Varaha Purana

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.'

एवमुक्त्वा क्षयं सोम अगमद् दक्षशापतः । देवा मनुष्याः पशवो नष्टे सोमे सवीरुधः ।। ३५.

Having spoken thus, Soma declined due to Daksha's curse; when Soma was lost, gods, humans, cattle, and plants perished.

क्षीणाभवंस्तदा सर्वा ओषध्यश्च विशेषतः । क्षयं गच्छद्भिरत्यर्थमोषधीभिः सुरर्षभाः ।। ३५.

Then all beings became diminished, especially the herbs; as the plants withered away, the gods suffered greatly.

मूलेषु वीरुधां सोमः स्थित इत्यूचुरातुराः । तेषां चिन्ताऽभवत् तीव्रा विष्णुं च शरणं ययुः ।। ३५.

Sickened, they said that Soma remained at the roots of the plants; their anxiety became intense, and they sought refuge in Vishnu.

भगवानाह तान् सर्वान् ब्रूत किं क्रियते मया । ते चोचुर्देव दक्षेण शप्तः सोमो विनाशितः ।। ३५.

The Blessed Lord said to them all, 'Tell me, what should I do?' They replied, 'O god, Soma has been destroyed by Daksha's curse.'

तानुवाच तदा देवो मथ्यतां कलशोदधिः । ओषध्यः सर्वतो देवाः प्रक्षिप्याशु सुसंयतैः ।। ३५.

Then the god said to them, 'Let the pot-ocean be churned; let all the gods quickly and skillfully cast in the herbs from everywhere.'

एवमुक्त्वा ततो देवान् दध्यौ रुद्रं हरिः स्वयम् । ब्रह्माणं च तथा दध्यौ वासुकिं नेत्रकारणात् ।। ३५.

Having spoken thus to the gods, Hari himself meditated on Rudra; he also meditated on Brahma and Vasuki for the purpose of the churning.

ते सर्वे तत्र सहिता ममन्थुर्वरुणालयम् । तस्मिंस्तु मथिते जातः पुनः सोमो महीपते ।। ३५.

All of them together churned the abode of Varuna; when it was churned, Soma was born again, O king.

योऽसौ क्षेत्रज्ञसंज्ञो वै देहेऽस्मिन् पुरुषः परः । स एव सोमो मन्तव्यो देहिनां जीवसंज्ञितः । परेच्छया स मूर्त्तिं तु पृथक् सौम्यां प्रपेदिवान् ।। ३५.

He who is called the knower of the field, the supreme person within this body—he himself is to be understood as Soma, called the life of embodied beings; by the will of the Supreme, he took on a separate, gentle form.

तमेव देवमनुजाः षोडशेमाश्च देवताः । उपजीवन्ति वृक्षाश्च तथैवोषधयः प्रभुम् ।। ३५.

Humans, the sixteen deities, trees, and herbs all live by him as their lord.

रुद्रस्तमेव सकलं दधार शिरसा तदा । तदात्मिका भवन्त्यापो विश्वमूर्तिरसौ स्मृतः ।। ३५.

Then Rudra bore him entirely upon his head; from that time, the waters became his very essence, and he is remembered as the form of the universe.