Varāha Mahā Purana
68 - Yugadharma
Bhadräshva said:
1. How should this great lord, the omnipresent Supreme Soul, be known in four Yugas?
2. What are the practices to be observed in each yuga by the castes? How can a Brahmin who contacts a woman not his own, can get himself purified?
Agastya said:
3. In the Krutayuga the earth becomes connected with Devas by Vedic rituals. In the Tretäyuga the same is accomplished through sacrifices.
4. In the Dväparayuga by the mingling of Sattva and Rajas, the king reigns according to the extent of his righteousness. In Kaliyuga Tamas predominates.
5-6. In the Kali age Brahmins stray from the path of righteousness and the Kshatriyas, Vaišhyas and Shüdras become mostly low castes without truth and purity. Then the world gets spoiled and the dharma of the castes begins to disappear.
Bhadräšhva said:
7. How can a Brahmin, Kshatriya (Vaišhya) and Shüdra purify himself if he happened to have sexual connection with a prohibited woman. Is such a connection tolerated at all?
Agastya said:
8. A Brahmin can cohabit with (women of all) the four (castes), a Kshatriya with three (avoiding Brahmin), a Vaišhya with two (avoiding Brahmin and Kshatriya) and Shüdra with his own (only).
9. To the Kshatriya the Brahmin woman is prohibited, to the Vaišhya the Brahmin and Kshatriya women are prohibited and to the Shüdra all these three.
10. Manu has declared that to a man in the lower caste a woman of the higher caste is prohibited; so too the mother, mother’s sister, mother-in-law and brother’s wife.
11. To one in the lower caste, a woman in the higher caste is fully excluded; so too the daughter-in-law, daughter; the friend’s wife and grand-daughters.
12-13. The women of the washerman class and similar others are also of the prohibited category. Cohabiting with a woman of the prohibited category produces great sin.
14. The atonement for a Brahmin for such prohibited cohabitation is pranãyäma (control of breath in the prescribed form) for a hundred times.
15-16. The sin acquired by a Brahmin by prohibited association with the woman of a different caste, even during a long time, disappears by reciting the Gäyatri mantra with Pranava ten times and by pränäyäma three hundred times. Even the sin of killing a Brahmin (disappears by such a practice), then should we say about the other (less grave) sins?
17. It may also be noted that the Brahmin who is able to realise the Supreme god by meditation and worship is no touched by sin.
18. The learner of the Vedas is not affected even if he happens to commit numerous sins.
19. By meditating on Vishnu, learning the Vedas, giving gifts and performing sacrifices Tor Hari, a Brahmin always remains pure and gets over all obstacles.
20. I have thus told you all that you asked me about. I have briefly stated What has been said by Manu and others in detail.
Summary of chapter 68 of the Varāha Mahā Purana is as follows:
The narrative unfolds the second Pāpa-praśamana Stotra, further elaborating on the divine names, weapons, and cosmic attributes of Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa. This sacred prayer glorifies the divine discus Sudarśana, the mace Kaumodakī, the conch Pāñchajanya, and the lotus, asking these celestial weapons to destroy all fear, disease, and spiritual dark forces surrounding the devotee. The hymn serves as an impenetrable armor for seekers, ensuring health, prosperity, and divine protection throughout life's journey.