Adhyaya 1: Praise of Varāha and Pṛthivī’s Foundational Questions

Verse 1

दंष्ट्राग्रेणोद्धृता गौरुदधिपरिवृता पर्वतैर्निम्नगाभिः साकं मृद्पिण्डवत् प्राग्बृहदुरुवपुषाऽनन्तरूपेण येन। सोऽयं कंसासुरारिर्मुरनरकदशास्यान्तकृत्सर्वसंस्थः कृष्णो विष्णुः सुरेशो नुदतु मम रिपूनादिदेवो वराहः॥ १.२ ॥

May that primeval Lord—Varāha—drive away my foes: he by whose boundless form, once vast and expansive, the fair Earth, encircled by the ocean together with mountains and rivers, was lifted up on the tip of his tusk like a clod of clay; he who is Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu, the lord of the gods, the enemy of the Kaṁsa-demon, and the slayer of Mura, Naraka, and the ten-headed one (Rāvaṇa), the ground of all existence.

Verse 2

यः संसारार्णवे नौरिव मरणजराव्याधिनक्रोर्मिभीमे भक्तानां भीतिहर्ता मुरनरकदशास्यान्तकृत्कोलरूपी। विष्णुः सर्वेश्वरोऽयं यमिह कृतधियो लीलया प्राप्नुवन्ति मुक्तात्मानो न पापं भवत्तु नुदितारातिपक्षः क्षितीशः ॥ १.३ ॥

May there be no evil: he who, like a boat upon the ocean of saṁsāra—terrifying with the crocodiles of death, aging, and disease, and with fearsome waves—removes the fear of devotees; who, in the form of the Boar, brings about the end of Mura, Naraka, and the ten-faced one; this Viṣṇu, the Lord of all, whom the clear-minded here attain playfully, becoming liberated in spirit—may that ruler of the earth, who has driven away the enemy host, be auspicious.

Verse 3

सूत उवाच । यस्मिन् काले क्षितिः पूर्वं वराहवपुषा तु सा । उद्धृता विष्णुना भक्त्या पप्रच्छ परमेश्वरम् ॥ १.४ ॥

Sūta said: At the time when, formerly, the Earth (Kṣiti) was lifted up by Viṣṇu in the form of the Boar (Varāha), she—through devotion—questioned the Supreme Lord.

Verse 4

धरण्युवाच। कल्पे कल्पे भवानेव मां समुद्धरते विभो। न चाहं वेद ते मूर्तिं नादिसर्गं च केशव॥ १.५ ॥

Dharanī (Earth) said: “In each and every aeon, you alone raise me up again, O mighty one. Yet I do not know your form, O Keśava, nor the primordial creation.”

Verse 5

वेदेषु चैव नष्टेषु मत्स्यो भूत्वा रसातलम्। प्रविश्य तानपाकृष्य ब्रह्मणे दत्तवानसि॥ १.६ ॥

When the Vedas were lost, you became a Fish, entered Rasātala, recovered them, and gave them back to Brahmā.

Verse 6

अन्यत्सुरासुरमयं त्वं समुद्रस्य मन्थने । धृतवानसि कौर्म्येण मन्दरं मधुसूदन ॥ १.७ ॥

And at another time, during the churning of the Ocean—an undertaking of both devas and asuras—O Madhusūdana, you supported Mount Mandara by taking the form of Kūrma, the Tortoise.

Verse 7

पुनर्वाराहरूपेण मां गच्छन्तीं रसातलम् । उज्जहारैकदंष्ट्रेण भगवान् वै महार्णवात् ॥ १.८ ॥

Then again, assuming the form of Varāha, the Boar, the Blessed Lord lifted me up—when I was sinking toward Rasātala—using a single tusk, from the great cosmic ocean.

Verse 8

अन्यद्धिरण्यकशिपुर्वरदानेन दर्पितः । अबाधमानः पृथिवीं स त्वया विनिपातितः । बलिस्तु बद्धो भगवंस्त्वया वामनरूपिणा ॥ १.९ ॥

And further: Hiraṇyakaśipu, made arrogant by a boon, oppressed the Earth; you brought him down. And Bali, O Blessed One, was bound by you in the form of Vāmana.

Verse 9

पुनर्निःक्षत्रिया देव त्वया चापि पुरा कृता । जामदग्न्येन रामेण त्वया भूत्वाऽसकृत्प्रभो ॥ १.१० ॥

O God, in former times you again made the earth bereft of kṣatriyas, O Lord, by repeatedly becoming Rāma Jāmadagnya (Paraśurāma).

Verse 10

पुनश्च रावणो रक्षः क्षपितं क्षात्रतेजसा । न च जानाम्यहं देव तव किञ्चिद्विचेष्टितम् ॥ १.११ ॥

And again, Rāvaṇa—the rākṣasa—was destroyed by the splendor of royal prowess. Yet, O Lord, I do not understand in the least Your intention and extraordinary course of action.

Verse 11

उद्धृत्य मां कथं सृष्टिं सृजसे किं च सा त्वया। सकृद् ध्रियेत कृत्वा च पालयते चापि केन च॥ १.१२ ॥

Having lifted me up, how do You bring forth creation? And what, indeed, is that creation as constituted by You? Having produced it, by what is it sustained even once, and by whom is it also protected?

Verse 12

केन वा सुलभो देव जायसे सततं विभो । कथं च सृष्टेरादिः स्यादवसानं कथं भवेत् ॥ १.१३ ॥

By what means, O God, do You become readily accessible, O all-pervading One, again and again? And how does the beginning of creation arise, and how does its ending occur?

Verse 13

कथं युगस्य गणना संख्या अस्यानुचतुर्युगम् । के वा विशेषास्तेष्वस्मिन् का वा अवस्थ महेश्वर ॥ १.१४ ॥

How is the computation of a yuga to be made—its numerical measure, and how it follows in the sequence of the four yugas? And what distinguishing features belong to those yugas within this cycle? What, moreover, is their condition, O Maheśvara?

Verse 14

यज्वानः के च राजानः के च सिद्धिं परां गताः । एतत्सर्वं समासेन कथयस्व प्रसीद मे ॥ १.१५ ॥

Who were the sacrificers, and who were the kings, and who attained the supreme accomplishment? Tell me all this concisely; be gracious to me.

Verse 15

इत्युक्तः क्रोधरूपेण जहास परमेश्वरः । हसतस्तस्य कुक्षौ तु जगद्धात्री ददर्श ह ॥ रुद्रान् देवान् सवासवः सिद्धसङ्घान् महर्षिभिः ॥ १.१६ ॥

Thus addressed in a wrathful manner, the Supreme Lord laughed. As he laughed, Jagaddhātrī (Earth, sustainer of the world) beheld within his belly the Rudras, the gods with Indra, and hosts of Siddhas together with the great seers.

Verse 16

सचन्द्रसूर्यग्रहसप्तलोकानन्तः स्थितांस्तावदुपात्तधर्मान् । इतीदृशं पश्यति सा समस्तं यावत्क्षितिर्वेपितसर्वगात्रा ॥ १.१७ ॥

Thus she (Earth) beheld the entirety—the seven worlds together with the Moon, Sun, and the planetary bodies—situated within the boundless expanse, each abiding in its assumed order (dharma); and she continued to look on in this manner while the Earth trembled in all her limbs.

Verse 17

उन्मीलितास्यस्तु यदा महात्मा दृष्टो धरण्याऽमलसर्वगात्र्या । तावत्स्वरूपेण चतुर्भुजेन महोदधौ सुप्तमथोऽन्वपश्यत् ॥ १.१८ ॥

When that great-souled one, with eyes opened, was seen by the Earth—she whose entire body was stainless—then, in his own four-armed form, she beheld him as though asleep upon the great ocean.

Verse 18

शेषपर्यङ्कशयने सुप्तं देवं जनार्दनम् । दृष्ट्वा तन्नाभिपङ्कस्थमन्तःस्थं च चतुर्मुखम् ॥ कृताञ्जलिपुटा देवी स्तुतिं धात्री जगाद ह ॥ १.१९ ॥

Seeing the god Janārdana asleep upon the couch of Śeṣa, and seeing the four-faced one (Brahmā) within, resting upon the lotus of his navel, the Goddess—hands joined in reverence—then spoke a hymn of praise, O Dhātṛ, sustainer of the world.

Verse 19

धरण्युवाच । नमः कमलपत्राक्ष नमस्ते पीतवाससे । नमः सुरारिविध्वंसकारिणे परमात्मने ॥ १.२० ॥

Dharaṇī said: “Salutations to you, lotus-petal-eyed one; salutations to you who wear yellow garments. Salutations to the Paramātman, the supreme Self, who destroys the enemies of the gods.”

Verse 20

शेषपर्यङ्कशयने धृतवक्षःस्थलश्रिये । नमस्ते सर्वदेवेश नमस्ते मोक्षकारिणे ॥ १.२१ ॥

Salutation to You who repose upon the couch of Śeṣa, bearing Śrī upon Your chest; salutation to You, Lord of all the gods; salutation to You, bestower of liberation (mokṣa).

Verse 21

नमः शार्ङ्गासिचक्राय जन्ममृत्युविवर्जिते। नमो नाभ्युत्थितमहत्त्कमलासनजन्मने॥ १.२२ ॥

Homage to You, bearer of the Śārṅga bow, the sword, and the discus (cakra), free from birth and death. Homage to You, from whose navel arose the great lotus, from which was born Brahmā, seated upon the lotus.

Verse 22

नमो विद्रुमरक्तास्यपाणिपल्लवशोभिने । शरणं त्वां प्रसन्नास्मि त्राहि नारीमनागसम् ॥ १.२३ ॥

Homage to You, whose face is coral-red and whose hands are splendid like tender shoots. I take refuge in You with a calm and trusting mind; protect this woman who is without offense.

Verse 23

पूर्णनीलाञ्जनाकारं वाराहं ते जनार्दन । दृष्ट्वा भीतास्मि भूयोऽपि जगत् त्वद्देहगोचरम् । इदानीं कुरु मे नाथ दयां त्राहि महाभयात् ॥ १.२४ ॥

O Janārdana, having seen Your Varāha form, whose appearance is like deep blue collyrium, I am afraid again, since the world has entered within the range of Your body. Now, O Lord, show me compassion and protect me from great fear.

Verse 24

केशवः पातु मे पादौ जङ्घे नारायणो मम । माधवो मे कटिं पातु गोविन्दो गुह्यमेव च ॥ १.२५ ॥

May Keśava protect my feet; may Nārāyaṇa protect my shanks. May Mādhava protect my waist, and may Govinda also protect my secret parts.

Verse 25

नाभिं विष्णुस्तु मे पातु उदरं मधुसूदनः । ऊरुं त्रिविक्रमः पातु हृदयं पातु वामनः ॥ १.२६ ॥

May Viṣṇu protect my navel; may Madhusūdana protect my abdomen. May Trivikrama protect my thighs; may Vāmana protect my heart.

Verse 26

श्रीधरः पातु मे कण्ठं हृषीकेशो मुखं मम । पद्मनाभस्तु नयने शिरो दामोदरो मम ॥ १.२७ ॥

May Śrīdhara protect my throat; may Hṛṣīkeśa protect my face. May Padmanābha protect my eyes, and may Dāmodara protect my head.

Verse 27

एवं न्यस्य हरेर्न्यासमामानि जगती तदा । नमस्ते भगवन् विष्णो इत्युक्त्वा विरराम ह ॥ १.२८ ॥

Having thus performed the consecratory placement (nyāsa) pertaining to Hari, the Earth (Jagatī) then said, “Salutations to you, O Blessed Lord Viṣṇu,” and thereupon fell silent.