Varaha Purana

मधुरं वाक्यमादाय प्रत्युवाच वसुन्धराम्

Taking up sweet words, he replied to the Earth.

माया मम विशालाक्षि रोहिणी लोमहर्षिणी

O wide-eyed one, Rohiṇī, my Māyā is wondrous and hair-raising.

गतो गतीरनेकाश्च उत्तमाधममध्यमाः

She has taken on many forms and paths—excellent, middling, and low.

यथा ब्राह्मणमुख्येन प्राप्ता स्त्रीयोनिरेव च 125.

Just as, through the foremost of Brāhmaṇas, the origin of women was attained.

ममैवाराधनपरो मम कर्मपरायणः

He was devoted to my worship and steadfast in performing my deeds.

अयं दीर्घेण कालेन तस्य तुष्टोऽस्मि सुन्दरि

O beautiful one, over a long period, I became pleased with him.

ततस्तस्य मया देवि दत्त्वा दर्शनमुत्तमम्

Then, O goddess, I granted him a supreme vision.

वरं वरय भद्रं ते तव यद्धृदि वर्त्तते

Choose a boon, auspicious one, whatever abides in your heart.

अथवेच्छसि तं स्वर्गं यत्र सौख्यं वराङ्गनाः

Or if you desire that heaven where happiness and lovely women dwell—

यत्र सर्वा दिव्यरूपा भवन्त्यप्सरसः पराः ततो मम वचः श्रुत्वा स च ब्राह्मणपुंगवः

Where all the celestial nymphs possess divine forms—having heard my words, that eminent Brāhmaṇa—

अथ नो कुप्यसे देव वरं समनुयाचते

Then, O god, if you are not angered, I will ask for a boon.

न चाहं कांचनं गावो न च स्त्रीराज्यमेव च

I do not desire gold, nor cows, nor women, nor even a kingdom.

तथा स्वर्गसहस्राणामेकं चापि न रोचते 125.

Nor does even a single one among thousands of heavens please me.

ततस्तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा समया तत्र भाषितः

Then, having heard his words, an agreement was spoken there.

देवा अपि न जानन्ति विष्णुमायाविमोहिताः

Even the gods do not know, being deluded by Viṣṇu's Māyā.

उवाच मधुरं वाक्यं मायया च प्रचोदितः

Prompted by Māyā, he spoke sweet words.

तव देव प्रसादेन ममैवं दीयतां वरः

By your grace, O god, may this boon be granted to me.

गच्छ कुब्जाम्रके गङ्गास्नातो मायां तु गच्छसि कुब्जाम्रके देवि विप्रो मम मायाभिलाषुकः

Go to Kubjāmra, bathe in the Gaṅgā, and you will attain Māyā; O goddess, at Kubjāmra the Brāhmaṇa desired my Māyā.

स्थापयित्वा यथान्यायं तीर्थमाराधयद्यथा

Having properly established the sacred place, he worshipped as was fitting.

अवगाह्य ततो गङ्गां सर्वगात्रे च क्लेदिते

Then, after immersing himself in the Ganga, his whole body became soaked.

हृदयेऽचिन्तयत्तत्र गर्भक्लेशेन पीडितः

There, afflicted by the pain of being in the womb, he reflected in his heart.

योऽहं निषादगर्भेऽस्मिन्वसामि नरकेषु च 125.

I, who now dwell in this Niṣāda womb and in these hellish states—

योऽहं निषादगर्भेऽस्मिन्पीडास्ति मलसंकुले

I, who am in this Niṣāda womb, suffer in this mass of filth.

पुरीषमूत्रसङ्कीर्णे मांसशोणितकर्द्दमे

Mixed with excrement and urine, in the mire of flesh and blood,

बहुरोगसमाकीर्णे बहुदुःखतमाकुले

Surrounded by many diseases, overwhelmed by manifold sufferings—

कुतो विष्णुः कुतो वाहं कुतो गङ्गाजलानि च

Where is Viṣṇu? Where am I? Where are the waters of the Ganga?

एवं चिन्तयमानस्तु शीघ्रं गर्भाद्विनिःसृतः

Thinking thus, he quickly emerged from the womb.

अजायत ततः कन्या निषादस्य गृहे तदा

Then, at that time, a daughter was born in the house of the Niṣāda.

न च संज्ञायते किंचिद्विष्णुमायाविमोहिता

But, bewildered by Viṣṇu's illusion, she was not aware of anything.