Vayu Purana

मायया चित्रकारिण्या विचित्रगुणशीलया । ब्रह्माण्डं चित्रमतुलं यस्मिन् भित्ताविवार्पितम् ।। ४२.

By the creative power of Māyā, possessing wondrous qualities, the marvelous universe is projected, like a painting upon a wall.

धावतोऽन्यानतिक्रान्तं वदतो वागगोचरम् । वेदवेदान्तसिद्धान्तैर्विनिर्णीतं तदक्षरम् ।। ४२.

That which surpasses all others in speed, which speech cannot reach, which is established by the conclusions of the Vedas and Vedānta, is the imperishable.

अक्षरान्न परं किञ्चित्सा काष्ठा सा परा गतिः । इत्येवं श्रूयते वेदे बहुधापि विचारिते ।। ४२.

There is nothing higher than the imperishable; that is the ultimate, the supreme goal, so it is heard in the Vedas, even after much inquiry.

अक्षरस्यात्मनश्चापि स्वात्मरूपतया स्थितम्। परमानन्दसन्दोहरूपमानन्द विग्रहम् ।। ४२.

The imperishable and the Self are established as one's own true nature, the embodiment of supreme bliss, the very form of joy.

लीलाविलासरसिकं बल्लवीयूथमध्यगम्। शिखिपिच्छकिरीटेन बास्वद्रत्नचितेन च ।। ४२.

Delighting in play and sport, surrounded by groups of cowherd maidens, adorned with a crown of peacock feathers and gems.

उल्लसद्विद्युदाटोपकुण्डलाभ्यां विराजितम्। कर्णोपान्तचरन्नेत्रखञ्जरीटमनोहरम् ।। ४२.

Radiant with flashing earrings like lightning, charming with eyes moving near the ears, and a beautiful crest.

कुञ्जकुञ्जप्रियावृन्दविलासरतिलम्पटम्। पीताम्बरधरं दिव्यं चन्दनालेपमण्डितम् ।। ४२.

Fond of playful pastimes in groves with beloved companions, wearing yellow garments, divine, and adorned with sandal paste.

अधरामृत संसिक्तवेणुनादेन वल्लवीः। मोहयन्तञ्चिदानन्दमनङ्गमदभञ्जनम् ।। ४२.

Enchanting the cowherd women with the sound of his flute, moistened by the nectar of the lower lip, he shattered the pride of Cupid, embodying the bliss of consciousness.

कोटिकामकलापूर्णं कोटिचन्द्रांशुनिर्मलम्। त्रिरेखकम्ठविलसद्रत्नगुञ्जामृगा कुलम् ।। ४२.

Filled with millions of forms of desire, pure as the rays of millions of moons, adorned with three lines on the neck, and a host of deer marked by strings of gems.

यमुनापुलिने तुङ्गे तमालवनकानने। कदम्बचम्पकाशोकपारिजातमनोहरे ।। ४२.

On the high banks of the Yamuna, in the groves of tamāla trees, delightful with kadamba, campaka, aśoka, and pārijāta trees.

शिखिपारावतशुकपिककोलाहलाकुले। निरोधार्थं गवामेव धावमानमितस्ततः ।। ४२.

Filled with the clamor of peacocks, doves, parrots, and cuckoos, he ran here and there only to restrain the cows.

राधाविलासरसिकं कृष्णाख्यं पुरुषं परम्। श्रुतवानस्मि वेदेभ्यो यतस्तद्गोचरोऽभवत् ।। ४२.

I have heard from the Vedas of that supreme person named Krishna, the connoisseur of Rādhā’s delights, for he became accessible through them.

एवं ब्रह्मणि चिन्मात्रे निर्गुणे भेदवर्जिते। गोलोकसंज्ञिके कृष्णो दीव्यतीति श्रुतं मया ।। ४२.

Thus, I have heard that Krishna shines forth in Goloka, which is called by that name, in the pure, undivided, attributeless, consciousness that is Brahman.

नातः परतरं किञ्चिन्निगमागमयोरपि। तथापि निगमो वक्ति ह्यक्षरात् परतः परः ।। ४२.

There is nothing higher than this, not even in the Vedas or Āgamas; yet the Veda declares that there is one who is higher than the imperishable.

गोलोकवासी भगवानक्षरात्पर उच्यते। तस्मादपि परः कोऽसौ गीयते श्रुतिभिः सदा ।। ४२.

The Lord dwelling in Goloka is said to be higher than the imperishable; who, then, is proclaimed by the scriptures as higher even than that?

उद्दिष्टो वेद वचनैर्विशेषो ज्ञायते कथम्। श्रुतेर्वार्थोऽन्यथा बोध्यः परतस्त्वक्षरादिति ।। ४२.

How is the distinction indicated by the words of the Veda to be known? The meaning of the scripture must be understood otherwise: there is one higher than the imperishable.

श्रुत्यर्थे संशयापन्नो व्यासः सत्यवतीसुतः। विचारयामास चिरं न प्रपेदे यथातथम् ।। ४२.

Vyāsa, son of Satyavatī, fell into doubt about the meaning of the scripture; he pondered for a long time but did not reach the truth as it is.

सूत उवाच।। विचारयन्नपि मुनिर्नाप वेदार्थनिश्चयम्। वेदो नारायणः साक्षाद्यत्र मुह्यन्ति सूरयः ।। ४२.

Sūta said: Even though the sage pondered, he did not arrive at certainty about the meaning of the Veda; the Veda is directly Nārāyaṇa, in which even the wise are bewildered.

तथापि महतीमार्त्तिं सतां हृदयतापिनीम्। पुनर्विचारयामास कं व्रजामि करोमि किम् ।। ४२.

Yet, afflicted by great distress that pained the hearts of the virtuous, he pondered again: 'To whom shall I go? What shall I do?'

पश्यामि न जगत्यस्मिन्सर्वज्ञं सर्वदर्शनम्। अज्ञात्वाऽन्यतमं लोके सन्देहविनिवर्त्तकम् ।। ४२.

I do not see in this world anyone who is all-knowing and all-seeing, nor anyone who can dispel doubt without knowing another in the world.

मेरोः कुहरिणीं गत्वा चचार परमं तपः। यत्र कार्त्तस्वरक्फूर्जज्ज्योत्स्नाजालैर्निरन्तरम् ।। ४२.

He went to a cave on Mount Meru and performed supreme austerity there, where the golden palm trees are ever illuminated by streams of moonlight.

सदा प्रबाधते विष्वक्तमःस्तोमं दृशन्तुदम्। चकास्ते यत्र परमं कान्तारमतिसुन्दरम् ।। ४२.

There, the light always dispels the mass of darkness in every direction, and there shines a supremely beautiful forest.

नानाद्रुमलत ---त्पक्षिनिनादितम्। क्षुत्पिपासाभयक्रोधतापग्लानिविवर्जितम् ।। ४२.

Resounding with the cries of many kinds of birds among various trees and creepers, it is free from hunger, thirst, fear, anger, fatigue, and exhaustion.

जलाशयैर्बहुविधैः पद्मिनीखण्डमण्डितैः । जातरूपशिलानद्धतटसञ्चारपाक्ष ।। ४२.

Adorned with many kinds of lakes, filled with clusters of lotuses, its banks lined with golden stones.

युक्तमम्भोज पवनैः सेव्यमानं समन्ततः। शिवैरध्यासितम्भावैर्हिंस्रैः सत्त्वैः समुज्झितम् ।। ४२.

Filled everywhere with breezes from lotuses, attended on all sides, inhabited by auspicious beings, and devoid of violent creatures.

निर्जनं दिव्यलतिकाप्रियखण्डवराजितम्। शूकैः पारावतै र्हृद्यैरुन्मदन्मत्तकोकिलम् ।। ४२.

A secluded place, adorned with beloved clusters of divine creepers, delightful with the calls of partridges and pigeons, and intoxicated, maddened cuckoos.

उत्पतत्पद्मरजसां पटलामोददिङ्‌मुखम्। तत्रापि काञ्चिनी दिव्या गुहा परमशोभना ।। ४२.

The quarters there were fragrant with layers of rising lotus pollen; in that place too was a certain wondrous cave, supremely beautiful.

तां प्रविश्य जिता हारो जितचित्तो जितासनः। सस्मार वेदांश्चतुरस्तदेकाग्रमना मुनिः ।। ४२.

Entering that cave, the sage—master of his senses, mind, and posture—recollected the four Vedas with one-pointed mind.

त्रयी जगाम शरदां शतस्य स्मरतोऽस्य हि । प्रादुरासंस्ततो वेदाश्चत्वारश्चारुदर्शनाः ।। ४२.

As he meditated thus, a hundred autumns passed; then, the four Vedas, of charming appearance, became manifest before him.