Vayu Purana

नारायणः परोऽव्यक्तादण्डमव्यक्तसम्भवम्। अण्डाज्जज्ञे पुनर्ब्रह्मा लोकास्तेन कृताः स्वयम्

Nārāyaṇa, transcending the unmanifest, produced the cosmic egg from the unmanifest; from the egg, Brahmā was again born, and he himself created the worlds.

एष वः कथितः पादः समासान्न तु विस्तरात्। अनेनाद्येन पादेन पुराणं संप्रकीर्तितम्

This portion has been told to you in summary, not in detail; by this first section, the Purāṇa has been recounted.

इत्येष प्रथमः पादः प्रक्रियार्थः प्रकीर्तितः। श्रुत्वा तु संहृष्टमनाः काश्यपेयः सनातनः

Thus this first section, concerning the process, has been described; hearing this, Kāśyapa's descendant, the eternal one, was gladdened in heart.

सम्बोध्य सूतं वचसा पप्रच्छाथोत्तरां कथाम्। अतःप्रभृति कल्पज्ञ प्रतिसंधिं प्रचक्ष्व नः

Addressing Sūta with words, he then asked for the next narrative: 'From here onward, knower of cycles, tell us about the interval between cycles.'

समतीतस्य कल्पस्य वर्त्तमानस्य चोभयोः। कल्पयोरन्तरं यच्च प्रतिसंधिर्यतस्तयोः। एतद्वेदितुमिच्छामः अत्यन्तकुशलो ह्यसि

Of the past cycle and the present one, and the interval between the two cycles—what is the connection between them? We wish to know this, for you are extremely skilled.

अत्र वोऽहं प्रवक्ष्यामि प्रतिसंधिञ्च यस्तयोः। समतीतस्य कल्पस्य वर्त्तमानस्य चोभयोः

Here I shall declare to you the connection between the two—the past cycle and the present one.

मन्वन्तराणि कल्पेषु येषु यानि च सुव्रताः। यश्चायं वर्त्तते कल्पो वाराहः साम्प्रतः शुभः

The manvantaras in the cycles, and which ones, O virtuous ones, and this present cycle, the auspicious Boar (Varāha) cycle—

अस्मात् कल्पाच्च यः कल्पः पूर्वोऽतीतः सनातनः। तस्य चास्य च कल्पस्य मध्यावस्थान्निबोधत

And the cycle which preceded this one, the ancient and past; now hear of the intermediate state between that cycle and this one.

प्रत्याहृते पूर्वकल्पे प्रतिसंधिं च तत्र वै। अन्यः प्रवर्त्तते कल्पो जनाल्लोकात् पुनः पुनः

When the previous cycle is withdrawn, then, in that interval, another cycle begins again from the world of beings, repeatedly.

व्युच्छिन्नात् प्रतिसंधेस्तु कल्पात् कल्पः परस्परम्। व्युच्छिद्यन्ते क्रियाःसर्वाः कल्पान्ते सर्वशस्तदा। तस्मात् कल्पात्तु कल्पस्य प्रतिसंधिर्निगद्यते

From the interruption of one cycle to the next, all activities are interrupted at the end of a cycle; therefore, the connection from one cycle to the next is spoken of.

मन्वन्तरयुगाख्यानामप्युच्छिन्नाश्च सन्धयः। परस्पराः प्रवर्त्तन्ते मन्वन्तरयुगैः सह

Even the connections of manvantaras and yugas are interrupted; they proceed in succession along with the manvantaras and yugas.

उक्ता ये प्रक्रियार्थेन पूर्वकल्पाः समासतः। तेषां परार्द्धकल्पानां पूर्वो ह्यस्मात्तु यः परः। आसीत् कल्पो व्यतीतो वै परार्द्धेन परस्तु सः

Those previous cycles, described in summary as to their process, among those cycles of the greater period, the one before this is the prior; that cycle has indeed passed, and it was of the greater period.

अन्ये भविष्या ये कल्पा अपरार्द्धाद्गुणीकृताः। प्रथमः साम्प्रतस्तेषां कल्पोऽयं वर्त्तते द्विजाः

Other cycles, which will be in the future, are reckoned after the second half; among them, this present cycle is the first, O twice-born ones.

यस्मिन् पूर्वः परार्द्धे तु द्वितीये पर उच्यते। एतावान् स्थितिकालश्च प्रत्याहारस्ततः स्मृतः

In which, the former is called the first half and the latter the second; this is the extent of the period of stability, and thereafter is known as the time of dissolution.

अस्मात् कल्पात्तु यः पूर्वं कल्पोऽतीतः सनातनः। चतुर्युगसहस्रान्ते अहो मन्वन्तरैः पुरा

The kalpa that preceded this kalpa is called the ancient, eternal one, which ended with a thousand sets of four yugas, along with the previous manvantaras.

क्षीणे कल्पे तदा तस्मिन् दाहकाले ह्युपस्थिते। तस्मिन् कल्पे तदा देवा आसन्वैमानिकास्तु ये

When that kalpa was exhausted and the time of destruction had arrived, then, in that kalpa, the celestial beings who were aerial gods existed.

नक्षत्रग्रहतारास्तु चन्द्रसूर्यग्रहाश्च ये। अष्टाविंशतिरेवैताः कोट्यस्तु सुकृतात्मनाम्

The stars, planets, and constellations, as well as the lunar and solar planets—these, numbering exactly twenty-eight crores, were the virtuous souls.

मन्वन्तरे तथैकस्मिन् चतुर्दशसु वै तथा। त्रीणि कोटिशतान्यासन् कोट्याद्विनवतिस्तथा। अष्टाधिकाः सप्तशताः सहस्राणां स्मृताः पुरा

In each of the fourteen manvantaras likewise, there were three hundred crore, and ninety crore in addition; and, as remembered of old, seven hundred and eight thousand more.

वैमानिकानां देवानां कल्पेऽतीते तु येऽभवन्। एकैकस्मिंस्तु कल्पे वै देवा वैमानिकाः स्मृताः

Of the aerial gods who existed in the previous kalpa, in each kalpa, the aerial gods are thus remembered.

अथ मन्वन्तरेष्वासंश्चतुर्दशसु वै दिवि। देवाश्च पितरश्चैव मुनयो मनवस्तथा

Then, in the fourteen manvantaras in heaven, there were gods, ancestors, sages, and Manus as well.

तेषामनुचरा ये च मनुपुत्रास्तथैव च। वर्णाश्रमिभिरीड्याश्च तस्मिन् काले तु ये सुराः। मन्वन्तरेषु येह्यासन् देवलोके दिवौकसः

Their attendants, the sons of Manus, and those worthy of praise among the classes and stages of life—those gods who existed in the heavenly world during the manvantaras.

ते तैः संयोजकैः सार्द्धं प्राप्ते सङ्कलने तथा। तुल्यनिष्ठास्तु ते सर्वे प्राप्ते ह्याभूतसंप्लवे

Together with those who joined them, when the reckoning arrived, all of them, being of equal attainment, at the coming of the great dissolution—

ततस्तेऽवश्यभावित्वाद् बुद्ध्वा पर्यायमात्मनः। त्रैलोक्यवासिनो देवास्तस्मिन् प्राप्ते ह्युपप्लवे

Then, knowing the inevitable transformation of themselves, the gods dwelling in the three worlds, when that dissolution approached—

तेऽनौत्सुक्यविषादेन त्यक्त्वा स्थानानि भावतः। महर्ल्लोकाय संविग्नास्ततस्ते दधिरे मतिम्

They, out of neither eagerness nor despair, abandoned their places by their own will; anxious, they directed their minds toward the world of Mahar.

ते युक्ता उपपद्यन्ते महसिस्थैः शरीरकैः। विशुद्धिबहुलाः सर्वे मानसीं सिद्धिमास्थिताः

They, being disciplined, attain bodies of great radiance; all are abundant in purity, established in mental accomplishment.

तैः कल्प वासिभिः सार्द्धं महानासादितस्तु यैः। ब्राह्मणैः क्षत्रियैर्वैश्यैस्तद्भक्तैश्चापरैर्ज्जनैः

Together with those who dwell for a kalpa—those who attained greatness—Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and other devoted people.

मत्वा तु ते महर्ल्लोकं देवसङ्घाश्चतुर्द्दश। ततस्ते जनलोकाय सो द्वेगा दधिरे मतिम्

Having considered the Mahar world, the fourteen groups of gods then directed their minds, with eagerness, toward the world of Jana.

विशुद्धिबहुलाः सर्वे मानसीं सिद्धिमास्थिताः। तैः कल्पवासिभिः सांर्द्ध महानासादितस्तु यैः

All are abundant in purity, established in mental accomplishment; together with those who dwell for a kalpa—those who attained greatness.

दशकृत्व इवावृत्त्या तस्माद्गच्छन्ति स्वस्तपः। तत्र कल्पान् दशस्थित्वा सत्यं गच्छन्ति वै पुनः। एतेन क्रमयोगेन यान्ति कल्पनिवासिनः

After ten cycles in this way, they proceed to the world of Tapas; having remained there for ten kalpas, they then go again to the world of Truth; by this sequential order, the dwellers in kalpas ascend.