Varaha Purana

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.

साऽपि स्त्री स्वे वक्षसि धारयन्ती सहस्त्रसूर्यप्रतिमं विशालम् । तस्याधरस्त्रिर्विकारस्त्रिवर्ण- स्तं राजानं पश्य परिभ्रमन्तम् ।। ५१.

That woman, too, held upon her breast a vast form like a thousand suns; beneath her were three modifications and three colors—see that king wandering about.

तूष्णींभूता मृतकल्पा इवासन् नृपोऽप्यसौ तद्वनं संविवेश । तस्मिन् प्रविष्टे सर्व एते विविशु- र्भयादैक्यं गतवन्तः क्षणेन ।। ५१.

They became silent, as if lifeless; and that king entered the forest; when he entered, all of them entered as well, and out of fear, they became united in a moment.

तैः सर्पैः स नृपो दुर्विनीतैः संवेष्टितो दस्युभिश्चिन्तयानः । कथं चैतेन भविष्यन्ति येन कथं चैते संसृताः संभवेयुः ।। ५१.

Surrounded by those unruly serpents and bandits, the king pondered: 'How will these things turn out, and how did these beings come to be entangled?'

एवं राज्ञश्चिन्तयतस्त्रिवर्णः पुरुषः परः । श्वेतं रक्तं तथा कृष्णं त्रिवर्णं धारयन्नरः ।। ५१.

As the king was thus reflecting, a supreme man appeared, bearing three colors—white, red, and black.

स संज्ञां कृतवान् मह्यमपरोऽथ क्व यास्यसि । एवं तस्य ब्रुवाणस्य महन्नाम व्यजायत ।। ५१.

He made a sign to me, and then said, 'Where will you go?' As he spoke thus, a great name arose.

तेनापि राजा संवीतः स बुध्यस्वेति चाब्रवीत् । एवमुक्ते ततः स्त्री तु तं राजानं रुरोध ह ।। ५१.

The king was surrounded by him, who said, 'Awaken!' When this was said, the woman restrained the king.

मायाततं तं मा भैष्ट ततोऽन्यः पुरुषो नृपम् । संवेष्ट्य स्थितवान् वीरस्ततः सर्वेश्वरेश्वरः ।। ५१.

To the king, who was enveloped by illusion, another man said, 'Do not fear.' Then a heroic man, having surrounded the king, stood firm—he who is the Lord of all lords.

ततोऽन्ये पञ्च पुरुषा आगत्य नृपसत्तमम् । संविष्ट्य संस्थिताः सर्वे ततो राजा विरोधितः ।। ५१.

Then five other men approached the best of kings; having surrounded him, they all stood there, and thus the king was restrained.

रुद्धे राजनि ते सर्वे एकीभूतास्तु दस्यवः । मथितुं शस्त्रमादाय लीनाऽन्योऽन्यं ततो भयात् ।। ५१.

With the king restrained, all those bandits united; taking up weapons to attack, they hid from each other out of fear.

तैर्लीनैर्नृपर्तेर्वेश्म बभौ परमशोभनम् । अन्येषामपि पापानां कोटिः साग्राभवन्नृप ।। ५१.

With those men hidden, the king's palace shone with supreme beauty; and there was a crore and more of other wicked ones, O king.