अथ श्रीवराहपुराणम् (नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमम्। देवीं सरस्वतीं चैव ततो जयमुदीरयेत् ।।) नमस्तस्मै वराहाय लीलयोद्धरते महीम्। खुरमध्यगतो यस्य मेरुः खणखणायते ।। १.
Thus begins the glorious Varaha Purana. (Having bowed to Narayana, to Nara the supreme among men, and to the goddess Sarasvati, then one should utter victory.) Salutations to that Varaha, who playfully lifted up the earth; Mount Meru, caught beneath his hoof, resounds with a ringing sound.
दंष्ट्राग्रेणोद्धृता गौरुदधिपरिवृता पर्वतैर्निम्नगाभिः साकं मृत्पिण्डवत् प्राग्बृहदुरुवपुषाऽनन्तरूपेण येन। सोऽयं कंसासुरारिर्मुरनरकदशास्यान्तकृत्सर्वसंस्थः कृष्णो विष्णुः सुरेशो नुदतु मम रिपूनादिदेवो वराहः।। १.
He who, with the tip of his tusk, lifted the earth—surrounded by mountains and rivers like a ball of clay, encircled by the lord of birds—he, whose vast form is boundless, who is the destroyer of Kamsa, Mura, Naraka, and the ten-headed one, who is Krishna, Vishnu, lord of the gods, the original deity, Varaha—may he drive away my enemies.
यः संसारार्णवे नौरिव मरणजराव्याधिनक्रोर्मिभीमे भक्तानां भीतिहर्ता मुरनरकदशास्यान्तकृत् कोलरूपी। विष्णुः सर्वेश्वरोऽयं यमिह कृतधियो लीलया प्राप्नुवन्ति मुक्तात्मानो नपापं भवत्तु नुदितारातिपक्षः क्षितीशः ।। १.
He who, like a boat in the ocean of worldly existence, rescues devotees from the dreadful crocodiles of death, old age, and disease; who removes their fear, who destroys Mura, Naraka, and the ten-headed one, who took the form of a boar—this Vishnu, lord of all, is attained by those of steadfast mind through his play. May the king of the earth, whose enemies are subdued, be free from sin and liberated.
सूत उवाच। यस्मिन् काले क्षितिः पूर्वं वराहवपुषा तु सा। उद्धृता विष्णुना भक्त्या पप्रच्छ परमेश्वरम् ।। १.
Suta said: At the time when the earth was previously lifted by Vishnu in the form of a boar, she, out of devotion, questioned the Supreme Lord.
धरण्युवाच। कल्पे कल्पे भवानेव मां समुद्धरते विभो। न चाहं वेद ते मूर्तिं नादिसर्गं च केशव।। १.
The Earth said: In every cycle, O Lord, you alone rescue me; yet I do not know your true form, nor your origin, O Keshava.
वेदेषु चैव नष्टेषु मत्स्यो भूत्वा रसातलम्। प्रविश्य तानपाकृष्य ब्रह्मणे दत्तवानसि ।। १.
When the Vedas were lost, you became a fish and entered the waters of the deep, retrieving them and giving them to Brahma.
अन्यत् सुरासुरमयं त्वं समुद्रस्य मन्थने। धृतवानसि कौर्म्येण मन्दरं मधुसूदन ।। १.
Again, when the gods and demons churned the ocean, you, O slayer of Madhu, took the form of a tortoise and supported Mount Mandara.
पुनर्वाराहरूपेण मां गच्छन्तीं रसातलम् । उज्जहारैकदंष्ट्रेण भगवान् वै महार्णवात्।। १.
Once more, assuming the form of Varaha, the Blessed Lord lifted me, as I was sinking into the waters of the great ocean, with a single tusk.
अन्यद्धिरण्यकशिपुर्वरदानेन दर्पितः। आबाधमानः पृथिवीं स त्वया विनिपातितः । बलिस्तु बद्धो भगवंस्त्वया वामनरूपिणा ।। १.
Another time, Hiranyakashipu, made arrogant by the boon he received, oppressed the earth and was struck down by you; and Bali was bound by you, O Lord, in the form of Vamana.
पुनर्निःक्षत्रिया देव त्वया चापि पुरा कृता । जामदग्न्येन रामेण त्वया भूत्वाऽसकृत्प्रभो ।। १.
Again, O God, you made the earth devoid of kshatriyas in former times, repeatedly, by taking the form of Rama, son of Jamadagni.
पुनश्च रावणो रक्षः क्षपितं क्षात्रतेजसा । न च जानाम्यहं देव तव किञ्चिद्विचेष्टितम् ।। १.
Again, Ravana, the demon, was destroyed by your kshatriya power; yet, O God, I do not know anything of your actions.
उद्धृत्य मां कथं सृष्टिं सृजसे किं च सा त्वया। सकृद् ध्रियेत कृत्वा च पाल्यते चापि केन च ।। १.
After lifting me up, how do you create the world? And by whom is it sustained and protected, and in what manner?
केन वा सुलभो देव जायसे सततं विभो । कथं च सृष्टेरादिः स्यादवसानं कथं भवेत् ।। १.
By whom, O Lord, are you so easily born again and again? How does creation begin, and how does it end?
कथं युगस्य गणना संख्याऽस्यानुचतुर्युगम् । के वा विशेषास्तेष्वस्मिन् का वाऽवस्था महेश्वर ।। १.
How is the reckoning of the yugas, and what is the count within a caturyuga? What are the distinctions among them, and what is the state in each, O great Lord?
यज्वानः के च राजानः के च सिद्धिं परां गताः । एतत्सर्वं समासेन कथयस्व प्रसीद मे ।। १.
Who are the sacrificers, and who are the kings who attained supreme success? Please tell me all this in summary, be gracious to me.
इत्युक्तः क्रोडरूपेण जहास परमेश्वरः । हसतस्तस्य कुक्षौ तु जगद्धात्री ददर्श ह १.
Thus addressed, the Supreme Lord, in the form of a boar, laughed; and as he laughed, the earth beheld the sustainer of the world within his belly.
सचन्द्रसूर्यग्रहसप्तलोका- नन्तः स्थितांस्तावदुपात्तधर्मान् । इतीदृशं पश्यति सा समस्तं यावत्क्षितिर्वेपितसर्वगात्रा ।। १.
She saw within him the moon, the sun, the planets, the seven worlds, all established there, upholding their respective duties; seeing all this, the earth trembled in every limb.
उन्मीलितास्यस्तु यदा महात्मा दृष्टो धरण्याऽमलसर्वगात्र्या । तावत्स्वरूपेण चतुर्भुजेन महोदधौ सुप्तमथोऽन्वपश्यत् ।। १.
When the great-souled one opened his mouth, the earth, pure in every part, beheld him; then, with his own form of four arms, she saw him lying asleep in the great ocean.
शेषपर्यङ्कशयने सुप्तं देवं जनार्दनम् । दृष्ट्वा तन्नाभिपङ्कस्थमन्तःस्थं च चतुर्मुखम्। कृताञ्जलिपुटा देवी स्तुतिं धात्री जगाद ह ।। १.
Seeing the Lord Janardana asleep upon the couch of Shesha, and beholding the four-faced one within the lotus of his navel, the goddess, hands joined in reverence, addressed a hymn to the Creator.
धरण्युवाच। नमः कमलपत्राक्ष नमस्ते पीतवाससे। नमः सुरारिविध्वंसकारिणे परमात्मने ।। १.
The Earth spoke: Salutations to you, lotus-eyed one; salutations to you, clad in yellow garments; salutations to you, destroyer of the enemies of the gods, supreme soul.
शेषपर्यङ्कशपने धृतवक्षस्थलश्रिये । नमस्ते सर्वदेवेश नमस्ते मोक्षकारिणे ।। १.
Salutations to you, whose chest shines while reclining upon Shesha's couch; salutations to you, lord of all gods; salutations to you, giver of liberation.
नमः शार्ङ्गासिचक्राय जन्ममृत्युविवर्जिते। नमो नाभ्युत्थितमहत्कमलासनजन्मने ।। १.
Salutations to you, who bear the bow, sword, and discus; who are free from birth and death; salutations to you, born from the great lotus arising from your navel.
नमो विद्रुमरक्तास्यपाणिपल्लवशोभिने । शरणं त्वां प्रसन्नाऽस्मि त्राहि नारीमनागसम् ।। १.
Salutations to you, whose lips are coral-red and whose hands shine like tender shoots; I seek refuge in you, I am pleased—protect me, O Lord, from the distress of women and serpents.
पूर्णनीलाञ्जनाकारं वाराहं ते जनार्दन। दृष्ट्वा भीताऽस्मि भूयोऽपि जगत् त्वद्देहगोचरम्। इदानीं कुरु मे नाथ दयां त्राहि महाभयात्।। १.
Seeing your boar form, O Janardana, dark as full indigo, I am again frightened, for the world is encompassed by your body; now, O Lord, show me mercy and rescue me from great fear.
केशवः पातु मे पादौ जङ्घे नारायणो मम । माधवो मे कटिं पातु गोविन्दो गुह्यमेव च ।। १.
May Kesava protect my feet, Narayana my shanks, Madhava protect my waist, and Govinda my secret parts.
नाभिं विष्णुस्तु मे पातु उदरं मधुसूदनः । ऊरुं त्रिविक्रमः पातु हृदयं पातु वामनः ।। १.
May Vishnu protect my navel, Madhusudana my abdomen, Trivikrama my thighs, and Vamana my heart.
श्रीधरः पातु मे कण्ठं हृषीकेशो मुखं मम । पद्मनाभस्तु नयने शिरो दामोदरो मम ।। १.
May Sridhara protect my throat, Hrishikesha my mouth, Padmanabha my eyes, and Damodara my head.
एवं न्यस्य हरेर्न्यासमामानि जगती तदा । नमस्ते भगवन् विष्णो इत्युक्त्वा विरराम ह ।। १.
Thus, having performed the protective invocation of Hari, the Earth then said, 'Salutations, O blessed Vishnu,' and became silent.
सूत उवाच । ततस्तुष्टो हरिर्भक्त्या धरण्यात्मशरीरगाम् । मायां प्रकाश्य तेनैव स्थितो वाराहमूर्त्तिना ।। २.
Suta said: Then Hari, pleased by the devotion of the Earth, revealed his own maya and remained there in the form of a boar.
जगाद किं ते सुश्रोणि प्रश्नमेनं सुदुर्लभम् । कथयामि पुराणस्य विषयं सर्वशास्त्रतः ।। २.
He spoke: What is your question, O beautiful-hipped one? This inquiry is most rare; I will tell you the subject of the Purana, drawn from all the scriptures.