Varaha Purana

आसीद् राजा महाबाहुरादौ कृतयुगे पुरा । श्रुतकीर्तिरिति ख्यातस्त्रैलोक्ये बलवत्तरः ।। १७.

In the beginning, in the Krita Yuga, there was a mighty-armed king named Śrutakīrti, renowned throughout the three worlds for his strength.

तस्य पुत्रत्वमापेदे सुप्रभो मणिजो धरे । प्रजापालेति वै नाम्ना श्रुतकीर्तिर्महाबलः ।। १७.

O Earth, Suprabha, the jewel-born, became his son; that powerful Śrutakīrti was known as Prajāpāla.

सैकस्मिंश्चिद् दिने प्रायाद् विपिनं श्वापदाकुम् । तत्रापश्यदृषेर्धन्यं महदाश्रममण्डलम् ।। १७.

One day, he went into the forest to hunt wild beasts, and there he saw the blessed hermitage of a sage.

तस्मिन् महातपा नाम ऋषिः परधार्मिकः । तपस्तेपे निराहारो जपन् ब्रह्म सनातनम् ।। १७.

In that place was a sage named Mahātapas, devoted to a higher dharma, who practiced severe austerities, fasting and reciting the eternal Brahman.

तत्रासौ पार्थिवः श्रीमान् प्रवेशाय मतिं तदा । चकार चाविशद् राजा प्रजापालो महातपाः ।। १७.

There, the illustrious king Prajāpāla, intent on entering, made up his mind and entered the hermitage of the great ascetic.

तस्मिन् वराश्रमपदे वनवृक्षजात्या धराप्रसूतोर्जितमार्गजुष्टाः । लतागृहा इन्दुरविप्रकाशिनो नायासितज्ञाः कुलभृङ्गराजाः ।। १७.

In that excellent hermitage, with trees of many kinds born of the earth, the paths were well-trodden, creeper-houses shone with moonlight, and the bees, lords of their hives, moved about without effort.

सुरक्तपद्मोदरकोमलाग्र- नखाङ्गुलीभिः प्रसृतैः सुराणाम् । वराङ्गनाभिः पदपङ्क्तिमुच्चै- विंहाय भूमिं त्वपि वृत्रशत्रोः ।। १७.

With their tender, reddish lotus-like fingers and nails, the divine maidens, leaving the ground, walked in rows beneath the trees, surpassing even the beauty of Indra's slayer of Vṛtra.

क्वचित् समीपे तमतीव हृष्टै- र्नानाद्विजैः षट्चृरणैश्च मत्तैः । वासद्भिरुच्चैर्विविधप्रमाणाः शाखाः सुपुष्पाः समयोगयुक्ताः ।। १७.

Nearby, many kinds of delighted birds and intoxicated six-legged creatures dwelled, and the branches, richly flowered and of various sizes, were joined together.

कदम्बनीपार्ज्जुनशीलशाल- लतागृहस्थैर्मधुरस्वरेण । जुष्टं विहङ्गैः सुजनप्रयोगा निराकुला कार्यधृतिर्यथास्थैः ।। १७.

The grove-houses of kadamba, nīpa, arjuna, and śāla trees were filled with sweet-voiced birds, well-disposed to good people, undisturbed, and steadfast in their duties.

मखाग्निधूमैरुदिताग्निहोमै- स्ततः समन्तात् गृहमेधिभिर्द्विजैः । सिंहैरिवाधर्म्मकरी विदारितः स तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्रैर्वरमत्तकेसरैः ।। १७.

There, the smoke of sacrificial fires rose from all sides, tended by householders and twice-born sages; like a lion tearing apart a lawless elephant, so too the best among them, with sharp fangs and splendid manes.

एवं स राजा विविधानुपायान् वराश्रमे प्रेक्षमाणो विवेश । तस्मिद् प्रविष्टे तु स तीव्रतेजा महातपाः पुण्यकृतां प्रधानः । दृष्टो यथा भानुरनन्तभानुः कौश्यासने ब्रह्मविदां प्रधानः ।। १७.

Thus, as the king observed the various features of the excellent hermitage, he entered; and when he had entered, he saw the great ascetic, blazing with intense energy, chief among the virtuous, seated on a silken seat, radiant like the sun, foremost among knowers of Brahman.

दृष्ट्वा स राजा विजयी मृगाणां मतिं विसस्मार मुनेः प्रसङ्गात् । चकार धर्मं प्रति मानसं सो अनुत्तमं प्राप्य नृपो मुनिं सः ।। १७.

Seeing the victorious king among the deer, his mind, due to the sage's presence, forgot its intent; yet, having attained the sage, the king directed his mind toward righteousness.

स मुनिस्तं नृपं दृष्ट्वा प्रजापालमकल्मषम् । अभ्यागतक्रियां चक्रे आसनस्वागतादिभिः ।। १७.

That sage, seeing the sinless protector of the people, performed the rites of welcome for the king, including offering a seat and hospitality.

ततः कृतासनो राजा प्रणम्य ऋषिपुङ्गवम् । पप्रच्छ वसुधे प्रश्नमिमं परमदुर्लभम् ।। १७.

Then, after being seated, the king bowed to the eminent sage and asked him this most difficult question concerning the earth.

भगवन् दुःखसंसारमग्नैः पुम्भिस्तितीर्षुभिः । यत्कार्यं तन्ममाचक्ष्व प्रणते शंसितव्रत ।। १७.

O venerable one, you whose vows are renowned, please tell me, who have come to you in reverence, what should be done by those who, afflicted by the suffering of worldly existence, wish to cross over it.

महातपा उवाच । संसारार्णवमज्जमानमनुजैः पोतः स्थिरोऽतिध्रुवः कार्यः पूजनदानहोमविविधैर्यज्ञैः समं ध्यायनैः । कीलैः कीलितमोक्षभिः सुरभटैरूर्ध्वं महारज्जुभिः प्राणाद्यैरधुना कुरुष्व नृपते पोतं त्रिलोकेश्वरम् ।। १७.

The great ascetic said: For those sinking in the ocean of worldly existence, a steadfast and reliable boat must be fashioned through worship, charity, offerings, various sacrifices, and meditation; fasten it with the pegs of liberation, tie it with great cords of breath and life-force—O king, now make the Lord of the three worlds your boat.

नारायणं नरकहरं सुरेशं भक्त्या नमस्कुर्वति यो नृपेश । स वीतशोकः परमं विशोकं प्राप्नोति विष्णोः पदमव्ययं तत् ।। १७.

O lord of kings, whoever worships with devotion and bows to Nārāyaṇa, the destroyer of hell and lord of the gods, becomes free from sorrow and attains that supreme, sorrowless, imperishable abode of Viṣṇu.

नृप उवाच । भगवन् सर्वधर्मज्ञ कथं विष्णुः सनातनः । पूज्यते मोक्षमिच्छद्भिः पुरुषैर्वद तत्त्वतः ।। १७.

The king said: O venerable one, knower of all dharma, how is the eternal Viṣṇu to be worshipped by those who desire liberation? Please tell me truly.

महातपा उवाच । श्रृणु राजन् महाप्राज्ञ यथा विष्णुः प्रसीदति । पुरुषाणां तथा स्त्रीणां सर्वयोगीश्वरो हरिः ।। १७.

The great ascetic said: Listen, O wise king, to how Viṣṇu is pleased—so too Hari, the lord of all yogis, for both men and women.

सर्वे देवाः सपितरो ब्रह्माद्याश्चाण्डमध्यगाः । विष्णोः सकाशादुत्पन्ना इतीयं वैदिकी श्रुतिः ।। १७.

All the gods, along with the ancestors and Brahmā and those within the cosmic egg, are born from Viṣṇu—so declares this Vedic revelation.

अग्निस्तथाश्विनौ गौरी गजवक्त्रभुजंगमाः । कार्तिकेयस्तथादित्यो मातरो दुर्गया सह ।। १७.

Agni, the Aśvins, Gaurī, the elephant-faced one, serpents, Kārttikeya, the sun, the Mothers, and Durgā as well—

दिशो धनपतिर्विष्णुर्यमो रुद्रः शशी तथा । पितरश्चेति संभूताः प्राधान्येन जगत्पतेः ।। १७.

The directions, the lord of wealth, Viṣṇu, Yama, Rudra, the moon, and the ancestors—all these have arisen chiefly from the Lord of the universe.

हिरण्यगर्भस्य तनौ सर्वं एव समुद्भवाः । पृथक्पृथक् ततो गर्वं वहमानाः समन्ततः ।। १७.

All have originated from the body of Hiraṇyagarbha; yet, each, bearing pride, went their separate ways in all directions.

अहं योग्यस्त्वहं याज्य इति तेषां स्वनो महान् । श्रूयते देवसमितौ सागरक्षुब्धसन्निभः ।। १७.

Among them, a great sound arose in the assembly of the gods, like the roaring of the ocean: 'I alone am worthy, I alone am to be worshipped.'

तेषां विवदमानानां वह्निरुत्थाय पार्थिव । उवाच मां यजस्वेति ध्यायध्वं मामिति ब्रुवन् ।। १७.

As they disputed, O king, Agni arose and said, 'Sacrifice to me, meditate on me,' thus addressing them.

प्राजापत्यमिदं नूनं शरीरं मद्विनाकृतम् । विनाशमुपपद्येत यतो नाहं महानहम् ।। १७.

'Surely this body of the progenitor would perish without me, for I am the great I,' he declared.

एवमुक्त्वा शरीरं तु त्यक्त्वा वह्निर्विनिर्ययौ । निर्गतेऽपि ततस्तस्मिंस्तच्छरीरं न शीर्यते ।। १७.

Having spoken thus, Agni left the body and departed; yet, even after he had gone, that body did not decay.

ततोऽश्विनौ मूर्तिमन्तौ प्राणापानौ शरीरगौ । आवां प्रधानावित्येवमूचतुर्याज्यसत्तमौ ।। १७.

Then the two Aśvins, embodying the vital breaths, dwelling in the body, said, 'We are the foremost, the best to be worshipped.'

एवमुक्त्वा शरीरं तु विहाय क्वचिदास्थितौ । तयोरपि क्षयं कृत्वा क्षेत्री तत्पुरमास्थितः ।। १७.

Having said this, they too left the body and went elsewhere; but even after their departure, the body remained, sustained by the field-dweller.