The Padma Purana
by N.A. Deshpande | 1951 | 1,261,945 words | ISBN-10: 8120838297 | ISBN-13: 9788120838291
This page describes nahusha enters mahodaya, the city of hunda which is chapter 111 of the English translation of the Padma Purana, one of the largest Mahapuranas, detailling ancient Indian society, traditions, geography, as well as religious pilgrimages (yatra) to sacred places (tirthas). This is the one hundred eleventh chapter of the Bhumi-khanda (section on the earth) of the Padma Purana, which contains six books total consisting of at least 50,000 Sanskrit metrical verses.
Disclaimer: These are translations of Sanskrit texts and are not necessarily approved by everyone associated with the traditions connected to these texts. Consult the source and original scripture in case of doubt.
Chapter 111 - Nahuṣa Enters Mahodaya, the City of Huṇḍa
[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]
Kuñjala said:
1-5. When that brave Nahuṣa, comparable to the lord of gods, was going out to fight (with Huṇḍa), all women out of curiosity and with (i.e. singing) auspicious songs went there. The excellent women of gods, and kinnarīs, (all) eager through curiosity sang melodiously, O best one. Also the gandharva women endowed with beauty and ornaments went there where the king stood, through curiosity. The city of that wicked Huṇḍa was Mahodaya by name; it was everywhere adorned with divine groves (like) Nandana. It looked pleasant with houses having seven apartments and with pitchers. The best city shone with great staffs with banners. The best city shone with (mansions) shaped like the peaks of Kailāsa, lofty, reaching the sky, divine and endowed with all glory.
6-10a. It was adorned with thickets of trees, groves, divine lakes resembling oceans and full of water and charming with lotuses and red lotuses. It shone with ramparts, great jewels and hundreds of upper stories and with moats full of clear water. It also shone with other great jewels and elephants and horses. It was crowded with good women and men of great brilliance. That (city) Mahodaya shone with many divine grandeurs.
10b-15. Nahuṣa, the great hero and best among kings, saw the city and a divine grove adorned with divine trees in the outskirts. The great hero entered it as a god enters the Nandana grove. The virtuous lord of kings entered the grove on the bank of a river in chariot along with that Mātali. Those divine, beautiful women came there. Gandharvas, the knowers of the essentials of music, extolled the best king with songs. All the (bards like the) sūtas and māgadhas praised the best king, Āyu’s son, shining like the sun. Nahuṣa heard the sweet song repeated (i. e. sung) by the kinnaras.