Varaha Purana

एवं प्रभावो देवोऽसौ वेदवेद्यो जनार्दनः । कथितो नृपते तुभ्यं किमन्यच्छ्रोतुमिच्छसि ।। १७.

Thus, O King, the power of that god Janārdana, who is known through the Vedas, has been described to you. What else do you wish to hear?

thumb|पञ्चमहाभूताः प्रजापाल उवाच । कथमग्नेः समुत्पत्तिरश्विनोर्वा महामुने । गौर्या गणपतेर्वाऽपि नागानां वा गुहस्य च ।। १८.

Prajāpāla said: O great sage, how did Agni arise, or the Aśvins, or Gaurī and Gaṇapati, or the Nāgas, or Guha?

आदित्यचन्द्रमातॄणां दुर्गाया वा दिशां तथा । धनदस्य च विष्णोर्वा धर्मस्य परमेष्ठिनः ।। १८.

How did the Ādityas, the Mothers, Durgā, the directions, Dhanada, Viṣṇu, Dharma, and the supreme lord come into being?

शम्भोर्वापि पितॄणां च तथा चन्द्रमसो मुने । शरीरदेवता ह्येताः कथं मूर्त्तित्वमागताः ।। १८.

How did Śambhu, the ancestors, and the Moon, O sage, become embodied deities?

किं च तासां मुने भोज्यं का वा संज्ञा तिथिश्च का । यस्यां यष्टास्त्वमी पुंसां फलं यच्छन्त्यनामयम् । एतन्मे सरहस्यं तु मुने त्वं वक्तुमर्हसि ।। १८.

And, O sage, what is their food, what are their names, and what is the lunar day? On which day, when worshipped by people, do they grant unfailing results? You should tell me this secret in full.

महातपा उवाच । योगसाध्यः स्वरूपेण आत्मा नारायणात्मकः । सर्वज्ञः क्रीडतस्तस्य भोगेच्छा चात्मनात्मनि । क्षोभितेऽभून्महाभूते एतच्छब्दं तदद्भुतम् ।। १८.

Mahātapā said: The self, attainable through yoga, whose nature is Nārāyaṇa, is all-knowing. While he was engaged in play, a desire for enjoyment arose within himself. When that great element was disturbed, there arose a wondrous sound.

तमप्यप्रीतिमत्तोयं विकारं समरोचयत् । विकुर्वतस्तस्य तदा महानग्निः समुत्थितः । कोटिज्वालापरीवारः शब्दवान् दहनात्मकः ।। १८.

From that, as the water was agitated by dissatisfaction, a transformation occurred. As he underwent transformation, a great fire arose, surrounded by millions of flames, resounding, and of burning nature.

असावप्यतितेजस्वी विकारं समरोचयत् । विकुर्वतो बभौ वह्नेर्वायुः परमदारुणः । तस्मादपि विकारस्थादाकाशं समपद्यत ।। १८.

That exceedingly radiant one also underwent transformation. As it transformed, from fire arose the fierce wind; and from that transformed wind, space came into being.

तच्छब्दलक्षणं व्योम स च वायुः प्रतापवान् । तच्च तेजोऽम्भसा युक्तं श्लिष्टमन्योन्यतस्तदा ।। १८.

That space, characterized by sound, and that powerful wind, and that fire united with water, were then mutually joined together.

तेजसा शोषितं तोयं वायुना उग्रगामिना । बाधितेन तथा व्योम्ना मार्गे दत्ते तु तत्क्षणात् ।। १८.

The water, dried up by the fire and driven by the fierce wind, was also pressed by space, and at that moment, a path was made.

पिण्डीभूतं तथा सर्वं काठिन्यं समपद्यत । सेयं पृथ्वी महाभाग तेषां वृद्धतराऽभवत् ।। १८.

All of it became solidified and attained hardness; this earth, O blessed one, became the most developed among them.

चतुर्णां योगकाठिन्यादेकैकगुणवृद्धितः । पृथ्वी पञ्चगुणा ज्ञेया तेऽप्येतस्यां व्यवस्थिताः ।। १८.

Due to the union and hardening of the four, and the increase of each quality, the earth is known as possessing five qualities; and they are established in her.

स च काठिन्यकं कुर्वन् ब्रह्माण्डं समपद्यत । तस्मिन् नारायणो देवश्चतुर्मूर्तिश्चतुर्भुजः ।। १८.

And as he made it solid, the cosmic egg came into being; in it, the god Nārāyaṇa appeared, with four forms and four arms.

प्राजापत्येन रूपेण सिसृक्षुर्विविधाः प्रजाः । चिन्तयन् नाधिगच्छेत सृष्टिं लोकपितामहः ।। १८.

Desiring to create various beings in the form of Prajāpati, the Grandfather of the worlds pondered, but could not discover the means of creation.

ततोऽस्य सुमहान् कोपो जज्ञे परमदारुणः । तस्मात् कोपात् सहस्त्रार्चिरुत्तस्थौ दहनात्मकः ।। १८.

Then, a great and exceedingly fierce anger arose within him; from that wrath, a blazing being with a thousand flames, embodying fire, emerged.

स तं दिधक्षुर्ब्रह्माणं ब्रह्मणोक्तस्तदा नृप । हव्यं कव्यं वहस्वेति ततोऽसौ हव्यवाहनः ।। १८.

Intending to burn Brahmā, he was then addressed by Brahmā: 'Carry the oblations for gods and ancestors.' Thus, he became the carrier of offerings.

ब्रह्माणं क्षुधितः प्रायात् किं करोमि प्रसाधि माम् । स ब्रह्मा प्रत्युवाचाथ त्रिधा तृप्तिमवाप्स्यसि ।। १८.

Hungry, he approached Brahmā and said, 'What shall I do? Satisfy me.' Brahmā replied, 'You will attain satisfaction in three ways.'

दत्तासु दक्षिणास्वादौ तृप्तिर्भूत्वा यतोऽमरान् । नयसे दक्षिणाभागं दक्षिणाग्निस्ततोऽभवत् ।। १८.

When satisfaction arises from the gifts given at sacrifices, and you lead the share of offerings to the immortals, you become the Dakṣiṇāgni, the southern fire.

आ समन्ताद्धुतं किंचिद् यत् त्रिलोके विभावसो । तद् वहस्व सुरार्थाय ततस्त्वं हव्यवाहनः ।। १८.

Whatever is offered into fire anywhere in the three worlds, O radiant one, you carry it for the sake of the gods; therefore, you are called Havyavāhana, the carrier of oblations.

गृहं शरीरमित्युक्तं तत्पतिस्त्वं यतोऽधुना । अतो वै गार्हपत्यस्त्वं भव सर्वगतो विभो ।। १८.

Since the house is called the body, and you are now its lord, therefore, O all-pervading one, become the Gārhapatya fire.

विश्वान् नरान् हुतो येन नयसे सद्गतिं प्रभो । अतो वैश्वानरो नाम तव वाक्यं भविष्यति ।। १८.

O Lord, by whom all men are led to the good path through offerings, therefore, your name will be Vaiśvānara, as declared.

द्रविणं बलमित्युक्तं धनं च द्रविणं यतः । ददाति तद् भवानेव द्रविणोदास्ततोऽभवत् ।। १८.

Wealth is called strength, and wealth is known as draviṇa; since you give it, you will be known as Draviṇodā, the giver of wealth.

तनुं पास्यतनुं पासि येन त्वं सर्वदा विभो । ततस्तनूनपान्नाम तव वत्स भविष्यति ।। १८.

O mighty one, since you always protect the body and the subtle body, therefore, my child, your name will be Tanūnapāt.

भवान् जातानि वै वेद अजातानि च येन वै । अतस्ते नाम भवतु जातवेदा इति प्रभो ।। १८.

You know all that is born and all that is yet unborn; therefore, your name shall be Jātavedas, O Lord.

नाराः सामान्यतः पुंसो विशेषेण द्विजातयः । ते शंसन्ति यतस्त्वां तु नाराशंसस्ततो भव ।। १८.

Waters are generally common to all men, but especially to the twice-born; since they praise you, you will be called Nārāśaṃsa.

अगस् तिरोभवेन्नित्यं निःशब्दो निश्चयात्मकः । अगस्त्वं सर्वगत्वाच्च तेनाग्निस्त्वं भविष्यसि ।। १८.

Agas means that which is always hidden, silent, and of certain nature; because you are all-pervading, you will be called Agni.

ध्मा प्रपूरणशब्दो य इध्मा नाम प्रकीर्त्यते । पूरितस्यागतिर्येन तेनेध्मस्त्वं भविष्यसि ।। १८.

Dhmā means the sound of blowing, and fuel is called idhmā; since you come when the fuel is kindled, you will be known as Idhma.

याज्यान्येतानि नामानि तव पुत्र महामखे । यजन्तस्त्वां नराः कामैस्तर्पयिष्यन्त्यसंशयम् ।। १८.

These are your names, O child, in the great sacrifice; men, desiring rewards, will worship you with these and surely satisfy you.

महातपा उवाच । विष्णोर्विभूतिमाहात्म्यं कथितं ते प्रसङ्गतः । तिथीनां श्रृणु माहात्म्यं कथ्यमानं मया नृप ।। १९.

Mahātapā said: The glory and greatness of Viṣṇu have been related to you in context; now, O king, listen as I narrate to you the greatness of the lunar days.