Varaha Purana

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,

प्रसन्नवदनं देवं सर्वलक्षणलक्षितम् । ध्यात्वा पुनर्जलं हस्ते गृह्य भानुं जनार्दनम् ।। ३९.

Meditating on the Lord with a gracious face, marked by all auspicious signs, one should again take water in hand, contemplating Janārdana, the sun-like one.

ध्यात्वाऽर्ध्यं दापयेत् तस्य करतोयेन मानवः । एवमुच्चारयेद् वाचं तस्मिन् काले महामुने ।। ३९.

Having meditated, a person should offer arghya (water offering) with his hand, and at that time, O great sage, he should recite the following words:

एकादश्यां निराहारः स्थित्वाऽहमपरेऽहनि । भोक्ष्यामि पुण्डरीकाक्ष शरणं मे भवाच्युत ।। ३९.

On the day of Ekādaśī, I will remain without food and on the following day I shall eat, O lotus-eyed one. O Acyuta, be my refuge.

एवमुक्त्वा ततो रात्रौ देवदेवस्य सन्निधौ । जपन्नारायणायेति स्वपेत् तत्र विधानतः ।। ३९.

Having spoken thus, then at night, in the presence of the Lord of gods, one should sleep there according to the rule, reciting 'Nārāyaṇāya' (obeisance to Nārāyaṇa).

ततः प्रभाते विमले नदीं गत्वा समुद्रगाम् । इतरां वा तडागं वा गृहे वा नियतात्मवान् ।। ३९.

Then, in the pure morning, going to a river that flows to the ocean, or to another pond, or at home, with a controlled mind,

आनीय मृत्तिकां शुद्धां मन्त्रेणानेन मानवः । धारणं पोषणं त्वत्तो भूतानां देवि सर्वदा । तेन सत्येन मे पापं यावन्मोचय सुव्रते ।। ३९.

One should bring pure clay, reciting this mantra: 'O goddess, from you comes the support and nourishment of beings always; by that truth, O virtuous one, free me from sin.'

ब्रह्माण्डोदरतीर्थानि करैः स्पृष्टानि देव ते । तेनेमां मृत्तिकां स्पृष्ट्वा मा लभामि त्वयोदिताम् ।। ३९.

'O god, the sacred places within the cosmic egg have been touched by your hands; by touching this clay, may I not obtain what you have declared.'

त्वयि सर्वे रसा नित्याः स्थिता वरुण सर्वदा । तेनेमां मृत्तिकां प्लाव्य पूतां कुरु ममाचिरम् ।। ३९.

'In you, O Varuṇa, all waters always abide; by that, make this clay, after washing, pure for me without delay.'

एवं मृदं तथा तोयं प्रसाद्यात्मानमालभेत् । त्रिः कृत्वा शेषमृदया कुण्डमालिख्य वै जले ।। ३९.

Thus, having purified oneself with clay and water, one should cleanse oneself; after doing this three times, one should draw a circle with the remaining clay in the water.

ततस्तत्र नरः सम्यक् चक्रवर्त्युपचारतः । स्नात्वा चावश्यकं कृत्वा पुनर्देवगृहं व्रजेत् ।। ३९.

Then, there, following the proper procedure as for a universal monarch, after bathing and performing the necessary rites, one should return again to the temple of the gods.