THE VARAHA PURANA

CONTENTS Preface vii Abbreviations xiii Introduction xv PART I Chapters 1. Earth's Enquiry about Creation, Benedictory Prayer 1 2. Primary Creation 3 3. Birth of Narada 10 4. Greatness of Narayana 12 5. Attainment of Liberation through Duty 16 6. Attainment of liberation uttering the Pundarikasapara hymn 20 7. Attainment of liberation uttering Gadadhara Hymn 23 8. The Life of Dharmavyadha 27 9. Description of Fish-Incarnation 32 10. The Creation and the Life of Durjaya 35 11. Fight between Durjaya and the Gauramukha 40 12. Narayana offers a boon to Supratika 47 13. Rules for Sraddha 49 14. Rules for Sraddha 54 15. Sage Gauramukha's liberation after uttering the hymn of Ten Incarnations of Visnu 58 16. The Story of Sarama 60 17. The Story of Mahatapas 62 18. Origin of Fire 68 19. Greatness of Fire 69 20. Origin of Asvins 70 21. Origin of Gauri 74 22. Marriage of Gauri 80 23. Origin of Vinayaka 83 24. Origin of Serpents 86 25. Origin of Skanda 88 26. Origin of Sun 92 27. Origin of Matrgana 94 28. Origin of Goddess Durga 96 29. Origin of Diks 100 30. Origin of Kubera 101 31. Origin of Visnu 101 32. Origin of Dharma 103 33. Origin of Rudra 105 34. Origin of Pitrs 108 35. Origin of Soma 109 36. Former story 110 37. Story of Dirghabahu 112 38. Story of Satyatapas 116 39. Matsyadvadasi Vrata 118 40. Kurmadvadasi Vrata 123 41. Varahadvadasi Vrata 124 42. Narasimhadvadasi Vrata 127 43. Vamanadvadasi Vrata 128 44. Jamadagnyadvadasi Vrata 130 45. Ramadvadasi Vrata 131 46. Krsnadvadasi Vrata 132 47. Buddhadvadasi Vrata 133 48. Kalkidvadasi Vrata 135 49. Padmanabhadvadasi Vrata 137 50. Dharani Vrata 140 51. Agastyagita I 142 52. Agastyagita II 144 53. Story of Pasupala 145 54. Vrata for attaining the best husband 147 55. Subha Vrata 148 56. Dhanya Vrata 152 57. Kanti Vrata 153 58. Saubhaghya Vrata 155 59. Avighna Vrata 156 60. Santi Vrata 157 61. Kama Vrata 158 62. Arogya Vrata 159 63. Putraprapti Vrata 161 64. Saurya Vrata 162 65. Sarvhabhauma Vrata 163 66. Naradiya Pancaratra 164 67. Wonder of Visnu 165 68. Yugadharma 166 69. Wonder of Narayana 168 70. Rudragita I 169 71. Rudragita II 172 72. Determination of Prakrti and Purusa 176 73. Vairajavratta 178 74. Cosmology 181 75. Jambudvipa and Meru 183 76. Cities of Eight Dikpalas 188 77. The Meru Mountain 189 78. Mandara and other mountains 191 79. Valleys of Meru I 192 80. Valleys of Meru II 194 81. Domains of Devas in the Mountains 196 82. Decent of the rivers 197 83. Regions and rivers in the mountain Naisadha 198 84. Regions on the South and North of Meru 199 85. The nine divisions of Bharata 201 86. Sakadvipa 202 87. Kusadvipa 202 88. Krauncadvipa 203 89. Salmalidvipa and others 204 90. Goddess of Creation 205 91. Sarasvati and others 208 92. Greatness of Vaisnavi 209 93. Discussion of Mahisasura with his ministers 211 94. Fight between gods and demons 213 95. Death of mahisasura 214 96. Exploits of Raudri 219 97. Greatness of Rudra 223 98. Moksa of Satyatapas 226 99. Greatness of Tiladhenu 229 100. Greatness of Jaladhenu 236 101. Greatness of Rasadhenu 237 102. Greatness of Gudadhenu 238 103. Greatness of Sarkaradhenu 240 104. Greatness of Madhudhenu 241 105. Greatness of Ksiradhenu 242 106. Greatness of Dadhidhenu 244 107. Greatness of Navanitadhenu 244 108. Greatness of lavanadhenu 245 109. Greatness of Karpasadhenu 247 110. Greatness of Dhanyadhenu 248 111. Greatness of Kapiladhenu 249 112. Greatness of Cow at Childbirth, list of Puranas 250 113. Hymn on the Lord 255 114. Varaha incarnation - Questions of Earth 260 115. Origin of different dharmas (Karmas of different castes) 264 116. Happiness and Unhappiness 267 117. Thirtytwo offences 270 118. Rituals in idol worship 273 119. Food forbidden in worship 276 120. Worship of Sandhya 278 121. Absence of birth 279 122. Greatness of Kokamukha - story of the Fish and Cricket 281 123. Greatness of flowers, sandalpaste etc. 288 124. Worship in the Seasons 291 125. Mayacakra 295 126. Greatness of Kubjamraka - story of the Serpent and Ichneumon 306 127. Initiation of the Brahmin 319 128. Initiation of other Castes - Ganantika, Comb, Collyrium and Mirron 323 129. Further Rituals in worship 329 130. Expiation for eating the king's food 333 131. Expiation for not cleaning the teeth 335 132. Expiation for touching Dead body 336 133. Expiation for passing flatus and answering calls of Nature in the midst of worship 339 134. Other offences during worship 340 135. Expiation for eating goose etc. 344 136. Rules of expiation 347 PART II Preface vii Abbreviations xiii Chapters 137. The Vulture and the Jackal 355 138. The Story of the Wag-tail 369 139. Greatness of Saukara 375 140. Greatness of holy spots in Kokamukha 382 141. Greatness of Badarikasrama 387 142. Action in Privacy 391 143. Greatness of Mandara 395 144. Greatness of somesvara, Muktiksetra, Trivnei and others 398 145. Greatness of Salagramaksetra 409 146. Greatness of Ruruksetra and Hrsikesa 416 147. Greatness of Goniskramana 421 148. Greatness of Stutasvami 425 149. Greatness of Dvaraka 430 150. Greatness of Sanandura 435 151. Greatness of Lohargala 439 152. Glory of Mathura Tirtha 444 153. Greatness of Mathura Tirtha 448 154. Power of the Tirthas in Yamuna 451 155. Power of Akruratirtha 453 156. The Appearance of Mathura 458 157. Malayarjuna and other Tirthas 459 158. The Power of Mathura-Tirtha 462 159. Circumambulation in Mathura 465 160. The Order of Visits in the Tirthas of Mathura 466 161. The greatness of Devavana 472 162. The greatness of Cakratirtha 473 163. The Greatness of Kapilavaraha 477 164. The Greatness of Annakuta 481 165. The Power of Catuhsamudrika well 484 166. The power of Asikunda 488 167. The Power of Visranti tirtha 490 168. The Tirthas in Mathura 492 169. The Semicircular spot in Mathura 494 170. The story of Gokarna 496 171. The story of Gokarna (continued) 502 172. The story of Gokarna (continued) 506 173. The story of Gokarna (continued) 510 174. The greatness of confluence of Yamuna 511 175. The prowess of Krsnaganga and Kalinjara 518 176. The prowess of Krsnaganga and Kalinjara 520 177. Consecration of Surya by Samba 526 178. Satrughna-Lavana 530 179. Expiations for Offences 531 180. Greatness of Dhruva tirtha in Mathura 533 181. Consecration of wooden Images 542 182. Consecration of stone Images 544 183. Consecration of clay images 547 184. Consecration of copper Images 549 185. Consecration of bronze Images 551 186. Consecration of silver and golden Images 553 187. The Origin of Sraddha 557 188. Rituals of Sraddha 565 189. Qualities of the Brahmin to be fed in Sraddha 572 190. Other details about Sraddha 577 191. Madhuparka 586 192. Peace for all 587 193. Departure of Naciketas 590 194. Return of Naciketas 593 195. Sinners in Yamaloka 595 196. City of Yama 598 197. Yama and his associates 600 198. Torments in Hell 603 199. Torments in Hell (Contd) 608 200. Torments in Hell (Contd) 610 201. Fight between Raksasas and Yama's men 615 202. Punishment according to deeds 618 203. Sins and Punishment 623 204. Instructions to Messengers 627 205. Good and bad results 628 206. Results of good actions 630 207. Good results 633 208. Story of the chaste women 637 209. Greatness of the chaste women 642 210. Means to destroy sin 644 211. Means to destroy sin (contd.) 648 212. The Awakening 654 213. Greatness of Gokarnesvara 656 214. Boons to Nandikesvara 661 215. Greatness of Sailesvara 666 216. Greatness of Srngesvara 672 217. Benefits of Recitation 675 218. Contents of the Purana 676 Glossary 680 Index 729