Varaha Purana

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.

तेनास्मद्युगपद्योगो जातो वाक्येन सत्तम । तीर्थप्रभावाद् गच्छामः पितृलोकं न संशयः ।। ७.

Therefore, O noble one, by your words, our union has occurred at once; by the power of the holy place, we shall go to the world of the ancestors—there is no doubt.

अत्र पिण्डप्रदानेन एतौ तव पितामहौ । दुर्गतावपि संसिद्धौ पापकृद्विकृतिं गतौ ।। ७.

By the offering of piṇḍa here, these two grandfathers of yours, though fallen into misfortune, have attained perfection, even though they had committed evil deeds.

तीर्थप्रभाव एषोऽस्मिन् ब्रह्मघ्नस्यापि तत्सुतः । पुतः पिण्डप्रदानेन कुर्यादुद्धरणं पुनः ।। ७.

Such is the power of this holy place, that even the son of a Brahmin-slayer is purified by the offering of piṇḍa, and can indeed be uplifted again.

एतस्मात् कारणात् पुत्र अहमेतौ विगृह्य वै । आगतोऽस्मि भवन्तं वै द्रष्टुं यास्यामि साम्प्रतम् । एतस्मात् कारणाद् रैभ्य भवान् धन्यो मयोच्यते ।। ७.

For this reason, my son, I have separated these two and come here to see you; now I shall depart. For this reason, Raibhya, you are called blessed by me.

सकृद् गयाभिगमनं सकृत्पिण्डप्रदापनम् । दुर्लभं त्वं पुनर्नित्यमस्मिन्नेव व्यवस्थितः ।। ७.

A single visit to Gayā, a single offering of piṇḍa, is difficult to obtain; yet you remain constantly engaged in this very act.

किमनु प्रोच्यते रैभ्य तव पुण्यमिदं प्रभो । येन साक्षाद् गदापाणिर्दृष्टो नारायणः स्वयम् ।। ७.

What more can be said, O Raibhya, about your merit, by which you have directly seen Nārāyaṇa himself, the wielder of the mace?

ततो गदाधरः साक्षादस्मिंस्तीर्थे व्यवस्थितः । अतोऽतिविख्याततमं तीर्थमेतद् द्विजोत्तम ।। ७.

Therefore, Gadādhara himself is present at this holy place; for this reason, O best of twice-born, this holy place is exceedingly renowned.

श्रीवराह उवाच । एवमुक्त्वा महायोगी तत्रैवान्तरधीयत । रैभ्योऽपि च गदापाणेर्हरेः स्तोत्रमथाकरोत् ।। ७.

Śrī Varāha said: Having spoken thus, the great yogi vanished right there; and Raibhya then composed a hymn of praise to Hari, the wielder of the mace.

रैभ्य उवाच । गदाधरं विबुधजनैरभिष्टुतं धृतक्षमं क्षुधितजनार्त्तिनाशनम् । शिवं विशालासुरसैन्यमर्दनं नमाम्यहं हतसकलाशुभं स्मृतौ ।। ७.

Raibhya said: I bow to Gadādhara, praised by the hosts of gods, who is patient, who removes the suffering of the hungry, who is auspicious, who crushes the vast armies of demons, and who destroys all misfortune when remembered.

पुराणपूर्वं पुरुषं पुरुष्टृतं पुरातनं विमलमलं नृणां गतिम् । त्रिविक्रमं धृतधरणिं बलेर्हं गदाधरं रहसि नमामि केशवम् ।। ७.

I bow in secret to Keśava, the ancient person, the foremost of men, the primeval, pure, and spotless refuge of people, the Trivikrama who bore the earth for Bali, the wielder of the mace.