Varaha Purana

भावनां तु दृढां कुर्याद् यथा सर्वगतो हरिः । नान्यत् तत् सदृशं भूतमिति भावेन सेव्यते ।। ४.

One should cultivate firm contemplation that Hari is all-pervading; there is no other being like him—he is to be worshipped with this understanding.

एष ते ज्ञानसद्भावस्तव राजन् प्रकीर्तितः । परिपूर्णेन भावेन स्मरन् नारायणं हरिम् ।। ४.

This, O king, is the true nature of knowledge that has been declared to you: by remembering Nārāyaṇa, Hari, with complete devotion.

परिपूर्णेन बावेन स्मर नारायणं गुरुम् । पुष्पोपहारैर्धूपैश्च ब्राह्मणानां च तर्पणैः । ध्यानेन सुस्थितेनाशु प्राप्यते परमेश्वरः ।। ४.

Remember Nārāyaṇa, the teacher, with complete devotion; with offerings of flowers, incense, and the satisfying of Brāhmaṇas; by steady meditation, the Supreme Lord is quickly attained.

अश्वशिरा उवाच । भवन्तौ मम संदेहमेकं छेत्तुमिहार्हतः । येन छिन्नेन जायेत मम संसारविच्युतिः ।। ५.

Aśvaśirā said: 'You both are worthy to dispel one doubt of mine here, by the removal of which I may be freed from worldly existence.'

एवमुक्ते नृपतिना तदा योगिवरो मुनिः । कपिलः प्राह धर्मात्मा राजानं यजतां वरम् ।। ५.

When the king had spoken thus, then the foremost sage among yogis, Kapila, righteous in soul, addressed the king, the best among those who perform sacrifices.

कपिल उवाच । कस्ते मनसि संदेहो राजन् परमधार्मिक । छिन्दामि येन तच्छ्रुत्वा ब्रूहि यत्तेऽभिवाञ्छितम् ।। ५.

Kapila said: 'What is the doubt in your mind, O king, supremely righteous one? Tell me what you desire; hearing it, I will dispel it.'

राजोवाच । कर्मणा प्राप्यते मोक्ष उताहो ज्ञानिना मुने । एतन्मे संशयं छिन्धि यदि मेऽनुग्रहः कृतः ।। ५.

The king said: 'Is liberation attained by action, or by knowledge, O sage? Remove this doubt of mine, if you have shown me your favor.'

कपिल उवाच । इमं प्रश्नं महाराज पुरा पृष्टो बृहस्पतिः । रैभ्येण ब्रह्मपुत्रेण राज्ञा च वसुना पुरा । वसुरासीन्नृपश्रेष्ठो विद्वान् दानपतिः पुरा ।। ५.

Kapila said: 'This question, O great king, was formerly asked of Bṛhaspati by Raibhya, the son of Brahmā, and by the king Vasu in ancient times. Vasu was a foremost king, learned and generous in days of old.'

चाक्षुषस्य मनोः काले ब्रह्मणोऽन्वयवर्द्धनः । वसुश्च ब्रह्मणः सद्म गतवांस्तद्दिदृक्षया ।। ५.

In the time of Cākṣuṣa Manu, Vasu, who increased the lineage of Brahmā, went to the abode of Brahmā out of desire to see him.

पथि चैत्ररथं दृष्ट्वा विद्याधरवरं नृप । अपृच्छच्च वसुः प्रीत्या ब्रह्मणोऽवसरं प्रभो ।। ५.

On the path, O king, seeing Citraratha, the foremost of the Vidyadharas, Vasu affectionately inquired about the opportunity to meet Brahma, O lord.

सोऽब्रवीद् देवसमितिर्वर्तते ब्रह्मणो गृहे । एवं श्रुत्वा वसुस्तस्थौ द्वारि ब्रह्मौकसस्तदा । तावत् तत्रैव रैभ्यस्तु आजगाम महातपाः ।। ५.

He replied, 'A gathering of the gods is taking place at Brahma's abode.' Hearing this, Vasu waited at the door of Brahma's house; meanwhile, the great ascetic Raibhya arrived there.

स राजा प्रीतमनसा वसुः संपूर्णमानसः । उवाच पूजयित्वाग्रे क्व प्रयातोऽसि वै मुने ।। ५.

That king Vasu, his mind delighted and completely content, honored him and spoke first: 'Where are you coming from, O sage?'

रैभ्य उवाच । अहं बृहस्पतेः पार्श्वे आगतोऽस्मि महानृप । किञ्चित्कार्यान्तरं प्रष्टुमहं देवपुरोहितम् ।। ५.

Raibhya said: 'I have come from the side of Brihaspati, O great king. I wish to ask the priest of the gods about a certain matter.'

एवं वदति रैभ्ये तु ब्रह्मणस्तन्महत्सदः । उत्तस्थौ स्वानि धिष्ण्यानि गता देवगणाः प्रभो ।। ५.

As Raibhya was speaking thus, O lord, the great assembly of Brahma, along with the hosts of gods, rose from their seats and departed.

तावद् बृहस्पतिस्तत्र रैभ्येण सह संविदम् । कृत्वा स्वधिष्ण्यमगमद् वसुना च सुपूजितः ।। ५.

Then, Brihaspati, after conferring there with Raibhya, went to his own seat, having been duly honored by Vasu.

रैभ्य आङ्गिरसो राजा वसुश्चोपविवेश ह । उपविष्टेषु राजेन्द्र तेषु तेष्वपि सोऽब्रवीत् ।। ५.

Raibhya, the descendant of Angiras, and King Vasu sat down; when they were seated, O king of kings, he spoke to them.

बृहस्पतिर्देवगुरू रैभ्यं वचनमन्तिके । किं करोमि महाभाग वेदवेदाङ्गपारग ।। ५.

Brihaspati, the guru of the gods, said to Raibhya in his presence: 'What shall I do for you, O greatly fortunate one, master of the Vedas and Vedangas?'

रैभ्य उवाच । बृहस्पते कर्मणा किं प्राप्यते ज्ञानिनाऽथवा । मोक्ष एतन्ममाचक्ष्व पृच्छतः संशयं प्रभो ।। ५.

Raibhya said: 'O Brihaspati, what is attained by action, or by knowledge? Please tell me, O lord, about liberation, for I ask you this out of doubt.'

बृहस्पतिरुवाच । यत्किंचित् कुरुते कर्म पुरुषः साध्वसाधु वा । सर्वं नारायणे न्यस्य कुर्वन् नैव च लिप्यते ।। ५.

Brihaspati said: 'Whatever action a person performs, whether good or bad, by offering all to Narayana and acting thus, he is not tainted.'

श्रूयते च द्विजश्रेष्ठ संवादो विप्रलुब्धयोः । आत्रेयो ब्राह्मणः कश्चिद् वेदाभ्यासरतो मुनिः ।। ५.

'It is also heard, O best of twice-born, that there was a dialogue between two who were at odds: a certain Brahmin named Atreya, a sage devoted to Vedic study.'

वसत्यविरतं प्रातःस्नायी त्रिषवणे रतः । नाम्ना संयमनः पूर्वमेकस्मिन् दिवसे नदीम् । धर्मारण्ये गतः स्नातुं धन्यां भागीरथीं शुभाम् ।। ५.

He lived constantly, bathing at dawn, devoted to the three daily rituals; formerly, a man named Samyamana, on one day, went to the blessed and auspicious Bhagirathi river in the forest of Dharma to bathe.

तत्रासीनं महायूथं हरिणानां विचक्षणः । लुब्धो निष्ठुरको नाम धनुःपाणिः कृतान्तवत् । आययौ तं जिघांसुः स धनुष्यायोज्य सायकम् ।। ५.

There, a keen-sighted hunter named Nishthuraka, bow in hand, fierce as death, came upon a great herd of deer sitting there, intending to kill them, having fitted an arrow to his bow.

ततः संयमनो विप्रो दृष्ट्वा तं मृगयारतम् । वारयामास मा भद्र जीवघातमिमं कुरु ।। ५.

Then the Brahmin Samyamana, seeing him intent on the hunt, tried to stop him: 'Do not, good man, commit this act of taking life.'

एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचो व्याधः स्मितपूर्वमिदं वचः । उवाच नाहं हिंसामि पृथग्जीवं द्विजोत्तम ।। ५.

Hearing these words, the hunter, with a slight smile, spoke: 'I do not harm a separate soul, O best of twice-born.'

परमात्मा त्वयं भूतैः क्रीडते भगवान् स्वयम् । कृता मृदा बलीवर्द्दास्तद्वदेतन्न संशयः ।। ५.

'The Supreme Self, the Blessed Lord, plays with beings Himself; oxen and clay are made by Him—so it is said, and there is no doubt of it.'

अहे भावः सदा ब्रह्मन्नविद्येयं मुमुक्षुणाम् । यात्राप्राणरतं सर्वं जगदेतद् विचेष्टितम् । तत्राहमिति यः शब्दः स साधुत्वं न गच्छति ।। ५.

'O Brahmin, this notion always arises—this ignorance belongs to those seeking liberation. All this world, engaged in the journey of life-breath, is set in motion. The word "I" in this context does not attain goodness.'

इत्याकर्ण्य स विप्रेन्द्रो द्विजः संयमनस्तदा । विस्मयेनाब्रवीद् वाक्यं लुब्धं निष्ठुरकं द्विजः ।। ५.

Hearing this, that foremost Brahmin, Samyamana, spoke to the hunter Nishthuraka with amazement.

किमेतदुच्यते भद्र प्रत्यक्षं हेतुमद्वचः । ततः श्रुत्वा मुनेर्विप्रं लुब्धकः प्राह धर्मवित् । कुत्वा लोहमयं जालं तस्याधो ज्वलनं ददौ ।। ५.

What is this that you say, O blessed one? Your words are direct and reasoned. Then, having heard this from the sage, the hunter, who knew righteousness, said: 'Why did you place an iron net and fire beneath it?'

दत्त्वा वह्निं द्विजं प्राह ज्वाल्यतां काष्ठसचयः । ततो विप्रो मुखेनाग्निं प्रज्वाल्य विरराम ह ।। ५.

Having kindled the fire, he said to the Brahmin, 'Let the pile of wood be set ablaze.' Then the Brahmin, with his mouth, ignited the fire and ceased.