Stories from the Varaha Purana

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Varaha Purana was originally spoken by Lord Varaha to Bhumi and later repeated by Suta Gosvami to the sager at Naimisaranya. Lord Varaha spoke this Purana to Bhumi after He had lifted her up from the nether regions. This Purana consists of questions by Bhumi, the goddess of the earth, posed to Lord Varaha, the Boar Incarnation of Lord Visnu. For the edition I have selected interesting stories which are told to illustrate the efficacy of various holy places of pilgrimage.

In the course of these narrations there are innumerable instruction dealing with religious principles and codes of conduct. At the end there is an extensive description of the abode of Yamarja givan by Naciketa, a person who appears in some of the Upanisads. As this is one of the sattvika Puranas, it clearly establishes that Lord Visnu is the Supreme Lord, above Lord Brahma and Lord Siva. Interestingly, it is stated that when one faithfully worships Lord Siva throughout thousands of births, he becomes eligible to become a devotee of Lord Visnu.

This Purana is different from many of the others in that we don’t see all of the familiar stories that are told again and again. All of the incidents related here involve persons who we were previously unfamiliar with. There is also a story of Lord Krsna cursing Samba, which certainly cannot be found elsewhere.

It is known that of the eighteen major Puranas, six are for those in the mode of goodness, six are for those in the mode of passion, and six are for those in the mode of ignorance. Although there may be different opinions as to which Puranas belong to which group, Srila Prabhupada writes as follows in a purport of Sri Caitanya-caritmrta:

The Rg Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, Atharva Veda, Mahabharata, Pancaratra and original Ramayana are all considered Vedic literature. The Puranas (such as the Brahma-vaivarta Purana Naradiya Purana, Visnu Prana and Bhagavata Purana) are especially meant for Vaisnavas and are also Vedic literature.

Varaha Purana was originally spoken by Lord Varaha to Bhumi and later repeated bt Suta Gosvami to the sages at Naimisaranya. Lord Varaha spoke this Purana to Bhumi after He had lifted her up from the nether regions. This Purana consists of questions by Bhumi, the goddess of the earth, posed to Lord Varaha, the Boar Incarnation of Lord Visnu. For this edition I have selected interesting stories which are told to illustrate the efficacy of various holy places of pilgrimage.

In the course of the narration there are innumerable instructions dealing which religious principles and codes of conduct. At the end there is an extensive description of the abode of Yamarja givenby Naciketa, a person who appears in some of the Upanisads. As this is one the sattvika Puranas, it clearly establishes that Lord Visnu is the Supreme Lord, above Lord Brama and Lord Siva. Interestingly, it is stated that when one faithfully worsphips Lord Siva throughout thousands of births, he becomes eligible to become a devotee Lord Visnu.

This Purana is different from many of the others in that we don’t see all of the familiar that are told again. All of the incidents related here involve persons who we were previously unfamiliar with. There is also a story of Lord Krsna cursing Samba, which certainly cannot be found elsewhere.

It must be emphasized that this Purana was taken from translations by those who are not realized souls in disciplic succession and thus this rendering should not be considered as authorized. It is simply a study that gives a general idea of what the Varaha Purana is about. A common theme running throughout all the accounts given here is how the law of karma sends us from one body to another. It is clearly the aim of the Purana to guide the reader to the understanding that all actions preformed in this life from the background for one’s next birth.

The reader of this book will be made to understanding that all actions should be performed with a view of one’s future welfare, and the welfare others. This must be done under the direction of higher authority, or sastra. This Purana, as all other Purana, leads us from a life of selfishness to a life of selfishness to a life of magnanimity giving careful attention to the necessity for respecting the Lord, His devotees, the brahmanas, hold places, His temples and gardens, and people in general.

The aim of one’s present life should be to elevate himself to a higher position after death, which at best means to achieve liberation from the vicious cycle of repeated birth and death by attaining the supreme abode of the Lord in the spiritual sky.