Varaha Purana

(उप्ताः सहस्त्रतां यान्ति प्रतिसंवत्सरं मुने ।) ।। ८.२६ (१)।। अहमेकं कुटुम्बार्थे हन्म्यरण्ये पशुं दिने । तं चेत् पितृभ्यः संस्कृत्य दत्त्वा भुञ्जामि सानुगः ।। ८.

They are raised by the thousands every year, O sage. For the sake of my family, I kill one animal in the forest each day; after offering it, properly prepared, to the ancestors, I eat it with my household.

त्वं तु जीवान् बहून् हत्वा स्वकुटुम्बेन सानुगः । भुञ्जन्नेतेन सततमभोज्यं तन्मतं मम ।। ८.

But you, together with your family and followers, having killed many living beings, continually consume that which is unfit to be eaten; this is my view.

ब्रह्मणा तु पुरा सृष्टा ओषध्यः सर्ववीरुधः । यज्ञार्थं तत्तु भूतानां भक्ष्यमित्येव वै श्रुतिः ।। ८.

Long ago, all plants and herbs were created by Brahma; the Veda declares that these are to be eaten by beings for the sake of sacrifice.

दिव्यो भौतस्तथा पैत्रो मानुषो ब्राह्म एव च । एते पञ्च महायज्ञा ब्रह्मणा निर्मिताः पुरा ।। ८.

The five great sacrifices—divine, elemental, ancestral, human, and Brahmanical—were established by Brahma in ancient times.

ब्राह्मणानां हितार्थाय इतरेषां च तन्मुखम् । इतरेषां तु वर्णानां ब्राह्मणैः कारिताः शुभाः ।। ८.

These were instituted for the welfare of Brahmins and, through them, for the benefit of the other classes; the auspicious rites for the other varnas are performed by Brahmins.

एवं यदि विभागः स्याद् वरान्नं तद् विशुध्यति । अन्यथा व्रीहयोऽप्येते एकैके मृगपक्षिणः । मन्तव्या दातृभोक्तृणां महामांसं तु तत् स्मृतम् ।। ८.

If this order is maintained, then the food becomes pure; otherwise, even these grains are to be considered like the flesh of animals and birds, both for the giver and the eater—it is regarded as great meat.

मया ते दुहिता दत्ता पुत्रार्थे देवरूपिणी । सा च त्वद्भार्यया प्रोक्ता दुहिता जन्तुघातिनः ।। ८.

I gave you my daughter, divine in form, for the sake of a son; she, who is called your wife, is the daughter of one who slays living beings.

अतोऽर्थमागतोऽहं ते गृहं प्रति समीक्षितुम् । आचारं देवपूजां च अतिथीनां च तर्पणम् ।। ८.

Therefore, I have come to your house to observe your conduct, your worship of the gods, and the offerings made to guests.

एतेषामेकमप्यत्र कुर्वन्नपि न दृश्यते । तद् गृहं गन्तुमिच्छामि पितॄणां श्राद्धकाम्यया ।। ८.

But here, not even one of these is being performed; thus, I wish to leave this house, desiring to perform the śrāddha for the ancestors.

स्वगृहे नैव भुञ्जामि पितॄणां कार्यमित्युत । अहं व्याधो जीवघाती न तु त्वं लोकहिंसकः ।। ८.

I do not eat in my own house, saying it is for the sake of the ancestors; I am a hunter, a slayer of living beings, but you are not one who harms the world.

मत्सुता जीवघातस्य यदोढा त्वत्सुतेन च । तन्महत्त्वं च संजातं प्रायश्चितं तपोधन ।। ८.

My daughter, who is the wife of a slayer of living beings, has been married to your son; thus, a great atonement has arisen, O ascetic.

एवमुक्त्वा स चोत्थाय शप्त्वा नारीं तदा धरे । मा स्नुषाभिः समं श्वश्र्वा विश्वासो भवतु क्वचित् ।। ८.

Having spoken thus, he rose and then cursed the woman, saying: 'Let there never be trust between a mother-in-law and her daughters-in-law.'

मा च स्नुषा कदाचित् स्याद् या श्वश्रूं जीवतीमिषेत् । एवमुक्त्वा गतो व्याधः स्वगृहं प्रति भामिनि ।। ८.

'And let there never be a daughter-in-law who wishes for her mother-in-law to live.' Having said this, the hunter departed for his own house, O beautiful one.

ततो देवान् पितॄन् भक्तया पूजयित्वा विचक्षणः । पुत्रं चार्जुनकं स्थाप्य स्वसन्ताने महातपाः ।। ८.

Then, with devotion, the wise one worshipped the gods and ancestors, and, having established his son Arjunaka in his lineage, the great ascetic—

धर्मव्याधो जगामाशु तीर्थं त्रैलोक्यविश्रुतम् । पुरुषोत्तमाख्यं च परं तत्र गत्वा समाहितः । तपश्चचार नियतः पठन् स्तोत्रमिदं धरे ।। ८.

The righteous hunter quickly went to the renowned pilgrimage place called Puruṣottama; arriving there with a focused mind, he practiced austerities, reciting this hymn to the earth.

नमामि विष्णुं त्रिदशारिनाशनं विशालवक्षस्थलसंश्रितश्रियम् । सुशासनं नीतिमतां परां गतिं त्रिविक्रमं मन्दरधारिणं सदा ।। ८.

I bow to Viṣṇu, destroyer of the enemies of the gods, whose broad chest is the abode of fortune, who is a good ruler, the supreme goal of the righteous, the three-stepping one, the upholder of Mandara, always.

दामोदरं रञ्जितभूतलं धिया यशोंशुशुभ्रं भ्रमराङ्गसप्रभम् । धराधरं नरकरिपुं पुरुष्टुतं नमामि विष्णुं शरणं जनार्दनम् ।। ८.

I bow to Viṣṇu, Dāmodara, who has adorned the earth, whose glory is radiant like the rays of the moon, whose limbs shine like the bee, the supporter of the earth, the enemy of hell, praised by the noble, the refuge of all, Janārdana.

(नरं नृसिंहं हरिमीश्वरं प्रभुं त्रिधामनामानमनन्तवर्चसम् । सुसंस्कृतास्यं शरणं नरोत्तमं व्रजामि देवं सततं तमच्युतम् ।। ८.४३ (१)) त्रिधा स्थितं तिग्मरथाङ्गपाणिनं नयस्थितं तृप्तमनुत्तमैर्गुणैः । निःश्रेयसाख्यं क्षपितेतरं गुरुं नमामि विष्णुं पुरुषोत्तमं त्वहम् ।। ८.

(I approach that god, the man-lion, Hari, the Lord, the master of three abodes, of endless glory, with well-formed speech, the supreme refuge of men, the imperishable one, always.) Established in three forms, holding the blazing discus in hand, steadfast in righteousness, content with unsurpassed virtues, known as the highest good, the destroyer of others, the great teacher—I bow to Viṣṇu, the supreme person.

(हतौ पुराणौ मधुकैटभावुभौ बिभर्त्ति च क्ष्मां शिरसा सदा हि सः । यथा स्तुतो मे प्रसभं सनातनो दधातु विष्णुः सुखमूर्जितं मम ।। ८.४४ (१)) महावराहो हविषाम्बुभोजनो जनार्दनो मे हितकृच्चितीमुखः । क्षितीधरो मामुदधिक्षयो महान् स पातु विष्णुः शरणार्थिनं तु माम् ।। ८.

(Long ago, the two ancient demons Madhu and Kaiṭabha were slain; he always bears the earth upon his head. As the eternal one has been praised by me with force, may Viṣṇu grant me happiness and strength.) May the great Boar, who enjoys the sacrificial offering, Janārdana, the benefactor, the one with a lotus-like face, the great upholder of the earth, who diminished the ocean, protect me, the one seeking refuge.

मायाततं येन जगत्त्रयं कृतं यथाग्निनैकेन ततं चराचरम् । चराचरस्य स्वयमेव सर्वतः स मेऽस्तु विष्णुः शरणं जगत्पतिः ।। ८.

May that Viṣṇu, Lord of the universe, by whom the three worlds are woven through illusion, just as all that moves and does not move is pervaded by a single fire, and who himself is present everywhere in all that moves and does not move—may he be my refuge.

भवे भवे यश्च ससर्ज्ज कं ततो जगत् प्रसूतं सचराचरं त्विदम् । ततश्च रुद्रात्मवति प्रलीयते- ऽन्वतो हरिर्विष्णुहरस्तथोच्यते ।। ८.

He who, in every cycle of existence, creates beings, from whom this world of moving and unmoving things is born, and into whom, when it is possessed by the spirit of Rudra, it is dissolved—he is called Hari, Viṣṇu, and Hara.

खात्मेन्दुपृथ्वीपवनाग्निभास्करा जलं च यस्य प्रभवन्ति मूर्त्तयः । स सर्वदा मे भगवान् सनातनो ददातु शं विष्णुरचिन्त्यरूपधृक् ।। ८.

He from whom space, the moon, earth, wind, fire, sun, and water arise as forms—may that eternal, blessed Viṣṇu, bearer of inconceivable form, always grant me well-being.

धरण्युवाच । आदौ कृतयुगे नाथ किं कृतं विश्वमूर्त्तिना । नारायणेन तत्सर्वं श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्त्वतः ।। 9.

The Earth said: O Lord, what did Nārāyaṇa, the universal form, do at the beginning, in the Kṛta Yuga? I wish to hear all that in truth.

श्रीवराह उवाच । पूर्वं नारायणस्त्वेको नासीत् किञ्चिद्धरेः परम् । सैक एव रतिं लेभे नैव स्वच्छन्दकर्मकृत् ।। 9.

Śrī Varāha said: In the beginning, there was only Nārāyaṇa; nothing existed apart from Hari. He alone found delight, but did not act according to his own will.

तस्य द्वितीयमिच्छन्तश्चिन्ता बुद्ध्यात्मिका बभौ । असावित्येव संज्ञाया क्षणं भास्करसन्निभा ।। 9.

Desiring a second, a thought arose in him, consisting of intellect and self; it was called 'Asu,' and for a moment shone like the sun.

तस्या अपि द्विधा भूता चिन्ताऽभूद ब्रह्मवादिनी । उमेति संज्ञया यत्तत्सदा मर्त्ये व्यवस्थिता ।। 9.

That thought also became twofold, becoming the reasoning of Brahman; what is known by the name 'Umā' is always established among mortals.

ओमित्येकाक्षरीभूता ससर्जेमां महीं तदा । भूः ससर्ज भुवं सोऽपि स्वः ससर्ज ततो महः ।। 9.

Having become the single syllable 'Om,' she then created this earth; Bhūḥ created Bhuvaḥ, and he created Svaḥ, and then Mahaḥ.

ततश्च जन इत्येव तपश्चात्मा प्रलीयते । एतदोतं तथा प्रोतं सूत्रे मणिगणा इव ।। 9.

Then Jana and Tapa, and the self is dissolved; all this is woven and threaded together like a string of gems on a thread.

जगत् प्रणवतो भूतं शून्यमेतत् स्थितं तदा । येयं मूर्तिर्भगवतः शंकरः स स्वयं हरिः ।। 9.

When the universe, uttered by the sacred syllable, existed as emptiness, that form of the Blessed One—Śaṅkara—was himself Hari.