Varaha Purana - Adhyaya 35
Varaha PuranaAdhyaya 3517 Shlokas

Adhyaya 35: The Account of Soma’s Decline and Restoration, and the Paurṇamāsī Observance

Soma-kṣaya-janma kathā tathā paurṇamāsī-vrata

Mythic-Etiology and Ritual-Manual

ໃນກອບການສອນຂອງວຣາຫະ–ປຣິຖະວີ ບົດນີ້ເລົ່າເຫດປັດໃຈຂອງການຫຼຸດລົງແລະການຟື້ນຄືນຂອງດວງຈັນ ພ້ອມເຊື່ອມລະບຽບຈັກກະວານກັບການຫຼ້ຽງຊີວິດໃນໂລກ. ກ່າວເຖິງສາຍວົງຂອງອັດຣິຈົນເຖິງການເກີດຂອງໂສມ, ການແຕ່ງງານກັບລູກສາວຂອງທັກສະ, ແລະຄວາມຂັດແຍ້ງເນື່ອງຈາກໂສມຮັກໂຣຫິນີເປັນພິເສດ. ຄຳສາບຂອງທັກສະເຮັດໃຫ້ໂສມເກີດ kṣaya (ເສື່ອມຖອຍ) ຈົນພືດແລະສະຫມຸນໄພ oṣadhi ອ່ອນແຮງ ເທວະ, ມະນຸດ ແລະສັດລຳບາກ. ທຸກຝ່າຍໄປພຶ່ງພາພຣະວິສນຸ; ພຣະວິສນຸຊີ້ນຳໃຫ້ກວນວຣຸນາລະຍະ (ມະຫາສະໝຸດ) ເຮັດໃຫ້ໂສມປາກົດຄືນ. ໂສມຍັງຖືກອະທິບາຍເປັນຫຼັກການພາຍໃນ kṣetrajña/jīva ທີ່ຄ້ຳຈຸນຊີວິດໃນຮ່າງກາຍ. ຕໍ່ມາມີຂໍ້ກຳນົດພິທີ: ພຣະພຣະຫມາມອບຕິຖິ Paurṇamāsī ໃຫ້ໂສມ; ການອົບວາດດ້ວຍອາຫານຂ້າວບາເລຍ໌ໃຫ້ປັນຍາ ພະລັງຊີວິດ ແລະຄວາມຮັ່ງມີ ເປັນວິໄນທີ່ຊ່ວຍຮັກສາດຸນຍະພາບພືດພັນຂອງແຜ່ນດິນ.

Speakers

VarāhaPṛthivī

Key Concepts

Dakṣa’s curse (śāpa) and Soma’s kṣaya (waning) as cosmic-ecological causalityOṣadhi (medicinal plants) decline and restoration as terrestrial balanceSoma as kṣetrajña/jīva (inner knower/life-principle) in embodied beingsSamudra-manthana (ocean churning) as regenerative cosmologyPaurṇamāsī tithi and upavāsa (fast) as ritualized social-ecological discipline
Sanskrit recitationVaraha Purana Adhyaya 35

Shlokas in Adhyaya 35

Verse 1

महातपा उवाच । ब्रह्मणो मानसः पुत्रः अत्रिर्नाम महातपाः । तस्य पुत्रोऽभवत्सोमो दक्षजामातृतां गतः ॥ ३५.१ ॥

ມະຫາຕະປາກ່າວວ່າ: «ອະຕຣິ ນາມວ່າມະຫາຕະປະ ເປັນບຸດທີ່ເກີດຈາກຈິດຂອງພຣະພຣະຫມາ. ບຸດຂອງທ່ານນັ້ນແມ່ນ ໂສມະ (ພຣະຈັນ) ຜູ້ໄດ້ຮັບສະຖານະເປັນລູກເຂີຍຂອງດັກສະ»។

Verse 2

सप्तविंशति याः कन्या दाक्षायण्यः प्रकीर्तिताः । सोमपत्‍न्योऽतिमन्तव्यास्तासां श्रेष्ठा तु रोहिणी ॥ ३५.२ ॥

ບັນດາກະນະຍາ 27 ນາງ ທີ່ໄດ້ຮັບການສັນລະເສີນວ່າເປັນທິດາຂອງດັກສະ ພຶງເຂົ້າໃຈວ່າເປັນພຣະມະເຫສີຂອງໂສມະ (ພຣະຈັນ). ໃນພວກນາງນັ້ນ ໂຣຫິນີ ເປັນຜູ້ປະເສີດທີ່ສຸດ.

Verse 3

तामेव रमते सोमो नेतराः इति शुश्रुमः । इतराः प्रोचुरागत्य दक्षस्यासमतां शशेः ॥ ३५.३ ॥

“ພວກເຮົາໄດ້ຍິນວ່າ ໂສມະ (ພຣະຈັນ) ພໍໃຈຢູ່ແຕ່ນາງນັ້ນ ບໍ່ແມ່ນຄົນອື່ນ.” ພຣະຍາອື່ນໆ ໄດ້ມາກ່າວຕໍ່ ທັກສະ (Dakṣa) ເຖິງຄວາມບໍ່ເທົ່າທຽມຂອງພຣະຈັນ។

Verse 4

दक्षोऽप्यसकृदागत्य तमुवाच स नाकरॊत् । समतां सोऽपि तं दक्षः शशापान्तरहितो भव ॥ ३५.४ ॥

ທັກສະ ກໍໄດ້ມາຫາຫຼາຍເທື່ອ ແລະເວົ້າກັບລາວ ແຕ່ລາວບໍ່ຍອມເຮັດຕາມ. ດັ່ງນັ້ນ ທັກສະ ໄດ້ສາບແຊ່ງວ່າ “ຈົ່ງເປັນຜູ້ຫາຍໄປ (ລັບຕາ)”.

Verse 5

एवं शप्तस्तु दक्षेण सोमो देहं त्यजेदथ । उवाच सोमो दक्षं तु भवानेवं भविष्यति । अनेकजो विहायेमं ब्रह्मदेहं सनातनम् ॥ ३५.५ ॥

ເມື່ອຖືກທັກສະສາບແຊ່ງ ໂສມະ ຈຶ່ງຈະລະທິ້ງຮ່າງກາຍ. ໂສມະ ໄດ້ກ່າວຕໍ່ ທັກສະ ວ່າ: “ສິ່ງນີ້ຈະເກີດແກ່ທ່ານເຊັ່ນກັນ; ເກີດຫຼາຍຊາດແລ້ວ ທ່ານກໍຈະລະທິ້ງຮ່າງອັນເກົ່າແກ່ນີ້ ທີ່ພຣະພຣະຫມາປະທານໄວ້.”

Verse 6

एवमुक्त्वा क्षयं सोम आगमद् दक्षशापतः । देवा मनुष्याः पशवो नष्टे सोमे सवीरुधः ॥ ३५.६ ॥

ເມື່ອກ່າວດັ່ງນັ້ນແລ້ວ ໂສມະ (ພຣະຈັນ) ກໍເຂົ້າສູ່ຄວາມເສື່ອມຖອຍ ເນື່ອງຈາກຄຳສາບແຊ່ງຂອງທັກສະ. ເມື່ອໂສມະຫຼຸດຖອຍ ເທວະ, ມະນຸດ, ສັດ ແລະພືດພັນທັງຫມົດ ກໍຕົກຢູ່ໃນຄວາມພິນາດ.

Verse 7

क्षीणाभवंस्तदा सर्वा ओषध्यश्च विशेषतः । क्षयं गच्छद्भिरत्यर्थमोषधीभिः सुरर्षभाः ॥ ३५.७ ॥

ໃນເວລານັ້ນ ພືດພັນທັງຫມົດກໍຫຼຸດຖອຍ ໂດຍສະເພາະຢາສະຫມຸນໄພ. ໂອ ຜູ້ເປັນດັ່ງງົວຜູ້ກ້າໃນຫມູ່ເທວະ, ເມື່ອສະຫມຸນໄພຫຼຸດຖອຍຢ່າງຫນັກ ພວກມັນກໍເຖິງຄວາມຫມົດສິ້ນແຫ່ງພະລັງ.

Verse 8

मूलेषु वीरुधां सोमः स्थित इत्यूचुरातुराः । तेषां चिन्ताऽभवत् तीव्रा विष्णुं च शरणं ययुः ॥ ३५.८ ॥

ດ້ວຍຄວາມທຸກລຳບາກ ພວກເຂົາເວົ້າວ່າ: «ໂສມະ (Soma) ສະຖິດຢູ່ໃນຮາກຂອງພືດທັງຫຼາຍ». ຄວາມກັງວົນຂອງພວກເຂົາແຮງກ້າ ແລະໄດ້ໄປພຶ່ງພາພຣະວິສນຸ (Viṣṇu) ເປັນທີ່ພຶ່ງ.

Verse 9

भगवानाह तान् सर्वान् ब्रूत किं क्रियते मया । ते चोचुर्देव दक्षेण शप्तः सोमो विनाशितः ॥ ३५.९ ॥

ພຣະຜູ້ເປັນເຈົ້າຕັດກັບພວກເຂົາທັງຫມົດວ່າ: «ຈົ່ງບອກມາ—ໃຫ້ເຮົາເຮັດສິ່ງໃດ?» ພວກເຂົາທູນຕອບວ່າ: «ໂອ ພຣະເທວະ, ໂສມະ (Soma) ຖືກທຳລາຍ ເນື່ອງຈາກຖືກດັກສະ (Dakṣa) ສາບແຊ່ງ».

Verse 10

तानुवाच तदा देवो मथ्यतां कलशोदधिः । ओषध्यः सर्वतो देवाः प्रक्षिप्याशु सुसंयतैः ॥ ३५.१० ॥

ແລ້ວພຣະເທວະຕັດກັບພວກເຂົາວ່າ: «ຈົ່ງກວນມະຫາສະໝຸດແຫ່ງກະລະສະ (Ocean of the Jar). ໂອ ເທວະທັງຫຼາຍ, ຈົ່ງໂຍນສົມຸນໄພຢາຈາກທຸກທິດໂດຍໄວ ແລະດ້ວຍຄວາມສຳລວມລະວັງ».

Verse 11

एवमुक्त्वा ततो देवान् दध्यौ रुद्रं हरिः स्वयम् । ब्रह्माणं च तथा दध्यौ वासुकिं नेत्रकारणात् ॥ ३५.११ ॥

ເມື່ອຕັດດັ່ງນັ້ນແລ້ວ ພຣະຫຣິ (Hari) ໄດ້ເຂົ້າສະມາທິລະລຶກເຖິງເທວະທັງຫຼາຍ—ລະລຶກເຖິງຣຸດຣະ (Rudra); ແລະລະລຶກເຖິງພຣະພຣະຫມາ (Brahmā); ພ້ອມທັງລະລຶກເຖິງວາສຸກິ (Vāsuki) ເນື່ອງຈາກເຫດອັນກ່ຽວກັບດວງຕາ.

Verse 12

ते सर्वे तत्र सहिताः ममन्थुर्वरुणालयम् । तस्मिंस्तु मथिते जातः पुनः सोमो महीपते ॥ ३५.१२ ॥

ພວກເຂົາທັງຫມົດມາຊຸມຮ່ວມກັນຢູ່ທີ່ນັ້ນ ແລະໄດ້ກວນທີ່ພຳນັກຂອງວາຣຸນະ (Varuṇa) ຄືມະຫາສະໝຸດ. ເມື່ອການກວນນັ້ນເກີດຂຶ້ນ ໂອ ເຈົ້າແຫ່ງແຜ່ນດິນ, ໂສມະ (ຈັນທຣາ) ກໍເກີດຂຶ້ນອີກຄັ້ງ.

Verse 13

योऽसौ क्षेत्रज्ञसंज्ञो वै देहेऽस्मिन् पुरुषः परः । स एव सोमो मन्तव्यो देहिनां जीवसंज्ञितः । परेच्छया स मूर्तिं तु पृथक् सौम्यां प्रपेदिवान् ॥ ३५.१३ ॥

ບຸລຸດອັນສູງສຸດ ຜູ້ຢູ່ໃນກາຍນີ້ ທີ່ເອີ້ນວ່າ «ຜູ້ຮູ້ແຫ່ງສະໜາມ» (kṣetrajña) ນັ້ນແຫຼະ ຄວນເຂົ້າໃຈວ່າເປັນ ໂສມ (Soma) ແລະໃນຫມູ່ຜູ້ມີກາຍ ຖືກຮູ້ຈັກວ່າ «ຊີວະ» (jīva) ເປັນຫຼັກຊີວິດ. ໂດຍພຣະປະສົງອັນສູງ ພຣະອົງໄດ້ຮັບຮູບອັນອ່ອນໂຍນ ແລະຜ່ອນຄາຍ (saumya) ຢ່າງແຍກຕ່າງຫາກ.

Verse 14

तमॆव देवमनुजाः षोडशेमाश्च देवताः । उपजीवन्ति वृक्षाश्च तथैवोषधयः प्रभुम् ॥ ३५.१४ ॥

ມະນຸດທັງຫຼາຍ, ໝູ່ເທວະດາສິບຫົກກຸ່ມ, ແລະຕົ້ນໄມ້ທັງຫຼາຍ ພ້ອມທັງພືດຢາ ລ້ວນດຳລົງຊີວິດໂດຍອາໄສພຣະຜູ້ເປັນເຈົ້ານັ້ນ ເປັນນາຍຜູ້ຫຼ້ຽງຊີບ.

Verse 15

रुद्रस्तमेव सकलं दधार शिरसा तदा । तदात्मिका भवन्त्यापो विश्वमूर्तिरसौ स्मृतः ॥ ३५.१५ ॥

ໃນເວລານັ້ນ ຣຸດຣະ (Rudra) ໄດ້ຮັບພາລະສະພາບທັງປວງນັ້ນໄວ້ເທິງສີສະຂອງພຣະອົງ. ນ້ຳທັງຫຼາຍກໍເປັນໄປຕາມສະພາບນັ້ນ; ພຣະອົງຖືກຈື່ຈຳວ່າເປັນຜູ້ມີຮູບເປັນຈັກກະວານ.

Verse 16

तस्य ब्रह्मा ददौ प्रीतः पौर्णमासीं तिथिं प्रभुः । तस्यामुपोषयेद् राजंस्तमर्थं प्रतिपादयेत् ॥ ३५.१६ ॥

ພຣະພຣະຫມາ (Brahmā) ຜູ້ເປັນເຈົ້າ ໄດ້ປະທານດ້ວຍຄວາມປິຕິ ຕິຖີວັນເຕັມດວງຈັນ (Paurṇamāsī) ໃຫ້ແກ່ພຣະອົງ. ໃນວັນນັ້ນ ໂອ ພຣະຣາຊາ ຄວນຖືອຸໂປສົດ ແລະບຳເນົາໃຫ້ສຳເລັດຈຸດປະສົງຂອງພິທີນັ້ນ.

Verse 17

यवान्नहारश्च भवेत् तस्य ज्ञानं प्रयच्छति । कान्तिं पुष्टिं च राजेन्द्र धनं धान्यं च केवलम् ॥ ३५.१७ ॥

ຖ້າຜູ້ໃດດຳລົງຊີວິດໂດຍກິນເຂົ້າບາເລ (yava) ເປັນອາຫານ ມັນຈະປະທານປັນຍາໃຫ້ເຂົາ; ແລະ ໂອ ພຣະຣາຊາຜູ້ປະເສີດ ມັນຍັງໃຫ້ຄວາມສະຫວ່າງໄສ ແລະພະລັງບຳລຸງ ພ້ອມທັງຊັບສິນ ແລະເຂົ້າເກັບກ່ຽວໂດຍສະເພາະ.

Inside Adhyaya 35

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    Varāha instructs Pṛthivī by linking cosmic rhythm to earthly nourishment, introducing Atri’s lineage and Soma’s place in sustaining life and vegetation.

  2. Central event

    Soma, married to Dakṣa’s daughters, shows partiality to Rohiṇī; Dakṣa’s śāpa causes Soma’s kṣaya (waning), triggering an ecological crisis as oṣadhis and plants lose potency, weakening devas, humans, animals, and the food-medicine chain.

  3. Climax resolution

    All beings seek refuge in Viṣṇu; by Viṣṇu’s direction the Varuṇālaya is churned and Soma is re-manifested/restored, reestablishing lunar regularity and botanical vitality; Soma is further interpreted as the inner kṣetrajña/jīva sustaining embodied existence.

  4. Closing phalashruti

    Brahmā assigns Soma the paurṇamāsī tithi; observing paurṇamāsī upoṣa with barley-food is praised as yielding knowledge, vitality, prosperity, and stabilizing well-being aligned with vegetal balance.

Geographical context

Varuṇālaya (the ocean/sea as Varuṇa’s abode); no specific terrestrial toponyms or river systems are named in this excerpt beyond the oceanic setting.

Tirtha focus

  • Primary TirthaVaruṇālaya (Samudra/Ocean as Varuṇa’s abode)
  • Pilgrimage MeritMerit is framed less as site-specific tīrtha-phala and more as cosmic participation: honoring Soma through paurṇamāsī observance supports life, oṣadhi-strength, and communal prosperity.

Ritual instructions

  • Primary RitualPaurṇamāsī-vrata / upoṣa in honor of Soma (full-moon observance)
  • BenefitJñāna (clarity/knowledge), āyuḥ/ojas (vitality), puṣṭi (nourishment), and śrī (prosperity); harmonization of personal discipline with lunar-vegetal stability.

The narrative frame

  • VarāhaPṛthivī · Didactic-etiological with ritual-legal emphasis; corrective moral tone (against favoritism) and refuge-theology (Viṣṇu as śaraṇa).

The emotional journey

  • Dominant RasaŚānta (with transitions through Karuṇa and Adbhuta)
  • Emotional ProgressionOrderly instruction → moral lapse and curse → communal distress and ecological fear → refuge and supplication → wondrous restoration through samudra-manthana → calm stabilization through vrata discipline.

Planning a pilgrimage

  • Visit FeasibilityPrimarily a vrata-centered chapter rather than a geographically anchored tīrtha guide; feasible as a home/temple full-moon observance anywhere, with optional coastal/ocean-side worship as a thematic resonance.
  • Best SeasonPaurṇamāsī throughout the year (monthly); agriculturally resonant in post-monsoon and spring when herbs/greens are abundant.
  • Modern Location NameSamudra/Varuṇālaya (generic: the ocean; any seashore)
  • Related FestivalPaurṇamāsī (monthly full moon); broadly aligns with Soma-centered full-moon observances and regional Purnima vratas.

Frequently Asked Questions

The chapter presents cosmic order as interdependent with terrestrial well-being: Soma’s imbalance (favoritism and the resulting curse) produces ecological degradation (oṣadhi decline), and restoration requires disciplined, collective remediation (guided action and ritual observance). Philosophically, it also reframes Soma as the kṣetrajña/jīva principle sustaining embodied life, linking cosmology with embodied ethics.

The text specifies the paurṇamāsī tithi (full-moon lunar day) as Soma’s allotted observance time. It recommends upoṣa (fasting/observance) on that tithi, with yavānna (barley-based food) noted as the dietary regimen connected to the practice.

Environmental balance is depicted through the condition of vegetation and medicinal herbs (oṣadhayaḥ): when Soma wanes due to the curse, plants weaken and multiple life-forms are affected. The restoration of Soma through ocean-churning functions as a narrative model of ecological recovery, implying that maintaining cosmic regularity supports Earth’s botanical vitality.

The narrative references Atri (as Brahmā’s mānasa putra), Soma (Atri’s son), Dakṣa (as father-in-law and curser), Rohiṇī (identified as the foremost among Soma’s wives), and major deities involved in restoration—Viṣṇu, Rudra, Brahmā, and Vāsuki—alongside the collective categories of devas, humans, animals, trees, and oṣadhis.

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