Varaha Purana

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.'

संवर्त्त उवाच । मत्पिता हिंसकस्त्वासीदहं तस्माद् विशेषतः । भवन्तः पापकर्माणः संजाता मम पुत्रकाः ।। ४१.

Saṃvarta said: 'My father was violent, and I am especially so because of him; you, my sons, have thus been born with sinful actions.'

इदानीं मृगचर्माणि परिधाय यतव्रताः । चरघ्वं पञ्चवर्षाणि ततः शुद्धा भविष्यथ ।। ४१.

Now, wearing deer skins and observing vows of restraint, you must dwell in the forest for five years; after that, you will become purified.

एवमुक्तास्तु ते पुत्रा मृगचर्मोपवीतिनः । वनं विविशुरव्यग्रा जपन्तो ब्रह्म शाश्वतम् ।। ४१.

Thus addressed, those sons, wearing deer skins as their upper garment, entered the forest without anxiety, reciting the eternal Brahman.

तथा वर्षे व्यतिक्रान्ते वीरधन्वा महीपतिः । तत्राजगाम यस्मिंस्ते चरन्ति मृगरूपिणः ।। ४१.

When the year had passed in this way, King Vīradhanvan came to that place where they, in the forms of deer, were dwelling.

ते चाप्येकतरोर्मूले मृगचर्म्मोपवीतिनः । जपन्तः संस्थितास्ते हि राज्ञा दृष्ट्वा मृगा इति । मत्वा विद्धास्तु युगपन्मृतास्ते ब्रह्मवादिनः ।। ४१.

There, at the foot of a certain tree, those wearing deer skins as their upper garment were standing, reciting; the king, seeing them, thought they were deer and, shooting at them all at once, killed those speakers of Brahman.

तान् दृष्ट्वा तु मृतान् राजा ब्राह्मणान् संशितव्रतान् । भयेन वेपमानस्तु देवराताश्रमं ययौ । तत्रापृच्छद् ब्रह्मवध्या ममायाता महामुने ।। ४१.

Seeing those brāhmaṇas, steadfast in their vows, lying dead, the king, trembling with fear, went to the hermitage of Devarāta and there asked, 'Great sage, I have incurred the sin of killing brāhmaṇas.'

आमूल्य तद् वधं वृत्तं कथयित्वा नराधिपः । भृशं शोकपरीतात्मा रुरोद भृशदुःखितः ।। ४१.

Having recounted the entire event of the killing, the king, his heart overwhelmed with grief, wept in great sorrow.

स ऋषिर्देवरातस्तु रुदन्तं नृपसत्तमम् । उवाच मा भैर्नृपते अपनेष्यामि पातकम् ।। ४१.

Then the sage Devarāta spoke to the best of kings, who was weeping: 'Do not fear, O king; I shall remove your sin.'

पाताले सुतलाख्ये च यथा धात्री निमज्जती । उद्धृता देवदेवेन विष्णुना क्रोडमूर्त्तिना ।। ४१.

Just as the earth, called Sutala, sank into the netherworld and was lifted up by the god Vishnu, taking the form of a boar,

तद्वद् भवन्तं राजेन्द्र ब्रह्मवध्यापरिप्लुतम् । उद्धरिष्यति देवोऽसौ स्वयमेव जनार्दनः ।। ४१.

In the same way, O king, you, overwhelmed by the sin of killing a Brahmin, will be rescued by that god Janardana himself.

एवमुक्तस्ततो राजा हर्षितो वाक्यमब्रवीत् । कतरेण प्रकारेण स मे देवः प्रसीदति । प्रसन्ने चाशुभं सर्वं येन नश्यति सत्तम ।। ४१.

Thus addressed, the king, delighted, spoke: 'By what means does that god show favor to me? When he is pleased, by what does all misfortune vanish, O noble one?'

दुर्वासा उवाच । एवमुक्तो मुनिस्तेन देवरात इमं व्रतम् । आचख्यौ सोऽपि तं कृत्वा भुक्त्वा भोगान्सुपुष्कलान् ।। ४१.

Durvasa said: Thus addressed by the king, Devarata explained this vow; he performed it, enjoyed abundant pleasures,

मुत्युकाले मुनिश्रेष्ठ सौवर्णेन विराजता । विमानेनागमत् स्वर्गमिन्द्रलोकं स पार्थिवः ।। ४१.

At the time of death, O best of sages, that king ascended to heaven, to Indra's realm, in a golden, radiant chariot.

तस्येन्द्रस्त्वर्घ्यमादाय प्रत्युत्थानेन निर्ययौ । आयान्तमिन्द्रं दृष्ट्वा तु तमूचुर्विष्णुकिंकराः । न द्रष्टव्यो देवराजस्त्वद्धीनस्तपसा इति ।। ४१.

Indra took the offering and came out to greet him; seeing Indra approaching, Vishnu's attendants said: 'The king of gods should not be seen by one lacking in austerity.'

एवं सर्वे लोकपाला निर्ययुस्तस्य तेजसा । प्रत्याख्याताश्च तैर्विष्णुकिंकरैर्हीनकर्मणः । एवं स सत्यलोकान्तं गतो राजा महामुने ।। ४१.

Thus, all the guardians of the worlds came out, drawn by his radiance; but Vishnu's attendants rejected them, for their deeds were insufficient. In this way, the king reached the end of the world of truth, O great sage.

अपुनर्मारके लोके दाहप्रलयवर्ज्जिते । अद्यापि तिष्ठते देवैः स्तूयमानो महानृपः । प्रसन्ने यज्ञपुरुषे किं चित्रं येन तद्भवेत् ।। ४१.

In the world free from death, from burning and destruction, even now that great king remains, praised by the gods. When the Lord of Sacrifice is pleased, what wonder can there be?

इह जन्मनि सौभाग्यमायुरारोग्यसम्पदः । एकैका विधिनोपास्ता ददात्यमृतमुत्तमम् ।। ४१.

In this life, fortune, longevity, health, and wealth—each is bestowed by worship according to the prescribed method, granting the highest immortality.

किं पुनर्वर्षसंपूर्णे स ददाति स्वकं पदम् । नारायणश्चतुर्मूर्त्तिः परार्ध्यं च न संशयः ।। ४१.

What then, when the full year is completed? He gives his own abode—Narayana, the four-formed, supreme and precious; there is no doubt.

यथैवोद्धृतवान् वेदान् मत्स्यरूपेण केशवः । क्षीराम्बुधौ मथ्यमाने मन्दरं धृतवान् प्रभुः । तद्वच्च कूर्मरूपाख्या द्वितीया पश्य वैष्णवी ।। ४१.

Just as Keshava, in the form of a fish, rescued the Vedas; as the Lord held Mount Mandara during the churning of the ocean; so too, see the second Vaishnava form, called Kurma, the tortoise.

यथा रसातलात् क्ष्मां च धृतवान् पुरुषोत्तमः । वराहरूपी तद्वच्च तृतीया पश्य वैष्णवी ।। ४१.

Just as the Supreme Person, in the form of a boar, lifted the earth from the netherworld; so too, see the third Vaishnava form.