Varaha Purana

तस्य चिन्तयतः पात्रमाकाशात् पतितं शुभम् । सौवर्णं सिद्धिसंयुक्तं तज्जग्राह करेण सः ।। ३८.

As he pondered, a pure vessel fell from the sky, golden and endowed with success; he took it in his hand.

तद् गृहीत्वा मुनिं प्राह दुर्वासाख्यं ससाध्वसः । अत्रैव स्थीयतां ब्रह्मन् यावद् भिक्षाटनं त्वहम् । करोमि तत्प्रसादोऽयं क्रियतां ब्रह्मवित्तम ।। ३८.

Taking it, he spoke to the sage named Durvāsas, trembling: 'Please remain here, O brahmin, while I go to seek alms; let this favor be granted, O knower of Brahman.'

एवमुक्त्वा ततो भिक्षामटनं व्याधसत्तमः । नातिदूरेण नगरं धनयोषसमन्वितम् ।। ३८.

Having spoken thus, the best of hunters went to seek alms, not far from there, to a city filled with wealth and women.

तस्य तत्र प्रयातस्य अग्रतः सर्वशोभनाः । वृक्षेभ्यो निर्ययुश्चान्या हेमपात्राग्रपाणयः । विविधान्नानि तस्याशु दत्त्वा पात्रं प्रपूरितम् ।। ३८.

As he arrived there, all the most beautiful women came forth from the trees, golden vessels in hand, and quickly filled his vessel with various foods.

स च भूतार्थमात्मानं मत्वा पुनरथाश्रमम् । आजगाम ततोऽपश्यत् तमृषिं जपतां वरम् ।। ३८.

Considering his purpose accomplished, he returned again to the hermitage and saw the sage, the best among those who recite prayers.

तं दृष्ट्वा स्थाप्य तां भिक्षां शुचौ देशे प्रसन्नधीः । प्रणम्य तमृषिं वाक्यमुवाच व्याधसत्तमः ।। ३८.

Seeing him, he placed the alms in a pure place, his mind serene, and, bowing to the sage, the best of hunters spoke these words.

भगवन् क्षालनं पद्भ्यां क्रियतामृषिपुंगव । यदि त्वहमनुग्राह्यस्तदेवं कर्त्तुमर्हसि ।। ३८.

'O Lord, let your feet be washed, O foremost of sages; if I am worthy of your grace, please allow me to do this.'

एवमुक्तः स जिज्ञासुस्तपोवीर्यं शुभं मुनिः । नदीं गन्तुं न शक्नोमि जलपात्रं न चास्ति मे ।। ३८.

Thus addressed, the sage, wishing to test the power of his austerity, said: 'I cannot go to the river, nor do I have a vessel for water.'

कथं प्रक्षालयाम्याशु व्याध पादौ महामते । इत्येतन्मुनिना व्याधः श्रुत्वा चिन्तापरोऽभवत् । किं करोमि कथं चास्य भोजनं वै भविष्यति ।। ३८.

'How can I quickly wash your feet, O wise hunter?'—hearing this from the sage, the hunter became absorbed in thought: 'What shall I do, and how will he eat?'

एवं संचिन्त्य मनसा गुरुं स्मृत्वा विचक्षणः । जगाम शरणं तां तु सरितं देविकां सुधीः ।। ३८.

Thinking thus in his mind, remembering his teacher, the wise one took refuge in the river Devikā.

व्याध उवाच । व्याधोऽस्मि पापकर्माऽस्मि ब्रह्महाऽस्मि सरिद्वरे । तथापि संस्मृता देवि पाहि मां शरणं गतम् ।। ३८.

The hunter said: 'I am a hunter, a sinner, a slayer of brahmins, O holy river; yet, remembering you, O goddess, protect me who has come for refuge.'

देवतां नैव जानामि न मन्त्रं न तथार्चनम् । गुरुपादौ परं ध्यात्वा पश्यामि सततं शुभे ।। ३८.

I do not know the deity, nor the mantra, nor the proper worship; I simply meditate on the feet of my teacher, O auspicious one, and see them always.

एवं विधस्य मे देवि दयां कुरु सरिद्वरे । ऋषेः क्षालार्थसलिलं समीपं कुरु माचिरम् ।। ३८.

O best of rivers, have compassion on me, who am thus; quickly bring water here for the sage to wash.

एवमुक्त्वाऽथ व्याधेन देविका पापनाशिनी । आजगाम यतस्तस्थौ दुर्वासाः संशितव्रतः ।। ३८.

Having spoken thus by the hunter, the sin-destroying Devikā came to the place where the steadfast Durvāsas was staying.

तस्य पादौ स्वयं देवी क्षालयन्ती सरिद्वरा । जगाम ह्रादिनी भूत्वा व्याधाश्रमसमीपतः ।। ३८.

The river goddess herself, washing the sage's feet, became a swift current and went near the hunter's hermitage.

तं दृष्ट्वा महदाश्चर्यं दुर्वसा विस्मयं ययौ । प्रक्षाल्य हस्तौ पादौ च तदन्तं श्रद्धयान्वितम् । बुभुजे परमप्रीतस्तथाचम्य विचक्षणः ।। ३८.

Seeing this great wonder, Durvāsas was amazed; after washing his hands and feet, with devotion, he ate with supreme delight, having sipped water, wise as he was.

तमस्थिशेषं व्याधं तु क्षुधादुर्बलतां गतम् । उवाच वेदाध्ययनं सर्वे वेदाः ससंग्रहाः । ब्रह्मविद्या पुराणानि प्रत्यक्षाणि भवन्तु ते ।। ३८.

To that hunter, emaciated and weakened by hunger, he said: 'Let the study of the Vedas, all the Vedas with their collections, the knowledge of Brahman, and the Purāṇas become directly manifest to you.'

एवं प्रादाद् वरं तस्य दुर्वासा नाम चाकरोत् । भवान् सत्यतपा नाम ऋषिराद्यो भविष्यति ।। ३८.

Thus Durvāsas granted him the boon and said: 'You will become the sage named Satyatapas, foremost among ascetics.'

एवं दत्तवरो व्याधस्तमाह मुनिसत्तमम् । व्याधो भूत्वा कथं ब्रह्मन् वेदानध्यापयाम्यहम् ।। ३८.

Having received the boon, the hunter spoke to the eminent sage: 'How, being a hunter, can I teach the Vedas, O Brāhmaṇa?'

ऋषिरुवाच । प्राक्शरीरं गतं तेऽद्य निराहारस्य सत्तम । तपोमयं शरीरं ते पृथग्भूतं न संशयः ।। ३८.

The sage said: 'Today, O noble one, your former body, sustained without food, has departed; your body is now made of austerity, distinct—there is no doubt.'

प्राग्विज्ञानं गतं नाशमिदानीं शुद्धमक्षरम् । विद्धि तं शुद्धकायोऽसि तथाऽन्यत् ते शरीरकम् । तेन वेदाः समं शास्त्रैः प्रतिभास्यन्ति ते मुने ।। ३८.

Your previous knowledge has now been destroyed; now you are pure and imperishable. Know that you are of pure body, and your other body is separate. Therefore, the Vedas along with the scriptures will appear clearly to you, O sage.

सत्यतपा उवाच । भगवन् द्वे शरीरे तु इति यत्परिकीर्त्तितम् । तन्मे कथय भेदं वै के ते ब्रह्मविदां वर ।। ३९.

Satyatapas said: 'O Lord, you have spoken of two bodies; tell me their distinction, O best of knowers of Brahman.'

दुर्वासा उवाच । न द्वे त्रीणि शरीराणि वाच्यं तद्विपरीतकम् । विभोगायतनं चैव त्रिशरीराणि प्राणिनाम् ।। ३९.

Durvāsas said: 'Not two, but three bodies must be spoken of; it is otherwise. For living beings, there are three bodies as the basis of experience.'

प्रागवस्थमधर्माख्यं परिज्ञानविवर्जितम् । अपरं सव्रतं तद्धि ज्ञेयमत्यन्तधार्मिकम् ।। ३९.

The first is called the state of unrighteousness, devoid of discernment; the second, endowed with vows, should be known as supremely righteous.

धर्माधर्मोपभोगाय यत् तृतीयमतीन्द्रियम् । तत्त्रिभेदं विनिर्दिष्टं ब्रह्मविद्भिर्विचक्षणैः । यातना धर्मभोगश्च भुक्तिश्चेति त्रिभेदकम् ।। ३९.

The third, which is beyond the senses, is for the experience of both righteousness and unrighteousness. This threefold division is declared by the wise knowers of Brahman: suffering, enjoyment of righteousness, and ordinary enjoyment—these are the three kinds.

यस्तु भावः पुरा ह्यासीत् प्राणिनो निघ्नतः स वै । तत्पापाख्यं शरीरं ते पापसंज्ञं तदुच्यते ।। ३९.

The state that existed before, when the being was a killer, that body is called sinful; it is known as the sinful body.

इदानीं शुभवृत्तिं तु कुर्वतस्तप आर्जवम् । अपरं धर्मरूपं तु शरीरं ते व्यवस्थितम् । तेन वेदपुराणानि ज्ञातुमर्हस्यसंशयम् ।। ३९.

Now, by performing auspicious acts, austerity, and sincerity, another body, of the nature of righteousness, has been established for you. By that, you are certainly able to know the Vedas and Purāṇas.

यदाष्टाकं संपरिवर्त्तते पुमां- स्तदा त्र्यवस्थः परिकीर्त्यते तु वै । गताष्टवर्गस्त्रिगतः सदा शुभः स्थिरो भवेदात्मनि निश्चयात्मवान् ।। ३९.

When the eightfold group is transformed in a person, then he is said to have three states. Having gone beyond the eightfold group, established in the three, always auspicious, he becomes steady in the self, endowed with firm resolve.

यदा पञ्च पुनः पञ्च पञ्च पञ्चापि संत्यजेत् । एकमार्गस्तदा ब्रह्म शाश्वतं लभते नरः ।। ३९.

When the five, again and again, abandon the five, and even the five, then, following the single path, a man attains the eternal Brahman.