Varaha Purana

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.

दुर्वासा उवाच । तद्वत् फाल्गुनमासे तु शुक्लपक्षे तु द्वादशीम् । उपोष्य प्रोक्तविधिना हरिमाराधयेत् सुधीः ।। ४२.

Durvasa said: In the same way, in the month of Phalguna, on the twelfth day of the bright fortnight, one should fast and worship Hari with the prescribed method, O wise one.

नरसिंहाय पादौ तु गोविन्दायेत्युरू तथा । कटिं विश्वभुजे पूज्य अनिरुद्धेत्युरस्तथा ।। ४२.

For Narasimha, worship the feet; for Govinda, the thighs; for Vishvabhuja, the waist; for Aniruddha, the arms.

कण्ठं तु शितिकण्ठाय पिङ्गकेशाय वै शिरः । असुरध्वंसनायेति चक्रं तोयात्मने तथा । शङ्खमित्येव संपूज्य गन्धपुष्पफलैस्तथा ।। ४२.

For Shitikaṇṭha, worship the neck; for Piṅgakeśa, the head; for the destroyer of demons, the discus; for the water-formed, the conch; worship each with sandal, flowers, and fruits.

तदग्रे घटमादाय सितवस्त्रयुगान्वितम् । तस्योपरि नृसिहं तु सौवर्णं ताम्रभाजने । सौवर्ण शक्तितः कृत्वा दारुवंशमयेऽपि वा ।। ४२.

In front, take a pot adorned with a pair of white cloths; above it, place a golden image of Narasimha in a copper vessel, made of gold if possible, or of wood or bamboo.

रत्नगर्भघटे स्थाप्य तं संपूज्य च मानवः । द्वादश्यां वेदविदुषे ब्राह्मणाय निवेदयेत् ।। ४२.

Having placed it in a jewel-encrusted pot and worshipped it, one should offer it to a Brahmin learned in the Vedas on the twelfth day.

एवं कृते फलं प्राप्तं यत् पुरा पार्थिवेन तु । तस्याहं संप्रवक्ष्यामि वत्सनाम्ना महामुने ।। ४२.

By doing this, the fruit obtained by the king of old—I will now tell you, O great sage, under the name Vatsa.

आसीत् किंपुरुषे वर्षे राजा परमधार्मिकः । भारतेति च विख्यातस्तस्य वत्सः सुतोऽभवत् ।। ४२.

In the land of Kimpurusha, there was a king of supreme righteousness, renowned as Bharata; his son was named Vatsa.

स शत्रुभिर्जितः संख्ये हृतकोशो द्विपादवान् । वनं प्रायात् सपत्नीको वसिष्ठस्याश्रमेऽवसत् ।। ४२.

Defeated in battle by his enemies, his treasury and elephants seized, he went to the forest with his wife and dwelled in the hermitage of Vasiṣṭha.

कालेन गच्छता सोऽथ वसिष्ठेन महर्षिणा । किं कार्यमिति स प्रोक्तो वसस्यस्मिन् महाश्रमे ।। ४२.

As time passed, the great sage Vasiṣṭha asked him, 'What is your purpose here in this great hermitage?'

राजोवाच । भगवन् हृतकोशोऽहं हृतराज्यो विशेषतः । शत्रुभिर्हतसंकल्पो भवन्तं शरणं गतः । उपदेशप्रदानेन प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि ।। ४२.

The king said: 'Revered one, my treasury and kingdom have been taken, my resolve broken by enemies; I have come to you for refuge. By giving me instruction, please show your favor.'