Vayu Purana

तथाभूतो शरीरत्वादविधिभ्यस्तु स स्मृतः। पीडबन्धवधासङ्गादप्रतीकारलक्षणः ।। ३९.

Thus, because of the bodily state, it is remembered as arising from improper acts; marked by pain, bondage, killing, and association, and characterized by helplessness.

ऊर्द्ध्वं सैलमितास्ते तु निरालोकाश्च ते स्मृताः। दुःखोत्कर्षस्तु सर्वेषु ह्यधर्मस्य निमित्ततः ।। ३९.

Above, they are measured by mountains and are remembered as being without light. The intensity of suffering in all these is due to the cause of unrighteousness.

ऊर्द्ध्वं लोकैः समावेतौ निरालोकौ च तावुभौ। कूटाङ्गारप्रमाणैश्च शरीरी मूत्रनायकः ।। ३९.

Above, both are joined with worlds and are without light. The embodied one is measured by heaps of coals and is led by urine.

उपभोगसमर्थैस्तु सद्यो जायन्ति कर्मभिः। दुःख प्रकर्षश्चोग्रत्वं तेषु सर्वेषु वै स्मृतः ।। ३९.

With those capable of enjoyment, actions immediately produce results. The intensity and fierceness of suffering is remembered in all these.

यातनाश्चाप्यसंख्येया नारकाणां तथा स्मृताः। दुःखोत्कर्षस्तु सर्वेषु ह्यधर्मस्य निमित्ततः ।। ३९.

Countless torments are also remembered for the inhabitants of hell. The intensity of suffering in all is due to the cause of unrighteousness.

तिर्यग्योनौ प्रसूयन्ते कर्मशेषे गते ततः। देवाश्च नारकाश्चैव ह्यूर्द्ध्वं चाधश्च संस्थिताः ।। ३९.

When the residue of karma is exhausted, they are born in animal wombs. The gods and the inhabitants of hell are situated above and below.

धर्माधर्मनिमित्तेन सद्यो जायन्ति मूर्त्तयः। उपभोगार्थमुत्पत्तिरौपपत्तिककर्मतः ।। ३९.

By the cause of righteousness and unrighteousness, forms are immediately produced. Birth occurs for the sake of enjoyment, according to the karma of previous births.

पश्यन्ति नारकान्देवा ह्यधोवक्रान् ह्यधोगतान्। नारकाश्च तथा देवान् सर्वान्पश्यन्त्यधो मुखान् ।। ३९.

The gods see the hell-dwellers who move downward and those who have fallen below; likewise, the hell-dwellers see all the gods, facing downward.

अनग्रमूलता यस्माद्धारणाश्च स्वभावतः। तस्मादूर्द्ध्वमधोभावो लोकालोके न विद्यते ।। ३९.

Because there is no root or base and support is by nature, therefore, above and below, there is no distinction of worlds or non-worlds.

एषा स्वाभाविकी संज्ञा लोकालोके प्रवर्त्तते। अथाब्रुवन्पुनर्वायुं ब्राह्मणाः सत्रिणस्तदा ।। ३९.

This natural designation operates in worlds and non-worlds. Then, the Brahmins, assembled for sacrifice, again spoke to Vāyu.

ऋषय ऊचुः।। सर्वेषामेव भूतानां लोकालोकनिवासिनाम्। संसारे संसरन्तीह यावन्तः प्राणिनश्च तान् ।। ३९.

The sages said: Of all beings dwelling in worlds and non-worlds, as many living creatures as wander in transmigration here—

सह्ख्यया परिसङ्ख्याय ततः प्रब्रूहि कृत्स्नशः। ऋषीणां तद्वचः श्रुत्वा मारुतो वाक्यमब्रवीत् ।। ३९.

By enumeration and calculation, tell us all of them completely. Hearing the words of the sages, Māruta spoke.

वायुरुवाच।। न शक्या जन्तवः कृत्स्नाः प्रसंख्यातुं कथञ्चन। अनाद्यन्ताश्च संकीर्णा ह्यप्यूहेन व्यवस्थिताः। गणना विनिवृत्तैषामानन्त्येन प्रकीर्त्तिताः ।। ३९.

Vāyu said: It is not possible to enumerate all living beings in any way. They are without beginning or end, mixed, and established even by conjecture. Their counting is abandoned because of their infinity, as has been declared.

न दिव्यचक्षुषा ज्ञातुं शक्या ज्ञानेन वा पुनः। चक्षुषा वै प्रसंख्यातुमतो ह्यन्ते नराधिपः ।। ३९.

O king, neither by divine sight nor by knowledge can it be known; only by the eye of enumeration is the end determined.

अनाध्यानादवेद्यत्वान्नैव प्रश्नो विधीयते। ब्रह्मणा संज्ञितं यत्तु संख्यया तन्निबोधत ।। ३९.

Because it is unknowable through meditation and cannot be grasped, no question is prescribed; but what has been designated by Brahmā in numbers, that you should understand.

यः सहस्रतमो भागः स्थावराणां भवेदिह। पार्थिवाः कृमयस्तावत्संसेकाद्येषु सम्भवाः ।। ३९.

Here, the thousandth part of stationary beings is considered; among those, the terrestrial insects are born from moisture.

संसेकजानाम्भागेन सहस्रेणैव सम्मिताः। औदका जन्तवः सर्वे निश्चयात्तद्विचारितम् ।। ३९.

All aquatic creatures are reckoned as the thousandth part of those born from moisture; this has been determined with certainty.

सहस्रेणैव भागेन सत्वानां सलिलौकसाम् । विहङ्गमास्तु विज्ञेया लौकिकास्ते च सर्वशः ।। ३९.

Birds living in water are to be known as the thousandth part of those aquatic beings; all such worldly birds are included.

यः सहस्रतमो भागस्तेषां वै पक्षिणां भवेत्। पशवस्तत्समा ज्ञेया लौकिकास्तु चतुष्पदाः ।। ३९.

Of those birds, the thousandth part is to be considered; the same number applies to terrestrial four-footed animals among worldly beings.

चतुष्पदानां सर्वेषां सहस्रेणैव संमताः । भागेन द्विपदा ज्ञेया लौकिकेऽस्मिंस्तु सर्व्वशः ।। ३९.

Among all four-footed beings, the two-footed beings in this world are to be known as the thousandth part.

यः सहस्रतमो भागो भागे तु द्विपदां पुनः। धार्म्मिकास्तेन भागेन विज्ञेयाः सम्मिताः पुनः ।। ३९.

Again, among the two-footed beings, the righteous are to be understood as the thousandth part, reckoned in this way.

सहस्रेणैव भागेन धार्म्मिकेभ्यो दिवङ्गताः। यः सहस्रतमो भागो धार्म्मिकाणां भवेद्दिवि। संमितास्तेन भागेन मोक्षिणस्तावदेव हि ।। ३९.

Of the righteous, those who ascend to heaven are the thousandth part; and of the righteous in heaven, the liberated are reckoned as the thousandth part.

स्वर्गोपपादकैस्तुल्या यातना स्थानवासिनः। पतिता श्चूर्णमुद्देशाद्दुरात्मानो म्रियन्ति ये। रौरवे तामसे ह्येते शीतोष्णं प्राप्नुवन्ति ते ।। ३९.

Those who dwell in places of torment are equal in number to those who attain heaven; the fallen, the wicked, who die in disgrace, experience cold and heat in the hell called Raurava, which is of darkness.

वेदनाकटुकास्तब्धा यातना स्थानमागताः। उष्णस्तु रौरवो ज्ञेयस्तेजो घोररसात्मकः ।। ३९.

Those who have come to the place of torment are rigid with sharp pain; Raurava is to be known as hot, of a fierce and fiery nature.

ततो घनात्मिकश्चापि शीतात्मा सततं तपः। एवं सुदुर्लभाः सन्तः स्वर्गे च धार्म्मिका नराः ।। ३९.

Then there is one of dense and cold nature, always full of suffering; thus, righteous men are very rare even in heaven.

एषा संख्या कृता संख्या ईश्वरेण स्वयम्भुवा। गणना विनिवृत्तैषा सङ्ख्या ब्राह्मी च मानुषी ।। ३९.

This enumeration has been made by the self-born Lord; this calculation, both divine and human, is thus established.

ऋषय ऊचुः। महो जनस्तपः सत्यं भूतो भाव्यो भवस्तथा। उक्ता ह्येते त्वया लोका लोकानामन्तरेण च। लोकान्तरञ्च यादृग्वै तन्नो ब्रूहि यथातथम् ।। ३९.

The sages said: You have spoken of the worlds—Maha, Jana, Tapas, Satya, the past, the future, and the present, and also the worlds between them; now tell us exactly what the other worlds are like.

तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा ऋषीणामूर्द्ध्वरेतसाम्। स वायुर्दृष्टतत्त्वार्थ इदन्तत्त्वमुवाच ह ।। ३९.२१० वायुरुवाच।। व्यक्तं तर्केण पश्यन्ति योगात्प्रत्यक्षदर्शिनः। प्रत्याहारेण ध्यानेन तपसा च क्रियात्मनः ।। ३९.

Having heard these words of the sages of pure vows, Vāyu, who knows the true meaning, spoke this truth: Those who are direct seers perceive clearly through reasoning, by yoga, by withdrawal, by meditation, and by ascetic practice.

ऋभुः सनत्कुमाराद्याः सम्बुद्धाः शुद्धबुद्धयः। व्यपेतशोका विरजाः सन्तो ब्रह्मेवसत्तमाः ।। ३९.

The enlightened ones such as Ṛbhu and Sanatkumāra, with pure intellects, free from sorrow and taint, are the best among those who dwell in Brahman.