तं दृष्ट्वा ज्वलमानश्रीर्भगवान्हव्यवाहनः। नष्टतेजाः समभवत्तस्य तेजोभिभर्त्सितः
Seeing the blessed Fire-god, radiant in splendor, his own brilliance was lost, subdued by that superior radiance.
तं दृष्ट्वा वरदं देवं विष्णुं देवगणेश्वरम्। प्राञ्जलिः प्रणतो भूत्वा नमस्कृत्य च वज्रभृत्। प्राह वाक्यं ततस्तत्त्वं यतस्तस्य भयं भवेत्
Seeing Viṣṇu, the bestower of boons, the Lord of the gods, Indra, with joined palms and bowed head, offered homage and spoke words revealing the cause of his fear.
जानामि ते भयं शक्र दैत्येन्द्रान्नरकात्ततः। ऐन्द्रं रप्रार्थयते स्थानं तपःसिद्धेन कर्मणा
I know your fear, O Indra, of the lord of the Daityas, Naraka, who seeks the position of Indra through the merit of his austerities.
सोहमेनं तव प्रीत्या तपःसिद्धमपि ध्रुवम्। वियुनज्मि देहाद्देवेनद्र मुहूर्तं प्रतिपालय
Therefore, out of affection for you, I will separate him, though perfected by penance, from his body; O Indra, wait but a moment.
तस्य विष्णुर्महातेजाः पाणिना चेतनां हरत्। स पपात ततो भूमौ गिरिराज इवाहतः। तस्यैतदस्थिसंघातं मायाविनिहतस्य वै
Viṣṇu, of great splendor, took his life with his hand; he fell then to the ground like a mountain king struck down. This is the heap of his bones, slain by the wielder of illusion.
इदं द्वितीयमपरं विष्णो कर्म प्रकाशते
This is another, a second, deed of Viṣṇu that is revealed.
नष्टा वसुमती कृत्स्ना पाताले चैव मज्जिता। पुनरुद्धरिता तेन वाराहेणैकशृङ्गिणा
The entire earth was lost, sunk into the netherworld; then it was raised up again by him, the Boar with a single tusk.
मगवन्विस्तरेणेमां कथां कथय तत्त्वतः
O Maghavan, tell this story in detail and in truth.
कथं तेन सुरेशेन नष्टा वसुमती तदा। योजनानां शतं ब्रह्मन्पुनरुद्धरिता तदा
How did the Lord of the gods then recover the lost earth, O Brahman, lifting it up again from a hundred yojanas deep?
केन चैव प्रकारेण जगतो धरणी ध्रुवा। शिवा देवी महाभागा सर्वसस्यप्ररोहिणी। कस्य चैव प्रभावाद्धि योजनानां शतं गता
And by what means did the steadfast goddess Earth, auspicious, greatly fortunate, and the source of all crops, go a hundred yojanas away, and by whose power?
श्रोतुं विस्तरशः सर्वं त्वं हि तस्य प्रतिश्रयः
You are indeed the refuge for hearing all this in detail.
यत्तेऽहं परिपृष्टोऽस्मि कथामेतां युधिष्ठिर। तत्सर्वमखिलेनेह श्रूयतां मम भाषतः
Since you, Yudhishthira, have questioned me about this story, listen now as I recount it fully and completely.
पुरा कृतयुगे तात वर्तमाने भयंकरे। यमत्वं कारयामास आदिदेवः पुरातनः
Long ago, O dear one, in the terrifying age of the Krita Yuga, the ancient primeval god established the rule of Yama.
यमत्वं कुर्वतस्तस्य देवदेवस्य धीमतः। न तत्र म्रियते कश्चिज्जायते वा तथाऽच्युत
While that wise Lord of gods was instituting the rule of Yama, O Achyuta, no one there died or was born.
वर्धन्ते पक्षिसङ्घाश्च तथा पशुगवेडकम्। गवाश्वं च मृगाश्चैव सर्वे ते पिशिताशनाः
Flocks of birds, herds of cattle and goats, cows, horses, and wild animals—all these flesh-eaters multiplied.
तथा पुरुषशार्दूल मानुपाश्च परंतप। सहस्रशो ह्ययुतशो वर्धन्ते सलिलं यथा
Likewise, O tiger among men, human beings also, O scorcher of foes, increased by thousands and tens of thousands, like water.
एतस्मिन्संकुले तात वर्तमाने भयंकरे। अतिभाराद्वसुमती योजनानां शतं गता
In that tumultuous and dreadful time, O dear one, the earth, overwhelmed by excess weight, sank a hundred yojanas down.
सा वै व्यथितसर्वाङ्गी भारेणाक्रान्तचेतना। नारायणं वरं देवं प्रपन्ना शरणं गता
Her whole body afflicted and her mind oppressed by the burden, she sought refuge in the blessed god Narayana.
भगवंस्त्वत्प्रसादाद्धि तिष्ठेयं सुचिरं त्विह। भारेणास्मि समाक्रान्ता न शक्नोस्मि स्म वर्तितुम्
"O Lord, by your grace may I remain here for a long time; I am overwhelmed by the burden and cannot endure it."
ममेमं भगवन्भारं व्यपनेतुं त्वमर्हसि। शरणागताऽस्मि ते देव प्रसादं कुरु मे विभो
"O blessed one, you alone are able to remove this burden of mine; I have come to you for refuge—grant me your favor, O Lord."
तस्यास्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा भगवानक्षरः प्रभुः। प्रोवाच वचनं हृष्टः श्राव्यारसमीरितम्
Hearing her words, the imperishable Lord, delighted, spoke words that were pleasing to the ear.
न ते महि भयं कार्यं भारार्ते वसुधारिणि। अयमेवं तथा कुर्मि यथा लध्वी भविष्यसि
"O Earth, bearer of burdens, you need not fear; I will act so that you become light again."
स तां विसर्जयित्वा तु वसुधां शैलकुण्डलाम्। ततो वराहः संवृत्त एकशृङ्गो महाद्युतिः
Then, having dismissed the earth adorned with mountains, he became a great, radiant boar with a single tusk.
रक्ताभ्यां नयनाभ्यां तु भयमुत्पादयन्निव। धूमं च ज्वलयँल्लक्ष्म्या तत्र देशे व्यवर्धत
With eyes red as blood, as if inspiring fear, and emitting smoke and flames, Lakshmi grew in that place.
स गृहीत्वा वसुमतीं शृङ्गेणैकेन भास्वता। योजनानां शतं वीर समुद्धरति सोऽक्षरः
Seizing the earth with his shining single tusk, the imperishable one lifted her up a hundred yojanas, O hero.
तस्यां चोद्धार्यमाणायां संक्षोभः समजायत। देवाः संक्षुभिताः सर्वे ऋषयश्च तपोधनाः
As she was being raised, a great disturbance arose; all the gods and ascetics rich in austerity were agitated.
हाहाभूतमभूत्सर्वं त्रिदिवं व्योम भूस्तथा। न पर्यवस्थितः कश्चिद्देवो वा मानुषोपि वा
All the heavens, the sky, and the earth were filled with cries of 'Alas!'; no god or human remained steady.
ततो ब्रह्माणमासीनं ज्वलमानमिव श्रिया। देवाः सर्षिगणाश्चैव उपतस्थुरनेकशः
Then the gods, along with hosts of sages, approached Brahma, who was seated and blazing with splendor, in many groups.
उपसर्प्य च देवेशं ब्रह्माणं लोकसाक्षिकम्। भूत्वा प्राञ्जलयः सर्वे वाक्यमुच्चारयंस्तदा
Then, approaching the lord of the gods, Brahma, the witness of the worlds, all of them stood with joined palms and spoke these words.
लोकाः संक्षुभिताः सर्वे व्याकुलं च चराचरम्। समुद्राणां च संक्षोभस्त्रिदशेश प्रकाशते
All the worlds are agitated, and both the moving and unmoving beings are in turmoil; O lord of the immortals, even the oceans are disturbed and this is manifest.