Garuda Purana

ब्रह्माण्डान्तः पद्मनाभो यो जातः कमलासनः । स चर्तुमुखसंज्ञां चाप्यवाप खगसत्तम ॥ ३,१६.

Within the cosmic egg, the lotus-naveled one who was born, seated on the lotus, also obtained the designation of Four-Faced, O best of birds.

एवं चत्वारिरूपाणि ब्रह्मणः कीर्तितानि च । वायोर्नामानि वक्ष्येहं शृणु पक्षीन्द्रसत्तम ॥ ३,१६.

Thus, the four forms of Brahman have been described; now I will tell you the names of Vāyu—listen, O best of birds.

संकर्षणाच्च गरुड जयायां यो वभूव ह । स वायुः प्रथमो ज्ञेयो प्रधान इति कीर्तितः ॥ ३,१६.

From Saṅkarṣaṇa, Garuḍa, was born one in Jayā—he is known as the first Vāyu, called Pradhāna.

लोकचेष्टाप्रदत्वात्स सूत्रनाम्नापि कीर्तितः । बदरीस्थस्य विष्णोश्च धैर्येण स्तवनाय सः ॥ ३,१६.

Because he grants movement to the worlds, he is also called by the name Sūtra; and, by the steadfastness of Viṣṇu who dwells in Badarī, he is praised.

धृतिरूपं ययौ वायुस्तस्माद्धृतिरिति स्मृतः । योग्यानां हरिभक्तानां धृतिरूपेण संस्थितः ॥ ३,१६.

Vāyu assumed the form of steadfastness, therefore he is remembered as Dhṛti; among those fit for it, the devotees of Hari, he abides as steadfastness.

यतो हृदि स्थितो वायुस्ततो वै धृतिसंज्ञकः । सर्वेषां च हृदि स्थित्वा स्मरते सर्वदा हरिम् ॥ ३,१६.

Because Vāyu dwells in the heart, he is thus called by the name Dhṛti; abiding in the hearts of all, he always remembers Hari.

अतो वायुःस्थितिर्नाम बभूव खगसत्तम । अथवा वायुरेवैकः श्वेतद्वीपगतं हरिम् ॥ ३,१६.

Therefore, O best of birds, Vāyu became known as Sthiti; or, Vāyu alone always remembers Hari who dwells in Śvetadvīpa.

सदा स्मरति वै वीन्द्र अतोसौ स्मृतिसंज्ञकः । सर्वेषां च हृदिस्थित्वा ज्ञातो विष्णोरुदीरणात् ॥ ३,१६.

He always remembers, O king of birds, and so he is called Smṛti; abiding in the hearts of all, he is known by the utterance of Viṣṇu.

अतो मे मुक्तिनामाभूद्वायुरेव न संशयः । ज्ञानद्वारेण भक्तानां मुक्तिदो मदनुज्ञया ॥ ३,१६.

Therefore, Vāyu alone became known as Mukti—there is no doubt; by the gateway of knowledge, he grants liberation to devotees by my permission.

यतो सौ वायुरेवैको मुक्तिनामा भूवह । विष्णौ भक्तिं वर्ध्यति भक्तानां हृदि संस्थितः ॥ ३,१६.

Because Vāyu alone became known as Mukti, abiding in the hearts of devotees, he increases devotion to Viṣṇu.

अतोसौ विष्णुभक्तश्च कीर्तितो नात्र संशयः । एषोसौ सर्वजीवानां चित्तसंज्ञानमेव च ॥ ३,१६.

Therefore, he is called a devotee of Viṣṇu—there is no doubt about this; and he is also known as the consciousness of all living beings.

चित्तरूपो यतो वायुरतश्चित्तमिति स्मृतः । प्रभुः प्रभूणां गरुड सोदराणां च सर्वशः ॥ ३,१६.

Because Vāyu is of the nature of consciousness, he is remembered as Citta; he is the lord of lords, O Garuḍa, and of all brothers as well.

अतस्तु वायुरेवैको महाप्रभुरिति स्मृतः । सर्वेषां च हृहि स्थित्वा बलं पश्यति सत्तम ॥ ३,१६.

Therefore, Vāyu alone is remembered as the great lord; abiding in the hearts of all, he perceives their strength, O noble one.

अतो बलमिति ह्याख्यामवाप विनतासुत । सर्वेषां च हृदि स्थित्वा पुत्रपौत्रादिकैर्जनैः ॥ ३,१६.

Therefore, O son of Vinatā, he obtained the name Bala (Strength); abiding in the hearts of all, through sons, grandsons, and other people.

याजनं कुरुते नित्यमतोसौ यष्टृसंज्ञकः । अनन्तकल्पमारभ्य वायुपर्यन्तमेव च ॥ ३,१६.

He always performs sacrifice, therefore he is called Yaṣṭṛ; from the beginning of endless time up to Vāyu himself.

वक्रत्वं नास्ति योगस्य ऋजुर्योग्य इति स्मृतः । योगस्य वक्रता नाम काम्यता हरिपूजने । ईशरुद्रादिकानां च काम्येन हरिपूजनम् ॥ ३,१६.

There is no crookedness in yoga; thus, he is remembered as Ṛju-yogya (straight in yoga); crookedness in yoga means desire in the worship of Hari, and the worship of Hari by desire by Īśa, Rudra, and others.

कस्यचित्त्वथ पक्षीन्द्र ह्यतस्त्वनृजवः स्मृताः ॥ ३,१६.

But, O king of birds, some are therefore remembered as not straight (anṛjavaḥ).

ऋष्यादीनां च मध्येपि काम्येन हरिपूजनम् । अतो न ऋजवो ज्ञेया मनुष्याणां च का कथा ॥ ३,१६.

Even among sages and others, the worship of Hari with desire; therefore, they are not to be known as straight, and what then of humans?

यावत्काम्यसपर्यां वै न जहाति नरोत्तमः । तथा ऋष्यादयश्चैव मोक्षस्य परिपन्थिनीम् ॥ ३,१६.

As long as the noble man does not abandon worship motivated by desire, so too do sages and others remain obstacles to liberation.

अनादिकालमारभ्य कर्मजन्या च वासना । मोक्षाधिकारिणः सर्वे कुर्वते कस्य पूजनम् ॥ ३,१६.

From time without beginning, the tendencies arising from actions exist; all those eligible for liberation perform worship of someone.

नष्टप्रायं च तत्सर्वं गुरोः संज्ञानबोधकात् । प्राप्ययोगं समाचर्य अन्ते मोक्षमवाप्नुयात् ॥ ३,१६.

Nearly all of those tendencies are destroyed by the awakening of knowledge through the guru; by practicing yoga, one ultimately attains liberation.

काम्येन पूजनं विष्णोरैश्वर्यं प्रददाति च । ज्ञानं च विपरीतं स्यात्तेन यात्यधरं तमः ॥ ३,१६.

Worship of Vishnu performed with desire grants prosperity, but the knowledge gained is distorted, and by it one descends into lower darkness.

तदेव विपरीतं चेज्ज्ञानाय परिकीर्तितम् । शिलायां विष्णुबुद्धिस्तु विष्णुबुद्धिर्द्विजे तथा ॥ ३,१६.

That same distorted knowledge is described as knowledge; the conception of Vishnu in a stone, or likewise in a Brahmin, is called Vishnu-consciousness.

सलिले तीर्थबुद्धिस्तु रोणुकायां तथैव च । शिवे सूर्ये षण्मुखे च विष्णुबुद्धिः खगेश्वर ॥ ३,१६.

In water, the conception is of a sacred place; in a lump of clay, likewise; in Shiva, Surya, and Shanmukha, the conception is of Vishnu, O Lord of Birds.

इत्याद्यमखिलं ज्ञानं विपरीतमिति स्मृतम् । शिलाद्येषु च सर्वेषु ऐक्येनैव विचिन्तनम् ॥ ३,१६.

All such knowledge, beginning thus, is remembered as distorted; in all objects like stones, contemplation is done with unity alone.

विष्णुबुद्धिरिति प्रोक्तं न तु तत्रस्थवेदनम् । अनाद्यनन्तकालेपि काम्येन हरिपूजनम् ॥ ३,१६.

It is called Vishnu-consciousness, but not actual perception in those places; even for endless time, worship of Hari with desire is not true perception.

यतो नास्ति ततो वायुर्ऋजुर्योग्यः प्रकीर्तितः । अन्येषां सर्वदा नास्ति अतो न ऋजवः स्मृताः ॥ ३,१६.

Where it does not exist, Vayu is said to be upright and suitable; for others, it is never present, so they are not called upright.

हरिं दर्शयते वापि अपरोक्षेण सर्वदा । मोक्षाधिकारिणां काले अतः प्रज्ञेति कथ्यते ॥ ३,१६.

He always reveals Hari directly; at the time of those eligible for liberation, therefore, he is called wisdom.

परोक्षेणापि सर्वेषां हरिं दर्शयते सदा । अतो वायुः सदा वीन्द्र ज्ञानमित्येव कीर्तितः ॥ ३,१६.

He always reveals Hari indirectly to all; therefore, O Indra among birds, Vayu is always called knowledge.