Varaha Purana

ॐकूर्माय पादौ प्रथमं प्रपूज्य नारायणेति हरेः कटिं च । संकर्षणायेत्युदरं विशोके- त्युरोभवायेति तथैव कण्ठम् । सुबाहवेत्येव भुजौ शिरश्च नमो विशालाय रथाङ्गसारम् ।। ४०.

First, worship the feet with the mantra 'Om, to the Tortoise'; then the waist of Hari with 'Nārāyaṇa'; the abdomen with 'Saṅkarṣaṇa'; the throat with 'Viśoka'; the arms with 'Subāhu'; the head with 'Salutations to the mighty one, the bearer of the discus.'

स्वनाममन्त्रेण सुगन्धपुष्पै- र्नानानिवेद्यैर्विविधैः फलैश्च । अभ्यर्च्य देवं कलशं तदग्रे संस्थाप्य माल्यैः सितकण्ठदाम ।। ४०.

Worship the Lord with fragrant flowers bearing your own name, with various offerings and different fruits; then, in front of the pot, adorn it with garlands and a white-necked necklace.

तं रत्नगर्भं तु पुरेव कृत्वा स्वशक्तितो हेममयं तु देवम् । समन्दरं कूर्मरूपेण कृत्वा संस्थाप्य ताम्रे घृतपूर्णपात्रे । पूर्णघटस्योपरि संनिवेश्य श्वो ब्राह्मणायैवमेवं तु दद्यात् ।। ४०.

As before, make the Lord of precious essence according to your ability, or of gold; fashion the turtle form with the ocean, and place it in a copper vessel filled with ghee; set it above the full pot, and the next day, give it in this manner to a Brahmin.

श्वो ब्राह्मणान् भोज्य सदक्षिणांश्च यथाशक्त्या प्रीणयेद् देवदेवम् । नारायणं कूर्मरूपेण पश्चाद् तथा स्वयं भुञ्जीत सभृत्यवर्गः ।। ४०.

The next day, satisfy Brahmins with food and proper gifts according to your means, and gladden the Lord of gods; then, having worshipped Nārāyaṇa in the form of the turtle, you yourself may eat together with your attendants.

एवं कृते विप्र समस्तपापं विनश्यते नात्र कुर्याद् विचारम् । संसारचक्रं तु विहाय शुद्धं प्राप्नोति लोकं च हरेः पुराणम् । प्रयान्ति पापानि विनाशमाशु श्रीमांस्तथा जायते सत्यधर्मः ।। ४०.

O Brahmin, when this is done, all sins are destroyed—of this there is no doubt; abandoning the cycle of worldly existence, one attains the pure and ancient realm of Hari; sins quickly perish, and one becomes prosperous and established in true righteousness.

अनेकजन्मान्तरसंचितानि नश्यन्ति पापानि नरस्य भक्त्या । प्रागुक्तरूपं तु फलं भवेत नारायणस्तुष्टिमायाति सद्यः ।। ४०.

The sins accumulated over countless past lives are destroyed by a man's devotion; the previously described result is obtained, and Nārāyaṇa is immediately pleased.

दुर्वासा उवाच । एवं माघे सिते पक्षे द्वादशीं धरणीभृतः । वराहस्य श्रृणुष्वाद्यां मुने परमधार्मिक ।। ४१.

Durvāsā said: In the bright fortnight of Māgha, on the twelfth day, O Upholder of the Earth, listen now, O most righteous sage, to the original vow of Varāha.

प्रागुक्तेन विधानेन संकल्पस्नानमेव च । कृत्वा देवं समभ्यर्च्य एकादश्यां विचक्षणः ।। ४१.

With the procedure previously described, and after making the resolve and bathing, the wise one should worship the Lord on the eleventh day.

धूपनैवेद्यगन्धैश्च अर्चयित्वाऽच्युतं नरः । पश्चात् तस्याग्रतः कुम्भं जलपूर्णं तु विन्यसेत् ।। ४१.

Having worshipped Acyuta with incense, offerings, and fragrances, a man should then place a water-filled pot before him.

ॐ वाराहायेति पादौ तु माधवायेति वै कटिम् । क्षेत्रज्ञायेति जठरं विश्वरूपेत्युरो हरेः ।। ४१.

Reciting 'Om Vārāhāya' at the feet, 'Mādhavāya' at the waist, 'Kṣetrajñāya' at the belly, and 'Viśvarūpa' at the chest of Hari—

सर्वज्ञायेति कण्ठं तु प्रजानां पतये शिरः । प्रद्युम्नायेति च भुजौ दिव्यास्त्राय सुदर्शनम् । अमृतोद्भवाय शङ्खं तु एष देवार्चने विधिः ।। ४१.

Reciting 'Sarvajñāya' at the throat, 'Lord of beings' at the head, 'Pradyumnāya' at the arms, 'Divine weapon' at the discus, and 'Amṛtodbhavāya' at the conch—this is the method of worshipping the deity.

एवमभ्यर्च्य मेधावी तस्मिन् कुम्भे तु विन्यसेत् । सौवर्णं रौप्यताम्रं वा पात्रं विभवशक्तितः ।। ४१.

Having worshipped in this way, the wise one should place in that pot a vessel of gold, silver, or copper, according to his means.

सर्वबीजैस्तु संपूर्णं स्थापयित्वा विचक्षणः । तत्र शक्त्या तु सौवर्णं वाराहं कारयेद् बुधः ।। ४१.

Filling it with all kinds of seeds, the discerning one should then, according to his ability, fashion a golden image of Varāha there.

दंष्ट्राग्रेणोद्धृतां पृथ्वीं सपर्वतवनद्रुमाम् । माधवं मधुहन्तारं वाराहं रूपमास्थितम् ।। ४१.

With the tip of his tusk he raised the Earth, along with her mountains, forests, and trees—Mādhava, the slayer of Madhu, assuming the form of Varāha.

सर्वबीजभृते पात्रे रत्नगर्भं घटोपरि । स्थापयेत् परमं देवं जातरूपमयं हरिम् ।। ४१.

Upon the vessel filled with all seeds, place the precious image above the pot; establish the supreme Lord Hari, made of gold.

सितवस्त्रयुगच्छन्नं ताम्रपात्रं तु वै मुने । स्थाप्यार्च्चयेद् गन्धपुष्पैर्नैवेद्यैर्विविधैः शुभैः ।। ४१.

Cover the copper vessel with a pair of white cloths, O sage, and worship it with fragrant flowers and various auspicious offerings.

पुष्पमण्डलिकां कृत्वा जागरं तत्र कारयेत् । प्रादुर्भावान् हरेस्तत्र वाचयेद् भावयेद् बुधः ।। ४१.

Having made a circle of flowers, keep vigil there; let the wise one recite and contemplate the manifestations of Hari.

एवं सन्नियमस्यान्तं प्रभाते उदिते रवौ । शुचिः स्नात्वा हरिं पूज्य ब्राह्मणाय निवेदयेत् ।। ४१.

When this observance is completed, at dawn when the sun rises, having bathed in purity and worshipped Hari, offer him to a Brahmin.

वेदवेदाङ्गविदुषे साधुवृत्ताय धीमते । विष्णुभक्ताय विप्रर्षे विशेषेण प्रदापयेत् ।। ४१.

To a Brahmin learned in the Vedas and Vedāṅgas, of good conduct and intelligence, devoted to Viṣṇu, especially should this be given, O best of sages.

देवं सकुम्भं तं दत्त्वा हरिं वाराहरूपिणम् । ब्राह्मणाय भवेद् यद्धि फलं तन्मे निशामय ।। ४१.

Listen as I declare to you the fruit that arises from giving to a brāhmaṇa the image of Hari, the Lord, in the form of Varāha, together with a water pot.

इह जन्मनि सौभाग्यं श्रीः कान्तिस्तुष्टिरेव च । दरिद्रो वित्तवान् सद्यः अपुत्रो लभते सुतम् । अलक्ष्मीर्नश्यते सद्यो लक्ष्मीः संविशते क्षणात् ।। ४१.

In this very life, one gains good fortune, prosperity, beauty, and satisfaction; the poor man becomes wealthy at once, the childless obtains a son, misfortune is destroyed immediately, and Lakṣmī enters at that very moment.

इह जन्मनि सौभाग्यं परलोके निशामय । अस्मिन्नर्थे पुरावृत्तमितिहासं पुरातनम् ।। ४१.

Here, in this life, there is good fortune; now listen to what occurs in the next world. In this regard, I will recount to you an ancient story from times past.

इह लोकेऽभवद् राजा वीरधन्वेति विश्रुतः । स कदाचिद् वनं प्रायान् मृगहेतोः परंतपः ।। ४१.

In this world, there was once a king renowned as Vīradhanvan; at one time, that subduer of enemies went to the forest for the sake of hunting deer.

व्यापादयन् मृगगणान् तत्रर्षिवनमध्यगः । जघान मृगरूपान् सोऽज्ञानतो ब्राह्मणान् नृपः ।। ४१.

While slaying groups of deer, he entered the midst of a forest of sages; there, the king, not knowing, killed brāhmaṇas who had taken the form of deer.

भ्रातरस्तत्र पञ्चाशन्मृगरूपेण संस्थिताः । संवर्तस्य सुता ब्रह्मन् वेदाध्ययनतत्पराः ।। ४१.

There, O brāhmaṇa, were fifty brothers, sons of Saṃvarta, devoted to the study of the Vedas, who had assumed the forms of deer.

सत्यतपा उवाच । कारणं किं समाश्रित्य ते चक्रुर्मृगरूपताम् । एतन्मे कौतुकं ब्रह्मन् प्रणतस्य प्रसीद मे ।। ४१.

Satyatapa spoke: 'What reason did they have for taking on the forms of deer? O brāhmaṇa, I am eager to know this—be gracious to me, who bows before you.'

दुर्वासा उवाच । ते कदाचिद् वनं याता दृष्ट्वा हरिणपोतकान् । जातमात्रान् स्वमात्रा तु विहीनान् दृश्य सत्तम । एकैकं जगृहुस्ते हि ते मृताः स्कन्धसंस्थिताः ।। ४१.

Durvāsas said: 'Once, they went to the forest and, seeing young fawns just born and abandoned by their mothers, each of them took one and, holding them on their shoulders, they died.'

ततस्ते दुःखिताः सर्वे ययुः पितरमन्तिकम् । ऊचुश्च वचनं चेदं मृगहिंसामृते मुने ।। ४१.

Then, all of them, distressed, went to their father and spoke these words to the sage regarding the killing of the deer.

ऋषिपुत्रका ऊचुः । जातमात्रा मृगाः पञ्च अस्माभिर्निहता मुने । अकामतस्ततोऽस्माकं प्रायश्चित्तं विधीयताम् ।। ४१.

The sons of the sage said: 'O sage, we have killed five deer just born; since this was done unintentionally, let expiation be prescribed for us.'