Vayu Purana

एते ये वै मया मृष्टा विरूपा नीललेहिताः । सहस्राणां सहस्रन्तु आत्मनोपमनिश्चिताः ।। १०.

These, whom I have made, deformed and blue-red, are thousands upon thousands, all resembling myself.

एते देवा भविष्यन्ति रूद्रा नाम महाबलाः। पृथिव्यामन्तारीक्षे च रुद्रनाम्ना प्रतिश्रुताः ।। १०.

These gods will become the Rudras, mighty in strength, known as Rudra by name on earth and in the sky.

शतरुद्रसमाम्नाता भविष्यन्तीह यज्ञियाः। यज्ञभाजो भविष्यन्ति सर्वे देवयुगैः सह ।। १०.

The hundred Rudras, as enumerated, will be fit for sacrifice here; all will partake in sacrifice together with the divine hosts.

मन्वन्तरेषु ये देवा भविष्यन्तीह च्छन्दजाः। तैः सार्द्धमीज्यमानास्ते स्थास्यन्तीह युगक्षयात् ।। १०.

In the cycles of Manu, those gods who are born here by will, when worshipped together with them, will remain until the end of the age.

एवमुक्तस्तदा ब्रह्मा महादेवेन धीमता। प्रत्युवाच तदा भीमं हृष्यमाणः प्रजापतिः ।। १०.

Thus addressed by the wise Mahadeva, Brahma, the lord of creatures, joyfully replied to the formidable one.

एवं भवतु भद्रं ते यथा ते व्याहृतं प्रभो। ब्रह्मणा समनुज्ञा ते सदा सर्वमभूत् किल ।। १०.

So be it; may good fortune be yours, as you have spoken, O Lord. By the sanction of Brahma, all has always come to pass for you.

ततःप्रभृति देवेशो न प्रासूयत वै प्रजाः। ऊर्द्ध्वरेताः स्थितः स्थाणुर्यावदाभूतसंप्लवम्। यस्माच्चोक्तं स्थितोऽस्मीति ततः स्थाणुरिति स्मृतः ।। १०.

From that time onward, the Lord of the gods did not beget offspring; remaining steadfast in celibacy, he stood unmoving until the cosmic dissolution. Because he declared, 'I stand firm,' he is therefore remembered as Sthāṇu (the Steadfast One).

ज्ञानं वैराग्यमैश्वर्यं तपः सचत्यं क्षमा धृतिः। स्रष्टृत्वमात्मसम्बोधस्त्वधिष्ठातृत्वमेव च। अथ यानि दशैतानि नित्यन्तिष्ठन्ति शङ्करे ।। १०.

Knowledge, detachment, lordliness, austerity, truthfulness, forbearance, steadfastness, creative power, self-realization, and sovereignty—these ten qualities always abide in Śaṅkara.

सर्वान् देवान् ऋषींश्चैव समेतानसुरैः सह। अत्येति तेजसा देवो महादेवस्ततः स्मृतः ।। १०.

Surpassing in brilliance all the assembled gods, sages, and asuras, the god is thus called Mahādeva, the Great God.

अत्येति देवानैश्चर्याद्बलेन च महासुरान्। ज्ञानेन च मुनीन् सर्वान् योगाद्भूतानि सर्वशः ।। १०.

He surpasses the gods in wonder, the great asuras in strength, all sages in knowledge, and all beings whatsoever through yoga.

योगं तपश्च सत्यञ्च धर्मञ्चापि महामुने। माहेश्वरस्य ज्ञानस्य साधनञ्च प्रजक्ष्व नः ।। १०.

O great sage, declare to us the means of yoga, austerity, truth, and righteousness, as well as the discipline of Maheśvara's knowledge.

येन येन च धर्मेण गतिं प्राप्स्यन्ति वै द्विजाः। तत्सर्वं श्रोतुमिच्छामि योगं माहेश्वरं प्रभो ।। १०.

By whatever righteousness the twice-born attain their goal, I wish to hear all of that, O Lord—tell me of the yoga of Maheśvara.

पञ्च धर्माः पुराणे तु रुद्रेण समुदाहृताः। माहेश्वर्यं यथा प्रोक्तं रुद्रैरक्लिष्टकर्मभिः ।। १०.

Five dharmas were formerly declared by Rudra in the Purāṇa, as the Maheśvara doctrine was taught by Rudras whose actions are untainted.

आदित्यैर्वसुभिः साध्यैरश्विभ्याञ्चैव सर्वशः। मरुद्भिर्भृगुभिश्चैव ये चान्ये विबुधालयाः ।। १०.

By the Ādityas, Vasus, Sādhyas, the Aśvins in every way, by the Maruts, Bhṛgus, and all other dwellers in the abodes of the wise—

यमशुक्रपुरोगैश्च पितृकालान्तकैस्तथा। एतैश्वान्यैशचव बहुभिस्ते धर्माः पर्युपासिताः ।। १०.

By Yama, Śukra, and their followers, by the Pitṛs, Kāla, and Antaka as well, and by many others, these dharmas have been practiced.

ते वै प्रक्षीणकर्माणः शारदाम्बरनिर्मलाः। उपासते मुनिगणाः सन्धायात्मानमात्मनि ।। १०.

Those whose actions are exhausted, pure as autumnal clouds, the hosts of sages worship, uniting their self with the Self.

गुरुप्रियहिते युक्ता गुरूणां वै प्रियेप्सवः। विमुच्य मानुषं जन्म विहरन्ति च देववत् ।। १०.

Engaged in what is dear and beneficial to their teachers, desiring the favor of their gurus, they, having abandoned human birth, move about like gods.

महेश्वरेण ये प्रोक्ताः पञ्च धर्माः सनातनाः। तान् सर्वान् क्रमयोगेन उच्यमानान्निबोधत ।। १०.

The five eternal dharmas declared by Maheśvara—hear them all as they are explained in sequence and by the method of yoga.

प्राणायामस्तथा ध्यानं प्रत्याहारोऽथ धारणा। स्मरणञ्चैव योगेऽस्मिन् पञ्च धर्माः प्रकीर्त्तिताः ।। १०.

Regulation of breath, meditation, withdrawal of the senses, concentration, and recollection—these five dharmas are described in this yoga.

तेषां क्रमविशेषेण लक्षणं कारणं तथा। प्रवक्ष्यामि तथा तत्त्वं यथा रुद्रेण भाषितम् ।। १०.

I shall explain their particular order, their characteristics, and their causes, as well as their true nature, just as spoken by Rudra.

प्राणायामगतिश्वापि प्राणस्यायाम उच्यते । स चापि त्रिविधः प्रोक्तो मन्दो मध्योत्तमस्तथा ।। १०.

The movement of breath in regulation is called prāṇāyāma; it is said to be of three kinds: slow, medium, and excellent.

प्राणानाञ्च निरोधस्तु स प्राणायामसंज्ञितः । प्राणायामप्रमाणन्तु मात्रा वै द्वादश स्मृताः ।। १०.

The restraint of the breaths is known as prāṇāyāma; the measure of prāṇāyāma is said to be twelve mātrās.

मन्दो द्वादशमात्रस्तु उद्वाता द्वादश स्मृताः । मध्यमश्च द्विरुद्वातश्चतुर्विंशतिमात्रिकः ।। १०.

The slow type is of twelve mātrās, with twelve inhalations remembered; the medium is with twice the inhalations, amounting to twenty-four mātrās.

उत्तमस्तत्र्त्रिरुद्वातो मात्राः षट्‌त्रिंशदुच्यते। स्वेदकम्पविषादानां जननो ह्युत्तमः स्मृतः ।। १०.

The highest measure there is said to be thirty-six mātrās; it is considered the best for producing sweat, trembling, and dejection.

इत्येतत् त्रिविधं प्रोक्तं प्राणायामस्य लक्षणम्। प्रमाणञ्च समासेन लक्षणञ्च निबोधत ।। १०.

Thus, this threefold characteristic of prāṇāyāma has been described; now, listen to the measure and the definition in brief.

सिंहो वा कुञ्जरो वापि तथाऽन्यो वा मृगो वने। गृहीतः सेव्यमानस्तु मृदुः समुपजायते ।। १०.

A lion, or an elephant, or likewise another animal in the forest, when captured and tamed, becomes gentle.

तथा प्राणो दुराधर्षः सर्वेषामकृतात्मनाम् । योगतः सेव्यमानस्तु स एवाभ्यासतो व्रजेत् ।। १०.

In the same way, the breath, difficult to control for those who are undisciplined, when practiced through yoga, becomes manageable through repeated effort.

स चैव हि यथा सिंहः कुञ्जरो वापि दुर्बलः। कालान्तरवशाद्योगाद्गम्यते परिमर्द्दनात् ।। १०.

And just as a lion or an elephant, though strong, becomes weak over time due to training and discipline, so too does the breath.

परिधाय मनो मन्दं वश्यत्वं चाधिगच्छति । परिधाय मनोदेवं तथा जीवति मारुतः ।। १०.

By restraining the mind, even if it is sluggish, mastery is attained; by restraining the mind in this way, the vital wind is sustained.