Vayu Purana

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.

विषण्णवदना देवी महादेवमभाषत। नेह वत्स्याम्यहं देव नय मां स्वं निवेशनम् ।। ३०.

The goddess, her face downcast, spoke to Mahādeva: "O god, I will not stay here; take me to your own abode."

तथोक्तस्तु महादेवः सर्वांल्लोकानवेक्ष्य ह। वासार्थं रोचयामास पृथिव्यां तु द्विजोत्तमाः। वाराणसीं महातेजाः सिद्धक्षेत्रं महेश्वरः ।। ३०.

Thus addressed, Mahādeva, after surveying all the worlds for a dwelling, chose on earth, O best of twice-born, the illustrious Vārāṇasī, the sacred field.

दिवो दासेन तां ज्ञात्वा निविष्टान्नगरीं भवः। पार्श्वास्थं स समाहूय गणेशं क्षेमकं ब्रवीत् ।। ३०.

Knowing that Divodāsa had settled in that city, Bhava summoned Gaṇeśa, who stood by his side, and spoke to the protector.

गणेश्वर पुरीङ्गत्वा सून्यां वाराणसीं कुरु। मृदुना चाब्युपायेन अतिवीर्यः स पार्थिवः ।। ३०.

"O lord of the gaṇas, go to the city and make Vārāṇasī empty; use gentle means, for that king is exceedingly powerful."

ततो गत्वा निकुम्भस्तु पुरीं वाराणसीं पुरा । स्वप्ने सन्दर्शयामास मङ्कनं नाम नापितम् ।। ३०.

Then Nikumbha went to the city of Vārāṇasī and, in a dream, appeared to a barber named Maṅkana.

श्रेयस्तेऽहं करिष्यामि स्थानं मे रोचयानघ। मद्रूपां प्रतिमां कृत्वा नगर्य्यन्ते निवेशय ।। ३०.

"I will bring you prosperity; choose a place for me, O sinless one. Make an image in my likeness and install it in the city."

तथा स्वप्ने यथा दृष्टं सर्वं कारितवान् द्विजाः। नगरीद्वार्यनुज्ञाप्य राजानन्तु यथाविधि ।। ३०.

Just as he had seen in the dream, he caused everything to be done, O twice-born; having obtained the king's permission according to rule.

पूजा तु महती चैव नित्यमेव प्रयुज्यते। गन्धैर्धूपैश्च माल्यैश्च प्रेक्षणीयैस्तथैव च ।। ३०.

A great worship is performed there constantly, with perfumes, incense, garlands, and other beautiful offerings.

अन्नप्रदानयुक्तैश्च अत्यद्भुतमिवाभवत्। एवं सम्पूज्यते तत्र नित्यमेव गणेश्वरः ।। ३०.

With offerings of food, it became as if exceedingly wondrous; thus, Lord of the Hosts is worshipped there always.

ततो वरसहस्राणि नगराणां प्रयच्छति । पुत्रान् हिरण्यमायूंषि सर्व्वकामांस्तथैव च ।। ३०.

Then he grants thousands of boons to cities: sons, gold, longevity, and all desired things likewise.