Varaha Purana

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.

अल्पायासेन लभ्येत येन देवः सनातनः । तन्मे सामान्यतो ब्रूहि सर्ववर्णेषु यद् भवेत् ।। ३९.

By what means may the eternal God be attained with little effort? Tell me, in general, what is suitable for all classes.

दुर्वासा उवाच । कथयामि परं गुह्यं रहस्यं देवनिर्मितम् । धरण्या यत्कृतं पूर्वं मज्जन्त्या तु रसातले ।। ३९.

Durvasa said: I will tell you the supreme secret, a mystery created by the gods, which was performed by the Earth when she was sinking into the netherworld.

पृथिव्याः पार्थिवो भावः सलिले नातिरेचितः । तस्मिन् सलिलमग्ने तु पृथ्वी प्रायाद् रसातलम् ।। ३९.

The earthly nature of the earth was not excessive in the waters; when the earth was submerged in the waters, she went to the netherworld.

सा भूतधारिणी देवी रसातलगता शुभा । आराधयामास विभुं देवं नारायणं परम् । उपवासव्रतैर्देवी नियमैश्च पृथग्विधैः ।। ३९.

That auspicious goddess, the supporter of beings, having gone to the netherworld, worshipped the Supreme Lord Narayana with fasting, vows, and various disciplines.

कालेन महता तस्याः प्रसन्नो गरुडध्वजः । उज्जहार स्थितौ चेमां स्थापयामास सोऽव्ययः ।। ३९.

After a long time, the Lord with the Garuda banner, pleased with her, lifted her up and established her in her place; that imperishable one did so.

सत्यतपा उवाच । कोऽसौ धरण्या संचीर्ण उपवासो महामुने । कानि व्रतानि च तथा एतन्मे वक्तुमर्हसि ।। ३९.

Satyatapa said: O great sage, what was the fast observed by the Earth? What were the vows? You ought to tell me this.

दुर्वासा उवाच । यदा मार्गशिरे मासि दशम्यां नियतात्मवान् । कृत्वा देवार्चनं धीमानग्निकार्यं यथाविधि ।। ३९.

Durvasa said: When, in the month of Margashirsha, on the tenth day, a self-controlled person, having worshipped the gods and performed the fire ritual as prescribed—

शुचिवासाः प्रसन्नात्मा हव्यमन्नं सुसंस्कृतम् । भुक्त्वा पञ्चपदं गत्वा पुनः शौचं तु पादयोः ।। ३९.

Wearing clean clothes, with a serene mind, having eaten well-prepared sacrificial food, and after walking five steps, one should again wash the feet.

कृत्वाऽष्टाङ्गुलमात्रं तु क्षीरवृक्षसमुद्भवम् । भक्षयेद् दन्तकाष्ठं तु तत आचम्य यत्नतः ।। ३९.

Taking a stick of about eight finger-breadths, made from a milk-bearing tree, one should use it as a tooth-cleaner, and then carefully perform ācamana (ritual sipping of water).

स्पृष्ट्वा द्वाराणि सर्वाणि चिरं ध्यात्वा जनार्दनम् । शङ्खचक्रगदापाणिं किरीटिं पीतवाससम् ।। ३९.

After touching all the doors and meditating for a long time on Janārdana, who holds the conch, discus, and mace, who wears a crown and yellow garments,