Vayu Purana

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.

जातः सर्वैषधिधरः सर्वरत्नाकरात्मवान्। पर्वतः प्रवरः पुण्यः क्रौञ्चस्तस्यात्मजोऽभवत् ।। ११.

He was born as the lord of all mountains, possessing all jewels within himself, a most excellent and holy mountain; Krauñca became his son.

तिस्रः कन्यास्तु मेनायां जनयामास शैलराट्। अपर्णामेकपर्णाञ्च तृतीयामेकपाटलाम् ।। ११.

The lord of mountains begot three daughters upon Menā: Aparṇā, Ekaparṇā, and the third, Ekapāṭalā.

आश्रिते द्वे ह्यपर्णा तु अनिकेता तपोऽचरत्। न्यग्रोधमेकपर्णी तु पाटलामेकपाटला। शतं वर्षसहस्राणि दुश्चरं देवदानवैः ष।। ११.

Of these, Aparṇā took refuge in asceticism, homeless, practicing austerity; Ekaparṇā lived under a banyan tree, and Ekapāṭalā under a pāṭala tree. For a hundred thousand years, they performed severe austerities, difficult even for gods and demons.

आहारमेकपर्णेन एकपर्णी समाचरत्। पाटलेनैव चैकेन विदध्यादेकपाटला ।। ११.

Ekaparṇā sustained herself with food from a single leaf; Ekapāṭalā likewise subsisted on a single pāṭala blossom.

पूर्णे पूर्णे सहस्रे द्वे आहारं वै प्रजक्रतुः । एका तत्र निराहारा तां माता प्रत्यभाषत ।। ११.

At the completion of every two thousand years, they would take food; but one among them remained without food, and her mother addressed her.

निषेधयन्ती ह्युमेति माता स्रेहेन दुःखिता। सा तथोक्ततया देवी मात्रा दुश्चरचारिणी ।। ११.

Her mother, out of affection and sorrow, forbade her, saying 'U,' and thus, as spoken by her mother, that goddess, performer of difficult austerities—

उमेति सा महाभागा त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुता । तथेति नाम्ना तेनासौ निरुक्ता कर्मणा शुभा ।। ११.

She, the illustrious one, became known in the three worlds as Umā; thus, by that name, she is called, and by her auspicious deeds.

एतत्तु त्रिकुमारीकं जगत्स्यास्यति शाश्वतम्। एतासां तपसा दृप्तं यावद्भूमिद्धरिष्यति ।। ११.

This triad of maidens will endure in the world forever; by their austerity, the earth will be sustained as long as it lasts.

तपःशरीरास्ताः सर्वास्तिस्रो योगबलान्विताः। देव्यस्ताः सुमहाभागाः सर्व्वाश्च स्थिरयौवनाः ।। ११.

All three, their bodies formed by austerity, endowed with the power of yoga, these goddesses are greatly blessed and ever youthful.

सर्वाश्च ब्रह्मवादिन्यः सर्वा श्चैवोर्द्ध्वरेतसः। उमा तासां वरिष्ठा च श्रेष्ठा च वरवर्णिनी ।। ११.

All are speakers of Brahman, all are of pure celibacy; among them Umā is the most excellent, the foremost, and of supreme beauty.