Varaha Purana

एवं कृते भ्रष्टराज्यो लभेद् राज्यं न संशयः । अविद्यो लभते विद्यां भीतः शौर्यं च विदन्ति ।। ६४.

By performing thus, one who has lost his kingdom will surely regain it; the unlearned attains knowledge, and the fearful become known for their valor.

अगस्त्य उवाच । सार्वभौमव्रतं चान्यत् कथयामि समासतः । येन सम्यक्कृतेनाशु सार्वभौमो नृपो भवेत् ।। ६५.

Agastya said: I shall briefly describe another universal vow, by which, when properly performed, a king swiftly becomes sovereign over all.

कार्तिकस्य तु मासस्य दशमी शुक्लपक्षिका । तस्यां नक्ताशनो नित्यं दिक्षु शुद्धबलिं हरेत् ।। ६५.

On the tenth day of the bright fortnight in the month of Kartika, one should eat only at night and offer pure oblations in all directions daily.

विचित्रैः कुसुमैर्भक्त्या पूजयित्वा द्विजोत्तमान् । दिशां तु प्रार्थनां कुर्यान् मन्त्रेणानेन सुव्रतः । सर्वा भवन्त्यः सिद्ध्यन्तु मम जन्मनि जन्मनि ।। ६५.

With various flowers and devotion, one should worship the foremost Brahmins; then, with this mantra, the virtuous should pray to the directions: 'May all the goddesses grant success to me in every birth.'

एवमुक्त्वा बलिं तासु दत्त्वा शुद्धेन चेतसा । ततो रात्रौ तु भुञ्जीत दध्यन्नं तु सुसंस्कृतम् ।। ६५.

Having spoken thus and given oblations to them with a pure mind, one should then eat well-prepared rice and curds at night.

पूर्वं पश्चाद् यथेष्टं तु एवं संवत्सरं नृप । यः करोति नरो नित्यं तस्य दिग्विजयो भवेत् ।। ६५.

First and last, as desired, thus for a year, O king; whoever performs this daily will achieve conquest of the directions.

एकादश्यां तु यत्नेन नरः कुर्याद् यथाविधि । मार्गशीर्षे शुक्लपक्षादारभ्याब्दं विचक्षणः । तद् व्रत धनदस्येष्टं कृतं वित्तं प्रयच्छति ।। ६५.

On the eleventh day, one should carefully perform the rite according to the rule, beginning from the bright fortnight of Margashirsha for a year; this vow is dear to the god of wealth, and when performed, grants riches.

एकादश्यां निराहारो यो भुङ्क्ते द्वादशीदिने । शुक्ले वाऽप्यथवा कृष्णे तद् व्रतं वैष्णवं महत् ।। ६५.

Whoever fasts on the eleventh day and eats on the twelfth, whether in the bright or dark fortnight, performs the great Vaishnava vow.

एवं चीर्ण सुघोराणि हन्ति पापानि रपार्थिव । त्रयोदश्यां तु नक्तेन धर्मव्रतमथोच्यते ।। ६५.

Thus, when these fierce vows are observed, they destroy sins, O king; on the thirteenth day, the vow of righteousness is performed by eating only at night.

शुक्लपक्षे फाल्गुनस्य तथारभ्य विचक्षणः । रौद्रं व्रतं चतुर्दश्यां कृष्णपक्षे विशेषतः । माघमासादथारभ्य पूर्णं संवत्सरं नृप ।। ६५.

In the bright fortnight of Phalguna, the wise should begin; the fierce vow is especially performed on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight, starting from the month of Magha, for a full year, O king.

इन्दुव्रतं पञ्चदश्यां शुक्लायां नक्तभोजनम् । पितृव्रतममावास्यामिति राजन तथेरितम् ।। ६५.

On the fifteenth day of the bright fortnight, the moon vow is observed by eating at night; the ancestral vow is performed on the new moon, O king, thus it is prescribed.

दश पञ्च च वर्षाणि य एवं कुरुते नृप । तिथिव्रतानि कस्तस्य फलं व्रतप्रमाणतः ।। ६५.

Whoever, O king, performs these lunar vows for ten or five years, what is the fruit for him according to the measure of the vow?

अश्वमेधसहस्त्राणि राजसूयशतानि च । यष्टानि तेन राजेन्द्र कल्पोक्ताः क्रतवस्तथा ।। ६५.

Thousands of Ashvamedha sacrifices and hundreds of Rajasuya rituals, and other rites prescribed in the scriptures, are performed by him, O king.

एकमेव कृतं हन्ति व्रतं पापानि नित्यशः । यः पुनः सर्वमेतद्धि कुर्यान्नरवरात्मज । स शुद्धो विरजो लोकानाप्नोति सकलं नृप ।। ६५.

Even a single violation destroys the vow and brings constant sin; but, O prince among men, whoever performs all this completely becomes pure, free from stain, and attains all the worlds, O king.

भद्राश्व उवाच । आश्चर्यं यदि ते किंचिद् विदितं दृष्टमेव वा । तन्मे कथय धर्मज्ञ मम कौतूहलंमहत् ।। ६६.

Bhadraashva said: If you know of any marvel, or have seen one, O knower of dharma, please tell me, for my curiosity is great.

अगस्त्य उवाच । आश्चर्यभूतो भगवानेष एव जनार्दनः । तस्याश्चर्याणि दृष्टानि बहूनि विविधानि वै ।। ६६.

Agastya said: The Blessed Lord Janardana himself is the source of wonders; many and various marvels of his have indeed been seen.

श्वेतद्वीपं गतः पूर्वं नारदः किल पार्थिव । सोऽपश्यच्छङ्खचक्राब्जान् पुरुषांस्तिग्मतेजसः ।। ६६.

Once, O king, Narada went to Shvetadvipa and there he saw men bearing conch, discus, and lotus, blazing with intense radiance.

अयं विष्णुरयं विष्णुरेष विष्णुः सनातनः । चिन्ताऽभूत्तस्यतान्दृष्ट्वा कोऽस्मिन्विष्णुरिति प्रभुः ।। ६६.

"This is Vishnu, this is Vishnu, this is the eternal Vishnu"—such was his thought on seeing them; but he wondered, "Who among these is truly Vishnu, the Lord?"

एवं चिन्तयतस्तस्य चिन्ता कृष्णं प्रति प्रभो । आराधयामि च कथं शङ्खचक्रगदाधरम् ।। ६६.

As he pondered thus, his mind turned to Krishna: "How shall I worship the bearer of conch, discus, and mace?"

येन वेद्मि परं तेषां देवो नारायणः प्रभुः । एवं संचिन्त्य दध्यौ स तं देवं परमेश्वरम् ।। ६६.

"By what means may I know which among them is the supreme Lord Narayana?" Thinking thus, he meditated on that supreme God.

दिव्यं वर्षसहस्त्रं तु साग्रं ब्रह्मसुतस्तदा । ध्यायतस्तस्य देवोऽसौ परितोषं जगाम ह ।। ६६.

Then, as the son of Brahma meditated for a full thousand divine years, the Lord became pleased with him.

उवाच च प्रसन्नात्मा प्रत्यक्षत्वं गतः प्रभुः । वरं ब्रह्मसुत ब्रूहि किं ते दद्मि महामुने ।। ६६.

The Lord, appearing before him with a gracious heart, spoke: "O son of Brahma, ask for a boon; what shall I grant you, great sage?"

नारद उवाच । सहस्त्रमेकं वर्षाणां ध्यातस्त्वं भुवनेश्वर । त्वत्प्राप्तिर्येन तद् ब्रूहि यदि तुष्टोऽसि मेऽच्युत ।। ६६.

Narada said: "O Lord of the world, I have meditated on you for a thousand years; if you are pleased with me, Achyuta, tell me how you may be attained."

देवदेव उवाच । पौरुषं सूक्तमास्थाय ये यजन्ति द्विजास्तु माम् । संहितामाद्यमास्थाय ते मां प्राप्स्यन्ति नारद ।। ६६.

The Lord of gods said: "Those twice-born who worship me by following the Purusha Sukta, or by adhering to the original Samhita, they shall attain me, O Narada."

अलाभे वेदशास्त्राणां पञ्चरात्रोदितेन ह । मार्गेण मां प्रपश्यन्ते ते मां प्राप्स्यन्ति मानवाः ।। ६६.

If the Vedic scriptures are not available, people may see me by the path set forth in the Pancharatra; by that path, they shall attain me.

ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियविशां पञ्चरात्रं विधीयते । शूद्रादीनां न तच्छ्रोत्रपदवीमुपयास्यति ।। ६६.

The Pancharatra is prescribed for Brahmins, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas; it shall not be accessible to the ears or status of Shudras and others.

एवं मयोक्तं विप्रेन्द्र पुराकल्पे पुरातनम् । पञ्चरात्रं सहस्त्राणां यदि कश्चिद् ग्रहीष्यति ।। ६६.

Thus I have declared, O best of Brahmins, in the ancient kalpa: if anyone among thousands should accept the Pancharatra—

कर्मक्षये च मां कश्चिद् यदि भक्तो भविष्यति । तस्य चेदं पञ्चरात्रं नित्यं हृदि वसिष्यति ।। ६६.

If, at the end of his actions, anyone becomes my devotee, then this Pancharatra will always abide in his heart.

इतरे राजसैर्भावैस्तामसैश्च समावृताः । भविष्यन्ति द्विजश्रेष्ठ मच्छासनपराङ्मुखाः ।। ६६.

Others, enveloped by royal and tamasic dispositions, O best of twice-born, will turn away from my command.