Varaha Purana

ततोऽहःकल्पनिर्वृत्ते रात्रिकल्पे च सत्तम । इदानीमादिसृष्टौ तु कृते नृपतिसत्तम ।। ६.

Then, when the day of Brahmā ended and the night began, O best of kings, now, at the beginning of this creation, O foremost ruler, it is thus.

संभूतस्त्वं महाराज राज्ञः सुमनसो गृहे । काश्मीरदेशाधिपतेरहं चाङ्गरुहैस्तव ।। ६.

You were born, O great king, in the house of King Sumanas; I, too, was born from your hair as the ruler of Kāśmīra.

यज्ञैरिष्टं त्वयानेकैर्बहुभिश्चाप्तदक्षिणैः । न चाहं तैरपहतो विष्णुस्मरणवर्जितैः ।। ६.

You performed many sacrifices with abundant gifts, but I was not overcome by them, since they lacked remembrance of Viṣṇu.

इदानीं यत् त्वया स्तोत्रं पुण्डरीकाक्षपारकम् । पठितं तत्प्रभावेन विहायाङ्गरुहाण्यहम् । एकीभूतः पुनर्जातो व्याधरूपो नृपोत्तम ।। ६.

Now, by the power of the hymn to the lotus-eyed Lord that you recited, I abandoned my hairs, became one again, and was reborn in the form of a hunter, O best of kings.

अहं भगवतः स्तोत्रं श्रुत्वा प्राक्पापमूर्त्तिना । मुक्तोऽस्मि धर्मबुद्धिर्मे वर्त्तते साम्प्रतं विभो ।। ६.

Having heard the hymn to the Blessed Lord, I, formerly embodied as sin, am now freed; a mind intent on righteousness now abides in me, O Lord.

एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचो राजा परं विस्मयमागतः । वरेण छन्दयामास तं व्याधं राजसत्तमः ।। ६.

Hearing these words, the king was filled with great wonder and, O best of kings, granted a boon to that hunter.

राजोवाच । स्मारितोऽस्मि यथा व्याध त्वया जन्मान्तरं गतम् । तथा त्वं मत्प्रसादेन धर्मव्याधो भविष्यसि ।। ६.

The king said: 'Hunter, just as you have reminded me of my past birth, so, by my grace, you shall become a righteous hunter.'

यश्चैतत् पुण्डरीकाक्षपारगं श्रृणुयात् परम् । तस्य पुष्करयात्रायां विधिस्नानफलं भवेत् ।। ६.

Whoever hears this account of the lotus-eyed Lord shall obtain, during the pilgrimage to Puṣkara, the merit of bathing according to the prescribed rite.

श्रीवराह उवाच । एवमुक्त्वा ततो राजा विमानवरमास्थितः । परेण तेजसा योगमवापाशेषधारिणि ।। ६.

Śrī Varāha said: Having spoken thus, the king ascended the excellent celestial chariot and, by supreme power, attained union with the bearer of all.

धरण्युवाच । रैभ्योऽसौ मुनिशार्दूलः श्रुत्वा सिद्धं वसुं तदा । स्वयं किमकरोद् देव संशयो मे महानयम् ।। ७.

The Earth spoke: O tiger among sages, having heard that the wealth was attained by Raibhya, what did the sage himself do then? This is a great doubt of mine.

श्रीवराह उवाच । स रैभ्यो मुनिशार्दूलः श्रुत्वा सिद्धं वसुं तदा । आजगाम गयां पुण्यां पितृतीर्थं तपोधनः । तत्र गत्वा पितॄन् भक्त्या पिण्डदानेन तर्पयत् ।। ७.

The blessed Varaha said: That tiger among sages, Raibhya, having heard that the wealth was attained, went to the holy Gaya, the ancestral pilgrimage, O ascetic. There, having arrived, he satisfied his ancestors with offerings of rice balls, with devotion.

ततो वै सुहमत्तीव्रं तपः परमदुश्चरम् । चरतस्तस्य तत्तीव्रं तपो रैभ्यस्य धीमतः । आजगाम महायोगी विमानस्थोऽतिदीप्तिमान् ।। ७.

Then, as Raibhya performed extremely intense austerity, most difficult to practice, while he was engaged in that severe penance, a great yogi, radiant and seated in a celestial chariot, arrived.

त्रसरेणुसमे शुद्धे विमाने सूर्यसन्निभे । परमाणुप्रमाणेन पुरुषस्तत्र दीप्तिमान् ।। ७.

In a pure chariot, as fine as dust particles and shining like the sun, there appeared a radiant man of atomic size.

सोऽब्रवीद् रैभ्य किं कार्यं तपश्चरसि सुव्रत । एवमुक्त्वा दिवो भूमिं मापयामास वै पुमान् ।। ७.

He spoke: 'Raibhya, O steadfast one, what purpose do you pursue by performing austerity?' Having said this, that man measured the earth from the sky.

तत्रापि रथपञ्चाभं विमानं सूर्यसन्निभम् । युगपद् ब्रह्मभुवनं व्याप्नुवन्तं ददर्श सः ।। ७.

There, he saw a chariot resembling five chariots, shining like the sun, simultaneously pervading the world of Brahma.

ततः स विस्मयाविष्टो रैभ्यः प्रणतिपूर्वकम् । पप्रच्छ तं महायोगिन् को भवान् प्रब्रवीतु मे ।। ७.

Then, Raibhya, filled with wonder, bowed and asked that great yogi: 'Who are you? Please tell me.'

पुरुष उवाच । अहं रुद्रादवरजो ब्रह्मणो मानसः सुतः । नाम्ना सनत्कुमारेति जनलोके वसाम्यहम् ।। ७.

The man spoke: 'I am the younger brother of Rudra, the mind-born son of Brahma. By name, I am Sanatkumara, and I dwell in the world of Janas.'

भवतः पार्श्वमायातः प्रणयेन तपोधन । धन्योऽसि सर्वथा वत्स ब्रह्मणः कुलवर्धनः ।। ७.

'I have come near you, O ascetic, out of affection. You are truly blessed, child, enhancer of Brahma's lineage.'

रैभ्य उवाच । नमोऽस्तु ते योगिवर प्रसीद दयां मह्यं कुरुषे विश्वरूप । किमत्र कृत्यं वद योगिसिंह कथं हि धन्योऽहमुक्तस्त्वया च ।। ७.

Raibhya spoke: 'Salutations to you, best among yogis. Be gracious, show me compassion, O universal form. What is to be done here? Tell me, lion among yogis. How am I blessed, as you have said?'

सनत्कुमार उवाच । धन्यस्त्वमेव द्विजवर्यमुख्य यद् वेदवादाभिरतः पितॄंश्च । प्रीणासि मन्त्रव्रतजप्यहोमै- र्गयां समासाद्य तथाऽन्नपिण्डैः ।। ७.

Sanatkumara spoke: 'You are indeed blessed, foremost among twice-born, because you are devoted to Vedic teachings and please your ancestors with mantras, vows, recitations, and offerings, having come to Gaya, and with rice balls.'

श्रृणुष्व चान्यं नृपतिर्बभूव विशालनामा स पुरीं विशालाम् । उवास धन्यो धृतिमानपुत्रः स्वयं विशालाधिपतिर्द्विजाग्र्यान् । पप्रच्छ पुत्रार्थममित्रसाह - स्ते ब्राह्मणाश्चोचुरदीनसत्त्वाः ।। ७.

Listen also: There was a king named Vishala, who resided in the great city Vishala. He was blessed, steadfast, and had no sons. Being the lord of Vishala, he asked the foremost brahmins for a son. Those brahmins, possessing little vitality, replied.

र्गत्वा गयामन्नदानैरनेकैः । ध्रुवं सुतस्ते भविता नृपेश सुसंप्रदाता सकलक्षितीशः ।। ७.

Having gone to Gaya and given food in many ways, O king, your son will surely be born, a generous ruler of the whole earth.

इतीरितो ब्राह्मणैः स प्रहृष्टो राजा विशालाधिपतिः प्रयत्नात् । आगत्य तेन प्रवरेण तीर्थे मघासु भक्त्याऽथ कृतं पितॄणाम् ।। ७.

Thus addressed by the brahmins, the king, lord of Vishala, was delighted. He went with effort to that excellent pilgrimage, and in the Magha month, with devotion, performed rites for his ancestors.

पिण्डप्रदानं विधिना प्रयत्ना- ददद्वियत्युत्तममूर्तयस्तान् । पश्यन् स पुंसः सितपीतकृष्णा- नुवाच राजा किमिदं भवद्भिः । उपेक्ष्यते शंसत सर्वमेव कौतूहलं मे मनसि प्रवृत्तम् ।। ७.

He gave offerings of rice balls to his ancestors with effort and proper procedure. Seeing men of white, yellow, and black colors, the king asked: 'What is this, O sirs, that you overlook? Tell me everything, for curiosity has arisen in my mind.'

सित उवाच । अहं सितस्ते जनकोऽस्मि तात नाम्ना च वृत्तेन च कर्मणा च । अयं च मे जनको रक्तवर्णो नृशंसकृद् ब्रह्महा पापकारी ।। ७.

The white one spoke: 'I am Sita, your ancestor, O child, by name, conduct, and deed. This one, my ancestor, is red in color, cruel, a slayer of brahmins, and a doer of evil.'

अधीश्वरो नाम परः पिताऽस्य कृष्णो वृत्त्या कर्मणा चापि कृष्णः । एतेन कृष्णेन हताः पुरा वै जन्मन्यनेके ऋषयः पुराणाः ।। ७.

'The one beyond is named Adhishvara, his father, black by conduct and deed. By this black one, many ancient sages were slain in previous births.'

एतौ मृतौ द्वावपि पुत्र रौद्र- मवीचिसंज्ञं नरकं प्रपन्नौ । अधीश्वरो मे जनकः परोऽस्य कृष्णः पिता द्वावपि दीर्घकालम् । अहं च शुद्धेन निजेन कर्मणा शक्रासनं प्रापितो दुर्लभं ततः ।। ७.

'Both these, my son, having died, entered the hell called Raudra and Avici. Adhishvara, my ancestor, and Krishna, his father, both remained there for a long time. But I, by my own pure deeds, attained the seat of Indra, which is difficult to obtain.'

त्वया पुनर्मन्त्रविदा गयायां पिण्डप्रदानेन बलादिमौ च । मेलापितौ तीर्थपिण्डप्रदान - प्रभावतो मे नरकाश्रितावपि ।। ७.

By you, who are learned in mantras, through the offering of piṇḍa at Gayā, these two—Bala and the other—have been united, by the power of the piṇḍa offering at the holy place, even though they were dwelling in hell.

पितॄन् पितामहांस्तत्र तथैव प्रपितामहान् । प्रीणयामीति तत्तोयं त्वया दत्तमरिंदम ।। ७.

O subduer of enemies, with the water you have offered there, you have satisfied the ancestors, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers.