Varaha Purana

प्रजापाल उवाच । अहंकारात् कथं जज्ञे कार्त्तिकेयो द्विजोत्तम । एतन्मे संशयं छिन्धि पृच्छतो वै महामुने ।। २५.

Prajāpāla said: How was Kārttikeya born from ego, O best of twice-born? Please resolve this doubt of mine, O great sage.

महातपा उवाच । सर्वेषामेव तत्त्वानां यः परः पुरुषः स्मृतः । तस्मादव्यक्तमुत्पन्नं तत्त्वादि त्रिविधं तु तत् ।। २५.

Mahātapā said: The Supreme Person, remembered as the essence of all principles, from him arose the unmanifest, and from that, the threefold principles beginning with the elements.

पुरुषाव्यक्तयोर्मध्ये महत्त्वं समपद्यत । स चाहंकार इत्युक्तो यो महान् समुदाहृतः ।। २५.

Between the person and the unmanifest, the great principle (mahat) arose; that is called ahaṃkāra, which is declared as the great one.

पुरुषो विष्णुरित्युक्तः शिवो वा नामतः स्मृतः । अव्यक्तं तु उमा देवी श्रीर्वा पद्मनिभेक्षणा ।। २५.

The person is called Viṣṇu, or, by name, is remembered as Śiva; the unmanifest is the goddess Umā, or Śrī with lotus-like eyes.

तत्संयोगादहंकारः स च सेनापतिर्गुहः । तस्योत्पत्तिं प्रवक्ष्यामि श्रृणु राजन् महामते ।। २५.

From their union arises ego, and he is the commander Guha; I will now tell you of his origin—listen, O king of great wisdom.

आद्यो नारायणो देवस्तस्माद् ब्रह्मा ततोऽभवत् । अतः स्वयंभुवश्चान्ये मरीच्याद्यार्कसंभवाः ।। २५.

First was the god Nārāyaṇa; from him came Brahmā; then from him, others such as Svāyambhuva and the Marīcis, born from the sun.

तेष्वारभ्य सुरा दैत्या गन्धर्वा मानुषाः खगाः । पशवः सर्वभूतानि सृष्टिरेषा प्रकीर्तिता ।। २५.

From them arose the gods, the demons, the gandharvas, humans, birds, cattle, and all beings—this is declared as creation.

सृष्ट्यां विस्तारितायां तु देवदैत्या महाबलाः । सापत्न्यं भावमास्थाय युयुधुर्विजिगीषवः ।। २५.

When creation expanded, the mighty gods and demons, adopting rivalry, fought each other, each seeking victory.

दैत्यानां बलिनः सन्ति नायका युद्धदुर्मदाः । हिरण्यकशिपुः पूर्वं हिरण्याक्षो महाबलः । विप्रचित्तिर्विचित्तिश्च भीमाक्षः क्रौञ्च एव च ।। २५.

Among the powerful demons are leaders, proud in battle: Hiraṇyakaśipu first, then the mighty Hiraṇyākṣa, Vipracitti, Vicitti, Bhīmākṣa, and also Krauñca.

एतेऽतिबलिनः शूरा देवसैन्यं महामृधे । अनारतं सितैर्बाणैर्जयन्तेऽनुदिनं मृधे ।। २५.

These exceedingly strong heroes, in great battles, continually defeat the army of the gods with sharp arrows, day after day.

तेषां पराजयं दृष्ट्वा देवानां तु बृहस्पतिः । उवाच हीनं वः सैन्यं नायकेन विना सुराः ।। २५.

Seeing their defeat, Bṛhaspati spoke to the gods: 'Your army is weak, O gods, for lack of a leader.'

एकेनेन्द्रेण दिव्यं तु सैन्यं पातुं न शक्यते । अतः सेनापतिं किञ्चिदन्वेषयत माचिरम् ।। २५.

'The divine army cannot be protected by Indra alone; therefore, quickly seek out a commander.'

एवमुक्तास्ततो देवा जग्मुर्लोकपितामहम् । सेनापतिं च नो देहि वाक्यमूचुः ससंभ्रमम् ।। २५.

Thus addressed, the gods went to the Grandfather of the worlds and, with agitation, said, 'Give us a commander.'

ततो दध्यौ चतुर्वक्त्रः किमेषां क्रियते मया । ब्रह्माऽथ चिन्तयामास रुद्रं प्रति मनोगतम् ।। २५.

Then the four-faced one pondered, 'What should I do for them?' Brahmā then reflected in his mind upon Rudra.

ततो देवाः सगन्धर्वा ऋषयः सिद्धचारणाः । ब्रह्माणं पुरतः कृत्वा जग्मुः कैलासपर्वतम् ।। २५.

Then the gods, with the gandharvas, sages, siddhas, and cāraṇas, placing Brahmā at their head, went to Mount Kailāsa.

तत्र दृष्ट्वा महादेवं शिवं पशुपतिं विभुम् । तुष्टवुर्विविधैस्तोत्रैः शक्राद्यास्त्रिदिवौकसः ।। २५.

There, seeing the great god Śiva, Lord of beings, the mighty one, Indra and the other gods of heaven praised him with various hymns.

देवा ऊचुः । नमाम सर्वे शरणार्थिनो वयं महेश्वरं त्र्यम्बकभूतभावनम् । उमापते विश्वपते मरुत्पते जगत्पते शंकर पाहि नः स्वयम् ।। २५.

The gods said: 'We all bow down, seeking refuge, to the great Lord, the three-eyed, the creator of beings; O husband of Umā, Lord of the universe, Lord of the winds, Lord of the world, Śaṅkara, protect us yourself.'

जटाकलापाग्रशशाङ्कदीधिति- प्रकाशिताशेषजगत्त्रयामल । त्रिशूलपाणे पुरुषोत्तमाच्युत प्रपाहि दैत्याच्च जगत्त्रयोदरे ।। २५.

'O bearer of the trident, supreme person, unfailing one, whose matted locks are adorned by the crescent moon, whose radiance illumines all three worlds—protect the three worlds within the belly from the demons.'

त्वमादिदेवः पुरुषोत्तमो हरि- र्भवो महेशस्त्रिपुरान्तको विभुः । भगाक्षिहा दैत्यरिपुः पुरातनो वृषध्वजः पाहि सुरोत्तमोत्तम ।। २५.

'You are the primordial god, the supreme person, Hari, Bhava, the great Lord, destroyer of the triple city, the mighty one, destroyer of Bhaga’s eye, ancient foe of the demons, bull-bannered one—protect, O best of the gods.'

गिरीशजानाथ गिरिप्रियाप्रिय प्रभो समस्तामरलोकपूजित । गणेश भूतेश शिवाक्षयाव्यय प्रपाहि नो दैत्यवरान्तकाच्युत ।। २५.

'O Lord born of the mountain, beloved of the mountain’s daughter, master, worshipped by all the immortal realms, Lord of the Gaṇas, Lord of beings, eternal, imperishable Śiva—protect us, destroyer of the foremost demons, unfailing one.'

पृथ्व्यादितत्त्वेषु भवान् प्रतिष्ठितो ध्वनिस्वरूपो गगने विशेषतः । वायौ द्विधा तेजसि च त्रिधा जले चतुः क्षितौ पञ्चगुणः प्रपाहि नः ।। २५.

'You are established in the elements beginning with earth; you are the essence of sound, especially in the sky; in air you are twofold, in fire threefold, in water fourfold, in earth fivefold—protect us.'

अग्निस्वरूपोऽसि तरौ तथोपले सत्त्वस्वरूपोऽसि तथा जलेष्वपि । तेजःस्वरूपो भगवान् महेश्वरः प्रपाहि नो दैत्यगणार्दितान् हर ।। २५.

You are of the nature of fire, present in trees and stones; you are of the nature of existence, likewise in waters. The glorious great Lord is of the nature of radiance. O Hara, protect us who are afflicted by hosts of demons.

नासीद्यदाऽकाण्डमिदं त्रिलोचन प्रभाकरेन्द्रद्रविणाधिपाः कुतः । तदा भवानेव विरुद्धलोचन प्रमाणबाधादिविवर्जितः स्थितः ।। २५.

When this universe did not exist, O Three-eyed One, how could there be the sun, the moon, or the lord of wealth? At that time, you alone, O One with opposing eyes, existed, free from all limitations and measures.

कपालमालिन् शशिखण्डशेखर श्मशानवासिन् सितभस्मगुण्ठित । फणीन्द्रसंवीततनोऽन्तकापह प्रपाहि नो दक्षधिया सुरेश्वर ।। २५.

O Lord adorned with a garland of skulls, crowned with the crescent moon, dwelling in cremation grounds, covered in white ash, whose body is wrapped by the king of serpents, remover of death, O Lord of the gods, protect us with your wise power.

भवान् पुमान् शक्तिरियं गिरेः सुता सर्वाङ्गरूपा भगवंस्तथा त्वयि । त्रिशूलरूपेण जगत्त्रयं करे स्थितं त्रिनेत्रेषु मखाग्नयस्त्रयः ।। २५.

You are the Supreme Person, and this power is the daughter of the mountain; O Lord, she is present in all your limbs. In the form of the trident, the three worlds are held in your hand, and in your three eyes dwell the three sacrificial fires.

जटास्वरूपेण समस्तसागराः कुलाचलाः सिन्धुवहाश्च सर्वशः । शशी परं ज्ञानमिदं तव स्थितं न देव पश्यन्ति कुदृष्टयो जनाः ।। २५.

In the form of your matted hair are all the oceans, the great mountains, and all the rivers. The moon, supreme knowledge, abides in you. O God, those with faulty vision do not perceive this.

नारायणस्त्वं जगतां समुद्भव- स्तथा भवः सैव चतुर्मुखो भवान् । सत्त्वादिभेदेन तथाग्निभेदतो युगादिभेदेन च संस्थितस्त्रिधा ।। २५.

You are Nārāyaṇa, the origin of the worlds; likewise, you are Bhava and the Four-faced One. According to the distinctions of existence and fire, and according to the divisions of the ages, you are established in threefold ways.

भवन्तमेते सुरनायकाः प्रभो भवार्थिनोऽन्यस्य वदन्ति तोषयन् । यतस्ततो नो भव भूतिभूषण प्रपाहि विश्वेश्वर रुद्र ते नमः ।। २५.

These leaders of the gods, O Lord, desiring their own welfare, praise you and not another. Therefore, O Ornamented with Ashes, be gracious to us. O Lord of the universe, Rudra, we bow to you; protect us.

महातपा उवाच । एवं स्तुतस्तदा देवो रुद्रः पशुपतिः सुरैः । उवाच देवानव्यग्रः किं कार्यं ब्रूत मा चिरम् ।। २५.

The great ascetic said: Thus praised at that time by the gods, the god Rudra, Lord of creatures, spoke to the gods without agitation: 'Tell me quickly, what is to be done?'