Vayu Purana

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.'

श्रुत्वा वाक्यं ततस्तेषामविचार्य बलाबलम्। वेदशास्त्रमनुस्मृत्य यज्ञतत्त्वमुवाच ह। यथोपदिष्टैर्यष्टव्यमिति होवाच पार्थिवः ।। ५७.

Having heard their words, without considering strength or weakness, recalling the Vedic scriptures, he spoke the truth of sacrifice, saying: 'Sacrifice should be performed as instructed.'

यष्टव्यं पशुभिर्मेध्यैरथ बीजैः फलैस्तथा। हिंसास्वभावो यज्ञस्य इति मे दर्शयत्यसौ ।। ५७.

'Sacrifice may be performed with pure animals, or with seeds and fruits; this shows me that violence is inherent in sacrifice.'

यथेह संहितामन्त्रा हिंसालिङ्गा महर्षिभिः। दीर्घेण तपसा युक्तैर्दर्शनैस्तारकादिभिः। तत्प्रामाण्यान्मया चोक्तं तस्मान्मा मन्तुमर्हथ ।। ५७.

'Just as, in the collections of mantras, the signs of violence are found by the great sages, endowed with long austerity and vision like the stars, so, on the authority of that, I have spoken; therefore, you should not think otherwise.'

यदि प्रमाणं तान्येव मन्त्रवाक्यानि वै द्विजाः । तदा प्रावर्त्तता यज्ञो ह्यन्यथा नोऽनृतं वचः। एवं हृतोत्तरास्ते वै युक्तात्मानस्तपोधनाः ।। ५७.

'If those very mantra statements are the authority, O twice-born, then the sacrifice proceeded; otherwise, the statement is untrue.' Thus, those ascetics, with disciplined minds, were silenced.

अधस्व भवनं दृष्ट्वा तमर्थं वाग्यतो भव। मिथ्यावादी नृपो यस्मात् प्रविवेश रसातलम् ।। ५७.

'Having seen that matter, descend to the lower world and be silent, for the king, being a speaker of falsehood, entered the netherworld.'

इत्युक्तमात्रे नृपतिः प्रविवेश रसातलम्। ऊर्द्ध्वचारी वसुर्भूत्वा रसातलचरोऽभवत् ।। ५७.

As soon as this was spoken, the king entered the netherworld; becoming a spirit that moves upward, he became a dweller in the netherworld.

वसुधातलवासी तु तेन वाक्येन सोऽभवत्। धर्माणां संशयच्छेत्ता राजा वसुरथागतः ।। ५७.

Dwelling upon the earth, by that statement, he became the king Vasuratha, the remover of doubts regarding righteousness.

तस्मान्न वाच्यमेकेन बहुज्ञेनापि संशयः। बहूद्धारस्य धर्मस्य सूक्ष्माद्‌दूरमुपागतिः ।। ५७.

Therefore, even a single learned person should not declare a doubt; for the subtle and far-reaching nature of righteousness has many interpretations.

तस्मान्न निश्चयाद्वक्तुं धर्मः शक्यस्तु केनचित्। देवानृषीनुपादाय स्वायम्भुवमृते मनुम् ।। ५७.

Therefore, no one is able to speak with certainty about righteousness, except for Manu, the self-born, along with the gods and sages.

तस्मान्न हिंसाधर्मस्य द्वारमुक्तं महर्षिभिः। ऋषिकोटिसहस्राणि कर्मभिः स्वैर्दिवं ययुः ।। ५७.

Therefore, the door to unrighteous violence has not been declared by the great sages; countless thousands of sages have attained heaven by their own deeds.