Vayu Purana

भृशञ्चानुग्रहं प्राप्य हर्षं चैवाप्यनुत्तमम्। सम्भावयित्वा चाप्येनां वायुमूचुर्महाबलम् ।। ३९.

Having received great favor and unsurpassed joy, and having duly honored this story, they addressed mighty Vāyu.

ऋषय ऊचुः।। समीरण महाभाग ह्यस्माकं च त्वया विभो। ईश्वरस्योत्तमं पुण्यमष्टमन्त्वौपसर्गिकम् ।। ३९.

The sages said: O Samīraṇa, greatly fortunate one, by you and for us, O Lord, the supreme and sacred eighth power of Īśvara, free from obstacles, has been described.

तस्य स्थानं प्रमाणञ्च यथावत्परिकीर्त्तितम्। यो गन्धेन समृद्धं वै परमं परमात्मनः ।। ३९.

Its place and measure have been properly recounted—he who is endowed with fragrance, the supreme of the Supreme Self.

महादेवस्य माहात्म्यं दुर्विज्ञेयं सुरैरपि । स्वेन माहात्म्ययोगेन सहस्रस्यामितौजसः ।। ३९.

The greatness of Mahādeva is difficult even for the gods to comprehend; by his own power and might, he is of immeasurable energy.

यस्य भक्तेष्वसंमोहो ह्यनुकम्पार्थमेव च। ब्राह्मलक्ष्म्या स्वयं जुष्ठा या साप्रतिमशालिनी ।। ३९.

For his devotees, there is no delusion, solely out of compassion; he is personally endowed with Brāhmī prosperity, which is unmatched and glorious.

ज्योत्स्नया व्याप्य खं चन्द्रं विन्यस्ता विश्वरूपधृक् । विभूतिर्भ्राजतेऽत्यर्थं देवदेवस्य वेश्मनि ।। ३९.

Spreading with her radiance like moonlight across the sky and the moon, she, assuming all forms, shines exceedingly in the abode of the God of gods.

महादेवस्य तुल्यानां रुद्राणान्तु महात्मनाम्। तत्सर्वं निखिलेनेदं वक्त्रादमृतनिस्रवम् ।। ३९.

Of those Rudras who are equal to Mahādeva, all that, in its entirety, flows from his mouth like nectar.

अपीत्वा खलु सर्वस्य भक्त्यास्माभिस्तु सुव्रताः। नास्ति किञ्चिदविज्ञेयमन्यच्चैवानुगामिनः। प्रश्नं देववर प्राण यथावद्वक्तुमर्हसि ।। ३९.

Having drunk of all this with devotion, O you of good vows, there remains nothing unknown to us, nor to those who follow; O best of gods, O Prāṇa, you should answer our question as is proper.

सूत उवाच।। स खलूवाच भगवान्किं भूयो वर्त्तयाम्यहम्। किं मया चैव वक्तव्यं तद्वदिष्यामि सुव्रताः ।। ३९.

Sūta said: Then the venerable one spoke, 'What more shall I relate? What should I say? That I will declare, O you of good vows.'

ऋषय ऊचुः।। आदित्याः पारिपार्श्वेयाः सिंहा वै क्रोधविक्रमाः। वैश्वानरा भूतगणा व्याघ्राश्चैवानुगामिनः ।। ३९.

The sages said: The Ādityas are on the sides, the lions are fierce with wrath and valor, the Vaiśvānaras are hosts of beings, and the tigers follow as well.

आभूतसंप्लवे घोरे सर्वप्राणभृतां क्षये। किमवस्था भवन्त्येते तन्नो ब्रूहि यथार्थवत् ।। ३९.

At the dreadful dissolution of beings, when all living creatures are destroyed, what is the state of these? Tell us truly.

एते ये वै त्वया प्रोक्ताः सिंहव्याघ्रगणैः सह। ये चान्ये सिद्धिसम्प्राप्ता मातरिश्वा जगाद ह ।। ३९.

Those whom you have mentioned, along with the groups of lions and tigers, and others who have attained perfection—Mātariśvan spoke of them.

इदञ्च परमं तत्त्वं समाख्यास्यामि श्रृण्वताम्। विज्ञातेश्वरसद्भावमव्यक्तं प्रभवं तथा ।। ३९.

And this highest truth I shall now declare to you who listen: the existence of the Lord, the unmanifest, and his origin.

तत्र पूर्वगतास्तेषु कुमारा ब्रह्मणः सुताः। सनकश्च सनन्दश्च तृतीयश्च सनातनः ।। ३९.

There, among those who came before, were the Kumāras, sons of Brahmā: Sanaka, Sananda, and the third, Sanātana.

वोढुश्च कपिलस्तेषामासुरिश्च महायशाः। मुनिः पञ्चशिखश्चैव ये चान्येऽप्येवमादयः ।। ३९.

Kapila was among them, as was the renowned Āsuri, and the sage Pañcaśikha, and others of similar kind.

ततः काले व्यतिक्रान्ते कल्पानां पर्यये गते। महाभूतविनाशान्ते प्रलये प्रत्युपस्थिते ।। ३९.

Then, when time had passed and the cycle of aeons had ended, at the approach of dissolution after the destruction of the great elements,

अनेकरुद्रकोट्यस्तु याः प्रसन्ना महेश्वरी । शब्दादीन्विषयान्भोगान्सत्यस्याष्टविधश्रयात् ।। ३९.

The many crores of Rudras, and the gracious Great Goddess, from the eightfold seat of truth, enjoy the objects of sound and the rest.

प्रविश्य सर्वभूतानि ज्ञानयुक्तेन तेजसा। वैहायपदमव्यग्रं भूतानामनुकम्पया ।। ३९.

Entering all beings with knowledge-infused radiance, he attains the celestial realm, undisturbed, out of compassion for creatures.

तत्र यान्ति महात्मानः परमाणुं महेश्वरम्। तरन्ति सुमहावर्त्तां जन्ममृत्यूदकां नदीम् ।। ३९.

There, the great souls reach the atomic Lord Maheshvara; they cross the vast, swirling river of birth and death.

ततः पश्यन्ति शर्वाणं परं ब्रह्माणमेव च। देव्या वै सहिताः सप्त या देव्यः परिकीर्त्तिताः ।। ३९.

Then they behold Sharva, the supreme Brahman, together with the seven goddesses who have been described.

यत्तत्सहस्रं सिंहानामादित्यानां तथैव च। वैश्वानरभूतभव्यव्याघ्राश्चैवानुगामिनः ।। ३९.

That is the thousand lions, and likewise the Adityas; the beings of fire, past and future, and the tigers who follow them.

आवेश्यात्मनि तान्सर्वान्संख्यायोपद्रवांस्तथा। लोकान् सप्त इमान्सर्व्वान्महाभूतानि पञ्च च ।। ३९.

Having absorbed all these into himself—countless troubles, the seven worlds, and the five great elements—

विष्णुना सह संयुक्तं करोति विकरोति च। स रुद्रो यः साममयस्तथैव च यजुर्मयः ।। ३९.

United with Vishnu, he acts and transforms; he is Rudra, composed of Sama and likewise of Yajur.

स एष ओतः प्रोतश्च बहिरन्तश्च निश्चयात्। एको हि भगवान्नाथो ह्यनादिश्चान्तकृद्द्विजाः ।। ३९.

He is woven within and without, certainly; the one blessed Lord, master, without beginning, and the end-maker, O twice-born.

ततस्ते ऋषयः सर्वे दिवाकरसमप्रभाः। स्वंस्वमाश्रमसंवासमारोप्याग्निं तथात्मनि ।। ३९.

Then all the sages, radiant as the sun, place their own fires within themselves, in their respective hermitages.

कर्मणा मनसा वाचा विशुद्धेनान्तरात्मना । अनन्यमनसो भूत्वा प्रपद्यन्ते महेश्वरम् ।। ३९.

Through action, mind, speech, and purified inner self, becoming single-minded, they surrender to Maheshvara.

व्रतोपवासनिरताः सर्वभूतदयापराः। योगं ह्यनुपमन्दिव्यं प्राप्तं तैश्छिन्नसंशयैः ।। ३९.

Engaged in vows and fasting, devoted to compassion for all beings, they attain the incomparable, divine yoga, their doubts cut away.

प्रपद्य परया भक्त्या ज्ञानयुक्तेन चेतसा। तैर्लब्धं रुद्रसालोक्यं शाश्वतं पदमव्ययम् ।। ३९.

Having surrendered with supreme devotion and a mind united with knowledge, they obtain Rudra's companionship, the eternal, imperishable state.

यः पठेत्तपसा युक्तो वायुप्रोक्तामिमां स्तुतिम्। ब्राह्मणः क्षत्रियो वापि वैश्यो वा स्वक्रियापरः ।। ३९.

Whoever recites this praise spoken by Vayu, endowed with austerity—whether Brahmin, Kshatriya, or Vaishya, devoted to their own duties—