Vayu Purana

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.

मन्वन्तरेषु ये शिष्टा इह तिष्ठन्ति धार्मिकाः। मनुः सप्तर्षयश्चैव लोकसन्तानकारणात्। धर्मार्थं ये च शिष्ट वै याथातथ्यं प्रचक्ष्यते ।। ५९.

Those worthy ones who remain here in each manvantara—Manu and the seven sages, for the sake of the continuation of the world—and those who truly declare dharma, are called the worthy.

मन्वादयश्च ये शिष्टा ये मया प्रागुदीरिताः। तैः शिष्टैश्चरितो धर्मः सम्यगेव युगे युगे ।। ५९.

The worthy ones, such as Manu and others previously mentioned by me, have always practiced dharma properly in every age.

त्रयी वार्ता दण्डनीतिरिज्या वर्णाश्रमास्तथा। शिष्टैराचर्यते यस्मान्मनुना च पुनः पुनः। पूर्वैः पूर्वगतत्वाच्च शिष्टाचारः स शाश्वतः ।। ५९.

Because the threefold Veda, livelihood, the rule of law, sacrifice, and the varṇas and āśramas are practiced by the worthy and repeatedly by Manu, and because they were followed by the ancients, that conduct of the worthy is eternal.

दानं सत्यन्तपोऽलोभो विद्येज्याप्रजनी दया। अष्टौ तानि चरित्राणि शिष्टाचारस्य लक्षणम् ।। ५९.

Giving, truthfulness, austerity, non-greed, learning, sacrifice, non-procreation, and compassion—these eight are the characteristics of the conduct of the worthy.

शिष्टा यस्माच्चरन्त्येनं मनुः सप्तर्षयश्च वै। मन्वन्तरेषु सर्वेषु शिष्टाचारस्ततः स्मृतः ।। ५९.

Because Manu and the seven sages practice it in every manvantara, the conduct of the worthy is therefore remembered.

विज्ञेयः श्रवणात् श्रौतः स्मरणात् स्मार्त्त उच्यते। इज्या वेदात्मकः श्रौतः स्मार्तो वर्णाश्रमात्मकः। प्रत्यङ्गानि च वक्ष्यामि धर्मस्येह तु लक्षणम् ।। ५९.

The Vedic dharma is to be known from hearing, and the traditional dharma from remembering; Vedic dharma is based on sacrifice and the Veda, while traditional dharma is based on varṇa and āśrama. I will now speak of the particular features and marks of dharma here.

दृष्ट्वा प्रभूतमर्थं यः पृष्टो वै न निगूहति। यथा भूतप्रवादस्तु इत्येतत्सत्यलक्षणम् ।। ५९.

One who, when asked, does not conceal what he has seen or the wealth he possesses, but speaks as it truly is—this is the mark of truthfulness.

ब्रह्मचर्यं जपो मौनं निराहारत्वमेव च। इत्येतत् तपसो मूलं सुघोरं तद्दुरासदम् ।। ५९.

Celibacy, recitation, silence, and fasting—these are the roots of austerity, which is very severe and difficult to attain.

पशूनां द्रव्यहविषामृक्सामयजुषां तथा। ऋत्विजां दक्षिणानाञ्च संयोगो योग उच्यते ।। ५९.

The bringing together of animals, offerings, clarified butter, and the three Vedas—Ṛk, Sāma, and Yajus—as well as the priests and the gifts for them, is called 'yoga' (union) in sacrifice.

आत्मवत्सर्वभूतेषु यो हितायाहिताय च। समा प्रवर्त्तते दृष्टिः कृत्स्ना ह्येषा दया स्मृता ।। ५९.

He who regards all beings as himself and acts equally for their benefit or harm—such impartial vision is called compassion.