Vayu Purana

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.

न ह्येनं प्रस्थितं कश्चिद्गच्छन्तमनुगच्छति। यदनेन कृतं कर्म्म तदेनमनुगच्छति ।। १४.

For no one accompanies him as he departs on that journey; only the actions he has performed follow him.

ते नित्यं यमविषये विभिन्नदेहाः क्रोशन्तः सततमनिष्टसंप्रयोगैः। शुष्यन्ते परिगतवेदनाशरीराः बह्वीभिः सुभृशमधर्म्मयातनाभिः ।। १४.

There, in Yama's realm, they, with bodies torn apart, ever cry out, constantly afflicted by unwanted unions, drying up, their bodies consumed by pain, tormented intensely by many cruel punishments.

कर्मणाः मनसा वाचा यदभीष्टं निषेव्यते। तत् प्रसद्य हरेत् पापं तस्मात्‌ सुकृतमाचरेत् ।। १४.

Whatever is desired and pursued by action, mind, or speech, by propitiating that, one removes sin; therefore, one should perform good deeds.

यादृग् जातानि पापानि पूर्व्वं कर्म्माणि देहिनः। संसारं तामसं तादृक् षह्‌विधं प्रतिपद्यते ।। १४.

According to the kinds of sins and actions previously committed by the embodied soul, it attains a corresponding dark existence in saṃsāra.

मानुष्यं पशुभावञ्च पशुभावान्मृगो भवेत्। मृगत्वात् पक्षिभावन्तु तस्माच्चैव सरीसृपः ।। १४.

From humanity one attains the state of an animal, from animalhood one becomes a beast, from being a beast one becomes a bird, and from there, a reptile.

सरीसृपत्वाद्गच्छोद्धि। स्थावरत्वन्न संशयः। स्थावरत्वं पुनः प्राप्तो यावदुन्मिषते नरः। कुलालचकवद्भान्तस्तत्रैवपरिकीर्तितः ।। १४.

From being a reptile, one goes to the state of a plant—of this there is no doubt; having attained the state of a plant, a person remains thus until he awakens, revolving there like a potter's wheel, as is declared.

इत्येवं हि मनुष्यादिः संसारे स्थावरान्तके। विज्ञेयस्तामसो नाम तत्रैव परिवर्त्तते ।। १४.

Thus, from human to plant in saṃsāra, this cycle is to be understood as the dark path, where one continually revolves.

सात्त्विकश्चापि संसारो ब्रह्मादिः परिकीर्त्तितः। पिशाचान्तः सविज्ञेयः स्वर्गस्थानेषु देहिनाम् ।। १४.

The sāttvic cycle, beginning with Brahmā, is also described; up to the piśācas, it is to be known as the realm of embodied beings in heavenly places.

ब्राह्मे तु केवलं सत्त्वं स्थावरे केवलं तमः। चतुर्द्दशानां स्थानानां मध्ये विष्टम्भकं रजः। मर्मसु च्छिद्यमानेषु वेदनार्त्तस्य देहिनः ।। १४.

In the Brahmic state there is only sattva, in plants only tamas; among the fourteen states, rajas is the binding force; when the vital points are cut, the embodied being suffers pain.

ततस्तु परमं ब्रह्म कथं विप्रः स्मरिष्यति । संस्कारात् पूर्वधर्मस्य भावनायां प्रणोदितः। मानुष्यं भजते नित्यं तस्मान्नित्यं समादधेत् ।। १४.

Then, O brāhmaṇa, how will one remember the supreme Brahman? Prompted by the impressions of previous dharma and contemplation, one is always born as a human; therefore, one should always practice it.