Vayu Purana

तदा बद्धमिदं ज्ञानं संज्ञा या ह्युपलक्ष्यताम्। कलानां सुपरीमाणात्काल इत्यभिधीयते ।। ३८.

Then this knowledge is established, and the designation should be noted; from the precise measure of kalās, time is so named.

यदहर्ब्रह्मणः प्रोक्तं दिव्या कोटी तु तत् स्मृत। शतानाञ्च सहस्राणि दशद्विगुणतानि च। नवतिञ्च सहस्राणि तथैवान्यानि यानि तु ।। ३८.

What has been spoken as the day of Brahma is remembered as divine crores; and hundreds of thousands, multiplied tenfold, and ninety thousand likewise, and others as well.

एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु ऋषयो विस्मयं परमाद्भुतम्। संस्थासम्भजनं ज्ञानमपृच्छन्नन्तरन्तदा ।। ३८.

Having heard this, the sages experienced supreme wonder; they then asked about the knowledge of the arrangement and origin.

संप्लावनस्य कालन्तु मानुषेणैव सम्मतम्। मानेन श्रोतुमिच्छामः संक्षेपार्थपदाक्षरम् ।। ३८.

We wish to hear, in brief and with meaningful words, the time of the deluge as accepted in human measure.

तेषां श्रुत्वा स देवस्तु वायुर्लोकहिते रतः। संक्षेपाद्दिव्यचक्षुष्मान् प्रोवाच भगवान् प्रभुः ।। ३८.

Having heard them, the god Vāyu, devoted to the welfare of the worlds, possessing divine vision, spoke concisely, the blessed Lord.

एते रात्र्यहनी पूर्वं कीर्त्तिते त्विह तौकिके। तासां सङ्ख्याय वर्षाग्रं ब्राह्यं वक्ष्याम्यहःक्षये ।। ३८.

These day and night periods were previously described here in the human context; for their count, I will declare the year at the end of the day.

कोटिशतानि चत्वारि वर्षाणि मानुषाणि तु। द्वात्रिंशच्च तथा कोट्यः सङ्ख्याताः सङ्ख्यया द्विजैः ।। ३८.

There are four hundred crore human years, and thirty-two crore likewise, counted by the twice-born.

तथा शतसहस्राणि एकोननवतिः पुनः। आशीतिश्च सहस्राणि एष कालः प्लवस्य तु ।। ३८.

Likewise, there are ninety-nine hundred thousand, and eighty thousand; this is the time of the flood.

मानुषाख्येण सङ्ख्यातः कालो ह्याभूतसंप्लवः। सप्त सूर्य्यास्तदाऽग्रेषु तदा लोकेषु तेषु वै ।। ३८.

Counted by the human reckoning, this is the time of the elemental deluge; then, seven suns appear in those worlds.

महाभूतेषु लीयन्ते प्रजाः सर्व्वाश्चतुर्विधाः । सलिलेनाप्लुते लोके नष्टे स्थावरजङ्गमे ।। ३८.

All four kinds of beings merge into the great elements; when the world is flooded with water, all stationary and moving beings are destroyed.

विनिवृत्ते च संहारे उपशान्ते प्रजापतौ। निरालोके प्रदग्धे तु नैशेन तु समावृते । ईश्वराधिष्ठिते ह्यस्मिंस्तदा ह्येकार्णवे तदा ।। ३८.२३५ तावदेकार्णवो ज्ञेयो यावदासीदहः प्रभोः । रात्रिस्तु सलिलावस्था निवृत्तौ चाप्यहः समृतम् ।। ३८.

When the dissolution has ceased and the lord of creatures is pacified, in darkness, the world is burned and enveloped by night; governed by the Lord, then there is only the single ocean.

अहोरात्रस्तथैवास्य क्रमेण परिवर्त्तते। आभूतसंप्लवो ह्येष अहोरात्रः स्मृतः प्रभोः ।। ३८.

Day and night thus alternate in order; this elemental deluge is called the day and night of the Lord.

त्रैलोक्ये यानि सत्वानि गतिमन्ति ध्रुवाणि च। आभूतेभ्यः प्रलीयन्ते तस्मादाभूतसंप्लवः ।। ३८.

All beings in the three worlds, those with movement and those fixed, dissolve into the elements; therefore, it is called the elemental deluge.

अग्रे भूतः प्रजानान्तु तस्माद्भूतः प्रजापतिः। आभूतः प्लवते चैव तस्मादाभूतसंप्लवः ।। ३८.

First, the beings arise, and from them, the progenitor; the elemental arises and floats, hence it is called the elemental deluge.

शाश्वते चामृतत्वे च शब्दे चाभूतसंप्लवः। अतीता वर्त्तमानाश्च तथैवानागताः प्रजाः। दिव्यसङ्ख्या प्रसङ्ख्याता ह्यपरार्धगुणीकृता ।। ३८.

In eternity, immortality, and in the word, the elemental deluge; past, present, and future beings, counted by divine reckoning, multiplied by half of the highest period.

परार्धद्विगुणञ्चापि परमायुः प्रकीर्त्तितम्। एतावान् स्थितिकालस्तु ह्यजस्येह प्रजामतेः। स्थित्यन्ते प्रतिसर्गस्य ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः ।। ३८.

The highest lifespan is said to be twice a parārdha; this is the duration of existence for the unborn progenitor here, and at the end of this period, the dissolution of Brahmā, the supreme lord, occurs.

यथा वायुप्रवेगेन दीपार्चिरुपशाम्यति। तथैवं प्रतिसर्गेण ब्रह्मा समुपशाम्यति ।। ३८.

Just as a lamp's flame is extinguished by the force of wind, so too, at the time of dissolution, Brahmā comes to rest.

तथा ह्यप्रतिसंसृष्टे महदादौ महेश्वरे ३८.

In the same way, when the great elements and Maheshvara are not re-manifested, dissolution occurs.

इत्येष च समाख्यातो मया ह्याभूतसंप्लवः। ब्रह्मनैमित्तिको ह्येष संप्रक्षालनसंयमः ।। ३८.

Thus I have described to you the cosmic flood that arises from Brahmā; this is indeed the dissolution caused by Brahmā, which is a process of purification and restraint.

समासेन समाख्यातो भूयः किं वर्त्तयामि वः। य इदं धारयेन्नित्यं श्रृणुयाद्वाप्यभीक्ष्णशः । कीर्त्तनाच्छ्रवणाच्चापि महतीं सिद्धिमाप्नुयात् ।। ३८.

I have briefly explained this; what more should I tell you? Whoever always holds this in mind or frequently listens to it, by reciting or hearing it, attains great accomplishment.

वायुरुवाच।। असाधारणवृत्तैस्तु हुतशेषादिभिर्द्विजैः। धर्म्मवैशेषिकैश्चैव ह्याचूर्णसूक्ष्मदर्शिभिः ।। ३९.

Vāyu said: By actions that are uncommon, such as the remnants of offerings and others, performed by twice-born ones, and by those who possess special dharma and subtle insight.

ते देवैः सह तिष्ठन्ति महर्लोकनिवासिनः। चतुर्द्दशैते मनवः कीर्त्तिताः कीर्त्तिवर्धनाः ।। ३९.

They dwell together with the gods, those who reside in the Maharloka; these fourteen Manus, renowned for increasing glory, have been described.

अतीता वर्त्तमानाश्च तथैवानागताश्च ये। ऋषिभि र्दैवतैश्चैव सह गन्धर्वराक्षसैः ।। ३९.

Those who are past, present, and future, along with the sages, gods, Gandharvas, and Rakshasas.

सर्व्वे ह्यपि क्रमातीता महर्लोकं समाश्रिताः। ब्राह्मणैः क्षत्रियैर्वैश्यैर्धार्मिकैः सहितैः सुराः ।। ३९.

All of them, having passed in succession, have taken refuge in Maharloka, along with Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and righteous gods.

सर्व्वे ह्यपि क्रमातीता महर्लोकं समाश्रिताः। ब्राह्मणैः क्षत्रियैर्वैश्यैर्धार्मिकैः सहितैः सुराः ।। ३९.

All of them, having passed in succession, have taken refuge in Maharloka, along with Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and righteous gods.

तैस्तथ्यकारिभिर्युक्तैः श्रद्धावद्भिरदर्पितैः। वर्णाश्रमाणां धर्म्मेषु श्रौतस्मार्त्तेषु संस्थितैः। विनिवृत्ताधिकारास्ते यावन्मन्वन्तरक्षयः ।। ३९.

With those who act truthfully, who possess faith and are free from pride, established in the dharmas of the varnas and ashramas, both scriptural and customary, their authority ceases until the end of the Manvantara.

.ऋषय ऊचुः।। महर्लोकेति यत्प्रोक्तं मातरिश्वंस्त्वया विभो। प्रतिलोके च कर्त्तव्यमनेकैः समधिष्ठिताः ।। ३९.

The sages said: O mighty Mātariśva, you have spoken of Maharloka; in each world, there are many who are established and must act accordingly.

यावन्तश्चैव ते लोका दह्यन्ते ये न तेप्रभो। एतन्नः कथय प्रीत्या त्वं हि वेत्थ यथा तथम् ।। ३९.

And as many worlds as there are, those that are not burned, O lord, please tell us this with affection, for you know it exactly as it is.

एवमुक्तस्ततो वायुर्मुनिभिर्विनयात्मभिः। प्रोवाच मधुरं वाक्यं यथातत्त्वेन तत्त्ववित् ।। ३९.

Thus addressed by the sages, who were humble in spirit, Vāyu spoke sweet words, knowing the truth as it is.