Varaha Purana

स पूजितो मुनिः प्राह किमर्थं तप्यते तपः । राजन् कथय धर्मज्ञ किं ते कार्यं विवक्षितम् ।। ४४.

Honored, the sage spoke: 'For what purpose are you practicing austerity? O king, tell me, knower of dharma, what is the task you wish to accomplish?'

राजोवाच । अपुत्रोऽहं महाभाग नास्ति मे पुत्रसंततिः । तेन मे तप आंस्थाय कृष्यते स्वतनुर्द्विज ।। ४४.

The king said: O most fortunate one, I am without a son; I have no lineage of sons. Therefore, I am afflicted by this austerity, and my own body is tormented, O twice-born one.

याज्ञवल्क्य उवाच । अलं ते तपसाऽनेन महाक्लेशेन पार्थिव । अल्पायासेन ते पुत्रो भविष्यति न संशयः ।। ४४.

Yajnavalkya said: Enough of this austerity, O king, with such great hardship. With little effort, you will have a son—there is no doubt.

राजोवाच । कथं मे भविता पुत्रो अल्पायासेन वै द्विज । एतन्मे कथय प्रीतो भगवन् प्रणतस्य ह ।। ४४.

The king said: How will I obtain a son with little effort, O twice-born one? Please tell me this, O blessed one, who is pleased with me as I bow before you.

दुर्वासा उवाच । एवमुक्तो मुनिस्तेन पार्थिवेन यशस्विना । आचख्यौ द्वादशीं चेमां वैशाखे सितपक्षजाम् ।। ४४.

Durvasa said: Thus addressed by that renowned king, the sage explained this Dvadashi observance, which occurs in the bright fortnight of Vaishakha.

स हि राजा विधानेन पुत्रकामो विशेषतः । उपोष्य लब्धवान् पुत्रं नलं परमधार्मिकम् । योऽद्यापि कीर्त्यते लोके पुण्यश्लोको नरोत्तमः ।। ४४.

That king, especially desiring a son, observed the vow as prescribed, and obtained a son named Nala, supremely righteous, who is still praised in the world today as a most virtuous and noble man.

प्रासङ्गिकं फलं ह्येतद् गतस्यास्य महामुने । सुपुत्रो जायते वित्तविद्यावान् कान्तिरुत्तमा ।। ४४.

This is the incidental result for one who performs it, O great sage: a good son is born, possessing wealth, knowledge, and excellent beauty.

इह जन्मनि किं चित्रं परलोके श्रृणुष्व मे । कल्पमेकं ब्रह्मलोके वसित्वाऽप्सरसां गणैः ।। ४४.

Hear from me what is remarkable in the next world, beyond this birth: after dwelling for one kalpa in Brahma's world among the hosts of Apsaras,

क्रीडत्यन्ते पुनः सृष्टौ चक्रवर्ती भवेद् ध्रुवम् । त्रिंशत्यब्दसहस्त्राणि जीवते नात्र संशयः ।। ४४.

At the end of his sport, upon creation again, he surely becomes a universal monarch, living for thirty thousand years—of this there is no doubt.

दुर्वासा उवाच । ज्येष्ठमासेऽप्येवमेवं संकल्प्य विधिना नरः । अर्चयेत् परमं देवं पुष्पैर्नानाविधैः शुभैः ।। ४५.

Durvasa said: In the month of Jyeshtha, in the same way, a man should resolve and, according to the rite, worship the Supreme Lord with various auspicious flowers.

नमो रामाभिरामाय पादौ पूर्वं समर्चयेत् । त्रिविक्रमायेति कटिं धृतविश्वाय चोदरम् ।। ४५.

He should first worship the feet with the words, 'Homage to Rama, the delight of Rama,' then the waist with 'Trivikrama,' and the abdomen with 'Holder of the universe.'

उरः संवत्सरायेति कण्ठं संवर्त्तकाय च । सर्वास्त्रधारिणे बाहू स्वनाम्नाऽब्जरथाङ्गकौ ।। ४५.

He should worship the chest with 'Year,' the neck with 'Samvartaka,' the arms with 'Bearer of all weapons,' and the two lotus-chariot-armed ones by their own names.

सहस्त्रशिरसेऽभ्यर्च्य शिरस्तस्य महात्मनः । एवमभ्यर्च्य विधिवत् प्रागुक्तं कुम्भं विन्यसेत् ।। ४५.

Having worshipped the thousand-headed great soul's head, in this manner, according to the rite, he should then place the previously mentioned pot.

प्राग्वद् वस्त्रयुगच्छन्नौ सौवर्णौ रामलक्ष्मणौ । अर्चयित्वा विधानेन प्रभाते ब्राह्मणाय तौ । दातव्यौ मनसा काममीहता पुरुषेण तु ।। ४५.

As before, covering them with a pair of cloths, the golden images of Rama and Lakshmana, having worshipped them according to the rite, in the morning, one who desires a wish should give them to a Brahmin with a devoted mind.

अपुत्रेण पुरा पृष्टो राज्ञा दशरथेन च । पुत्रकामपरः पश्चाद् वसिष्ठः परमार्चितः ।। ४५.

Once, King Dasharatha, being without a son, asked this, and later, desiring a son, he especially worshipped Vasistha.

इदमेव विधानं तु कथयामास स द्विजः । प्राग्रहस्यं विदित्वा तु स राजा कृतवानिदम् ।। ४५.

That twice-born sage then explained this very rite, and knowing the proper procedure, the king performed it.

तस्य पुत्रः स्वयं जज्ञे रामनामा सुतो बली । चतुर्द्धा सोऽव्ययो विष्णुः परितुष्टो महामुने । एतदैहिकमाख्यातं पारत्रिकमतः श्रृणु ।। ४५.

His son was born of his own accord—a powerful son named Rama. Vishnu, the imperishable one, was pleased and manifested in fourfold form, O great sage. This is the result in this world; now hear the result in the next.

तावद् भोगान् भुञ्जते स्वर्गसंस्थो यावदिन्द्रा दश च द्विद्विसंख्या । अतीतकाले पुनरेत्य मर्त्त्यो भवेत राजा शतयज्ञयाजी । नश्यन्ति पापानि च तस्य पुंसः प्राप्नोति निर्वाणमलं च शाश्वतम् ।। ४५.

He enjoys pleasures in heaven as long as ten Indras, twice that number, reign. When that time has passed, he is born again as a mortal and becomes a king who has performed a hundred sacrifices. All his sins are destroyed, and he attains eternal liberation.

दुर्वासा उवाच । आषाढेऽप्येवमेवं तु संकल्प्य विधिना नरः । अर्चयेत् परमं देवं गन्धपुष्पैरनेकशः ।। ४६.

Durvasa said: In the month of Ashadha, in the same way, a man should resolve and, according to the rite, worship the Supreme Lord many times with fragrant flowers.

वासुदेवाय पादौ तु कटिं संकर्षणाय च । प्रद्युम्नायेति जठरं अनिरुद्धाय वै उरः ।। ४६.

To Vāsudeva, the feet; to Saṃkarṣaṇa, the hips; to Pradyumna, the abdomen; and to Aniruddha, indeed, the chest.

चक्रपाणयेति भुजौ कण्ठं भूपतये तथा । स्वनाम्ना शङ्खचक्रौ तु पुरुषायेति वै शिरः ।। ४६.

To the wielder of the discus, the arms; to the lord of the earth, the neck; by his own names, the conch and discus; and to the Purusha, indeed, the head.

एवमभ्यर्च्य मेधावी प्राग्वत्तस्याग्रतो घटम् । विन्यस्य वस्त्रसंयुक्तं तस्योपरि ततो न्यसेत् । काञ्चनं वासुदेवं तु चतुर्व्यूहं सनातनम् ।। ४६.

Thus, having worshipped, the wise one should, as before, place a pot in front of him, covered with cloth, and above it then set a golden image of Vāsudeva, the eternal fourfold form.

तमभ्यर्च्य विधानेन गन्धपुष्पादिभिः क्रमात् । प्राग्वत् तं ब्राह्मणे दद्याद् वेदवादिनि सुव्रते । एवं नियमयुक्तस्य यत्पुण्यं तच्छृणुष्व मे ।। ४६.

Having worshipped him according to the prescribed method, with fragrance, flowers, and so on, in order, as before, he should give it to a Brahmin who is learned in the Vedas and of virtuous conduct; now hear from me the merit of one who observes this discipline.

वसुदेवोऽभवद् राजा यदुवंशविवर्द्धनः । देवकी तस्य भार्या तु समानव्रतधारिणी ।। ४६.

Vasudeva became king, the enhancer of the Yadu lineage; Devakī was his wife, holding the same vows.

सा त्वपुत्राऽभवत् साध्वी पतिधर्मपरायणा । तस्य कालेन महता नारदोऽभ्यगमद् गृहम् ।। ४६.

She was without children, virtuous, devoted to her husband's duty; after a long time, Nārada came to their house.

वसुदेवेनासौ भक्त्या पूजितो वाक्यमब्रवीत् । वसुदेव श्रुणुष्व त्वं देवकार्यं ममानघ । श्रुत्वैतां च कथां शीघ्रमागतोऽस्मि तवान्तिकम् ।। ४६.

Having been worshipped by Vasudeva with devotion, he spoke: 'Vasudeva, listen, O sinless one, to my divine purpose; having heard this story, I have quickly come to you.'

पृथिवी देवसमितौ मया दृष्टा यदूत्तम । गत्वा च जल्पती भारं न शक्ता ऊहितुं सुराः ।। ४६.

O best of the Yadus, I saw the earth in the assembly of the gods; having gone there, the gods are unable to bear her burden.

सौभकंसजरासन्धाः पुनर्नरक एव च । कुरुपाञ्चालभोजाश्च बलिनो दानवाः सुराः । पीडयन्ति समेता मां तान् हनध्वं सुरोत्तमाः ।। ४६.

Saubha, Kaṃsa, Jarāsandha, and again Naraka, as well as the powerful Kurus, Pāñcālas, Bhojas, and the Dānavas—these gods, united, oppress me; O best of gods, slay them.

एवमुक्ताः पृथिव्या ते देवा नारायणं गताः । मनसा स च देवेशः प्रत्यक्षस्तत् क्षणात् बभौ ।। ४६.

Thus addressed by the earth, those gods went to Nārāyaṇa; and the lord of the gods, by his mind, appeared before them at that moment.