Vayu Purana

वसिष्ठसम्भृतश्चाग्निर्विश्वामित्रजिघांसया। सन्तानहेतोर्विभुना चीर्णः स्कन्देन धीमता। दैवेन विधिना विप्र विश्वामित्रहितैषिणा

The fire produced by Vasiṣṭha, with the intent to destroy Viśvāmitra; performed by the wise Skanda for the sake of progeny, according to divine ordinance, O sage, by one desiring Viśvāmitra's welfare.

एकं वेदञ्चतुष्पादञ्चतुर्द्धा पुनरीश्वरः। यथा बिभेद भगवान् व्यासः सर्वान् स्वबुद्धितः। तस्य शिष्यैः प्रशिष्यैश्च शाखा भेदाः पुनः कृताः

How the Lord Vyāsa, by his own wisdom, divided the single four-footed Veda into four parts; and how his disciples and their disciples again made further divisions of the branches.

प्रयोगैः षड्‌गुणीयैश्च यथा पृष्टः स्वयम्भुवा। पृष्टेन चानुपृष्टास्ते मुनयो धर्मकाङ्क्षिणः

How, when questioned by the self-born, with sixfold applications, those sages, desirous of righteousness, were questioned and cross-questioned.

सुनाभं दिव्यरूपाख्यं सत्याङ्गं शुभविक्रमम्। अनौपम्यमिदञ्चक्रं वर्त्तमानमतन्द्रिताः। पृष्ठतो यात नियतास्ततः प्राप्स्यथ यद्धितम्

Sunābha, called Divyarūpa, true-limbed and of auspicious prowess, incomparable, this wheel was set in motion by the tireless ones; following behind in order, you will attain what is beneficial.

गच्छतो धर्मचक्रस्य यत्र नेमिर्विशीर्यते। पुण्यः स देशो मन्तव्य इत्युवाच तदा प्रभुः। उक्त्वा चैवमृषीन् ब्रह्मा ह्यदृश्यत्वमगात्पुनः

Where the rim of the wheel of dharma does not break as it moves, that place is to be considered holy, so spoke the Lord then; and having thus addressed the sages, Brahmā again became invisible.

गङ्गागर्भसमाहारं नैमिषेयत्वमेव च। ईजिरे चैव सत्रेण मुनयो नैमिषे तदा। मृते शरद्वति तथा तस्य चोत्थापनं कृतम्

The gathering of the Gaṅgā's essence, and the Naimisha region; the sages then performed a sacrificial session at Naimisha; after Śaradvati's death, his revival was accomplished.

ऋषयो नैमिषेयास्तु श्रद्धया परया पुनः। निःसीमां गामिमां कृत्स्नां कृत्वा राजानमाहरन्। यथाविधि यथाशास्त्रं तमातिथ्यैरपूजयन्

The Naimisha sages, with supreme faith, again gathered the entire boundless earth, and brought the king; according to custom and scripture, they honored him with hospitality.

प्रीतं तथा कृतातिथ्यं राजानं विधिवत्तदा। अन्तर्द्धानगतः क्रूरः स्वर्भानुरसुरोऽहरत्

The king, pleased and properly received, was then seized by the cruel demon Svarbhānu, who had become invisible.

अनुसस्रुर्हतं चापि नृपमैडं यथा पुरा। गन्धर्व सहितं दृष्ट्वा कलापग्रामवासिनम्

They pursued the slain king, just as before; seeing him together with the Gandharva, dwelling in the village of Kalāpa.

सन्निपातः पुनस्तस्य यथा यज्ञे महर्षिभिः। दृष्ट्वा हिरण्मयं सर्वं यज्ञे वस्तु महात्मनाम्

Again, the assembly of the king with the great sages at the sacrifice; seeing everything made of gold at the sacrifice of the great souls.

तदा वै नैमिषेयाणां सत्रे द्वादशवार्षिके। यथा विवदमानस्तु ऐडः संस्थापितस्तु तैः

Then, during the twelve-year sacrificial session of the Naimisha sages, as they disputed, Aiḍa was established by them.

जनयित्वा त्वरण्यान्ते ऐडपुत्रं यथायुषम्। समापयित्वा तत्सत्रमायुषं पर्युपासते

Having begotten Aiḍa's son at the edge of the forest, as long-lived; having completed that session, they attended upon him for his lifespan.

एतत्सर्वं यथावृत्तं व्याख्यातं द्विजसत्तमाः। ऋषीणां परमं चात्र लोकतन्त्रमनुत्तमम्

All this, as it happened, has been explained, O best of twice-born; and here is the supreme, unsurpassed tradition of the sages.

ब्रह्मणा यत्पुरा प्रोक्तं पुराणं ज्ञानमुत्तमम्। अवतारश्च रुद्रस्य द्विजानुग्रहकारणात्

That ancient, supreme knowledge which was formerly spoken by Brahmā; and the descent of Rudra for the sake of blessing the twice-born.

तथा पाशुपता योगाः स्थानानाञ्चैव कीर्त्तनम्। लिङ्गोद्भवस्य देवस्य नीलकण्ठत्वमेव च

Likewise, the Pāśupata yogas, and the praise of the places; the manifestation of the god Liṅga, and the very attainment of the blue-throated one.

कथ्यते यत्र विप्राणां वायुना ब्रह्मवादिना। धन्यं यशस्यमायुष्यं पुण्यं पापप्रणाशनम्। कीर्त्तनं श्रवणं चास्य धारणञ्च विशेषतः

Where the wind, as the speaker of Brahman, narrates to the Brahmins, there the recitation, hearing, and especially the retention of this, is blessed, brings fame, long life, merit, and destroys sin.

अनेन हि क्रमेणेदं पुराणं संप्रचक्ष्यते। सुखमर्थः समासेन महानप्युपलभ्यते। तस्मात् किञ्चित्सुमुद्दिश्य पश्चाद्वक्ष्यामि विस्तरम्

In this manner, this Purāṇa will be declared; its essence is easily grasped in summary, and even the great meaning is obtained; therefore, having indicated a little, I will later explain in detail.

पादमाद्यमिदं सम्यक् योऽधीयीत जितेन्द्रियः। तेनाधीतं पुराणं तत् सर्वं नास्त्यत्र संशयः

Whoever, with self-control, thoroughly studies this first section, for him the entire Purāṇa is considered studied—of this there is no doubt.

यो विद्याच्चतुरो वेदान् साङ्‌गोपनिषदो द्विजः। न चेत्पुराणं संविद्यान्नैव स स्याद्विचक्षणः

A twice-born who knows the four Vedas with their limbs and Upanishads, but does not know the Purāṇa, is not truly learned.

इतिहासपुराणाभ्यां वेदं समुपबृंहयेत्। बिभेत्यल्पश्रुताद्वेदो मामयं प्रतरिष्यति

One should supplement the Veda with Itihāsa and Purāṇa; the Veda fears that, due to little hearing, 'this one will misinterpret me.'

अभ्यसन्निममध्यायं साक्षात् प्रोक्तं स्वयम्भुवा। आपदं प्राप्य मुच्येत यथेष्टां प्राप्नुयाद्घतिम्

By repeatedly studying this chapter, which was directly spoken by the Self-born, one is freed from calamity and attains the desired state.

यस्मात् पुरा ह्यनतीदं पुराणं तेन तत् स्मृतम्। निरुक्तमस्य यो वेद सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते

Because this Purāṇa was composed long ago, it is called 'ancient'; whoever knows its etymology is freed from all sins.

नारायणः सर्वमिदं विश्वं व्याप्य प्रवर्त्तते। तस्यापि जगतः स्रष्टुः स्रष्टा देवो महेश्वरः

Nārāyaṇa pervades and operates this entire universe; and even for him, the creator of the world, the creator is the god Maheśvara.

अतश्च संक्षेपमिमं श्रृणुध्वं महेश्वरः सर्वमिदं पुराणम्। स सर्गकाले च करोति सर्गान् संहारकाले पुनराददीत

Therefore, listen in brief: Maheśvara is this entire Purāṇa; at the time of creation, he creates the worlds, and at the time of dissolution, he withdraws them.

शुक उवाच।। प्रत्यब्रुवन् पुनः सूतमृषयस्ते तपोधनाः। कुत्र सत्रं समभवत् तेषामद्भुतकर्मणाम्

Śuka said: Again, those ascetic sages asked Sūta, 'Where was the sacrificial session held by those of wondrous deeds?'

कियन्तं चैव तत्कालं कथं च समवर्त्तत। आचचक्ष पुराणं च कथं तेभ्यः प्रभञ्चनः

'And for how long did it last, and how was it conducted? How did Prabhañcana relate the Purāṇa to them?'

आचक्ष्व विस्तरेणेदं परं कौतूहलं हि नः। इति सन्नोदितः सूतः प्रत्युवाच शुभं वचः

'Tell us this in detail, for we are greatly curious.' Thus urged, Sūta spoke auspicious words.

श्रृणुध्वं यत्र ते धीरा ईजिरे सत्रमुत्तमम्। यावन्तं चाभवत् कालं यथा च समवर्तत

'Listen to where those wise ones performed the supreme sacrifice, for how long it lasted, and how it was conducted.'

सिसृक्षमाणा विश्वं हि यत्र विश्वसृजः पुरा। सत्रं हि ईजिरे पुण्यं सहस्रं परिवत्सरान्

Where, desiring to create the universe, the creators of the world once performed a holy sacrifice for a thousand years.