Vayu Purana

देवासुरप्रमाणात्तु सप्तसप्ताङ्गुलं ह्रसत्। अह्गुलानां शतं पूर्णमष्टपञ्चाशदुत्तरम् ।। ५९.

Compared to the measure of gods and demons, it is reduced by forty-nine finger-breadths; the full measure is one hundred fingers, with an additional fifty-eight.

देवासुरप्रमाणन्तदुच्छ्रायं कलिजैः स्मृतम्। चत्वारश्चाप्यशीतिश्च कलिजैरङ्गुलैः स्मृतम् ।। ५९.

That measure of gods and demons is considered the height for those born in the Kali age; for those in Kali, it is said to be eighty-four finger-breadths.

स्वेनाङ्गुलप्रमाणेन ऊर्द्ध्वमापादमस्तकम्। इत्येष मानुषोत्सेधो ह्रसतीह युगान्तिके ।। ५९.

By one's own finger measure, from feet to head, this is the human height, which diminishes here at the end of the age.

सर्वेषु युगकालेषु अतीतानागतेष्विह। स्वेनाङ्गुलप्रमाणेन अष्टतालः स्मृतो नरः ।। ५९.

In all ages, past and future, the human is said to be eight tālas tall, measured by his own finger-breadth.

आपादतो मस्तकन्तु नवतालो भवेत्तु यः। संहताजानुबाहुस्तु स सुरैरपि पूज्यते ।। ५९.

He whose height from foot to head is nine tālas, and whose arms reach the knees when joined, is honored even by the gods.

गवाश्वहस्तिनाञ्चैव महिष स्थावरात्मनाम्। क्रमेणैतेन योगेन ह्रासवृद्धी युगे युगे ।। ५९.

For cows, horses, elephants, buffaloes, and stationary beings, in order, by this same calculation, their size decreases or increases in each age.

षट्सप्तत्यङ्गुलोत्सेधः पशूनां ककुदस्तु वै। अङ्गुलाष्टशतं पूर्णमुत्सेधः करिणां स्मृतः ।। ५९.

The height of cattle is seventy-six finger-breadths at the hump; the full height of elephants is said to be one hundred and eight finger-breadths.

अङ्गुलानां सहस्रन्तु चत्वारिंशाङ्गुलं विना । पञ्चाशतं हयानाञ्च उत्सेधः शाखिनां स्मृतः ।। ५९.

The height of horses is said to be one thousand finger-breadths, less forty-four; and for trees, it is fifty finger-breadths.

मानुषस्य शरीरस्य सन्निवेशस्तु यादृशः। तल्लक्षणस्तु देवानां दृश्यते तत्त्वर्शनात् ।। ५९.

The arrangement of the human body is as it is; those same characteristics are seen in the gods, according to true knowledge.

बुद्ध्यातिशययुक्तञ्च देवानां कायमुच्यते । देवानतिशयञ्चैव मानुषं कायमुच्यते ।। ५९.

The body of the gods is said to be endowed with exceptional intelligence; likewise, the human body is said to be superior to others.

इत्येते वै परिक्रान्ता भावा ये दिव्यमानुषाः। पशूनां पक्षिणाञ्चैव स्थावराणां निबोधत ।। ५९.

Thus have been described the natures of divine and human beings; now learn of those of animals, birds, and immovable beings.

गावो ह्यजा महिष्योऽश्वा हस्तिनः पक्षिणो नगाः। उपयूक्ताः क्रियास्वेते यज्ञियास्विह सर्वशः ।। ५९.

Cows, goats, buffaloes, horses, elephants, birds, and trees—all these are used in rituals, and are fit for sacrifice in every way.

देवस्थानेषु जायन्ते तद्रूपा एव ते पुनः । यथाशयोपभोगास्तु देवानां शुभमूर्त्तयः ।। ५९.

They are born in the abodes of the gods, again in those very forms; according to their desires and enjoyments, the gods have auspicious bodies.

तेषां रूपानुरूपैस्तैः प्रमाणैः स्थाणुजङ्गमैः। मनोज्ञैस्तत्त्वभावज्ञैः सुखिनो ह्युपपेदिरे ।। ५९.

With forms and measures appropriate to them, both stationary and moving beings, delightful and knowing their true nature, they attain happiness.

अतः शिष्टान् प्रवक्ष्यामि सतः साधूंस्तथैव च। सदिति ब्रह्मणः शब्दस्तद्वन्तो ये भवन्त्युत। सायुज्यं ब्रह्मणोऽत्यन्तं तेन सन्तः प्रजक्ष्यते ।। ५९.

Now I shall speak of the remaining, the good and the virtuous; the word 'sat' comes from Brahman, and those who possess it are called so; complete union with Brahman is thus called 'santaḥ'.

दशात्मके ये विषये कारणे चाष्टलक्षणे । न क्रुध्यन्ति न हृष्यन्ति जितात्मानस्तु ते स्मृताः ।। ५९.

Those who, in the tenfold sphere and in the eightfold cause, neither become angry nor delighted, and have mastered themselves, are known as such.

सामान्येषु च धर्मेषु तथा वैशेषिकेषु च। ब्रह्मक्षत्रविशो युक्ता यस्मात्तस्माद्द्विजातयः ।। ५९.

In both general and particular duties, those endowed with Brahmin, Kshatriya, and Vaishya qualities—therefore, these are the twice-born.

वर्णाश्रमेषु युक्तस्य स्वर्गगोमुखचारिणः। श्रौतस्मार्तस्य धर्मस्य ज्ञानाद्धर्मः स उच्यते ।। ५९.

The dharma that is practiced by one who is established in the varṇas and āśramas, who moves in the path of heaven and cows, and who follows both Vedic and traditional duties, is said to be true dharma through knowledge.

विद्यायाः साधनात्साधुर्ब्रह्मचारी गुरोर्हितः। क्रियाणां साधनाच्चैव गृहस्थः साधुरुच्यते ।। ५९.

By pursuing knowledge, the devoted student who serves his teacher is called virtuous; and by performing prescribed actions, the householder is also called virtuous.

साधनात्तपसोऽरण्ये साधुर्वैखानसः स्मृतः। यतमानो यतिः साधुः स्मृतो योगस्य साधनात् ।। ५९.

Through the practice of austerity in the forest, the hermit is considered virtuous; and the ascetic striving for self-control is called virtuous through the practice of yoga.

एवमाश्रमधर्माणां साधनात् साधवः स्मृताः। गृहस्थो ब्रह्मचारी च वानप्रस्थोऽथ भिक्षुकः ।। ५९.

Thus, those who practice the duties of the āśramas—householder, student, forest-dweller, and mendicant—are regarded as virtuous.

न च देवा न पितरो मुनयो न च मानवाः। अयं धर्मो ह्ययं नेति ब्रुवन्तोऽभिन्नदर्शनाः ।। ५९.

Neither the gods, nor the ancestors, nor the sages, nor humans, while saying 'this is dharma, this is not,' display any difference in their understanding.

धर्माधर्माविह प्रोक्तौ शब्दावेतौ क्रियात्मकौ। कुशलाकुशलं कर्म धर्मा धर्माविति स्मृतौ ।। ५९.

Here, dharma and adharma are spoken of as two terms, both consisting of actions; in tradition, skillful and unskillful deeds are called dharma and adharma.

धारणा धृतिरित्यर्थाद्धातोर्धर्मः प्रकीर्त्तितः । अधारणेऽमहत्त्वे च अधर्म इति चोच्यते ।। ५९.

From the root 'dhṛ', dharma is explained as that which upholds and supports; and that which does not support or is insignificant is called adharma.

अत्रेष्टप्रापका धर्मा आचार्यैरुपदिश्यते। वृद्धा ह्यलोलुपाश्चैव आत्मवन्तो ह्यदम्भकाः। सम्यग्विनीता ऋजवस्तानाचार्यान् प्रचक्षते ।। ५९.

Here, the dharmas that lead to the desired goal are taught by teachers—elders who are not greedy, who possess self-control, who are free from deceit, who are well-disciplined and upright—these are called teachers.

स्वयमाचरते यस्मादाचारं स्थापयत्यपि। आचिनोति च शास्त्रार्थान्यमैः सन्नियमैर्युतः ।। ५९.

Because he himself practices proper conduct, establishes it, and gathers the meanings of the scriptures, endowed with self-restraint and discipline.

पूर्वेभ्यो वेदयित्वेह श्रौतं सप्तर्षयोऽब्रुवन्। ऋचो यजूंषि सामानि ब्रह्मणोऽङ्गानि च श्रुतिः ।। ५९.

Having learned from the ancients, the seven sages declared here the Vedic tradition: the Ṛg, Yajur, and Sāma hymns, and the limbs of the Veda as revealed by Brahmā.

मन्वन्तरस्यातीतस्य स्मृत्वाचारं पुनर्जगौ। तस्मात्स्मार्तः स्मृतो धर्मो वर्णाश्रमविभागजः ।। ५९.

Recalling the conduct from the past manvantara, he again taught it; therefore, the dharma arising from the division of varṇa and āśrama is called smārta, or traditional.

स एष द्विविधो धर्मः शिष्टाचार इहोच्यते। शेषशब्दात् शिष्ट इति शिष्टाचारः प्रचक्ष्यते ।। ५९.

Thus, this twofold dharma is called the conduct of the worthy; because of the word 'śeṣa', they speak of it as the conduct of the worthy.