Vayu Purana

न चैवमागतो ज्ञानाद्रागात् कर्म्म समाचरेत्। राजसं तामसं वापि भुक्त्वा तत्रैव युज्यते ।। १४.

One who has come to this knowledge does not act out of passion; even after enjoying rajasic or tamasic fruits, he remains established in that state.

तथा सुकृतकर्म्मा तु फलं स्वर्गे समश्रुते। तस्मात् स्थानात् पुनर्भ्रष्टो मानुष्यमनुपद्यते ।। १४.

Thus, one who has performed virtuous deeds enjoys their fruit in heaven, as heard; but, falling from that place, he is reborn as a human.

तस्माद्ब्रह्म परं सूक्ष्मं ब्रह्म शाश्वतमुच्यते। ब्रह्म एव हि सेवेत ब्रह्मैव परमं सुखम् ।। १४.

Therefore, Brahman is called the supreme, subtle, and eternal; one should serve only Brahman, for Brahman alone is the highest bliss.

परिश्रमस्तु यज्ञानां महतार्थेन वर्त्तते। भूयो मृत्युवशं याति तस्मान्मोक्षः परं सुखम् ।। १४.

The effort of sacrifices is undertaken for a great purpose; but again, one goes under the sway of death—therefore, liberation is the highest happiness.

अथ वै ध्यानसंयुक्तो ब्रह्मयज्ञपरायणः । न स स्याद् व्यापितुं शक्यो मन्वन्तरशतैरपि ।। १४.

But one engaged in meditation, devoted to the sacrifice of Brahman, cannot be encompassed even in hundreds of manvantaras.

दृष्ट्वा तु पुरुषं दिव्यं विश्वाख्यं विश्वरूपिणम्। विश्वपाद शिरोग्रीवं विश्वेशं विश्वभावनम्। विश्वगन्धं विश्वमाल्यं विश्वाम्बरधरं प्रभुम् ।। १४.

Having seen the divine Person called Viśva, of universal form, with universal feet, head, and neck, the lord of all, the creator of the universe, with universal fragrance, universal garlands, clothed in the universe, the mighty one—

गोभिर्मही संयतते पतत्रिणं महात्मानं परममतिं वरेण्यम्। कविं पुराणमनुशासितारं सूक्ष्माच्च सूक्ष्मं महतो महान्तम्। योगेन पश्यन्ति न चक्षुषा तं निरिन्द्रियं पुरुषं रुक्मवर्णम् ।। १४.

By cows the earth is sustained; the great-souled, supreme-minded, most excellent bird, the ancient sage, the ruler, subtler than the subtle, greater than the great—him, the sense-transcending, golden-hued Person, is seen by yogis through yoga, not by the eyes.

अलिङ्गिनं पुरुषं रुक्मवर्णं सलिङ्गिनं निर्गुणं चेतनं च। नित्यं सदा सर्वगतन्तु शौचं पश्यन्ति युक्त्या ह्यचलं प्रकाशम् ।। १४.

They perceive, through discernment, the formless Person, golden in hue, with and without attributes, beyond qualities yet conscious, eternal, ever-present, all-pervading, pure, unmoving, and luminous.

तद्भावितस्तेजसा दीप्यमानः अपाणिपादोदरपार्श्वजिह्वः। अतीन्द्रियोऽद्यापि सुसूक्ष्म एकः पश्यत्यचक्षुः स श्रृणोत्यकर्णः ।। १४.

Endowed with that brilliance, shining forth, without hands, feet, belly, sides, or tongue, beyond the senses, yet even now, subtle and one, he sees without eyes and hears without ears.

नास्यास्त्यबुद्धं न च बुद्धिरस्ति स वेद सर्वं न च वेदवेद्यः। तमाहुरग्र्यं पुरुषं महान्तं सचेतनं सर्व्वगतं सुसूक्ष्मम् ।। १४.

He has neither ignorance nor intellect; he knows all, yet is neither knower nor known. They call him the supreme Person, the great, conscious, all-pervading, and most subtle.

तामाहुर्मुनयः सर्व्वे लोके प्रसवधर्मिणीम्। प्रकृतिं सर्व्वभूतानां युक्ताः पश्यन्ति चेतसा ।। १४.

All sages declare her to be the source of creation in the world; they perceive, through mind, Prakriti, the origin of all beings.

सर्व्वतः पाणिपादान्तं सर्व्वतोऽक्षिशिरोमुखम्। सर्व्वतः श्रुति (म) माँल्लोके सर्व्वमावृत्य तिष्ठति ।। १४.

With hands and feet everywhere, with eyes, heads, and faces everywhere, with ears everywhere in the world, he stands pervading all.

युक्ता योगेन चेशानं सर्व्वतश्च सनातनम्। पुरुषं सर्व्वभूतानां तस्माद्ध्याता न मुह्यते ।। १४.

By yoga, those united perceive the Lord, eternal and all-pervading, the Person of all beings; therefore, the meditator is not deluded.

भूतात्मानं महात्मानं परमात्मानमव्ययम्। सर्व्वात्मानं परं ब्रह्म तद्वै ध्यात्वा न मुह्यति ।। १४.

Knowing the Self of beings, the great Self, the imperishable Supreme Self, the Self of all, the supreme Brahman—having meditated on that, one is not deluded.

पवनो हि यथा ग्राह्यो विचरन् सर्व्वमूर्तिषु। पुरि शेते तथाभ्रे च तस्मात् पुरुष उच्यते। अथ चेल्लुप्तधर्म्मात्तु सविशेषैश्च कर्म्माभिः ।। १४.

Just as wind is grasped while moving among all forms, and dwells in the city and in the cloud, so is he called 'Person.' But if he abandons his own nature, then, through specific actions, he is bound.

ततस्तु ब्रह्म योन्यां वै शुक्रशोणितसंयुतम्। स्त्रीपुमांसप्रयोगेण जायते हि पुनः पुनः ।। १४.

Then, in the womb of Brahma, united with semen and blood, through the union of male and female, he is born again and again.

ततस्तु गर्भकाले तु कलनं नाम जायते। कालेन कलनञ्चापि बुद्बुदश्च प्रजायते ।। १४.

Then, during the time in the womb, what is called 'formation' arises; in time, this formation becomes a bubble.

मृत्पिण्डस्तु यथा चक्रे चक्रवातेन पीडितः। हस्ताभ्यां क्रियमाणस्तु विश्वत्वमुपगच्छति ।। १४.

Just as a lump of clay, pressed by the wheel and wind, and shaped by hands, takes on various forms,

एवमात्मास्थिसंयुक्तो वायुना समुदीरितः। जायते मानुषस्तत्र यथा रूपं तथा मनः ।। १४.

So too, the self, joined with bones and stirred by wind, becomes human there; as is the form, so is the mind.

वायुः सम्भवते तेषां वातात् सञ्जायते जलम्। जलात्संभवति प्राणः प्राणाच्छुक्रं विवर्द्धते ।। १४.

From wind arises their being; from wind, water is produced; from water, breath arises; from breath, semen increases.

रक्तभागास्त्रयस्त्रिंशच्छुक्र भागाश्चतुर्द्दश। भागतोऽर्द्धपलं कृत्वा ततो गर्भे निषेवते ।। १४.

There are thirty-three parts of blood and fourteen parts of semen; taking half a pala by measure, it is then deposited in the womb.

ततस्तु गर्भसंयुक्तः पञ्चभिर्वायुभिर्वृतः। पितुः शरीरात् प्रत्यङ्गरूपमस्योपजायते ।। १४.

Then, joined with the embryo and enveloped by the five winds, from the father's body, each limb of his form arises.

ततोऽस्य मातुराहारात् पीतलीढप्रवेशितम्। नाभि स्रोतःप्रवेशेन प्राणाधारो हि देहिनाम् ।। १४.

Then, from the mother's nourishment, entering through the yellowish fluid, by way of the navel channel, the vital support of embodied beings is established.

नवमासान् परिक्लिष्टः संवेष्टितशिरोधरः । वेष्टितः सर्व्वगात्रैश्च अपर्य्यायक्रमागतः। नवमासोषितश्चैव योनिच्छिद्रादवाङ्‌मुखः ।। १४.

Afflicted for nine months, with head and neck bent, with all limbs folded, unable to move, after nine months, he dwells, head downward, at the opening of the womb.

ततस्तु कर्म्मभिः पापैर्निरयं प्रतिपद्यते। असिपत्रवनञ्चैव शाल्मलीच्छेदभेदयोः ।। १४.

Then, through sinful actions, he attains hell, such as the forest of swords and the torment of the Śālmalī tree.

तत्र निर्भर्त्सनञ्चैव तथा शोणितभोजनम् । एतास्तु यातन् घोराः कुम्भीपाकसुदुःसहाः ।। १४.

There, indeed, are terrifying punishments such as harsh rebuke and the eating of blood; these torments in Kumbhīpāka are exceedingly hard to endure.

यथा ह्यापस्तु विच्छिन्नाः स्वरूपमुपयान्ति वै । तस्माच्छिन्नाश्च भिन्नाश्च यातनास्थानमागतः ।। १४.

Just as waters, when separated, regain their own form, so too, those who are cut off and divided, upon reaching the place of torment, are restored.

एवं जीवस्तु तैः पापैस्तप्यमानः स्वयं कृतैः । प्राप्नुयात् कर्म्मभिर्दुःखं शेषं वा यादि चेतरम् ।। १४.

Thus, the soul, tormented by those sins it has itself committed, experiences suffering through its actions, or whatever remains, as is appropriate.

एकेनैव तु गन्तव्यं सर्व्वमृत्युनिवेशनम्। एकनैव च भोक्तव्यं तस्मात् सुकृतमाचरेत् ।। १४.

Alone, indeed, one must go to the abode of Death, and alone one must experience it; therefore, one should perform good deeds.