Varaha Purana

अन्धकूपे स पतितो घोररूपोऽवसत्तदा

Having fallen into the pit, he, appearing terrifying, remained there.

तेषां मध्ये द्विजः कश्चिद्रक्षां कृत्वा वसुन्धरे

Among them, one Brahmin protected the earth by means of a charm.

तत्रागत्य च रक्षस्तु ब्राह्मणं वाक्यमब्रवीत् अहं दास्यामि ते विप्र यत्ते मनसि वर्त्तते

Then a demon came there and spoke to the Brahmin: 'O Brahmin, I shall give you whatever is in your mind.'

बहुकालेन संप्राप्तं भोजनं च यथेप्सितम्

'Food, long awaited, and as much as you desire.'

येनाहं भक्षये सार्थं यावत्तृप्तिर्भवेन्मम

'By which I may devour the caravan until I am satisfied.'

एकः सार्थं प्रयातोऽहं नोत्सृजामि कथंचन

'I have come alone for the caravan; I will not let it go under any circumstance.'

निरीक्षितुं न शक्तोऽसि मम मन्त्रबलेन हि मम भक्ष्ये हते विप्र दोषस्तव भविष्यति

'You are not able to look at me, for by the power of my mantra, if my food is killed, O Brahmin, the fault will be yours.'

दयां कुरु त्वं विप्रर्षे भोजनं मम दीयताम्

'Have compassion, O best of Brahmins, let food be given to me.'

केन त्वं कर्मदोषेण राक्षसत्वमुपागतः

'By what fault of action have you attained the state of a demon?'

अनाचारादि हेतोश्च राक्षसत्वमुपागतः 167.

'Because of misconduct and the like, I have attained the state of a demon.'

तस्य दुःखेन संयुक्तो विप्रोऽसौ वाक्यमब्रवीत् मित्रत्वे वर्त्तसे रक्षस्तव दास्यामि किं वद

Afflicted by his suffering, the Brahmin spoke: 'You behave as a friend, O demon; tell me, what shall I give you?'

आत्मना चोपकारेण प्रियं किं करवाणि ते ददासि यदि तद्विप्र यन्मे मनसि वर्त्तते

'By my own help, what dear thing shall I do for you? If you give, O Brahmin, that which is in my mind—'

मथुरायां च यत्स्नातं कृतं विश्रान्तिसंज्ञके

'And what was done at Viśrānti, after bathing at Mathurā—'

तेन दुःखेन संयुक्तो विप्रो वाक्यमथाब्रवीत् कथं जानासि रक्षस्त्वं तीर्थं विश्रान्तिसंज्ञकम्

Afflicted by that sorrow, the Brahmin then spoke: 'How do you know, O demon, of the holy place called Viśrānti?'

कथं च संज्ञा तस्याभूत्कथय त्वं हि राक्षस पुरी उज्जयिनी नाम्ना तस्यां वासो हि मे सदा

'And how did it get that name? Tell me, O demon. The city named Ujjayinī—there I always dwelt.'

कस्मिंश्चिदथ कालेन गतोऽहं विष्णुमन्दिरम्

'At some time, I went to the temple of Viṣṇu.'

विश्रान्तितीर्थमाहात्म्यं श्रावयन्स दिनेदिने

'Day by day, I would proclaim the greatness of the Viśrānti holy place.'

सा संज्ञा च श्रुता तत्र विश्रान्तेश्च मयाऽनघ

There, O faultless one, that place is known as Viśrānti, and I have heard its name.

विश्रामं कुरुते तत्र तेन विश्रान्तिसंज्ञिता

One rests there, and thus it is called Viśrānti, the place of rest.

एकस्नानस्य हि फलं तव दत्तं च राक्षस 167.

The fruit of a single bath has been given to you, O Rākṣasa.

इति श्रीवराहपुराणे मथुरामाहात्म्ये विश्रान्तिमाहात्म्यं नाम सप्तषष्ट्यधिकशततमोऽध्यायः

Thus ends the one hundred sixty-seventh chapter, named 'The Greatness of Viśrānti,' in the Mathurā Māhātmya of the glorious Varāha Purāṇa.

धरण्युवाच तेन दृष्टेन यत्पुण्यं कथयस्वाखिलं प्रभो

The Earth spoke: Tell me, O Lord, all the merit gained by seeing that place.

श्रीवराह उवाच तस्य दर्शनमात्रेण मथुरायां फलं भवेत्

Śrī Varāha said: By merely seeing it, one attains the fruit of Mathurā.

पुरा वर्षसहस्रं तु तपस्तप्तं सुदारुणम्

Long ago, a thousand years of severe austerity were performed.

वरं वरय भद्रं ते यस्ते मनसि वर्त्तते सर्वगस्त्वं हि देवेश मया ज्ञातं सुनिश्चितम्

Choose a boon, auspicious one, whatever abides in your mind; you are omnipresent, O Lord of the gods, I have certainly known this.

मथुरायां च मे स्थानं सदा देव प्रदीयताम्

May my abode always be granted to me in Mathurā, O Lord.

मथुरायां च देव त्वं क्षेत्रपालो भविष्यसि

O Lord, you will be the guardian of the field in Mathurā.

अन्यथा नाप्नुयात् सिद्धिमेवमेतन्न संशयः

Otherwise, one would not attain perfection; thus it is, there is no doubt.

भजते मनुजः सिद्धिमात्मभावेन तादृशीम्

A man attains perfection of such a kind by devotion in his own nature.