Vayu Purana

गयासुरोऽब्रवीद्दृष्ट्वा ब्रह्माणं त्रिदशैः सहः। संपूज्योत्थाय विधिवत्प्रण्तः श्रद्धयान्वितः ।। ४४.

Gayasura, seeing Brahma together with the gods, rose respectfully, worshipped him according to the proper rites, and stood with faith.

अद्य मे सफलं जन्म अद्य मे सफलं तपः। यदागतोऽतिथिर्ब्रह्मा सर्व्वं प्राप्तं मयाद्य वै ।। ४४.

Today my birth is fruitful, today my austerity is fulfilled; since Brahma has come as a guest, I have attained everything today.

योगिन्योगाङ्गवित्सर्व्वलोकस्वामिन्पितर्गुरो। यदर्थमा गतो ब्रह्मन्स्तत्कार्य्यं करवाण्यहम् ।। ४४.

O master of yogis, knower of yoga's limbs, lord of all worlds, ancestor and teacher, whatever purpose you have come for, O Brahma, that deed I shall perform.

पृथिव्यां यानि तीर्थानि दृष्टानि भ्रमता मया। यज्ञार्थं न तु ते तानि पवित्राणि शरीरतः ।। ४४.

The holy places I have seen while wandering the earth are not pure for sacrifice; their purity does not come from the body.

त्वया देहे पवित्रत्वं प्राप्तं विष्णुप्रसादतः। अतः पवित्रं देहं त्वं यज्ञार्थं देहिमेऽसुर ।। ४४.

By you, purity has been attained in the body through Vishnu's grace; therefore, O demon, give your pure body for the sake of sacrifice.

धन्योऽहं देव देवेश यद्देहं प्रार्थ्यते त्वया। पितृवंशः कृतार्थो मे देहे यागं करोषि चेत् ।। ४४.

I am blessed, O lord of gods, that you desire my body; if you perform the sacrifice in my body, my ancestral line will be fulfilled.

त्वयैवोत्पादितो देहः पवित्रस्तु त्वया कृतः। सर्व्वेषामुपकाराय यागोऽवश्यं भवत्विति ।। ४४.

The body was created by you, and purity was established by you; for the benefit of all, let the sacrifice certainly be performed.

इत्युक्त्वा सोऽपतद्भूमौ श्वेतकल्पे गयासुरः। नैऋतीं दिशमाश्रित्य तदा कोलाहले गिरौ ।। ४४.

Having spoken thus, Gayasura fell to the ground in the Śveta Kalpa, facing the southwestern direction, on the mountain Kolahala.

शिरः कृत्वोत्तरे दैत्यः पादौ कृत्वा तु दक्षिणे। ब्रह्मा सम्भृतसम्भारो मानसानृत्विजोऽसृजत् ।। ४४.

The demon placed his head to the north and his feet to the south; Brahma, having gathered the necessary materials, created mental priests.

अग्निशर्माणम्मृतं शौनकं याञ्जलिं मृदुम्। कुमुथिं वेद कौण्डिल्यं हारीतं काश्यपं कृपम् ।। ४४.

Agniśarman, Mṛta, Śaunaka, Yāñjali, Mṛdu, Kumuthi, Vedakauṇḍilya, Hārīta, Kāśyapa, and Kṛpa.

गर्गं कौशिकवासिष्ठौ मुनिं भार्गवमव्ययम्। वृद्धं पाराशरं कण्वं माण्डव्यं श्रुतिकेवलम् ।। ४४.

Garga, Kauśika, Vāsiṣṭha, the sage Bhārgava the imperishable, Vṛddha, Parāśara, Kaṇva, Māṇḍavya, and Śrutikevala.

श्वेतं सुतालं दमनं सुहोत्रं कङ्कमेव च। लौकाक्षिञ्च महाबाहुं जैगीषव्यं तथैव च ।। ४४.

Śveta, Sutāla, Damana, Suhotra, Kaṅka, Laukākṣi the mighty-armed, and Jaigīṣavya as well;

दधिपञ्चमुखं विप्रमृषभं कर्कमेव च। कात्यायनं गोभिलञ्च मुनिमुग्रमगाव्रतम् ।। ४४.

Dadhipañcamukha, Vipramṛṣabha, Karka, Kātyāyana, Gobhila, and the sage Ugramagāvrata;

सुपालकं गौतमञ्च तथा वेदशिरोव्रतम्। जटामालिनमव्यग्रं चाटुहासञ्च दारुणम् ।। ४४.

Supālaka, Gautama, the vow-holder Vedaśiras, Jaṭāmālin the unperturbed, and Cāṭuhāsa the fierce;

आत्रेयं चाप्यङ्गिरसमौपमन्युं महा व्रतम्। गोकर्णञ्च गुहावासं शिखण्डिनमुमाव्रतम् ।। ४४.

Ātreya, Aṅgiras, the great-vowed Aupamanyu, Gokarṇa the cave-dweller, Śikhaṇḍin, and Umāvrata;

एतानन्यांश्च विप्रेन्द्रान्वेधा लोकपितामहः । परिकल्प्याकरोद्यागं गयासुरशरीरके ।। ४४.

These and other eminent Brāhmaṇas, the creator and grandsire of the worlds appointed and arranged to perform the rite upon the body of Gayāsura.

अग्निशर्मापि पञ्चाग्नीन्मुखादेतानथासृजत्। दक्षिणाग्निं गार्हपत्याहवनीयौ तपोऽव्ययः ।। ४४.

Agniśarman then produced from his mouth the five fires: the southern fire, the gārhapatya, and the āhavanīya, by his imperishable austerity.

सत्यावसथ्यौ देवर्षे येषु यज्ञाः प्रतिष्ठिताः। यज्ञस्य च प्रतिष्ठार्थं विप्रेभ्यो दक्षिणां ददौ ।। ४४.

Among these divine sages, both truthful and untruthful, the sacrifices were established; and for the establishment of the sacrifice, he gave gifts to the Brāhmaṇas.

हुत्वा पूर्णाहुतिं ब्रह्ना स्नात्वा चावभृथेन तु। यज्ञयूपं सुरैः सार्द्धं समानीय व्यरोपयत् ।। ४४.

Having offered the final oblation and bathed with the avabhṛtha rite, Brahmā, together with the gods, brought and set up the sacrificial post.

ब्रह्मणः सहसा श्रेष्ठे सरस्येवाश्रितं शुभम्। चलितश्चकितो ब्रह्मा धर्म्मराजमभाषत ।। ४४.

When the excellent post of Brahmā was placed in the auspicious lake, Brahmā, startled and anxious, spoke to Dharmarāja.

जाता गृहे तव शिला समानीयाविचारयन्। दैत्यस्य शीघ्रं शिरसि तां धारय ममाज्ञया ।। ४४.

"A stone has been brought from your house; quickly place it on the head of the demon at my command."

निश्चलार्थं यमः श्रुत्वा धारयन्मस्तके शिलाम्। शिलायां धारितायान्तु सशिलश्चासुरोऽचलत् ।। ४४.

Hearing this, Yama placed the stone upon his head to keep it steady; but when the stone was set, the demon, along with the stone, still moved.

देवानूचेऽथ रुद्रादीञ्छिलायां निश्चलाः किल। तिष्ठन्तु देवाः सकलास्तथेत्युक्त्वा च ते स्थिताः ।। ४४.

Then he addressed Rudra and the other gods: "Let all the gods remain unmoving upon the stone." Having said so, they stood firm.

देवाः पादैर्लक्षयित्वा तथापि चलितोऽसुरः। ब्रह्माथ व्याकुलो विष्णुं गतः क्षीराब्धिशायिनम्। तुष्टाव प्रणतो भूत्वा नत्वा चादृत्य तं प्रभुम् ।। ४४.

Even though the gods pressed with their feet, the demon still moved; then Brahmā, distressed, went to Viṣṇu, the one who lies upon the ocean of milk, bowed, and praised that Lord.

.ब्रह्मोवाच।। ब्रह्माण्डस्य पते नाथ नमामि जगतां पतिम्। कतिं कीर्त्तिमतां नॄणां बुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायकम् ।। ४४.

Brahmā said: "Lord of the cosmic egg, master of the worlds, I bow to you, giver of fame, enjoyment, and liberation to men."

विष्वक्सेनोऽब्रवीद्विष्णुं देव त्वां स्तौति पद्मजः। हरिराहानय त्वं तं विष्णूक्तः स तमानयत्। अजमूचे हरिः कस्मादागतोऽसि वदस्व तत् ।। ४४.

Viṣvaksena said to Viṣṇu: "O god, Padmaja (Brahmā) is praising you." Hari said, "Bring him here." Thus addressed by Viṣṇu, he brought him. Hari said to the unborn one: "For what reason have you come? Speak."

देवदेव कृते योगे प्रचचाल गयासुरः। शिलायां देवरूपिण्यां न्यस्तायां तस्य मस्तके ।। ४४.

"O god of gods, during the rite performed, Gayāsura moved even when the divine stone was placed upon his head."

रुद्रादिषु च देवेषु संस्थितेष्वसुरोऽचलत्। इदानीं निश्चलार्थं हि प्रसादं कुरु माधव ।। ४४.

"Even with Rudra and the other gods stationed upon it, the demon moved; now, for the sake of steadiness, grant your favor, O Mādhava."

ब्रह्मणो वचनं श्रुत्वा ह्याकृष्य स्वशरीरतः । मूर्त्तिं ददौ निश्चलार्थं ब्रह्मणे भगवान्हरिः ।। ४४.

Hearing Brahmā's words, Bhagavān Hari drew forth an image from his own body and gave it to Brahmā for the sake of steadiness.