Vayu Purana

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—

द्वाभ्यामपि च सम्प्रीतिर् विष्णोश्चैव भवस्य च । यच्चापि कुरुते नित्यं प्रणामं शंकरस्य च। विस्तरेणानुपूर्व्याच्च श्रृणुत ब्रुवतो मम ।। २१.

And the mutual affection between Viṣṇu and Bhava, and also the constant reverence shown to Śaṃkara—hear all this from me in detail and proper order as I speak.

मन्वन्तरस्य संहारे पश्चिमस्य महात्मनः। आसीत्तु सप्तमः कल्पः पद्मो नाम द्विजोत्तम। वाराहः साम्प्रतस्तेषां तस्य वक्ष्यामि विस्तरम् ।। २१.

At the dissolution of the last Manvantara of the great-souled one, there was the seventh Kalpa, called Padma, O best of twice-born; now, the present one is Vārāha—I will explain its details.

कियता चैव कालेन कल्पः सम्भवते कथम्। किं च प्रमाणं कल्पस्य तत्र प्रब्रूहि पृच्छताम् ।। २१.

By what measure of time does a Kalpa arise, and how? What is the duration of a Kalpa? Tell that, as it is questioned.

मन्वन्तराणां सप्तानां कालसंख्या यथाक्रमम्। प्रवक्ष्यामि समासेन ब्रुवतो मे निबोधत ।। २१.

I will declare, in summary and in order, the reckoning of time for the seven Manvantaras; listen as I speak.

कोटीनां द्वे सहस्रे वै अष्टौ कोटिशतानि च । द्विषष्टिश्च तथा कोट्यो नियुतानि च सप्ततिः। कल्पार्द्धस्य तु संख्यायामेतत् सर्वमुदाहृतम् ।। २१.

Two thousand crores, and eight hundred crore hundreds, and sixty-two crores, and seventy niyutas—this is all stated as the number for half a Kalpa.

पूर्वोक्तौ च गुणच्छेदौ वर्षाग्रं लब्दमादिशेत् । शतं चैव तु कोटीनां कोटीनामष्टसप्ततिः। द्वे च शतसहस्रे तु नवतिर्नियुतानि च ।। २१.

As previously mentioned, the division and multiplication yield the measure of years: one hundred crores, then seventy-eight crores, two hundred thousand, and ninety niyutas.

मानुषेण प्रमाणेन यावद्वैवस्वतान्तरम्। एष कल्पस्तु विज्ञेयः कल्पार्द्धद्विगुणीकृतः ।। २१.

By human reckoning, up to the end of Vaivasvata Manu, this is to be understood as a Kalpa, which is twice the measure of half a Kalpa.

अनागतानां सप्तानामेतदेव यथाक्रमम्। प्रमाणं कालसंख्याया विज्ञेयं मतमैश्वरम् ।। २१.

For the seven future Manvantaras as well, this same reckoning of time is to be known, according to the divine view.

नियुतान्यष्टपञ्चाशत्तथाऽशीतिशतानि च। चतुरशीतिश्चवान्यानि प्रयुतानि प्रमाणतः ।। २१.

Fifty-eight niyutas, and eighty hundreds, and eighty-four prayutas—this is the measure.

सप्तर्षयो मनुश्चैव देवाश्चेन्द्रपुरोगमाः। एतत् कालस्य विज्ञेयं वर्षाग्रन्तु प्रमाणतः ।। २१.

The Seven Sages, Manu, and the gods led by Indra—this is the measure of years for them, to be understood.