Varaha Purana

अश्वशिरा उवाच । भवन्तौ ब्राह्मणौ सिद्धौ तपसा दग्धकिल्बिषौ । कथं नारायणावावामिति वाक्यमथेरितम् ।। ४.

Aśvaśirā said: You two are accomplished Brahmins, purified by austerity and freed from sin; how can you claim to be Nārāyaṇas? This statement is perplexing.

शङ्खचक्रगदापाणिः पीतवासा जनार्दनः । गरुडस्थो महादेवः कस्तस्य सदृशो भुवि ।। ४.

Janārdana, bearing the conch, discus, and mace, clad in yellow garments, seated upon Garuḍa, is the great god—who on earth is equal to him?

तस्य राज्ञो वचः श्रुत्वा तौ विप्रौ संशितव्रतौ । जहसतुः पश्य विष्णुं राजन्निति जजल्पतुः ।। ४.

Hearing the king's words, the two Brahmins, steadfast in their vows, laughed and said, 'Behold Viṣṇu, O king.'

एवमुक्त्वा स कपिलः स्वयं विष्णुर्बभूव ह । जैगीषव्यश्च गरुडस्तत्क्षणात् समजायत ।। ४.

Having spoken thus, Kapila himself became Viṣṇu, and Jaigīṣavya instantly became Garuḍa.

ततो हाहाकृतं त्वासीत् तत्क्षणाद् राजमण्डलम् । दृष्ट्वा नारायणं देवं गरुडस्थं सनातनम् ।। ४.

Then, at that very moment, cries of astonishment arose throughout the royal assembly, seeing the eternal god Nārāyaṇa seated upon Garuḍa.

कृताञ्जलिपुटो भूत्वा ततो राजा महायशाः । उवाच शाम्यतां विप्रौ नायं विष्णुरथेदृशः ।। ४.

The illustrious king, joining his palms in reverence, said, 'Calm yourselves, O sages; this is not Viṣṇu as he is known.'

यस्य ब्रह्मा समुत्पन्नो नाभिपङ्कजमध्यतः । तस्माच्च ब्रह्मणो रुद्रः स विष्णुः परमेश्वरः ।। ४.

From whose navel-lotus Brahmā was born, and from Brahmā, Rudra; that Viṣṇu is the supreme lord.

इति राजवचः श्रुत्वा तदा तौ मुनिपुंगवौ । चक्रतुः परमां मायां योगमायां विशेषतः ।। ४.

Hearing the king's words, those two eminent sages then performed the highest yoga, the special yogic illusion.

कपिलः पद्मनाभस्तु जैगीषव्यः प्रजापतिः । कमलस्थो बभौ ह्रस्वस्तस्य चाङ्के कुमारकः ।। ४.

Kapila became Padmanābha, Jaigīṣavya became Prajāpati; seated upon the lotus, he shone forth, and a small child appeared on his lap.

ददर्श राजा रक्ताक्षं कालानलसमद्युतिम् । नेत्थं भवति विश्वेशो मायैषा योगिनां सदा । सर्वव्यापी हरिः श्रीमानिति राजा जगाद ह ।। ४.

The king beheld one with red eyes, brilliant like the fire of time; thus does the lord of the universe manifest by the yogis' illusion. Hari, glorious and all-pervading, is ever thus, the king declared.

ततो वाक्यावसाने तु तस्य राज्ञो हि संसदि । मशका मत्कुणा यूका भ्रमराः पक्षिणोरगाः ।। ४.

Then, at the end of the king's speech, in his assembly, there appeared mosquitoes, bugs, lice, bees, birds, and serpents.

अश्वा गावो द्विपाः सिंहा व्याघ्रा गोमायवो मृगाः । अन्येऽपि पशवः कीटा ग्राम्यारण्याश्च सर्वशः । दृश्यन्ते राजभवने कोटिशो भूतधारिणि ।। ४.

Horses, cows, elephants, lions, tigers, jackals, deer, and other animals, as well as insects—both domestic and wild—were seen in the royal palace by the millions, all bearing forms of living beings.

तं दृष्ट्वा भूतसंघातं राजा विस्मितमानसः । यावच्चिन्तयते किं स्यादेतदित्यवगम्य च । जैगीषव्यस्य माहात्म्यं कपिलस्य च धीमतः ।। ४.

Seeing that multitude of beings, the king was filled with wonder; as he pondered what this might be, he realized the greatness of Jaigīṣavya and the wise Kapila.

कृताञ्जलिपुटो भूत्वा स राजाऽश्वशिरास्तदा । पप्रच्छ तावृषी भक्त्या किमिदं द्विजसत्तमौ ।। ४.

Then the king Aśvaśirā, with hands joined in reverence, devotedly asked those two eminent sages, 'What is this, O best of twice-born?'

द्विजावूचतुः । आवां पृष्टौ त्वया राजन् कथं विष्णुरिहेज्यते । प्राप्यते वा महाराज तेनेदं दर्शितं तव ।। ४.

The two Brāhmaṇas said: 'You have asked us, O king, how Viṣṇu is to be worshipped here and attained; therefore, this has been shown to you, O great king.'

सर्वज्ञस्य गुणा ह्येते ये राजंस्तव दर्शिताः । स च नारायणो देवः सर्वज्ञः कामरूपवान् ।। ४.

These are the qualities of the all-knowing, O king, which have been shown to you; and that god Nārāyaṇa is all-knowing and assumes any form at will.

सौम्यस्तु संस्थितः क्वापि प्राप्यते मनुजैः किल । आराधनेन चैतस्य वाक्यमर्थवदिष्यते ।। ४.

He, gentle in nature, abides somewhere and is said to be attainable by humans through worship; his words are meaningful.

किन्तु सर्वशरीरस्थः परमात्मा जगत्पतिः । स्वदेहे दृश्यते भक्त्या नैकस्थानगतस्तु सः ।। ४.

However, the Supreme Self, Lord of the universe, dwells in all bodies; he is seen in one's own body through devotion, though he is not confined to any one place.

अतोऽर्थं दर्शितं रूपं देवस्य परमात्मनः । आवयोस्तव राजेन्द्र प्रतीतिः स्याद् यथा तव । एवं सर्वगतो विष्णुस्तव देहे जनेश्वर ।। ४.

Therefore, this form of the Supreme Lord has been shown to you, O king of kings, so that you may have faith; in this way, Viṣṇu, who is all-pervading, is present in your own body, O lord of people.

मन्त्रिणां भृत्यसङ्घस्य सुराद्या ये प्रदर्शिताः । पशवः कीटसङ्घाश्च तेऽपि विष्णुमया नृप ।। ४.

The ministers, the groups of servants, the gods and others who were shown, as well as the animals and multitudes of insects, O king, they too are pervaded by Viṣṇu.

भावनां तु दृढां कुर्याद् यथा सर्वगतो हरिः । नान्यत् तत् सदृशं भूतमिति भावेन सेव्यते ।। ४.

One should cultivate firm contemplation that Hari is all-pervading; there is no other being like him—he is to be worshipped with this understanding.

एष ते ज्ञानसद्भावस्तव राजन् प्रकीर्तितः । परिपूर्णेन भावेन स्मरन् नारायणं हरिम् ।। ४.

This, O king, is the true nature of knowledge that has been declared to you: by remembering Nārāyaṇa, Hari, with complete devotion.

परिपूर्णेन बावेन स्मर नारायणं गुरुम् । पुष्पोपहारैर्धूपैश्च ब्राह्मणानां च तर्पणैः । ध्यानेन सुस्थितेनाशु प्राप्यते परमेश्वरः ।। ४.

Remember Nārāyaṇa, the teacher, with complete devotion; with offerings of flowers, incense, and the satisfying of Brāhmaṇas; by steady meditation, the Supreme Lord is quickly attained.

अश्वशिरा उवाच । भवन्तौ मम संदेहमेकं छेत्तुमिहार्हतः । येन छिन्नेन जायेत मम संसारविच्युतिः ।। ५.

Aśvaśirā said: 'You both are worthy to dispel one doubt of mine here, by the removal of which I may be freed from worldly existence.'

एवमुक्ते नृपतिना तदा योगिवरो मुनिः । कपिलः प्राह धर्मात्मा राजानं यजतां वरम् ।। ५.

When the king had spoken thus, then the foremost sage among yogis, Kapila, righteous in soul, addressed the king, the best among those who perform sacrifices.

कपिल उवाच । कस्ते मनसि संदेहो राजन् परमधार्मिक । छिन्दामि येन तच्छ्रुत्वा ब्रूहि यत्तेऽभिवाञ्छितम् ।। ५.

Kapila said: 'What is the doubt in your mind, O king, supremely righteous one? Tell me what you desire; hearing it, I will dispel it.'

राजोवाच । कर्मणा प्राप्यते मोक्ष उताहो ज्ञानिना मुने । एतन्मे संशयं छिन्धि यदि मेऽनुग्रहः कृतः ।। ५.

The king said: 'Is liberation attained by action, or by knowledge, O sage? Remove this doubt of mine, if you have shown me your favor.'

कपिल उवाच । इमं प्रश्नं महाराज पुरा पृष्टो बृहस्पतिः । रैभ्येण ब्रह्मपुत्रेण राज्ञा च वसुना पुरा । वसुरासीन्नृपश्रेष्ठो विद्वान् दानपतिः पुरा ।। ५.

Kapila said: 'This question, O great king, was formerly asked of Bṛhaspati by Raibhya, the son of Brahmā, and by the king Vasu in ancient times. Vasu was a foremost king, learned and generous in days of old.'

चाक्षुषस्य मनोः काले ब्रह्मणोऽन्वयवर्द्धनः । वसुश्च ब्रह्मणः सद्म गतवांस्तद्दिदृक्षया ।। ५.

In the time of Cākṣuṣa Manu, Vasu, who increased the lineage of Brahmā, went to the abode of Brahmā out of desire to see him.