyāmoha successfully induced the Daityas to abandon their own dharma.

३.१८.१३

अर्हतैतं महाधर्मं मायामोहेन ते यतः ।
प्रोक्तास्तमाश्रिता धर्ममर्हतास्तेन ते ऽभवन् ॥

Summary AI Because Māyāmoha told them "embrace (arhata) this great dharma" and they took refuge in it, those Daityas became known as Arhatas.

३.१८.१४

त्रयीधर्मसमुत्सर्गं मायामोहेन ते ऽसुराः ।
कारीतास्तन्मया ह्यासंस्ततोन्ये तत्प्रचोदिताः ॥

Summary AI Māyāmoha made those Asuras abandon the dharma of the three Vedas; they became absorbed in his teachings, and subsequently, others were incited by them.

३.१८.१५

तैरप्यन्ये परे तैश्च तैरप्यन्ये परे च तैः ।
अल्पैरहोभिः संत्यक्ता तैर्दैत्यैः प्रायशस्त्रयी ॥

Summary AI Through them, others were influenced, and through those others, still more; thus, within a few days, the three Vedas were mostly abandoned by those Daityas.

३.१८.१६

पुनश्च रक्तांबरधृङ्मायामोहो जितेन्द्रियः ।
अन्यानाहासुरान्गत्वामृद्धल्पमधुराक्षरम् ॥

Summary AI Again, Māyāmoha, wearing red garments and appearing as one who had conquered his senses, approached other Asuras and spoke soft, concise, and sweet words.

३.१८.१७

स्वर्गार्थं यदि वो वाञ्छा निर्वाणार्थमथासुराः ।
तदलं पशुघातादिदुष्चधर्मैर्निबोधत ॥

Summary AI "O Asuras, if you desire heaven or nirvāṇa, then enough with these wicked rites involving animal slaughter. Listen to me!"

३.१८.१८

विज्ञानमयमेवैतदशेषमवगच्छत ।
बुध्यध्वं मे वचः सम्यग्बुधैरेवमिहोदितम् ॥

Summary AI "Understand that this entire universe is composed only of pure consciousness (vijñāna). Comprehend my words well, for this has been declared by the wise."

३.१८.१९

जगदेतदनाधारं भ्रान्तिज्ञानार्थतत्परम् ।
रागादिदुष्टमत्यर्थं भ्राम्यते भवसंकटे ॥

Summary AI "This world is without foundation, devoted to illusory knowledge and objects, and highly corrupted by passions like attachment; it wanders in the misery of worldly existence."

३.१८.२०

एवं बुध्यत बुध्यध्वं बुध्यतैवमितीरयन् ।
मायामोहः स दैत्येयान्धर्ममत्याञ्जयन्निजम् ॥

Summary AI By repeatedly saying, "Understand thus, wake up, and know this," Māyāmoha caused the descendants of Diti to abandon their own innate dharma.

३.१८.२१

नानाप्रकारवचनं स तेषां युक्तियोजनम् ।
तथातथा त्रयीधर्मं तत्यजुस्ते यथायथा ॥

Summary AI Through various types of arguments and logical formulations, as he spoke to them, those daityas gradually abandoned the religion of the Vedas (trayī-dharma).

३.१८.२२

तेप्यन्येषां तथैवोचुरन्यैरन्ये तथोदिता ।
मैत्रेय तत्यजुर्धर्मं वेदेस्मृत्युदितं परम् ॥

Summary AI O Maitreya, they in turn spoke similarly to others, and those others were likewise persuaded by them. Thus, they all abandoned the supreme religion prescribed by the Vedas and the Smṛtis.

३.१८.२३

अन्यानप्यन्यपाषण्डप्रकारैर्बहुबिर्द्विज ।
दैतेयान्मोहयामास मायामोहोदिमोहकृत् ॥

Summary AI O twice-born one, the deluder known as Māyāmoha further deluded other sons of Diti through numerous other forms of heretical doctrines.

३.१८.२४

स्वल्पेनैव हि कालेन मायामोहेन ते ऽसुराः ।
मोहितास्तत्यजुःसर्वां त्रयीमार्गाश्रितां कथाम् ॥

Summary AI Within a very short time indeed, those asuras, deluded by Māyāmoha, abandoned all discourse based on the path of the Vedas.

३.१८.२५

केचिद्विनिन्दां वेदानां देवानामपरे द्विज ।
यज्ञकर्मकलापस्य तथान्ते च द्विजन्मनाम् ॥

Summary AI O twice-born one, some began to revile the Vedas, others the gods, while others criticized the entire collection of sacrificial rituals and, ultimately, the brāhmaṇas.

३.१८.२६

नैनद्युक्तिसहं वाक्यं हिंसाधर्माय चेष्यते ।
हवींष्यनलदघ्धानि फलायेत्यर्थकोदितम् ॥

Summary AI They argued that the statement claiming violence is intended for righteousness is illogical, and the notion that oblations consumed by fire lead to any result is meaningless.

३.१८.२७

यज्ञैरनेकैर्देवत्वमवाप्येन्द्रेण भुज्यते ।
शम्यादि यदि चेत्काष्ठं तद्वरं पत्रभुक्पशु ॥

Summary AI If Indra enjoys divinity attained through numerous sacrifices, and if those sacrifices involve wood like śamī, then a leaf-eating animal is superior to such rituals.

३.१८.२८

निहतस्य पशोर्जज्ञे स्वर्गप्राप्तिर्यदीष्यते ।
स्वपिता यजमानेन किन्नु तस्मान्न हन्यते ॥

Summary AI If it is believed that a beast slaughtered in a sacrifice attains heaven, then why does the performer of the sacrifice not kill his own father instead?

३.१८.२९

तृप्तये जायते पुंसो भुक्तमन्येन चेत्ततः ।
कुर्याच्छ्राद्धं श्रमायान्नं न वहेयुः प्रवासिनः ॥

Summary AI If food eaten by one person could lead to the satisfaction of another, then one should perform a funeral rite (śrāddha) for a traveler's fatigue so that travelers would not need to carry their own provisions.

३.१८.३०

जनश्रद्धेयमित्येतदवगम्य ततोत्र वः ।
उपेक्षा श्रेयसे वाक्यं रोचतां यन्मयेरितम् ॥

Summary AI Understanding that these Vedic claims are merely meant to gain people's faith, disregarding them is for your benefit. May the words uttered by me be pleasing to you.

३.१८.३१

न ह्यप्तवादा नभसो निपतन्ति महीं सुराः ।
युक्तिमद्वचनं ग्राह्यं मयान्यैश्च भवद्विधैः ॥

Summary AI O asuras, authoritative words do not fall from the sky to the earth. Therefore, logical speech should be accepted by me and by others like you.

श्रीपराशर उवाच ।

३.१८.३२

मयामोहेन ते दैत्याः प्रकारैर्बहुभिस्तथा ।
वृथापिता यथा नैषां त्रयी कश्चिदरोचयत् ॥

Summary AI In this manner, those daityas were led astray by Māyāmoha through many methods, so that not one of them found pleasure in the Vedas anymore.

३.१८.३३

इत्थमुन्मार्गयातेषु तेषु दैत्येषु ते ऽमराः ।
उद्योगं परमं कृत्वा युद्धाय समुपस्थिताः ॥

Summary AI When the daityas had thus gone astray on the wrong path, the immortal gods made a great effort and prepared themselves for battle.

३.१८.३४

ततो दैवासुरं युद्धं पुनरेवाभवद्द्विज ।
हताश्चते ऽसुरा दैवैः सन्मार्गपरिपन्थिनः ॥

Summary AI O twice-born one, then once again a war broke out between the gods and the asuras. Those asuras, who had become enemies of the righteous path, were slain by the gods.

३.१८.३५

स्वधर्मकवचं तेषामभूद्यत्प्रथमं द्विज ।
तेन रक्षाभवत्पूर्वं नेशुर्नष्टे च तत्र ते ॥

Summary AI O twice-born one, the armor of their own duty (svadharma) which they previously possessed had protected them before; but once that was destroyed, they perished.

३.१८.३६

ततो मैत्रेय तन्मार्गवर्तिनो येभवञ्जनाः ।
नग्नास्ते तैर्यतस्त्यक्त त्रयीसंवरणं तथा ।
कृताश्च ते ऽसुरा देवैर्नाना वेदविनिन्दकाः ॥

Summary AI O Maitreya, those who followed that path became "naked" (nagna) because they abandoned the covering of the Vedas. Thus, those asuras who reviled the Vedas in various ways were overcome by the gods.

३.१८.३७

ब्रह्मचारीगृहस्थश्च वानप्रस्थस्तथाश्रमी ।
परिव्राड्वा चतुर्थोत्र पञ्चमो नोपपद्यते ॥

Summary AI There is the student (brahmacārī), the householder (gṛhastha), the forest-dweller (vānaprastha), and the fourth is the wandering ascetic (parivrājaka). A fifth stage of life does not exist.

३.१८.३८

वस्तु संत्यज्य गार्हस्थ्यं वानप्रस्थो न जायते ।
परिव्राट्चापि मैत्रेय स नग्नः पापकृन्नरः ॥

Summary AI O Maitreya, a man who abandons the householder's life but does not become a forest-dweller or a wandering ascetic is considered "naked" and a committer of sin.

३.१८.३९

नित्यानां कर्मणां विप्र यस्य हानिरहर्निशम् ।
अकुर्वन्विहितं कर्म शक्तः पतति तद्दिने ॥

Summary AI O brāhmaṇa, one who neglects obligatory daily duties day and night, failing to perform prescribed actions despite being capable, falls from his position on that very day.

३.१८.४०

प्रायश्चित्तेन महाता शुद्धिमाप्नोत्यनापदि ।
पक्षं नित्यक्रियाहानेः कर्ता मैत्रेय मानवः ॥

Summary AI O Maitreya, a person who neglects their daily obligatory duties for a fortnight, when not in a time of distress, attains purification only through great penance (prāyaścitta).

३.१८.४१

संवत्सरं क्रियाहानिर्यस्य पुंसोभिजायते ।
तस्यावलोकनात्सूर्यो निरीक्ष्यःसाधुभिः सदा ॥

Summary AI If a man neglects his religious duties for a year, virtuous people, upon seeing him, must immediately look at the Sūrya to purify themselves.

३.१८.४२

स्पृष्टे स्नानं सचेलस्य शुद्धेर्हेतुर्महामते ।
पुंसो भवति तस्योक्ता न शुद्धिः पापकर्मणः ॥

Summary AI O noble-minded one, touching such a person requires a bath with one's clothes on for purification; however, no purification is prescribed for that sinful man himself.

३.१८.४३

देवर्षिपितृभीतानि यस्य विप्रस्य वेश्मनि ।
प्रयान्त्यनर्चितान्यत्र लोके तस्मान्न पापकृत् ॥

Summary AI There is no greater sinner in this world than the Brāhmaṇa from whose house the gods, sages, ancestors, and elemental spirits depart without being worshipped.

३.१८.४४

संभाषणानुप्रश्नादि सहास्यां चैव कुर्वतः ।
जायते तुल्यता तस्य तेनैव द्विज वत्सरात् ॥

Summary AI O twice-born, a person who engages in conversation, inquiry, or sitting together with such a sinner becomes equal to him in sin within a year.

३.१८.४५

देवादिनिस्वासहतं शरीरं यस्य वेश्म च ।
न तेन संकरं कुर्याद्गृहासनपरिच्छदैः ॥

Summary AI One should not share a house, seat, or belongings with a person whose body and home have been struck by the disappointed sighs of the gods and ancestors.

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