<title xml:lang="sa">VahnipurāṇaCharles LiUniversität HamburgTST Project2025British LibraryIO SAN 1001E. 3583R. R. 11. Bhttps://nakala.fr/10.34847/nkl.cc31b030This manuscript from the British Library was used in the editio princeps of the Vahnipurāṇa. The images here were taken from the microfilm at the British Library. The title card for the microfilm indicates that it was photographed by L. Wicks, on 5/12/51.Vahnipurāṇaśrīgaṇeśāya namaḥ oṃ namaḥ śivāyatejomayānām anyonyam ekasmiṃ vividhātmanāṃ | bhede vibhinnatā puṃsāṃ trayāṇām astu vaḥ śriye ||iti śrīvanhipurāṇe ākhyānaśatakīrttano nāmādhyāyaḥ samāptaḥ samāptam idaṃ puraṇam āgneyaṃsaṃvat 1861 pauṣe māse śuklapakṣe daśamyāṃ guruvāśare likhitaṃ śivaprasādabrāhmaṇena kāśyāṃ madhye gaṃgātaṭe likhitaṃ samāptaṃ śubhaṃ1–71, 71-128, 130–354.
Bound as a book, probably by the library.
Although both the 1899 catalogue and Bhowmik 2012 print the date of this manuscript as 1804, the date given in the colophon indicates that it corresponds to January 1805.Kāśī
From the India Office Library collection.
Bhowmik, Anasuya, ed. 2012. Vahni-Purāṇam also referred as Āgneya-Purāṇam. Kolkata: Asiatic Society.
Eggeling, Julius, ed. 1899. Catalogue of the Sanskrit Manuscripts in the Library of the India Office. Part VI.ark:/13960/t1xd9gj4w
IAST transliteration.
maitreya uvāca
śṛṇu rājan pravakṣyāmi svamāṃsaṃ śibinā yathā svamāṃsaṃ dattavān_ satyaṃ surā hy ausīnareṇa vā satyadānarataṃ jñātvā śibim iṃdrā¦śuśukṣaṇī jijñāsārthaṃ same yātāṃ varttamāne mahādhvare vahnir bhūtvā kapotas tu hariḥ śyenāt puraḥsaraṃ śaraṇārthī mahīpālaṃ nililye bhayavihvalaḥ trāhi māṃ pṛthivīpālety avadac chenajād bhayān sa tam āścāsayāmāsa kapotaṃ śaraṇāgataṃrājānam upagamyātha syenaḥ provāca saṃsadi vacanaṃ śṛṇu me rājaṃ kṣudhārttasya kuṭuṃbinaḥ dharmātmānaṃ tvam āhur vai pṛthivyāṃ sarvapārthivāḥ tadviruddhaṃ kathaṃ karma karttum ichasi pārthiva ghṛtaghnā bhavatā dānaiḥ sādhunā sādhavo jitāḥ kṣamayā krūrakarmāṇaḥ satyenānṛtavādinaḥ sarāgā vītarāgeṇa tathā'kopena kopinaḥ satṛṣṇā vītatṛṣṇena tvayāḥ lokāḥ parājitāḥ sarvasya saṃpadaḥ svārthāḥ svaparārthās tu kasyacit parārthā bhavato nityaṃ saphalasya naror iva nopakārapare py evam upakāraparo janaḥ apakārapare pi tvam upakāraparaḥ sadā mamaiṣa vihito dhātrā bhakṣo yaṃ taṃ samutsṛja svaṃ rakṣam ātmano dharmaṃ kṣudhitasya kapotakaṃ sa śyenam āha saṃprāptas trāṇārthī sannidhau mama khago syāsmin kathaṃ kuryāṃ tyāgaṃ sadbhir vigarhitaṃ lobhād veṣāt_ bhayād vāpi yas tyajecharaṇāgataṃ brahmahatyāsamaṃ tasya pāpam āhur manīṣiṇaḥ śāstreṣu niḥkṛtir dṛṣṭvā mahāpātakinām api śaraṇāgatahātus tu na dṛṣṭā niḥkṛtiḥ kvacit yathātmanaḥ priyāḥ prāṇāḥ sarvveṣāṃ prāṇināṃ tathātasmān mṛtyubhayatrastā rakṣitavyāḥ prayatnataḥ janmamṛtyujarāduḥkhair mmagnāḥ saṃsārasāgare jaṃtavaḥ parikliśyaṃte mṛtyos trastaṃ tv ime tataḥ yannimittaṃ bhavechokas trāsaḥ krodho bhayaṃ tathā āyāso vāyaso mūlam ekāṃgam api taṃ tyajet mariṣyāmīti yad duḥkhaṃ puruṣasyopajāyate śakyaṃte nānumānena paro pi parirakṣituṃ yathā ca te jīvitam ātmanipriyaṃ
tathā pareṣām api jīvitaṃ priyaṃ saṃrakṣa me jīvitam ātmano yathā
tathā pareṣām api rakṣa jīvitaṃ tasmāt tavāhaṃ na samarppayiṣye
kapotakaṃ na yad atra yuktaṃ tvaṃ manyase tat karavāṇi sarvam
ṛte kapotāt khalu satyam atra
śyena uvāca
bhavaṃti sarvvabhūtāni āhāreṇa janesvara jīvaṃti ca vivarddhaṃte āhāreṇa na saṃśayaḥ āhāraṃ duṣkaraṃ kurvan_ ciraṃ jīvati prāṇabhṛt na tv āhāravihīno pi śaknoti jīvitaṃ ciraṃ bhakṣyād vilopitasyāsya mama prāṇā viśāṃ pate visṛjya kāyaṃ yāsyaṃti paṃthānam apunarbhavaṃ mṛte mayi nṛpaśreṣṭa putradārādikaṃ kulaṃ vinasyati kathaṃ dharmo bhavitā te nṛpottama dharmaṃ yo bādhate dharmo na sa dharma paraṃtapa avirodhī tu yo dharmaḥ sa dharmaḥ sadbhir ucyate tasmād virodhe dharmasya niściṃtya gurulāghavaṃ manyase gauravaṃ yatra tat kuruṣva nṛpottama
śibir uvāca
ekataḥ kratavaḥ sarve samagravaradakṣiṇāḥ ekato bhayabhītasya prāṇinaḥ prāṇarakṣaṇaṃ nāto gurudharo dharmaḥ kaścid anyo sti khecara prāṇināṃ bhayabhītānāṃ abhayaṃ yat pradīyate varam ekasya satvasya pradattaṃ jīvitābhayaṃ na ca viprasahasrasya gosahasram alaṃkṛtaṃ hemadhenucarādīnāṃ dātāraḥ sulabhā bhuvi durlabhaḥ puruṣo loke sarvabhūtābhayapradaḥ mahatām api yajñānāṃ kālena kṣīyate phalaṃ bhītābhayapradānasya kṣayam eva na vidyate abhayaṃ sarvasatvebhyo yo dadāti dayāparaḥ tasya dehād vimuktasya kṣayaṃ nāsti kutaścana dattam iṣṭaṃ tapas taptaṃ tīrthasevā śrutaṃ tathā sarvvāṇy abhayadānasya kalāṃn nārhaṃti ṣoḍaśīṃ catuḥsāgaraparyaṃtaṃ yo dadyāt pṛthivīm imāṃ abhayaṃ yaś ca bhūtebhyo yo dadāti tato dhikaḥ api tyaje rājyam ahaṃ śarīraṃ vāpi dustyajaṃ na tv enaṃ bhayasaṃtrastaṃ tyaje dīnaṃ kapotakaṃ janma nāsti śubhaṃ kiṃcit tena janmani janmani bhave trātā mahārttānām ārttināśāya dehināṃ na hy ahaṃ kāmaye rājyaṃ na svargaṃ nāpunarbhavaṃ prāṇināṃ duḥkhataptānāṃ kāmaye duḥkhanāśanaṃ yathā tv ananṛtāṃ vāṇīm aham etām udāhare satyena tena bhagavan_ prasīdatu maheśvaraḥ āhārārthe samāraṃbhas tava cāyaṃ vihaṃgama tad yathaiva tavāhāraṃ manyase ta dadāmy ahaṃ śyenaḥ prāha mamāhāro na tv anyatra kapotakaṃ ta tyaktvā kāmaye nānyam āhāraṃ rājasattama śyenāḥ kapotakān_ haṃti sthitir eṣā sanātanī mā rājan_ sāram ajñātvā kadalīskaṃdham āruha rājāvocad amārgeṇa vartte nāhaṃ kvacit khaga dharmmaśāsttropadiṣṭo yaṃ dharmmaḥ satvadayāparaḥ sarvasatveṣu yad dānam ekabhūteṣu yā dayā sarvasatvapradānāc ca dayaikātra viśiṣyate sarvavedā na tat kuryuḥ sarvaśāstrāṇi khecaraḥ sarvatīrthābhiṣekaś ca yat kuryāt prāṇināṃ daya vāṅmanaḥkarmabhir ye tu sarvabhūtahite ratāḥdayādarśitapaṃthāno brahmalokaṃ vrajaṃti te gachaṃs tiṣṭaṃ svapan_ jāgrad yo hitaṃ na samācaret narebhyaḥ sa paśur jñeyaḥ ātmano py ahitaḥ sa vai duḥkhināduḥkhino vāpi prāṇino labdhacakṣuṣaḥ ātmavat paripaśyaṃti te yāṃti paramāṃ gatiṃ prāṇinaṃ vadhyamānaṃ tu yaḥ śaktaḥ samupekṣate sa yāti narakaṃ ghoram iti hy āhur mmanīṣiṇaḥ tulyaṃ hi sumahad rājyaṃ prayachāmi vihaṃgama yathā kāmayase vānyad varjayitvā kapotakaṃ śyenaḥ prāha kim etat te prītir āsīt khage dṛḍhā kathaṃced asya tulyāni svamāṃsāni prayacha me rājānam abravīd dhṛṣṭo yan me māṃsāni yācase etad yachāmi te sadyaḥ svamāṃsaṃ tulayā dhṛtaṃ yat pārthito smi bhadraṃ te priyam etad vadāmi te satyadharmmaratasyātha sataḥ sumahadapriyaṃ adhudeṇa śarīreṇa pratikṣaṇavināśinā dhruvaṃ yo nārjayed dharmaṃ socyo sau mūḍhacetanaḥ yadi prāṇyupakārāya deho yaṃ nopayujyate tataḥ kim upacāro sya pratyahaṃ kriyate vṛthā evam uktvāt svamāṃsāni kapotena samaṃ nṛpaḥ utkṛtya tolayāmāsa prahṛṣṭo manasā tataḥ tyaktātmasukhabhogechāṃ sarvasatvasukhaiṣiṇaḥ bhavaṃti paraduḥkhena sādhavo nityaduḥkhitāḥ tulayā dhriyamāṇas tu kapoto vyatiricyate punaś cotkṛtya māṃsāni tataḥ prādāt sa pārthivaḥ na vidyate yadā māṃsaṃ kapotena samaṃ kvacit tataḥ prakṣīṇamāṃso pi sādhuḥ sukhayate paraṃ yadā tena na tulyaṃ tat_ sa tulām āruhat svayaṃ aṃtaḥpuravarastrīṣu na rājye na ca jīvite karuṇāsaktacittena tenāpekṣā kṛtā kvacit paraduḥkhāturā nityaṃ satsukhāni mahāṃty api nāpekṣaṃte mahātmānaḥ sarvabhūtahite ratāḥ parārtham udyatā saṃtaḥ saṃtaḥ kiṃ kiṃ na kurvvate tādṛg apy aṃbudher vāri jaladais tat prapīyate eka eva satāṃ mārgo yad aṃgīkṛtapālanaṃ dahaṃtam akarot kroḍe pāvakaṃ yad apāṃ patiḥ ātmānaṃ pīḍayitvāpi sādhuḥ sukhayate paraṃ hlādayaty āśritān vṛkṣo duḥkhaṃ ca sahate svayaṃ atha tasmin samārūḍhe puṣpavarṣaṃ papāta ca devaduṃdubhayo neduḥs tulām ausīnare nṛpe tatas tasya tadā jñātvā vākyaṃ caitad abhāṣata śakraḥ svarūpam āsthāya dharmme rājñaḥ parāṃ sthitiṃ iṃdro ham asmi bhadraṃ te kapoto havyavāhanaḥ jijñāsamānau tvāṃ rājan imaṃ yajñam upāgatau mahākāruṇikeneha yat kṛtaṃ tat saduḥṣkaraṃ naiva pūrvve nṛpāś cakrur na kariṣyaṃti cāpare parārthe tyajataḥ prāṇān yā prītir abhavat tava prāṇasaṃśayalubdheṣu na sā prāṇeṣu dehināṃ parārthaikāṃtakalyāṇī svāśrayārthārthaniṣṭura tvayy eva kevalā rājan karuṇā karuṇāpara svakarmapāśaiḥ sudṛḍhair baddhaṃ kṛtsnam idaṃ jagat tvaṃ jagadduḥkhamokṣārthaṃ baddhaḥ karuṇayā nṛpa anāthe vikale dīne nirddhane rthini rogiṇi adṛṣṭe dṛṣṭapūrve vā tulye ca karuṇā tava yathābhibhūya sarvāṇi jyotīṣy arko vatiṣṭhate tathābhibhūya karuṇā tava dharmmān avasthitā akṛtverṣyāṃ viśiṣṭeṣu hīnān anavamanya ca agatvā sadṛśaiḥ sparddhāṃ tvaṃ lokottamatāṃ gataḥ ātmaprāṇaiḥ paraprāṇān yo naraḥ parirakṣati sa yāti tatparaṃ sthānaṃ yasmān nāvarttate punaḥ prāṇair api tvayā rājan_ rakṣitaḥ kṛpaṇo janaḥ svamāṃsāny api dattāni dravyeṣv anyeṣu kā kathā paśavo pi hī jīvaṃti kevalātmodaraṃbharāḥ sa jīvati punaḥ ślāghyaṃ parārthaṃ yas tu jīvati kiṃ cātra citraṃ yat saṃtaḥ parānugrahatatparāḥ na hi svadehaśāṃtyarthaṃ jāyaṃte caṃdanadrumāḥ paropakāravyāpāraparo yaḥ puruṣaḥ sadā sa paraṃ padam āmoti parād api hi yat padaṃ paropakāraikadhanāḥ svasukhāya gataspṛhāḥ jagaddhitāya jāyaṃte sādhavas tv ādṛśā bhuvi yat te māṃsāni gātrebhyaḥ samutkṛttāni pārthivaḥ eṣāṃ te sāśvatī kīrttir lokān anu bhaviṣyati divyarūpadharaś caiva vālayitvā mahīṃ ciraṃ sarvvāl lokān atikramya brahmalokaṃ gamiṣyasi evam uktvā tam iṃdrāgnī jagmutus tridaśālayaṃ rājā tu kratum iṣṭvā taṃ mumude devavat tadā ya idaṃ śṛṇuyān nityaṃ śibeś caritam uttamaṃ vimuktaḥ sarvvapāpebhyaḥ svargalokaṃ ca gachati