Vayu Purana

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.

तपो गृहपतिर्यत्र ब्रह्मा ब्रह्माऽभवत् स्वयम्। इलाया यत्र पत्नीत्वं शामित्रं यत्र बुद्धिमान्। मृत्युश्चक्रे महातेजास्तस्मिन् सत्रे महात्मनाम्

Where the householder Tapas became Brahmā himself; where Ilā became a wife; where the wise Śāmitra was; and where mighty Mṛtyu performed in that great sacrifice of the great-souled.

विबुधा ईजिरे तत्र सहस्रं प्रतिवत्सरान्। भ्रमतो धर्मचक्रस्य यत्र नेमिरशीर्यत। कर्मणा तेन विख्यात नैमिषं मुनिपूजितम्

There, the gods performed the sacrifice for a thousand years; where the rim of Dharma's wheel did not wear out as it turned; by that act, Naimiṣa, honored by sages, became renowned.

यत्र सा गोमती पुण्या सिद्धचारण सेविता। रोहिणी सुषुवे तत्र ततः सौम्योऽभवत् सुतः

There, the sacred river Gomati, frequented by Siddhas and Cāraṇas, flowed; there Rohiṇī gave birth, and from her was born the gentle son.

शक्तिर्ज्येष्ठः समभवद्वसिष्ठस्य महात्मनः। अरुन्धत्याः सुता यत्र शतमुत्तमतेजसः

Śakti, the eldest, was born to the great-souled Vasiṣṭha; and there, from Arundhatī, a hundred sons of supreme brilliance were born.

कल्माषपादो नृपतिर्यत्र शप्तश्च शक्तिना। यत्र वैरं समभवद्विश्वामित्रवसिष्ठयोः

Where King Kalmāṣapāda was cursed by Śakti, and where enmity arose between Viśvāmitra and Vasiṣṭha.

अदृश्यन्त्यां समभवन्मुनिर्यत्र पराशरः। पराभवो वसिष्ठस्य यस्मिन् जातेऽप्यवर्त्तत

Where the sage Parāśara was born of the invisible union, and where Vasiṣṭha’s defeat persisted even after his birth.

तत्र ते ईजिरे सत्रं नैमिषे ब्रह्मवादिनः। नैमिषे ईजिरे यत्र नैमिषेयास्ततः स्मृताः

There, the Brahman-knowers performed a sacrificial session at Naimiṣa; because they performed it at Naimiṣa, they are called Naimiṣeyas.

तत्सत्रमभवत्तेषां समा द्वादश धीमताम्। पुरूरवसि विक्रान्ते प्रशासति वसुन्धराम्

That sacrificial session of the wise lasted twelve years, while the mighty Purūravas ruled the earth.

अष्टादश समुद्रस्य द्वीपानश्नन् पुरूरवाः। तुतोष नैव रत्नानां लोभादिति हि नः श्रुतम्

Purūravas consumed the eighteen islands of the ocean, yet he was never satisfied by the desire for jewels—so we have heard.

उर्वशी चकमे यं च देवहूतिप्रणोदिता। आजहार च तत्सत्रं स्वर्वेश्यासहसङ्गतः

Urvaśī desired him, prompted by Devahūti, and she brought him to that sacrificial session, joining him with the queen of heaven.

तस्मिन्नरपतौ सत्रं नैमिषेयाः प्रचक्रिरे। यं गर्भे सुषुवे गङ्गा पावकाद्दीप्ततेजसम्। तदुल्बं पर्वते न्यस्तं हिरण्यं प्रत्यपद्यत

During the reign of that king, the Naimiṣeyas performed the sacrifice; the one whom Gaṅgā bore in her womb from Pāvaka, blazing with brilliance—his embryo, placed on the mountain, turned into gold.

हिरण्मयं ततश्चक्रे यज्ञवाटं महात्मनाम्। विश्वकर्मा स्वयं देवो भावयन् लोकभावनम्

Then Viśvakarman himself, the god who creates the worlds, fashioned from that gold a sacrificial enclosure for the great-souled ones.

बृहस्पतिस्ततस्तत्र तेषाममिततेजसाम्। ऐलः पुरूरवा भेजे तं देशं मृगयां चरन्

Then Bṛhaspati, among those of immeasurable brilliance, and Aila Purūravas, came to that place while roaming for the hunt.

तं दृष्ट्वा महदाश्चार्यं यज्ञवाटं हिरण्मयम्। लोभेन हतविज्ञानस्तदादातुं प्रचक्रमे

Seeing that wondrous golden sacrificial enclosure, his mind overcome by greed, he set out to take it.

नैमिषेयास्ततस्तस्य चुक्रुधुर्नृपतेर्भृशम्। निजघ्नुश्चापि संक्रुद्धाः कुशवज्रैर्मनीषिणः। ततो निशान्ते राजानं मुनयो दैवनोदिताः

Then the Naimiṣeyas became very angry with the king; enraged, the wise ones struck him with blades of sacred grass as thunderbolts. Then, at night’s end, the sages, prompted by fate, approached the king.

कुशवज्रैर्विनिष्पिष्टः स राजा व्यजहात्तनुम् । और्वशेयं ततस्तस्य पुत्रञ्चक्रुर्नृपं भुवि

Crushed by the blades of sacred grass, that king gave up his body; then, from him, the descendants of Urvaśī made his son king on earth.

नहुषस्य महात्मानं पितरं यं प्रचक्षते। स तेषु वर्त्तते सम्यग् धर्मशीलो महीपतिः। आयुरारोग्यमत्युग्रं तस्मिन् स नरसत्तमः

He whom they call the great-souled father of Nahuṣa—he dwells among them, a righteous king, possessing immense life and vigor, that best of men.

सान्त्वयित्वा च राजानं ततो ब्रह्मविदां वराः। सत्रमारेभिरे कर्त्तुं यथावद्धर्मभूतये

Having consoled the king, the foremost of the knowers of Brahman then began the sacrificial session properly, for the sake of upholding dharma.

बभूव सत्रं तत्तेषां बह्वाश्चर्यं महात्मनाम्। विश्वं सिसृक्षमाणानां पुरा विश्वसृजामिव

That sacrificial session of theirs was wondrous and great, as if they were the creators of the universe wishing to bring forth the worlds anew.

वैखानसैः प्रियसखैर्वालखिल्यैर्मरीचिकैः। अन्यैश्च मुनिभिर्जुष्टं सूर्यवैश्वानरप्रभैः

It was attended by Vaikhānasa ascetics, dear friends, Vālakhilyas, Marīcikas, and other sages, shining with the brilliance of the sun and fire.