Varaha Purana

तस्यां संभूतिमिच्छन् यस्तस्योपायं स्वयं परम् । पशुपालात् समुत्पन्नो यश्चतुष्पाच्चतुर्मुखः ।। ५३.

Whoever desires its origin, let him seek the supreme means himself; from the shepherd arose the four-footed, and from them, the four-faced.

स गुरुः स कथायास्तु तस्याश्चैव प्रवर्त्तकः । तस्य पुत्रः स्वरो नाम सप्तमूर्तिंरसौ स्मृतः ।। ५३.

He is the teacher and the initiator of that story; his son, named Svara, is remembered as the seventh form.

तेन प्रोक्तं तु यत्किंचित् चतुर्णां साधनं नृप । ऋगर्थानां चतुर्भिस्ते तद्भक्त्याराध्यतां ययुः ।। ५३.

Whatever means for the fourfold purpose was spoken by him, O king, those devoted to the meanings of the Rig Veda worshipped and attained it.

चतुर्णां प्रथमो यस्तु चतुःश्रृङ्गसमास्थितः । वृषद्वितीयस्तत्प्रोक्तमार्गेणैव तृतीयकः । चतुर्थस्तत्प्रणीतस्तां पूज्य भक्त्या सुतं व्रजेत् ।। ५३.

Among the four, the first, established on four horns, is the bull; the second follows the path spoken by him, and the third likewise; the fourth, guided by him, worships the son with devotion.

सप्तमूर्त्तेस्तु चरितं शुश्रुंवुः प्रथमं नृप । ब्रह्मचर्येण वर्त्तेत द्वितीयोऽस्य सनातनः ।। ५३.

The deeds of the seventh form were heard first, O king; the second, eternal one, lives by celibacy.

ततो भृत्यादिभरणं वृषभारोहणं त्रिषु । वनवासश्च निर्द्दिष्ट आत्मस्थे वृषभे सति ।। ५३.

Then, the care of servants and others, the mounting of the bull among the three, and dwelling in the forest were prescribed, when the bull is established in the self.

अहमस्मि वदत्यन्यश्चतुर्द्धा एकधा द्विधा । भेदभिन्नसहोत्पन्नास्तस्यापत्यानि जज्ञिरे ।। ५३.

Another says, 'I am,' in fourfold, single, and dual forms; the offspring of that one were born, arising from differences and divisions.

नित्यानित्यस्वरूपाणि दृष्ट्वा पूर्वं चतुर्मुखः । चिन्तयामास जनकं कथं पश्याम्यहं नृप ।। ५३.

Having seen the eternal and non-eternal forms before, the four-faced one pondered, 'How may I see my progenitor, O king?'

मदीयस्य पितुर्ये हि गुणा आसन् महात्मनः । न ते सम्प्रति दृश्यन्ते स्वरापत्येषु केषुचित् ।। ५३.

The virtues of my father, the great soul, which existed, are not now seen in some of the descendants of Svara.

पितुः पुत्रस्य यः पुत्रः स पितामहनामवान् । एवं श्रुतिः स्थिता चेयं स्वरापत्येषु नान्यथा ।। ५३.

The son of a son is called by the name 'grandfather'; thus, this is the established tradition in the case of descendants, and not otherwise.

क्वापि संपत्स्यते भावो द्रष्टव्यश्चापि ते पिता । एवं नीतेऽपि किं कार्यमिति चिन्तापरोऽभवत् ।। ५३.

At some point, this relationship will arise; you should also see your father. Even after acting thus, he became absorbed in thought, wondering what should be done.

तस्य चिन्तयतः शस्त्रं पितृकं पुरतो बभौ । तेन शस्त्रेण तं रोषान्ममन्थ स्वरमन्तिके ।। ५३.

As he was pondering, a paternal weapon appeared before him; with that weapon, out of anger, he churned the essence nearby.

तस्मिन् मथितमात्रे तु शिरस्तस्यापि दुर्ग्रहम् । नालिकेरफलाकारं चतुर्वक्त्रोऽन्वपश्यत ।। ५३.

As soon as it was churned, he saw a head, difficult to grasp, with four faces, shaped like a coconut.

तच्चावृतं प्रधानेन दशधा संवृतो बभौ । चतुष्पादेन शस्त्रेण चिच्छेद तिलकाण्डवत् ।। ५३.

That was enveloped by the chief principle, covered tenfold; with a four-edged weapon, he cut it like a sesame pod.

प्रकामं तिलसंच्छिन्ने तदमूलौ न मे बभौ । अहं त्वहं वदन् भूतं तमप्येवमथाच्छिनत् ।। ५३.

When the sesame-like parts were thoroughly cut, nothing remained at the root; yet, saying 'I am I,' a being appeared, and he cut that as well.

तस्मिन् छिन्ने तदस्यांसे ह्रस्वमन्यमवेक्षत । अहं भूतादि वः पञ्च वदन्तं भूतिमन्तिकात् ।। ५३.

When that was cut, he saw on its part another small being, saying from nearby, 'I am the fivefold origin of beings.'

तमप्येवमथो छित्त्वा पञ्चाशून्यममीक्षत । कृत्वावकाशं ते सर्वे जल्पन्त इदमन्तिकात् ।। ५३.

Cutting that as well, he saw emptiness in the five elements; having made space, all of them began speaking thus from nearby.

तमप्यसङ्गशस्त्रेण चिच्छेद तिलकाण्डवत् । तस्मिंच्छिन्ने दशांशेन ह्रस्वमन्यमपश्यत ।। ५३.

He cut that too with a detached weapon, like a sesame pod; when that was cut, he saw another, smaller by a tenth part.

पुरुषं रूपशस्त्रेण तं छित्त्वाऽन्यमपश्यत । तद्वद् ह्रस्वं सितं सौम्यं तमप्येवं तदाऽकरोत् ।। ५३.

Cutting that person with a form-cutting weapon, he saw another; in the same way, he made that one, small, white, and gentle.

एवं कृते शरीरं तु ददर्श स पुनः प्रभुः । स्वकीयमेवाकस्यान्तः पितरं नृपसत्तम ।। ५३.

Having done so, the lord again saw the body—his own—within the sky, O best of kings, as his father.

त्रसरेणुसमं मूर्त्या अव्यक्तं सर्वजन्तुषु । समं दृष्ट्वा परं हर्षं उभे विसस्वरार्त्तवित् ।। ५३.

With a form as small as a speck of dust, imperceptible among all beings, seeing it as equal, both were filled with supreme joy, their suffering vanished.

एवंविधोऽसौ पुरुषः स्वरनामा महातपाः । मूर्त्तिस्तस्य प्रवृत्ताख्यं निवृत्ताख्यं शिरो महत् ।। ५३.

Such is that person, named Svara, of great austerity; his form is called 'manifest,' and his great head is called 'unmanifest.'

एतस्मादेव तस्याशु कथया राजसत्तम । संभूतिरभवद् राजन् विवृत्तेस्त्वेष एव तु ।। ५३.

From this very account, O best of kings, manifestation arose; but from dissolution, it is only this.

एषेतिहासः प्रथमः सर्वस्य जगतो भृशम् । य इमं वेत्ति तत्त्वेन साक्षात् कर्मपरो भवेत् ।। ५३.

This is the very first legend of the entire world; whoever truly knows this becomes devoted to action.

भद्राश्व उवाच । विज्ञानोत्पत्तिकामस्य क आराध्यो भवेद् द्विज । कथं चाराध्यतेऽसौ हि एतदाख्याहि मे द्विज ।। ५४.

Bhadrāśva said: O twice-born, for one desiring the rise of knowledge, who should be worshipped? And how is he to be worshipped? Please tell me this, O twice-born.

अगस्त्य उवाच । विष्णुरेव सदाराध्यः सर्वदेवैरपि प्रभुः । तस्योपायं प्रवक्ष्यामि येनासौ वरदो भवेत् ।। ५४.

Agastya said: Only Viṣṇu, the lord, is always to be worshipped, even by all the gods; I shall tell you the means by which he becomes the bestower of boons.

रहस्यं सर्वदेवानां मुनीनां मनुजांस्तथा । नारायणः परो देवस्तं प्रणम्य न सीदति ।। ५४.

The supreme secret of all the gods, sages, and men is Nārāyaṇa, the highest god; one who bows to him does not fall.

श्रूयते च पुरा राजन् नारदेन महात्मना । कथितं तुष्टिदं विष्णोर्व्र्तमप्सरसां तथा ।। ५४.

It is heard, O King, that in ancient times the great-souled Narada narrated a vow pleasing to Vishnu, as well as to the Apsaras.

नारदस्तु पुरा कल्पे गतवान् मानसं सरः । स्नानार्थं तत्र चजापश्यत् सर्वमप्सरसां गणम् ।। ५४.

Once, in a previous cycle, Narada went to the lake Manasa for the purpose of bathing, and there he saw the entire host of Apsaras.