शब्दातिगं व्योमरूपं विमूर्त्तिं विकर्म्मिणां शुभभावं वरेण्यम् । चक्राब्जपाणिं तु तथोपचारा- दुक्तं पुराणे सततं नमामि ।। ३६.
I bow always to Him who is beyond sound, whose form is space, who is formless, who is the auspicious essence among those who act, who is to be sought, whose hands bear the discus and the lotus, as described in the Purāṇas by way of analogy.
त्रिविक्रमं क्रान्तजगत्त्रयं च चतुर्मूर्त्तिं विश्वगतां क्षितीशम् । शम्भुं विभुं भूतपतिं सुरेशं नमाम्यहं विष्णुमनन्तमूर्त्तिम् ।। ३६.
I bow to Viṣṇu, the infinite form, the three-stepping one who traversed the three worlds, who has four forms, who pervades all, the Lord of the earth, Śambhu, the all-pervading one, the Lord of beings, the Lord of the gods.
त्वं देव सर्वाणि चराचराणि सृजस्यथो संहरसे त्वमेव । मां मुक्तिकामं नय देव शीघ्रं यस्मिन् गता योगिनो नापयान्ति ।। ३६.
O God, you alone create and dissolve all moving and unmoving beings; lead me swiftly, O Lord, who desires liberation, to that state where yogis, having reached it, do not return.
जयस्व गोविन्द महानुभाव जयस्व विष्णो जय पद्मनाभ । जयस्व सर्वज्ञ जयाप्रमेय जयस्व विश्वेश्वर विश्वमूर्त्ते ।। ३६.
Victory to you, Govinda, of great glory! Victory to you, Viṣṇu! Victory to you, Padmanābha! Victory to you, all-knowing one, immeasurable one! Victory to you, Lord of the universe, whose form is the universe!
श्रीवराह उवाच । एवं स्तुत्वा तदा राजा निधाय स्वं कलेवरम् । परमात्मनि गोविन्दे लयमागाच्च शाश्वते ।। ३६.
Śrī Varāha said: Thus praised, the king then, laying aside his body, attained dissolution in Govinda, the Supreme Self, eternal.
धरण्युवाच । कथमाराध्यसे देव भक्तिमद्भिर्नरैर्विभो । स्त्रीभिर्वा सर्वमेतन्मे शंस त्वं भूतभावन ।। ३७.
Earth said: How are you worshipped, O Lord, by devoted men or by women? Tell me all this, O Creator of beings.
श्रीवराह उवाच । भावसाध्योऽस्म्यहं देवि न वित्तैर्न जपैरहम् । साध्यस्तथाऽपि भक्तानां कायक्लेशं वदामि ते ।। ३७.
Śrī Varāha said: O goddess, I am attained by devotion, not by wealth or recitations; yet I will tell you the bodily austerities suitable for devotees.
कर्मणा मनसा वाचा मच्चित्तो यो नरो भवेत् । तस्य व्रतानि धास्यामि विविधानि निबोध मे ।। ३७.
Whoever, with actions, mind, and speech, is intent on me—hear from me the various vows I prescribe for such a person.
अहिंसा सत्यमस्तेयं ब्रह्मचर्यं प्रकीर्तितम् (-कल्कत)ा । एतानि मानसान्याहुर्व्रतानि तु धराधरे ।। ३७.
Nonviolence, truthfulness, non-stealing, and celibacy—these are declared to be mental vows, O Upholder of the Earth.
एकभक्तं तथा नक्तमुपवासादिकं च यत् । तत्सर्वं कायिकं पुंसां व्रतं भवति नान्यथा ।। ३७.
Single-minded devotion, fasting at night, and other such practices—all these are bodily vows for men, not otherwise.
मौनं चाध्ययनं चैव देवस्तुत्यर्थकीर्तितत् । निवृत्तिश्चापि पैशुन्याद् वाचिकं व्रतमुत्तमम् ।।३७.
Silence, study, and recitation for the sake of praising the gods, and refraining from slander—these are the highest verbal vows.
अत्रापि श्रूयते चान्यदृषिरुग्रतपाः पुरा । ब्रह्मपुत्रः पुरा कल्पे आरुणिर्नाम नामतः ।। ३७.
Here too is heard another story: formerly, in another age, there was a sage named Āruṇi, son of Brahmā, of fierce austerity.
सोऽरण्यमगमत् किंचित् तपोर्थी द्विजसत्तमः । तपस्तेपे ततस्तस्मिन्नुपवासपरायणः ।। ३७.
That best of twice-born went to the forest, seeking austerity; there he practiced penance, devoted to fasting.
देविकायास्तटे रम्ये सोऽवसद् ब्राह्मणः किल । कदाचिदभिषेकाय स जगाम महानदीम् ।। ३७.
That brāhmaṇa dwelt on the beautiful bank of the Devikā river; once, for the sake of ablution, he went to the great river.
तत्र स्नात्वा जपन् विप्रो ददर्शायान्तमग्रतः । व्याधं महाधनुःपाणिमुग्रनेत्रं विभीषणम् ।। ३७.
There, after bathing and reciting, the brāhmaṇa saw approaching before him a hunter, fearsome, with a great bow in hand and fierce eyes.
तं द्विजं हन्तुमायात् स वल्कलानां जिघृक्षया । तं दृष्ट्वा क्षुभितो विप्रो ब्रह्मघ्नस्य भयादिति । ध्यायन् नारायणं देवं तस्थौ तत्रैव स द्विजः ।। ३७.
That hunter came to kill the brāhmaṇa, desiring his bark garments; seeing him, the brāhmaṇa was agitated out of fear of slaying a brāhmaṇa, and stood there, meditating on Lord Nārāyaṇa.
तं दृष्ट्वाऽन्तर्गतहरिं व्याधो भीत इवाग्रतः । विहाय सशरं चापं ततो वचनमब्रवीत् ।। ३७.
Seeing the brāhmaṇa with Hari within, the hunter, as if frightened, abandoned his bow and arrows and then spoke these words.
व्याध उवाच । हन्तुमिच्छुरहं ब्रह्मन् भवन्तं प्रागिहागतः । इदानीं दर्शनात् तुभ्यं सा मतिः क्वापि मे गता ।। ३७.
The hunter said: I came here earlier intending to kill you, O brāhmaṇa, but now, upon seeing you, my mind has gone elsewhere.
ब्राह्मणानां सहस्त्राणि सस्त्रीणामयुतानि च । निहतानि मया ब्रह्मन् निहतौ च कुटम्बिनौ ।। ३७.
O Brahman, thousands of Brahmins and tens of thousands of their wives have been slain by me, and also householders have been killed.
नरकेऽभ्यधिकं चित्तं कदाचिदपि विद्यते । इदानीं तप्तुमिच्छामि तपोऽहं त्वत्समीपतः । उपदेशप्रदानेन प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि ।। ३७.
Never, at any time, has there been a mind more sinful in hell; now I wish to perform austerity near you. By giving me instruction, you should show me your favor.
एवमुक्तोऽप्यसौ विप्रो नोत्तरं प्रत्यपद्यत । ब्रह्महा पापकर्मेति मत्वा ब्राह्मणपुंगवः ।। ३७.
Though thus addressed, that Brahmin did not reply, considering him a slayer of Brahmins and a doer of evil deeds, O best of Brahmins.
अनुक्तोऽपि स धर्मेप्सुर्व्याधस्तत्रैव तस्थिवान् । स्नात्वा नद्यां द्विजः सोऽपि वृक्षमूलमुपाश्रितः ।। ३७.
Though not spoken to, the hunter, desiring righteousness, remained there; and the Brahmin, having bathed in the river, took shelter at the root of a tree.
कस्यचित् त्वथ कालस्य तां नदीमगमत् किल । व्याघ्रो बुभुक्षितः शान्तं तं विप्रं हन्तुमुद्यतः ।। ३७.
Then, after some time, a tiger came to that river, hungry and intent on killing the peaceful Brahmin.
अन्तर्जलगतं विप्रं यावद् व्याघ्रो जिघृक्षति । तावद् व्याधेन विद्धोऽसौ सद्यः प्राणैर्वियोजितः ।। ३७.
As the tiger tried to seize the Brahmin who was in the water, at that moment he was struck by the hunter and immediately deprived of life.
तस्माद् व्याघ्रशरीरात् तु उत्थाय पुरुषः किल । विप्रश्चान्तर्जले मग्नः श्रुत्वा तं शब्दमाकुलम् । नमो नारायणायेति वाक्यमुच्चैरुवाच ह ।। ३७.
Then, it is said, a man arose from the tiger's body; and the Brahmin, submerged in the water, hearing that tumultuous sound, loudly uttered the words: 'Obeisance to Nārāyaṇa!'
व्याघ्रेणापि श्रुतो मन्त्रः प्राणैः कण्ठस्थितैस्ततः । श्रुतमात्रे जहौ प्राणान् पुरुषश्चाभवच्छुभः ।। ३७.
The mantra was also heard by the tiger, as it lingered in his throat with his departing life; merely by hearing it, he gave up his life and became auspicious.
सोऽब्रवीद् यामि तं देशं यत्र विष्णुः सनातनः । त्वत्प्रसादाद् द्विजश्रेष्ठ मुक्तपाप्मा निरामयः ।। ३७.
He said: 'I am going to that place where Viṣṇu, the Eternal, resides; by your grace, O best of Brahmins, I am freed from sin and suffering.'
इत्युक्तो ब्राह्मणः प्राह कोऽसि त्वं पुरुषर्षभ । सोऽब्रवीत् तस्य राजेन्द्रः प्रतापी पूर्वजन्मनि । दीर्घबाहुरिति ख्यातः सर्वधर्मविशारदः ।। ३७.
Thus addressed, the Brahmin asked: 'Who are you, O best of men?' He replied: 'In a former birth I was a mighty king, renowned as Dīrghabāhu, well-versed in all duties.'
अहं जानामि वेदांश्च अहं वेद्मि शुभाशुभम् । ब्राह्मणे नैव मे कार्यं किं वस्तु ब्राह्मणा इति ।। ३७.
'I know the Vedas; I know what is auspicious and inauspicious. I have no business with Brahmins—what is there to be gained from Brahmins?'
तस्यैवं वादिनो विप्राः सर्वे क्रोधसमन्विताः । ऊचुः शापं दुराधर्षः क्रूरो व्याघ्रो भविष्यसि ।। ३७.
As he spoke thus, all the Brahmins, filled with anger, pronounced a terrible curse: 'You shall become a fierce tiger!'