Vayu Purana

इतस्तेभ्यो बला ये तु सत्यशीला ह्यहिंसकाः। वीतलोभा जितात्मानो निवसन्ति स्म तेषु वै

Among them, those who were stronger, truthful, non-violent, free from greed, and self-controlled dwelled among them.

प्रतिगृह्णन्ति कुर्वन्ति तेभ्यश्चान्येऽल्पतेजसः। एवं विप्रतिपन्नेषु प्रपन्नेषु परस्परम्

They receive and make offerings, and others of lesser energy do likewise among themselves when they are in conflict and discord.

तेन दोषेण तेषां ता ओषध्यो मिषतां तदा। प्रणष्टा ह्रियमाणा वै मुष्टिब्यां सिकता यथा

Because of that fault, their plants vanished before their eyes, being taken away, just like sand seized by the fist.

अग्रसद्भूर्युगबलाद्ग्राम्यारण्याश्चतुर्दश। फलं गृह्णन्ति पुष्पैश्च पुष्वं पत्रैश्च याः पुनः

Then, due to the strength of many ages, the fourteen types of cultivated and wild plants, those bearing fruit, flowers, and leaves, were seized.

ततस्तासु प्रणष्टासु विभ्रान्तास्ताः प्रजास्तदा। स्वयम्भुवं प्रभुं जग्मुः क्षुधाविष्टाः प्रजापतिम्

When those plants had perished, the creatures became bewildered; afflicted by hunger, they went to the self-born Lord, the Lord of creatures.

वृत्त्यर्थमभि लिप्सन्त आदौ त्रेतायुगस्य तु। ब्रह्मा स्वयम्भूर्भगवान् ज्ञात्वा तासां मनीषितम्

Desiring a means of subsistence at the beginning of the Tretā age, the blessed self-born Brahmā, knowing their intention,

युक्तं प्रत्यक्षदृष्टेन दर्शनेन विचार्य च। ग्रस्ताः पृथिव्या ओषध्यो ज्ञात्वा प्रत्यदुहत्पुनः

Having considered what was appropriate by direct perception and reasoning, and knowing that the plants had been consumed by the earth, he milked the earth again.

कृत्वा वत्सं सुमेरुं तु दुदोह पृथिवीमिमाम्। दुग्धेयं गौस्तदा तेन बीजानि पृथिवीतले

Making Mount Sumeru the calf, he milked this earth; thus, this earth became as a cow to be milked, and seeds appeared upon the surface of the earth.

जज्ञिरे तानि बीजानि ग्राम्यारण्यास्तु ताः पुनः। ओषध्यः फलपाकान्ताः सप्तसप्तदशास्तु ताः

Those seeds were produced, both cultivated and wild; those plants, bearing fruit at maturity, were seven and then seventeen in number.

व्रीहयश्च यवाश्चैव गोधूमा अणवस्तिलाः। प्रियङ्गवौ ह्युदाराश्च कारषाश्च सतीनकाः

Rice and barley, wheat, millet, and sesame; priyangu and udāra, kāraṣa and satīnakā.

माषा मुद्गा मसूराश्च निष्पावाः सकुलत्थकाः। आढक्यश्वणकाश्चैव सप्तसप्तदशाः स्मृताः

Māṣa beans, mudga beans, lentils, niṣpāva beans, and kulattha beans; āḍhakya and aśvaṇaka—these are remembered as the seven and seventeen.

इत्येता ओषधीनां तु ग्राम्याणां जातयः स्मृताः। ओषध्यो यज्ञियाश्चैव ग्राम्यारण्या श्चतुर्द्दश

These are remembered as the kinds of cultivated plants; and the plants fit for sacrifice, both cultivated and wild, are fourteen.

व्रीहयः सयवा माषा गोधूमा अणवस्तिलाः। प्रियङुसप्तमा ह्येते अष्टमी तु कुलत्थिका

Rice with barley, māṣa beans, wheat, millet, sesame; priyangu is the seventh, and kulattha is the eighth.

श्यामाका स्त्वथ नीवारा जर्त्तिलाः सगवेधुकाः। कुरुविन्दा वेणुयवास्तथा मर्कटकाश्च ये

Śyāmāka, nīvāra, jarttila with gavedhukā, kuruvinda, veṇuyava, and those called markaṭaka.

ग्राम्यारण्याः स्मृता ह्येता ओषध्यस्तु चतुर्द्दश। उत्पन्नाः प्रथमा ह्येता आदौ त्रेतायुगस्य तु

These are remembered as the fourteen cultivated and wild plants; these first arose at the beginning of the Tretā age.

अफालकृष्टा ओषध्यो ग्राम्यारण्यास्तु सर्वशः। वृक्षा गुल्मलतावल्लीवीरुधस्तृणजातयः

All these cultivated and wild plants were not yet bearing fruit; trees, shrubs, creepers, vines, herbs, and grasses.

मूलैः फलैश्च रोहिण्यो गृह्णन् पुष्पैश्च जायते। पृथ्वी दुग्धा तु बीजानि यानि पूर्वं स्वयम्भुवा

With roots and fruits, the Rohiṇī plants are gathered, and with flowers they are produced; the seeds which the self-born one had formerly milked from the earth.

ऋतुपुष्पफलास्ता वै ओषध्यो जज्ञिरे त्विह। यदा प्रसृष्टा ओषध्यो न प्ररेहन्ति ताः पुनः

Those plants here were born with seasonal flowers and fruits; when the plants were released, they did not move again.

ततः स तासां वृत्त्यर्थं वार्त्तोपायं चकार ह। ब्रह्मा स्वयंभूर्भगवान् दृष्ट्वा सिद्धिं तु कर्मजाम्

Then, for their sustenance, Brahmā, the self-born Lord, devised a means of livelihood, having seen the success that comes from action.

ततः प्रभृत्यथौषध्यः कृष्टपच्यास्तु जज्ञिरे। संसिद्धायान्तु वार्त्तायान्ततस्तासां स्वयंभुवः। मर्यादाः स्थापयामास यथारब्धाः परस्परम्

From that time onward, cultivated medicinal plants began to be produced. When agriculture was perfected, the self-born one established their boundaries as they were initiated, each in relation to the other.

ये वै परिगृहीतारस्तासामासन्विधात्मकाः। इतरेषां कृतत्राणाः स्थापयामास क्षत्रियान्

Those who took possession of them became their administrators; for the others, protectors were appointed, and the Kshatriyas were established.

उपतिष्ठन्ति ये तान्वै यावन्तो निर्भयास्तथा। सत्यं ब्रह्म यथा भूतं यथा भूतं ब्रुवन्तो ब्राह्मणाश्च ते

Those who serve them, as many as are fearless, and those Brahmins who speak truth and reality as it is, are also included.

ये चान्येप्यबलास्तेषां वैश्यसंकर्मसंस्थिताः। कीनाशा नाशयन्ति स्म पृथिव्यां प्रागतन्द्रिताः। वैश्यानेव तु तानाहुः की नाशान् वृत्तिसाधकान्

And others, lacking strength, engaged in the tasks of the Vaishyas; the laborers destroyed things on earth, previously diligent. These laborers are called Vaishyas, those who earn their livelihood by such work.

शोचन्तश्च द्रवन्तश्च परिचर्यासु ये रताः। निस्तेजसोऽल्पवीर्याश्च शूद्रास्तानब्रवीत्तु सः

Those who grieve and flee, who delight in service, lacking energy and possessing little strength, are called Shudras by him.

तेषां कर्माणि धर्माश्च ब्रह्मा तु व्यदधात् प्रभुः। संस्थितौ प्राकृतायां तु चातुर्वर्णस्य सर्वशः

For them, the Lord Brahma assigned duties and laws, in the original establishment of the fourfold class system, for all.

पुनः प्रजास्तु ता मोहात् तान् धर्मांस्तानपालयन्। वर्ण धर्मैरजीवन्त्यो व्यरुध्यन्त परस्परम्

Again, those people, out of delusion, neglected those duties; living by the laws of their classes, they began to obstruct one another.

ब्रह्मा तमर्थं बुद्ध्वा तु याथातथ्येन वै प्रभुः। क्षत्रियाणां बलं दण्डं युद्धमाजीवमादिशत्

Brahma, understanding that situation truthfully, the Lord, prescribed strength, punishment, and warfare as the livelihood for the Kshatriyas.

याजनाध्यापनं चैव तृतीयं च परिग्रहम्। ब्राह्मणानां विभुस्तेषां कर्माण्येतान्यथादिशत्

He assigned to the Brahmins the acts of officiating in sacrifices, teaching, and thirdly, accepting gifts; these are their prescribed duties.

पाशुपाल्यं च वाणिज्यं कृषिं चैव विशां ददौ। शिल्पाजीवं भृतिञ्चैव शूद्राणां व्यदधात् प्रभुः

He gave to the Vaishyas animal husbandry, trade, and agriculture; and to the Shudras, the Lord assigned crafts and service as their means of livelihood.