सर्वैर्वर्णैस्तु सम्पूज्याः प्रतिमाः सर्वदेवताः
Images of all deities are to be worshipped by people of all castes.
शालग्रामो न स्पृष्टव्यो हीनवर्णैर्वसुन्धरे
O Earth, shalagram stones should not be touched by those of inferior caste.
मोहाद्यः संस्पृशेच्छूद्रो योषिद्वापि कदाचन 186.
If, out of delusion, a Shudra or a woman ever touches it—
यदि भक्तिर्भवेत्तस्य स्त्रीणां वापि वसुन्धरे
O Earth, if devotion exists in him, or in women—
चरणामृतपानेन सर्वपापक्षयो भवेत्
By drinking the water from the feet, all sins are destroyed.
शालग्रामशिलायोगात्पावनं तद्भवेत्सदा
Through association with the shalagram stone, purification always occurs.
सुवर्णसहितां तस्य यत्पुण्यं तच्छृणुष्व मे
Hear from me the merit that arises when it is accompanied by gold.
ससमुद्रा भवेद्दत्ता सत्पात्राय वसुन्धरे पूजाफलं न शक्नोति वक्तुं वर्षशतैरपि
O Earth, when the ocean is given to a worthy recipient, the fruit of worship cannot be described even in a hundred years.
एतत्ते कथितं गुह्यं प्रतिमा स्थापनं प्रति
This secret concerning the installation of images has been told to you.
पूजनादौ विधिश्चापि किमन्यच्छ्रोतुमिच्छसि
And the procedure at the beginning of worship—what else do you wish to hear?
इति श्रीवराहपुराणे प्रागितिहासे भगवच्छास्त्रे रौप्यसौवर्णार्चालिंगादिस्थापनसंख्यादिकं नाम षडशीत्यधिकशततमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the one hundred and eighty-sixth chapter, named 'The Number and Details of Installing Silver, Gold, and Other Liṅgas,' in the ancient narrative and divine scripture of the Śrī Varāha Purāṇa.
अथ सृष्टिपितृयज्ञौ एवं नारायणाच्छ्रुत्वा सा मही संशितव्रता
Then, having heard thus from Nārāyaṇa, the Earth, steadfast in her vow, spoke.
धरण्युवाच एकं मे परमं गुह्यं तद्भवान्वक्तुमर्हति
The Earth said: There is one supreme secret I wish to know; you are worthy to reveal it to me.
पितृयज्ञस्य माहात्म्यं सोमदत्तो नराधिपः
What is the greatness of the ancestral sacrifice, O king Somadatta?
को गुणः पितृयज्ञस्य कथमेव प्रयुज्यते
What is the merit of the ancestral sacrifice, and how exactly is it performed?
एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं विस्तरेण वदस्व मे साधु भूमे महाभागे यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि
This I desire to hear in detail; please tell me. Well asked, O blessed Earth, is that which you inquire of me.
मोहितासि वरारोहे भाराक्रान्ता वसुन्धरे
You are deluded, O beautiful one, O Earth weighed down by burdens.
कथयिष्यामि ते ह्येवं श्राद्धोत्पत्तिविनिश्चयम्
I shall explain to you, just so, the origin and determination of the Śrāddha rite.
निष्प्रभेऽस्मिन्निरालोके सर्वतस्तमसावृते
When all was devoid of light, without radiance, and enveloped everywhere in darkness,
सोऽहं च शेषपर्यङ्के एकश्चैव पराङ्मुखः
I alone reclined on the serpent couch, facing away.
निद्रां मायामयीं कृत्वा जागर्मि च स्वपामि वा 187.
Assuming the sleep woven of illusion, I either remained awake or slept.
युगं युगसहस्राणि यास्यन्ति च गतानि च
A thousand ages pass by, and have passed, in each cycle.
धारितं मम सुश्रोणि दिवा पंचशतानि च
O fair-hipped one, I have upheld you for five hundred days.
यन्मां पृच्छसि वै ज्ञातुमात्मानं च यशस्विनि
That which you ask me to know, and yourself as well, O illustrious one,
क्रोधहेतोर्मया सृष्ट ईश्वरोऽसुरनाशनः
Out of wrath, I created the Lord, the destroyer of demons.
एवं त्रयो वयं देवाः कृत्वा ह्येकार्णवां महीम्
Thus, we three gods, having made the earth into a single ocean,
सर्वं तज्जलपूर्णं तु न चाज्ञायत किञ्चन
All that was filled with water, and nothing else was perceived.
तिष्ठाम वटवृक्षेऽहं मायया बालरूपधृक्
I remained beneath the banyan tree, assuming by illusion the form of a child.
वारयामि वरारोहे जानासि त्वं धरे शुभे
O beautiful one, I restrain you; you know this, O auspicious Earth.
विनिस्सृतं जलं तत्र मायया तदनन्तरम्
Thereupon, water emerged there by means of illusion.