Varaha Purana

दुर्वासा उवाच । गत्वा तु पुष्करं तीर्थमगस्त्यो मुनिपुंगवः । कार्तिक्यामाजगामाशु पुनर्भद्राश्वमन्दिरम् ।। ५०.

Durvāsas said: Having gone to the sacred place Puṣkara, the eminent sage Agastya, in the month of Kārttika, soon returned to the house of Bhadrāśva.

तमागतं मुनिं प्रेक्ष्य राजा परमधार्मिकः । अर्घपाद्यादिभिः पूज्य कृतासनपरिग्रहम् । उवाच हर्षितो राजा तमृषिं संशितव्रतम् ।। ५०.

Seeing that sage arrive, the supremely righteous king, after honoring him with offerings of water and a seat, joyfully addressed that sage of firm vows.

राजोवाच । भगवन् कथितं पूर्वं त्वया ऋषिवरोत्तम । द्वादश्याश्वयुजे मासि विधानं तत् कृतं मया । इदानीं कार्तिके मासि यत् स्यात् पुण्यं वदस्व मे ।। ५०.

The king said: O venerable one, you previously described the observance of Dvādaśī in the month of Āśvayuja, which I have performed; now, tell me what merit may be gained in the month of Kārttika.

अगस्त्य उवाच । श्रृणु राजन् महाबाहो कार्तिके मासि द्वादशीम् । उपोष्य विधिना येन यच्चास्याः प्राप्यते फलम् ।। ५०.

Agastya said: Hear, O mighty-armed king, about the Dvādaśī in the month of Kārttika—how it is to be observed, and what fruit is obtained thereby.

प्राग्विधानेन संकल्प्य तद्वत् स्नानं तु कारयेत् । विभुमेवार्चयेद् देवं नारायणमकल्मषम् ।। ५०.

With the previous resolve, one should bathe accordingly, and worship the sinless Lord Nārāyaṇa as the all-pervading God.

नमः सहस्त्रशिरसे शिरः संपूजयेद्धरेः । पुरुषायेति च भुजौ कण्ठं वै विश्वरूपिणे । ज्ञानास्त्रायेति चास्त्राणि श्रीवत्साय तथा उरः ।। ५०.

One should bow to the thousand-headed Lord and worship his head; to the Purusha, his arms; to the all-formed one, his neck; to the wielder of the weapon of knowledge, his weapons; and to Śrīvatsa, his chest.

जगद्ग्रसिष्णवे पूज्य उदरं दिव्यमूर्त्तये । कटिं सहस्त्रपादाय पादौ देवस्य पूजयेत् ।। ५०.

To the devourer of the universe, one should worship the belly; to the divine form, the waist; to the thousand-footed God, one should worship his feet.

अनुलोमेन देवेशं पूजयित्वा विचक्षणः । नमो दामोदरायेति सर्वाङ्गं पूजयेद्धरेः ।। ५०.

Having worshipped the Lord of the gods in proper order, the wise one should then, saying 'Obeisance to Dāmodara,' worship Hari's entire body.

एवं संपूज्य विधिना तस्याग्रे चतुरो घटान् । स्थापयेद् रत्नगर्भांस्तु सितचन्दनचर्चितान् ।। ५०.

Having thus worshipped according to the rite, he should place before Him four pots, filled with gems and anointed with white sandalwood.

स्त्रग्दामबद्धग्रीवांस्तु सितवस्त्रावगुण्ठितान् । स्थापितान् ताम्रपात्रैस्तु तिलपूर्णैः सकाञ्चनैः ।। ५०.

Their necks should be adorned with garlands, draped in white cloth, and set in copper vessels filled with sesame seeds and gold.

चत्वारः सागराश्चैव कल्पिता राजसत्तम । तन्मध्ये प्राग्विधानेन सौवर्णं स्थापयेद्धरिम् । योगीश्वरं योगनिद्रां चरन्तं पीतवाससम् ।। ५०.

These four represent the oceans, O best of kings; in their midst, according to the prescribed method, he should place a golden image of Hari, Lord of Yogis, abiding in yogic sleep, clad in yellow garments.

तमप्येवं तु संपूज्य जागरं तत्र कारयेत् । कुर्याच्च वैष्णवं यज्ञं यजेद् योगीश्वरं हरिम् ।। ५०.

Having worshipped Him in this way, he should keep vigil there, and perform a Vaiṣṇava sacrifice, worshipping Hari, Lord of Yogis.

षोडशारे तथा चक्रे राजभिर्बहुभिः कृते । एवं कृत्वा प्रभाते तु ब्राह्मर्णाय च दापयेत् ।। ५०.

This rite, performed by many kings on the sixteen-spoked wheel, should be completed; in the morning, it should be given to a brāhmaṇa.

चत्वारः सागरा देयाश्चतुर्णां पञ्चमस्य ह । योगीश्वरं तु संपूर्णं दापयेत् प्रयतः शुचिः ।। ५०.

The four oceans should be given to four persons, and the complete image of the Lord of Yogis should be given with devotion and purity.

वेदाढ्ये तु समं दत्तं द्विगुणं तद्विदे तथा । आचार्ये पञ्चरात्राणां सहस्त्रगुणितं भवेत् ।। ५०.

If given equally to one learned in the Vedas, the merit is doubled; to a teacher of the Pañcarātra, it becomes a thousandfold.

यस्त्विमं सरहस्यं तु समन्त्रं चोपपादयेत् । विधानं तस्य वै दत्तं कोटिकोटिगुणोत्तरम् ।। ५०.

But whoever imparts this entire secret, along with its mantras, the merit of his gift increases by millions upon millions.

गुरवे सति यस्त्वन्यमाश्रयेत् पूजयेत् कुधीः । स दुर्गतिमवाप्नोति दत्तमस्य च निष्फलम् । प्रयत्नेन गुरौ पूर्वं पश्चादन्यस्य दापयेत् ।। ५०.

If, while the teacher is present, someone of poor understanding turns to another and worships him, he attains a bad end and his gift bears no fruit; with effort, one should first give to the teacher, and only then to another.

अविद्यो वा सविद्यो वा गुरुरेव जनार्दनः । मार्गस्थो वाप्यमार्गस्थो गुरुरेव परा गतिः ।। ५०.

Whether learned or unlearned, the teacher is Janārdana Himself; whether on the path or not, the teacher alone is the supreme goal.

प्रतिपद्य गुरुं यस्तु मोहाद् विप्रतिपद्यते । स जन्मकोटि नरके पच्यते पुरुषाधमः ।। ५०.

He who, having accepted a teacher, out of delusion turns away from him, that lowest of men is tormented in hell for millions of births.

एवं दत्त्वा विधानेन द्वादश्यां विष्णुमर्च्य च । विप्राणां भोजनं कुर्याद् यथाशक्त्या सदक्षिणम् ।। ५०.

Having given in this manner and worshipped Viṣṇu on the twelfth day, one should feed brāhmaṇas as best as one can, with proper gifts.

धरणीव्रतमेतद्धि पुरा कृत्वा प्रजापतिः । प्रजापत्यं तथा लेभे मुक्तिं ब्रह्म च शाश्वतम् ।। ५०.

Long ago, having performed this Dharaṇī vow, Prajāpati attained the status of lord of creatures, liberation, and eternal Brahman.

युवनाश्वोऽपि राजर्षिरनेन विधिना पुरा । मान्धातारं सुतं लेभे परं ब्रह्म च शाश्वतम् ।। ५०.

Likewise, in ancient times, King Yuvanāśva, by this rite, obtained his son Māndhātṛ and the eternal Supreme Brahman.

तथा च हैहयो राजा कृतवीर्यो नराधिपः । कार्त्तवीर्यं सुतं लेभे परं ब्रह्म च शाश्वतम् ।। ५०.

So too, King Kṛtavīrya of the Haihayas, ruler of men, obtained his son Kārttavīrya and the eternal Supreme Brahman.

शकुन्तलाऽप्येवमेव तपश्चीर्त्वा महामुने । लेभे शाकुन्तलं पुत्रं दौष्यन्तिं चक्रवर्तिनम् ।। ५०.

In the same way, Śakuntalā, having performed austerity, obtained her son, the universal emperor, Śākuntala, son of Duṣyanta.

तथा पौराणराजानो वेदोक्ताश्चक्रवर्त्तिनः । अनेन विधिना प्राप्ताश्चक्रवर्तित्वमुत्तमम् ।। ५०.

Likewise, the ancient kings and universal emperors mentioned in the Vedas attained supreme sovereignty by this very rite.

धरण्या अपि पाताले मग्नया चरितं पुरा । व्रतमेतत् ततो नाम्ना धरणीव्रतमुत्तमम् ।। ५०.

Because the earth once sank into the underworld, this observance was performed; therefore, it is called by name the supreme Earth Vow.

समाप्तेऽस्मिन् धरा देवी हरिणा क्रोडरूपिणा । उद्धृताऽद्यापि तुष्टेन स्थापिता नौरिवाम्भसि ।। ५०.

When this vow was completed, the goddess Earth was lifted up by Hari in the form of a boar, and, pleased, he set her in place like a boat upon the waters.

धरणीव्रतमेतद्धि कीर्तितं ते मया मुने । य इदं श्रृणुयाद् भक्त्या यश्च कुर्यान्नरोत्तमः । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो विष्णुसायुज्यमाप्नुयात् ।। ५०.

This Earth Vow has thus been described to you by me, O sage; whoever listens to this with devotion, or the best of men who performs it, becomes free from all sin and attains union with Vishnu.

श्रीवराह उवाच । श्रुत्वा दुर्वाससो वाक्यं धरणीव्रतमुत्तमम् । ययौ सत्यतपाः सद्यो हिमवत्पार्श्वमुत्तमम् ।। ५१.

Śrī Varāha said: Having heard the words of Durvāsas about the supreme Earth Vow, Satyatapas immediately went to the excellent side of the Himalaya.