Vayu Purana

रक्ताम्बरधराः सर्वे रक्तमाल्यानुलेपनाः। रक्तभस्मानुलिप्ताङ्गा रक्तास्या रक्तलोचनाः ।। २२.

All were clad in red garments, adorned with red garlands and unguents, their bodies smeared with red ashes, with red mouths and red eyes.

ततो वर्षसहस्रान्ते ब्रह्मण्या व्यवसायिनः। गृणन्तशचव महात्मानो ब्रह्म तद्वामदैवकम् ।। २२.

Then, at the end of a thousand years, those devoted to Brahman, steadfast, and great-souled, praised that supreme, divine Brahman.

अनुग्रहार्थं लोकानां शिष्याणां हितकाम्यया। धर्मोपदेशमखिलं कृत्वा ते ब्राह्मणाः स्वयम् । पुनरेव महामदेवं प्रविष्टा रुद्रमव्ययम् ।। २२.

For the sake of granting favor to the worlds and out of desire for the welfare of their disciples, those Brāhmaṇas themselves taught the entire dharma, and then again entered the great, eternal Rudra.

येऽपि चान्ये द्विजश्रेष्ठा युञ्जाना वाममीश्वरम्। प्रपद्यन्ति महादें तद्भक्तास्तत्परायणाः ।। २२.

And other excellent twice-born who worship the left-sided Lord, those devoted to him, who take refuge in Mahādeva,

ते सर्वे पापनिर्मुक्ता विमला ब्रह्मवर्च्चसः। रुद्रलोकं गमिष्यन्ति पुनरावृत्तिदुर्लभम् ।। २२.

All of them, freed from sin, pure, and radiant with the splendor of Brahman, will go to the world of Rudra, which is difficult to return from.

एकत्रिंशत्तमः कल्पः पीतवासा इति स्मृतः। ब्रह्म यत्र महातेजाः पीतवर्णत्वमागतः ।। २३.

The thirty-first kalpa is known as Pītavāsā, in which Brahmā, of great splendor, took on a yellow hue.

ध्यायतः पुत्रकामस्य ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः। प्रादुर्भूतो महातेजाः कुमारः पीतवस्त्रवान् ।। २३.

As Brahmā, the supreme lord, was meditating with the desire for a son, a radiant boy appeared, clothed in yellow garments.

पीतगन्धानुलिप्ताङ्गः पीतमाल्यधरो युवा। पीतयज्ञोपवीतश्च पीतोष्णीषो महाभुजः ।। २३.

His limbs were anointed with yellow fragrance, he wore yellow garlands, was youthful, had a yellow sacred thread, a yellow turban, and mighty arms.

तं दृष्ट्वा ध्यानसंयुक्तं ब्रह्मा लोकेश्वरं प्रभुम्। मनसा लोकधातारं ववन्दे परमेश्वरम् ।। २३.

Seeing him absorbed in meditation, Brahmā, the lord of the worlds, mentally bowed to the supreme Lord, the supporter of the worlds.

ततो ध्यानगतस्तत्र ब्रह्म माहेश्वरीं पराम्। अपश्यद् गां विरुपां च महेश्वरमुखच्युताम् ।। २३.

Then, while absorbed in meditation, Brahmā saw there the supreme goddess, the cow, strange in form, who had emerged from the mouth of Maheśvara.

चतुष्पदां चतुर्वक्त्रां चतुर्हस्तां चतुःस्तनीम्। चतुर्न्नेत्रां चतुःश्रृङ्गीं चतुर्द्दंष्ट्रां चतुर्मुखीम्। द्वात्रिंशल्लोकसंयुक्तामीश्वरीं सर्वतोमुखीम् ।। २३.

She had four legs, four faces, four arms, four breasts, four eyes, four horns, four fangs, four mouths, and was associated with thirty-two worlds, the sovereign goddess with faces on all sides.

स तां दृष्ट्वा महातेजाः महादेवीं महेश्वरीम्। पुनराह महादेवः सर्वदेवनमस्कृतः ।। २३.

Seeing that great and radiant goddess, Maheśvarī, the greatly revered Mahādeva spoke again.

मतिः स्मृतिर्बुद्धिरिति गायमानः पुनः पुनः। एह्येहीति महादेवी सोत्तिष्ठत् प्राञ्जलिर्भृशम् ।। २३.

Reciting 'mind, memory, intellect' again and again, the great goddess rose up, hands joined in reverence, as Mahādeva called her, 'Come, come.'

विश्वमावृत्य योगेन जगत्सर्वं वशीकुरु। अथ वा महादेवेन रुद्राणी त्वं भविष्यसि। ब्राह्मणानां हितार्थाय परमार्थं भविष्यसि ।। २३.

By your yoga, envelop the universe and bring all the worlds under your control; or else, by Mahādeva's will, you shall become Rudrāṇī, and for the welfare of the Brāhmaṇas, you shall become the supreme reality.

अथैनां पुत्रकामस्य ध्यायतः परमेष्ठिनः। प्रददौ देवदेवेशश्चतुष्पादां महेश्वरीम्। ततस्तां ध्यानयोगेन विदित्वा परमेश्वरीम् ।। २३.

Then, as the supreme lord was meditating with the desire for a son, the Lord of gods gave him the four-legged Maheśvarī. Having known that supreme goddess through yogic meditation,

ब्रह्मा लोकनमस्कार्यः प्रपद्य तां महेश्वरीम्। गायत्रीन्तु ततो रौद्रीं ध्यात्वा ब्रह्मा सुयन्त्रितः ।। २३.

Brahma, who is honored by all the worlds, approached that great goddess; then, having meditated on Gayatri and then on the fierce form, Brahma, with great discipline, continued.

इत्येतां वैदिकीं विद्यां रौद्रीं गायत्रीमर्पिताम्। जपित्वा तु महादेवीं रुद्रलोकनमस्कृताम्। प्रपन्नस्तु महादेवं ध्यानयुक्तेन चेतसा ।। २३.

Thus, reciting this Vedic knowledge—Gayatri dedicated to Rudra—he worshipped the great goddess, honored by the world of Rudra, and then, with a mind absorbed in meditation, sought refuge in Mahadeva.

ततस्तस्य महादेवो दिव्यं योगं पुनः स्मृतः। ऐश्वर्यं ज्ञानसम्पत्तिं वैराग्यं च ददौ पुनः ।। २३.

Then Mahadeva again recalled to him the divine yoga, and once more granted him lordly power, attainment of knowledge, and detachment.

अथाट्टहासं मुमुचे भीषणं दीप्तमीश्वरः। ततोऽस्य सर्वतो दीप्ताः प्रादुर्भूताः कुमारकाः ।। २३.

Then the Lord released a terrible and blazing laughter; from that, radiant boys appeared all around him.

पीतमाल्याम्बरधराः पीतगन्धविलेपनाः । पीतोष्णीषशिरस्काश्च पीतास्याः पीतमूर्द्धजाः ।। २३.

They wore yellow garlands and garments, were anointed with yellow fragrance, had yellow turbans on their heads, yellow mouths, and yellow hair.

ततो वर्षसहस्रान्ते उषित्वा विमलौजसः। योगात्मानस्ततः स्नाता ब्राह्मणानां हितैषिणः ।। २३.

After dwelling there for a thousand years, shining with pure energy, those yogic souls, having bathed, became benefactors of the brahmins.

धर्मयोगबलोपेता ऋषीणां दीर्घसत्रिणाम्। उपदिश्य तु ते योगं प्रविष्टा रुद्रमीश्वरम् ।। २३.

Endowed with the strength of dharma and yoga, they taught yoga to the long-sacrificing rishis, and then entered Rudra, the Lord.

एवमेतेन विधिना प्रपन्ना ये महेश्वरम्। अन्येऽपि नियतात्मानो ध्यानयुक्ता जितोन्द्रियाः ।। २३.

In this way, by this method, all those who sought refuge in Maheshvara—others too, with controlled minds, absorbed in meditation, having conquered their senses—

ते सर्वे पापमुत्सृज्य विरजा ब्रह्मवर्च्चसः। प्रविशन्ति महादेवं रुद्रन्ते त्वपुनर्भवाः ।। २३.

All of them, casting off sin, pure and radiant with Brahmanic splendor, enter Mahadeva, Rudra, and do not return to rebirth.

ततस्तस्मिन् गते कल्पे पीतवर्णे स्वयम्भुवः। पुनरन्यः प्रवृत्तस्तु सितकल्पो हि नामतः ।। २३.

Then, when that golden age ended, the self-born one, of golden hue, departed; again, another cycle began, called the White Age.

एकार्णवे तदावृत्ते दिव्ये वर्षसहस्रके । स्रष्टुकामः प्रजा ब्रह्मा चिन्तयामास दुःखितः ।। २३.

When, after a thousand divine years, the world was covered by a single ocean, Brahma, desiring to create beings, pondered in distress.

तस्य चिन्तयमानस्य पुत्रकामस्य वै प्रभोः । कृष्णः समभवद्वर्णो ध्यायतः परमेष्ठिनः ।। २३.

As that lord, longing for a son, was deep in thought, his complexion became dark as he meditated.

अथापश्यन्महातेजाः प्रादुर्भूतं कुमारकम्। कृष्णवर्णं महावीर्यं दीप्यमानं स्वतेजसा ।। २३.

Then, the radiant one saw a boy appear, dark in color, of great strength, shining with his own brilliance.

कृष्णाम्बरवरोष्णीषं कृष्णयज्ञोपवीतिनम्। कृष्णेन मौलिना युक्तं कृष्णस्रगनुलेपनम् ।। २३.

He wore dark garments and a dark turban, had a dark sacred thread, was adorned with a dark crest, and decorated with dark garlands and ointments.