Varaha Purana

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.

तुष्टोऽस्मि रैभ्य भक्त्या ते स्तुत्या च द्विजसत्तम । तीर्थस्नानेन च विभो ब्रूहि यत्तेऽभिवाञ्छितम् ।। ७.

"I am pleased, Raibhya, by your devotion and your praise, O best of twice-born, and by your bathing at the sacred place. Tell me, O illustrious one, what you desire."

रैभ्य उवाच । गतिं मे देहि देवेश यत्र ते सनकादयः । वसेयं तत्र येनाहं त्वत्प्रसादाद् गदाधर ।। ७.

Raibhya said: "Grant me, O Lord of gods, the path where Sanaka and the others dwell, so that by your grace, O bearer of the mace, I may reside there."

देव उवाच । एवमस्त्विति ते ब्रह्मन्नित्युक्त्वाऽन्तरधीयत । भगवानपि रैभ्यस्तु दिव्यज्ञानसमन्वितः ।। ७.

The Lord said: "So be it." Having spoken thus to you, O Brāhmaṇa, he vanished; and Raibhya, endowed with divine knowledge, also disappeared.

क्षणाद् बभूव देवेन परितुष्टेन चक्रिणा । जगाम यत्र ते सिद्धाः सनकाद्या महर्षयः ।। ७.

In an instant, by the favor of the discus-bearing Lord, he attained the place where those perfected sages, Sanaka and the others, reside.

एतच्च रैभ्यनिर्द्दिष्टं स्तोत्रं विष्णोर्गदाभृतः । यः पठेत् स गयां गत्वा पिण्डदानाद् विशिष्यते ।। ७.

This hymn to Viṣṇu, the wielder of the mace, as prescribed by Raibhya—whoever recites it, having gone to Gayā and performed the offering of ancestral cakes, surpasses others.

श्रीवराह उवाच । योऽसौ वसोः शरीरे तुव्याधो भूत्वा नृपस्य ह । स स्ववृत्त्यां स्थितः कालं चतुर्वर्षसहस्त्रिकम् ।। ८.

Śrī Varāha said: He who, having become the disease in the body of Vasu, remained in his own nature for a period of four thousand years of men.

एकैकं स्वकुटुम्बार्थे हत्वा वनचरं मृगम् । भृत्यातिथिहुताशानां प्रीणनं कुरुते सदा ।। ८.

Each time, for the sake of his own family, he would slay a wild animal in the forest, and always pleased his servants, guests, and the sacred fire.

मिथिलायां वरारोहे सदा पर्वणि पर्वणि । पितॄणां कुरुते श्राद्धं स्वाचारेण विचक्षणः ।। ८.

In Mithilā, O beautiful one, at every sacred occasion, the wise one always performed the ancestral rites for his forefathers, according to his own tradition.

अग्निं परिचरन् नित्यं वदन् सत्यं सुभाषितम् । प्राणयात्रानुसक्तस्तु योऽसौ जीवं न पातयेत् ।। ८.

Constantly serving the fire, speaking truth and pleasant words, intent on sustaining life, he would not take the life of a living being.

एवं तु वसतस्तस्य धर्मबुद्धिर्महातपाः । पुत्रस्त्वर्जुनको नाम बभूव मुनिवद्वशी ।। ८.

Thus, as he dwelt there, possessed of righteousness and great austerity, a son named Arjunaka was born to him, self-controlled like a sage.

तस्य कालेन महता चारित्रेण च धीमतः । बभूवार्ज्जुनकी नाम कन्या च वरवर्णिनी ।। ८.

To him, in due course of time and by his virtuous conduct, was born a daughter named Arjunakī, of excellent complexion.

तस्या यौवनकाले तु चिन्तयामास धर्मवित् । कस्येयं दीयते कन्या को वा योग्यश्च वै पुमान् ।। ८.

When she reached the age of youth, the knower of dharma began to ponder: 'To whom should this maiden be given? Who is a worthy man?'

इति चिन्तयतस्तस्य मतङ्गस्य सुतं प्रति । धर्मव्याधस्य सुव्यक्तं प्रसन्नाख्यं प्रति ब्रुवन् ।। ८.

As he was thus reflecting, he spoke clearly regarding the son of Mataṅga, known as Prasanna, the righteous hunter.

एवं संचिन्त्य मातङ्गः प्रसन्नं प्रति सोद्यतः । उवाच तस्य पितरं प्रसन्नायार्ज्जुनीं भवान् । गृहाण तपतां श्रेष्ठ स्वयं दत्तां महात्मने ।। ८.

Having thus decided, Mataṅga, intent upon Prasanna, said to his father: 'O best of ascetics, give Arjunī to Prasanna, the great-souled one, as your own gift.'

मतङ्ग उवाच । प्रसन्नोऽयं मम सुतः सर्वशास्त्रविशारदः । गृह्णाम्यर्जुनकीं कन्यां त्वत्सुतां व्याधसत्तम ।। ८.

Mataṅga said: My son is pleased, thoroughly learned in all the scriptures; I accept Arjunakī, your daughter, O best of hunters.

एवमुक्ते तदा कन्यां धर्मव्याधो महातपाः । मतङ्गपुत्राय ददौ प्रसन्नाय च धीमते ।। ८.

When this was said, the great ascetic Dharmavyādha gave his daughter to Mataṅga’s son, who was pleased and wise.

धर्मव्याधस्तदा कन्यां दत्वा स्वगृहमीयिवान् । साऽपि श्वशुरयोर्भर्तुः शुश्रीषणपराऽभवत् ।। ८.

Dharmavyādha, having given his daughter, then returned to his own house; and she devoted herself to serving her husband and parents-in-law.

अथ कालेन महता सा कन्याऽर्जुनकी शुभा । उक्ता श्वश्रुवा सुता पुत्रि जीवहन्तुस्त्वमीदृशी । न जानासि तपश्चर्तुं भर्त्तुराराधनं तथा ।। ८.

Then, after a long time, that auspicious maiden Arjunakī was addressed by her mother-in-law: 'Daughter, you are like one who takes life; you do not know how to perform austerities or to properly honor your husband.'

साऽपि स्वल्पापराधेन भर्त्सिता तनुमध्यमा । पितुर्वेश्मगता बाला रोदमाना मुहुर्मुहुः ।। ८.

Rebuked for a small fault, that slender-waisted girl, still a child, went to her father’s house, weeping again and again.

पित्रा पृष्टा किमेतत् ते पुत्रि रोदनकारणम् । एवमुक्ता तदा सा तु कथयामास भामिनी ।। ८.

Her father asked, 'What is this, my daughter? Why are you crying?' Thus questioned, the beautiful girl began to speak.