Varaha Purana

ब्रह्मा उवाच । अयं मे प्रथमः पुत्रः पीडितः शशिना भृशम् । पत्नीं जिघृक्षता भ्रातुर्द्धर्मसंज्ञो महामुनिः ।। ३२.

Brahmā said: This is my firstborn son, Dharma, greatly oppressed by Soma, who sought to seize his brother’s wife, O great sage.

इदानीं तोषयध्वं वै सर्व एव सुरासुराः । येन स्थितिर्वो भवति समं देवासुरा इति ।। ३२.

Now, all you gods and Asuras, appease him, so that your state may be preserved equally, O gods and Asuras.

ततः सर्वे स्तुतिं चक्रुस्तस्य देवस्य हर्षिताः । विदित्वा ब्रह्मणो वाक्यात् संपूर्णशशिसन्निभम् ।। ३२.

Then all, delighted, praised that god, knowing from Brahmā’s words that he was like the full moon.

देवा ऊचुः । नमोऽस्तु शशिसङ्काश नमस्ते जगतः पते । नमोऽस्तु देवरूपाय स्वर्गमार्गप्रदर्शक । कर्ममार्गस्वरूपाय सर्वगाय नमो नमः ।। ३२.

The gods said: Salutations to you, moon-like one! Salutations to you, Lord of the world! Salutations to you, who are divine in form, who show the path to heaven, who are the very form of the path of action, who are all-pervading—salutations, again and again!

त्वयेयं पाल्यते पृथ्वी त्रैलोक्यं च त्वयैव हि । जनस्तपस्तथा सत्यं त्वया सर्वं तु पाल्यते ।। ३२.

By you this earth is protected, and the three worlds indeed by you alone; the worlds of men, ascetics, and truth are all protected by you.

न त्वया रहितं किंचिज्जगत्स्थावरजङ्गमम् । विद्यते त्वद्विहीनं तु सद्यो नश्यति वै जगत् ।। ३२.

There is nothing in the world, moving or unmoving, without you; bereft of you, the world instantly perishes.

त्वमात्मा सर्वभूतानां सतां सत्त्वस्वरूपवान् । राजसानां रजस्त्वं च तामसानां तम एव च ।। ३२.

You are the soul of all beings, the very essence of the good; you are rajas among the passionate, and you are tamas among the inert.

चतुष्पादो भवान् देव चतुश्श्रृङ्गस्त्रिलोचनः । सप्तहस्तस्त्रिबन्धश्च वृषरूप नमोऽस्तु ते ।। ३२.

You are four-footed, O god, four-horned, three-eyed, seven-handed, three-bonded, in the form of a bull—salutations to you!

त्वया हीना वयं देव सर्व उन्मार्गवर्त्तिनः । तन्मार्गं यच्छ मूढानां त्वं हि नः परमा गतिः ।। ३२.

Deprived of you, O god, we all stray from the right path; lead these deluded ones to the true path, for you are our supreme goal.

एवं स्तुतस्तदा देवैर्वृषरूपी प्रजापतिः । तुष्टः प्रसन्नमनसा शान्तचक्षुरपश्यत ।। ३२.

Thus praised by the gods, Prajapati, in the form of a bull, being pleased, with a tranquil mind and peaceful gaze, looked upon them.

दृष्टमात्रास्तु ते देवाः स्वयं धर्मेण चक्षुषा । क्षणेन गतसंमोहाः सम्यक्सद्धर्मसंहिताः ।। ३२.

As soon as they saw him, the gods, by the very sight of Dharma, were instantly freed from confusion and became firmly established in true righteousness.

असुरा अपि तद्वच्च ततो ब्रह्मा उवाच तम् । अद्यप्रभृति ते धर्म तिथिरस्तु त्रयोदशी ।। ३२.

Likewise, the asuras also; then Brahma said to him: 'From this day forth, let the thirteenth lunar day be sacred to you, O Dharma.'

यस्तामुपोष्य पुरुषो भवन्तं समुपार्जयेत् । कृत्वा पापसमाहारं तस्मान्मुञ्चति मानवः ।। ३२.

Whoever, having observed that day, approaches you, having gathered up his sins, from him, O man, those sins are released.

यच्चारण्यमिदं धर्म्म त्वया व्याप्तं चिरं प्रभो । ततो नाम्ना भविष्ये तद्धर्मारण्यमिति प्रभो ।। ३२.

And because this forest of Dharma has long been pervaded by you, O Lord, therefore it shall be known by name as Dharmāranya, O Lord.

चतुस्त्रिपाद् द्व्येकपाच्च प्रभो त्वं कृतादिभिर्ल्लक्ष्यसे येन लोकैः । तथा तथा कर्मभूमौ नभश्च प्रायोयुक्तः स्वगृहं पाहि विश्वम् ।। ३२.

O Lord, you are recognized by the worlds as having four, three, two, or one foot, according to the ages beginning with Krita; thus, in the field of action and in the heavens, being properly engaged, protect your own abode and the universe.

इत्युक्तमात्रः प्रपितामहोऽधुना सुरासुराणामथ पश्यतां नृप । अदृश्यतामगमत् स्वालयांश्च जग्मुः सुराः सवृषा वीतशोकाः ।। ३२.

When this had been spoken, the Grandsire, before the assembled gods and asuras, became invisible; and the gods, together with the bull, departed to their abodes, free from sorrow.

धर्मोत्पत्तिं य इमां श्रावयीत तदा श्राद्धे तर्पयेत पितॄंश्च । त्रयोदश्यां पायसेन स्वशक्त्या स स्वर्गगामी तु सुरानुपेयात् ।। ३२.

Whoever recites this account of the origin of Dharma at a śrāddha ceremony, and satisfies the ancestors on the thirteenth day with milk-rice according to his ability, he attains heaven and joins the company of the gods.

श्रीवराह उवाच । अथापरां रुद्रसंभूतिमाद्यां श्रृणुष्व राजन्निति सोऽभ्युवाच । महातपाः प्रीतितो धर्म्मदक्षः क्षमास्त्रधारी ऋषिरुग्रतेजाः ।। ३३.

Śrī Varāha said: Then, O King, listen to the account of the earliest birth of Rudra; thus he spoke—great in austerity, pleased, righteous, patient, a sage of fierce energy.

जातः प्रजानां पतिरुग्रतेजा ज्ञानं परं तत्त्वभावं विदित्वा । सृष्टिं सिसृक्षुः क्षुभितोऽतिकोपाद वृद्धिकाले जगतः प्रकामम् ।। ३३.

He was born as the lord of creatures, of fierce energy, having realized supreme knowledge and the true nature of reality; desiring to create, he became greatly agitated with anger at the time of the world's expansion.

तपस्यतोऽतः स्थिरकीर्तिः पुराणो रजस्तमोध्वस्तगतिर्बभूव । वरो वरेण्यो वरदः प्रतापी कृष्णारुणः पुरुषः पिङ्गनेत्रः ।। ३३.

As he performed austerities, he became renowned, ancient, his course free from rajas and tamas; a bestower of boons, worthy of boons, a giver of blessings, powerful, dark-red in hue, a man with tawny eyes.

रुदन्नुक्तो ब्रह्मणा मा रुद त्वं रुद्रस्ततोऽसावभवत् पुराणः । नयस्व सृष्टिं विततस्वरूपां भवान् समर्थोऽसि महानुभाव ।। ३३.

Crying, he was addressed by Brahma: 'Do not weep; you are Rudra.' Thus he became the ancient one. 'Lead forth the creation, which has many forms; you are capable, O great one.'

इत्युक्तमात्रः सलिले ममज्जमग्ने ससर्जात्मभवाय दक्षः । कस्थे तदा देववरे वितेनुः सृष्टिं तु ते मानसा ब्रह्मजाताः ।। ३३.

As soon as this was said, he plunged into the waters; Daksha, born from himself, created. At that time, the excellent gods, born from Brahma's mind, extended creation in wood.

तस्यां ततायां तु सुराधिपे तु पैतामहं यज्ञवरं प्रकामम् । मग्नः पुरा यत्सलिले स रुद्रः उत्सृज्य विश्वं तु सुरान् सिसृक्षुः ।। ३३.

In that expanded creation, O lord of the gods, the supreme sacrifice of the Grandsire was performed; long ago, Rudra, immersed in the waters, abandoned the world, desiring to create the gods.

सुस्त्राव यज्ञं सुरसिद्धयक्षानुपागतान् क्रोधवशं जगाम । मन्युं प्रदीप्तं परिभाव्य केन सृष्टं जगन्मां व्यतिरिच्य मोहात् ।। ३३.

He poured forth the sacrifice; the gods, siddhas, and yakshas approached, but he fell under the sway of anger. Considering his blazing wrath, he thought: 'By whom, out of delusion, has this world been created, surpassing me?'

हा हेति चोक्ते ज्वलनार्चिषस्तु तत्राभवन् क्षुद्रपिशाचसङ्घा वेतालभूतानि च योगिसङ्घाः ।। ३३.

When he cried out 'Ha! He!' flames blazed forth, and there arose hosts of small piśācas, vetālas, bhūtas, and groups of yogis.

घनं यदा तैर्विततं वियच्च भूमिश्च सर्वाश्च दिशश्च लोकाः । तदा स सर्वज्ञतया चकार धनुश्चतुर्विंशतिहस्तमात्रम् ।। ३३.

When the sky, earth, all directions, and worlds were filled by them, then, in his omniscience, he fashioned a bow measuring twenty-four cubits.

गुणं त्रिवृत्तं च चकार रोषादादत्त दिव्ये च धनुर्गुणं च । ततश्च पूष्णो दशनानविध्यद् भगस्य नेत्रे वृषणौ क्रतोश्च ।। ३३.

Out of anger, he made a triple-twisted bowstring and took up the divine bow and string; then he struck out the teeth of Pūṣan, the eyes of Bhaga, and the testicles of Kratu.

स विद्धबीजो व्यपयात्क्रतुश्च मार्गं वायुर्धारधन् यज्ञवाटात् । देवाश्च सर्वे पशुपतिमुपेयुर्जग्मुश्च सर्वे प्रणतिं भवस्य ।। ३३.

That sacrificial priest, his seed pierced, departed from the sacrificial ground like the wind, bearing the stream of life; and all the gods approached Paśupati and all offered obeisance to Bhava.

आगम्य तत्रैव पितामहस्तु भवं प्रतीतः संपरिष्वज्य देवान् । भक्त्योपेतान् वीक्षयद् देवदेवान् विज्ञानमन्तः कुरु वीरबाहो ।। ३३.

Then, having arrived there, the Grandfather (Brahmā) joyfully embraced Bhava and the gods, who were filled with devotion, and gazed upon the Lord of gods, saying: 'O strong-armed one, understand the inner knowledge.'