Vayu Purana

वैवस्वतस्यास्य मनोः पुरस्तात् सम्भू तिरुक्ता प्रसवश्च तेषाम्। येषामिदं पुण्यकृतां प्रसूत्या लोकत्रयं लोकनमस्कृतानाम्। सुरेशदेवर्षिमनुप्रधीनामापूरितञ्चोपरिभूषितञ्च

Before this Vaivasvata Manu, their origin and birth have been recounted—by whose progeny, the world of the virtuous, revered by the three worlds, filled and adorned above, led by the lord of gods, divine sages, and Manus.

रुद्रस्य शापात् पुनरुद्भवश्च दक्षस्य चाप्यत्र मनुष्यलोके। वासः क्षितौ वा नियमाद्भवस्य दक्षस्य चात्र प्रतिशापलाभः

Because of Rudra’s curse, there was again a birth, and also, here in the world of men, a dwelling on earth by the ordinance of Bhava, and here, too, the obtaining of a counter-curse by Dakṣa.

मन्वन्तराणां परिवर्त्तनानि युगेषु सम्भूतिविकल्पनञ्च। ऋषित्वमार्षस्य च संप्रवृद्धिर्यथा युगादिष्वपि चेत्तदत्र

The cycles of the Manus, their changes, the various manifestations in the ages, the growth of the seerhood of the sages, and how it occurs at the beginning of each age—this, too, is here.

ये द्वापरेषु प्रथयन्ति वेदान् व्यासाश्च तेऽज्ञ क्रमशो निबद्धाः। कल्पस्य संख्या भुवनस्य संख्या ब्राह्मस्य चाप्यत्र दिनस्य संख्या

Those who, in the Dvāpara ages, propagate the Vedas, and the Vyāsas—O wise one, they are arranged in order; the reckoning of a kalpa, the reckoning of the world, and also the reckoning of Brahmā’s day are here.

अण्डोद्भिजस्वेदजरायुजानां धर्मात्मनां स्वर्गनिवासिनां वा। ये यातनास्थानगताश्च जीवास्तर्केण तेषामपि च प्रमाणम्

Of those born from eggs, sweat, womb, or sprout, of the righteous, or those dwelling in heaven, and of those beings who have reached places of torment—by reasoning, their measure is also given here.

आत्यन्तिकः प्राकृतिकश्च योऽयं नैमित्तिकश्च प्रतिसर्गहेतुः। बन्धश्च मोक्षश्च विशिष्य तत्र प्रोक्ता च संसारगतिः परा च

The absolute, the natural, and the occasional causes of re-creation, bondage and liberation—these are especially described here, as well as the supreme course of transmigration.

प्रकृत्यवस्थैषु च कारणेषु याच स्थितिर्या च पुनः प्रवृत्तिः। तच्छास्त्रयुक्त्या स्वमतिप्रयत्नात् समस्तमाविष्कृतधीधृतिभ्यः। विप्रा ऋषिभ्यः समुदाहृतं यद्यथातथं तच्छृणुतोच्यमानम्

In the states of nature and in the causes, whatever is the state and whatever is the renewed activity—by the reasoning of scripture, by one’s own intelligence and effort, all this, as declared by the wise and steadfast seers, hear now as it is being spoken.

ऋषयस्तु ततः श्रुत्वा नैमिषारण्यवासिनः। प्रत्यूचुस्ते ततः सर्वे सूतं पर्याकुलेक्षणाः

Then, the sages dwelling in Naimisha forest, having heard, all replied to Sūta, their eyes filled with excitement.

भवान् वै वंशकुशलो व्यासात् प्रत्यक्षदर्शवान्। तस्मात्त्वं भवनं कृत्स्नं लोकस्यामुष्य वर्णय

You are indeed skilled in genealogies and have seen them directly through Vyāsa; therefore, describe for us the entire lineage of this world.

यस्य यस्यान्वया ये ये तांस्तानिच्छाम वेदितुम्। तेषां पूर्वर्षिसृष्टिं च विचित्रां तां प्रजापतेः

We wish to know the descendants of each and every one, and also the wondrous creation of the earlier sages by Prajāpati.

असकृत्परिपृष्टस्तैर्महात्मा लोमहर्षणः। विस्तरेणानुपूर्व्या च कथयामास सत्तमः

The great-souled Lomaharṣaṇa, repeatedly questioned by them, narrated in detail and in proper sequence, O noble one.

पृष्टां चैतां कथां दिव्यां श्लक्ष्णां पापप्रणाशिनीम्। कथ्यमानां मया चित्रां बह्वर्थां श्रुतिसम्मताम्

This divine tale, which was asked about, is gentle and destroys sin; as I narrate it, it is marvelous, full of meaning, and approved by the scriptures.

यश्चेमांधारयेन्नित्यं श्रृणुयाद्वाप्यभीक्ष्णशः। श्रावयेच्चापि विप्रेभ्यो यतिभ्यश्च विशेषतः

Whoever always upholds this, or listens to it frequently, or recites it especially to Brāhmins and ascetics,

शुचिः पर्वसु युक्तात्मा तीर्थेष्वायतनेषु च। दीर्घमायुरवाप्नोति स पुराणानुकीर्त्तनात्। स्ववंशधारणं कृत्वा स्वर्गलोके महीयते

Pure, self-controlled at sacred times, in holy places and temples, he attains long life by recounting the Purāṇa, and after establishing his own lineage, is honored in the heavenly world.

विस्तारावयवं तेषां यथाशब्दं यथाश्रुतम्। कीर्त्त्यमानं निबोधध्वं सर्वेषां कीर्त्तिवर्द्धनम्

The extent and parts of their accounts, as spoken and as heard, are being narrated; listen, for it increases the fame of all.

धन्यं यशस्यं शत्रुघ्नं स्वर्ग्यमायुर्विवर्धनम्। कीर्त्तनं स्थिरकीर्त्तीनां सर्वेषां पुण्यकारिणाम्

This narration is blessed, brings fame, destroys enemies, leads to heaven, increases lifespan, and is the praise of all those of steadfast renown who perform virtuous deeds.

सर्गश्च प्रतिसर्गश्च वंशो मन्वन्तराणि च। वंशानुचरितञ्चेति पुराणं पंचलक्षणम्

Creation, dissolution, genealogy, the ages of Manus, and the deeds of lineages—these are the five characteristics of the Purāṇa.

कल्पेभ्योऽपि हि यः कल्पः शुचिभ्यो नियतः शुचिः। पुराणं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि मारुतं वेदसम्मितम्

I shall declare the Māruta Purāṇa, esteemed by the Vedas, which is pure, regulated, and pure even among the pure, and is the best of all cycles.

प्रबोधः प्रलयश्चैव स्थितिरुत्पत्तिरेव च। प्रक्रिया प्रथमः पादः कथ्यवस्तुपरिग्रहः

Awakening, dissolution, stability, and creation—these are the first section, along with the enumeration of the subjects to be narrated.

उपोद्वातोऽनुषङ्गश्च उपसंहार एव च। धर्म्यं यशस्यमायुष्यं सर्वपापप्रणाशनम्

Introduction, connection, and conclusion—this is righteous, brings fame and longevity, and destroys all sins.

एवं हि पादाश्चत्वारः समासात् कीर्त्तिता मया। वक्ष्याम्येतान् पुनस्तांस्तु विस्तरेण यथाक्रमम्

Thus, the four sections have been briefly mentioned by me; I shall now describe them again, in detail and in proper order.

तस्मै हिरण्यगर्भाय पुरुषायेश्वराय च। अन्ताय प्रथमायैव विशिष्टाय प्रजात्मने। ब्रह्मणे लोकतन्त्राय नमस्कृत्य स्वयम्भुवे

To Him, Hiraṇyagarbha, the Supreme Person, the Lord, the end and the beginning, the distinguished progenitor, Brahmā, the ruler of the worlds, I bow, the self-born.

महदाद्यं विशेषान्तं सवैरुप्यं सलक्षणम्। पञ्चप्रमाणं षट्श्येतं पुरुषाधिष्ठितं नुतम्। असंशयात् प्रवक्ष्यामि भूतसर्गमनुत्तमम्

From the great principle to the particular, with all its distinctions and marks, with five proofs and six divisions, established by the Supreme Person, I shall declare without doubt the supreme creation of beings.

अव्यक्तं कारणं यत्तु नित्यं सदसदात्मकम्। प्रधानं प्रकृतिं चैव यमाहुस्तत्त्व चिन्तकाः

That unmanifest cause, which is eternal and both existent and non-existent, is called the chief principle and nature by those who contemplate reality.

गन्धवर्णरसैर्हीनं शब्दस्पर्शविवर्ज्जितम्। अजातं ध्रुवमक्षय्यं नित्यं स्वात्मन्यवस्थितम्

Devoid of smell, color, and taste, free from sound and touch, unborn, constant, imperishable, and eternally abiding in its own self.

जगद्योनिं महद्भूतं परं ब्रह्म सनातनम्। विग्रहं सर्वभूतानामव्यक्तमभवत् किल

The eternal, supreme Brahman, the great source of the universe, became the unmanifest form of all beings.

अनाद्यन्तमजं सूक्ष्मन्त्रिगुणं प्रभवाव्ययम्। असाम्प्रतमविज्ञेयं ब्रह्माग्रे समवर्त्तत

Without beginning or end, unborn, subtle, possessing the three qualities, the imperishable and incomprehensible Brahman existed at the outset.

तस्यात्मना सर्वमिदं व्याप्तमासीत्तमोमयम्। गुणसाम्ये तदा तस्मिन् गुणभावे तमोमये

By its own nature, all this, filled with darkness, was pervaded; when the qualities were in equilibrium, in that state of darkness, the qualities themselves were dark.

गर्गकाले प्रधानस्य क्षेत्रज्ञाधिष्ठितस्य वै। गुणभावाद्वाच्यमानो महान् प्रादुर्बभूव ह

At the time of dissolution, from the condition of the primordial matter, governed by the knower of the field, due to the manifestation of qualities, the great principle arose.