Varāha Mahā Purana
32 - The Origin of Dharma
Mahatapas said:
1. Now listen, O king, I shall tell you about the origin of Dharma, its greatness and the tithi associated with it.
2. Formerly, the eternal and pure Brahma, who is inferior only to the Supreme, thought of creation as well as the protection of the created.
3. Then from the right Side of his body came out a person with body smeared with white unguent and wearing white garland and white earrings.
4. Seeing him who was four-footed and bull-shaped, he said: “You be the foremost of my creation and protect all these beings”.
5. Thus ordained, he protects the world with all the four feet in Krutayuga, three feet in Tretayuga, two feet in Dvaparayuga and a single foot in Kaliyuga.
6. Dharma was established with six divisions in Brahmins, three in Kshatriyas, two in Vaishyas and one in Shudras. This lord (Dharma) is prevalent everywhere in all the islands in the earth.
7. His four feet are acclaimed as Guna (quality) Dravya (substance), Kriya (action) and Jati (genus).
8. In the Veda he is considered as having three horns, Samhita, Pada and Krama.1 He is Omkara and has two heads and seven hands.
1. Samhita is the Veda with the words conjoined, Pada with the words separated, and Krama with each word joined with its succeeding word.
9. he was bound by the three svaras, Udatta, Anudatta and Svarita.1 Such was Dharma.
1. Udatta is the high tone, Anudatta the low tone and Svarita a combination of the two.
10-11. Dharma was persecuted by Soma (moon) dcsirous of (getting for himself) Tara, the wife of his own brother Angirasa, and somehow escaping from him, he resorted to the expansive forest.
12-13. When Dharma was gone, the groups of gods began to wander about desirous of killing Asuras, being bereft of dharma. The Asuras too similarly wandered about in the abodes of gods.
14. As a result of Soma’s sin based on the woman, Devas and Asuras fought each other with numerous weapons.
15. Seeing them at war with each other Narada came to his father Brahma and spoke about it.
16. Brahma then mounted his swan and forbade them from fighting, and asked them about the cause of fight.
17. They all said Soma to be the cause, and then he was able to see that his son Dharma had resorted to the forest because of persecution.
18. Then Brahma went there quickly with Devas and Asuras and saw him there four-footed, bull-like and white like the moon.
Brahma said:
19. This is my first son, the sage by name Dharma, harassed by the moon desirous of the wife of his own brother.
20. O Devas and Asuras, propitiate him so that your former position may be established.
21. Thus knowing his identity through Brahma, Devas and Asuras extolled him.
Devas said:
22. “Bow to you, O lord of worlds, moon-like in complexion, bow to you with divine form, the guide to heaven’s path.
23. Bow to you of the form of Karmamarga (the path of action) and omnipresent. The earth is governed by you, in fact all the three worlds.
24. The other worlds like Jana, Tapas and Satya are also governed by you. Without you there is nothing, moving or stationary.
25-26. Without you the world perishes in a moment. You are (the qualities) Sattva, Rajas and Tamas respectively manifesting in the good, the common and the bad people.
27. Bow to you the bull-shaped one with four feet, four horns, three eyes, seven hands and three joints.
28. O lord, without you, we all go astray. So, give us the right path as we are ignorant. You are our great refuge.”
29. Thus praised by gods, the lord of beings in bull’s form, became pleased and spoke with benignity.
30. By the very look of Dharma Devas became freed from ignorance and attached to righteousness. So too Asuras.
31-32. Then Brahma said: “O Dharma, from today onwards let your tithi be Trayodashi. He who fasts on that day and worships you will attain you and become freed of sins.
33. This forest where you have been wandering long will be known by the name ‘Dharmaranya’.
34. The world will see you four-footed, three-footed, two-footed and single-footed respectively in the yugas Kruta, Treta, Dvapara and Kali, and extending over earth and heaven, protecting the whole universe”.
35. Saying this Brahma disappeared while Devas and Asuras were looking on. They too went to their homes fearlessly.
36. He who recites to others this story of Dharma and he who propitiates his Pitris with milky food on Trayodashi, goes to heaven and remains with gods.
Summary of chapter 32 of the Varāha Mahā Purana is as follows:
Having accepted the pristine devotion of Mother Umā, Parameśvara Śiva requests the holy Saptarshis—the seven venerated mind-born sons of Pitāmaha Brahmā—to act as divine emissaries and travel to Mount Himavān to formally arrange the holy wedding. The Saptarshis arrive at the magnificent mountain palace of King Himavān and Queen Menakā, where they are received with supreme reverence, foot-washing rituals, and fragrant offerings. The holy sages present the divine proposal on behalf of Parameśvara Śiva, explaining that the union of Śiva and Umā is destined for the preservation of the cosmos and the birth of a divine commander who will deliver the devas from demonic oppression.