Vayu Purana

प्रवृत्तिञ्च निवृत्तिञ्च गुणवृद्धिमिह द्विजाः। यथाशक्ति प्रवक्ष्यामि तनूनां तन्निबोधत ।। ५.

O Brahmins, I will explain, as best I can, the activity and withdrawal, and the increase of qualities in these forms; listen to this.

एका तु कुरुते तासां राजसी सर्वतः प्रजाः। एका चैवार्णवस्था तु सानुगृह्णाति सात्त्विकी। एका सा क्षिपते काले तामसी ग्रसते प्रजाः ।। ५.

Of these, one, the rajasika, produces all beings everywhere; one, the sattvika, in the form of the ocean, supports them; and one, the tamasika, at the proper time, casts them down and consumes the beings.

रजसा तु समुद्रिक्तो ब्रह्मा सम्भवते यदा। पुरुषाख्या तदा तस्य सात्त्विकी विनिवर्त्तते ।। ५.

When Brahma arises, filled with rajas, then the sattvika aspect, called Purusha, withdraws from him.

यदा भवति कालात्मा उद्रेकात्तमसस्तु सः। ब्रह्माख्या सा तदा त्वस्य राजसी विनिवर्त्तते ।। ५.

When the principle of time, due to the increase of tamas, becomes predominant, then the rajasika aspect, called Brahma, withdraws from him.

सत्त्वोद्रेकात्तु पुरुषो यदा भवति स प्रभुः। कालाख्या सा तदा तस्य पुनर्नभवतीति वै ।। ५.

When, due to the increase of sattva, Purusha becomes manifest as the Lord, then the aspect called Time ceases to exist for him.

क्रमात्तस्य निवर्त्तन्ते रूपं नाम च कर्म च। त्रैलोक्ये वर्त्तमानस्य सर्वानुग्रहनिग्रहैः ।। ५.

Gradually, his form, name, and actions cease, as he abides in the three worlds, through the acts of granting favor and restraint to all.

यदा भवति ब्रह्मा च तदा चान्तरमुच्यते। यदा च पुरुषो ब्रह्मा न चैव पुरुषस्तु सः ।। ५.

When Brahma exists, then an interval is said to occur; and when Purusha is Brahma, he is not Purusha alone.

मणिर्विभजते वर्णान् विचित्रान् स्फटिके यथा। वैमल्यादाश्रयवशात्तद्वर्णः स्यात्तदञ्जनः ।। ५.

Just as a gem divides various colors in a crystal, so, depending on its purity and the nature of its support, that color appears as such.

तदा गुणवशात्तस्य स्वयम्भोरनुरञ्जनम्। एकत्वे च पृथक्त्वे च प्रोक्तमेतन्निदर्घनम् ।। ५.

Thus, by the influence of the qualities, the coloring of the self-born occurs; whether in unity or in diversity, this is declared as the explanation.

एको भूत्वा यथा मेघः पृथक्त्वेनावतिष्ठते। रूपतो वर्णतश्चैव तथा गुणवशात्तु सः ।। ५.

Just as a single cloud, becoming one, appears as many by form and color, so too does he, by the influence of the qualities.

भवत्येको द्विधा चैव त्रिधा मूर्तिविनाशनात्। एको ब्रह्मान्तकृच्चैव पुरुषश्चेति ते त्रयः ।। ५.

He becomes one, twofold, and threefold, due to the dissolution of forms; he is Brahma, Antakrit, and Purusha—these three.

एकस्यैताः स्मृतास्तिस्रस्तनवस्तु स्वयम्भुवः। ब्राह्मी च पौरुषी चैव अन्तकारी च ते त्रयः ।। ५.

These three forms are remembered as the bodies of the self-born: Brahmi, Paurushi, and Antakari—these three.

तत्र या राजसी तस्य तनुः सा वै प्रजाकरी। या तामसी तु कालाख्या प्रजाक्षयकरी तु सा। सात्त्विकी पौरुषी या तु सानुग्रहकरी स्मृता ।। ५.

Among these, the rajasika body is the creator of beings; the tamasika, called Time, is the destroyer of beings; and the sattvika, called Paurushi, is remembered as the giver of grace.

राजस्या ब्रह्मणोंऽशेन मरीचिः कश्यपोऽभवत्। तामसी चान्तकृद्या तु तदंशेनाभवद्भवः ।। ५.

From the rajasika aspect of Brahma, Marichi and Kashyapa were born; from the tamasika, called Antakrit, Bhava was born from that portion.

सात्त्विकी पौरुषी या सा तस्याः शोचिष्णुरुच्यते। त्रैलोक्ये ताः स्मृतास्तिस्रस्तनवस्तु स्वयम्भुवः ।। ५.

The sattvika, called Paurushi, is known as Shociṣṇu; these three bodies of the self-born are remembered in the three worlds.

नानाप्रयोजनार्थां हि कालोऽवस्थां करोति यः। ब्रह्मत्वेन प्रजाः सृष्ठ्वा विष्णुत्वेनानुगृह्य च। वैष्णव्यानुगृहीता स्ता रौद्यानुग्रसते पुनः ।। ५.

Indeed, Time brings about various states for different purposes: creating beings as Brahma, sustaining them as Vishnu, and then consuming them again as Rudra.

एकः स्वयम्भुवः कालस्त्रिभिस्त्रीन् वै करोति सः। सृजते चानुगृह्णाति प्रजाः संहरते तथा ।। ५.

The self-born Time, being one, makes three from the three qualities; he creates, sustains, and also withdraws beings.

इत्येताः कथिता स्तिस्रस्तनवस्तु स्वयम्भुवः। प्रजापत्या च रौद्री च वैष्णवी चैव ताः स्मृताः ।। ५.

Thus, these three bodies of the self-born have been described: they are remembered as Prajapatya, Raudri, and Vaishnavi.

एका तनुः स्मृता वेदे धर्मशास्त्रे पुरातने। साङ्ख्ययोगपरे वीरैः पृथक्त्वैकत्वदर्शिभिः। अभिजातप्रभावज्ञैऋषिभिस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः ।। ५.

This one body is remembered in the Veda, in the ancient Dharmaśāstra, by the heroes devoted to Sāṅkhya and Yoga, by those who see unity and diversity, and by sages who know the origin and power of beings, and who perceive the truth.

एकत्वे च पृथक्त्वे च तासु भिन्नाः प्रजास्त्विह । इदं परमिदं नेति ब्रुवतो भिन्नदर्शनाः ।। ५.

In unity and in diversity among them, the beings here are distinct; saying 'this is supreme, this is not,' they hold differing views.

ब्रह्माणं कारणं केचित् केचित् प्राहुः प्रजापतिम्। केचिच्छिवं परत्वेन प्राहुर्विष्णुं तथाऽपरे। अविज्ञानेन संसक्ताः सक्ता रत्यादिचेतसा ।। ५.

Some declare Brahma as the cause, others speak of Prajapati; some regard Shiva as supreme, others likewise Vishnu; attached through ignorance, their minds are bound by pleasure and the like.

तत्त्वं कालञ्च देशञ्च कार्याण्यावेक्ष्य तत्त्वतः। कारणञ्च स्मृता ह्येता नानार्थेष्विह देवताः ।। ५.

Considering the principle, time, place, and effects truly, the cause is remembered; thus, the deities here are established in various meanings.

एकं निन्दति यस्तेषां सर्वानेन स निन्दति। एकं प्रशसमानस्तु सर्वानेव प्रशंसति। एकं यो वेत्ति पुरुषं तमाहुर्ब्रह्मवादिनम् ।। ५.

Whoever reviles one among them reviles all; whoever praises one, praises all; whoever knows the one Person, is called a speaker of Brahman.

अद्वेषस्तु सदा कार्यो देवतासु विजानता। न शक्यमीश्वरं ज्ञातुमैश्वर्येण व्यवस्थितम् ।। ५.

One who knows the deities should always avoid hatred; it is not possible to know the Lord who is established in sovereignty.

एकात्मा स त्रिधा भूत्वा संमोहयति यः प्रजाः। एतेषाञ्च त्रयाणान्तु विचरन्त्यन्तरं जनाः ।। ५.

He, being one Self, having become threefold, deludes the beings; among these three, people move within the differences.

जिज्ञासन्तः परीक्षन्तः सक्ता रूपाविचेतसः। इदं परमिदं नेति वदन्ति भिन्नदर्शिनः ।। ५.

Desiring to know, examining, attached and confused in forms, those with differing views say, 'this is supreme, this is not.'

यातुधानान् विशन्त्येताः पिशाचांश्चैव तान्नरान् । एकत्वेन पृथक्त्वेन स्वयम्भूर्व्यवतिष्ठते ।। ५.

These enter the Yatudhanas and also the Pisachas, those men; in unity and in diversity, the Self-born abides.

गुणमात्रात्मिकाभिस्तु तनुभिर्मोहयन् प्रजाः। तेष्वेकं यजते यस्तु स तदा यजते त्रयम् ।। ५.

Deluding the beings with bodies composed only of qualities, whoever worships one among them, worships all three at that time.

तस्माद्देवास्त्रयो ह्येते नैरन्तर्ये व्यवस्थिताः। तस्मात् पृथक्त्वमेकत्वसङ्ख्या सङ्ख्यागतागतम्। एकत्वं वा बहुत्वं वा तेषु को ज्ञातुमर्हति ।। ५.

Therefore, these three gods are established in continuity; thus, the enumeration of unity and diversity comes and goes; who among them is fit to know unity or multiplicity?