Vayu Purana

ऐश्वर्येणाणिमाद्येन प्रभुशक्त्या तथैव च। अन्येन तपसा चैव ऋषीनभिभवन्ति च। बलेन तपसा चैव देवदानवामानुषान् ।। ५७.

With lordly powers such as sovereignty and the abilities beginning with aṇimā, and with other forms of ascetic energy, they surpass sages; and by strength and asceticism, they overcome gods, demons, and humans.

लक्षणैश्चापि जायन्ते शरीरस्थैरमानुषैः। केशस्थिता ललाटोर्णा जिह्वा चास्यप्रमार्जनी। ताम्रप्रभोष्ठदन्तोष्ठाः श्रीवत्साश्चोर्द्ध्वरोमशाः ।। ५७.

They are born with bodily marks among humans: hair on the head, a tuft on the forehead, a tongue, a mouth-cleansing organ, coppery brilliance, protruding teeth and lips, the Śrīvatsa mark, and upward-growing hair.

आजानुबाहनश्चैव जालहस्ता वृषाङ्किताः। न्यग्रोधपरिणाहाश्च सिंहस्कन्धाः सुमेहनाः । गजेन्द्रगतयश्चैव महाहनव एव च ।। ५७.

Their arms reach to the knees, their hands are webbed, they bear the mark of a bull, have the girth of a banyan tree, lion-like shoulders, excellent thighs, the gait of a lordly elephant, and great jaws.

पादयोश्चक्रमत्स्यौ तु शङ्खपद्मौ तु हस्तयोः। पञ्चाशीतिसहस्राणि ते भवन्त्यजरा नृपाः ।। ५७.

On their feet are the marks of a wheel and a fish, on their hands a conch and a lotus; these kings, numbering eighty-five thousand, are ageless.

असङ्गा गतयस्तेषां चतस्रश्चक्रवर्त्तिनाम्। अन्तरिक्षे समुद्रे च पाताले पर्वतेषु च ।। ५७.

Their movements are unimpeded in four ways: in the sky, in the ocean, in the underworld, and among mountains—these are the marks of universal monarchs.

इज्या दानं तपः सत्यं त्रेतायां धर्म उच्यते । तदा प्रवर्त्तते धर्मो वर्णाश्रमविभागशः ।। ५७.

In the Tretā age, sacrifice, giving, austerity, and truth are declared to be righteousness; then righteousness proceeds according to the divisions of class and stage of life.

मर्यादास्थापनार्थं च दण्डनीतिः प्रवर्त्तते । हृष्टपुष्टाः प्रजाः सर्वा ह्यरोगाः पूर्णमानसाः ।। ५७.

For the establishment of order, the rule of punishment is instituted; all people are joyful, prosperous, free from disease, and fulfilled in mind.

एको वेदश्चतुष्पादस्त्रेतायुगविधौ स्मृतः। त्रीणि वर्षसहस्राणि तदा जीवन्ति मानवाः ।। ५७.

In the Tretā age, there is one Veda with four parts; at that time, humans live for three thousand years.

पुत्रपौत्रसमाकीर्णा म्रियन्ते च क्रमेण तु । एष त्रेतायुगे धर्मस्त्रेतासन्धौ निबोधत ।। ५७.

Surrounded by sons and grandsons, they die in due order; this is the righteousness in the Tretā age—now hear of the transition to Tretā.

त्रेतायुग स्वभावस्तु सन्ध्यापादेव वर्त्तते । सन्ध्यायां वै स्वभावस्तु युगपादेन तिष्ठति ।। ५७.

The nature of the Tretā age prevails at the beginning of its twilight; in the twilight, its nature stands with a quarter of the age.

कथं त्रेतायुगमुखे यज्ञस्यासीत्प्रवर्तनम्। पूर्वं स्वायम्भुवे सर्गे यथावत्तद्ब्रवीहि मे ।। ५७.

How did the practice of sacrifice begin at the start of the Tretā age? Tell me in detail as it was in the earlier Svāyambhuva creation.

अन्तर्हितायां सन्ध्यायां सार्द्धं कृतयुगेन वै। कलाख्यायां प्रवृत्तायां प्राप्ते त्रेतायुगे तदा। वर्णाश्रमव्यवस्थानं कृतवन्तश्च वै पुनः ।। ५७.

When the twilight had passed, together with the Kṛta age, and the period called Kalā had begun, then, upon the arrival of the Tretā age, the arrangement of classes and stages of life was established again.

सम्भारांस्तां श्च सम्भृत्य कथं यत्रः प्रवर्तितः। एतच्छ्रुत्वाब्रवीत्सूतः श्रूयतां शांशपायन ।। ५७.

Having gathered those materials, how was the sacrifice then performed? Hearing this, Sūta spoke: Listen, O Śāṃśapāyana.

iयथा त्रेतायुगमुखे यज्ञस्यासीत्प्रवर्तनम्। ओषधीषु च जातासु प्रवृत्ते वृष्टिसर्जने। प्रतिष्ठितायां वार्तायां गृहाश्रमपुरेषु च ।। ५७.

Thus, at the beginning of the Tretā age, the practice of sacrifice began—when plants had arisen, when the sending of rain had commenced, when agriculture was established, and in the towns of householders.

वर्णाश्रम व्यवस्थानं कृत्वा मन्त्रांश्च संहिताम्। मन्त्रान् संयोजयित्वाथ इहामुत्रेषु कर्मसु ।। ५७.

Having established the arrangement of classes and stages of life, and the collections of mantras, they combined the mantras for use in actions both here and hereafter.

तथा विश्वमुगिन्द्रस्तु यज्ञं प्रावर्तयत्तदा। दैवतैः सहितः सर्वैः सर्वसम्भारसम्भृतम् ।। ५७.

Then, the lord of the universe, along with all the gods and with all the necessary materials, initiated the sacrifice.

अथाश्वमेधे वितते समाजग्मुर्महर्षयः। यजन्ते पशुभिर्मेध्यैर्हुत्वा सर्वे समागताः ।। ५७.

Then, when the Aśvamedha sacrifice was underway, the great sages assembled; all those gathered offered sacrifices with consecrated animals.

कर्मव्यग्रेषु ऋत्विक्षु सतते यज्ञकर्मणि। सम्प्रगीतेषु तेष्वेवमागमेष्वथ सत्वरम् ।। ५७.

When the priests are intent on their duties, constantly engaged in the acts of sacrifice, and the hymns are being recited at the proper times, then, swiftly—

परिक्रान्तेषु लघुषु अध्वर्युवृषभेषु च। आलब्धेषु च मेध्येषु तथा पशुगणेषु वै ।। ५७.

When the lighter sacrificial animals and the chief Adhvaryu priests have proceeded, and the sacrificial animals have not yet been seized, and likewise the herd of animals—

हविष्यग्नौ हूयमाने देवानां देवहोतृभिः। आहूतेषु च देवेषु यज्ञभाक्षु महात्मसु ।। ५७.

When the oblation is being offered into the sacrificial fire by the priests for the gods, and the gods, who are entitled to a share of the sacrifice, have been invoked—

य इन्द्रियात्मका देवा यज्ञभाजस्तथा तु ये। तान् यजन्ते तदा देवाः कल्पादिषु भवन्ति ये ।। ५७.

Those gods who are of the nature of the senses, and those who are entitled to a share of the sacrifice—those gods are worshipped then, and they exist at the beginning of each cycle.

अध्वर्यवः प्रैषकाले व्युत्थिता ये महर्षयः। महर्षयस्तु तान् दृष्ट्वा दीनान् पशुगणान् स्थितान् । पप्रच्छुरिन्द्रं सम्भूय कोऽयं यज्ञविधिस्तव ।। ५७.

The great sages, who are Adhvaryus, having risen at the time of the injunction, saw the herd of animals standing there, dejected, and, gathering together, they questioned Indra: 'What is this method of sacrifice of yours?'

अधर्मो बलवानेष हिंसाधर्मेप्सया तव। नेष्टः पशुवधस्त्वेष तव यज्ञे सुरोत्तम ।। ५७.

'This unrighteousness is powerful, for you desire the unrighteous act of violence; the killing of animals in your sacrifice is not desirable, O best of gods.'

अधर्मो धर्मगाताय प्रारब्धः पशुभिस्त्वया। नायं धर्मो ह्यधर्मोऽयं न हिंसा धर्म उच्यते ।। ५७.

'You have begun this unrighteousness, thinking it to be righteousness, by means of animals; this is not righteousness, but unrighteousness—violence is not called righteousness.'

आगमेन भवान् यज्ञं करोतु यदिहेच्छसि। विधिदृष्टेन यज्ञेन धर्ममव्ययहेतुना। यज्ञबीजैः सुरश्रेष्ठ येषु हिंसा न विद्यते ।। ५७.

'If you wish, perform the sacrifice according to scripture, with the sacrifice prescribed by rule, whose cause is imperishable righteousness, O best of gods, with sacrificial seeds in which there is no violence.'

त्रिवर्षपरमं कालमुषितैरप्ररोहिभिः। एष धर्मो महानिन्द्र स्वयम्भुविङितः पुरा ।। ५७.

'The highest period is three years, with seeds that do not sprout, having been kept; this great righteousness, O Indra, was established by the self-born in ancient times.'

एवं विश्वभुगिन्द्रस्तु मुनिभिस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः। जङ्गमैः स्थावरैर्वेति कैर्यष्टव्यमिहोच्यते ।। ५७.

Thus, O Indra, consumer of the universe, the sages who see the truth ask: 'With moving or non-moving beings, with what should sacrifice be performed here?'

ते तु खिन्ना विवादेन तत्त्वयुक्ता महर्षयः। सन्धाय वाक्यमिन्द्रेण प्रपच्छुश्चेश्वरं वसुम् ।। ५७.

Those great sages, endowed with truth, wearied by the dispute, having composed their words with Indra, then questioned the Lord of wealth.

महाप्राज्ञ कथं दृष्टस्त्वया यज्ञविधिर्नृप। उत्तानपादे प्रब्रूहि संशयं छिन्धि नः प्रभो ।। ५७.

'O great and wise one, how did you see the method of sacrifice, O king? Tell us regarding Uttānapāda; resolve our doubt, O Lord.'