Vayu Purana

ईश्वरा ऋषिकाश्चैव ये चान्ये वै तथा स्मृताः। एते मन्त्रक्षकृतः सर्वे कृत्स्नशस्तान्निबोधत ।। ५९.

The lords and sages, and others who are similarly remembered—know that all these were creators of mantras in their entirety.

भृगुः काव्यः प्रचेतास्तु दधीचो ह्यात्मवानपि । और्वोऽथ जमदग्निश्च दिवः सारस्वत स्तथा ।। ५९.

Bhṛgu, Kāvya, Pracetā, Dadhīca who is self-possessed, Aurva, Jamadagni, and the Sārasvata of the heavens are thus named.

अद्विषेण ह्यरूपश्च वीतहव्य सुमेधसः। वैन्यः पृथुर्दिवोदासः प्रश्वारो गृत्समान्नभः। एकोनविंशदित्येते ऋषयो मन्त्रवादिनः ।। ५९.

Adviṣena, Arūpa, Vītahavya, Sumedhas, Vainya, Pṛthu, Divodāsa, Praśvāra, Gṛtsamān, and Nabha—these nineteen sages are reciters of mantras.

अङ्गिरा वेधसश्चैव भारद्वाजोऽथ बाष्कलिः। तथामृतस्तथा गार्ग्यः शेनी संहृतिरेव च ।। ५९.

Aṅgirā, Vedhas, Bhāradvāja, Bāṣkali, Amṛta, Gārgya, Śenī, and Saṃhṛti are also thus named.

पुरुकुत्सोऽथ मान्धाता अम्बरीषस्तथैव च। आहार्योथाजमीढश्च ऋषभो वलिरेव च ।। ५९.

Purukutsa, Māndhātṛ, Ambarīṣa, Āhārya, Ajamīḍha, Ṛṣabha, and Vali are likewise included.

पृषदश्वो विरूपश्च कण्वश्चैवाथ मुद्गलः। युवनाश्वः पौरुकुत्सस्त्रसद्दस्युः सदस्युमान् ।। ५९.

Pṛṣadaśva, Virūpa, Kaṇva, Mudgala, Yuvanāśva, Paurukutsa, Trasaddasyu, and Sadasyumān are also named.

उतथ्यश्च भरद्वाजस्तथा वाजश्रवा अपि । आयाप्यश्च सुवित्तिश्च वामदेवस्तथैव च ।। ५९.

Utathya, Bharadvāja, Vājaśravā, Āyāpya, Suvitti, and Vāmadeva are likewise mentioned.

औगजो बृहदुक्थश्च ऋषिर्दीर्घतपास्तथा। कक्षीवांश्च त्रयस्त्रिंशत् स्मृता अङ्गिरसो वराः। एते मन्त्रकृतः सर्वे काश्यपांस्तु निबोधत ।। ५९.

Augaja, Bṛhaduktha, Dīrghatapās, Kakṣīvān—these thirty-three are renowned as the best of the Aṅgirasas; all these are creators of mantras. Now listen to the Kāśyapas.

काश्यपश्चैव वत्सारो विभ्रमो रैभ्य एव च। असितो देवलश्चैव षडेते ब्रह्मवादिनः ।। ५९.

Kāśyapa, Vatsāra, Vibhrama, Raibhya, Asita, and Devala—these six are speakers of Brahman.

अत्रिरर्च्चिसनश्चैव श्यामावांश्चाथ निष्ठुरः। वल्गूतको मुनिर्द्धीमांस्तथा पूर्वातिथिश्च यः। इत्येते चात्रयः प्रोक्ता मन्त्रकारा महर्षयः ।। ५९.

Atri, Arccisanas, Śyāmāvān, Niṣṭhura, Valgūtaka the wise sage, and Pūrvātithi—these are the Atris, great sages who are creators of mantras.

वसिष्ठश्चैव शक्तिश्च तथैव च पराशरः। चतुर्थ इन्द्रप्रमतिः पञ्चमस्तु भरद्वसुः ।। ५९.

Vasiṣṭha, Śakti, Parāśara, the fourth is Indrapramati, and the fifth is Bharadvasu.

षष्ठस्तु मैत्रावरुणाः कुण्डिनः सप्तमस्तथा। सुद्युम्नश्चाष्टमश्चैव नवमोऽथ बृहस्पतिः। दशमस्तु भरद्वाजौ मन्त्रब्राह्मणकारकाः ।। ५९.

The sixth is Maitrāvaruṇa, Kuṇḍina is the seventh, Sudyumna the eighth, Bṛhaspati the ninth, and the tenth are the two Bharadvājas, creators of mantra and Brāhmaṇa.

एते चैव हि कर्तारो विधर्मध्वंसकारिणः। लक्षणं ब्रह्मणश्चैतद्विहितं सर्वशाखिनाम् ।। ५९.

These indeed are the authors who established and destroyed various doctrines; this is the characteristic of Brahman as prescribed for all branches.

हेतुर्हितेः स्मृतो धातोर्यन्निहन्त्युदितम्परैः। अथ वार्थपरि प्राप्तेर्हिनोतेर्गतिकर्मणः ।। ५९.

The cause of benefit is said to be the root, which destroys what is declared by others; or, for the attainment of meaning, the action of 'hinu' is to abandon.

तथा निर्वचनं ब्रूयाद्वाक्यार्थस्यावधारणम् । निन्दां तामाहुराचार्या यद्दोषन्निन्द्यते वचः ।। ५९.

Thus, one should state the derivation, which is the determination of the meaning of a statement; that which is censured due to a fault is called blame by the teachers.

प्रषूर्वाच्छंसतेर्धातोः प्रशसां गुणवत्तया। इदन्त्विदमिदं नेदमित्यनिश्चित्य संशयः ।। ५९.

From the root 'praśū' meaning to praise, praise is spoken of as possessing virtue; when it is uncertain whether 'this is so' or 'this is not so,' that is called doubt.

इदमेव विधातव्यमित्ययं विधिरुच्यते । अन्यस्यान्यस्य चोक्तत्वाद्‌बुधैः परकृतिः स्मृता ।। ५९.

'This alone must be done'—this is called injunction; when something is stated about another, it is known by the wise as 'parakṛti,' or reference to another.

यो ह्यत्यन्ततरोक्तश्च पुराकल्पः स उच्यते। पुराविक्रान्तवाचित्वात् पुराकल्पस्य कल्पना ।। ५९.

That which has been declared as extremely ancient is called the former kalpa, because of its being spoken of as prior; thus, the conception of the former kalpa is established.

मन्त्रब्राह्मणकल्पैस्तु निगमैः शुद्धविस्तरैः । अनिश्चित्य कृतामाहुर्व्यवधारणकल्पनाम् ।। ५९.

By means of mantras, Brāhmaṇa-kalpas, and the pure, extensive Vedas, without precise determination, they speak of the arrangement of boundaries.

यथा हीदं तथा तद्वै इदं वापि तथैव तत्। इत्येष ह्युपदेशोऽयं दशमो ब्राह्मणस्य तु ।। ५९.

Just as this is so, so is that; and this too is likewise that—this is the tenth instruction for the Brāhmaṇa.

इत्येतद्ब्राह्मणस्यादौ विहितं लक्षणं बुधः । तस्य तद्वृत्तिरुद्दिष्टा व्याख्याप्यनुपदं द्विजैः ।। ५९.

Thus, at the beginning, the characteristic of the Brāhmaṇa has been prescribed by the wise; his conduct has been described, to be explained step by step by the twice-born.

मन्त्राणां कल्पनं चैव विधिदृष्टेषु कर्मसु। मन्त्रो मन्त्रयतेर्धातोर्ब्राह्मणो ब्रह्मणोऽवनात् ।। ५९.

The arrangement of mantras is indeed for the rites prescribed by rule; 'mantra' is derived from the root 'mantray,' and 'Brāhmaṇa' from the protection of Brahman.

अल्पाक्षरमसन्दिग्धं सारवद्विश्वतोमुखम्। अस्तोभमनवद्यञ्च सूत्रं सूत्रविदो विदुः ।। ५९.

A sūtra is known by those versed in sūtras as concise in words, unambiguous, full of essence, universal in scope, free from redundancy, and flawless.

ऋषयस्तद्वचः श्रुत्वा सूतमाहुः सुदुस्तरम्। कथं वेदा पुरा व्यस्तास्तन्नो ब्रूहि महामते ।। ६०.

Having heard those words, the sages said to the Sūta, 'It is very difficult to cross; how were the Vedas formerly divided? Tell us that, O greatly wise one.'

द्वापरे तु परावृत्ते मनोः स्वायम्भुवेऽन्तरे । ब्रह्मा मनुमुवाचेदं तद्वदिष्ये महामते ।। ६०.

When the Dvāpara age had turned, in the interval of Manu Svāyambhuva, Brahmā spoke this to Manu; I shall tell you that, O greatly wise one.

परिवृत्ते युगे तात स्वल्पवीर्या द्विजातयः। संवृत्तां युग दोषेण सर्वे चैव यथाक्रमम् ।। ६०.

When the age had turned, O dear one, the twice-born became of little strength, all having been affected by the fault of the age, each in due order.

भ्रश्यमानं युगवशादल्पशिष्टं हि दृश्यते। दशसाहस्रभागेन ह्यवशिष्टं कृतादिदम् ।। ६०.

Due to the influence of the age, what remains is seen to be very little; only a ten-thousandth part of the original remains from the Kṛta age and others.

वीर्यं तेजो बलं वाक्यं सर्वञ्चैव प्रणश्यति। वेदवेदा हि कार्याः स्युर्माभूद्वेदविनाशनम् ।। ६०.

Strength, energy, power, speech, and everything else perishes; the Vedas must be preserved, lest the destruction of the Vedas occur.

वेदे नाशमनुप्राप्ते यज्ञो नाशं गमिष्यति। यत्रे नष्टे देवनाशस्ततः सर्वं प्रणश्यति ।। ६०.

When destruction comes to the Veda, sacrifice will also perish; when sacrifice is lost, the gods are destroyed, and then all is lost.