Varaha Purana

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.

सत्यतपा उवाच । भगवन् यदि विज्ञानं शरीरं नोपजायते । तदा केन प्रकारेण परं ब्रह्मोपलभ्यते ।। ३९.

Satyatapa said: O Lord, if knowledge does not arise in the body, then by what means can the Supreme Brahman be realized?

दुर्वासा उवाच । कर्मकाण्डं ज्ञानमूलं ज्ञानं कर्मादिकं तथा । एतयोरन्तरं नास्ति यथाऽश्ममृदयोर्मुने ।। ३९.

Durvasa said: The ritual acts are rooted in knowledge, and knowledge likewise arises from ritual acts; there is no difference between the two, O sage, just as between two stones.

कर्मकाण्डं चतुर्भेदं ब्राह्मणादिषु कीर्तितम् । तत्र वेदोक्तकर्माणि त्रयः कुर्वन्ति नित्यशः । त्रिशुश्रूषामथैकस्तु एषा वेदोदिता क्रिया ।। ३९.

The ritual acts are described as fourfold among Brahmins and others; among them, three perform the Vedic rites regularly, while the fourth serves the three—this is the action prescribed by the Veda.

एतान् धर्मानवस्थाय ब्रह्मणोपास्तिं रोचते । तस्य मुक्तिर्भवेन्नूनं वेदवादरतस्य च ।। ३९.

By steadfastly following these duties, devotion to Brahman becomes pleasing; surely, liberation comes to one devoted to the teachings of the Veda.

सत्यतपा उवाच । यदेतत् परमं ब्रह्म त्वया प्रोक्तं महामुने । तस्य रूपं न जानन्ति योगिनोऽपि महात्मनः ।। ३९.

Satyatapa said: O great sage, this Supreme Brahman you have described—even great yogis do not know its form.

अनाममसगोत्रं च अमूर्त्तं मूर्त्तिवर्जितम् । कथं स ज्ञायते ब्रह्म संज्ञानामविवर्जितम् । तस्य संज्ञां कथय मे वेदमार्गव्यवस्थिताम् ।। ३९.

It is without name, without lineage, formless, and beyond form—how can Brahman, which is beyond all designations, be known? Tell me its designation as established in the Vedic path.

दुर्वासा उवाच । यदेतत् परमं ब्रह्म वेदव्यासेषु पठ्यते । स देवः पुण्डरीकाक्षः स्वयं नारायणः परः ।। ३९.

Durvasa said: That Supreme Brahman, which is spoken of in the Vedas and the Puranas, is the god with lotus eyes, Narayana himself, the Supreme.

स यज्ञैर्विविधैरिष्टैर्दानैर्दत्तैश्च सत्तम । प्राप्यते परमो देवः स्वयं नारायणो हरिः ।। ३९.

He, the Supreme Lord Narayana, Hari, is attained through various sacrifices, offerings, and gifts, O best of men.

सत्यतपा उवाच । भगवन् बहुवित्तेन ऋत्विग्भिर्वेदपारगैः । प्राप्यते पुण्यकृद्भिर्हि क्वचिद् यज्ञः कथंचन । तेन प्राप्तेन भगवान् लभ्यते दुःखतो हरिः ।। ३९.

Satyatapa said: O Lord, sometimes sacrifices are performed with great wealth by priests learned in the Vedas and by the virtuous; yet even then, Hari is attained only with difficulty.

वित्तेन च विना दानं दातुं विप्र न शक्यते । विद्यमानेऽपि न मतिः कुटुम्बासक्तचेतसः । तस्य मोक्षः कथं ब्रह्मन् सर्वथा दुर्लभो हरिः ।। ३९.

Without wealth, it is not possible to give gifts, O Brahmin; and even when wealth is present, those attached to their families do not have the inclination. How, then, can such a person attain liberation? Hari is indeed difficult to attain in every way.