MOKSHADHARMA PARVA: Chapter 363

The story of the Naga king Padma

सूर्य उवाच नैष देवोऽनिलसखो नासुरो न च पन्नगः। उच्छवृत्तिव्रते सिद्धो मुनिरेव दिवं गतः॥
This Being is not the god of the fire, he is not an Asura. Nor is he a Naga. he is a Brahmana who has attained to heaven on account of his having been crowned with success in the observance of the vow called Unccha.

एष मूलफलाहारः शीर्णपर्णाशनस्तथा। अभक्षो वायुभक्षश्च आसीद् विप्रः समाहितः॥
This person had lived upon fruit and roots and upon the fallen leaves of trees. He had sometimes lived upon water, and sometimes upon air alone, passing his devas with concentrated soul.

भवश्चानेन विप्रेण संहिताभिरभिष्टुतः। स्वर्गद्वारे कृतोद्योगो येनासौ त्रिदिवं गतः॥
The god Mahadeva had been propitiated by him with constant recitation of the Samhitas. he had tried to perform those deeds which lead to heaven. Through the merits of those acts he had now attained to heaven.

असङ्गतिरनाकाङ्क्षी नित्यमुच्छशिलाशनः। सर्वभूतहिते युक्त एष विप्रो भुजङ्गम॥
Without riches and without desire of any king he had observed the vow called Unccha with regard to his food. This learned Brahmana, ye Nagas, had been devoted to the good of all creatures.

न हि देवा न गन्धर्वा नासुरा न च पन्नगाः। प्रभवन्तीह भूतानां प्राप्तानामुत्तमां गतिम्॥ एतदेवंविधं दृष्टमाश्चर्यं तत्र मे द्विज।
Neither gods, nor Gandharvas, nor Asuras, nor Nagas, can be considered as superior to those creatures who attain to this excellent end of coming into the solar disc. Even such, 0 twice-born one, was the wonderful incident that I saw on that occasion.

संसिद्धो मानुष: कामं योऽसौ सिद्धगतिं गतः। सूर्येण सहितो ब्रह्मन् पृथिवीं परिवर्तते॥
That Brahmana, who was crowned with success by the observance of the Unccha vow and who thus obtained an end that persons crowned with ascetic success gain. to this day, Otwice-born one, goes round the Earth, staying in the disc of the Sun. crowned with ascetic success gain. to this day, Otwice-born one, goes round the Earth, staying in the disc of the Sun.