Vayu Purana

महेश्वरः परोऽव्यक्तश्चतुर्बाहुश्चतुर्मुखः। अचिन्त्यश्चाप्रमेयश्च स्वयम्भूर्हेतुरीश्वरः

The great Lord, the supreme, the unmanifest, four-armed, four-faced, inconceivable, immeasurable, self-born, the cause, the Lord—

अव्यक्तं कारणं यद्यन्नित्यं सदसदात्मकम्। महदादिविशेषान्तं सृजतीति विनिश्चयः

The unmanifest, which is the cause, eternal, of the nature of being and non-being, from which arises the great principle down to the particular—this is the settled view.

अण्डं हिरण्मयञ्चैव बभूवाप्रतिमं ततः। अण्डस्यावरणञ्चाद्भिरपामपि च तेजसा

Then arose the golden egg, incomparable; and the covering of the egg was by waters, and by fire as well.

वायुना तस्य नभसा नभो भूतादिना वृतम्। भूतादिर्महता चैव अव्यक्तेनावृतो महान्

By wind, by ether, and by the principle of elements, it was enveloped; the principle of elements was covered by the great principle, and the great by the unmanifest.

अतोऽत्र विश्वदेवानामृषीणाञ्चोपवर्णितम्। नदीनां पर्वतानाञ्च प्रादुर्भावोऽत्र शस्यते

Here is described the appearance of the Viśvadevas, the sages, the rivers, and the mountains.

मन्वन्तराणां सर्वेषां कल्पानाञ्चोपवर्णनम्। कीर्त्तनं ब्रह्मक्षत्रस्य ब्रह्म जन्म च कीर्त्त्यते

Here is recounted the description of all the Manvantaras and Kalpas, the praise of Brahmins and Kṣatriyas, and the birth of Brahmā is also celebrated.

अतो ब्रह्मणि स्रष्टृत्वं प्रजासर्गोपवर्णनम्। अवस्थाश्चात्र कीर्त्त्यन्ते ब्रह्मणोऽव्यक्तजन्मनः

Here, the creative power of Brahmā is described, the account of the creation of beings, and the states of Brahmā, whose birth is unmanifest, are narrated.

कल्पानां वत्सराश्चैव जगतः स्थापनन्तथा। शयनञ्च हरेरत्र पृथिव्युद्धरणन्तथा

Here are the years of the Kalpas, the establishment of the world, the sleep of Hari, and the raising up of the earth.

सन्निवेशः पुरादीनां वर्णाश्रमविभागशः। वृक्षाणां गृहसंस्थानां सिद्धानाञ्चविनाशनम्

The arrangement of cities and so forth, the division of castes and stages of life, the forms of trees and houses, and the destruction of the Siddhas.

योजनानां पथाञ्चैव सञ्चरो बहुविस्तरः। स्वर्गे स्थानविभागश्च मर्त्त्यानां भुविचारिणाम्

The extensive courses of the paths, the movement along them, and the divisions of realms in heaven for mortals who dwell upon the earth—these are described.

वृक्षाणामोषधीनाञ्च वीरुधाञ्च प्रकीर्त्तनम्। वृक्षनारकिकीटत्वं मर्त्त्यानां परिकीर्त्तितम्

The enumeration of trees, herbs, and creepers is given, as well as the mention of mortals being reborn as trees, animals, or insects.

देवतानामृषीणाञ्च द्वे सृती परिकीर्त्तिते। अन्नादीनां तनूनाञ्च सर्जनन्त्यजनन्तथा

The two courses of the gods and sages are described, along with the creation and dissolution of beings who subsist on food and possess bodies.

प्रथमं सर्वशास्त्राणां पुराणं ब्रह्मणा स्मृतम्। अनन्तरञ्च वक्रेभ्यो वेदास्तस्य विनिःसृताः

The first of all scriptures, the Purāṇa, was remembered by Brahmā; then, from his mouths, the Vedas were produced.

अङ्गानि धर्मशास्त्रञ्च व्रतानि नियमास्तथा। पशूनां पुरुषाणाञ्च सम्भवः परिकीर्तितः

The limbs, the Dharmaśāstra, the vows, and observances are described, as well as the origin of animals and humans.

तथा निर्वचनं प्रोक्तं कल्पस्य च परिग्रहः। नव सर्गाः पुनः प्रोक्ता ब्रह्मणो बुद्धिपूर्वकाः

Thus, the explanation of terms is given, and the enumeration of the Kalpa; again, the nine creations of Brahmā, arising from his intellect, are described.

त्रयोऽन्ये बुद्धिपूर्वास्तु ततो लोकानकल्पयत्। ब्रह्मणोऽवयवेभ्यश्च धर्मादीनां समुद्भवः

Three other creations, also arising from intellect, are described; then he fashioned the worlds, and from the limbs of Brahmā arose Dharma and the others.

ये द्वादश प्रसूयन्ते प्रजाः कल्पे पुनः पुनः। कल्पयोरन्तरं प्रोक्तं प्रतिसन्धिश्च यस्तयोः

The twelve kinds of beings that are produced again and again in each Kalpa are described, as well as the interval between Kalpas and the connection between them.

तमोमात्रावृतत्वाच्च ब्रह्मणोऽधर्मसम्भवः। तथैव शतरूपायाः सम्भवश्च ततः परम्

Because of being enveloped by the measure of darkness, the origin of adharma from Brahmā is described, and likewise the origin of Śatarūpā thereafter.

प्रियव्रतोत्तानपादौ प्रसूत्याकूतयश्च ताः। कीर्त्त्यन्ते धूतपाप्मानो येषु लोकाः प्रतिष्ठिताः

Priyavrata and Uttānapāda, the offspring, and Ākūti—these are recounted, purified of sin, in whom the worlds are established.

रुचेः प्रजापतेश्चोर्द्वमाकूत्यां मितुनोद्भवः। प्रसूत्यामपि दक्षस्य कन्यानां प्रभवस्ततः

From Ruci, the lord of progeny, above, was born Mitra from Ākūti; and from Prasūti, the daughters of Dakṣa were produced thereafter.

दाक्षायणीषु चाप्यूर्द्ध्वं श्रद्धाद्यासु महात्मनाम्। धर्मस्य कीर्त्त्यते सर्गः सात्त्विकस्य सुखोदयः

And among the daughters of Dakṣa, and further among the noble ones beginning with Śraddhā, the creation of Dharma is described, which is sattvic and brings happiness.

तथाऽधर्म्मस्य हिंसायां तामसोऽशुभलक्षणः। महेश्वरस्य सत्याञ्च प्रजासर्गः प्रकीर्तितः

Likewise, the creation of adharma, marked by violence and of tamasic, inauspicious nature, is described, as well as the creation of beings by Maheśvara and Satī.

निरामयञ्च ब्रह्माणं तादृशं कीर्त्तितं पुनः। योगं योगनिधिः प्राह द्विजानां मुक्तिकांक्षिणाम्

The pure and faultless Brahmā is again described; the treasure of yoga taught the path of yoga to the twice-born who seek liberation.

अवतारश्च रुद्रस्य महाभाग्यं तथैव च। त्रैवेदिकां कथाञ्चापि संवादः परमो महान्

The incarnation of Rudra and his great fortune are likewise described, as well as the threefold Vedic narrative and the supreme, great dialogue.

ब्रह्मनारायणाभ्याञ्च यत्र स्तोत्रं प्रकीर्त्तितम्। स्तुतस्ताभ्यां स देवेशस्तुतोष भगवान् शिवः

Where the hymn by Brahmā and Nārāyaṇa is recounted, there the lord of the gods, Bhagavān Śiva, was praised by them and became pleased.

प्रादुर्भावोऽथ रुद्रस्य ब्रह्मणोऽङ्गे महात्मनः। कीर्त्त्यते नाम हेतुश्च यथाऽरोदीन्महामनाः

Then the manifestation of Rudra from the body of the great-souled Brahmā is described, along with the reason for his name and how the great-minded one wept.

रुद्रादीनि यथा ह्यष्टौ नामान्याप्नोत् स्वयम्भुवः। यथा च तैर्व्याप्रतमिदं त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम्

How the Self-born obtained the eight names beginning with Rudra, and how, through them, this threefold world, with its moving and unmoving beings, was pervaded.

भृग्वादीनामृषीणाञ्च प्रजासर्गोपवर्णनम्। वसिष्ठस्य च ब्रह्मर्षेर्यत्र गोत्रानुकीर्त्तनम्

The account of the creation of beings by the sages beginning with Bhrigu, and the enumeration of the lineages of the brahmarshi Vasistha is described here.

अग्नेः प्रजायाः सम्भूतिः स्वाहायां यत्र कीर्त्तिता। पितॄणां द्विप्रकाराणां स्वधायास्तदनन्तरम्

The origin of Agni's offspring through Svaha is recounted here, and immediately after, the twofold kinds of Pitrs through Svadha.