Vayu Purana

तत्कथ्यमानमस्माकं भवता श्लक्ष्णया गिरा। मनःकर्मसुखं सौते प्रीणात्याभूतसम्भवम् ।। ४१.

As it is narrated to us by you with gentle speech, O Sūta, it delights our minds and actions, bringing joy from what has never been before.

एवमाराध्य ते सूतं सत्कृत्य च महर्षयः । पप्रच्छुः सत्रिणः सर्वे पुनः सर्गप्रवर्त्तनम् ।। ४१.

Thus, having honored and worshipped Sūta, all the great sages assembled at the sacrifice questioned him again about the process of creation.

कथं सूत महाप्राज्ञ पुनं सर्गः प्रपत्स्यते। बन्धेषु सम्प्रलीनेषु गुणसाम्ये तमोमये ।। ४१.

How, O Sūta, wise one, will creation arise again, when all is dissolved in bondage, when the qualities are in equilibrium and immersed in darkness?

विकारेष्वविसृष्टोषु ह्यव्यक्ते चात्मनि स्थिते। अप्रवृत्तौ ब्रह्मणस्तु महासायुज्यगैस्तदा । कथं प्रपत्स्यते सर्गस्तन्नः प्रब्रूहि पृच्छताम् ।। ४१.

When the transformations are not released, and the unmanifest abides in the self, and when Brahman is inactive, merged in supreme unity, how will creation arise? Tell us, who ask.

एवमुक्तस्ततः सूतस्तदासौ लोमहर्षणः । व्याख्यातुमुपचक्राम पुनः सर्गप्रवर्त्तनम् ।। ४१.

Thus addressed, Sūta, Lomaharṣaṇa, then began to explain again the process of creation.

अहं वौ वर्त्तयिष्यामि यथा सर्गः प्रपत्स्यते। पूर्ववत्स तु विज्ञेयः समासात्तं निबोधत ।। ४१.

I shall narrate how creation will arise; it should be understood as before, in summary—listen to that.

दृष्टं चैवानुमेयञ्च तर्कं वक्ष्यामि युक्तितः। तस्माद्वाचो निवर्त्तन्ते ह्यप्राप्य मनसा सह ।। ४१.

I will speak of what is seen and what is inferred, reasoning according to logic; therefore, speech withdraws, unable to reach it, along with the mind.

अव्यक्तवत् परोक्षत्वाद्घ्रहणं तद्दुरासदम्। विकारैः प्रतिसंदृष्टे गुणसाम्ये निवर्त्तते ।। ४१.

Because of its subtlety and remoteness, its grasp is difficult; when the qualities are in equilibrium, it ceases, observed only through transformations.

प्रधानं पुरुषाणाञ्च साधर्म्म्येणैव तिष्ठति। धर्म्माधर्म्मौ प्रलीयेते अव्यक्तौ प्राणिनां सदा ।। ४१.

Pradhāna and the souls remain together in similarity; righteousness and unrighteousness always dissolve into the unmanifest for living beings.

सत्त्वमात्रात्मको धर्म्मो गुणसत्त्वे प्रतिष्ठितः। तमोमात्रात्मकोऽधर्म्मो गुणे तमसि तिष्ठति ।। ४१.

Dharma is of the nature of pure sattva and is established in the presence of the sattva quality; adharma is of the nature of pure tamas and resides in the quality of tamas.

अविभागवतावेतौ गुणसाम्यस्थितावुभौ। सर्वकार्य्ये बुद्धिपूर्वं प्रधानस्य प्रपत्स्यते ।। ४१.

These two, when undivided, remain in a state of equilibrium of the qualities; in every action, the intention of intellect first arises from the primordial matter.

अबुद्धिपूर्वं क्षेत्रज्ञ अधिष्ठास्यति तान् गुणान्। एवं तानभिमानेन प्रपत्स्येत पुरस्तदा ।। ४१.

Without the precedence of intellect, the knower of the field presides over those qualities; thus, by identifying with them, it first proceeds forward.

यदा प्रवर्त्तितव्यन्तु क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञयोर्द्वयोः। भोज्यभोक्तृत्वसम्बन्धं प्रपत्स्येते युतावुभौ ।। ४१.

When it is time for activity between the field and the knower of the field, both together enter into the relationship of the enjoyed and the enjoyer.

तस्माच्छरणमव्यक्तं साम्ये स्थित्वा गुणात्मकान्। क्षेत्रज्ञाधिष्ठितं तच्च वैषम्यं भजते तु तत् ।। ४१.

Therefore, the unmanifest is the refuge, having remained in the equilibrium of the qualities; that, presided over by the knower of the field, then attains diversity.

ततः प्रपत्स्यते व्यक्तं क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञयोर्द्वयोः। क्षेत्रज्ञाधिष्ठितं सत्त्वं विकारं जनयिष्यति ।। ४१.

Then, the manifest arises for both the field and the knower of the field; the sattva, presided over by the knower of the field, will produce transformation.

महदाद्यं विशेषान्तं चतुर्विंशगुणात्मकम्। क्षेत्रज्ञस्य प्रधानस्य पुरुषस्य प्रपत्स्यते ।। ४१.

From the great principle to the particular, consisting of twenty-four qualities, it proceeds from the knower of the field, the primordial matter, and the person.

ब्रह्माण्डे प्रथमः सोऽथ भविता चेश्वरः पुनः। ततो ज्ञेयस्य कृत्स्नस्य सर्वभूतपतिः शिवः ।। ४१.

In the cosmic egg, he will first become the lord again; then, Śiva, the master of all beings, is to be known as the entirety.

ईश्वरः सर्व्वमुक्तानां ब्रह्मा ब्रह्ममयो महान्। आदि देवः प्रधानस्यानुग्रहाय प्रवक्ष्यते ।। ४१.

The lord of all liberated ones, Brahmā, is composed of Brahman and is the great one; the primordial deity is declared for the favor of primordial matter.

अनाद्यौ स्वयमुत्पन्नावुभौ सूक्ष्मौ तु तौ स्मृतौ । अनादिसंयोगयुतौ सर्वक्षेत्रज्ञमेव च ।। ४१.

Both are remembered as self-born and beginningless, subtle; united by beginningless conjunction, and encompassing all knowers of the field.

अबुद्धि पूर्वकं युक्तौ मशकौ तु वरौ तदा। अप्रत्ययमनाद्यं च स्थितावुदकमप्स्यशः ।। ४१.

Without the precedence of intellect, the two excellent ones are united; the beginningless, unmanifest, and water remain together.

प्रवृत्ते पूर्वतः पूर्वं पुनः सर्गे प्रपत्स्यते। अज्ञागुणैः प्रवर्त्तन्ते रजःसत्त्वतमात्मकम् ।। ४१.

When activity commences, again creation proceeds; they act through qualities of ignorance, consisting of rajas, sattva, and tamas.

प्रवृत्तिकाले रजसाभिपन्नमहत्त्वभूतादिविशेष्यताञ्च। विशेषतां चेन्द्रियताञ्च यान्ति गुणावसाने पतिभिर्मनुष्याः ।। ४१.

At the time of activity, through rajas, they attain the states of greatness, particularity, and individuality; at the end of the qualities, humans reach distinction and individuality with their lords.

सत्याभिध्यायिनस्तस्य ध्यायिनः सन्निमित्तकम्। रजःसत्त्वतमा व्यक्ता विधर्म्माणः परस्परम् ।। ४१.

Those who meditate on truth, meditating with a cause, manifest rajas, sattva, and tamas, and are mutually opposed in their nature.

आद्यन्ते संप्रपत्स्यन्ते क्षेत्रतज्ज्ञास्तु सर्वशः। संसिद्धकार्य्यकरणा उत्पद्यन्तेऽभिमानिनः ।। ४१.

At the beginning and end, all those who know the field proceed; those who have accomplished action and instrument are born with identification.

सर्वे सत्वाः प्रपद्यन्ते ह्यव्यक्तात्पूर्वमेव च। प्रसूते या च सुवहाः साधिकाश्चाप्यसाधिका ।। ४१.

All beings proceed from the unmanifest, even before; whatever is produced, both those with and without means.

संसरन्तस्तु ते सर्वे स्तानप्रकरणैः सह। कार्य्याणि प्रतिपत्स्यन्ते उत्पद्यन्ते पुनः पुनः ।। ४१.

All of them wander together with places and contexts; they undertake actions and are born again and again.

गुणमात्रात्मकाश्चैव धर्म्माधर्म्मौ परस्परम्। आरप्सन्तीह चान्योन्यं वरेणानुग्रहेण च ।। ४१.

Dharma and adharma, both consisting solely of qualities, mutually undertake each other here, and also through the favor of the best.

सर्वे तुल्याः प्रसृष्टार्थं सर्ग्गदौ यान्ति विक्रियाम्। गुणास्तत्प्रतिधावन्ते तस्मात्तत्तस्य रोचते ।। ४१.

All are alike at the beginning of creation, set forth for their respective purposes; the qualities then undergo transformation, and those qualities pursue them accordingly; therefore, that is pleasing to each.

गुणास्ते यानि सर्वाणि प्राक् दृष्टेः प्रतिपेदिरे। तान्येव प्रतिपद्यन्ते सृष्टमानाः पुनः पुनः ।। ४१.

Those very qualities, which were acquired before perception, are attained again and again by beings as they are created.