Vayu Purana

उपरिष्टात्रयस्तेषां वर्त्तन्ते भावमूर्त्तयः। तेषामधस्ताद्वर्त्तन्ते चत्वारः सूक्षममूर्त्तयः ।। १०.

Above them, three exist as beings with manifest forms; below them, four exist as subtle, unmanifest forms.

ततो देवास्ततो भूमिरेषा लोकपरम्परा। लोके वर्त्तन्ति ते ह्यस्मिंस्तेभ्यः पर्जन्यसम्भवः । वृष्टिर्भवति तैर्वृष्ट्या लोकानां सम्भवः पुनः ।। १०.

From those gods comes the earth, and this is the succession of worlds; they dwell in this world, and from them arises rain. Through that rain, the worlds are born again.

आप्याययन्ति ते यस्मात्सोमञ्चान्नञ्च योगतः। ऊचुस्तान्वै पितॄंस्तस्माल्लोकानां लोकसत्तमाः ।। १०.

By yoga, they nourish soma and food; thus, the best of the worlds spoke to the ancestors.

मनोजवाः स्वधाभक्षाः सर्वकामपरिच्छदाः। लोभमोहभयापेता निश्चिताः शोकवर्जिताः ।। १०.

Swift as thought, feeding on svadha, adorned with all desires, free from greed, delusion, and fear, resolute, and devoid of sorrow.

एते योगं परित्यज्य प्राप्ता लोकान्सुदर्शनान्। दिव्याः पुण्या महात्मानो विपाप्मानो भवन्त्युत ।। १०.

Having abandoned yoga, they attain beautiful worlds; divine, virtuous, great-souled, and indeed free from sin.

ततो युगसहस्रान्ते जायन्ते ब्रह्मवादिनः। प्रतिलभ्य पुनर्योगं मोक्षं गच्छन्त्यमूर्त्तयः ।। १०.

Then, at the end of a thousand ages, the Brahma-knowers are born; having regained yoga, the formless ones attain liberation.

व्यक्ताव्यक्तं परित्यज्य महायोगबलेन वा । नश्यन्त्युल्केव गगने क्षीणविद्युत्प्रभेव च ।। १०.

Having abandoned both manifest and unmanifest, by the power of great yoga, they perish like meteors in the sky or like fading flashes of lightning.

उत्सृज्य देहजातानि महायोगबलेन च। निराख्योपाख्यतां यान्ति सरितः सागरे यथा ।। १०.

Casting off bodies born of form, by the power of great yoga, they attain nameless and anonymous states, like rivers merging into the ocean.

क्रियया गुरुपूजाभिर्ये च कुर्वन्ति नित्यशः। ताभिराप्याययन्त्येते पितरो योगवर्द्धनाः ।। १०.

Those who constantly perform actions and worship of elders, by these acts, the ancestors are nourished, their yoga increased.

श्राद्धे प्रीताः पुनः सोमं पितरो योगमास्थिताः। आप्याययन्ति योगेन त्रैलोक्यं येन जीवति ।। १०.

When pleased by the śrāddha, the ancestors, established in union, nourish Soma through their yoga, by which the three worlds are sustained.

तस्माच्छ्राद्धानि देयानि योगिभ्यो यत्नतः सदा। पितॄणां हि बलं योगो योगात्सोमः प्रवर्त्तते ।। १०.

Therefore, offerings of śrāddha should always be given with care to yogis; for the strength of the ancestors is yoga, and from yoga Soma arises.

सहस्रशस्तु विप्रान्वै भोजयेद्यावदागतान् १०.

One should feed thousands of Brāhmaṇas, as many as have arrived.

कल्पितानां सहस्रेण स्नातकानां शतेन च। योगाचार्येण यद्भुक्तं त्रायते महतो भयात् ।। १०.

What is eaten by a teacher of yoga, among a thousand appointed guests and a hundred initiated students, protects from great danger.

गृहस्थानां सहस्रेण वानप्रस्थशतेन च। ब्रह्मचारिसहस्रेण योगी ह्येको विशिष्यते ।। १०.

Among a thousand householders, a hundred forest-dwellers, and a thousand celibate students, a single yogi excels.

नास्तिको वा विकर्मा वा सङ्कीर्णस्तस्करोऽपि वा। नान्यत्र कारणं दानं योगेष्वाह प्रजापतिः ।। १०.

Whether atheist, wrongdoer, mixed-caste, or even a thief—there is no other reason for giving except to yogis, so declares Prajāpati.

पितरस्तस्य तुष्यन्ति सुवृष्टेनेव कर्षकाः। पुत्रो वाप्यथ वा पौत्रो ध्यानिनं भोजयिष्यति ।। १०.

The ancestors are satisfied by him, just as farmers are by good rain, when a son or grandson feeds a meditator.

अलाभे ध्यानिभिक्षूणां भोजयेद्ब्रह्मचारिणौ । तदलाभेप्युदासीनं गृहस्थमपि भोजयेत् ।। १०.

If meditators or mendicants are not found, one should feed celibate students; if they are also unavailable, even a neutral person or a householder may be fed.

यस्तिष्ठेदेकपादेन वायुभक्षः शतं समाः । ध्यानयोगी परस्तस्मादिति ब्रह्मानुशासनम् ।। १०.

He who stands on one foot, subsisting on air for a hundred years, is surpassed by the meditator in yoga—so is the instruction of Brahmā.

सिद्धा हि विप्ररूपेण चरन्ति पृथिवीमिमाम्। तस्मादतिथिमायान्तमभिगच्छेत्कृताञ्जलिः ।। १०.

Perfected beings wander this earth in the form of Brāhmaṇas; therefore, one should approach a guest who arrives, with joined palms.

पूजयेच्चार्घ्यपात्रेण वेश्मना भोजनेन च। ऊर्वोः सागरपर्यन्तां देवा योगेश्वराः सदा। नानारूपैश्चरन्त्येते प्रजा धर्मेण पालयन् ।। १०.

One should honor him with a vessel of water, with hospitality, and with food; from the shores of the ocean to the north, the divine lords of yoga always roam, protecting people in various forms through righteousness.

तस्माद्दद्याच्च वै दानं विप्रायातिथये नरः। प्रदानानि प्रवक्ष्यामि फलञ्चैषां तथैव च ।। १०.

Therefore, a person should give gifts to Brāhmaṇas and guests; I will declare the types of gifts and their fruits as well.

अश्वमेधसहस्रेण राजसूयशतेन च। पुण्डरीकसहस्रेण योगिष्वावसथो वरम् ।। १०.

A residence for yogis is superior to a thousand horse sacrifices, a hundred royal consecrations, and a thousand lotus offerings.

आद्य एष गणः प्रोक्तः पितॄणाममितौजसाम्। भावयन्सप्तकालान्वै स्थित एष गणस्तदा ।। १०.

This first group of the ancestors of immeasurable energy has been described; sustaining the seven times, this group remains established.

अत ऊरद्ध्वं प्रवक्ष्यामि सर्वान् पितृगणान्पुनः । सन्ततिं संस्थितिञ्चैव भावनाञ्च यथाक्रमम् ।। १०.

Now I will declare all the groups of ancestors, their succession, their establishment, and their contemplation, in proper order.

सप्त मेधावतां श्रेष्ठाः स्वर्गे पितृगणाः स्मृताः। चत्वारो मूर्तिमन्तश्च त्रयस्तेषाममूर्त्तयः। तेषां लोकविसर्गन्तु कीर्त्तयिष्ये निबोधत ।। ११.

Seven groups of ancestors, most eminent among the wise, are remembered in heaven; four have form, and three are formless; I will describe their world-creation, listen.

या वै दुहितरस्तेषां दोहित्राश्चैव ये स्मृताः। धर्ममूर्त्तिधरास्तेषां ये त्रयः परमा गणाः ।। ११.

Their daughters and granddaughters are remembered; those who bear the form of dharma are the three supreme groups among them.

नामानि लोकसर्गञ्च तेषां वक्ष्ये समासतः। लोका विरजसो नाम्ना यत्र तिष्ठन्ति भास्वराः ।। ११.

I will briefly state their names and the creation of their worlds; the worlds called Viraja, where the shining ones dwell.

अमूर्त्तयः पितृगणाः पुत्रास्ते वै प्रजापतेः। विरजस्य द्विजाः श्रेष्ठा वैराजा इति विश्रुताः । एष वै प्रथमः कल्पो वैराजानां प्रकीर्त्तितः ।। ११.

The hosts of the Pitṛs are formless; they are the sons of Prajāpati Virajas, O best of twice-born. They are renowned as the Vairājas. This is declared as the first cycle of the Vairājas.

तेषान्तु मानसी कन्या मेना नाम महागिरेः। पत्नी हिमवतः शुभ्र यस्यां मैनाक उच्यते ।। ११.

Among them, a mind-born daughter named Menā, of the great mountain, became the wife of Himavat, O pure one, and from her Maināka is said to have been born.