Varaha Purana — Chapter 92

VrP 92.92

श्रीवराह उवाच । गते तु नारदे दैत्यश्चिन्तयामास तां शुभाम् । कथितां नारदमुखाच्छ्रुत्वा विस्मितमानसः तामेव चिन्तयन् शर्म न लेभे दैत्यसत्तमः । अलंशर्मा महामन्त्री आनिनाय महाबलः तस्याष्टौ मन्त्रिणः शूरा नीतिमन्तो बहुश्रुताः । प्रघसो विघसश्चैव शङ्कुकर्णो विभावसुः । विद्युन्माली सुमाली च पर्जन्यः क्रूर एव च एते मन्त्रिवरास्तस्य प्राधान्येन प्रकीर्तिताः । ते दानवेन्द्रमासीनमूचुः कृत्यं विधीयताम् तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा दानवेन्द्रो महाबलः । उवाच कन्यालाभार्थं नारदावाप्तनिश्चयः महिष उवाच । मह्यं तु कथिता बाला नारदेन महर्षिणा । सा चाजित्य सुराध्यक्षं न लभ्येत वराङ्गना एतदर्थं भवन्तो वै कथयन्तु विमृश्य वै । कथं सा लभ्यते बाला कथं देवाश्च निर्जिताः । भवेयुरिति तत्सर्वं कथयन्तु द्रुतं मम एवमुक्तास्ततः सर्वे कथयामासुरञ्जसा । ऊचुः संमन्त्र्य ते सर्वे कथयामो वयं प्रभो एवमुक्तस्तथोवाच प्रघसो दानवेश्वरम् । या सा ते कथिता दैत्य नारदेन महासती । सा शक्तिः परमा देवी वैष्णवी लोकधारिणी गुरुपत्नी राजपत्नी तथा सामन्तयोषितः । जिघृक्षन् नश्यते राजा तथागम्यागमेन च प्रघसेनैवमुक्तस्तु विघसो वाक्यमब्रवीत् । सम्यगुक्तं प्रघसेन तां देवीं प्रति पार्थिव यदि नाम मतैक्यं तु बुद्धिः स्मरणमागता । वरणीया कुमारी तु सर्वदा विजिगीषुभिः । न स्वतन्त्रेण कन्यायाः कार्यं क्वापि प्रकर्षणम् यदि वो रोचते वाक्यं मदीयं मन्त्रिसत्तमाः । तदानीं तां शुभां देवीं गत्वा याचन्तु मन्त्रिणः यो महात्मा भवेत् तस्या बन्धुस्तं याचयामहे । साम्नैवादौ ततः पश्चात् करिष्यामः प्रदानकम् । ततो भेदं करिष्यामस्ततो दण्डं क्रमेण च अनेन क्रमयोगेन यदि सा नैव लभ्यते । ततः सन्नह्य गच्छामो बलाद् गृह्णीम तां शुभाम् विघसेनैवमुक्ते तु शेषास्तु मन्त्रिणो वचः । शुभमूचुः प्रशंसन्तः सर्वे हर्षितया गिरा साधूक्तं विघसेनेदं यत् तां प्रति वराननाम् । तदेव क्रियतां शीघ्रं दूतस्तत्र विसर्ज्यताम् यः सर्वशास्त्रनीतिज्ञः शुचिः शौर्यसमन्वितः । तस्माज् ज्ञात्वा तु तां देवीं वर्णतो रूपतो गुणैः पराक्रमेण शौर्येण शौण्डीर्येण बलेन च । बन्धुवर्गेण सामग्र्य स्थानेन करणेन च । एवं ज्ञात्वा तु तां देवीं ततः कार्यं विधीयताम् ततः सपदि दैत्यस्य तद्वचः साधु साध्विति । प्रशशंसुर्वरारोहे विघसं मन्त्रिसत्तमम् प्रशस्य सर्वे तं दूतं संदेष्टुमुपचक्रमुः । विद्युत्प्रभं महाभागं महामायाविदं शुभम् विसर्जयित्वा तं दूतं विघसो वाक्यमब्रवीत् । संनह्यन्तां दानवेन्द्राश्चतुरङ्गबलेन ह । क्रियतां विजयस्तावद् देवसैन्यं प्रति प्रभो असुरेन्द्र सुरैर्भग्नैस्तत् पराक्रमभीषिता । सा कन्या वशतामेति त्वयि शक्रसमागते लोकपालैर्जितैः सर्वैस्तथैव मरुतां गणैः । नागैर्विद्याधरैः सिद्धैर्गन्धर्वैः सर्वतो जितैः । रुद्रैर्वसुभिरादित्यैस्त्वमेवेन्द्रो भविष्यसि इन्द्रस्य ते शतं कन्या देवगन्धर्वयोषितः । वशमायान्ति साऽपि स्यात् सर्वथा वशमागता एवमुक्तस्तदा दैत्यः सेनापतिमुवाच ह । विरूपाक्षं महामेघवर्णं नीलाञ्जनप्रभम् आनीयतां द्रुतं सैन्यं हस्त्यश्वरथपत्तिनाम् । येन देवान् सगन्धर्वान् जयामि युधि दुर्ज्जयान् एवमुक्ते विरूपाक्षस्तदा सेनापतिर्द्रुतम् । आनिनाय महत्सैन्यमनन्तमपराजितम् एकैको दानवस्तत्र वज्रहस्तसमो युधि । एकैकं स्पर्धते देवं जेतुं स्वेन बलेन ह तेषां प्रधानभूतानामर्बुदं नवकोटयः । येषामेकस्यानुयाति तावद् बलमर्थोर्ज्जितम् तेषां नैकसहस्त्राणि दैत्यानां तु महात्मनाम् । समितिं चक्रुरव्यग्रास्तदा दैत्याः प्रहारिणः । प्रयाणं कारयामासुर्देवसैन्यजिघांसया विचित्रयाना विविधध्वजाग्रा विचित्रशस्त्रा विविधोग्ररूपाः । दैत्या सुराञ् जेतुमिच्छन्त उच्चैर् ननर्त्तुरात्तायुधभीमहस्ताः

śrīvarāha uvāca | gate tu nārade daityaścintayāmāsa tāṃ śubhām | kathitāṃ nāradamukhācchrutvā vismitamānasaḥ tāmeva cintayan śarma na lebhe daityasattamaḥ | alaṃśarmā mahāmantrī ānināya mahābalaḥ tasyāṣṭau mantriṇaḥ śūrā nītimanto bahuśrutāḥ | praghaso vighasaścaiva śaṅkukarṇo vibhāvasuḥ | vidyunmālī sumālī ca parjanyaḥ krūra eva ca ete mantrivarāstasya prādhānyena prakīrtitāḥ | te dānavendramāsīnamūcuḥ kṛtyaṃ vidhīyatām teṣāṃ tadvacanaṃ śrutvā dānavendro mahābalaḥ | uvāca kanyālābhārthaṃ nāradāvāptaniścayaḥ mahiṣa uvāca | mahyaṃ tu kathitā bālā nāradena maharṣiṇā | sā cājitya surādhyakṣaṃ na labhyeta varāṅganā etadarthaṃ bhavanto vai kathayantu vimṛśya vai | kathaṃ sā labhyate bālā kathaṃ devāśca nirjitāḥ | bhaveyuriti tatsarvaṃ kathayantu drutaṃ mama evamuktāstataḥ sarve kathayāmāsurañjasā | ūcuḥ saṃmantrya te sarve kathayāmo vayaṃ prabho evamuktastathovāca praghaso dānaveśvaram | yā sā te kathitā daitya nāradena mahāsatī | sā śaktiḥ paramā devī vaiṣṇavī lokadhāriṇī gurupatnī rājapatnī tathā sāmantayoṣitaḥ | jighṛkṣan naśyate rājā tathāgamyāgamena ca praghasenaivamuktastu vighaso vākyamabravīt | samyaguktaṃ praghasena tāṃ devīṃ prati pārthiva yadi nāma mataikyaṃ tu buddhiḥ smaraṇamāgatā | varaṇīyā kumārī tu sarvadā vijigīṣubhiḥ | na svatantreṇa kanyāyāḥ kāryaṃ kvāpi prakarṣaṇam yadi vo rocate vākyaṃ madīyaṃ mantrisattamāḥ | tadānīṃ tāṃ śubhāṃ devīṃ gatvā yācantu mantriṇaḥ yo mahātmā bhavet tasyā bandhustaṃ yācayāmahe | sāmnaivādau tataḥ paścāt kariṣyāmaḥ pradānakam | tato bhedaṃ kariṣyāmastato daṇḍaṃ krameṇa ca anena kramayogena yadi sā naiva labhyate | tataḥ sannahya gacchāmo balād gṛhṇīma tāṃ śubhām vighasenaivamukte tu śeṣāstu mantriṇo vacaḥ | śubhamūcuḥ praśaṃsantaḥ sarve harṣitayā girā sādhūktaṃ vighasenedaṃ yat tāṃ prati varānanām | tadeva kriyatāṃ śīghraṃ dūtastatra visarjyatām yaḥ sarvaśāstranītijñaḥ śuciḥ śauryasamanvitaḥ | tasmāj jñātvā tu tāṃ devīṃ varṇato rūpato guṇaiḥ parākrameṇa śauryeṇa śauṇḍīryeṇa balena ca | bandhuvargeṇa sāmagrya sthānena karaṇena ca | evaṃ jñātvā tu tāṃ devīṃ tataḥ kāryaṃ vidhīyatām tataḥ sapadi daityasya tadvacaḥ sādhu sādhviti | praśaśaṃsurvarārohe vighasaṃ mantrisattamam praśasya sarve taṃ dūtaṃ saṃdeṣṭumupacakramuḥ | vidyutprabhaṃ mahābhāgaṃ mahāmāyāvidaṃ śubham visarjayitvā taṃ dūtaṃ vighaso vākyamabravīt | saṃnahyantāṃ dānavendrāścaturaṅgabalena ha | kriyatāṃ vijayastāvad devasainyaṃ prati prabho asurendra surairbhagnaistat parākramabhīṣitā | sā kanyā vaśatāmeti tvayi śakrasamāgate lokapālairjitaiḥ sarvaistathaiva marutāṃ gaṇaiḥ | nāgairvidyādharaiḥ siddhairgandharvaiḥ sarvato jitaiḥ | rudrairvasubhirādityaistvamevendro bhaviṣyasi indrasya te śataṃ kanyā devagandharvayoṣitaḥ | vaśamāyānti sā'pi syāt sarvathā vaśamāgatā evamuktastadā daityaḥ senāpatimuvāca ha | virūpākṣaṃ mahāmeghavarṇaṃ nīlāñjanaprabham ānīyatāṃ drutaṃ sainyaṃ hastyaśvarathapattinām | yena devān sagandharvān jayāmi yudhi durjjayān evamukte virūpākṣastadā senāpatirdrutam | ānināya mahatsainyamanantamaparājitam ekaiko dānavastatra vajrahastasamo yudhi | ekaikaṃ spardhate devaṃ jetuṃ svena balena ha teṣāṃ pradhānabhūtānāmarbudaṃ navakoṭayaḥ | yeṣāmekasyānuyāti tāvad balamarthorjjitam teṣāṃ naikasahastrāṇi daityānāṃ tu mahātmanām | samitiṃ cakruravyagrāstadā daityāḥ prahāriṇaḥ | prayāṇaṃ kārayāmāsurdevasainyajighāṃsayā vicitrayānā vividhadhvajāgrā vicitraśastrā vividhograrūpāḥ | daityā surāñ jetumicchanta uccair nanartturāttāyudhabhīmahastāḥ

The Blessed Boar said: When Nārada had gone, the Daitya thought about that auspicious one; having heard her described from Nārada's mouth, his mind was amazed. Thinking of her alone, that best of Daityas found no peace; the mighty one had his great counsellor Alaṃśarmā brought in. He had eight counsellors, brave, versed in policy, widely learned: Praghasa and Vighasa, Śaṅkukarṇa, Vibhāvasu, Vidyunmālī and Sumālī, Parjanya and Krūra. These are named as his chief counsellors. They said to the seated lord of Dānavas: "Let the business be ordered." Hearing their words, the mighty lord of Dānavas, whose resolve had been fixed by Nārada, spoke about the winning of the maiden. Mahiṣa said: "The girl has been described to me by the great sage Nārada; and that lovely-limbed one cannot be obtained without conquering the lord of the gods. To this end let you all consider and speak. How is that girl to be won, and how may the gods be conquered? Tell me all that quickly." Thus addressed, they all spoke at once; having taken counsel together they all said: "We shall speak, O lord." Thus addressed, Praghasa said to the lord of the Dānavas: "That greatly chaste one, O Daitya, whom Nārada described to you — she is the supreme power, the goddess Vaiṣṇavī, upholder of the worlds. A king perishes who desires to seize the wife of a teacher, the wife of a king, or the women of vassals, and likewise by going to one who should not be approached." When Praghasa had spoken thus, Vighasa said: "Rightly has Praghasa spoken concerning that goddess, O king. If indeed there is agreement of opinion, then thought and recollection have come. But a maiden is always to be sought in marriage by those who wish to conquer; a maiden may never be carried off anywhere by one acting on his own authority. If my words please you, O best of counsellors, then let the counsellors go and ask for that auspicious goddess. Whoever be her noble kinsman, him we shall ask. First by conciliation; after that we shall make a gift; then we shall practise division, and then, in order, force. If by this sequence of methods she is still not obtained, then we shall arm ourselves and go and take that auspicious one by force." When Vighasa had spoken thus, the remaining counsellors all praised his auspicious words with joyful voice: "Well spoken is this by Vighasa concerning that fair-faced one; let just that be done quickly, let an envoy be sent there — one who knows all the sciences and statecraft, pure, endowed with valour, so that from him we may learn of that goddess as to her class, her form, her qualities, her prowess, valour, boldness and strength, her circle of kin, her resources, her position and her means; and having learned of the goddess thus, let the business then be ordered." Then at once they praised the Daitya's words, "Good, good!", and praised Vighasa, best of counsellors, O lovely one. Having praised him, they all began to instruct the envoy — Vidyutprabha, the greatly blessed, knower of great illusions, the auspicious one. Having dispatched that envoy, Vighasa said: "Let the lords of the Dānavas arm themselves with the four-fold force; meanwhile let victory be made over the army of the gods, O lord. Lord of asuras, when the gods are broken, that maiden, terrified by your prowess, will come under your sway when you have become the equal of Śakra. When all the world-guardians are conquered, and likewise the hosts of Maruts, when nāgas, vidyādharas, siddhas and gandharvas are conquered on every side, with the Rudras, Vasus and Ādityas — you yourself will become Indra. Indra's hundred maidens, the women of gods and gandharvas, will come under your sway; she too will surely come under your sway." Thus addressed, the Daitya then said to his general Virūpākṣa, of the colour of a great cloud, gleaming like dark collyrium: "Let the army of elephants, horses, chariots and foot be brought quickly, by which I may conquer in battle the gods together with the gandharvas, hard to conquer." When this was said, Virūpākṣa the general at once brought up a great army, endless, unconquered. There each single Dānava was in battle the equal of the wielder of the thunderbolt; each vied to conquer a god by his own strength. Of those who were the chief among them there were nine crores and an arbuda, of whom a single one is followed by such a mighty force. Of them there were many thousands of high-souled Daityas; then the striking Daityas held an assembly without agitation, and set out on the march with the desire to slay the army of the gods. With varied vehicles, with the tips of many banners, with varied weapons, of many terrible forms, the Daityas, desiring to conquer the gods, danced loudly with terrible hands grasping weapons.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition