Vayu Purana

एवमष्टादशोक्तानि पुराणानि बृहन्ति च। पुराणेष्वेषु बहवो धर्मास्ते विनिरूपिताः ।। ४२.

Thus, the eighteen great Purāṇas have been described; in these Purāṇas, many dharmas have been set forth.

रागिणाञ्च विरागाणां यतीनां ब्रह्मचारिणाम् गृहस्थानां वनस्थानां स्त्रीशूद्राणां विशेषतः ।। ४२.

For those who are attached and those who are detached, for ascetics and celibates, for householders and forest-dwellers, and especially for women and Shudras,

ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियविशां ये च सङ्करजातयः। गङ्गाद्या या महानद्यो यज्ञव्रततपांसि च ।। ४२.

For Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and those born of mixed castes, the great rivers beginning with the Ganga, and the sacrifices, vows, and austerities,

अनेकविधदानानि यमाश्च नियमैः सह। योगधर्मा बहुविधाः सांख्या भागवतास्तथा ।। ४२.

The many kinds of gifts, the restraints along with observances, the various disciplines of yoga, and likewise the Sankhya and Bhagavata paths,

भक्तिमार्गा ज्ञानमार्गा वैराग्यानिलनीरजाः। उपासनविधिश्चोक्तः कर्मसंशुद्धिचेतसाम् ।। ४२.

The paths of devotion, the paths of knowledge, those purified by the wind of dispassion, and the prescribed methods of worship for those whose minds are cleansed by action,

ब्राह्मं शैवं वैष्णवं च सौरं शाक्तं तथार्हतम्। षड्दर्शनानि चोक्तानि स्वभावनियतानि च ।। ४२.

The Brahma, Shaiva, Vaishnava, Saura, Shakta, and Arhata traditions, and the six philosophical systems, are all described as arising from inherent nature,

एतदन्यच्च विविधं पुराणेषु निरुपितम्। अतः परं किमप्यस्ति न वा बोद्धव्यमुत्तमम् ।। ४२.

All this and more, of various kinds, is explained in the Puranas; beyond this, there is nothing else to be known that is higher or not,

न ज्ञायेत यदि व्यासो गोपयेदथ वा भवान् । अत्र नः संशयं छिन्धि पूर्णः पौराणिको यतः ।। ४२.

If Vyasa did not know, or if he concealed it, or if you yourself do, please dispel our doubt here, for you are a complete knower of the Puranas,

सूत उवाच।। श्रृणु शौनक वक्ष्यामि प्रश्रमेनं सुदुर्लभम्। अतिगोप्यतरं दिव्यमनाख्येयं प्रचक्षते ।। ४२.

Suta said: Hear, O Shaunaka, I will tell you this most rare and supremely secret divine teaching, which is said to be beyond description,

पराशरसुतो व्यासः कृत्वा पौराणिकीं कथाम्। सर्ववेदार्थघटितां चिन्तयामास चेतसि ।। ४२.

Vyasa, the son of Parashara, having composed the Purana narrative, reflected in his mind upon its meaning, which is woven from the essence of all the Vedas,

वर्णाश्रमवतां धर्मो मया सम्यगुदाहृतः। मुक्तिमार्गा बहुविधा उक्ता वेदाविरोधतः ।। ४२.

The duties of those who follow the four social orders and stages of life have been properly described by me; the various paths to liberation have been stated, all in accordance with the Vedas,

जीवेश्वरब्रह्मभेदो निरस्तः सूत्रनिर्णये। निरूपितं परं ब्रह्म श्रुतियुक्तविचारतः ।। ४२.

The distinction between the individual soul, the Lord, and Brahman is refuted in the decision of the aphorisms; the supreme Brahman is established through inquiry based on scripture and reasoning,

अक्षरं परमं ब्रह्म परमात्मा परं पदम्। यदर्थं ब्रह्मचर्यादिवानप्रस्थयतिव्रतम् ।। ४२.

The imperishable supreme Brahman, the supreme Self, the highest state, for the sake of which celibacy, forest-dwelling, and ascetic vows are undertaken,

आचरन्ति महाप्राज्ञा धारणाञ्च पृथग्विधाम्। आसनं प्राणरोधश्च प्रत्याहारश्च धारणा ।। ४२.

The great sages practice various forms of concentration, posture, breath control, withdrawal of the senses, and concentration,

ध्यानं समाधिरेतानि यमैश्च नियमैः सह। अष्टाङ्गानि यदर्थञ्च चरन्ति मुनिपुङ्गवाः ।। ४२.

Meditation and absorption—these, together with restraints and observances, are the eight limbs for which the foremost sages strive,

यदर्थं कर्म कुर्वन्ति वेदाज्ञामात्रतत्पराः। परार्पणधिया सम्यग् निष्कामाः कलिलोज्झिताः ।। ४२.

For that purpose, they perform actions, devoted solely to the command of the Vedas, with the thought of offering to the Supreme, free from desire and untouched by impurity,

यज्ज्ञप्तये निराकर्त्तुं पापाचरणमात्मनः। गङ्गादितीर्थचर्याणि निषेवन्ते शुचिव्रताः ।। ४२.

For the knowledge of that, and to remove sinful conduct from themselves, those of pure vows undertake pilgrimages to holy places like the Ganga,

तद्ब्रह्म परमं शुद्धमनाद्यन्तमनामयम्। नित्यं सर्वगतं स्थाणु कूटस्थं कूटविर्जितम् ।। ४२.

That Brahman is the supreme, pure, without beginning or end, free from affliction, eternal, all-pervading, unchanging, and untouched by illusion,

सर्वेन्द्रियचराभासं प्राकृतेन्द्रियवर्जितम्। दिक्कालाद्यनवच्छिन्नं नित्यं चिन्मात्रमव्ययम् ।। ४२.

It appears as the activity of all the senses, yet is devoid of material senses; unbounded by space, time, and the like, it is eternal, pure consciousness, and imperishable,

अध्यास्तं सर्पवद्यत्र विश्वमेतत्प्रकाशते। विश्वस्मिन्नपि चान्वेति निर्विकारश्च रज्जुवत् ।। ४२.

Where the universe appears superimposed like a snake upon a rope, yet within the universe it follows, remaining unchanged, just as the rope itself.

सम्यग्विचारितं यद्वत्फेनोर्मिबुद्बुदोदकम्। तथा विचारितं ब्रह्म विश्वस्मान्न पृथग्भवेत् ।। ४२.

Just as, when properly examined, foam, waves, and bubbles are found to be nothing but water, so too, when Brahman is rightly investigated, it is not separate from the universe.

सर्वं ब्रह्मैव नानात्वं नास्तीति निगमा जगुः। यस्माद्भवन्ति ब्रह्माण्ड कोटयो न भवन्ति च ।। ४२.

All is truly Brahman; there is no multiplicity, so declare the scriptures, for countless universes arise from it and yet do not truly exist apart.

यदुन्मेषनिमेषाभ्यां जगतां प्रलयोदयौ। भवेतां या परा शक्तिर्यदाधारतया स्थिता ।। ४२.

That supreme power by which, through opening and closing of the eyes, the creation and dissolution of worlds occur, is established as their foundation.

यस्मिन्निदं यतश्चेदं येनेदं यदिदं स्मृतम्। यदज्ञानाज्जगद्भाति यस्मिन् ज्ञाते जगन्न हि ।। ४२.

That in which this exists, from which this arises, by which this is remembered, which appears as the world through ignorance, and upon knowing which, the world ceases to be.

असत्यं यज्जडं दुःखमवस्त्विति निरूपितम्। विपरीतमतो यद्वै सच्चिदानन्दमूर्त्तिकम् ।। ४२.

That which is false, inert, and sorrowful is determined to be unreal; therefore, what is contrary to this is of the nature of existence, consciousness, and bliss.

जीवे जाग्रति विश्वाख्यं स्वप्ने यत्तैजसं स्मृतम् । सुषुप्तौ प्राज्ञसंज्ञं तत्सर्वावस्थासु संस्मृतम् ।। ४२.

In the waking state, the individual is called 'viśva'; in the dream state, 'taijasa'; in deep sleep, 'prājña'; thus, it is remembered in all conditions.

यच्चक्षुषां चक्षुरथ श्रोत्राणां श्रोत्रमस्ति च। त्वक् त्वचां रसनं तस्य प्राणं प्राणस्य यद्विदुः ।। ४२.

That which is the eye of the eyes, the ear of the ears, the skin of the skins, the tongue of the tongues, and the breath of the breaths, is known by the wise.

बुद्धिर्ज्ञानेन च प्राणाः क्रियाशक्त्या निरन्तरम्। यन्नेशिरि समभ्येतुं ज्ञातुं च परमार्थतः ।। ४२.

Intellect operates through knowledge, vital forces through the power of action, yet that which cannot be controlled or fully known is the ultimate reality.

रज्जावहिर्मरौ वारि नीलिमा गगने यथा। असद्विश्वमिदं भाति यस्मिन्नज्ञानकल्पितम् ।। ४२.

Just as a rope appears as a snake, water as a mirage in the desert, or blue in the sky, so this unreal universe shines, imagined through ignorance.