Varaha Purana

रुद्रोऽपि वासुकिं ध्यात्वा तक्षकं च धनंजयम् । वलयं कटिंसूत्रं च चकार परमेश्वरः ।। २७.

Rudra, meditating on Vasuki, Takshaka, and Dhananjaya, made them into bracelets, a girdle, and a sacred thread, O supreme lord.

नीलनामा च दैत्येन्द्रो हस्ती भूत्वा भवान्तिकम् । आगतस्त्वरितः शक्रहस्तीवोद्धतरूपवान् ।। २७.

The demon king named Nila, taking the form of an elephant, swiftly approached Bhava, appearing as mighty as the elephant of Indra.

स ज्ञातो नन्दिना दैत्यो वीरभद्राय दर्शितः । वीरभद्रोऽपि सिंहेन रूपेणाहत्य च द्रुतम् ।। २७.

That demon, recognized by Nandi, was shown to Virabhadra; and Virabhadra, taking the form of a lion, quickly struck him down.

तस्य कृत्तिं विदार्याशु करिणस्त्वञ्जनप्रभाम् । रुद्रायार्पितवान् सोऽपि तमेवाम्बरमाकरोत् । ततः प्रभृति रुद्रोऽपि गजचर्मपटोऽभवत् ।। २७.

Tearing open the hide of that elephant, dark as collyrium, he offered it to Rudra, who then made it his garment; from that time, Rudra became the wearer of the elephant hide.

गजचर्म्मपटो भूत्वा भुजंगाभरणोज्ज्वलः । आदाय त्रिशिखं भीमं सगणोऽन्धकमन्वयात् ।। २७.

Clad in the elephant hide and shining with serpent ornaments, he took up his terrible trident and, with his attendants, pursued Andhaka.

ततः प्रवृत्ते युद्धे च देवदानवयोर्महत् । इन्द्राद्या लोकपालास्तु स्कन्दः सेनापतिस्तथा । सर्वे देवगणाश्चान्ये युयुधुः समरे तदा ।। २७.

Then a great battle began between the gods and the demons; Indra and the other guardians of the worlds, as well as Skanda the commander, and all the other hosts of gods fought in that war.

तं दृष्ट्वा नारदा युद्धं ययौ नारायणं प्रति । शशंस च महद् युद्धं कैलासे दानवैः सह ।। २७.

Seeing that battle, Narada went to Narayana and reported the great war taking place on Kailasa with the demons.

तच्छ्रुत्वा चक्रमादाय गरुडस्थो जनार्दनः । तमेव देशमागत्य युयुधे दानवैः सह ।। २७.

Hearing this, Janardana, mounted on Garuda and taking up his discus, came to that very place and fought with the demons.

आगत्य च ततो देवा हरिणाप्यायिता रणे । विषण्णवदनाः सर्वे पलायनपरा भवन् ।। २७.

Then the gods, having been reinforced in battle by Hari, all became downcast and turned to flight.

तत्र भग्नेषु देवेषु स्वयं रुद्रोऽन्धकं ययौ । तत्र तेन महद्युद्धमभवल्लोमहर्षणम् ।। २७.

When the gods were routed there, Rudra himself went against Andhaka; there, a great and hair-raising battle took place between them.

तत्र देवोऽप्यसौ दैत्यं त्रिशूलेनाहनद् भृशम् । तस्याहतस्य यद् रक्तमपतद् भूतले किल । तत्रान्धका असंख्याता बभूवुरपरे भृशम् ।। २७.

There, the god struck the demon hard with his trident; and wherever the blood of the wounded Andhaka fell upon the earth, countless other Andhakas arose there, fierce and numerous.

तद् दृष्ट्वा महदाश्चर्यं रुद्रो शूलेऽन्धकं मृधे । गृहीत्वा त्रिशिखाग्रेण ननर्त्त परमेश्वरः ।। २७.

Seeing this great wonder, Rudra impaled Andhaka on his trident in battle, and the supreme lord danced, holding him on the tip of the trident.

इतरेऽप्यन्धकाः सर्वे चक्रेण परमेष्ठिना । नारायणेन निहतास्तत्र येऽन्ये समुत्थिताः । २७.

All the other Andhakas who arose there were slain by the discus of the supreme lord Narayana.

असृग्धारातुषारैस्तु शूलप्रोतस्य चासकृत् । अनारतं समुत्तस्थुस्ततो रुद्रो रुषान्वितः ।। २७.

From the streams of blood and frost, repeatedly pierced by the trident, ceaselessly arose; then Rudra, filled with wrath.

तस्य क्रोधेन महता मुखाज्ज्वाला विनिर्ययौ । तद्रूपधारिणी देवी यां तां योगेश्वरीं विदुः ।। २७.

From his mouth, due to great anger, a flame emerged; that flame took the form of a goddess, whom the Yogis know as Yogeshwari.

स्वरूपधारिणी चान्या विष्णुनापि विनिर्मिता । ब्रह्मणा कार्तिकेयेन इन्द्रेण च यमेन च । वराहेण च देवेन विष्णुना परमेष्ठिना ।। २७.

Another goddess, bearing her own form, was also created by Vishnu, Brahma, Kartikeya, Indra, Yama, Varaha, and the supreme Vishnu.

पातालोद्धरणं रूपं तस्या देव्या विनिर्ममे । माहेश्वरी च राजेन्द्र इत्येता अष्टमारतः ।। २७.

The form of that goddess was fashioned for the purpose of raising up the netherworld; and she is called Maheshwari, O king—thus are the eight mothers.

कारणं तानि यत्प्रोक्तं क्षेत्रज्ञेनावधारणम् । शरीराद् देवतानां तु तदिदं कीर्तितं मया ।। २७.

The cause that was spoken of, determined by the knower of the field, from the bodies of the deities—this I have recounted.

कामः क्रोधस्तथा लोभो मदो मोहोऽथ पञ्चमः । मात्सर्यं षष्ठमित्याहुः पैशुन्यं सप्तमं तथा । असूया चाऽष्टमी ज्ञेया इत्येता अष्टमातरः ।। २७.

Desire, anger, greed, pride, delusion as the fifth, envy as the sixth, deceit as the seventh, and malice as the eighth—these are known as the eight mothers.

कामं योगेश्वरीं विद्धि क्रोधो माहेश्वरीं तथा । लोभस्तु वैष्णवी प्रोक्ता ब्रह्माणी मद एव च ।। २७.

Know desire as Yogeshwari, anger as Maheshwari, greed as Vaishnavi, pride as Brahmani.

मोहः स्वयंभूः कौमारी मात्सर्यं चेन्द्रजं विदुः । यमदण्डधरा देवी पैशुन्यं स्वयमेव च । असूया च वराहाख्या इत्येताः परिकीर्तिताः ।। २७.

Delusion is Svayambhu, Kaumari is envy, know Indraja as envy; the goddess holding Yama's staff is deceit, and malice is Varaha—thus are they enumerated.

कामादिगण एषोऽयं शरीरे परिकीर्तितः । जग्राह मूर्त्तिं तु यथा तथा ते कीर्तितं मया ।। २७.

This group beginning with desire is thus described in the body; as each took form, so have I recounted them.

एताभिर्देवताभिश्च तस्य रक्तेऽतिशोषिते । क्षयं गताऽऽसुरी माया स च सिद्धोऽन्धकोऽभवत् । एतत् ते सर्वमाख्यातमात्मविद्याऽमृतं मया ।। २७.

By these goddesses, when his blood was greatly drained, the demon's illusion perished, and Andhaka attained perfection; all this I have told you, the nectar of self-knowledge.

य एतच्छृणुयान्नित्यं मातॄणामुद्भवं शुभम् । तस्य ताः सर्वतो रक्षां कुर्वन्त्यनुदिनं नृप ।। २७.

Whoever hears daily the auspicious origin of the mothers, for him they provide protection everywhere, O king, day by day.

यश्चैतत् पठते जन्म मातॄणां पुरुषोत्तम । स धन्यः सर्वदा लोके शिवलोकं च गच्छति ।। २७.

Whoever recites the birth of the mothers, O best of men, he is always blessed in the world and attains the realm of Shiva.

तासां च ब्रह्मणा दत्ता अष्टमी तिथिरुत्तमा । एताः संपूजयेद् भक्त्या बिल्वाहारो नरः सदा । तस्य ताः परितुष्टास्तु क्षेमारोग्यं ददन्ति च ।। २७.

The eighth lunar day was given to them by Brahma as the highest; whoever worships them with devotion, always eating bilva leaves, they, being satisfied, grant him welfare and health.

प्रजापाल उवाच । कथं माया समुत्पन्ना दुर्गा कात्यायनी शुभा । आदिक्षेत्रे स्थिता सूक्ष्मा पृथग्मूर्त्ता व्यजायत ।। २८.

Prajapala said: How did Maya arise, and Durga, Katyayani the auspicious, dwelling in the primordial field, subtle, manifest separately?

महातपा उवाच । आसीद् राजा पुरा राजन् सिन्धुद्वीपः प्रतापवान् । वरुणांशो महाराज सोऽरण्ये तपसि स्थितः ।। २८.

Mahatapa said: There was once a king, O ruler, Sindhudvipa, mighty and powerful, a portion of Varuna, who dwelt in the forest engaged in austerity.

पुत्रो मे शक्रनाशाय भवेदिति नारधिपः । एवं कृतमतिः सोऽथ महता तपसा स्वकम् । कलेवरं स्थितो भूत्वा शोषयामास सुव्रत ।। २८.

He resolved that his son should be born for the destruction of Shakra; thus, with great austerity, he remained steadfast, drying up his own body, O virtuous one.