Varaha Purana

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.'

यष्टव्यं क्रतुभिः सर्वैरेकस्थितिरथामराः । उपदेशो मया दत्तः क्रियतां शीघ्रमेष वै ।। १६.

All the immortals must perform sacrifices together; I have given this instruction—let it be done quickly.

एवमुक्तास्तदा देवा गाः पशूंश्चानुकल्प्य ते । मुमुचुश्चरणार्थाय रक्षार्थं सरमां ददुः ।। १६.

Thus addressed, the gods then prepared cows and other animals, releasing them for ritual purposes, and assigned Saramā for their protection.

ताश्च गावो देवशुन्या रक्ष्यमाणा धराधरे । तत्र जग्मुस्तदा गावश्चरन्त्यो यत्र तेऽसुराः ।। १६.

Those cows, guarded on the mountain by Saramā in the absence of the gods, wandered to the place where the demons were.

ते च गावस्तु ता दृष्ट्वा शुक्रमूचुः पुरोहितम् । पश्वर्थं देवगा ब्रह्मंश्चार्यन्ते रक्षमाणया । देवशून्या सरमया वद किं क्रियतेऽधुना ।। १६.

Seeing those cows, they spoke to Śukra, the priest: 'The cows for sacrifice, the gods, and Brahman are being protected by Saramā, with the gods absent. Tell us, what should be done now?'

एवमुक्तस्तदा शुक्रः प्रत्युवाचासुरांस्तदा । एता गा ह्रियतां शीघ्रमसुरा मा विलम्बथ ।। १६.

Thus addressed, Śukra then replied to the demons: 'Take these cows quickly, demons, do not delay.'

एवमुक्तास्तदा दैत्या जह्रुस्ता गा यदृच्छया । हृतासु तासु सरमा मार्गमन्वेषणे रता ।। १६.

Thus addressed, the demons seized those cows as they pleased; with the cows taken, Saramā became intent on searching for their path.

अपश्यत् सा दितेः पुत्रैर्नीता गावो धराधरे । दैत्यैरपि शुनी दृष्टा दृष्टमार्गा विशेषतः ।। १६.

She saw that the cows had been taken by Diti’s sons to the mountain; the demons had also observed the dog, especially noting her movements.

दृष्ट्वा ते तां च साम्नैव सामपूर्वमिदं वचः । आसां गवां तु दुग्ध्वैव क्षीरं त्वं सरमे शुभे ।। १६.

Seeing her, they addressed her gently, first with conciliatory words: ‘O Sarama, auspicious one, milk these cows and drink the milk.’

पिबस्वैवमिति प्रोक्ता तस्यै तद् ददुरञ्जसा । दत्त्वा तु क्षीरपानं तु तस्यै ते दैत्यनायकाः ।। १६.

When told thus, she was promptly given the milk; the leaders of the demons granted her the opportunity to drink the milk.

मा भद्रे देवराजाय गाश्चेमा विनिवेदय । एवमुक्त्वा ततो दैत्या मुमुचुस्तां शुनीं वने ।। १६.

‘Do not, O good one, inform the king of the gods about these cows,’ they said, and then released the dog into the forest.