Vayu Purana

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.

एक आसीद्यजुर्वेदस्तञ्चतुर्द्धा व्यकल्पयत्। चतुर्होत्रमभूत्तस्मिंस्तेन यज्ञमकल्पयत् ।। ६०.

There was one Yajurveda, which he divided into four parts; in it arose the four hotṛ priests, and thus he arranged the sacrifice.

आध्वर्यवं यजुर्भिस्तु ऋग्भिर्होत्रं तथैव च। उद्गात्रं सामभिश्वक्रे ब्रह्मत्वञ्चाप्यथर्वभिः। ब्रह्मत्वमकरोद्यज्ञे वेदेनाथर्वणेन तु ।। ६०.

With the Yajur mantras, he established the Adhvaryu; with the Ṛg mantras, the Hotṛ likewise; with the Sāma mantras, he created the Udgātṛ; and with the Atharva mantras, the Brahman; indeed, he made the office of Brahman in the sacrifice by means of the Atharvaveda.

ततः सऋचमुद्धृत्य ऋग्वेदं समकल्प यत्। होतृकं कल्प्यते तेन यज्ञवाहं जगद्धितम् ।। ६०.

Then, extracting the Ṛks, he arranged the Ṛgveda; by that, the office of Hotṛ is established, which carries out the sacrifice for the welfare of the world.

सामभिः सामवेदञ्च तेनोद्गात्रमरोचयत् । राज्ञस्त्वथर्ववेदेन सर्वकर्माण्यकारयत् ।। ६०.

With the Sāma mantras, he arranged the Sāmaveda, and thereby appointed the Udgātṛ; but with the Atharvaveda, he caused all the king's rituals to be performed.

आख्यानैश्चाप्युपाख्यानैर्गाथाभिः कुलकर्मभिः। पुराणसंहिताश्चक्रे पुराणार्थविशारदः ।। ६०.

With narratives, sub-narratives, songs, and family rites, he, skilled in the meaning of the Purāṇas, composed the collections of the Purāṇas.

यच्छिष्टन्तु यजुर्वेदे तेन यज्ञमथायुजत्। युञ्जानः स यजुर्वेदे इति शास्त्रविनिश्चयः ।। ६०.

And what remained in the Yajurveda, with that he further joined the sacrifice; one who employs the Yajurveda in this way is established by the teaching.

पदानामुद्धृतत्वाच्च यजूंषि विषमाणि वै । स तेनोद्धृतवीर्यस्तु ऋत्विग्भिर्वेदपारगैः। प्रयुज्यते ह्यश्वमेधस्तेन वा युज्यते तु सः ।। ६०.

Because the words were extracted, the Yajus mantras are indeed irregular; thus, endowed with that extracted power, he is employed by the expert priests, and by that, the Aśvamedha is performed, and he is thus engaged.

ऋचो गृहीत्वा पैलस्तु व्यभजत्तद् विधा पुनः । द्विष्कृत्वा संयुगे चैव शिष्याभ्यामददत्प्रभुः ।। ६०.

Paila, having taken the Ṛks, divided them again according to rule; making them twofold in arrangement, the master gave them to his two disciples.

इन्द्रप्रमतये चैकां द्वितीयां बाष्कलाय च। चतस्रः संहिताः कृत्वा बाष्कलिर्द्विजसत्तमः। शिष्यानध्यापयामास शुश्रूषाभिरतान् हितान् ।। ६०.

One portion to Indrapramati, the second to Bāṣkala; Bāṣkala, best of twice-born, made four collections, and taught his devoted disciples who were eager to listen.

बोधन्तु प्रथमां शाखां द्वितीयामग्निमाठरम्। पाराशरं तृतीयान्तु याज्ञवल्क्यामथापराम् ।। ६०.

The first branch was Bodha, the second Agnimāṭhara, the third Pārāśara, and the fourth Yājñavalkya.