Vayu Purana

तयोः प्राणोऽन्तरात्मास्य बाह्योऽपानोऽत उच्यते। अन्नं प्राणस्तथापानं मृत्युर्ज्जीवितमेव च ।। १५.

Of these, prāṇa is the inner self, and apāna is the outer, so it is said. Food is prāṇa, and likewise apāna; death and life as well.

अन्नं ब्रह्म च विज्ञेयं प्रजानां प्रसवस्तथा। अन्नाद्भूतानि जायन्ते स्थितिरन्नेन चेष्यते। वर्द्धन्ते तेन भूतानि तस्मादन्नन्तदुच्यते ।। १५.

Food and Brahman should be understood as the source of offspring. From food, beings are born; their existence is sustained by food. Beings grow by it; therefore, it is called 'food'.

तदेवाग्नौ हुतं ह्यन्नं भुञ्जते देवदानवाः। गन्धर्वयक्षरक्षांसि पिशाचाश्चान्नमेव हि ।। १५.

That very food, offered into fire, is eaten by gods and demons, Gandharvas, Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, and Piśācas—all indeed eat food.

इति श्रीमहापुराणे वायु प्रोक्ते पाशुपतयोगो नाम पञ्चदशोऽध्यायः

Thus ends the fifteenth chapter called 'Pāśupata Yoga', spoken by Vāyu in the glorious Mahāpurāṇa.

अत ऊद्ध्वं प्रवक्ष्यामि शौचाचारस्य लक्षणम्। यदनुष्ठाय शुद्धात्मा प्रेत्य स्वर्गं हि चाप्नुयात् ।। १६.

Now I shall explain the characteristics of the practice of purity, by which, having observed it, one with a purified self attains heaven after death.

उदकार्थी तु शौचानां मुनीनामुत्तमं पदम् । यस्तु तेष्वप्रमत्तः स्यात् स मुनिर्न्नावसीदति ।। १६.

For those seeking water, the highest state of purity among sages is attained. Whoever is vigilant among them, that sage does not fall.

मानावमानौ द्वोवेतौ तावेवाहुर्विषामृते । अवमानं विषं तत्र मानन्त्वमृतमुच्यते ।। १६.

Honor and dishonor—these two are called nectar and poison. Dishonor is poison, and honor is called nectar.

यस्तु तेष्वप्रमत्तः स्यात् स मुनिर्न्नावसीदति । गुरोः प्रियहिते युक्तः स तु संवत्सरं वसेत् ।। १६.

Whoever is vigilant among them, that sage does not fall. Engaged in the welfare and affection of the teacher, he should reside for a year.

नियमेष्वप्रमत्तस्तु यमेषु च सदा भवेत् । प्राप्यानुज्ञान्ततश्चैव ज्ञानागमनमुत्तमम्। अविरोधेन धर्मस्य विचरेत् पृथिवीमिमाम् ।। १६.

One should always be vigilant in observances and restraints. Having obtained permission, one should acquire supreme knowledge, and, without violating dharma, wander this earth.

चक्षुः पूतं व्रजेन्मार्गं वस्त्रपूतं जलं पिबेत्। सत्यपूतां वदेद्वाणीमिति धर्मानुशासनम् ।। १६.

One should travel a path purified by sight, drink water purified by cloth, and speak words purified by truth—thus is the instruction of dharma.

आतिथ्यं श्राद्धयज्ञेषु न गच्छेद्योगवित् व्कचित्। एवं ह्यहिंसको योगी भवेदिति विचारणा ।। १६.

One who knows yoga should not attend hospitality or śrāddha sacrifices. Thus, by such conduct, the yogi becomes nonviolent.

वह्नौ विधूमे व्यङ्गारे सर्वृस्मिन् भुक्तवज्जने। विचरेन्मतिमान् योगी न तु तेष्वेव नित्यशः ।। १६.

The wise yogi should move about among people as one who has eaten, just as fire without smoke or embers remains in all fuel, but he should not remain constantly among them.

यथैवमवमन्यन्ते यथा परिभवन्ति च। युक्तस्तथा चरेद्भैक्षं सतां धर्ममदूषयन् ।। १६.

However he is disregarded or insulted, he should seek alms in that same way, without violating the dharma of the virtuous.

भैक्षं चरेद्गृहस्थेषु यथाचारगृहेषु च। श्रेष्ठा तु परमा चेयं वृत्तिरस्योपदिश्यते ।। १६.

He should seek alms from householders and from those who conduct themselves properly in their homes; but this way of life is taught as the highest and most excellent for him.

अत ऊर्द्ध्वं गृहस्थेषु शालीनेषु चरेद्‌द्विजः। श्रद्दधानेषु दान्तेषु श्रोत्रियेषु महात्मसु ।। १६.

After this, the twice-born should seek alms from householders who are pure, faithful, self-controlled, learned in the Vedas, and of great soul.

अत ऊर्द्ध्वं पुनश्चापि अदुष्टपतितेषु च। भैक्षचर्या विवर्णेषु जघन्या वृत्तिरुच्यते ।। १६.

After this, again, seeking alms from those who are not fallen or wicked, but in houses of lesser virtue, is said to be the lowest way of life.

भैक्षं यवागूं तक्रं वा पयो यावकमेव च। फळमूलं विपव्कं वा पिण्याकं शक्तितोपि वा ।। १६.

He may take as alms barley gruel, buttermilk, milk, barley, fruit, roots, dried cakes, or even flour, according to his ability.

इत्येते वै मया प्रोक्ता योगिनां सिद्धिवर्द्धनाः। आहारास्तेषु सिद्धेषु श्रेष्ठं भैक्षमिति स्मृतम् ।। १६.

Thus, I have described those foods which increase the attainments of yogis; among these, alms are remembered as the best when they are pure.

अब्बिन्दुं यः कुशाग्रेण मासे मासे समश्नुते। न्यायतो यस्तु भिक्षेत स पूर्वोक्ताद्विशिष्यते ।। १६.

He who eats, once a month, a drop of water placed on the tip of a blade of grass, or who begs for alms in the proper way, surpasses what was previously described.

योगिनां चैव सर्वेषां श्रेष्ठं चान्द्रायणं स्मृतम् । एकं द्वे त्रीणि चत्वारि शक्तितो वा समाचरेत् ।। १६.

Among all yogis, the observance of the Cāndrāyaṇa vow is considered the best; one may perform one, two, three, or four cycles, according to his capacity.

अस्तेयं ब्रह्मचर्यञ्च अलोभस्त्याग एव च। व्रतानि चैव भिक्षूणामहिंसा परमार्थिता ।। १६.

Non-stealing, celibacy, absence of greed, renunciation, vows, non-violence, and supreme sincerity are the disciplines of mendicants.

अक्रोधो गुरुशुश्रूषा शौचमाहारलाघवम्। नित्यंस्वाध्याय इत्येते नियमाः परिकीर्तिताः ।। १६.

Absence of anger, service to the teacher, purity, moderation in food, and constant self-study—these are declared to be the observances.

बीचयोनिर्गुणवपुर्बद्धः कर्मभिरेव च। यथा द्विप इवारण्ये मनुष्याणां विधीयते ।। १६.

Bound by actions, with the seed as his origin and qualities as his form, a man is established in the world like an elephant in the forest.

प्राप्यते वाचिरादेवाङ्कुशेनेव निवारितः। एवं ज्ञानेन शुद्धेन दग्धबीचो ह्यकल्मषः। विमुक्तबन्धः शान्तोऽसौ मुक्त इत्यभिधीयते ।। १६.

He may be restrained quickly, like an elephant with a goad; but when his seed is burned by pure knowledge, he is freed from impurity and bondage, becomes peaceful, and is called liberated.

वेदैस्तुत्या सर्वयज्ञक्रियास्तु यज्ञे जप्यं ज्ञानिनामाहुरग्रयम्। ज्ञानाद्धयानं सङ्गरागव्यपेतं तस्मिन् प्राप्ते शाश्वतस्योपलब्धिः ।। १६.

The Vedas praise all sacrificial acts, but among sacrifices, recitation is said to be foremost for the wise; through knowledge, meditation free from attachment arises, and in that, the eternal is attained.

दमः शमः सत्यमकल्मषत्वं मौनं च भूतेष्वखिलेष्वथार्ज्जवम्। अतीन्द्रियज्ञानमिदं तथार्ज्जवं प्राहुस्तथा ज्ञानविशुद्धसत्त्वाः ।। १६.

Self-control, tranquility, truthfulness, purity, silence, straightforwardness toward all beings, and knowledge beyond the senses—these are declared by those of pure understanding to be the virtues.

समाहितो ब्रह्मपरोऽप्रमादी शुचिस्तथैवात्मरतिर्जीतेन्द्रियः। समाप्नुयुर्योगमिमं महाधियो महर्षयश्चैवमनिन्दितामलाः ।। १६.

Those of great intellect, the spotless and blameless sages, who are concentrated, devoted to Brahman, vigilant, pure, delighting in the self, and self-controlled, attain this yoga.

आश्रमत्रयमुत्सृज्य प्राप्तस्तु परमाश्रमम्। अतः संवत्सरस्यान्ते प्राप्य ज्ञानमनुत्तमम् ।। १७.

Having abandoned the three earlier stages of life and reached the highest stage, at the end of the year, he attains unsurpassed knowledge.

अनुज्ञाप्य गुरूंचैव विचरेत् पृथिवीमिमाम्। सारभूतमुपासीत ज्ञानं यज्ज्ञेय साधकम् ।। १७.

Having taken leave of his teachers, he should wander this earth, seeking the essence, and worship the knowledge that leads to what must be known.