Varaha Purana

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.

ततो वागब्रबीद् गौरी प्राधान्यं मयि संस्थितम् । साऽप्येवमुक्त्वा क्षेत्रात् तु निश्चक्राम बहिः शुभा ।। १७.

Then Gauri spoke: 'Primacy resides in me.' Without saying more, she, auspicious, departed from the field.

तया विनापि तत्क्षेत्रं वागूनं व्यवतिष्ठत । ततो गणपतिर्वाक्यमाकाशाख्योऽब्रवीत् तदा ।। १७.

Even without her, that field remained governed by the speech-deities. Then Ganapati, called Akasha, spoke at that time.

न मया रहितं किञ्चिच्छरीरं स्थायि दूरतः । कालान्तरेत्येवमुक्त्वा सोऽपि निष्क्रम्य देहतः ।। १७.

Nothing of the body remains distant, deprived of me. Saying this, he too departed from the body after some time.

पृथग्भूतस्तथाप्येतच्छरीरं नाप्यनीनशत् । विनाकाशाख्यतत्त्वेन तथापि न विशीर्यते ।। १७.

Though separated, still that body was not destroyed; even without the principle called Akasha, it did not disintegrate.

सुषिरैस्तु विहीनं तु दृष्ट्वा क्षेत्रं व्यवस्थितम् । शरीरधातवः सर्वे ते ब्रूयुर्वाक्यमेव हि ।। १७.

Seeing the field deprived of cavities, yet remaining, all the bodily elements spoke these words.

अस्माभिर्व्यतिरिक्तस्य न शरीरस्य धारणम् । भवतीत्येवमुक्त्वा ते जहुः सर्वे शरीरिणः ।। १७.

'There is no sustaining of a body apart from us.' Saying this, all the bodily elements departed.

तैर्व्यपेतमपि क्षेत्रं पुरुषेण प्रपाल्यते । तं दृष्ट्वा त्वब्रवीत् स्कन्दः सोऽहंकारः प्रकीर्तितः ।। १७.

Even with those gone, the field was still guarded by the Purusha. Seeing him, Skanda spoke, known as Ahamkara.

मया विना शरीरस्य संभूतिरपि नेष्यते । एवमुक्त्वा शरीरात् तु सोऽभ्यपेतः पृथक् स्थितः ।। १७.

'Without me, even the emergence of the body cannot occur.' Saying this, he too departed from the body and stood apart.

तेनाक्षतेन तत्क्षेत्रं विना मुक्तवदास्थितम् । तं दृष्ट्वा कुपितो भानुः स आदित्यः प्रकीर्तितः ।। १७.

With him gone, that field remained as if liberated. Seeing this, Bhanu became angry, known as Aditya.

मया विना कथं क्षेत्रमिमं क्षणमपीष्यते । एवमुक्त्वा प्रयातः स तच्छरीरं न शीर्यते ।। १७.

'How can this field exist even for a moment without me?' Saying this, he departed, yet the body did not decay.