Vayu Purana

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.

आद्यो वेदश्चतुष्पादः शतसाहस्रसंज्ञितः। पुनर्दशगुणः कृत्स्नो यज्ञो वै सर्वकामधुक् ।। ६०.

The first Veda was four-footed and known as having one hundred thousand (verses); the complete sacrifice was ten times greater, truly yielding all desires.

एवमुक्तस्तथेत्युक्त्वा मनुर्लोकहिते रतः। वेदमेकं चतुष्पादं चतुर्धा व्यभजत्प्रभुः ।। ६०.

Thus addressed, and having replied 'so be it,' Manu, intent on the welfare of the world, divided the one four-footed Veda into four parts, being the lord.

ब्रह्मणो वचनात्तात लोकानां हितकाम्यया। तदिदं वर्त्तमानेन युष्माकं वेदकल्पनम् ।। ६०.

By the command of Brahmā, desiring the welfare of the worlds, this arrangement of the Veda has come to you in the present time.

मन्वन्तरेण वक्ष्यामि व्यतीतानां प्रकल्पनम्। प्रत्यक्षेण परोक्षं वै तन्निबोधत सत्तमाः ।। ६०.

By the Manvantara I shall declare the arrangement of the past; know that, O best ones, as both direct and indirect.

अस्मिन् युगे कृतो व्यासः पाराशर्यः परन्तपः। द्वैपायन इति ख्यातो विष्णोरंशः प्रकीर्तितः ।। ६०.

In this age, the arranger of the Veda is Vyāsa, son of Parāśara, renowned as Dvaipāyana, declared to be a portion of Viṣṇu.

ब्रह्मणा चोदितः सोऽस्मिन् वेदं व्यस्तुं प्रचक्रमे। अथ शिष्यान् स जग्राह चतुरो वेदकारणात् ।। ६०.

Urged by Brahmā, he began to arrange the Veda in this age; then, for the sake of the Veda, he took four disciples.

जैमिनिञ्च सुमन्तुञ्च वैशम्पायनमेव च। पैलन्तेषां चतुर्थन्तु पञ्चमं लोमहर्षणम् ।। ६०.

Jaimini, Sumantu, and Vaiśampāyana, and as the fourth among them, Paila, and the fifth, Lomaharṣaṇa.

ऋग्वेदश्रावकं पैलञ्जग्राह विधिवद् द्विजम् । यजुर्वेदप्रवक्तारं वैशम्पायनमेव च ।। ६०.

Paila, the twice-born, properly received the role of reciter of the Ṛgveda, and Vaiśampāyana that of the expounder of the Yajurveda.

जैमिनिं सामवेदार्थश्रावकं सोऽन्वपद्यत। तथैवाथर्ववेदस्य सुमन्तुमृषिसत्तमम् ।। ६०.

Jaimini became the reciter of the meaning of the Sāmaveda, and likewise, Sumantu, the most excellent sage, of the Atharvaveda.

इतिहासपुराणस्य वक्तारं सम्यगेव हि। माञ्चैव प्रतिजग्राह भगवानीश्वरः प्रभुः ।। ६०.

And as the proper narrator of Itihāsa and Purāṇa, the venerable Lord Īśvara accepted me as well.