Varaha Purana

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.

उवाच च सुरश्रेष्ठः स्वयं कार्यमिदं सुराः । साधयामि न सन्देहो मर्त्यं गत्वा मनुष्यवत् ।। ४६.

And the best of the gods spoke himself: 'This task, O gods, I will accomplish; there is no doubt. Going among mortals, I will take human form.'

किंत्वाषाढे शुक्लपक्षे या नारी सह भर्त्तृणा । उपोष्यति मनुष्येषु तस्या गर्भे भवाम्यहम् ।। ४६.

But in the bright fortnight of Āṣāḍha, whichever woman, together with her husband, observes a fast among humans, in her womb I shall be born.

एवमुक्त्वा गतो देवः स्वयं चाहमिहागतः । उपदिष्टं तु भवतो अपुत्रस्य विशेषतः । उपोष्य लभते पुत्रं सहभार्यो न संशयः ।। ४६.

Having spoken thus, the god departed, and I myself have come here; what has been instructed to you, especially for one without a son—by fasting, a man obtains a son together with his wife, without doubt.

एतां च द्वादशीं कृत्वा वसुदेवस्तथाप्तवान् । महतीं च श्रियं प्राप्तः पुत्रपौत्रसमन्वितः ।। ४६.

And Vasudeva, having performed this Dvādaśī, likewise obtained a great fortune, blessed with sons and grandsons.

भुक्त्वा राज्यश्रियं सोऽथ गतः परमिकां गतिम् । एष ते विधिरुद्दिष्ट आषाढे मासि वै मुने ।। ४६.

Having enjoyed royal prosperity, he then attained the highest state; this is the rite prescribed for you in the month of Āṣāḍha, O sage.

दुर्वासा उवाच । श्रावणस्य तु मासस्य शुक्लपक्षे तु द्वादशी । अर्चयेत् परमं देवं गन्धपुष्पैर्जनार्नम् ।। ४७.

Durvāsā said: In the bright fortnight of the month of Śrāvaṇa, one should worship the supreme god Janārnana with fragrance and flowers.

दामोदराय पादौ तु हृषीकेशाय वै कटिम् । सनातनेति जठरमुरः श्रीवत्सधारिणे ।। ४७.

To Dāmodara, the feet; to Hṛṣīkeśa, the hips; to Sanātana, the abdomen; and to the bearer of the Śrīvatsa, the chest.

चक्रपाणयेति भुजौ कण्ठं च हरये तथा । मुञ्जकेशाय च शिरो भद्रायेति शिखां तथा ।। ४७.

To the wielder of the discus, the arms; to Hari, the neck; to Muñjakeśa, the head; and to Bhadra, the crest.

एवं संपूज्य संस्थाप्य कुम्भं पूर्ववदेव तु । विन्यस्य वस्त्रयुग्मं तु तस्योपरि ततो न्यसेत् ।। ४७.

Thus, having worshipped and established the pot just as before, one should place a pair of cloths upon it, and then set them above.

काञ्चनं देवदेवं तु दामोदरसनामकम् । तमभ्यर्च्य विधानेन गन्धपुष्पादिभिः क्रमात् ।। ४७.

A golden image of the Lord of gods, called Damodara, should be worshipped according to the prescribed method, with sandal, flowers, and so forth, in due order.

प्राग्वत् तं ब्राह्मणे दद्याद् वेदवेदाङ्गपारगे । एवं नियमयुक्तस्य प्रभावं तच्छृणुष्व मे ।। ४७.

As before, that image should be given to a Brahmin who is learned in the Vedas and Vedāṅgas; now hear from me the power of this observance.

एष ते विधिरुद्दिष्टः श्रावणे मासि वै विभो । एतस्याश्च प्रभावं यत् श्रृणु पापप्रणाशनम् ।। ४७.

O mighty one, this rite has been prescribed for you in the month of Śrāvaṇa; listen to the power of this, which destroys sin.

पुरा कृतयुगे राजा नृगो नाम महाबलः । बभ्राम स वनं घोरं मृगयासक्तमानसः ।। ४७.

Long ago, in the Kṛta Yuga, there was a king named Nṛga, of great might, who wandered in a terrible forest, his mind absorbed in hunting.

स कदाचित् तुरङ्गेण हृतो दूरं महद्वनम् । व्याघ्रसिंहगजाकीर्णं दस्युसर्पनिषेवितम् ।। ४७.

Once, carried far away on his horse, he entered a vast forest filled with tigers, lions, and elephants, frequented by bandits and serpents.

एकाकी तत्र राजा तु अश्वं मुच्य तरोरधः । स्वयं कुशमथास्तीर्य सुप्तो दुःखसमन्वितः ।। ४७.

There, the king, alone, released his horse beneath a tree, spread out some kuśa grass himself, and, afflicted by hardship, fell asleep.

तावत् तत्रैव लुब्धानां सहस्त्राणि चतुर्दश । आगतानि मृगान् हन्तुं रात्रौ राज्ञः समन्ततः ।। ४७.

Meanwhile, fourteen thousand hunters arrived there at night, surrounding the king on all sides, intent on killing animals.

तत्रापश्यन्त ते सुप्तं हेमरत्नविभूषितम् । नृगं राजानमत्युग्रं श्रिया परमया युतम् ।। ४७.

There they saw him sleeping, adorned with gold and jewels—King Nṛga, exceedingly formidable, endowed with supreme splendor.

ते गत्वा त्वरितं व्याधाः स्वभर्त्रे संन्यवेदयन् । सोऽपि रत्नसुवर्णार्थं राजानं हन्तुमुद्यतः ।। ४७.

The hunters quickly went and reported to their leader; he, desiring the jewels and gold, prepared to kill the king.

तुरगस्य च हेतोस्तु निस्त्रिंशा वनचारिणः । राजानं सुप्तमासाद्य निगृहीतुं प्रचक्रमुः ।। ४७.

Because of the horse, the forest-dwellers, armed with swords, approached the sleeping king, intent on capturing him.

तावद् राज्ञः शरीरात् तु श्वेताभरणभूषिता । नारी काचित् समुत्तस्थौ स्त्रक्चन्दनविभूषिता । उत्थाय चक्रमादाय ते म्लेच्छा विनिपातिताः ।। ४७.

Then, from the king’s body, a woman adorned with white ornaments, garlands, and sandal paste arose; taking up a discus, she struck down those barbarians.