Vayu Purana

एतस्य वंशे सम्भूता विचित्रैः कर्म्मभिर्द्विजाः। शलात्मजो ह्यार्ष्टिषेणश्चरन्तस्तस्य चात्मजः ।। ३०.

In his lineage, diverse Brahmins arose through various deeds; Śala's son was Ārṣṭiṣeṇa, and his son likewise wandered.

शौनकाश्चार्ष्टिषेणाश्च क्षात्रोपेता द्विजातयः। काशस्य काशयो राष्टः पुत्रो दीर्घतपास्तथा ।। ३०.

The Śaunakas and the Ārṣṭiṣeṇas, twice-born castes accompanied by Kṣatriyas, and Kāśa, the son of Kāśa, and also Dīrghatapās, are mentioned.

धर्म्मश्च दीर्घतपसो विद्वान् धन्वन्तरिस्ततः। तपसा सुमहातेजा जातो वृद्धस्य धीमतः। अथैनमृषयः प्रोचुः सूतं वाक्यमिमं पुनः ।। ३०.

From Dīrghatapās, the learned and greatly austere, was born Dharma, and then Dhanvantari, radiant with immense ascetic power, was born from the wise elder. Then the sages again addressed the Sūta with these words.

ऋषय ऊचुः ।। कथं धन्वन्तरिर्द्देवो मानुषेष्विह जज्ञिवान्। एतद्वेदितुमिच्छामस्ततो ब्रूहि प्रियं तथा ।। ३०.

The sages said: How did the god Dhanvantari take birth among humans here? We wish to know this; therefore, kindly tell us in a pleasing manner.

सूत उवाच।। धन्वन्तरेः सम्भवोऽयं श्रूयतामिह वै द्विजाः। स सम्भूतः समुद्रान्ते मथ्यमानेऽमृते पुरा ।। ३०.

The Sūta said: Listen, O twice-born, to the origin of Dhanvantari here. He was produced in ancient times at the edge of the ocean, when the nectar was being churned.

उत्पन्नः सकलात् पूर्व्वं सर्व्वतश्च श्रियावृतः। सर्व्वसंसिद्धकायं तं दृष्ट्वा विष्टम्भितः स्थितः। अजस्त्वमिति होवाच तस्मादजस्तु सः स्मृतः ।। ३०.

He arose before all, enveloped in splendor from every side. Seeing his body, perfect in every way, the Unborn One stood amazed and said, 'You are unborn,' and thus he became known as Aja.

अजः प्रोवाच विष्णुं तं तनयोऽस्मि तव प्रभो। विधत्स्व भागं स्थानञ्च मम लोके सुरोत्तम ।। ३०.

Aja spoke to Viṣṇu: 'Lord, I am your son. Assign to me a share and a place in the world, O best of gods.'

एवमुक्तः सुदृष्ट्वा तु तथा प्रोवाच स प्रभुः । कृतो यज्ञविभागस्तु यज्ञियौर्हे सुरैस्तथा ।। ३०.

Thus addressed, the Lord, having seen him well, replied: 'The division of the sacrifice has been made, and the gods have received their sacrificial shares.'

वेदेषु विधियुक्तञ्च विधिहोत्रं महर्षिभिः। न शक्यमिह होमो वै तुल्यं कर्त्तुं कदाचन ।। ३०.

The ritual offerings prescribed in the Vedas by the great sages cannot be performed equally here by means of sacrifice at any time.

अर्वाक्सुतोऽसि हे देव नाममन्त्रोऽसि वै प्रभो। द्वितीयायान्तु सम्भूत्यां लोके ख्यातिङ्गमिष्यसि ।। ३०.

O god, you are born later; you are indeed the lord of names and mantras. In your second birth, you will become renowned in the world.

अणिमादियुता सिद्धिर्गर्भस्थस्य भविष्यति। तेनैव च शरीरेण देवत्वं प्राप्स्यसि प्रभो। चारुमन्त्रैर्घृतैर्गन्धैर्यक्ष्यन्ति त्वां द्विजातयः ।। ३०.

You will possess the perfections beginning with aṇimā even while in the womb. With that very body, O lord, you will attain divinity. The twice-born will worship you with beautiful mantras, clarified butter, and fragrances.

अथ च त्वं पुनश्चैव आयुर्वेदं विधास्यसि। अवश्यम्भावी ह्यर्थोऽयं प्राग्दिष्टस्त्वब्जयोनिना ।। ३०.

And again, you will establish the science of life, Ayurveda. This is a certain event, previously ordained by the lotus-born one.

द्वितीयं द्वापरं प्राप्य भविता त्वं न संशयः। तस्मात् तस्मै वरं दत्त्वा विष्णुरन्तर्दघे ततः ।। ३०.

When the second Dvāpara arrives, you will be born—of this there is no doubt. Therefore, having granted him a boon, Viṣṇu then disappeared.

द्वितीये द्वापरे प्राप्ते सौनहोत्रः स काशिराट्। पुत्रकाम स्तपस्तेपे नृपो दीर्घतपास्तथा ।। ३०.

When the second Dvāpara arrived, the king of Kāśi, Saunahotra, desiring a son, performed austerities, as did King Dīrghatapās.

अजं देवन्तु पुत्रार्थे ह्यारिराधयिषुर्नृपः। वरेण च्छन्दयामास प्रीतो धन्वन्तरिर्नृपम् ।। ३०.

Desiring a son, the king sought to propitiate the god Aja. Pleased, Dhanvantari offered the king a boon of his choosing.

नृप उवाच।। भगवन् यदि तुष्टस्त्वं पुत्रो मे धृतिमान् भव। तथेति समनुज्ञाय तत्रैवान्तरधीयत ।। ३०.

The king said: 'O blessed one, if you are pleased, let a steadfast son be born to me.' Having consented, he vanished there itself.

तस्य गेहे समुत्पन्नो देवो धन्वन्तरिस्तदा। काशिराजो महाराजः सर्व्वरोगप्रणाशनः ।। ३०.

Then, in his house, the god Dhanvantari was born. The king of Kāśi, O great king, became the destroyer of all diseases.

आयुर्वेदं भरद्वाजश्चकार सभिषक्क्रियम्। तमष्टधा पुनर्व्यस्य शिष्येभ्यः प्रत्यपादयत् ।। ३०.

Bharadvāja composed Ayurveda, along with its medical practice. He divided it into eight parts and taught it to his disciples.

धन्वन्तरिसुतश्चापि केतुमानिति विश्रुतः। अथ केतुमतः पुत्रो विभो भीमरथो नृपः। दिवोदास इति ख्यातो वाराणस्यधिपोऽभवत् ।। ३०.

Dhanvantari's son, renowned as Ketumān, was born. From Ketumān came the king Bhīmaratha, and Divodāsa, famed as the lord of Vārāṇasī, was his son.

एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु पुरीं वाराणसीं पुरा। शून्यां विवेशयामास क्षेणको नाम राक्षसः ।। ३०.

At that very time, a demon named Kṣeṇaka entered the city of Vārāṇasī, which had become deserted.

शप्ता हि सा पुरी पूर्व्वं निकुम्भेन महात्मना। शून्या वर्षसहस्रं वै भवित्रीति पुनः पुनः ।। ३०.

Indeed, that city had previously been cursed by the great Nikumbha, to remain empty for a thousand years, again and again.

तस्यान्तु शप्तमात्रायां दिवोदासः प्रजेश्वरः। विषयान्ते पुरीं रम्यां गोमत्यां सन्न्यवेशयत् ।। ३०.

But as soon as that curse took effect, Divodāsa, lord of the people, established a beautiful city at the edge of his realm, on the Gomati.

ऋष ऊचुः।। वाराणसीं किमर्थन्तां निकुम्भः शप्तवान् पुरा। निकुम्भश्चापि धर्म्मात्मा सिद्धक्षेत्रं शशाप यः ।। ३०.

The sages said: For what reason did Nikumbha formerly curse Vārāṇasī? And why did that righteous Nikumbha curse the sacred field?

सूत उवाच।। दिवोदासस्तु राजर्षिर्नगरीं प्राप्य पार्थिवः। वसते स महातेजाः स्फीतायां वै नराधिपः ।। ३०.

Sūta said: King Divodāsa, the royal sage, having obtained the city, dwelt there, that mighty ruler, in the flourishing city.

एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु कृतदारो महेश्वरः। देव्याः स प्रियकामस्तु वसानश्च सुरान्तिके ।। ३०.

At that very time, Maheśvara, having taken a wife, who was dear to him, was living with the goddess among the gods.

देवाज्ञया पारिषदा विश्वरूपास्तपोधनाः। पूर्वोक्तै रूपविशेषस्तोषयन्ति महेश्वरीम् ।। ३०.

By the command of the gods, the attendants, rich in ascetic power and of manifold forms as previously described, pleased the great goddess.

हृष्यति तैर्महादेवो मेना नैव तु हृष्यति। जुगुप्सते सा नित्यञ्च देवं देवीं तथैव च ।। ३०.

Mahādeva rejoiced because of them, but Menā did not rejoice; she constantly found fault with both the god and the goddess.

मम पार्श्वे त्वनाचारस्तव भर्त्ता महेश्वरः। दरिद्रः सर्व एवेह अक्लिष्टं लडतेऽनघे ।। ३०.

"Your husband Maheśvara is improper at my side; he is entirely poor here, yet he lives untroubled, O sinless one."

मात्रा तथोक्ता वचसा स्त्रीस्वबावान्नचाक्षमत्। स्मितं कृत्वा तु वरदा हरपार्श्वमथागमत् ।। ३०.

Thus addressed by her mother, she, by her feminine nature, could not bear it; but smiling, the boon-giver went to Hara's side.