Varaha Purana

आपो नारा इति प्रोक्ता आपो वै नरसूनवः । अयनं तस्य ताः पूर्वं तेन नारायणः स्मृतः ।। २.

The waters are called 'nārā'; the waters are indeed the offspring of Nara; their abode was first his, thus he is remembered as Nārāyaṇa.

सृष्टिं चिन्तयतस्तस्य कल्पादिषु यथा पुरा । अबुद्धिपूर्वकस्तस्य प्रादुर्भूतस्तमोमयः ।। २.

As he pondered creation at the beginning of the cycle, as before, there arose in him, without awareness, a manifestation composed of darkness.

तमो मोहो महामोहस्तामिस्त्रो ह्यन्धसंज्ञितः । अविद्या पञ्चपर्वैषा प्रादुर्भूता महात्मनः ।। २.

Darkness, delusion, great delusion, Tamisra, and what is called Andha—ignorance in five forms appeared in the great soul.

पञ्चधाऽवस्थितः सर्गो ध्यायतोऽप्रतिबोधवान् । बहिरन्तोऽप्रकाशश्च संवृतात्मा नगात्मकः । स मुख्यसर्गो विज्ञेयः सर्गविद्भिर्विचक्षणैः ।। २.

The creation established in fivefold form, while he was absorbed in meditation, was without conscious awareness; it was neither manifest outwardly nor inwardly, its nature concealed, consisting of immobile beings. This is to be known by the wise as the primary creation.

पुनरन्यदभूत् तस्य ध्यायतः सर्गमुत्तमम्। तिर्यक्स्त्रोतस्तु वै यस्मात् तिर्यक्स्त्रोतस्तु वै स्मृतः ।। २.

Then, as he continued to meditate, another, superior creation arose; because its current flows sideways, it is known as the 'tiryak-srotas' (lateral stream).

पश्वादयस्ते विख्याता उत्पथग्राहिणस्तु ते। तमप्यसाधकं मत्वा तिर्यक्स्त्रोतं चतुर्मुखः ।। २.

These, beginning with animals, are well known; they are led astray from the right path. Considering this 'tiryak-srotas' also as ineffective, the Four-Faced One (Brahma) regarded it thus.

ऊर्ध्वस्त्रोतस्त्रिधा यस्तु सात्त्विको धर्मवर्त्तनः । ततोर्ध्वचारिणो देवाः सर्वगर्भसमुद्भवाः ।। २.

The 'urdhva-srotas' (upward stream), which is threefold, is characterized by sattva and adherence to righteousness; from this arose the gods, who move upward and are born from all wombs.

तदा सृष्ट्वाऽन्यसर्गं तु तदा दध्यौ प्रजापतिः । असाधकांस्तु तान् मत्वा मुख्यसर्गादिसंभवान् ।। २.

Then, having created another creation, the Lord (Prajapati) again reflected; considering those originating from the primary creation and others as ineffective.

ततः स चिन्तयामास अर्वाक्स्त्रोतस्तु स प्रभुः । अर्वाक्स्त्रोतसि चोत्पन्ना मनुष्याः साधका मताः ।। २.

Then that Lord contemplated the 'arvāk-srotas' (downward stream); in the 'arvāk-srotas' arose humans, who are considered effective.

ते च प्रकाशबहुलास्तमोद्रिक्ता रजोधिकाः । तस्मात् तु दुखः बहुला भूयोभूयश्च कारिणः ।। २.

These are abundant in clarity, but also overwhelmed by darkness and dominated by rajas; therefore, suffering is prevalent among them, and they are repeatedly active.

इत्येते कथिताः सर्गाः षडेते सुभगे तव । प्रथमो महतः सर्गस्तन्मात्राणि द्वितीयकः ।। २.

Thus, O fortunate one, these six creations have been described to you: the first is the creation of Mahat, the second is of the subtle elements.

वैकारिकस्तृतीयस्तु सर्गश्चैन्द्रियकः स्मृतः । इत्येष प्राकृतः सर्गः संभूतो बुद्धिपूर्वकः ।। २.

The third is the Vaikarika creation, and the fourth is called the creation of the senses; thus, this is the Prakrita (natural) creation, which arises through intellect.

मुख्यसर्गश्चतुर्थस्तु मुख्या वै स्थावराः स्मृताः । तिर्यक्स्त्रोतश्च यः प्रोक्तस्तैर्यक्स्त्रोतः स उच्यते ।। २.

The fourth is the primary creation, in which the immobile beings are considered primary; and the one called 'tiryak-srotas' is so named because of those beings.

तथोर्ध्वस्त्रोतसां श्रेष्ठः सप्तमः स तु मानवः । अष्टमोऽनुग्रहः सर्गः सात्त्विकस्तामसश्च सः ।। २.

Likewise, the best among the 'urdhva-srotas' is the seventh, the human creation; the eighth is the creation of grace, which is both sattvic and tamasic.

पञ्चैते वैकृताः सर्गाः प्राकृतास्तु त्रयः स्मृताः । प्राकृतो वैकृतश्चैव कौमारो नवमः स्मृतः ।। २.

Of these, five are called 'vaikrita' (modified) creations, and three are known as 'prakrita' (natural); the ninth, called 'kaumara', is both prakrita and vaikrita.

इत्येते वै समाख्याता नव सर्गाः प्रजापतेः । प्राकृता वैकृताश्चैव जगतो मूलहेतवः । इत्येते कथिताः सर्गाः किमन्यच्छ्रोतुमिच्छसि ।। २.

Thus, these nine creations of Prajapati have been described—both prakrita and vaikrita—as the fundamental causes of the world. These creations have been explained; what else do you wish to hear?

धरण्युवाच । नवधा सृष्टिरुत्पन्ना ब्रह्मणोऽव्यक्तजन्मनः । कथं सा ववृधे देव एतन्मे कथयाच्युत ।। २.

The Earth said: The creation of Brahma, born from the unmanifest, has arisen in nine forms. How did it grow, O god? Tell me this, O Achyuta.

श्रीवराह उवाच । प्रथमं ब्रह्मणा सृष्टा रुद्राद्यास्तु तपोधनाः। सनकादयस्ततः सृष्टा मरीच्यादय एव च ।। २.

Sri Varaha said: First, Brahma created Rudra and others, rich in austerity; then Sanaka and others were created, as well as Marichi and the rest.

मरीचिरत्रिश्च तथा अङ्गिराः पुलहः क्रतुः । पुलस्त्यश्च महातेजाः प्रचेता भृगुरेव च । नारदो दशमश्चैव वसिष्ठश्च महातपाः ।। २.

Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulaha, Kratu, Pulastya of great brilliance, Prachetas, Bhrigu, Narada as the tenth, and Vasistha of great austerity.

सनकादयो निवृत्त्याख्ये तेन धर्मे प्रयोजिताः । प्रवृत्त्याख्ये मरीच्याद्या मुक्त्वैकं नारदं मुनिम् ।। २.

Sanaka and the others were engaged by him in the path of renunciation; Marichi and the rest, except for the sage Narada, were engaged in the path of action.

योऽसौ प्रजापतिस्त्वाद्यो दक्षिणाङ्गुष्ठसंभवः । तस्यादौ तत्र वंशेन जगदेतच्चराचरम् ।। २.

That first Prajapati, who was born from the right thumb, in the beginning, through his lineage, produced this world of moving and unmoving beings.

देवाश्च दानवाश्चैव गन्धर्वोरगपक्षिणः । सर्वे दक्षस्य कन्यासु जाताः परमधार्मिकाः ।। २.

The gods, the demons, the Gandharvas, serpents, and birds—all were born from Daksha's daughters, and all are supremely righteous.

योऽसौ रुद्रेति विख्यातः पुत्रः क्रोधसमुद्भवः । भ्रुकुटीकुटिलात् तस्य ललाटात् परमेष्ठिनः ।। २.

He who is renowned as Rudra, born from wrath, emerged from the furrowed brow of the supreme lord.

अर्द्धनारीनरवपुः प्रचण्डोऽतिभयंकरः । विभजात्मानमित्युक्तो ब्रह्मणाऽन्तर्दधे पुनः ।। २.

Fierce and exceedingly terrifying, with a form half male and half female, he was told by Brahma to divide himself, and then vanished again.

तथोक्तोऽसौ द्विधा स्त्रीत्वं पुरुषत्वं चकार सः । बिभेद पुरुषत्वं च दशधा चैकधा च सः । ततस्त्वेकादश ख्याता रुद्रा ब्रह्मसमुद्भवाः ।। २.

Thus instructed, he made himself twofold—female and male; he divided the male aspect tenfold and also singly; from this, eleven Rudras, born from Brahma, became renowned.

अयमुद्देशतः प्रोक्तो रुद्रसर्गो मयाऽनघे । इदानीं युगमाहात्म्यं कथयामि समासतः ।। २.

This account of the creation of Rudra has been briefly told by me, O sinless one; now I shall narrate the greatness of the ages in summary.

कृतं त्रेता द्वापरश्च कलिश्चेति चतुर्युगम् । एतस्मिन् ये महासत्त्वा राजानो भूरिदक्षिणाः । देवासुराश्च यं चक्रुर्धर्मं कर्म च तच्छृणु ।। २.

Krita, Treta, Dvapara, and Kali are the four ages; in these, the great souls—kings who gave abundant gifts—and the gods and demons established dharma and performed deeds; listen to this.

आसीत् प्रथमकल्पे तु मनुः स्वायंभुवः पुरा । तस्य पुत्रद्वयं जज्ञे अतिमानुषचेष्टितम्। प्रियव्रतोत्तानपादनामानं धर्मवत्सलम् ।। २.

In the first cycle, Manu Svayambhuva existed; he had two sons, whose actions surpassed those of men—Priyavrata and Uttanapada, both devoted to righteousness.

तत्र प्रियव्रतो राजा महायज्वा तपोबलः । स चेष्ट्वा विविधैर्यज्ञैर्विपुलैर्भूरिदक्षिणैः ।। २.

There, King Priyavrata, a great sacrificer endowed with ascetic power, performed various grand sacrifices with abundant gifts.