Varaha Purana

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.

पुष्पभद्रा नदी यत्र शिला चित्रशिला तथा । वटो भद्रवटो यत्र तत्र तस्याश्रमो बभौ । तत्रोपरि महत् तस्य चरितं संभविष्यति ।। ५१.

There, where the river Puṣpabhadrā flows, and where there are stones and wondrous rocks, and where stands the auspicious banyan tree, his hermitage shone; and there, a great event of his will take place.

धरण्युवाच । बहुकल्पसहस्त्राणि व्रतस्यास्य सनातन । मया कृतस्य तपसस्तन्मया विस्मृतं प्रभो ।। ५१.

The Earth said: For thousands of great ages, I have performed this ancient vow and austerity, but, O Lord, I had forgotten it.

इदानीं त्वत्प्रसादेन स्मरणं प्राक्तनं मम । जातं जातिस्मरा चास्मि विशोका परमेश्वर ।। ५१.

Now, by your grace, my memory of the past has arisen; I have become one who remembers former lives, and am free from sorrow, O Supreme Lord.

यदि नाम परं देव कौतुकं हृदि वर्तते । अगस्त्यः पुनरागत्य भद्राश्वस्य निवेशनम् । यच्चकार स राजा च तन्ममाचक्ष्व भूधर ।। ५१.

If, O highest god, curiosity still remains in your heart, then tell me, O mountain, what Agastya did when he returned again to the abode of Bhadrāśva, and what that king did.

श्रीवराह उवाच । प्रत्यागतमृषिं दृष्ट्वा भद्राश्वः श्वेतवाहनः । वरासनगतं दृष्ट्वा कृत्वा पूजां विशेषतः । अपृच्छन्मोक्षधर्माख्यं प्रश्नं सकलधारिणि ।। ५१.

Śrī Varāha said: Seeing the sage returned, Bhadrāśva, whose banner is white, saw him seated on a noble seat, and after performing special worship, he asked him a question concerning the dharma of liberation, O sustainer of all.

भद्राश्व उवाच । भगवन् कर्मणा केन छिद्यते भवसंसृतिः । किं वा कृत्वा न शोचन्ति मूर्त्तामूर्त्तोपपत्तिषु ।। ५१.

Bhadrāśva said: O blessed one, by what action is the cycle of worldly existence cut off? And what should one do so as not to grieve in embodied or disembodied states?

अगस्त्य उवाच । श्रृणु राजन् कथां दिव्यां दूरासन्नव्यवस्थिताम् । दृश्यादृश्यविभागोत्थां समाहितमना नृप ।। ५१.

Agastya said: Listen, O king, to a divine story, set both far and near, arising from the distinction between the seen and unseen; attend with a focused mind, O ruler.

नाहो न रात्रिर्न दिशोऽदिशश्च न द्यौर्न देवा न दिनं न सूर्यः । तस्मिन् काले पशुपालेति राजा स पालयामास पशूननेकान् ।। ५१.

There was neither day nor night, nor directions or intermediate directions, nor heaven nor gods, nor day nor sun; at that time, a king named Paśupāla tended many herds.

तान् पालयन् स कदाचिद् दिदृक्षुः पूर्वं समुद्रं च जगाम तूर्णम् । अनन्तपारस्य महोदधेस्तु तीरे वनं तत्र वसन्ति सर्पाः ।। ५१.

While tending them, once, desiring to see the eastern ocean, he quickly went there; on the shore of the boundless great ocean, there was a forest where serpents dwelled.

अष्टौ द्रुमाः कामवहा नदी च तुर्यक् चोद्र्ध्वं बभ्रमुस्तत्र चान्ये । पञ्च प्रधानाः पुरुषास्तथैकां स्त्रियं बिभ्रते तेजसा दीप्यमानाम् ।। ५१.

There were eight wish-fulfilling trees and a river; above, birds moved about, and there were others as well; five principal men were there, and they carried a single woman, shining with brilliance.