युधिष्ठिर उवाच पितामह महाप्राज्ञ युधि सत्यपराक्रम। श्रोतुमिच्छामि कात्स्येन कृष्णमव्ययमीश्वरम्॥
Yudhishthira said O grandfather, O you of great wisdom and invincible prowess in battle, I wish to hear fully of Krishna who is immutable omnipotent.
यच्चास्य तेजः सुमहद् यच्च कर्म पुरा कृतम्। तन्मे सर्वं यथातत्त्वं ब्रूहि त्वं पुरुषर्षभ॥
O foremost of men, tell me truly everything about his great energy and the great deeds performed by him in days of yore.
तिर्यग्योनिगतं रूपं कथं धारितवान् प्रभुः। केन कार्यनिसर्गेण तमाख्याहि महाबल॥
Why did that powerful one assume the form of an animal, and that for performing what particular act? Tell me all this, O mighty warrior.
भीष्म उवाच पुराहं मृगयां यातो मार्कण्डेयाश्रमे स्थितः। तत्रापश्यं मुनिगणान् समासीनान् सहस्रशः॥
'Formerly, on one occasion, while out on hunting, I arrived at the asylum of Markandeya. There I saw various classes of ascetics seated by thousands.
ततस्ते मधुपर्केण पूजां चक्रुरथो मयि। प्रतिगृह्य च पूजां प्रत्यनन्दमृषीनहम्॥
The Rishis honoured me by offering honey and curds. Accepting their adoration, I reverentially saluted them in return.
कथैषा कथिता तत्र कश्यपेन महर्षिणा। मनःप्रह्लादिनी दिव्यां तामिहैकमनाः शृणु॥
What I shall recite was described there by the great Rishi Kashyapa. Listen with rapt attention to that excellent and charming throne.
पुरा दानवमुख्या हि क्रोधलोभसमन्विताः। बलेन मत्ता शतशो नरकाद्या महासुराः॥ तथैव चान्ये बहवो दानवा युद्धदुर्मदाः। न सहन्ते स्म देवानां समृद्धिं तामनुत्तमाम्॥
Formerly the principal Danavas, possessed by anger and cupidity, and hundreds of powerful Asuras having Naraka for their first, elated with power, and numberless other Danavas invincible in battle, became highly jealous of the peerless prosperity of the gods.
दानवैरर्चमानास्तु देवा देवर्षयस्तथा। न शर्म लेभिरे राजन् विशमानास्ततस्ततः॥
Oppressed by the Danavas and finding no peace, the gods and the celestial Rishis, fled away in all directions.
पृथिवीमार्तरूपां ते समपश्यन् दिवौकसः। दानवैरभिसंस्तीर्णां घोररूपैर्महाबलैः॥
The dwellers of heaven saw the Earth loO king like one one sunk in sore distress. Overspread with mighty Danavas of terrible countenance, the Earth seemed to be oppressed with a heavy load, Cheerless and grief-stricken, she seemed as if going down into the neither region.
भारार्तामप्रहृष्टां च दुःखितां संनिमज्जतीम्। अथादितेयाः संत्रस्ता ब्रह्माणमिदमब्रुवन्॥
The Adityas, stricken with fear, went to Brahman, and said,-How O Brahman, shall we continue to put up with these oppressions of the Danavas.
कथं शक्ष्यामहे ब्रह्मन् दानवैरभिमर्दनम्। स्वयम्भूस्तानुवाचेदं निसृष्टोऽत्र विधिर्मया॥
The self-create answered them, saying,-I have already ordained what is to be done in this matter.
ते वरेणाभिसम्पन्ना बलेन च मदेन च। नावबुध्यन्ति सम्मूढा विष्णुमव्यक्तदर्शनम्॥ वराहरूपिणं देवमधृष्यममरैरपि। एष वेगेन गत्वा हि यत्र ते दानवाधमाः॥ अन्तर्भूमिगता घोरा निवसन्ति सहस्रशः। शमयिष्यति तच्छ्रुत्वा जहषुः सुरसत्तमाः॥
Having obtained boons, and possessed of power, and elated with pride, those senseless wretches do not know that Vishnu of invisible form, that god incapable of being defeated by the very gods in a body, has assumed the form of a boar. That Supreme Deity, going to the spot where those wretched Danavas, of terrible mien, are living in thousands below the Earth, will kill them all! Hearing these words of the Grandfather, those foremost one among the deities were overjoyed.
ततो विष्णुर्महातेजा वाराहं रूपमास्थितः। अन्तर्भूमि सम्प्रविश्य जगाम दितिजान् प्रति॥
Sometime after, Vishnu of mighty energy, assuming the form of a Boar, penetrating into the neither regions, rushed against those children of Diti.
दृष्ट्वा च सहिताः सर्वे दैत्याः सत्त्वममानुषम्। प्रसह्य तरसा सर्वे संतस्थुः कालमोहिताः॥
Seeing that extraordinary creature, all the Daityas, in a body stupefied by Time, quickly proceeded against it for displaying their strength, and stood encircling it.
ततस्ते समभिदुत्य वराहं जगृहुः समम्। संक्रुद्धाश्च वराहं तं व्यकर्षन्त समन्ततः॥
Soon after, they all rushed against that Boar and caught it simultaneously. Filled with anger they tried to drag the animal from every side.
दानवेन्द्रा महाकाया महावीर्यबलोच्छ्रिताः। नाशक्नुवंश्च किंचित् ते तस्य कर्तुं तदा विभो॥
Those foremost of Danavas, of huge bodies, endued with mighty energy, swelling with strength, O monarch, could do nothing to that Boar.
ततोऽगच्छत् विस्मयं ते दानवेन्द्रा भयं तथा। संशयं गतमात्मानं मेनिरे च सहस्रशः॥
At this they were stricken with wonder and fear. Numbering in thousands, they thought that their last hour had come.
ततो देवाधिदेवः स योगात्मा योगसारिथः। योगमास्थाय भगवांस्तदा भरतसत्तम॥
Then that Supreme God of all the gods, having Yoga for his soul and companion, became immersed in Yoga, O chief of the Bharatas, and began to roar terribly agitating those Daityas and Danavas.
विननाद महानादं क्षोभयन् दैत्यदानवान्। संनादिता येन लोकाः सर्वाश्चैव दिशो दश॥
All the worlds and the ten cardinal points resounded with those roars, which for this reason, agitated all creatures and struck them with fear.
तेन संनादशब्देन लोकानां क्षोभ आगमत्। संत्रस्ताश्च भृशं लोके देवाः शक्रपुरोगमा:॥
The very gods headed by Indra became terror-stricken. The whole universe became calm in consequence of that sound. It was a dreadful time.
निर्विचेष्टं जगच्चापि बभूवातिभृशं तदा। स्थावरं जङ्गमं चैव तेन नादेन मोहितम्॥ ततस्ते दानवाः सर्वे तेन नादेन भीषिताः। पेतुर्गतासवश्चैव विष्णुतेज:प्रमोहिताः॥
All mobile and immobile beings became stupefied by that sound. The Danavas, terrified by that sound, began to fall down dead, paralysed by the energy of Vishnu. The Boar, with its hoops, began to pierce those enemies of the gods, those dwellers of the nether regions, and tear their flesh, fat, and bones.
रसातलगतश्चापि वराहस्त्रिदशद्विषाम्। खुरैर्विदारयामास मांसमेदोऽस्थिसंचयान्॥
On account of those tremendous roars, Vishnu passed by the name of Sanalana.
नादेन तेन महता सनातन इति स्मृतः। पद्मनाभो महायोगी भूताचार्यः स भूतराट्॥
He is also called Padmanabha. He is foremost of Yogins. He is the Preceptor of all creatures, and their supreme Lord. All the sects of the gods then went to the Grandfather.
ततो देवगणाः सर्वे पितामहमुपाद्रवन्। तत्र गत्वा महात्मानमूचुश्चैव जगत्पतिम्॥ नादोऽयं कीदृशो देव नैतं विद्म वयं प्रभो। कोऽसौ हि कस्य वा नादो येन विह्वलितं जगत्॥ देवाश्च दानवाश्चैव मोहितास्तस्य तेजसा।
Going there, those illustrious addressed the Lord of the universe, saying-What sort of noise is this, O powerful one? We do not understand it. Who is this one, ones or whose is this sound by which the universe has been stupefied. With the power of this sound or of its maker, the gods and the Danavas have all been deprived of their senses.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे विष्णुराहं रूपमास्थितः। उदतिष्ठन्महाबाहो स्तूयमानो महर्षिभिः॥
Meanwhile, O mighty-armed one, Vishnu in his Boar form came before the assembled gods, his praises lauded by the great Rishis.
पितामह उवाच निहत्य दानवपतीन् महावा महाबलः। एष देवो महायोगी भूतात्मा भूतभावनः॥
The Grandfather said That is the Supreme God, the Creator of all beings, the Soul of all creatures, the foremost of all Yogins. Of huge body and great strength, he comes here, having killed the leading Danavas.
सर्वभूतेश्वरो योगी मुनिरात्मा तथाऽऽत्मनः। स्थिरीभवत कृष्णोऽयं सर्वविघ्नविनाशनः॥
He is the Lord of all beings, the master of Yoga, the great ascetic, the Soul of all living beings. Be silent, all of you? He is Krishna, the destroyer of all impediments.
कृत्वा कर्मातिसाध्वेतदशक्यममितप्रभः। समायातः स्वमात्मानं महाभागो महाद्युति॥
That Supreme God of immeasurable sheen, that great refuge of all blessings, having performed a most difficult task that cannot be accomplished by others, has returned to his own pure nature.
पद्मनाभो महायोगी महात्मा भूतभावनः। न संतापो न भी: कार्या शोको वा सुरसत्तमाः॥
It is He from whose navel the primeval lotus had sprung. He is the foremost of Yogins. Of supreme soul, He is the creator of all beings. There is no necessity for sorrow or fear or grief, ye foremost of celestials.
विधिरेष प्रभावश्च काल: संक्षयकारकः। लोकान् धारयता तेन नादो मुक्तो महात्मना॥
He is the Ordainer. He is the Creating Principle. He is all-destroying Time. It is He who maintains all the worlds. These roars that have alarmed you are being uttered by that great one.
स एष हि महाबाहुः सर्वलोकनमस्कृतः। अच्युतः पुण्डरीकाक्षः सर्वभूतादिरीश्वरः॥
Of mighty arms, He is the object of universal adoration. Incapable of deterioration, that lotus-eyed one is the origin of all beings and their lord.' He is the Ordainer. He is the Creating Principle. He is all-destroying Time. It is He who maintains all the worlds. These roars that have alarmed you are being uttered by that great one.
स एष हि महाबाहुः सर्वलोकनमस्कृतः। अच्युतः पुण्डरीकाक्षः सर्वभूतादिरीश्वरः॥
Of mighty arms, He is the object of universal adoration. Incapable of deterioration, that lotus-eyed one is the origin of all beings and their lord.'