Varaha Purana

विश्वेश्वराय देवाय शिवशंभुभवाय च । कपर्दिने करालाय महादेवाय ते नमः ।। ३३.

Salutations to the lord of the universe, to the god, to Śiva, Śambhu, Bhava, to the matted-haired, the fierce, the great god.

एवं देवैः स्तुतः शंभुरुग्रधन्वा सनातनः । उवाच देवदेवोऽहं यत्करोमि तदुच्यताम् ।। ३३.

Thus praised by the gods, Śambhu, the eternal wielder of the mighty bow, said: 'O gods, I am the Lord of gods. Tell me what I should do.'

देवा ऊचुः । वेदशास्त्राणि विज्ञानं देहि नो भव माचिरम् । यज्ञं सरहस्यं नो यदि तुष्टोऽसि नः प्रभो ।। ३३.

The gods said: 'O Bhava, grant us the Vedas, the scriptures, and knowledge without delay; reveal to us the secret of sacrifice, if you are pleased with us, O Lord.'

महादेव उवाच । भवन्तः पशवः सर्वे भवन्तु सहिता इति । अहं पतिर्वो भवतां ततो मोक्षमवाप्स्यथ । तथेति देवास्तं प्राहुस्ततः पशुपतिर्भवत् ।। ३३.

Mahādeva said: 'All of you shall become my cattle, together; I shall be your Lord, and thus you will attain liberation.' The gods replied, 'So be it,' and thus he became Paśupati.

ब्रह्मा पशुपतिं प्राह प्रसन्नेनान्तरात्मना । चतुर्द्दशी ते देवेश तिथिरस्तु न संशयः ।। ३३.

Brahmā addressed Paśupati with a gladdened heart: 'O Lord of gods, the fourteenth lunar day shall be yours, without doubt.'

तस्यां तिथौ भवन्तं ये यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विताः । उपोष्य पश्चाद्भुञ्जीयाद्गोधूमान्नेन वै द्विजान् ३३.

On that lunar day, those who worship you with faith, after fasting, should eat wheat food together with the twice-born.

एवमक्तस्तदा रुद्रो ब्रह्मणाऽव्यक्तजन्मना । दन्तान् नेत्रे फले प्रादाद्भगपूष्णोः क्रतोरपि । परिज्ञानं च सकलं स प्रादाच्च सुरेष्वपि ।। ३३.

Thus, at that time, Rudra, who was fasting, received from Brahma—the one born from the unmanifest—the teeth, eyes, and fruit from the sacrifice of Bhaga and Pushan, and he also received complete knowledge among the gods.

एवं रुद्रस्य संभूतिः संभूता ब्रह्मणः पुरा । अनेनैव प्रयोगेन देवानां पतिरुच्यते ।। ३३.

In this way, Rudra's origin came about from Brahma in ancient times; by this very procedure, he is called the lord of the gods.

यश्चैनं श्रृणुयान्नित्यं प्रातरुत्थाय मानवः । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो रुद्रलोकमवाप्नुयात् ।। ३३.

Whoever, rising in the morning, listens daily to this, becomes free from all sins and attains the world of Rudra.

महातपा उवाच । पितॄणां संभवं राजन् कथ्यमानं निबोध मे । पूर्वं प्रजापतिर्ब्रह्मा सिसृक्षुर्विविधाः प्रजाः ।। ३४.

The great ascetic said: O King, listen as I explain the origin of the ancestors. Long ago, Brahma, the lord of creatures, wishing to create various beings—

एकाग्रमनसा सर्वास्तन्मात्रा मनसा बहिः । कृत्वा परमकं ब्रह्म ध्यायन् सर्गेप्सुरुच्चकैः ।। ३४.

With his mind fully concentrated, he placed all the subtle elements outside his mind, and, desiring creation, meditated on the supreme Brahman with intense effort.

तस्यात्मनि तदा योगं गतस्य परमेष्ठिनः । तन्मात्रा निर्ययुर्देहाद् धूमवर्णाकृतित्विषः ।। ३४.

Then, as the supreme lord entered into union within himself, from his body emerged the subtle elements, shining with a smoky color and form.

पिबाम इति भाषन्तः सुरान् सोम इति स्म ह । ऊर्ध्वं जिगमिषन्तो वै वियत्संस्थास्तपस्विनः ।। ३४.

Saying, 'Let us drink,' and calling the gods 'Soma,' they, desiring to ascend upward, remained in the sky, practicing austerity.

तान् दृष्ट्वा सहसा ब्रह्मा तिर्यक्संस्थान उन्मुखान् । भवन्तः पितरः सन्तु सर्वेषां गृहमेधिनाम् ।। ३४.

Seeing them suddenly, Brahma said to those facing upward in a horizontal position, 'You shall be the ancestors of all householders.'

ऊर्ध्ववक्त्रास्तु ये तत्र ते नान्दीमुखसंज्ञिताः । वृद्धिश्राद्धेषु सतत पूज्या श्रुतिविधानतः ।। ३४.

Those among them whose faces were turned upward are known as the Nāndīmukha ancestors; they are always to be honored at rites for prosperity, according to the prescriptions of the scriptures.

अग्निं पुरस्कृतो यैस्तु ते द्विजा अग्निहोत्रिणः । नित्यैर्नैमित्तिकैः काम्यैः पार्वणैस्तर्पयन्तु तान् ।। ३४.

Those twice-born who maintain the sacred fire should satisfy them with regular, occasional, and desired offerings, as well as with fortnightly rites.

बहिःप्रवरणा ये च क्षत्रियास्तर्पयन्तु तान् । आज्यं पिबन्ति ये चात्र तानर्चयन्तु विशः सदा ।। ३४.

Kshatriyas who are covered with outer garments should satisfy them; and those here who drink clarified butter should always be honored by the people.

ब्राह्मणैरभ्यनुज्ञाताः शूद्राः स्वपितृनामतः । तानेवार्चयतां सम्यग्विधिमन्त्रबहिष्कृताः ।। ३४.

Shudras, having been permitted by Brahmins, should properly honor their own ancestors, but without the prescribed mantras and rituals.

अनाहिताग्नयो ये च ब्रह्मक्षत्रविशो नराः । स्वकालिनस्तेऽर्चयन्तु लोकाग्निपुरतः सदा ।। ३४.

Those among Brahmins, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas who do not maintain the sacred fire should always honor their ancestors at the proper time, in front of the household fire.

इत्येवं पूजिता यूयमिष्टान् कामान् प्रयच्छत । आयुः कीर्तिं धनं पुत्रान् विद्यामभिजनं स्मृतिम् ।। ३४.

Thus, when you are worshipped in this way, you grant desired wishes—life, fame, wealth, sons, knowledge, noble lineage, and memory.

इत्युक्त्वा तु तदा ब्रह्मा तेषां पन्थानमाकरोत् । दक्षिणायनसंज्ञं तु पितॄणां च पितामहः ।। ३४.

Having said this, Brahma then established for them the path called the southern course, as the grandsire of the ancestors.

तूष्णीं ससर्ज भूतानि तमूचुः पितरस्ततः । वृत्तिं नो देहि भगवन् यया विन्दामहे सुखम् ।। ३४.

He then created beings in silence; the ancestors said to him, 'O Lord, grant us a means of subsistence by which we may attain happiness.'

ब्रह्मा उवाच । अमावास्यादिनं वोऽस्तु तस्यां कुशतिलोदकैः । तर्पिता मानुषैस्तृप्तिं परां गच्छथ नान्यथा ।। ३४.

Brahma said: 'Let the new moon day be yours; on that day, when satisfied by humans with water mixed with kusa grass and sesame seeds, you attain supreme satisfaction—never otherwise.'

तिला देयास्तथैतस्यामुपोष्य पितृभक्तितः । परमं तस्य संतुष्टा वरं यच्छत मा चिरम् ।। ३४.

Sesame seeds should be given on this day, after fasting with devotion to the ancestors; they become supremely satisfied and quickly grant a boon.

महातपा उवाच । ब्रह्मणो मानसः पुत्रः अत्रिर्नाम महातपाः । तस्य पुत्रोऽभवत्सोमो दक्षजामातृतां गतः ।। ३५.

The great ascetic said: Atri, the mind-born son of Brahma, was a great sage; his son was Soma, who became the son-in-law of Daksha.

सप्तविंशति याः कन्या दाक्षायण्यः प्रकीर्त्तिताः । सोमपत्न्योऽतिमन्तव्यास्तासां श्रेष्ठा तु रोहिणि ।। ३५.

The twenty-seven daughters of Daksha are renowned; they are considered the wives of Soma, and among them Rohini is the foremost.

तामेव रमते सोमो नेतरा इति शुश्रुमः । इतराः प्रोचुरागत्य दक्षस्यासमतां शशेः ।। ३५.

We have heard that Soma delights only in her and not in the others; the rest, coming together, complained to Daksha about the lack of equality.

दक्षोऽप्यसकृदागत्य तमुवाच स नाकरोत् । समतां सोऽपि तं दक्षः शशापान्तर्हितो भव ।। ३५.

Daksha also came repeatedly and spoke to him, but he did not act with equality; then Daksha cursed him, saying, 'Become hidden.'

एवं शप्तस्तु दक्षेण सोमो देहं त्यजेदथ । उवाच सोमो दक्षं तु भवानेवं भविष्यति । अनेकजो विहायेमं ब्रह्मदेहं सनातनम् ।। ३५.

Thus cursed by Daksha, Soma was about to abandon his body; Soma said to Daksha, 'So shall it be for you: having many offspring, you will abandon this eternal Brahma-body.'