Vayu Purana

मासे मासेऽश्वमेधेन यो यजेत शतं समाः । न स तत् प्राप्नुयात् पुण्यं मात्रया यदवाप्नुयात् ।। २०.

Even one who performs the horse sacrifice every month for a hundred years does not obtain the merit that is gained by a single measure.

अब्बिन्दुं यः कुशाग्रेण मासे मासे पिबेन्नरः। संवत्सरशतं पूर्णं मात्रया तदवाप्नुयात् ।। २०.

Whoever drinks water without a drop, using a blade of grass, every month for a full hundred years, attains that by a measure.

इष्टापूर्त्तस्य यज्ञस्य सत्यवाक्ये च यत् फलम्। अभक्षणे च मांसस्य मात्रया तदवाप्नुयात् ।। २०.

The fruit that comes from sacrifices, gifts, truthfulness, and abstaining from meat is attained by a measure.

स्वाम्यर्थे युध्यमानानां शूराणामनिवर्त्तिनाम्। यद्भवेत्तत् फलं दृष्टं मात्रया तदवाप्नुयात् ।। २०.

The reward seen for brave warriors who fight for their lord and do not turn back is attained by a measure.

न तथा तपसोग्रेण न यज्ञैर्भूरिदक्षिणैः। यत् फलं प्राप्नुयात् सम्यग् मात्रया तदवाप्नुयात् ।। २०.

Not by severe austerity, nor by sacrifices with many gifts, does one obtain the fruit that is fully gained by a measure.

तत्र वै योऽर्द्धमात्रो यः प्लुतो नामोपदिश्यते। एषा एव भवेत् कार्या गृहस्थानान्तु योगिनाम् ।। २०.

There, what is called the half-measure, which is prolonged, should indeed be practiced by householders and yogis.

एषा चैव विशेषेण ऐश्वर्यसमलक्षणा। योगिनान्तु विशेषेण ऐश्वर्ये ह्यष्टलक्षणे। अणिमाद्येति विज्ञेया तस्माद्युञ्जीत तां द्विजः ।। २०.

This, in particular, is marked by lordly powers; for yogis especially, it is known as the eightfold power, beginning with animā; therefore, the twice-born should practice it.

एवं हि योगी संयुक्तः शुचिर्द्दान्तो जितेन्द्रियः। आत्मानं विन्दते यस्तु स सर्वं विन्दते द्विजः ।। २०.

Thus, the yogi who is disciplined, pure, self-controlled, and master of his senses, finds his own self; and whoever finds his self, O twice-born, finds all.

ऋचो यजूंषि सामानि वेदोपनिषदस्तथा। योगज्ञानादवाप्नोति ब्राह्मणो ध्यानचिन्तकः ।। २०.

The Brāhmaṇa who contemplates through meditation attains the Ṛg, Yajur, and Sāma Vedas, as well as the Upaniṣads, through yogic knowledge.

सर्वभूतलयो भूत्वा अभूतः स तु जायते। योगी सङ्क्रमणं कृत्वा याति वै शाश्वतं पदम् ।। २०.

Having become the abode of all beings, he who is unborn is then born; the yogi, having accomplished the transition, indeed attains the eternal state.

अपि चात्र चतुर्हस्तां ध्यायमानश्चतुर्मुखीम्। प्रकृतिं विश्वरूपाख्यां दृष्ट्वा दिव्येन चक्षुषा ।। २०.

Moreover, here, meditating upon the four-handed, four-faced form, and beholding the nature called 'universal form' with divine vision—

अजामेतां लोहितशुक्लकृष्णां बह्वीः प्रजाः सृजमानां स्वरूपाम्। अजो ह्येको जुषमाणोऽनुशेते जहात्येनां भुक्तभोगामजोऽन्यः। अष्टाक्षरां षोडशपाणिपादां चतुर्मुखीं त्रिशिखामेकश्रृङ्गाम्। आद्यामजां विश्वसृजां स्वरूपां ज्ञात्वा बुधास्त्वमृतत्वं व्रजन्ति। ये ब्राह्मणाः प्रणवं वेदयन्ति न ते पुनः संसरन्तीह भूयः ।। २०.

This unborn one, red, white, and black, generating many offspring, is its own form; the one unborn enjoys and lies beside her, another unborn one abandons her after experiencing enjoyment; knowing the eight-syllabled, sixteen-handed and sixteen-footed, four-faced, three-crested, single-horned, primordial, unborn, creator of the universe, own form, the wise attain immortality; those Brahmins who know the Pranava do not again undergo rebirth here.

इत्येतदक्षरं ब्रह्म परमोङ्कारसंज्ञितम्। यस्तु वेदयते सम्यक् तथा ध्यायति वा पुनः ।। २०.

This imperishable Brahman, known as the supreme Om, whoever fully knows it or meditates upon it again—

संसारचक्रमुत्सृज्य मुक्तबन्धनबन्धनः। अचलं निर्गुणं स्थानं शिवं प्राप्नोत्यसंशयः। इत्येतद्वै मया प्रोक्तमोङ्कारप्राप्तिलक्षणम् ।। २०.

Abandoning the cycle of worldly existence, freed from bondage and liberation, he attains the unmoving, attributeless, auspicious state without doubt; thus I have spoken the mark of attainment through Om.

नमो लोकेश्वराय सङ्कल्पकल्पग्रहणाय महान्तमुपतिष्ठते तद्वो हितं यद्ब्रह्मणे नमः। सर्वत्र स्थानिने निर्गुणाय सम्भक्तयोगीश्वराय च ।। पुष्करपर्णमिवाद्भिर्विशुद्धमिव ब्रह्ममुपतिष्ठेत्पवित्रं पवित्राणां पवित्रं पवित्रेण परिपूरितेन पवित्रेण ह्रस्वन्दीर्घप्लुतमिति तदेतमोङ्कारमशब्दमस्पर्शमरूपमरसमगन्धं पर्युपासीत अविद्येशानाय विश्वरूपो न तस्य अविद्येशानाय नमो योगीश्वरायेति च येन द्यौरुग्रा पृथिवी च दृढा येन स्वस्तनितं येन नाकस्तयोरन्तरिक्षमिमे वरीयसो देवानां हृदयं विश्वरूपो न तस्य प्राणापानौपम्यं चास्ति ओङ्कारोविश्वविश्वा वै यज्ञः यज्ञो वै वेदः वेदो वै नमस्कारः नमस्कारो रुद्रः नमो रुद्राय योगेश्वराधिपतये नमः। इति सिद्धिप्रत्युपस्थानं सायंप्रातर्मध्याह्ने नमः इति।। सर्वकामफलोरुद्रः। यथा वृन्तात् फलं पक्वं पवनेन समीरितम्। नमस्कारेण रुद्रस्य तथा पापं प्रणश्यति ।। २०.

Salutations to the Lord of the world, who grasps the wish-tree of resolve, the great one is worshipped; that which is beneficial to you, salutations to Brahman; abiding everywhere, attributeless, and to the Lord of yogis who is wholly devoted; like the lotus leaf purified by water, let one worship Brahman, pure among the pure, filled with purity, with purity short, long, and drawn out—thus let one worship this Om, soundless, untouchable, formless, tasteless, scentless; let one worship the universal form, the lord of ignorance, but there is no lord of ignorance for him; salutations to the Lord of yogis; by whom the sky is vast, the earth firm, by whom thunder resounds, by whom heaven and the space between are sustained, these are the heart of the gods, universal form, for whom there is no comparison to breath or exhalation; Om is all, sacrifice is all, sacrifice is the Veda, Veda is salutation, salutation is Rudra; salutations to Rudra, master of yogis; thus the approach to perfection, morning, evening, midday, salutations; Rudra is the giver of all desired fruits; just as ripe fruit falls from the stalk by the wind, so sin perishes by salutation to Rudra.

यथा रुद्रनमस्कारः सर्वधर्मफलो ध्रुवः। अन्यदेवनमस्कारो न तत् फलमवाप्नुयात् ।। २०.

Just as salutation to Rudra is surely the fruit of all dharmas, salutation to other gods does not yield that fruit.

तस्मात् त्रिषवणं योगी उपासीत महेश्वरम्। दशाविस्तारकं ब्रह्म तथा च ब्रह्म विस्तरम् ।। २०.

Therefore, the yogi should worship Maheshvara three times daily, the tenfold expansive Brahman, and likewise the expansion of Brahman.

ओङ्कारं सर्वतः काले सर्वं विहितवान् प्रभुः। तेन तेन तु विष्णुत्वं नमस्कारं महायशाः ।। २०.

The Lord has established Om everywhere and at all times; by that, the illustrious one attains the state of Vishnu and salutation.

नमस्कारस्तथा चैव प्रणवस्तुवते प्रभुम् । प्रणवं स्तुवते यज्ञो यज्ञं संस्तुवते नमः। नमस्तुवति वै रुद्रस्तस्माद्रुद्रपदं शिवम् ।। २०.

Salutation, likewise, and Pranava praise the Lord; Pranava praises sacrifice, sacrifice praises salutation; salutation praises Rudra, therefore Rudra's auspicious state.

इत्येतानि रहस्यानि यतीनां वै यथाक्रमम्। यस्तु वेदयते ध्यानं स परं प्राप्नुयात्पदम् ।। २०.

These secrets, in proper order, belong to the ascetics; whoever knows meditation attains the supreme state.

ऋषीणामग्निकल्पानां नैमिषारण्यवासिनाम् । ऋषिः श्रुतिधरः प्राज्ञः सावर्णिर्न्नाम नामतः ।। २१.

Among the sages resembling fire, dwelling in Naimisha forest, there was a sage, wise and learned in the scriptures, named Savarni.

तेषां सोप्यग्रतो भूत्वा वायुं वाक्यविशारदः। सातत्यं तत्र कुर्वन्तं प्रियार्थे सत्रयाजिनाम्। विनयेनोपसंगम्य पप्रच्छ स महाद्युतिम् ।। २१.

He, standing before them, approached Vayu, eloquent in speech, who was continually engaged there for the sake of the sacrificial priests, and with humility, asked the radiant one.

विभो पुराणसं बद्धां कथां वै वेदसंमिताम्। श्रोतुमिच्छामहे सम्यक् प्रसादात्सर्वदर्शिनः ।। २१.

O Lord, we wish to hear the ancient story bound by tradition, in accordance with the Vedas, from you, the all-seeing, with your grace.

हिरण्यगर्भो भगवान् ललाटान्नीललोहितम्। कथं तत्तेजसं देवं लब्धवान् पुत्रमात्मनः ।। २१.

How did the blessed Hiranyagarbha, from his forehead, obtain the blue-red one as his son, the divine being of that radiance?

कथं च भगवान् जज्ञे ब्रह्मा कमलसंभवः। रुद्रत्वं चैव सर्वस्य स्वात्मजस्य कथं पुनः ।। २१.

And how was the blessed Brahma, lotus-born, created? How did his own son again become Rudra of all?

कथं च विष्णो रुद्रेण सार्द्धं प्रीतिरनुत्तमा। सर्वे विष्णुमया देवा सर्वे विष्णुमया गणाः ।। २१.

And how did Vishnu, together with Rudra, have supreme affection? All gods are pervaded by Vishnu, all hosts are pervaded by Vishnu.

न च विष्णुसमा काचिद्गतिरन्या विधीयते। इत्येवं सततं देवा गायन्ते नात्र संशयः। भवस्य सकथं नित्यं प्रणामं कुरुते हरिः ।। २१.

Nor is any other path prescribed equal to Vishnu; thus, the gods always sing, there is no doubt; how does Hari always perform salutation to Bhava?

एवमुक्ते तु भगवान् वायुः सावर्णिमब्रवीत्। अहो साधु त्वया साधो पृष्टः प्रश्नो ह्यनुत्तमः ।। २१.

When this was spoken, the blessed Vāyu said to Sāvarṇi: 'Ah, well done, O noble one! You have asked an excellent question, truly unsurpassed.'

भवस्य पुत्रजन्मत्वं ब्रह्मणः सोऽभवद्यथा। ब्रह्मणः पद्म योनित्वं रुद्रत्वं शंकरस्य च ।। २१.

The birth of Bhava as a son, how he came from Brahmā; Brahmā's birth from the lotus, and Śaṃkara's becoming Rudra—