Varaha Purana

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.

प्रजापाल उवाच । कथं तस्य द्विजश्रेष्ठ शक्रेणापकृतं भवेत् । येनासौ तद्विनाशाय पुत्रमिच्छन् व्रते स्थितः ।। २८.

Prajapala said: How was he wronged by Shakra, O best of twice-born, that he, desiring Shakra's destruction, undertook such a vow?

महातपा उवाच । सोऽन्यजन्मनि पुत्रोऽभूत् त्वष्टुर्बलभृतां वरः । अवध्यः सर्वशस्त्रेषु अपां फेनेन नाशितः ।। २८.

Mahatapa said: In another birth, his son was Tvashta, chief among the mighty, invulnerable to all weapons, but destroyed by the foam of water.

जलफेनेन निहतस्तस्मिँल्लयमवाप्नुयात् । पुनर्ब्रह्मान्वयाज्जातः सिन्धुद्वीपेति संज्ञितः । स तेपे परमं तीव्रं शक्रवैरमनुस्मरन् ।। २८.

Struck down by the foam of the water, he perished there; but, born again from the lineage of Brahma, he became known as Sindhudvipa. Remembering his enmity with Indra, he performed intense and supreme austerity.

ततः कालेन महता नदी वेत्रवती शुभा । मानुषं रूपमास्थाय सालंकारं मनोरमम् । आजगाम यतो राजा तेपे परमकं तपः ।। २८.

Then, after a long time, the auspicious river Vetravati, assuming a beautiful human form adorned with ornaments, came to the place where the king was performing his supreme penance.

तां दृष्ट्वा रूपसंपन्नां स राजा क्रुद्धमानसः । उवाच काऽसि सुश्रोणि सत्यं कथय भामिनि ।। २८.

Seeing her, endowed with beauty, the king, his mind agitated with anger, spoke: 'Who are you, O lovely-hipped one? Tell me the truth, O beautiful lady.'

नद्युवाच । अहं जलपतेः पत्नी वरुणस्य महात्मनः । नाम्ना वेत्रवती पुण्या त्वामिच्छन्तीहमागता ।। २८.

The river replied: 'I am the wife of the lord of waters, the great-souled Varuna. By name I am the holy Vetravati, and I have come here desiring you.'

साभिलाषां परस्त्रीं च भजमानां विसर्ज्जयेत् । स पापः पुरुषो ज्ञेयो ब्रह्महत्यां च विन्दति । एवं ज्ञात्वा महाराज भजमानां भजस्व माम् ।। २८.

A man who, desiring another's wife, enjoys her, should be abandoned; he is to be known as sinful and incurs the sin of killing a Brahmin. Knowing this, O great king, accept me as I approach you.'

एवमुक्तस्तया राजा साभिलाषोपभुक्तवान् । तस्य सद्योऽभवत् पुत्रो द्वादशार्कसमप्रभः ।। २८.

Thus addressed by her, the king, filled with desire, enjoyed her. Immediately, a son was born to him, radiant as twelve suns.

वेत्रवत्युदरे जातो नाम्ना वैत्रासुरोऽभवत् । बलवानतितेजस्वी प्राग्ज्योतिषपतिर्भवत् ।। २८.

Born in the womb of Vetravati, he became known as Vaitrasura—mighty and exceedingly powerful, he became the lord of Pragjyotisha.

स कालेन युवा जातो बलवान् दृढविक्रमः । महायोगेन संयुक्तो जिगायेमां वसुंधराम् ।। २८.

In time, he grew into a strong and resolute youth, endowed with great yogic power, and conquered this earth.

सप्तद्वीपवतीं पश्चान्मेरुपर्वतमारुहत् । तत्रेन्द्रं प्रथमं जिग्ये पश्चादग्निं यमं ततः । निर्ऋतिं वरुणं वायुं धनदश्चेश्वरं ततः ।। २८.

Having conquered the earth with its seven continents, he then ascended Mount Meru. There he first defeated Indra, then Agni, then Yama, Nirriti, Varuna, Vayu, Kubera, and finally Ishvara.

इन्द्रो भग्नो गतः सोग्निं अग्निर्भग्नो यमं ययौ । यमो निर्ऋतिमागच्छन्निर्ऋतिर्वरुणं ययौ ।। २८.

Indra, defeated, fled to Agni; Agni, defeated, went to Yama; Yama approached Nirriti, and Nirriti went to Varuna.

इन्द्रादिभिरुपेतस्तु वरुणो वायुमन्वगात् । वायुर्धनपतिं त्वागात् सर्वैरिन्द्रादिभिः सह ।। २८.

Then Varuna, joined by Indra and the others, went to Vayu; Vayu went to Kubera, along with all the gods beginning with Indra.

धनदोऽपि स्वकं मित्रमीशं देवसमन्वितः । इयाय गदया सोऽपि दानवो बलदर्पितः । गदामादाय दुद्राव शिवलोकं प्रति प्रभो ।। २८.

Kubera, accompanied by his friend Ishvara and all the gods, set out. But that Daitya, filled with the pride of strength, took up his mace and rushed toward the realm of Shiva, O lord.

शिवोऽप्यवध्यं तं मत्वा देवान् गुह्य ययौ पुरीम् । ब्रह्मणः सुरसिद्धाद्यैर्वन्दितां पुण्यकारिभिः ।। २८.

Shiva, considering him invincible, went with the gods to the secret city, honored by Brahma and other virtuous deities and Siddhas.

तत्र ब्रह्मा जगत्स्त्रष्टा विष्णुपादोद्भवे जले । नियामिताकाशगतो जपत्यन्तर्जले शुभे । क्षेत्रज्ञमायां गायत्रीं ततो देवा विचुक्रुशुः ।। २८.

There, Brahma, the creator of the world, in the water that arose from Vishnu's feet, stationed in the sky, recited the Gayatri mantra within the pure water, invoking the field-knowing goddess. Then the gods cried out.

त्राहि प्रजापते सर्वान् देवानृषिवरानपि । असुराद्भयमापन्नान् त्राहि त्राहीत्यचोदयन् ।। २८.

'Protect us, O Lord of creatures! Protect all the gods, sages, and ancestors! Save us from the fear of the Asura!'—thus they implored.

एवमुक्तस्तदा ब्रह्मा दृष्ट्वा देवांस्तदागतान् । चिन्तयामास देवस्य मायेयं विततं जगत् । नासुरा न सुराश्चात्र मायेयं कीदृशी मता ।। २८.

Thus addressed, Brahma, seeing the gods assembled, began to ponder: 'This world is pervaded by the illusion of the Lord. Here, neither Asuras nor gods exist—what is the nature of this illusion?'

एवं चिन्तयतस्तस्य प्रादुरासीदयोनिजा । शुक्लाम्बरधरा कन्या स्त्रक्किरीटोज्ज्वलानना । अष्टभिर्बाहुभिर्युक्ता दिव्यप्रहरणोद्यता ।। २८.

As he was thinking thus, there appeared from his body a maiden clad in white garments, her face radiant with a garland and crown, endowed with eight arms, each raised with a divine weapon.

चक्रं शङ्खं गदां पाशं खङ्गं घण्टां तथा धनुः । धारयन्ती तथा चान्यान् बद्धतूणा जलाद् बहिः ।। २८.

She held a discus, conch, mace, noose, sword, bell, bow, and other weapons, with a quiver fastened at her side, emerging from the water.