Varaha Purana

भगाक्षिसंस्फोटनदक्षकर्मा गृहाण भागं मखतः प्रधानम् । प्रसीद देवेश्वर नीलकण्ठ प्रपाहि नः सर्वगुणोपपन्न ।। २१.

O performer of Daksha's sacrifice, whose eyes flash like Bhaga's, accept the principal share of the sacrifice; be gracious, Lord of the gods, O blue-throated one, protect us, endowed with all virtues.

सिताङ्गरागाप्रतिपन्नमूर्त्ते कपालधारिंस्त्रिपुरघ्न देव । प्रपाहि नः सर्वभयेषु चैव उमापते पुष्करनालजन्म ।। २१.

O deity whose form is adorned with white sandal paste, bearer of the skull, destroyer of the three cities, protect us from every danger, O consort of Uma, born from the lotus stalk.

पश्याम ते देहगतान् सुरेश सर्गादयो वेदवराननन्त । साङ्गान् सविद्यान् सपदक्रमांश्च सर्वान् निलीनांस्त्वयि देवदेव ।। २१.

O Lord of the gods, we see within your body the origins of creation and the Vedas, complete with their limbs, knowledge, and verses—all absorbed in you, O God of gods.

भव शर्व महादेव पिनाकिन् रुद्र ते हर । नताः स्म सर्वे विश्वेश त्राहि नः परमेश्वर ।। २१.

O Bhava, Śarva, Mahādeva, wielder of the bow, Rudra, Hara, we all bow to you, Lord of all; protect us, Supreme Lord.

इत्थं स्तुतस्तदा देवैर्देवदेवो महेश्वरः । तुतोष सर्वदेवानां वाक्यं चेदमुवाच ह ।। २१.

Thus praised by the gods, the great Lord of gods, Maheśvara, was pleased and spoke these words to all the gods.

रुद्र उवाच । भगस्य नेत्रं भवतु पूष्णो दन्तास्तथा मखः । दक्षस्याच्छिद्रतां यातु यज्ञश्चाप्यदितेः सुताः । पशुभावं तथा चापि अपनेष्यामि वो सुराः ।। २१.

Rudra said: Let Bhaga's eye be restored, Pūṣan's teeth as well, and the sacrifice of Daksha be made whole; let the sons of Aditi regain their status, and I will remove the animal nature from you, O gods.

मद्दर्शनेन यो जातः पशुभावो दिवौकसाम् । स मयाऽपहृतः सद्यः पतित्वं वो भविष्यति ।। २१.

The animal nature that arose among the gods from seeing me has been taken away by me; you shall be freed from it immediately.

अहं च सर्वविद्यानां पतिराद्यः सनातनः । अहं वै पतिभावेन पशुमध्ये व्यवस्थितः ।। २१.

I am the eternal, original lord of all knowledge; I am established as the master among animals by virtue of lordship.

अतः पशुपतिर्नाम मम लोके भविष्यति । ये मां यजन्ति तेषां स्याद् दीक्षा पाशुपती भवेत् ।। २१.

Therefore, my name in the world shall be Paśupati; those who worship me shall have the Paśupati initiation.

एवमुक्तेऽथ रुद्रेण ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः । उवाच रुद्रं सस्नेहं स्मितपूर्वमिदं वचः ।। २१.

When Rudra had spoken thus, Brahmā, the grandsire of the worlds, affectionately and with a smile, addressed Rudra with these words.

ध्रुवं पाशुपतिर्देव त्वं लोके ख्यातिमेस्यति । अयं च देवस्त्वन्नाम्ना लोके ख्यातिं गमिष्यति । आराध्यश्च समस्तानां देवादीनां गमिष्यसि ।। २१.

Certainly, O god, Paśupati will become renowned in the world; and this deity will be known by your name; you will be worshipped by all gods and others.

एवमुक्त्वा तदा ब्रह्मा दक्षं प्रोवाच बुद्धिमान् । गौरीं प्रयच्छ रुद्राय पूर्वमेवोपपादिताम् ।। २१.

Having spoken thus, Brahmā, wise, then addressed Daksha: Give Gaurī to Rudra, whom you had previously prepared.

एवमुक्त्वा तदा दक्षस्तां कन्यां ब्रह्मसन्निधौ । ददौ रुद्राय महते गौरीं परमशोभनाम् ।। २१.

Then Daksha, in the presence of Brahmā, gave that maiden, Gaurī, of supreme beauty, to the great Rudra.

स तां जग्राह विधिवद् रुद्रः परमशोभनाम् । दक्षस्य च प्रियं कुर्वन् बहुमानपुरःसरम् ।। २१.

Rudra accepted her according to the proper rites, with great respect, honoring Daksha's wishes.

गृहीतायां तु कन्यायां दाक्षायण्यां पितामहः । ददौ रुद्रस्य निलयं कैलासं सुरसन्निधौ ।। २१.

When the maiden, daughter of Daksha, had been accepted, the grandsire gave Rudra his abode, Kailāsa, in the presence of the gods.

रुद्रोऽपि प्रययौ भूतैः समं कैलासपर्वतम् । देवाश्चापि यथास्थानं स्वं स्वं जग्मुर्मुदान्विताः । ब्रह्माऽपि दक्षसहितः प्राजापत्यं पुरं ययौ ।। २१.

Rudra went with his attendants to Mount Kailāsa; the gods, joyful, returned to their own places; Brahmā, together with Daksha, went to the city of the progenitors.

महातपा उवाच । तस्मिन् निवसतस्तस्य रुद्रस्य परमेष्ठिनः । चुकोप गौरी देवस्य पितुर्वैरमनुस्मरन् ।। २२.

Mahātapā said: While Rudra, the supreme lord, was residing there, Gaurī became angry, recalling her father's enmity against the god.

चिन्तयामास दक्षस्य अनेनापकृतं पुरा । यज्ञो विध्वंसितो यस्मात् तस्माच्चान्यां तनूमहम् ।। २२.

She reflected on how Daksha had previously wronged her, for he had destroyed the sacrifice; therefore, I shall assume another body.

आराध्य तपसा तस्य गृहे भूत्वा व्रजाम्यहम् । कथं गच्छामि पितरं दक्षं क्षपितबान्धवम् ।। २२.

Having performed austerities, I will be born in his house; but how can I go to my father Daksha, whose family has been ruined?

भवपत्नी च दुहिता एवं संचिन्त्य सुन्दरी । जगाम तपसे शैलं हिमवन्तं महागिरिम् ।। २२.

Thus thinking, the beautiful daughter of Bhava went to the great mountain Himavat to undertake austerities.

तत्र कालेन महता क्षपयन्ती कलेवरम् । स्वशरीराग्निना दग्धा ततः शैलसुताऽभवत् ।। २२.

There, over a long period, she wore away her body through severe penance, and, consumed by the fire of her own body, she was then born as the daughter of the mountain.

उमा नामेति महती कृष्णा चेत्यभिधानतः । लब्ध्वा तु शोभनां मूर्तिं हिमवन्तगृहे शुभा ।। २२.

She became renowned by the great names Umā and Kṛṣṇā, and, having obtained a beautiful form, she was auspicious in the house of Himavat.

पुनस्तपश्चकारोग्रं देवं स्मृत्वा त्रिलोचनम् । असावेव पतिर्मह्यमित्युक्त्वा तपसि स्थिता ।। २२.

Again she performed intense austerity, remembering the three-eyed god, declaring, 'He alone is my husband,' and remained steadfast in her penance.

कुर्वन्त्या तत् तपश्चोग्रं हिमवन्ते महागिरौ । कालेन महता देवस्तपसाराधितस्तया ।। २२.

While she was performing that severe penance on the great mountain Himavat, over a long time, the god was propitiated by her austerity.

आजगामाश्रमं तस्या विप्रो भूत्वा महेश्वरः । वृद्धः शिथिलसर्वाङ्गः स्खलंश्चैव पदे पदे ।। २२.

Maheśvara came to her hermitage, taking the form of an old brāhmaṇa, his limbs slack with age, stumbling at every step.

कृच्छ्रात् तस्याः समीपं तु आगत्य द्विजसत्तमः । बुभुक्षितोऽस्मि मे देहि भद्रे भोज्यं द्विजस्य तु ।। २२.

With difficulty, the best of twice-born approached her and said, 'O good lady, I am hungry; give me food suitable for a brāhmaṇa.'

एवमुक्ता तदा कन्या उमा शैलसुता शुभा । उवाच ब्राह्मणं भोज्यं दद्मि विप्र फलादिकम् । कुरु स्नानं द्रुतं विप्र भुञ्जस्वान्नं यदृच्छया ।। २२.

Thus addressed, the auspicious maiden Umā, daughter of the mountain, replied, 'O brāhmaṇa, I will give you fruits and such; quickly bathe, O brāhmaṇa, and then eat whatever you wish.'

एवमुक्तस्तदा विप्रस्तस्य पार्श्वे महानदीम् । गङ्गां जगाम स्नानार्थी स्नानं कर्त्तुमवातरत् ।। २२.

Thus spoken to, the brāhmaṇa went to the great river Gaṅgā nearby to her, intending to bathe, and entered the water.

स्नानं तु कुर्वता तेन रुद्रेण द्विजरूपिणा । भूत्वा मायामयं भीमं मकरं भयदर्शनम् । ग्राहितस्तु तदा विप्रस्तेन दुष्टेन मद्गुना ।। २२.

While Rudra, in the form of a brāhmaṇa, was bathing, he became a fearsome, illusory makara, terrifying to behold, and seized the brāhmaṇa, who was actually himself, with his own power.