Parva 3 Chapter 34: varāhakṛto dharoddhāraḥ - viṣṇu takes varāha avatāra to lift the Earth from Netherworld

vaiśampāyana said: (O janamejaya!) The traditional vedic knowledge states that this entire universe, born from the form of the creator of beings (brahma), was formed as a golden egg in the beginning. tato varṣasahasrānte bibhedordhvamukhaṁ vibuḥ | lokasaṣjananārthāya bibhedādhomukhaṁ punaḥ ||3-34-2 Then at the end of one thousand years, the lord broke the upper face. For creating the world, he broke the lower face again. bhūyo'ṣṭadhā bibhedāṇḍaṁ prabhurvai lokayonikṛt | cakāra jagataścātra vibhāgaṁ sarvabhāgavit ||3-34-3 The lord, the creator of the world, again divided the world (body) into eight parts. (Three parts - vāk, pāṇi, pāda and five parts - shrotra, tvak, cakṣu, jihvā and ghrāṇa as also apāna at upastha internally - see nīlakaṇṭha commentary). The lord who knows all the portions, divided the world into parts. yaccidramūrdhvamākāśaṁ parā sukṛtināṁ gatiḥ | vihitaṁ viśvayogena yadadhastadrasātalam ||3-34-4 The upper portion, the sky, is the destination of those who perform good deeds. The lord created the lower world (rasātala) with his universal yogic skill. yadaṇḍamakarotpūrvaṁ devalokasisṛkṣayā | samantādaṣṭadhā yāni cchidrāṇi kṛtavāṁstu saḥ ||3-34-5 The egg formed before for creating the world of deva-s, was divided into eight parts by the lord to vidiśastā diśaḥ sarvā manasaivākaroddvidhā | nānārāgavirāgāṇi yānyaṇḍaśakalāni vai ||3-34-6 form the directions and sub-directions. With his mind, he further divided them into two parts. The portions of the egg, passionate and dispassionate, bahuvarṇadharāścitrā babhūvuste balāhakāḥ | yadaṇḍamadhye skannaṁ tadṛtamāsītsamāhitam ||3-34-7 took up a wide variety of colours and became colourful rain bearing clouds. All the fluid in the core portion of the egg, known as ṛta, deposited at different places jātarūpaṁ tadabhavattatsarvaṁ pṛthivītale | tasya kledārṇavaughena prāccādyata samantataḥ ||3-34-8 pṛthivī nikhilā rājanyugānte sāgarairiva ||3-34-9 became gold (jātarūpa) on the face of earth, O king! (O janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) Just as the entire surface of the earth is covered by ocean at the end of the era, the flow of the fluid covered the entire face of earth. yachcāṇḍamakarotpūrvaṁ devalokachikīrṣayā | tatra tatsalilaṁ skannaṁ so'bhavatkāṣchano giriḥ ||3-34-10 Wherever that fluid fell on the egg which was formed before for creating the world of deva-s, golden mountains were formed. tenāmbhasā plutāḥ sarvā diśaśchopadiśastathā | antarikṣaṁ ca nākaṁ ca yachcānyatkiṁchidantaram ||3-34-11 yatra yatra jalaṁ skannaṁ tatra tatra sthito giriḥ | With that water all the directions and sub-directions became flooded. In the sky, heaven and other places in between - wherever the fluid fell - mountains were formed. śailaḥ samastairgahanā viṣamā medinī bhavat ||3-34-12 With all those mountains, the earth became dense as well as rough. taiḥ saparvatajālaughairbahuyojanavistṛtaiḥ | pīḍitā gurubhirdevī pṛthivī vyathitābhavat ||3-34-13 With these groups of mountains, spreading over many yojanas (yojana = distance travelled in one harnessing or without unyoking, about 9 miles), the Goddess earth was heavily distressed and she became stunned. mahītale bhūri jalaṁ divyaṁ nārāyaṇātmakam | hiraṇmayaṁ samuddiṣṭaṁ tejo vimalarūpitam ||3-34-14 The splendorous, golden, sacred and pure water, full of the soul of narāyaṇa, fell on the face of earth in large quantities. aśāktā vai dhārayitumadhaḥ sā pravivesha ha | pīdyamānā bhagavatastejasā tena sā kṣitiḥ ||3-34-15 Unable to bear the load (of the sacred water), distressed by the splendor of the Lord, the earth began to go down to the lower world. pṛthivīṁ viśatīṁ dṛṣṭvā tāmadho madhusūdanaḥ | uddhārārthaṁ manashcakre lokānāṁ hitakāmyayā ||3-34-16 Seeing the earth distressed and going down in the lower world, the slayer of madhu (viṣṇu), desiring the welfare of the world, decided mentally to lift the earth. śrībhagavānuvāca matteja eva balavatsamāsādya tapasvinī | rasātalaṁ viśeddevī paṅke gauriva durbalā ||3-34-17 The auspicious lord said: The one who performed penances, the goddess earth, bearing my splendor as well as strength, is going down to bottom of the netherworld (rasātala), like a weak cow drowning in slush. dharanyuvāca trivikramāyāmitavikramāya mahānṛsiṁhāya caturbhujāya | śrīśārṅgacakrāsigadādharāya namo'stu tasmai puruśottamāya ||3-34-18 (Goddess) earth said: I bow to the lord who conquered the three worlds with his valiance, who has unlimited valiance, the great man-lion, the one who has four arms, the one who holds śrī and the weapons śārṅga (bow), cakra (sudarshana), sword (nāndaka) and the mace (kaumodaki), the best among men. tvayā''tmanā dhāryate vai tvayā saṁhriyate jagat | tvaṁ dhārayasi bhūtānāṁ bhuvanaṁ tvaṁ bibharṣi ca ||3-34-19 This universe is held by your soul. The world is destroyed by you. You hold all the beings of the world. You rule this world. yattvayā dhāryate kiṁchittejasā ca balena ca | tatastava prasādena mayā paścāttu dhāryate ||3-34-20 All that you hold (this world) due to your splendor as well as strength, I hold the same due to your pleasure. tvayā dhṛtaṁ dhārayāmi nādhṛtaṁ dhārayāmyaham | na hi tadvidyate rūpaṁ yattvayā na tu dhāryate ||3-34-21 Since this world is held by you, I hold the same. I do not hold anything, which you do not hold. No form exists, which is not held by you. tvameva puruṣo vīra nārāyaṇa yuge yuge | mama bhārāvataraṇaṁ jagato hitakāmyayā ||3-34-22 O nārāyaṇa! O valiant puruṣa! You take forms to reduce my load in each era for the benefit of the world. tavaiva tejasākrāntāṁ rasātalatalaṁ gatām | trāyasva māṁ suraśreṣṭha tvāmeva śaraṇaṁ gatām ||3-34-23 I have reached the nether world, distressed by your splendor. Please save me, O the best among deva-s! I have come to you seeking your refuge. dānavaiḥ pīḍyamānāhaṁ rākṣasaiścha durātmabhiḥ | tvāmeva śaraṇaṁ nityamupayāmi sanātanam ||3-34-24 I am being distressed by the demons as well as rākṣasa-s having wicked intellect. I come to you, the permanent , the eternal, seeking your refuge. tāvanme'sti bhayaṁ bhūyo yāvanna tvām kakudminam | śaraṇaṁ yāmi manasā śataśo'pyupalakṣaye ||3-34-25 Till I consider you as refuge O viṣṇu (kakudmin, viṣṇu similar to a bullock with a hump on his shoulders, see nīlakaṇṭha commentary), I have seen that I am terrified hundreds of times. śrībhagavānuvāca mā bhairdharaṇi kalpāṇi śāntiṁ vraja samāhitā | eṣa tvāmuchitaṁ sthānamānayāmi manīṣitam ||3-34-26 The auspicious lord said: Do not be afraid, O earth! Control your mind and be calm. I shall lead you to a place of your liking, suitable to you. vaiśampāyana uvāca tato mahātmā manasā divyaṁ rūpamacintayat | kiṁ nu rūpamahaṁ kṛtvā uddharāmi vasuṁdharām ||3-34-27 jale nimagnāṁ dharanīṁ yenāhaṁ vai samuddhare | vaiśampāyana said: (O janamejaya!) Then the great soul (viṣṇu) thought about a divine form in his mind: Taking which form shall I uplift the earth? With what shall I uplift the earth, drowned in water? ityevaṁ cintayitvā tu devastatkaraṇe matim ||3-34-28 jalakrīḍārucistasmādvārāhaṁ rūpamasmarat | The Lord, thinking in this way with his intellect about the causes and the pleasure of playing in water, remembered about the form of the boar (varāha). hariruddharaṇe yuktastadābhūdasya bhūmibhṛt ||3-34-29 Lord hari, who holds the earth, prepared himself to uplift the earth. adhṛṣyaṁ sarvabhūtānāṁ vāṅmayaṁ brahmasaṁmitam | daśayojanavistāramucchritaṁ shatayojanam ||3-34-30 That form, filled with vak, equal to the brahma (veda), who can not be conquered by any of the beings was ten yojana (1 yojana = about 9 miles) wide and hundred yojana high. nīlameghapratīkāśaṁ meghastanitaniḥsvanam | mahāgireḥ saṁhananaṁ śvetadīptogradāṁṣṭriṇam ||3-34-31 Having a colour, similar to that of a dark blue rain cloud, with a sound similar to the thunder of a rain cloud, with a body similar to that of a huge mountain, with his fang shining like the white island, vidyudagnipratīkāśamādityasamatejasam | pīnavṛttāyataskandhaṁ dṛptaśārdūlagāminam ||3-34-32 excelling the fire of lightning and with splendor equal to the sun, having a huge round shoulder, moving fast like a proud tiger, pīnonnatakaṭīdeśaṁ vṛṣalakṣaṇapūjitam | rūpamāsthāya vipulaṁ vārāhamamitaṁ hariḥ ||3-34-33 having a large and high hip, typical of a bull worthy of worship, hari (viṣṇu) took up a vast and unbound form of the great boar (varāha) pṛthivyuddharaṇārthāya pravivesha rasātalam | vedapādo yūpadaṁṣṭraḥ kratudantaśchitīmukhaḥ ||3-34-34 and entered the netherworld for lifting up the earth. His feet were the vedas. His fang was the sacrificial post, his teeth were the sacrifices. His face was the soul. agnijihvo darbharomā brahmaśīrṣo mahātapāḥ | ahorātrekṣaṇadharo vedāṅgaśrutibhūṣaṇaḥ ||3-34-35 His tongue was the fire. His body hair were the kusha grass (used for sacrificial purposes). Om (brahma) was his head. He was of great penance. He had eyes which were the day and the night. He was decorated by all the traditional knowledge, the parts of vedas. ājyanāsaḥ sruvātuṇḍaḥ sāmaghoṣasvaro mahān | satyadharmamayaḥ śrīmankramavikramasatkṛtaḥ ||3-34-36 His nose was the butter used for oblations (during sacrifices). His nails were the wooden ladles (used to pour oblations to the sacrificial fire). His voice was that of pronouncing sāma veda. He was full of truth as well as dharma. The auspicious Lord was adorned with power and valiance. kriyāsatramahāghoṇaḥ paśujānurmakhākṛtiḥ | udgātrānvo mahāliṅgo bījauṣadhimahāphalaḥ ||3-34-37 His nose was the great sacrificial altar. He was having animal like knees. His form was the sacrifice. udgātā was his limit. His emblem was the sacrificial action. The seeds and medicines were the great blessings obtainable from him. vāyvantarātmā mantraspṛgvikramaḥ somaśoṇitaḥ | vedīskandho havirgandho havyakavyātivegavān ||3-34-38 The wind was his inner soul, mantras his touch. He was valiant, having extract of the soma plant (Sacrostema viminalis or Asclepias Acida) as his blood. His shoulder was the sacrificial stage. His odour was the oblations (offered in the sacrifice). Oblations to the gods and deceased ancestors was his speed. prāgvaṁśakāyo dyutimān nānādīkṣābhirarchitaḥ | dakṣiṇāhṛdayo yogī mahāsatramayo mahān ||3-34-39 His body was the room (prāgvaṁśa) where the relatives and friends of the one performing sacrifice assemble. He was splendorous. He was worshipped by varieties of dedication. The tribute given to the priest was his heart. He was the one practicing yoga. He was a great yogi. He was great, full of sacrificial gatherings. upākarmoṣṭharuchakaḥ pravargyāvartabhūṣaṇaḥ | nānācandogatipatho guhyopaniṣadāsanaḥ ||3-34-40 The subsidiary actions (of veda-s) were decorations of his lips. His navel was decorated by pravargya actions. The varieties of metres were his paths. The secretive upaniṣad is his seat. cāyāpatnīsahāyo vai maṇiśṛṅgaḥ ivocchritaḥ | bhūtvā yajṣavarāho'sau yugapatprāviśadguruḥ ||3-34-41 He was accompanied by his wife, cāyā (shadow in water). He was tall like a mountain peak, decorated by jewels. Becoming the great boar of sacrifice , the preceptor of the world, entered the lower world. adbhiḥ saṣcāditāmurvīṁ sa tāmārcchatprajāpatiḥ | rasātalatale magnāṁ pātālāntarasaṁśrayām ||3-34-42 The lord of creations (varāha) saw the earth, covered in water, drowned in the lower world and located in the lower region. prabhurlokahitārthāya daṁṣṭrāgreṇojjahāra gām | tataḥ svasthānamānīya pṛthivīṁ pṛthivīdharaḥ ||3-34-43 The lord lifted the earth with the tip of his fang for the benefit of the world. The one who holds the earth (viṣṇu) led the earth to its own position. mumocha pūrvaṁ sahasā dhārayitvā dharādharaḥ | tato jagāma nirvāṇaṁ medinī tasya dhāraṇāt ||3-34-44 The one who holds the earth, released the earth (above water), and supported it with his power as before. Since the lord was holding the earth, the earth became calm. cakāra ca namaskāraṁ tasmai devāya śaṁbhave | The earth also bowed to the lord, the lord śaṁbhu (viṣṇu). evaṁ yajṣavarāhena bhūtvā bhūtahitārthinā ||3-34-45 uddhṛtā pṛthivī devī lokānāṁ hitakāmyayā | In this manner, taking up the form of the great boar of sacrifices for the benefit of all the beings, the lord lifted the goddess earth, desiring the benefit of the world. athoddhṛtya kṣitiṁ devo jagataḥ sthāpanecchayā ||3-34-46 pṛthivīpravibhāgāya manaścakre'mbujekṣaṇaḥ | The lord who lifted up the earth, the one having eyes as beautiful as the lotus flower, afterwards, desiring to position the world, decided in his mind, to divide the world into portions. rasātalagatāmevaṁ vichintya sa surottamaḥ ||3-34-47 The best among deva-s (viṣṇu) thought thus about the earth, which had reached the lower world. tato vibhuḥ pravaravarāharūpadhṛ- vṛṣākapiḥ prasabhamathaikadaṁṣṭrayā | samuddharaddharaṇimatulyavikramo mahāyaśāḥ sakalahitārthamachyutaḥ ||3-34-48 Thus the lord, taking up the form of the great boar, the all pervading, the one whose valiance is not comparable with any other, the one with great fame, the one who does not have any decline, lifted up the earth with one fang for the benefit of all beings. iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe bhaviṣyaparvaṇi vārāhe pṛthivyuddharaṇe chatustriṁśo'dhyāyaḥ Thus this is chapter thirtyfour of bhaviṣyaparva, harivaṁśa, khila of mahābhārata, viṣṇu takes varāha avatār to lift the Earth from Netherworld nīlakaṇṭha commentary · 3-34-1 sūtritamarthaṁ vivR+ṇoti - jagaditi dvādaśabhiḥ || prajāpatiḥ samaṣṭijīvasya mūrtimayaśarīrarūpaṁ aṇḍaṁ || · 3-34-2 ūrdhvamukhaṁ bibheda brahmarandhradvārā tataḥ pūrvamutpannamiti | ekaḥ punaḥ shabdo vākyālaṁkāre | punaranyaccidramapi tatra ca janayāmāsa ityarthaḥ || · 3-34-3 aṣṭadheti | vākpāṇi pādākhya ccidratrayaṁ śrotratvakcakṣur -jihvāghrāṇākhyaṁ cidrapaṣchakaṁ | upasthasya tvapāna evāntarbhāvaḥ || · 3-34-4 eteṣāṁ vibhāgamevāha - yaditi | parā gatirbrahmalokaprāpikā yadadhodvāradvayaṁ tadrasāyāḥ | bhūmestalaṁ narakaṁ tatprāpakam | · 3-34-5 yadaṇḍaṁ śarīramakarot divO vyākṛtāt kāraṇāt tatraiva ca yāni cchidrāṇi tāni | · 3-34-6 sarvā vidiśaḥ diśantiṁ svaṁ viṣayaṁ grāhayantīti diśaḥ indriyāṇi ca tāni ca manasaivopādhinā'karodrūpādidṛkṣurasṛjat | dvidheti sthūlasūkṣmaviṣayabhedāt || · 3-34-8 dravaṁ garbhodakādanyadaṇḍaprasvedarūpaṁ tasya dravasya kledārṇavaughena ārdrodabhāreṇa prāccādyata pracchannā || · 3-34-10 tasyaiva dravasya vā kāryamāha - yaccheti | · 3-34-13 evaṁ sṛṣṭimuktvā vārāhāvatārabījamāha - tairiti | ayamartha - brahmāṇḍamutpādya tadgarbhodake samudrarūpe yO maṇḍaḥ kṣaratulyaḥ sā pṛthivī | tadyadapāṁ shara āsīt samahanyata sā pṛthivyabhavat iti śruteḥ | tasyāṁ yadaṇḍasvedodakaṁ patitaṁ tanmervādirūpamabhūtasya bhāreṇa pṛthivī nimamajjeti | · 3-34-14 mahītale mahyā adhastāt hiraṇmayaṁ svaccham | · 3-34-15 tena dravaṇena parvatādinā | · 3-34-23 rasātalasyāpi talam adhobhāgaḥ || · 3-34-25 kukudminaṁ mahāskandhavṛṣopamam || · 3-34-34 vedapāda ityādinā yajṣākhyāṁ tadadhiṣṭātrīṁ devatāmāha || · 3-34-35 brahmaśīrṣaḥ praṇavaśirāḥ vedāṅgaśrutibhūṣanaḥ ṣaḍaṅgakuṇḍalaḥ || · 3-34-37 kriyāmayāni satrāṇi gavāmayanādīni ghoṇo nāsikā yasya udgātaiva āntrāṇi yasya || · 3-34-40 upākarmaṁ smārthaṁ vedopakaraṇaṁ tadeva Oṣṭhasya ruchakaṁ bhūṣaṇaṁ yasya | Avarto nābhiḥ || · 3-34-48 samuddharat samuddadhāra || iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe bhaviṣyaparvaṇi ṭīkāyāṁ caturstrīṁśo'dhyāyaḥ ||