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.
मुहूर्त्तं ध्यानमास्थाय भाषितो वचनं मया 187.
Having entered into meditation for a moment, I spoke these words.
एवमुक्तो मया देवि गृह्य तत्र कमण्डलुम्
Thus addressed by me, O goddess, she took up the water-pot there.
आदित्या वसवो रुद्रा अश्विनौ च मरुद्गणाः
The Ādityas, Vasus, Rudras, the two Aśvins, and the hosts of Maruts—
बाहुभ्यां क्षत्रमुत्पन्नं वैश्या ऊरुविनिःस्सृताः
From the arms arose the kṣatriyas; from the thighs, the vaiśyas emerged.
देवताश्चासुरा देवि जातास्ते ब्रह्मणस्तथा
O goddess, the deities and the asuras were born likewise from Brahmā.
आदित्या वसवो रुद्रा अश्विनौ च मरुद्गणाः
The Ādityas, Vasus, Rudras, the two Aśvins, and the hosts of Maruts—
दित्यां च जनिताः पुत्रा असुराः सुरशत्रवः
And sons were born to Diti, the asuras, enemies of the gods.
तेजसा भास्कराकाराः सर्वे शास्त्रविदो द्विजाः
All those twice-born, radiant like the sun, are learned in the scriptures.
निमेस्तु वंशसम्भूतो आत्रेय इति विश्रुतः
Nimi, born of the lineage, is renowned as Ātreya.
शीर्णपर्णाम्बुभक्षश्च शिशिरे च जलेशयः 187.
Those who eat dried leaves and water, and those who dwell in water during winter—