Vayu Purana

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.

शब्दमात्रं तदाकाशं सर्वमावृत्य तिष्ठति। तन्तु शब्दगुणन्तस्य भूतादिं ग्रसते पुनः ।। ४०.

Then space, consisting only of sound, remains covering everything; then, its quality of sound is absorbed, and the primordial element is taken up again.

भूतेन्द्रियेषु युघपद्भूतादौ संस्थितेषु वै। अभिमानात्मको ह्येष भूतादिस्तामसः स्मृतः ।। ४०.

When the primordial element and the sense organs are simultaneously established, this primordial element, characterized by ego, is known as tamasic.

भूतादिं ग्रसते चापि महान्वै बुद्धिलक्षणः। महानात्मा तु विज्ञेयः संकल्पो व्यवसायकः ।। ४०.

The primordial element is then absorbed by Mahat, which is characterized by intellect; Mahat, the great self, should be understood as determination and resolve.

बुद्धिर्मनश्च लिङ्गश्च महानक्षर एव च। पर्यायवाचकैः शब्दैस्तमाहुस्तत्त्वचिन्तकाः ।। ४०.

Intellect, mind, the subtle body, Mahat, and the imperishable—all these are synonyms, as declared by those who contemplate the principles.

सम्प्रलीनेषु भूतेषु गुणसाम्ये तमोमये। स्वात्मन्येव स्थिते चैव कारणे लोककारणे ।। ४०.

When all beings are dissolved, when the qualities are in equilibrium, pervaded by darkness, and when only the causal principle, the source of the worlds, remains established in itself—

विनिवृत्ते तदा सर्गे प्रकृत्यावस्थितेन वै । तदाद्यन्तपरोक्षत्वा ददृष्टत्वाच्च कस्यचित् ।। ४०.

At that time, creation ceases, as Prakriti remains in its own state; because its beginning and end are unmanifest, and because it is not perceived by anyone—

अनाख्यानादबोधत्वादज्ञानाज्ज्ञानिनामपि। आगतागतिकत्वाच्च ग्रहणं तन्न विद्यते ।। ४०.

Because it is not described, not known, unknown even to the wise, and because it has neither arrival nor departure, it cannot be grasped.

भावग्राह्यानुमानाच्च चिन्तयित्वेदमुच्यते। स्थिते तु कारणे तस्मिन्नित्ये सदसदात्मिके ।। ४०.

But through inference, which apprehends existence, this is considered: when that eternal cause, which is both being and non-being, remains—

अनिर्द्देश्या प्रवृत्तिर्वै स्वात्मिका कारणे न तु। एवं सप्तादयोऽभ्यस्तात्क्रमात्प्रकृतयस्तु वै ।। ४०.

In that cause, which is eternal, whose nature is both existent and non-existent, activity cannot be precisely indicated; thus, the seven and others, in order, are absorbed into Prakriti.

प्रत्याहारे तदा सर्गे प्रविश्यन्ति परस्परम्। येनेदमावृतं सर्वं मण्डलन्तु प्रलीयते ।। ४०.

At the time of dissolution, these principles enter into each other in reverse order; by which all this, the entire sphere, is enveloped and dissolved.