Varaha Purana

त्रयो लोकास्त्रयः संध्यास्त्रयो वर्णास्तथैव च । सवनानि तु तावन्ति त्रिधा बद्धमिदं जगत् ।। ७०.

The three worlds, the three twilights, the three castes as well; the sacrifices are thus threefold—this world is bound in three ways.

य एवं वेत्ति विप्रर्षे परं नारायणं तथा । अपरं पद्मयोनिं तु ब्रह्माणं त्वपरं तु माम् । गुणतो मुख्यतस्त्वेक एवाहं मोह इत्युत ।। ७०.

Whoever knows thus, O best of sages, the supreme Nārāyaṇa, the secondary one as Brahmā born from the lotus, and me as the other, knows that I alone am foremost by quality, and the rest is delusion.

अगस्त्य उवाच । एवमुक्तस्ततो देवा ऋषयश्च पिनाकिना । अहं च नृपते तस्य देवस्य प्रणतोऽभवम् ।। ७१.

Agastya said: Thus addressed, the gods and sages, and I, O king, bowed to that Lord Pinākin.

प्रणम्य शिरसा देवं यावत् पश्यामहे नृप । तावत् तस्यैव रुद्रस्य देहस्थं कमलासनम् ।। ७१.

Having bowed our heads to the god, O king, as we looked, we saw within the body of Rudra the Lotus-seated one.

नारायणं च हृदये त्रसरेणुसुसूक्ष्मकम् । ज्वलद्भास्करवर्णाभं पश्याम भवदेहतः ।। ७१.

And in his heart, Nārāyaṇa, subtle as a speck of dust, shining with the radiance of blazing gold, we saw from the body of Bhava.

तं दृष्ट्वा विस्मिताः सर्वे याजका ऋषयो मम । जयशब्दरवांश्चक्रुः सामऋग्यजुषां स्वनम् ।। ७१.

Seeing him, all the officiating sages with me were astonished; they raised cries of victory and the chanting of Sāma, Ṛc, and Yajus hymns.

कृत्वोचुस्ते तदा देवं किमिदं परमेश्वर । एकस्यामेव मूर्तौ ते लक्ष्यन्ते च त्रिमूर्त्तयः ।। ७१.

Then they asked that Lord: O Supreme Lord, what is this? In your single form, the three forms are perceived.

रुद्र उवाच । यज्ञेऽस्मिन् यद्धुतं हव्यं मामुद्दिश्य महर्षयः । ते त्रयोऽपि वयं भागं गृह्णीमः कविसत्तमाः ।। ७१.

Rudra said: In this sacrifice, whatever oblation is offered by the great sages with me as its aim, we three, O best of poets, each receive a share.

नास्माकं विविधो भावो वर्तते मुनिसत्तमाः । सम्यग्दृशः प्रपश्यन्ति विपरीतेष्वनेकशः ।। ७१.

O eminent sages, there is no diversity of disposition among us; those with clear vision perceive correctly, while in contrary matters, many see differently.

एवमुक्ते तु रुद्रेण सर्वे ते मुनयो नृप । पप्रच्छुः शंकरं देवं मोहशास्त्रप्रयोजनम् ।। ७१.

When Rudra had spoken thus, all those sages, O king, questioned Śaṃkara, the god, about the purpose of the doctrine of delusion.

ऋषय ऊचुः । मोहनार्थं तु लोकानां त्वया शास्त्रं पृथक् कृतम् । तत् त्वया हेतुना केन कृतं देव वदस्व नः ।। ७१.

The sages said: For the purpose of deluding the worlds, you have separately composed a doctrine; by what reason did you do this, O god? Please tell us.

रुद्र उवाच । अस्ति भारतवर्षेण वनं दण्डकसंज्ञितम् । तत्र तीव्रं तपो घोरं गौतमो नाम वै द्विजः ।। ७१.

Rudra said: In Bhāratavarṣa there is a forest called Daṇḍaka; there, a brahmin named Gautama performed severe and terrible austerities.

चकार तस्य ब्रह्मा तु परितोषं गतः प्रभुः । उवाच तं मुनिं ब्रह्मा वरं ब्रूहि तपोधन ।। ७१.

Brahmā, the lord, was pleased with him and said to that sage: 'Ask for a boon, O one rich in austerity.'

एवमुक्तस्तदा तेन ब्रह्मणा लोककर्तृणा । उवाच सद्यः पङ्क्तिं मे धान्यानां देहि पद्मज ।। ७१.

Thus addressed by Brahmā, creator of the worlds, Gautama immediately said: 'Grant me, O lotus-born, a row of grains.'

एवमुक्तो ददौ तस्य तमेवार्थं पितामहः । लब्ध्वा तु तं वरं विप्रः शतश्रृङ्गे महाश्रमम् ।। ७१.

Thus addressed, the grandsire granted him that very boon; having obtained it, the sage established a great hermitage at Śataśṛṅga.

चकार तस्योषसि च पाकान्ते शालयो द्विजाः । लूयन्ते तेन मुनिना मध्याह्ने पच्यते तथा । सर्वातिथ्यमसौ विप्रो ब्राह्मणेभ्यो ददात्यलम् ।। ७१.

There, O brahmins, he cultivated rice at the edge of his hermitage; it was harvested by the sage and cooked at midday; that sage generously gave all hospitality to the brahmins.

कस्यचित् त्वथ कालस्य महति द्वादशाब्दिका । अनावृष्टिर्द्विजवरा अभवल्लोमहर्षिणी ।। ७१.

Then, after a long time, O best of brahmins, a great drought lasting twelve years occurred, causing hair-raising distress.

तां दृष्ट्वा मुनयः सर्वे अनावृष्टिं वनेचराः । क्षुधया पीड्यमामास्तु प्रययुर्गौतमं तदा ।। ७१.

Seeing that drought, all the sages dwelling in the forest, afflicted by hunger, went to Gautama at that time.

अथ तानागतान् दृष्ट्वा गौतमः शिरसा नतः । उवाच स्थीयतां मह्यं गृहे मुनिवरात्मजाः ।। ७१.

Then, seeing them arrive, Gautama bowed his head and said: 'Remain in my house, O sons of eminent sages.'

एवमुक्तास्तु ते तेन तस्थुर्विविधभोजनम् । भुञ्जमाना अनावृष्टिर्यावत् सा निवृताऽभवत् ।। ७१.

Thus addressed by him, they stayed and enjoyed various foods, until that drought was ended.

निवृत्तायां तु वै तस्यामनावृष्ट्यां तु ते द्विजाः । तीर्थयात्रानिमित्तं तु प्रयातुं मनसोऽभवन् ।। ७१.

When the drought had ended, those brahmins desired in their minds to depart for pilgrimage.

तत्र शाण्डिल्यनामानं तापसं मुनिसत्तमम् । प्रत्युवाचेति संचिन्त्य मीरीचः परमो मुनिः ।। ७१.

There, the ascetic named Śāṇḍilya, the foremost among sages, was addressed by the great sage Mārīca, after reflecting.

मारीच उवाच । शाण्डिल्य शोभनं वक्ष्ये पिता ते गौतमो मुनिः । तमनुक्त्वा न गच्छामस्तपश्चर्तुं तपोवनम् ।। ७१.

Mārīca said: Śāṇḍilya, I will speak what is proper; your father Gautama is a sage. Without informing him, we should not go to practice austerities in the forest.

एवमुक्तेऽथ जहसुः सर्वे ते मुनयस्तदा । किमस्माभिः स्वको देहो विक्रीतोऽस्यान्नभक्षणात् ।। ७१.

When this was said, all those sages then exclaimed: 'Has our own body been sold for eating his food?'

एवमुक्त्वा पुनश्चोचुः सोपाधिगमनं प्रति । कृत्वा मायामयीं गां तु तच्छालौ ते व्यसर्जयन् ।। ७१.

Having spoken thus, they again discussed how to depart; creating a cow by illusion, they left it in his rice field.

तां चरन्तीं ततो दृष्ट्वा शालौ गां गौतमो मुनिः । गृहीत्वा सलिलं पाणौ याहि रुद्रेत्यभाषत । ततो मायामयी सा गौः पपात जलबिन्दुभिः ।। ७१.

Seeing that cow wandering in the forest, the sage Gautama took water in his hand and said, 'Go to Rudra.' Then that cow, formed by illusion, fell down, struck by the drops of water.

निहतां तां ततो दृष्ट्वा मुनीन् जिगमिषूंस्तथा । उवाच गौतमो धीमांस्तान् मुनीन् प्रणतः स्थितः ।। ७१.

Seeing her thus slain and the sages preparing to depart, Gautama, wise and humble, addressed those sages.

किमर्थं गम्यते विप्राः साधु शंसत माचिरम् । मां विहाय सदा भक्तं प्रणतं च विशेषतः ।। ७१.

For what reason are you leaving, O sages? Please tell me quickly. Why do you abandon me, your ever-devoted and especially humble follower?

ऋषय ऊचुः । गोवध्येयमिह ब्रह्मन् यावत् तव शरीरगा । तावदन्नं न भुञ्जामो भवतोऽन्नं महामुने ।। ७१.

The sages said: O Brahman, this is cow-slaughter here; as long as it remains with your body, we will not partake of your food, O great sage.