Vayu Purana

ऋषयस्त्वेकतः सर्वे याज्ञवल्क्यस्तथैकतः। सर्वे ते मुनयस्तेन याज्ञवल्क्येन धीमता । एकैकशस्ततः पृष्टा नैवोत्तरमथाव्रुवन् ।। ६०.

All the sages stood on one side, and Yājñavalkya alone on the other; all those sages, questioned one by one by the wise Yājñavalkya, could not give any answer.

तान्विजित्य मुनीन् सर्वान् ब्रह्मराशिर्महाद्युतिः। शाकल्यमिति होवाच वादकर्त्तारमञ्जसा ।। ६०.

Having defeated all the sages, the radiant Brahmarashi directly addressed Shakalya, the disputant.

शाकल्य वद वक्तव्यं किं ध्यायन्नवतिष्टसे। पूर्णस्त्वं जडमानेन वाताध्मातो यथा दृतिः ।। ६०.

Shakalya, speak what is to be spoken—why do you stand there, lost in thought? You are filled with dull pride, puffed up like a bladder by the wind.

एवं स धर्षितस्तेन रोषात्ताम्रास्यलोचनः। प्रोवाच याज्ञवल्क्यं तं पुरुषं मुनिसन्निधौ ।। ६०.

Thus insulted by him, Shakalya, his face and eyes reddened with anger, spoke to Yajnavalkya in the assembly of sages.

त्वमस्मांस्तृणवत्त्यक्त्वा तथैवेमान् द्विजोत्तमान्। विद्याधनं महासारं स्वयंग्राहं जिघृक्षसि ।। ६०.

You treat us as straw and likewise these excellent twice-born; you seek to seize for yourself the great prize of knowledge and wealth.

शाकल्येनैवनुक्तः स्याद्याज्ञवल्क्यः समब्रवीत्। ब्रह्मिष्ठानां बलं विद्धि विद्यातत्त्वार्थदर्शनम् ।। ६०.

Addressed thus by Shakalya, Yajnavalkya replied: Know that the strength of the Brahmavadins lies in seeing the true meaning of knowledge.

कामश्चार्थेन सम्बद्धस्तेनार्थं कामयामहे । कामप्रश्रधना विप्राः कामप्रश्रान्वदामहे ।। ६०.

Desire is connected with wealth; therefore, we desire wealth. O Brahmins, we speak in accordance with the desire for reward.

पणश्चैषोऽस्य राजर्षेस्तस्मान्नीतं धनं मया। एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचस्तस्य शाकल्यः क्रोधमूर्च्छितः। याज्ञवल्क्यमथोवाच कामप्रश्रार्थमद्वचः ।। ६०.

This is the wager of the royal sage; therefore, I have taken the wealth. Hearing these words, Shakalya, overcome with anger, then spoke to Yajnavalkya words concerning the desire for reward.

ब्रूहीदानीं मयोद्दिष्टान् कामप्रश्रान् यथार्थतः। ततः समभवद्वादस्तयोर्ब्रह्मविदोर्महान् ।। ६०.

Now declare, as I have set forth, the questions concerning desire for reward, as they truly are. Then a great debate arose between those two knowers of Brahman.

साग्रं प्रश्नसहस्रन्तु शाकल्यस्तमुचूचुदत्। याज्ञवल्क्योऽब्रवीत्सर्वान् ऋषीणां श्रृण्वतां तदा ।। ६०.

Shakalya put to him a thousand questions with their parts; Yajnavalkya answered them all, as the sages listened.

शाकल्ये चापि निर्वादे याज्ञवल्क्यस्तमब्रवीत् । प्रश्रमेकं ममापि त्वं वद शाकल्य कामिकम्। शापः पणोऽस्य वादस्य अब्रुवन् मृत्युमाव्रजेत् ।। ६०.

When Shakalya was defeated in debate, Yajnavalkya said to him: Now you must answer one question of mine, Shakalya, concerning desire. The wager for this debate, they say, is a curse—death would ensue.

अथ सन्नोदितं प्रश्रं याज्ञवल्क्येन धीमता । शाकल्यस्तमविज्ञाय सद्यो मृत्युमवाप्नुयात् ।। ६०.

Then, when the wise Yajnavalkya posed the question, Shakalya, unable to answer, immediately met his death.

एवं मृतः स शाकल्यः प्रश्रव्याख्यानपीडितः। एवं वादश्च सुमहानासीत्तेषां धनार्थिभिः। ऋषीणां मुनिभिः सार्द्धं याज्ञवल्क्यस्य चैव हि ।। ६०.

Thus Shakalya died, afflicted by his failure to explain the question. So great was the debate among those seekers of wealth, together with the sages and Yajnavalkya.

सर्वैः पृष्टांस्तु सम्प्रश्रान् शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः। व्याख्याय वै मुने तेषां प्रश्रसारं महागतिः ।। ६०.

Asked hundreds and thousands of questions by all, the sage explained them, attaining the highest essence of the questions.

याज्ञवल्क्यो धनं गृह्य यशो विख्याप्य चात्मनः। जगाम वै गृहं स्वस्थः शिष्यैः परिवृतो वशी ।। ६०.

Yajnavalkya, having taken the wealth and made his fame known, went home at ease, surrounded by his disciples, self-controlled.

देवमित्रस्तु शाकल्यो महात्मा द्विजसत्तमः। चकार संहिताः पञ्चबुद्धिमान् पदवित्तमः ।। ६०.

Devamitra Shakalya, the great-souled and eminent Brahmin, composed five collections, being wise and most skilled in words.

तच्छिष्या अभवन् पञ्च मुद्घलो गोलकस्तथा। खालीयश्च तथा मत्स्वः शैशिरेयस्तु पञ्चमः ।। ६०.

His five disciples were Mudghala, Golaka, Khalīya, Matsva, and the fifth was Shaishireya.

प्रोवाच संहितास्तिस्रः शाकपूर्णरथीतरः। निरुक्तञ्च पुनश्चक्रे चतुर्थं द्विजसत्तमः ।। ६०.

Shakapurnarathitara composed three collections, and again made the Nirukta as the fourth, O best of Brahmins.

तस्य शिष्यास्तु चत्वारः केतवो दालकिस्तथा। धर्मशर्मा देवशर्मा सर्वे व्रतधरा द्विजाः ।। ६०.

His disciples were four: Ketava, Dalaki, Dharmasharma, and Devasharma—all Brahmins devoted to vows.

शाकल्ये तु मृते सर्वे ब्रह्मघ्नास्ते बभूविरे। तदा चिन्तां परां प्राप्य गतास्ते ब्रह्मणोऽन्तिकम् ।। ६०.

When Śākalya died, all became slayers of Brahmins; then, seized by great anxiety, they went to Brahmā.

तान् ज्ञात्वा चेतसा ब्रह्मा प्रेषितः पवनःपुरे। तत्र गच्छत यूयं वःसद्यः पापं प्रणश्यति ।। ६०.

Knowing them in his mind, Brahmā sent them to the city of the Wind; 'Go there, and your sin will be destroyed at once.'

द्वादशार्कं नमस्कृत्या तथा वै वालुकेश्वरम् । एकादश तथा रुद्रान् वायुपुत्रं विशेषतः। कुण्डे चतुष्टये स्नात्वा ब्रह्महत्यां तरिष्यथ ।। ६०.

By worshipping the twelve Suns and likewise Vālukeśvara, and the eleven Rudras, especially the son of the Wind, and bathing in the four pools, you will cross over the sin of Brahmin-slaying.

सर्वे शीघ्रतरा भूत्वा तत्पुरं समुपागताः। स्नानं कृतं विधानेन देवानां दर्शनं कृतम् ।। ६०.

All, becoming very swift, reached that city; they performed the prescribed bath and had the vision of the gods.

उत्तरेश्वरं नमस्कृत्य वाडवानां प्रसादतः। सर्वे पापविनिर्मुक्ता गतास्ते सूर्यमण्डलम् ।। ६०.

By worshipping Uttareśvara, through the grace of the Vadavas, all were freed from sin and went to the solar orb.

तदा प्रभृति तत्तीर्थं जातं पातकनाशनम्। वायोः पुरं पवित्रञ्च वायुना निर्मितं पुरा ।। ६०.

From that time, that sacred place became a destroyer of sins; the city of the Wind, pure and holy, was created by Vāyu long ago.

अञ्जनागर्भसम्भूतहनुमान्पवनात्मजः। यदा जातो महादेवोहनुमान्सत्यविक्रमः। तदेवं निर्मितं तीर्थं वायुना ब्रह्मयोनिना ।। ६०.

Hanuman, born from Añjanā's womb and son of the Wind, when he was born, the great god Hanuman, true in valor, thus the sacred place was established by Vāyu, the source of Brahma.

ऊर्व्यां जातास्तु ये शूद्रा ब्राह्मणानां निवेदिताः। वृत्त्यर्थं ब्रह्मयज्ञार्थं करस्तेषु कृतो महान् ।। ६०.

Those Śūdras born on earth, presented to the Brahmins for livelihood and for the purpose of Brahma-sacrifice, a great hand was made among them.

अनेन विधिना जातं विप्राणां शासनं महत् । गोघ्नो वापि कृतघ्नो वा सुरापी गुरूतल्पगः। वाडादित्यं नमस्कृत्य सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते ।। ६०.

By this method, a great ordinance for the Brahmins was established; whether a killer of cows, a killer of men, a drinker of liquor, or one who approaches the teacher's bed—by worshipping Vādāditya, one is freed from all sins.

भारद्वाजो याज्ञवल्क्यो गालकिः सालकिस्तथा। धीमान् शतबलाकश्च नैगमश्च द्विजोत्तमः ।। ६१.

Bhāradvāja, Yājñavalkya, Gālaki, Sālaki, the wise Śatabalāka, and Naigama, the best of twice-born.