Varaha Purana

धरण्युवाच । भगवन् गौरमुखः कोऽसौ अन्यजन्मनि कः स्मृतः । कथं च स्मृतवान् स्मृत्वा किं चकार च सत्तमः ।। १५.

Earth said: Lord, who is this Gauramukha? Who was he remembered as in another birth? And how did he remember—having recalled, what did that noble one do?

श्रीवराह उवाच । भृगुरासीत् स्वयं साक्षादन्यस्मिन् ब्रह्म जन्मनि । तदन्वयात्मजस्त्वेष मार्कण्डेयो महामुनिः ।। १५.

Śrī Varāha said: In another birth, he was Bhṛgu himself, directly, O Brahmā; and this Mārkaṇḍeya, the great sage, is his descendant.

पुत्रैस्तु बोधिता यूयं सुगतिं प्राप्स्यथेति यत् । प्रागुक्तं ब्रह्मणा तेन मार्कण्डेयेन बोधितः ।। १५.

It was previously declared by Brahmā that you would be awakened by your sons and attain a good state; and Mārkaṇḍeya was thus reminded.

सस्मार सर्वजन्मानि स्मृत्वा चैव तु यत्कृतम् । तच्छृणुष्व वरारोहे कथयामि समासतः ।। १५.

He remembered all his births, and recalling what had been done, listen, O beautiful one, I will tell you briefly.

एवं श्राद्धविधानेन द्वादशाब्दं ततः पितॄन् । इष्ट्वा पश्चाद्धरेः स्तोत्रं स मुनिस्तूपचक्रमे ।। १५.

Thus, by performing the śrāddha rites for twelve years for his ancestors, that sage then began to recite hymns to Hari.

प्रभासं नाम यत्तीर्थं त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम् । तत्र दैत्यान्तकं देवं स्तोतुं गौरमुखः स्थितः ।। १५.

At Prabhāsa, the holy place renowned in the three worlds, Gauramukha stood there to praise the god who is the destroyer of the Daityas.

गौरमुख उवाच । स्तोष्ये महेन्द्रं रिपुदर्पहं शिवं नारायणं ब्रह्मविदां प्रतिष्ठितम् । आदित्यचन्द्राश्वियुगस्थमाद्यं पुरातनं दैत्यहरं सदा हरिम् ।। १५.

Gauramukha said: I will praise Mahendra, destroyer of the pride of foes, Śiva, Nārāyaṇa, the foundation of knowers of Brahman, the primeval one abiding with the Sun, Moon, and Aśvins, the ancient slayer of Daityas, Hari, ever present.

चकार मात्स्यं वपुरात्मनो यः पुराकृतं वेदविनाशकाले । महामहीधृग्वपुरग्रपुच्छ - छटाहवार्च्चिः सुरशत्रुहाद्यः ।। १५.

He who once took the form of a fish at the time of the destruction of the Vedas, whose great body held the earth, whose blazing tail shone like lightning, the first destroyer of the gods' enemies—

तथाब्धिमन्थानकृते गिरीन्द्रं दधार यः कौर्म्मवपुः पुराणम् । हितेच्छया यः पुरुषः पुराणः प्रपातु मां दैत्यहरः सुरेशः ।। १५.

He who, for the churning of the ocean, took the ancient form of a tortoise and bore the great mountain; that primeval person, wishing for the good, the lord of gods, the slayer of Daityas—may he protect me.

महावराहः सततं पृथिव्यास् तलात्तलं प्राविशद् यो महात्मा । यज्ञाङ्गसंज्ञः सुरसिद्धवन्द्यः स पातु मां दैत्यहरः पुराणः ।। १५.

The great Boar, who always entered from layer to layer of the earth, the great-souled one, known as the embodiment of sacrifice, worshipped by gods and siddhas—may that ancient slayer of Daityas protect me.

नृसिंहरूपी च भवत्यजस्त्रं युगे युगे योगिवरोग्रभीमः । करालवक्त्रः कनकाग्रवर्चा रत्नाशयोऽस्मानसुरान्तकोऽव्यात् ।। १५.

He who becomes the Man-Lion form, imperishable through the ages, most formidable among yogis, with a fierce face and golden-tipped radiance, the jewel-dwelling destroyer of demons—may he protect us.

बलेर्मखध्वंसकृते महात्मा स्वां गूढतां योगवपुःस्वरूपः । स दण्डकाष्ठाऽजिनलक्षणः पुनः क्षितिं च पदा क्रान्तवान् यः स पातु ।। १५.

The great soul who, to destroy Bali's sacrifice, assumed his own hidden yogic form, marked by staff, stick, and deer skin, and again crossed the earth with his foot—may he protect.

त्रिःसप्तकृत्वो जगतीं जिगाय जित्वा ददौ कश्यपाय प्रचण्डः । स जामदग्न्योऽभिजनस्य गोप्ता हिरण्यगर्भोऽसुरहा प्रपातु ।। १५.

He who conquered the world twenty-one times, and having won, gave it to Kaśyapa, the mighty one, the son of Jamadagni, protector of the good, Hiraṇyagarbha, destroyer of demons—may he protect.

चतुःप्रकारं च वपुर्य आद्यं हैरण्यगर्भप्रतिमानलक्ष्यम् । रामादिरूपैर्बहुरूपभेद- श्चकार सोऽस्मानसुरान्तकोऽव्यात् ।। १५.

He whose original form is fourfold, marked by the likeness of Hiraṇyagarbha, who, with forms beginning with Rāma, took many diverse shapes—the destroyer of demons—may he protect us.

चाणूरकंसासुरदर्पभीते- र्भीतामराणामभयाय देवः । युगे युगे वासुदेवो बभूव कल्पे भवत्यद्भुतरूपकारी । युगे युगे कल्किनाम्ना महात्मा वर्णस्थितिं कर्त्तुमनेकमूर्त्तिः ।। १५.

The god who, for the fear of Cāṇūra, Kaṃsa, and other demons, and for the safety of the frightened gods, became Vāsudeva in every age, and in each cycle takes on wondrous forms; in every age, as Kalki, the great soul, with many forms, he will restore the order of the classes.

सनातनो ब्रह्ममयः पुराणो न यस्य रूपं सुरसिद्धदैत्याः । पश्यन्ति विज्ञानगतिं विहाय अथोप्यनेकानि समर्च्वयन्ति । मत्स्यादिरूपाणि चराणि सोऽव्यात् ।। १५.

The eternal, Brahman-filled, ancient one, whose form neither gods, siddhas, nor demons see, abandoning the path of knowledge; yet they worship him in many ways. May he, with forms beginning with the fish, moving among beings, protect us.

नमो नमस्ते पुरुषोत्तमाय पुनश्च भूयोऽपि नमो नमस्ते । नमः पुरस्तादथ पृष्ठतस्ते नयस्व मां मुक्तिपदं नमस्ते ।। १५.

Salutations, salutations to the Supreme Person! Again and again, salutations to you! Salutations before and behind you; lead me to the state of liberation—salutations to you!

एवं नमस्यतस्तस्य महर्षेर्भावितात्मनः । प्रत्यक्षतां गतो देवः स्वयं चक्रगदाधरः ।। १५.

As he was thus worshipping, the god, bearing the discus and mace, appeared directly before the great sage of concentrated mind.

तं दृष्ट्वा तस्य विज्ञानं निस्तरङ्गं स्वदेहतः । उत्तस्थौ सोऽपि तं लब्ध्वा तस्मिन् ब्रह्मणि शाश्वते । लयं जगाम देवात्मा त्वपुनर्भवसंज्ञिते ।। १५.

Seeing him, the sage's awareness, undisturbed and rooted in his own body, rose up; having attained that eternal Brahman, the divine self entered dissolution, known as liberation from rebirth.

धरण्युवाच । तदा दुर्वाससा शप्तो देवराजः शतक्रतुः । वसिष्यसि त्वं मर्त्त्येषु सुप्रतीकसुतेन तु ।। १६.

The earth spoke: At that time, King of the Gods, Śatakratu, was cursed by Durvāsas; you will dwell among mortals, through the son of Supratīka.

उत्सादितो दिवो मूढेत्येवमुक्तस्तु भूधर । इन्द्रो मर्त्त्यमुपागम्य सर्वदेवसमन्वितः ।। १६.

When told by Bhūdhara, 'You have been expelled from heaven, fool,' Indra, accompanied by all the gods, approached the mortal realm.

किं चकार च तस्मिंस्तु दुर्जये च निपातिते । परमेष्ठिना भगवता तेन योगविदुत्तमौ ।। १६.

What did he do then, when the unconquerable one was struck down by the supreme lord, the blessed one, who is foremost in yoga?

स्वर्गे विद्युत्सुविद्युच्च तौ च किं चक्रतुस्तदा । एतन्मे संशयं देव कथयस्व प्रसादतः ।। १६.

What did Vidyutsu and Vidyucca do at that time in heaven, O splendid one? Tell me this doubt, O god, by your grace.

श्रीवराह उवाच । दूर्जयेन जितो धात्रि देवराजः शतक्रतुः । भारते हि तदा वर्षे वाराणस्यां तु पूर्वतः । आश्रित्य संस्थितो देवैः सह यक्षमहोरगैः ।। १६.

Śrī Varāha said: The earth was conquered by Dūrjaya, and King of the Gods, Śatakratu, was defeated; at that time, in the land of Bhārata, east of Vārāṇasī, he remained with the gods, yakṣas, and great serpents.

विद्युत्सुविद्युच्च तदा योगमास्थाय शोभने । दीर्घतापज्वरं वायुकर्मयोगेन संश्रितौ १६.

Then Vidyutsu and Vidyucca, O beautiful one, having adopted yoga, endured a long fever caused by the practice of wind and karma yoga.

तं दुर्जयं मृतं श्रुत्वा समुद्रान्तःस्थितं तदा । आनीय चतुरङ्गं तु देवान् प्रति विजग्मतुः ।। १६.

Hearing that Dūrjaya had died and was then situated within the ocean, they brought their fourfold army and advanced against the gods.

आगत्य तौ तदा दैत्यौ महत्सैन्येन पर्वतम् । हिमवन्तं समाश्रित्य संस्थितौ तु बभूवतुः ।। १६.

Then those two demons, having arrived with a great army, took refuge in the mountain Himavat and remained there.

देवा अपि महत्सैन्यं संहत्य कृतदंशिताः । मन्त्रयाञ्चक्रुरव्यग्रा ऐन्द्रं पदमभीप्सवः ।। १६.

The gods also, assembling a great army and making preparations, deliberated eagerly, desiring the position of Indra.

अब्रवीत् तत्र देवानां गुरुराङ्गिरसो मुनिः । गोमेधेन यजघ्वं वै प्रथमेन तदन्तरम् ।। १६.

There, the guru of the gods, the sage Āṅgiras, spoke: 'You must first perform a cow-sacrifice, then the next.'