Varaha Purana — Chapter 212

VrP 212.1

अथ संसारचक्रोपाख्याने प्रबोधनीयवर्णनम् ।। नारद उवाच ।। साधु साधु महाराज सर्वधर्मविदां वर ।। त्वया तु कथिता दिव्या कथेयं धर्मसंहिता

atha saṃsāracakropākhyāne prabodhanīyavarṇanam || nārada uvāca || sādhu sādhu mahārāja sarvadharmavidāṃ vara || tvayā tu kathitā divyā katheyaṃ dharmasaṃhitā

Now, within the narrative of the wheel of saṃsāra, the description of the Prabodhanī (eleventh/twelfth day). Nārada said: Excellent, excellent, great king, best of all who know dharma! By you has this divine tale, a compendium of dharma, been told.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

VrP 212.2

अतोऽहमपि सुप्रीतस्तव धर्मपथे स्थितः ।। तव वाक्यान्निस्सृतानि प्रोक्तानि च श्रुतानि च

ato'hamapi suprītastava dharmapathe sthitaḥ || tava vākyānnissṛtāni proktāni ca śrutāni ca

Therefore I too am well pleased with you, who stand on the path of dharma. The things that issued from your speech have both been uttered and been heard.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

VrP 212.3

त्वयाहं चैव राजेन्द्र पूजितश्च विशेषतः ।। गच्छामि त्वरितो लोकान्यत्र मे रमते मनः

tvayāhaṃ caiva rājendra pūjitaśca viśeṣataḥ || gacchāmi tvarito lokānyatra me ramate manaḥ

And by you, O lord of kings, I have been honored in a special way. I go now in haste to those worlds where my mind takes delight.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

VrP 212.4

स्वस्ति तेऽस्तु महाराज त्वकम्पो भव सुव्रत ।। एवमुक्त्वा ततो यातो नारदो मुनिसत्तमः

svasti te'stu mahārāja tvakampo bhava suvrata || evamuktvā tato yāto nārado munisattamaḥ

May it be well with you, great king; be unshaken, O keeper of good vows. Having spoken thus, Nārada, the best of sages, then departed.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

VrP 212.5

तेजसा द्योतयन्सर्वं गगनं भास्करो यथा ।। विचचार दिवं रम्यां कामचारो महामुनिः

tejasā dyotayansarvaṃ gaganaṃ bhāskaro yathā || vicacāra divaṃ ramyāṃ kāmacāro mahāmuniḥ

Illuminating the whole sky with his brilliance, like the sun, the great sage, who moves at will, roamed through the lovely heaven.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

VrP 212.6

गते तस्मिंस्तु सुचिरं स राजा धर्मवत्सलः ।। मां दृष्ट्वा सुमना विप्रा वाक्यैश्चित्रैरवन्दयन्

gate tasmiṃstu suciraṃ sa rājā dharmavatsalaḥ || māṃ dṛṣṭvā sumanā viprā vākyaiścitrairavandayan

When he had gone, that king, devoted to dharma, (waited) a long while; and seeing me, O brahmins, they, glad of mind, saluted (me) with manifold words.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

VrP 212.7

कृत्वा पूजां च मे युक्तां प्रियमुक्त्वा च सुव्रत ।। विसर्जयामास विभुः सुप्रीतेनांतरात्मना

kṛtvā pūjāṃ ca me yuktāṃ priyamuktvā ca suvrata || visarjayāmāsa vibhuḥ suprītenāṃtarātmanā

And having performed fitting worship of me and having spoken kindly, O keeper of good vows, the mighty lord dismissed (me) with a well-pleased heart.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

VrP 212.8

एतद्वः कथितं विप्रास्तस्य राज्ञः पुरोत्तमे ।। यथा दृष्टं श्रुतं चैव यथा चेहागतो ह्यहम्

etadvaḥ kathitaṃ viprāstasya rājñaḥ purottame || yathā dṛṣṭaṃ śrutaṃ caiva yathā cehāgato hyaham

This, brahmins, has been told to you, (of what happened) in that king's excellent city — just as it was seen and heard, and how I came here.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

VrP 212.9

वैशंपायन उवाच ।। तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा हृष्टपुष्टास्तपोधनाः ।। केचिद्वैखानसास्तत्र केचिदासन्निरासनाः

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca || tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā hṛṣṭapuṣṭāstapodhanāḥ || kecidvaikhānasāstatra kecidāsannirāsanāḥ

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: Hearing that speech of his, the ascetics rich in penance were delighted and thriving. Some there were Vaikhānasas, some used no seat;

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

VrP 212.11

शालानीश्च तथा केचित्कापोतीवृत्तिमास्थिताः ।। तथा चान्ये जगुर्वृत्तिं सर्वभूतदयां शुभाम्

śālānīśca tathā kecitkāpotīvṛttimāsthitāḥ || tathā cānye jagurvṛttiṃ sarvabhūtadayāṃ śubhām

and some were Śālīnas, some had taken up the pigeon's mode of livelihood; and others proclaimed as their practice the auspicious compassion toward all beings.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

VrP 212.12

शिलोंच्छाश्च तथैवान्ये काष्ठान्ताश्च महौजसः ।। अपाकपाचिनः केचित्पाकिनश्च क्वचित्पुनः

śiloṃcchāśca tathaivānye kāṣṭhāntāśca mahaujasaḥ || apākapācinaḥ kecitpākinaśca kvacitpunaḥ

Others likewise lived on gleaned grains, and some of great vigor were kāṣṭhāntas; some cooked without cooking (for themselves), and some, again, cooked in places.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

VrP 212.13

नानाविधिधराः केचिज्जितात्मानस्तु केचन ।। स्थानमौनव्रताः केचित्तथान्ये जलशायिनः

nānāvidhidharāḥ kecijjitātmānastu kecana || sthānamaunavratāḥ kecittathānye jalaśāyinaḥ

Some upheld various rules, and some were masters of themselves; some had vows of standing and of silence, and others lay in water.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

VrP 212.14

तथोर्द्ध्वशायिकाश्चान्ये तथान्ये मृगचारिणः ।। पंचाग्नयस्तथा केचित् केचित्पर्णफलाशिनः

tathorddhvaśāyikāścānye tathānye mṛgacāriṇaḥ || paṃcāgnayastathā kecit kecitparṇaphalāśinaḥ

And others lay with their bodies raised up, and others roamed as deer do; some sat amid the five fires, and some ate (only) leaves and fruits.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

VrP 212.15

अब्भक्षा वायुभक्षाश्च तथान्ये शाकभक्षिणः ।। अतोऽन्येऽप्यतितीव्रं वै तपश्चैव प्रपेदिरे

abbhakṣā vāyubhakṣāśca tathānye śākabhakṣiṇaḥ || ato'nye'pyatitīvraṃ vai tapaścaiva prapedire

Some fed on water, some on air, and others fed on herbs; and still others besides these undertook exceedingly severe penance.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

VrP 212.16

तपसोऽन्यन्न चास्तीति चिन्तयित्वा पुनः पुनः ।। जन्मनो मरणाच्चैव केचिद्धीरा महर्षयः

tapaso'nyanna cāstīti cintayitvā punaḥ punaḥ || janmano maraṇāccaiva keciddhīrā maharṣayaḥ

Thinking again and again, "There is nothing other than austerity," certain steadfast great sages, (turning away) from birth and from death,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

VrP 212.17

त्यक्त्वा धर्ममधर्मं च शाश्वतीं धियमास्थिताः ।। श्रुत्वा चैव कथामेतामृषयो दिव्यवर्चसः

tyaktvā dharmamadharmaṃ ca śāśvatīṃ dhiyamāsthitāḥ || śrutvā caiva kathāmetāmṛṣayo divyavarcasaḥ

— tr. refused: cyber

VrP 212.18

जगृहुर्नियमांस्तांस्तान्भयहेतोरनिन्दिताः ।। नाचिकेतोऽपि धमार्त्मा पुत्रो दृष्ट्वा तपोधनम्

jagṛhurniyamāṃstāṃstānbhayahetoraninditāḥ || nāciketo'pi dhamārtmā putro dṛṣṭvā tapodhanam

— tr. refused: cyber

VrP 212.19

प्रीत्या परमया युक्तो धर्ममेवान्वचिन्तयत् ।। वेदार्थममितं विष्णुं शुद्धं चिन्मयमीश्वरम्

prītyā paramayā yukto dharmamevānvacintayat || vedārthamamitaṃ viṣṇuṃ śuddhaṃ cinmayamīśvaram

Filled with the highest delight, he meditated on dharma alone — (on) Viṣṇu, the meaning of the Veda, the measureless, the pure, the Lord who is made of consciousness.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

VrP 212.21

शृणुयाच्छ्रावयेद्वापि सर्वकामानवाप्नुयात्

śṛṇuyācchrāvayedvāpi sarvakāmānavāpnuyāt

Whoever should hear (this), or should have (it) heard (by others), would obtain all (his) desires.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

VrP 212.212

साधु साध्विति चैवोक्त्वा विस्मयोत्फुल्ललोचनाः ।। यायावरास्तथा चान्ये वानप्रस्थास्तथापरे चिन्तयामास धर्मात्मा तपः परममास्थितः ।। इदं तु परमाख्यानं भगवद्भक्तिकारकम्

sādhu sādhviti caivoktvā vismayotphullalocanāḥ || yāyāvarāstathā cānye vānaprasthāstathāpare cintayāmāsa dharmātmā tapaḥ paramamāsthitaḥ || idaṃ tu paramākhyānaṃ bhagavadbhaktikārakam

And saying "Well done, well done!", their eyes wide open with amazement — the wandering (ascetics), and likewise others, and the forest-dwellers as well — the righteous one, established in supreme austerity, reflected: "This indeed is the highest narrative, one that produces devotion to the Lord."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain