Vayu Purana

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.

महायोगबलोपेता महादेवमुपस्थिता। दन्तकाण्वोशना तस्याः पुत्रो वै भृगुनन्दनः ।। ११.

Endowed with great yogic power, she approached Mahādeva; Dantakāṇva was her son, O descendant of Bhṛgu.

असितस्यैकपर्णी तु पत्नी साध्वी दृढव्रता। दत्ता हिमवता तस्मै योगाचार्याय धीमते। देवलं सुषुवे सा तु ब्रह्मिष्ठं मानसं सुतम् ।। ११.

Ekaparṇā, steadfast and virtuous, was given by Himavat to Asita, the wise teacher of yoga, as his wife; she bore him Devala, a mind-born son devoted to Brahman.

या चैतासां कुमारीणां तृतीया त्वेकपाटला। पुत्रं शतशिलाकस्य जैगीषव्यमुपस्थिता ।। ११.

And the third among these maidens, Ekapāṭalā, approached Jaigīṣavya, the son of Śataśilāka.

तस्यापि शङ्खलिखितौ स्मृतौ पुत्रावयोनिजौ। इत्येता वै महाभागाः कन्या हिमवतः शुभाः ।। ११.

To her were born two sons, Śaṅkha and Likhita, remembered as born not from the womb; thus these illustrious daughters of Himavat are auspicious.

रुद्राणी सा तु प्रवरा स्वगुणैरतिरिच्यते। अन्योन्यप्रीतिरनयोरुमाशङ्करयोर्यथा ।। ११.

She, the foremost Rudrāṇī, excels by her own virtues; the mutual love between Umā and Śaṅkara is as it should be.

श्लेषं संसक्तयोर्ज्ञात्वा शङ्कितः किल वृत्रहा। ताभ्यां मैथुनसक्ताभ्यामपत्योद्भवभीरुणा। तयोः सकाशमिन्द्रेण प्रेषितो हव्यवाहनः ।। ११.

Knowing the union and attachment of the two, the slayer of Vṛtra became suspicious; as they were engaged in intimacy and fearful of offspring, Agni was sent by Indra to them.

अनयो रतिविघ्नञ्च त्वमाचर हुताशन। सर्वत्र गत एव त्वं न दोषो विद्यते तदा ।। ११.

O Fire, you should cause an obstacle to their union; since you are present everywhere, there is no fault in this.

इत्येवमुक्ते तु तथा वह्निना च तथा कृतम्। उमादेहं समुत्सृज्य शुक्रं भूमौ विसर्जितम् ।। ११.

When this was thus spoken and done by Fire, Uma abandoned her body and released the seed upon the earth.

ततो रुषितया देव्या शप्तोऽग्निः शांशपायन। इदं चोक्तवती वह्निं रोषगद्घदया गिरा ।। ११.

Then, angered, the goddess cursed Agni, O Shaṃśapāyana, and spoke these words to him, her speech trembling with wrath.

यस्मान्मय्यवितृप्तायां रतिविघ्नं हुताशन। कृतवानस्यकर्त्तव्यं तस्मात्त्वमसि दुर्मते ।। ११.

Since, while I was unsatisfied, you, O Fire, caused an obstacle to union, which was not your duty, therefore you are of misguided mind.