Vayu Purana

मन्वन्तरस्य सङ्ख्यैषा सङ्ख्याविद्भिर्द्विजैः स्मृता। मन्वन्तरस्य कालोऽयं युगैः सार्द्धं प्रकीर्तितः ।। ५७.

This is the reckoning of a Manvantara, as remembered by those skilled in numbers among the twice-born; this is the time of a Manvantara, declared together with the yugas.

चतुः सहस्रयुक्तं वै प्रथमन्तत् कृतं युगम्। त्रेतावशिष्टं वक्ष्यामि द्वापरं कलिमेव च ।। ५७.

The first Kṛta Yuga is joined with four thousand; I shall declare the remaining Tretā, Dvāpara, and Kali as well.

युगपत्समवेतार्थो द्विधा वक्तुं न शक्यते। क्रमागतं मया ह्येतत्तुभ्यं प्रोक्तं युगद्वयम्। ऋषिवंशप्रसङ्गेन व्याकुलत्वात्तथैव च ।। ५७.

The meaning of the yugas, taken together at once, cannot be spoken of in two ways; in sequence I have told you of these two yugas, due to the context of the lineage of sages and also because of the complexity.

तत्र त्रेतायुगस्यादौ मनुः सप्तर्षयश्च ते। श्रौतं स्मार्त्तञ्च धर्मञ्च ब्रह्मणा च प्रचोदितम् ।। ५७.

There, at the beginning of the Treta Yuga, Manu and the seven sages, prompted by Brahma, established both the Vedic and the customary law.

दाराग्निहोत्रसंयोगमृग्यजुः सामसंज्ञितम्। इत्यादिलक्षणं श्रौतं धर्मं सप्तर्षयोऽब्रुवन् ।। ५७.

The seven sages declared the Vedic law, characterized by the union of wife and the Agnihotra, and known as Rig, Yajur, and Sama.

परस्परागतं धर्मं स्मार्त्तञ्चाचारलक्षणम्। वर्णाश्रमाचारयुतं मनुः स्वायम्भुवोऽब्रवीत् ।। ५७.

Manu Svayambhuva spoke of the customary law, marked by conduct and mutual observance, accompanied by the practices of the varnas and ashramas.

सत्येन ब्रह्मचर्येण श्रुतेन तपसा च वै। तेषां सुतप्ततपसामार्षेयेण क्रमेण तु ।। ५७.

Through truthfulness, celibacy, study, and austerity, those who had performed intense penance followed the order of the sages.

सप्तर्षीणां मनोश्चैव आद्ये त्रेतायुगस्य तु । अबुद्धिपूर्वकं तेषामक्रियापूर्वमेव च ।। ५७.

For the seven sages and Manu, at the start of the Treta Yuga, it was without prior understanding and without previous action.

अभिव्यक्तास्तु ते मन्त्रास्तारकाद्यैर्निदर्शनैः। आदिकल्पे तु देवानां प्रादुर्भूतास्तु ते स्वयम् ।। ५७.

Those mantras became manifest, indicated by stars and other signs; in the earliest cycle, they appeared spontaneously among the gods.

प्रणाशे त्वथ सिद्धीनामप्यासाञ्च प्रवर्त्तनम्। आसन् मन्त्रा व्यतीतेषु ये कल्पेषु सहस्रशः। तेमन्त्रा वै पुनस्तेषां प्रतिभाससमुत्थिताः ।। ५७.

At the destruction of attainments and the beginning of new ones, mantras existed by the thousands in past cycles; those mantras arose again for them, emerging from intuition.

ऋचो यजूंषि सामानि मन्त्राश्चाथर्वणानि च। सप्तर्षिभिस्तु ते प्रोक्ताः स्मार्तं धर्मं मनुर्जगौ ।। ५७.

The hymns, yajus, samans, and Atharvan mantras were spoken by the seven sages; Manu proclaimed the customary law.

त्रेतादौ संहिता वेदाः केवला धर्मशेषतः। संरोधादायुषश्चैव व्यस्यन्ते द्वापरेषु ते ।। ५७.

At the beginning of Treta, the Vedas existed as unified collections, with only the remainder of law; due to restriction and lifespan, they were dispersed in the Dvapara Yuga.

ऋषयस्तपसा देवाः कलौ च द्वापरेषु वै। अनादिनिधना दिव्याः पूर्वं सृष्टाः स्वयम्भुवा ।। ५७.

The sages, through austerity, and the gods, in Kali and Dvapara, were created by Svayambhuva in ancient times, divine, without beginning or end.

सधर्माः सप्रजाः साङ्गा यथाधर्मं युगे युगे। विक्रीडन्ते समानार्था वेदवादा यथायुगम् ।। ५७.

With their own law, offspring, and limbs, according to dharma in each age, they play together with shared purpose, expounding the Vedas as suited to each yuga.

आरम्भयज्ञा क्षत्रस्य हविर्यज्ञा विशाम्पतेः। परिचार यज्ञाः शूद्रास्तु जपयज्ञा द्विजोत्तमाः ।। ५७.

Initiatory sacrifices belong to the Kshatriya; oblation sacrifices to the lord of the people; service sacrifices to the Shudras; recitation sacrifices to the best of the twice-born.

तथा प्रमुदिता वर्णास्त्रेतायां धर्मपालिताः। क्रियावन्तः प्रजावन्तः समृद्धाः सुखिनस्तथा ।। ५७.

Thus, the varnas in Treta, protected by dharma, were joyful, active in rites, fruitful in offspring, prosperous, and happy.

ब्राह्मणाननुवर्त्तन्ते क्षत्रियाः क्षत्रियान् विशः। वैश्यानुवर्तिनः शूद्राः परस्परमनुव्रताः ।। ५७.

The Kshatriyas follow the Brahmanas; the people follow the Kshatriyas; the Shudras follow the Vaishyas; all follow one another.

शुभाः प्रवृत्तयस्तेषां धर्मा वर्णाश्रमास्तथा। सङ्कल्पितेन मनसा वाचोक्तेन स्वसर्मणा। त्रेतायुगे त्वविकलः कर्म्मारम्भः प्रसिद्ध्यति ।। ५७.

Their auspicious activities, dharmas, varnas, and ashramas, with resolved mind, spoken word, and their own duties, in Treta Yuga, the undertaking of action is flawless and accomplished.

आयुर्मेधा बलं रूपमारोग्यं धर्मशीलता। सर्वसाधारणा ह्येते त्रेतायां वै भवन्त्युत ।। ५७.

Long life, intelligence, strength, beauty, health, and righteousness are common to all in Treta Yuga.

वर्णाश्रमव्यवस्थानं तेषां ब्रह्मा तथाकरोत् । पुनः प्रजास्तु ता मोहात्तान् धर्मान्न ह्यपालयन् ।। ५७.

Brahma established the arrangement of varnas and ashramas for them; but again, due to delusion, the people did not uphold those laws.

परस्परविरोधेन मनुन्ताः पुनरन्वयुः। मनुः स्वायम्भुवो दृष्ट्वा याथातथ्यं प्रजापतिः ।। ५७.

Through mutual conflict, they again followed Manu; seeing the reality, Svayambhuva Manu, the lord of creatures, acted accordingly.

धाता तु शतरूपायाः पुमान् स उदपादयत्। प्रियव्रतोत्तानपादौ प्रधमन्तौ महीपती ।। ५७.

Dhātā, the male, begot upon Śatarūpā two illustrious sons, Priyavrata and Uttānapāda, who became great kings.

ततः प्रभृति राजान उत्पन्ना दण्डधारिणः। प्रजानां रञ्जनाच्चैव राजानस्त्वभवन्नृषाः ।। ५७.

From that time onward, kings arose who wielded the rod of punishment; and because they delighted their subjects, these kings were called nṛṣāḥ.

प्रच्छन्नपापा ये जेतुमशक्या मनुजा भुवि। धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय तेषां शास्त्रे तपो मया ।। ५७.

Those humans on earth, whose hidden sins are difficult to conquer, for the sake of establishing righteousness among them, I have prescribed discipline and scripture.

वर्णानां प्रविभागाश्च त्रेतायां संप्रकीर्तिताः। संहिताश्च ततो मन्त्रा ऋषभिर्ब्रह्मणैस्तु ते ।। ५७.

The divisions of the social orders were proclaimed in the Tretā Yuga, and from then on, the collections of mantras were composed by the sages and the Brāhmaṇas.

यज्ञः प्रवर्तितश्चैव तदा ह्येवन्तु दैवतैः। यामैः शुक्लैर्जपैश्चैव सर्वसम्भारसंवृतैः ।। ५७.

At that time, sacrifice was established by the gods, with proper rituals, pure recitations, and all necessary materials.

सार्द्धं विश्वभुजा चैव देवेन्द्रेण महौजसा। स्वायम्भुवेऽन्तरे देवैर्यज्ञास्ते प्राक् प्रवर्तिताः ।। ५७.

Together with Viśvabhuj and the mighty Indra, during the Svāyambhuva Manvantara, sacrifices were formerly set in motion by the gods.

सत्यं जपस्तपो दानं त्रेतायां धर्म उच्यते। क्रिया धर्मश्च ह्रसते सत्यधर्मः प्रवर्त्तते ।। ५७.

In the Tretā Yuga, truth, recitation, austerity, and charity are declared as dharma; ritual acts and righteousness diminish, and the dharma of truth prevails.

प्रजायन्ते ततः शूरा आयुष्मन्तो महाबलाः। न्यस्तदण्डमहाभागा यज्वानो ब्रह्मवादिनः ।। ५७.

Then are born valiant men, long-lived and mighty, endowed with great fortune, performers of sacrifice, and speakers of Brahman.