Adhyaya 113: Hymn to Varāha and Pṛthivī’s Inquiry (Prelude to the Sanatkumāra Dialogue)

Verse 1

अथ भगवत्स्तुतिः ॥ ॐ नमो वराहाय नमो ब्रह्मपुत्राय सनत्कुमाराय नमः ॥

Now begins the praise of the Blessed Lord: Oṃ—salutation to Varāha; salutation to the son of Brahmā, Sanatkumāra.

Verse 2

नमस्तस्मै वराहाय लीलयोद्धरते महीम् ॥ सुरमध्येगतो यस्य मेरुः खणखणायते ॥

Salutation to that Varāha who, as a divine sport, lifts up the Earth; amid the gods, even Meru seems to resound and tremble.

Verse 3

दंष्ट्राग्रेणोद्धृता गोरोदधिपरिवृता पर्वतैर्निम्नगाभिर्भक्तानां भीतिहानौ सुरनरकदशास्यान्तकः क्रोडरूपी ॥ विष्णुः सर्वेश्वरोऽयं यमिह हतमला लीलया प्राप्नुवन्ति त्यक्तात्मानो न पापे प्रभु भवतु मुदितारातिपक्षक्षितीशम् ॥

Raised upon the tip of His tusk—encircled by the Ocean of Milk, with mountains and rivers—He appears as the Boar-formed Lord, the slayer of the Ten-faced one (Rāvaṇa), the remover of fear for devotees, moving among gods, humans, and the nether realms. This Viṣṇu, the Lord of all—whom the purified attain here as the grace of His līlā—may the Master be mighty against sin for those who have relinquished self-centeredness; may He gladden the rulers of the earth by pacifying enmity and reconciling hostile factions.

Verse 4

यस्मिन्काले क्षितिः पूर्वकल्पे वाराह मूर्तिना ॥ उद्धृता च यया भक्त्या पप्रच्छ परमेश्वरम् ॥

At that time, in a former kalpa, when the Earth was lifted up by the Varāha form—then, with that very devotion, she questioned the Supreme Lord.

Verse 5

धरण्युवाच ॥ कल्पे कल्पे भवानेव मां समुद्धरते भवान् ॥ न बाहुश्चेष्टते मूर्तिर्मादृशीं गां च केशव ॥

The Earth said: In every aeon, you alone lift me up. Yet this embodied form does not exert its arms as others do; still you raise a land like me, O Keśava.

Verse 6

स तेन सान्त्वितायां वै पृथिव्यां यः समागतः ॥ सनत्कुमारस्तत्क्षेत्रे दृष्ट्वा तां संस्थितां महीम् ॥

When the Earth had thus been consoled, Sanatkumāra arrived there; and in that region, seeing the Earth established again, he…

Verse 7

स्वस्ति वाच्याह पुण्याग्रे प्रत्युवाच वसुन्धराम् ॥ सनत्कुमार उवाच ॥ यं दृष्ट्वा वर्ध्धसे देवि त्वं च यस्यासि माधवि ॥

After uttering a blessing at the sacred forefront of that place, he addressed Vasundharā in reply. Sanatkumāra said: Seeing whom you flourish, O Goddess—and of whom you are the beloved, O Mādhavī—

Verse 8

विष्णुना धार्यमाणा च किं त्वया दृष्टमद्भुतम् ॥ एतदाचक्ष्व तत्त्वेन यत्ते हरिमुखाच्छ्रुतम् ॥

And while being upheld by Viṣṇu, what marvel have you seen? Tell it in accordance with the truth—what you have heard from Hari’s own mouth.

Verse 9

ब्रह्मपुत्रवचः श्रुत्वा पृथिवी वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥ धरण्युवाच ॥ यद्गुह्यं स मया पृष्टो यच्च मे सम्प्रभाषितम् ॥

Having heard the words of the son of Brahmā, the Earth spoke. The Earth said: That secret matter about which I questioned him, and what was spoken to me…

Verse 10

तेन मे कथितं ह्येतत्संसारात्तु विमोक्षणम् ॥ विष्णुभक्तेन यत्कार्यं यत्क्रिया परितिष्ठता

By him this was indeed explained to me—the means of release from saṃsāra; and also what a devotee of Viṣṇu ought to do, and what conduct and practices should be steadily maintained.

Verse 11

उवाच परमं गुह्यं धर्माणां व्याप्तिनिश्चयम् ॥ अयं धर्मो मया ह्येतच्छ्रुते धर्मे सनातने

He spoke the supreme secret—the decisive understanding of dharma’s pervasiveness. “This is the dharma,” he said, “as I have indeed heard it within the eternal dharma of revelation.”

Verse 12

ततो महीवचः श्रुत्वा ब्रह्मपुत्रो महातपाः ॥ कोकामुखे मम क्षेत्रं जपन्तो ब्रह्मवादिनः

Then, having heard the words of Mahī (Earth), the great ascetic—Brahmā’s son—spoke of the Brahman-proclaiming sages who recite japa at Kokāmukha, my sacred site.

Verse 13

तां सर्वानानयामास यत्र देवी व्यवस्थिताः ॥ सनत्कुमारः पूतात्मा प्रत्युवाच महीṃ प्रति

He brought them all to the place where the Goddess was stationed. Then Sanatkumāra, of purified self, replied in response to Mahī (Earth).

Verse 14

सनत्कुमार उवाच ॥ यन्मया पूर्वमुक्तासि कथयस्व वरानने ॥ अप्रमेयगतिं चैव धर्ममाचक्ष्व तत्त्वतः

Sanatkumāra said: “What you were previously told by me—relate it, O fair-faced one. And explain, in accordance with reality, that dharma whose course is immeasurable as well.”

Verse 15

ततस्तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा प्रणम्य ऋषिपुङ्गवम् ॥ उवाच परमा प्रीता धात्री मधुरया गिरा

Then, having heard his words and bowing to that foremost of sages, Dhātrī (Earth), greatly delighted, spoke in a gentle voice.

Verse 16

धरण्युवाच ॥ शृण्वन्तु ऋषयः सर्वे यत्तद्विष्णुमुखाच्छ्रुतम् ॥ बाढमित्येव तां देवी स्वस्ति ब्रूहीति सोऽब्रवीत्

Dharaṇī said: “Let all the sages listen to what was heard from the mouth of Viṣṇu.” (They replied,) “So be it,” and he said to the Goddess, “Speak auspiciousness—a blessing.”

Verse 17

नष्टचन्द्रानिले लोके नष्टभास्करतारके ॥ स्तम्भिताश्च दिशः सर्वा न प्राज्ञायात किञ्चन

In the world, with the moon and wind vanished, with the sun and stars vanished, and with all directions immobilized, nothing at all could be discerned.

Verse 18

न वाति पवनस्तत्र नैव चाग्निर्न विद्युतः ॥ न किञ्चित्तत्र विद्येत न तारा न च राशयः

There the wind did not blow; there was neither fire nor lightning. Nothing at all was to be found there—no stars and no constellations (rāśis).

Verse 19

अन्यद्दैवः कूर्मरूपस्त्वं समुद्रस्य मन्थने ॥ धृतवानसि कौर्मेण मन्दरं मधुसूदन

And at another time, O God—taking the form of a tortoise—during the churning of the ocean, you held up Mandara by means of your tortoise-form, O Madhusūdana.

Verse 20

पुनर्वराहरूपेण मां गच्छन्तीं रसातले ॥ उज्जहारैकदंष्ट्रेण भवानेव महार्णवात्

Again, assuming the form of Varāha, you yourself lifted me up from the great ocean as I was sinking into Rasātala, with a single tusk.

Verse 21

अन्यद्धिरण्यकशिपुर्वरदानेन दर्पितः ॥ असावपि नृसिंहेण वपुरास्थाय नाशितः

And another enemy, Hiraṇyakaśipu—made arrogant by a boon—was also destroyed when you assumed the bodily form of Narasiṃha.

Verse 22

पुनर्निःक्षत्ररूपेण त्वया अहं विकृता पुरा ॥ जामदग्न्येन रामेण त्वया दृष्टा सकृत्प्रभो

Again, in the form that made the world ‘without kṣatriyas’, you once transformed me; and by Rāma Jāmadagnya I was seen—once, O Lord.

Verse 23

पुनश्च रावणो रक्षः क्षयितं स्वेन तेजसा ॥ बलिश्च बद्धो भगवन् त्वया वामनरूपिणा

Again, Rāvaṇa the rākṣasa was destroyed by your own splendor; and Bali too was bound by you, O Blessed One, in the form of Vāmana.

Verse 24

न च जानाम्यहं देव तव किंचिद्विचेष्टितम् ॥ उद्धृत्य मां कथं देव सृजसे किंच कारणम्

And I do not understand, O Deva, any of your particular workings: having lifted me up, how is it that you create again, O Deva, and for what reason?

Verse 25

सृष्ट्वा किमादिशः सर्वां न प्राज्ञायते किंचन ॥ न वाति पवनस्तत्र न चैवाग्निर्ज्वलत्यपि

Having created, what is the nature of this entire world? Nothing whatsoever is cognized: there the wind does not blow, and even fire does not burn.

Verse 26

अंशवश्च न विद्यन्ते न नक्षत्रा न वा ग्रहाः ॥ न चैवाङ्गारकस्तत्र न शुक्रो न बृहस्पतिः

Rays are not present; neither stars nor planets exist. There is neither Aṅgāraka (Mars), nor Śukra (Venus), nor Bṛhaspati (Jupiter).

Verse 27

शनैश्चरो बुधो नात्र न चेन्द्रो धनदो यमः ॥ वरुणोऽपि न विद्येत नान्ये केचिद्दिवौकसः

Saturn and Mercury are not there; neither are Indra, Dhanada (Kubera), or Yama. Even Varuṇa would not exist, nor any other celestial beings whatsoever.

Verse 28

गत्वा च शरणं देवी दैन्यं वदति माधवी ॥ प्रसीद मम देवेन्द्र मग्नाहं भारपीडिता

And having gone for refuge, the Goddess—Mādhavī—speaks in distress: “Be gracious, O Lord of the gods; I have sunk down, oppressed by the burden.”

Verse 29

सपर्वतवनैः सार्द्धं मां तारय पितामह ॥ पृथिव्या वचनं श्रुत्वा ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः

“Save me, together with my mountains and forests, O Grandfather.” Having heard the words of Pṛthivī, Brahmā—the Grandfather of the worlds—(responded).

Verse 30

मुहूर्तं ध्यानमास्थाय पृथिवीं तामुवाच ह ।। नाहं तारयितुं शक्तो विषमस्थां वसुन्धरे

After meditating for a moment, he addressed the Earth: “O Vasundharā, I am not able to rescue you while you are in such a perilous condition.”

Verse 31

लोकनाथं सुरश्रेष्ठमादिकर्त्तारमञ्जसा ।। लोकेशं धन्विनं श्रेष्ठं याहि मायाकरण्डकम्

“Go without delay to the Lord of the world—the foremost among the gods, the primal creator; to the supreme ruler, the excellent wielder of the bow—go to Māyākaraṇḍaka.”

Verse 32

सर्वेषामेव नः कार्यं यच्च किञ्चित्प्रवर्त्तते ।। सर्वांस्तारयितुं शक्तः कि पुनस्त्वां वसुन्धरे

“Whatever undertaking arises for all of us—he is capable of rescuing everyone; how much more, O Vasundharā, can he rescue you.”

Verse 33

अनन्तशयने देवं शयानं योगशायिनम् ।। ततः कमलपत्राक्षी नानाभरणभूषिता

Then she beheld the god reclining upon Ananta, resting in yogic repose; thereafter the lotus-petaled-eyed goddess, adorned with various ornaments, approached.

Verse 34

कृताञ्जलिपुटा देवी प्रसादयति माधवम् ।। धरण्युवाच ।। अहं भारसमायुक्ता ब्रह्माणं शरणङ्गता

With hands joined in reverence, the goddess sought the favor of Mādhava. Dharaṇī said: “Burdened with a heavy load, I have taken refuge in Brahmā.”

Verse 35

प्रत्याख्याता भगवता तेनाप्युक्तमिदं वचः ।। नाहं तारयितुं शक्तः सुष्रोणि व्रज माधवम्

I was turned away by the Blessed One, and he spoke these words: “I am not able to rescue you; O fair-hipped one, go to Mādhava.”

Verse 36

स त्वां तारयितुं शक्तो मग्नासि यदि सागरे ।। प्रसीद मम देवेश लोकनाथ जगत्प्रभो

He is able to rescue you, even if you have sunk in the ocean. Be gracious to me, O Lord of the gods, Lord of the world, Sovereign of the universe.

Verse 37

वासवो वरुणश्चासि ह्यग्निर्मारुत एव च ।। अक्षरश्च क्षरश्चासि त्वं दिशो विदिशो भवान्

You are Vāsava (Indra) and Varuṇa; you are Agni and also Māruta (Vāyu). You are the imperishable and the perishable; you are the directions and the intermediate directions.

Verse 38

मत्स्यः कूर्म्मो वराहश्च नरसिंहोऽसि वामनः ।। रामो रामश्च कृष्णश्च बुद्धः कल्की महात्मवान्

You are Matsya, Kūrma, and Varāha; you are Narasiṃha and Vāmana; you are Rāma and (Paraśu-)Rāma, and Kṛṣṇa; you are Buddha and Kalkī, the great-souled.

Verse 39

एवं पश्यसि योगेन श्रूयते त्वं महायशाः ।। युगायुग सहस्राणि व्यतीतान्यसि संस्थितः

Thus you perceive through yoga, and you are spoken of as one of great renown. For thousands upon thousands of ages, you remain established, even as the ages pass.

Verse 40

पृथिवी वायुराकाशमापोज्योतिश्च पञ्चमम्॥ शब्दस्पर्शस्वरूपोऽसि रसो गन्धोऽसि नो भवान्

You are earth, wind, ether, waters, and as the fifth, light. You are of the nature of sound and touch; for us you are taste and fragrance.

Verse 41

सग्रहाणि च ऋक्षाणि कलाकाष्ठामुहूर्त्तकाः

And the planets and the constellations; and the measures of time—kalā, kāṣṭhā, and muhūrta.

Verse 42

सग्रहा ये च नक्षत्रा कला कालमुहूर्त्तकाः॥ ज्योतिष्चक्रं ध्रुवश्चासि सर्वेषु द्योतते भवान्

Those planets and those stars/asterisms, the divisions of time—kalā, time, and muhūrta: you are the wheel of lights, and you are Dhruva; in all of them you shine forth.

Verse 43

मासः पक्षमहोरात्रमृतुः संवत्सराण्यपि

You are the month, the fortnight, day and night, the season—and even the years (saṃvatsaras).

Verse 44

कला काष्ठापि षण्मासाः षड्रसाश्चापि संयमः॥ सरितः सागराश्च त्वं पर्वताश्च महोरगाः

You are kalā and kāṣṭhā, and also the half-years; the six tastes, and also restraint (saṃyama). You are the rivers and the oceans; and you are the mountains and the great serpents.

Verse 45

त्वं मेरुर्मन्दरो विन्ध्यो मलयो दर्दुरो भवान्॥ हिमवान्निषधश्चासि सचक्रोऽसि वरायुधः

You are Meru, Mandara, Vindhya, Malaya, and Dardura. You are Himavān and Niṣadha; you are the bearer of the discus, armed with excellent weapons.

Verse 46

संक्षिप्तश्चैव विस्तारो गोप्ता यज्ञश्च शाश्वतः॥ यज्ञानां च महायज्ञो यूपानामसि संस्थितः

You are the concise form and also the expansive form; the protector; and the everlasting yajña. Among sacrifices you are the great sacrifice; among the yūpas you are the one established as their foundation.

Verse 47

वेदानां सामवेदोऽसि साङ्गोपाङ्गो महाव्रतः॥ गर्जनं वर्षणं चासि त्वं वेधा अनृतानृते

Among the Vedas you are the Sāmaveda, complete with its aṅgas and upāṅgas, upheld as a great observance. You are thunder and you are rainfall; you are the Ordainer (Vedhā)—the true and the untrue.

Verse 48

त्वं च कालश्च मृत्युश्च त्वं भूतो भूतभावनः॥ आदिमध्यान्त रूपोऽसि मेधा बुद्धिः स्मृतिर्भवान्

You are time, and you are death; you are the Existent, the one who brings beings into being. You are of the form of beginning, middle, and end; you are intelligence (medhā), understanding (buddhi), and memory (smṛti).

Verse 49

अमृतं सृजसे विष्णो येन लोकानधारयत्॥ त्वं प्रीतिस्त्वं परा प्रीतिः पुराणः पुरुषो भवान्

You bring forth amṛta, O Viṣṇu, by which the worlds are sustained. You are affection; you are the highest affection; you are the primordial Puruṣa.

Verse 50

ध्येयाधेयं जगत्सर्वं यच्च किंचित् प्रवर्तते ॥ सप्तानामपि लोकानां त्वं नाथस्त्वमसंग्रहः ॥

You are both the object of contemplation and the very ground of all that is to be contemplated—this entire universe and whatever, in any manner, comes into activity. For all the seven worlds, You are the Lord; You are unattached and unpossessive.

Verse 51

आदित्यस्त्वं युगावर्तास्त्वं तपस्वी महातपाः ॥ अप्रमानः प्रमेयोऽसि ऋषीणां च महानृषिः ॥

You are the Sun; You are the turning-point of the ages. You are the ascetic, the great practitioner of austerity. You are beyond measure, yet You are also knowable as an object of valid knowledge; among sages You are the great sage.

Verse 52

अनन्तश्चासि नागानां सर्पाणामसि तक्षकः ॥ उद्वहः प्रवहश्चासि वरुणो वारुणो भवान् ॥

Among the Nāgas You are Ananta; among serpents You are Takṣaka. You are the upward-bearing and the forward-flowing current; You are Varuṇa—indeed, You are the very power associated with Varuṇa.

Verse 53

क्रीडाविक्षेपणश्चासि गृहेषु गृहदेवताः ॥ सर्वात्मकः सर्वगतो वर्ध्धनो मन एव च ॥

You are play and diversion; within homes You are the household deity. You are the nature of all beings, present everywhere; You are the increaser—and You are also the mind itself.

Verse 54

साङ्गस्त्वं विद्युतिनां च वैद्युतानां महाद्युतिः ॥ युगे मन्वन्तरे चापि वृक्षाणां च वनस्पतिः ॥

You are endowed with formed presence among lightning-flashes; among electrical brilliance You are the great radiance. In every yuga and in each manvantara as well, among trees You are the lord of the forest (vanaspati).

Verse 55

गरुडोऽसि महात्मानं वहसि त्वं परायणः ॥ दुन्दुभिर्नेमिघोषैश्च आकाशममलो भवान् ॥

You are Garuḍa; as the supreme refuge, you bear the great-souled Lord. You are the drum and the sound of the wheel’s rim; you are the stainless sky.

Verse 56

जयश्च विजयश्चासि गृहेषु गृहदेवताः ॥ सर्वात्मकः सर्वगतश्चेतनो मन एव च ॥

You are Victory and Triumph; within homes you are the household deity. You are of the nature of all, present everywhere; you are consciousness—and you are also the mind itself.

Verse 57

भगस्त्वं विषलिङ्गश्च परस्त्वं परमात्मकः ॥ सर्वभूतनमस्कार्यो नमो देव नमो नमः ॥

You are Bhaga; you are also Viṣaliṅga. You are the supreme—of the nature of the highest Self. You are worthy of reverence by all beings. Salutation to you, O Deva; salutation again and again.

Verse 58

मां त्वं मग्नामसि त्रातुं लोकनाथ इहार्हसि ॥ आदिकालात्मकः कृष्णः सर्वलोकात्मको विभुः ॥

As I am sunk in distress, you ought to rescue me here, O Lord of the world. You are Kṛṣṇa, whose nature is primordial time; the mighty one who is the very self of all worlds.

Verse 59

य इदं पठते स्तोत्रं केशवस्य दृढव्रतः ॥ व्याधितो मुच्यते रोगाद्बद्धो मुच्येत बन्धनात् ॥

Whoever, firm in observance, recites this hymn of Keśava—if afflicted, is freed from disease; if bound, may be released from bondage.

Verse 60

अपुत्रो लभते पुत्रं दरिद्रो धनमाप्नुयात् ॥ अभार्यो लभते भार्यामपतिः पतिमाप्नुयात् ॥

One who is without a son obtains a son; one who is poor may obtain wealth. One who is without a wife obtains a wife; and one who is without a husband may obtain a husband.

Verse 61

उभे सन्ध्ये पठेत्स्तोत्रं माधवस्य महात्मनः ॥ स गच्छेद्विष्णुलोकं च नात्र कार्या विचारणा ॥

If one recites the hymn to the great-souled Mādhava at both twilight junctures (morning and evening), one would go to Viṣṇu’s world; on this point, no further deliberation is required.

Verse 62

एवं तु अक्षरोक्तोऽपि भवेत् तु परिकल्पना ॥ तावद्वर्षसहस्राणि स्वर्गलोके महीयते ॥

Thus, even if it is uttered syllable by syllable, it may still be regarded as a valid performance; for so many thousands of years one is honored in the world of heaven.

Verse 63

शृणु तत्त्वेन विप्रेन्द्र गुह्यं धर्मं महौजसम् ॥ भगवत्प्रोक्तधर्मेषु यद्गुह्यं कथयाम्यहम् ॥

Listen in accordance with the truth, O best of brahmins, to the secret and greatly potent dharma. Among the dharmas taught by the Blessed Lord, I shall relate what is confidential.

Verse 64

वेदेषु चैव नष्टेषु मत्स्यो भूत्वा रसातलम् ॥ प्रविश्य तानथोत्कृष्य ब्रह्मणे दत्तवानसि ॥

When the Vedas had been lost, having become a Fish, you entered Rasātala; then, having retrieved them, you gave them to Brahmā.

Verse 65

वर्जयित्वात्र त्रीन्देवान् ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेश्वरान् ॥ पृथिवी भारसन्तप्ता ब्रह्माणं शरणं गता ॥

Setting aside here the three gods—Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Maheśvara—Earth, distressed by the burden, went to Brahmā for refuge.

Verse 66

भक्त्या त्वां शरणं यामि प्रसीद मम माधव ॥ त्वमादित्यश्च चन्द्रश्च त्वं यमो धनदस्तु वै ॥

With devotion I go to you for refuge; be gracious to me, O Mādhava. You are the Sun and the Moon; you are Yama, and indeed you are Dhanada (Kubera).

Verse 67

धनुषां च पिनाकोऽसि साङ्ख्ययोगोऽसि चोत्तमः ॥ परम्परोऽसि लोकानां नारायणः परायणः ॥

Among bows you are Pināka; and you are the supreme Sāṃkhya and Yoga. You are the sustaining succession and order of the worlds; you are Nārāyaṇa, the highest refuge.

Verse 68

श्रद्धासि त्वं च देवेश दोषहन्तासि माधव ॥ अण्डजोद्भिज्जस्वेदानां जरायूनां च माधव ॥

You are faith (śraddhā), O Lord of the gods; you are the destroyer of faults, O Mādhava. You also sustain beings born from eggs, sprouts, sweat, and wombs, O Mādhava.