Varaha Purana

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.

सुशुद्धभावं विभवैरुपावृतं श्रियावृतं विगतमलं विचक्षणम् । क्षितीश्वरैरपगतकिल्बिषैः स्तुतं गदाधरं प्रणमति यः सुखं वसेत् ।। ७.

He who is of pure mind, surrounded by riches, adorned with Śrī, free from stain, wise, praised by sinless lords of the earth—whoever bows to Gadādhara dwells in happiness.

सुरासुरैरर्च्चितपादपङ्कजं केयूरहाराङ्गदमौलिधारिणम् । अब्धौ शयानं च रथाङ्गपाणिनं गदाधरं प्रणमति यः सुखं वसेत् ।। ७.

He whose lotus feet are worshipped by gods and demons, who wears armlets, garlands, ornaments, and a crown, who lies upon the ocean, who holds the wheel in his hand—whoever bows to Gadādhara dwells in happiness.

सितं कृते त्रेतायुगेऽरुणं विभुं तथा तृतीये पीतवर्णमच्युतम् । कलौ घनालिप्रतिमं महेश्वरं गदाधरं प्रणमति यः सुखं वसेत् ।। ७.

He who is white in the Kṛta age, red in the Tretā, yellow in the third (Dvāpara), and in Kali is dark as a raincloud, the great lord—whoever bows to Gadādhara dwells in happiness.

बीजोद्भवो यः सृजते चतुर्मुख- स्तथैव नारायणरूपतो जगत् । प्रपालयेद् रुद्रवपुस्तथान्तकृद् गदाधरो जयतु षडर्द्धमूर्तिमान् ।। ७.

He from whom Brahmā, born from the seed, creates the world in the form of Nārāyaṇa, who protects as Rudra and also brings about the end—may Gadādhara, possessing sixfold forms, be victorious.

सत्त्वं रजश्चैव तमो गुणास्त्रय- स्त्वेतेषु नान्यस्य समुद्भवः किल । स चैक एव त्रिविधो गदाधरो दधातु धैर्यं मम धर्ममोक्षयोः ।। ७.

Sattva, rajas, and tamas—these three qualities arise from him alone and from no other; may that threefold Gadādhara grant me steadfastness in righteousness and liberation.

संसारतोयार्णवदुःखतन्तुभि- र्वियोगनक्रक्रमणैः सुभीषणैः । मज्जन्तमुच्चैः सुतरां महाप्लवे गदाधरो मामु दधातु पोतवत् ।। ७.

In this ocean of worldly existence, with its painful strands, with the dreadful crocodiles of separation—when I am sinking, may Gadādhara bear me up like a great boat.

स्वयं त्रिमूर्तिः स्वमिवात्मनात्मनि स्वशक्तितश्चाण्डमिदं ससर्ज्ज ह । तस्मिञ्जलोत्थासनमार्यतेजसं ससर्ज्ज यस्तं प्रणतोऽस्मि भूधरम् ।। ७.

He, the Trimurti himself, by his own power, created this cosmic egg from himself; in that, he created the earth, radiant with noble brilliance, arising from the waters—unto him, the bearer of the earth, I bow.

मत्स्यादिनामानि जगत्सु केवलं सुरादिसंरक्षणतो वृषाकपिः । मुख्यस्वरूपेण समन्ततो विभु- र्गदाधरो मे विदधातु सद्गतिम् ।। ७.

He who, for the protection of gods and others, takes on names such as Matsya and so forth, the Bull-Ape, who is all-pervading in his principal form and wields the mace—may he grant me the highest path.

श्रीवराह उवाच । एवं स्तुतस्तदा विष्णुर्भक्त्या रैभ्येण धीमता । प्रादुर्बभूव सहसा पीतवासा जनार्दनः ।। ७.

Śrī Varāha said: Thus praised at that time by the wise Raibhya with devotion, Viṣṇu, Janārdana, suddenly appeared, clad in yellow garments.

शङ्खचक्रगदापाणिर्गरुडस्थो वियद्गतः । उवाच मेघगम्भीरधीरवाक् पुरुषोत्तमः ।। ७.

Holding conch, discus, and mace in his hands, seated upon Garuḍa, moving through the sky, the supreme person spoke with a voice deep as a cloud and words full of dignity.