Varaha Purana

इत्येते कथिताः सर्गाः षडेते सुभगे तव । प्रथमो महतः सर्गस्तन्मात्राणि द्वितीयकः ।। २.

Thus, O fortunate one, these six creations have been described to you: the first is the creation of Mahat, the second is of the subtle elements.

वैकारिकस्तृतीयस्तु सर्गश्चैन्द्रियकः स्मृतः । इत्येष प्राकृतः सर्गः संभूतो बुद्धिपूर्वकः ।। २.

The third is the Vaikarika creation, and the fourth is called the creation of the senses; thus, this is the Prakrita (natural) creation, which arises through intellect.

मुख्यसर्गश्चतुर्थस्तु मुख्या वै स्थावराः स्मृताः । तिर्यक्स्त्रोतश्च यः प्रोक्तस्तैर्यक्स्त्रोतः स उच्यते ।। २.

The fourth is the primary creation, in which the immobile beings are considered primary; and the one called 'tiryak-srotas' is so named because of those beings.

तथोर्ध्वस्त्रोतसां श्रेष्ठः सप्तमः स तु मानवः । अष्टमोऽनुग्रहः सर्गः सात्त्विकस्तामसश्च सः ।। २.

Likewise, the best among the 'urdhva-srotas' is the seventh, the human creation; the eighth is the creation of grace, which is both sattvic and tamasic.

पञ्चैते वैकृताः सर्गाः प्राकृतास्तु त्रयः स्मृताः । प्राकृतो वैकृतश्चैव कौमारो नवमः स्मृतः ।। २.

Of these, five are called 'vaikrita' (modified) creations, and three are known as 'prakrita' (natural); the ninth, called 'kaumara', is both prakrita and vaikrita.

इत्येते वै समाख्याता नव सर्गाः प्रजापतेः । प्राकृता वैकृताश्चैव जगतो मूलहेतवः । इत्येते कथिताः सर्गाः किमन्यच्छ्रोतुमिच्छसि ।। २.

Thus, these nine creations of Prajapati have been described—both prakrita and vaikrita—as the fundamental causes of the world. These creations have been explained; what else do you wish to hear?

धरण्युवाच । नवधा सृष्टिरुत्पन्ना ब्रह्मणोऽव्यक्तजन्मनः । कथं सा ववृधे देव एतन्मे कथयाच्युत ।। २.

The Earth said: The creation of Brahma, born from the unmanifest, has arisen in nine forms. How did it grow, O god? Tell me this, O Achyuta.

श्रीवराह उवाच । प्रथमं ब्रह्मणा सृष्टा रुद्राद्यास्तु तपोधनाः। सनकादयस्ततः सृष्टा मरीच्यादय एव च ।। २.

Sri Varaha said: First, Brahma created Rudra and others, rich in austerity; then Sanaka and others were created, as well as Marichi and the rest.

मरीचिरत्रिश्च तथा अङ्गिराः पुलहः क्रतुः । पुलस्त्यश्च महातेजाः प्रचेता भृगुरेव च । नारदो दशमश्चैव वसिष्ठश्च महातपाः ।। २.

Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulaha, Kratu, Pulastya of great brilliance, Prachetas, Bhrigu, Narada as the tenth, and Vasistha of great austerity.

सनकादयो निवृत्त्याख्ये तेन धर्मे प्रयोजिताः । प्रवृत्त्याख्ये मरीच्याद्या मुक्त्वैकं नारदं मुनिम् ।। २.

Sanaka and the others were engaged by him in the path of renunciation; Marichi and the rest, except for the sage Narada, were engaged in the path of action.

योऽसौ प्रजापतिस्त्वाद्यो दक्षिणाङ्गुष्ठसंभवः । तस्यादौ तत्र वंशेन जगदेतच्चराचरम् ।। २.

That first Prajapati, who was born from the right thumb, in the beginning, through his lineage, produced this world of moving and unmoving beings.

देवाश्च दानवाश्चैव गन्धर्वोरगपक्षिणः । सर्वे दक्षस्य कन्यासु जाताः परमधार्मिकाः ।। २.

The gods, the demons, the Gandharvas, serpents, and birds—all were born from Daksha's daughters, and all are supremely righteous.

योऽसौ रुद्रेति विख्यातः पुत्रः क्रोधसमुद्भवः । भ्रुकुटीकुटिलात् तस्य ललाटात् परमेष्ठिनः ।। २.

He who is renowned as Rudra, born from wrath, emerged from the furrowed brow of the supreme lord.

अर्द्धनारीनरवपुः प्रचण्डोऽतिभयंकरः । विभजात्मानमित्युक्तो ब्रह्मणाऽन्तर्दधे पुनः ।। २.

Fierce and exceedingly terrifying, with a form half male and half female, he was told by Brahma to divide himself, and then vanished again.

तथोक्तोऽसौ द्विधा स्त्रीत्वं पुरुषत्वं चकार सः । बिभेद पुरुषत्वं च दशधा चैकधा च सः । ततस्त्वेकादश ख्याता रुद्रा ब्रह्मसमुद्भवाः ।। २.

Thus instructed, he made himself twofold—female and male; he divided the male aspect tenfold and also singly; from this, eleven Rudras, born from Brahma, became renowned.

अयमुद्देशतः प्रोक्तो रुद्रसर्गो मयाऽनघे । इदानीं युगमाहात्म्यं कथयामि समासतः ।। २.

This account of the creation of Rudra has been briefly told by me, O sinless one; now I shall narrate the greatness of the ages in summary.

कृतं त्रेता द्वापरश्च कलिश्चेति चतुर्युगम् । एतस्मिन् ये महासत्त्वा राजानो भूरिदक्षिणाः । देवासुराश्च यं चक्रुर्धर्मं कर्म च तच्छृणु ।। २.

Krita, Treta, Dvapara, and Kali are the four ages; in these, the great souls—kings who gave abundant gifts—and the gods and demons established dharma and performed deeds; listen to this.

आसीत् प्रथमकल्पे तु मनुः स्वायंभुवः पुरा । तस्य पुत्रद्वयं जज्ञे अतिमानुषचेष्टितम्। प्रियव्रतोत्तानपादनामानं धर्मवत्सलम् ।। २.

In the first cycle, Manu Svayambhuva existed; he had two sons, whose actions surpassed those of men—Priyavrata and Uttanapada, both devoted to righteousness.

तत्र प्रियव्रतो राजा महायज्वा तपोबलः । स चेष्ट्वा विविधैर्यज्ञैर्विपुलैर्भूरिदक्षिणैः ।। २.

There, King Priyavrata, a great sacrificer endowed with ascetic power, performed various grand sacrifices with abundant gifts.

सप्तद्वीपेषु संस्थाप्य भरतादीन् सुतान् निजान् । स्वयं विशालां वरदां गत्वा तेपे महत् तपः ।। २.

Establishing his own sons, including Bharata and others, in the seven continents, he himself went to the vast, blessed land and undertook great austerity.

तस्मिन् स्थितस्य तपसि राज्ञो वै चक्रवर्त्तिनः । उपेयान्नारदस्तत्र दिदृक्षुर्धर्मचारिणम् ।। २.

While the universal monarch was engaged in austerity, Narada approached him there, desiring to see the one who followed dharma.

स दृष्ट्वा नारदं व्योम्नि ज्वलद्भास्करतेजसम् । अभ्युत्थानेन राजेन्द्र उत्तस्थौ हर्षितस्तदा ।। २.

Seeing Narada in the sky, radiant with the brilliance of the sun, the king rose joyfully to greet him.

तस्यासनं च पाद्यं च सम्यक् तस्य निवेद्य वै । स्वागतादिभिरालापैः परस्परमवोचताम् । कथान्ते नारदं राजा पप्रच्छ ब्रह्मवादिनम् ।। २.

He properly offered him a seat and water for his feet, and with words of welcome and other courteous exchanges, they spoke to each other; at the end of their conversation, the king questioned Narada, the knower of Brahman.

प्रियव्रत उवाच । भगवन् किञ्चिदाश्चर्यमेतस्मिन् कृतसंज्ञिते । युगे दृष्टं श्रुतं वाऽपि तन्मे कथय नारद ।। २.

Priyavrata said: O revered one, tell me, Narada, of any wonder you have seen or heard in this age called Krita.

नारद उवाच । आश्चर्यमेकं दृष्टं मे तच्छृणुष्व प्रियव्रत । ह्यस्तनेऽहनि राजेन्द्र श्वेताख्यं गतवानहम् । द्वीपं तत्र सरो दृष्टं फुल्लपङ्कजमालिनम् ।। २.

Narada said: I have seen a wonder; listen, Priyavrata. Yesterday, O king, I went to the island called Shveta, where I saw a lake adorned with blooming lotuses.

सरसस्तस्य तीरे तु कुमारीं पृथुलोचनाम् । दृष्ट्वाऽहं विस्मयापन्नस्तां कन्यामायतेक्षणाम् ।। २.

On the shore of that lake, I saw a maiden with wide eyes; amazed, I beheld that girl with long, beautiful eyes.

पृष्टवानस्मि राजेन्द्र तदा मधुरभाषिणीम् । काऽसि भद्रे कथं वाऽसि किं वा कार्यमिह त्वया । कर्त्तव्यं चारुसर्वाङ्गि तन्ममाचक्ष्व शोभने ।। २.

I asked her then, O king, she who spoke sweetly: Who are you, O gentle one? How are you here? What is your purpose here? Tell me, O beautiful one, what you intend to do.

एवमुक्ता मया सा हि मां दृष्ट्वाऽनिमिषेक्षणा । स्मृत्वा तूष्णीं स्थिता यावत् तावन्मे ज्ञानमुत्तमम् ।। २.

Thus addressed by me, she gazed at me with unblinking eyes, and remained silent, remembering, until I attained supreme knowledge.

विस्मृतं सर्ववेदाश्च सर्वशास्त्राणि चैव ह । योगशास्त्राणि शिक्षाश्च वेदानां स्मृतयस्तथा ।। २.

All the Vedas, all the scriptures, the teachings of yoga, and the traditions of the Vedas were forgotten by me.