Varaha

 

Essence Of
Varaha Purana

 

36    Varaha Deva rescues Bhu Devi, His description, Stuti and Worship
As the entire Universe came to stand still when ‘Dishas’ (Directions), ‘Grahas’ (Planets), and Celestial Beings got stuck excepting Thri Murthies, Bhu Devi and Brahma appealed to Bhagavan Vishnu to uplift Her as She was sinking under deep Ocean and to save the Universe. Bhu Devi prayed to Vishnu desperately saying: ‘Praseeda mama Devesha Lokanadha Jagatpathey, Bhaktayaam Sharanam aashraya praseeda mama Madhava’:
‘Hey, Jagatpathi Devesha Madhava, Kindly have mercy and save me and Devotees like me; You are Surya, Chandra, Yama, Kubera, Indra, Varuna, Agni and Vayu; You are the ephemeral and Eternal; You are the Dishas or Directions, Vidishas or Direction-less; You are the Ten Incarnations; You are the Constant despite passing Yugas; You are the Earth, Wind, Sky,Water and Fire; You are the Sound, Touch, Form, Taste and Smell; You are the Stars, Yama, ‘Rasi Chakra’or the ever-moving Cycle of Raasis; You are the concept of Time like months, fortnights, weeks and days; days and nights, Years and Seasons and Six ‘Rasas’; You are the Rivers, Oceans, Mountains and Maha ‘Sarpas’( Giant Snakes); Meru, Mandhar, Vindhya, Malaya and Dardura Mountain, Himalaya, Nishidha; Sudarshan Chaka, Pinaka Dhanush, Yoga and Sankhya Shastra; You are the Srishthi, Sthiti and Laya Karaka; You are the Sukshma and Brihat Swarupa; You are the
‘Maha Yajna’, Embodiment of Vedas; Producer of Amrit with which the Deva Lokas are sustained; You are the Adi (Initial), Madhya (Middle) and Anthasswarupa or Antaryami;
You are the Medha, Buddhi and Smriti; You are the Griha Devatha and Griha Mangal Kara; Sarva Swarupa, Sarvesa, Sarva Vyapaka! Do save me from sinkng; thus prayed Devi Prithvi’! The ‘Phala Sruti’ of Vishnu Stuti by Bhu Devi would heal the sick, bless with progeny, grant a husband / wife, release from prison or legal entanglements and provide contentment in life.

In reply to the ‘Stuti’ by Bhu Devi, Maha Vishnu assured that as a result of Her Bhakti (devotion) He would lift Her up along with mountains, forests, Samudra, Rivers, Seven Dwipas and all the rest; He assumed a collosal manifestation of six thousand yojanas of height, three thousand yojanas of width and one thousand yojanas of Varaha Roop; He
liberated Prithvi by His left ‘damshtra’ (Jaw) along with the totality of mountains, forests, Sapta Dwipas and their contents including Oceans and Rivers all in tact!’

Bhu Devi was indeed excited at the unprecedented miracle that had happened and immediately requested Lord Varaha about the Varaha Puja Vidhana’.She posed innumerable queries on the method of Sthapana, Avahana, and Visarjana; the precautions to be observed on the preceding day of the Puja, the best timings to perform the Puja, restrictions of eating during the Puja time and so on. Bhagavan replied that He might not be impressed by thousands of charities or several Yajnas, but even simple-minded persons with concentration and earnestness performed His Bhajan, although full of imperfections, would definitely deserved His consideration! All the same, since Bhu Devi asked certain questions, Varaha Deva gave suitable replies: Whoever prays to Him midnight, or at the time of dusk, or at mid-day and whoever observed fast on Dwadasi days would never be neglected. Merely performing ‘Karma’ or an act of Puja devoid of devotion and sincerity would not necessarily impress Bhagavan Vishnu. But if a devotee with detachment and concentration did the Dwadasi fast and offered water in his ‘anjali’
(palms) facing Sun God reciting ‘Om Namo Narayana’ Mantra, he would be sure of ‘Swargaloka Nivas’ for as many drops of water as spilt out from his palms! Those devotees worshipping Narayana offered white flowers firmly trusting that Narayana was sitting to accept the offerings along with the Mantra: Sumanah Sumana Grihnna Priyo me Bhagavan Harih, Itena Mantrana Sumano dadat; the devotee offers next ‘Gandham’
(Sandal wood paste) saying: ‘Namosthu Vishnavey Vyaktavyaktha Sugandhi cha, Grahan Grahana Namo Bhagavatey Vishnavey/ Anena Mantreyna Gandham dadaatu’; Dhupam (scented incence sticks) saying: Pravishtey me Dhupadhupanam grihnath Bhagavan Achyutah Anena mantryena Dhupam dadathu. Bhagavan said further: Out of my affection oh Devi, I have outlined the ‘Pujakram’; while performing ‘Naivedyam’ of
Bhakshya, Bhojya and such other material, devotees tend to ignore my accompaniments like Shanka, Chakra, and Gada and that should be avoided! Those who achieve the Dwadashi Puja with self-satisfaction and clear conscience are exalted and devoid of ill health, constant fear, mental confusion and discontent.


Prev:‘Go daan’ (Charity of Cows) in various forms

Quick Jump: