Vayu Purana

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—

लभते रुद्रसालोक्यं भक्तिमान्विगतज्वरः। अमद्यपश्च यः शूद्रो भवभक्तो जितेन्द्रियः ।। ३९.

He attains Rudra's companionship, devoted, free from distress; even a Shudra who abstains from alcohol, devoted to Shiva, and self-controlled.

आभूत संप्लवस्थायी ह्यप्रतीघातलक्षणः। गाणपत्यं स लभते स्थानं वा सर्वकामिकम् ।। ३९.

He attains the state of Ganesha, which persists through the dissolution of beings, marked by unobstructedness, or else the all-desired position.

मद्यपो मद्यपैः सार्द्धं भूतसङ्घैश्च मोदते। सोऽर्च्यमानो महीपृष्ठो मर्त्त्यानां वरदो भवेत्। इति होवाच भगवान्वायुर्वाक्यमिदं वरः ।। ३९.

The drinker, together with other drinkers and hosts of beings, delights; being worshipped upon the earth, he becomes the bestower of boons to mortals. Thus spoke the blessed Vayu, this excellent statement.

प्रत्याहारं प्रवक्ष्यामि परस्यान्ते स्वयम्भुवः। ब्रह्मणः स्थितिकाले तु क्षीणे तस्मिंस्तदा प्रभोः ।। ४०.

I will explain the withdrawal at the end of the supreme, self-born Brahma; when the period of Brahma's existence is exhausted, then, at that time, of the Lord.

यथेदं कुरुतेऽध्यात्मं सुसूक्ष्मं विश्वमीश्वरः । अव्यक्तान्ग्रसते व्यक्तं प्रत्याहारे च कृत्स्नशः ।। ४०.

Just as the Lord creates this subtle universe within himself, he absorbs the manifest into the unmanifest, and in withdrawal, all is taken up.

परं तदनुकल्पानामपूर्णे कल्पसङ्क्षये। उपस्थिते महाघोरे ह्यप्रत्यक्षे तु कस्यचित् ।। ४०.

That supreme state, for those in the cycles of dissolution, when the great, dreadful time arrives, is not perceived by anyone.

अन्ते द्रुमस्य यम्प्राप्ते पश्चिमस्य मनोस्तदा । अन्ते कलियुगे तस्मिन्क्षीणे संहार उच्यते ।। ४०.

When the end of the tree is reached, and the mind attains the final stage, at the end of the Kali Yuga, when that is exhausted, it is called dissolution.

सम्प्रक्षाले तदा वृत्ते प्रत्याहारे ह्युपस्थिते। प्रत्याहारे तदा तस्मिन् भूततन्मात्रसंक्षये ।। ४०.

When the great washing away occurs, and the withdrawal is present, then, at that withdrawal, the subtle elements and their sources are dissolved.

महदादेर्विकारस्य विशेषान्तस्य संक्षये। स्वभावकारिते तस्मिन्प्रवृत्ते प्रतिसञ्चरे ।। ४०.

When the modifications from Mahat down to the particular are dissolved, and this process, arising from their own nature, proceeds into reabsorption—

आपो ग्रसन्ति वै पूर्व्वं भूमेर्गन्धात्मकं गुणम्। आत्तगन्धा ततो भूमिः प्रलयत्वाय कल्पते । प्रविष्टे गन्धतन्मात्रे तोयावस्था धरा भवेत् ।। ४०.

Then the waters first seize the earth’s quality of smell; having taken the smell, the earth is fit for dissolution; when the smell-element enters the water, the earth becomes a watery state.

आपस्तदा प्रनष्टा वै वेगवत्यो महास्वनाः। सर्वमापूरयित्वेदं तिष्ठन्ति विचरन्ति च ।। ४०.

Then the waters, powerful and roaring, having filled and pervaded everything, remain and move about.

अपामस्ति गुणो यस्तु ज्योतिषे लीयते रसः। नश्यन्त्यापस्तदान्ते च रसतन्मात्रसङ्क्षयात् ।। ४०.

The quality of water, which is taste, merges into fire; at the end, when the waters perish, it is due to the dissolution of the taste-element.

तेजसा संहृतरसा ज्योतिष्ट्वं प्राप्नुवन्त्युत । ग्रस्ते च सलिले तेजः सर्व्वतोमुखमीक्ष्यते ।। ४०.

With their taste absorbed by fire, they attain the state of fire; when fire consumes the water, it is seen facing in all directions.

अथाग्निः सर्वतो व्याप्त आदत्ते तज्जलन्तदा। सर्वमापूर्य्यतेऽर्चिर्भिस्तदा जगदिदं शनैः ।। ४०.

Then fire, pervading everywhere, takes up that which is born of water; with its flames, it gradually fills and envelops this whole world.

अर्चिर्भिः सन्तते तस्मिंस्तिर्यगूर्द्ध्वमधस्ततः । ज्योतिषोऽपि गुणं रूपं वायुरन्ति प्रकाशकम्। प्रलीयते तदा तस्मिन्दीपार्चिरिव मारुते ।। ४०.

With its flames spreading everywhere—across, above, and below—the quality of fire, which is form, is then absorbed by wind, and at that time, it is dissolved there, like a lamp’s flame in the wind.

प्रनष्टे रूपतन्मात्रे हृतरूपो विभावसुः। उपशाम्यति तेजो हि वायुना धूयते महत् ।। ४०.

When the subtle element of form is destroyed, fire, deprived of form, is extinguished; the light is indeed scattered by wind and greatly subdued.

निरालोके तदा लोके वायुभूते च तेजसि। ततस्तु मूलमासाद्य वायुः सम्भवमात्मनः ।। ४०.

Then, when there is no light in the world, and fire has become wind, then wind, having reached its source, attains its own origin.

ऊर्द्ध्वं चाधश्च तिर्यक्च दोधवीति दिशो दश । वायोरपि गुणं स्पर्शमाकाशं ग्रसते च तत् ।। ४०.

Moving upward, downward, and across, in all ten directions, wind absorbs its own quality, touch, into space.

प्रशाम्यति तदा वायुः खन्तु तिष्ठत्यनावृतम्। अरूपमरसस्पर्घमगन्धं न च मूर्तिमत् ।। ४०.

Then wind is stilled, and only space remains, uncovered—without form, taste, touch, or smell, and without any manifest shape.

सर्वमापूरयन्नादैः सुमहत्तत्प्रकाशते। परिमण्डलन्तत्सुषिरमाकाशं शब्दलक्षणम् ।। ४०.

Filling everything with its great sounds, it shines forth; space, circular and hollow, is characterized by sound.