Vayu Purana

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.

स तं दृष्ट्वा महात्मानममरं घोर मन्त्रिणम्। ववन्दे देवदेवेशं विश्वेशं कृष्णपिङ्गलम् ।। २३.

Seeing that great-souled, immortal, and formidable counselor, he bowed to the Lord of gods, the Lord of the universe, who was dark and tawny.

प्राणायामपरः श्रीमान् हृदि कृत्वा महेश्वरम्। मनसा ध्यानसंयुक्तं प्रपन्नस्तु यतीश्वरम् । अघोरेति ततो ब्रह्मा ब्रह्म एवानुचिन्तयन् ।। २३.

Devoted to breath control, glorious, he placed Maheshvara in his heart; with his mind joined to meditation, he sought refuge in the Lord of ascetics, and then Brahma, contemplating only Brahman, uttered 'Aghora.'

एवं वै ध्यायतस्तस्य ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः। मुमोच भगवान् रुद्रः अट्टहासं महास्वनम् ।। २३.

Thus, as that Brahma, the supreme lord, meditated, the blessed Rudra released a great and resounding laughter.

अथास्य पार्श्वतः कृष्णाः कृष्णस्रगनुलेपनाः । चत्वारस्तु महात्मानः सम्बभूवुः कुमारकाः ।। २३.

Then, at his side, four great-souled boys appeared, dark in color, adorned with dark garlands and ointments.

कृष्णाः कृष्णाम्बरोष्णीषाः कृष्णास्याः कृष्णवाससः। तैश्चाट्टहासः सुमहान् हूङ्कारश्चैव पुष्कलः। नमस्कारश्च सुमहान् पुनः पुनरुदीरितः ।। २३.

They were dark, with dark garments and dark turbans, dark-faced and clothed in black; among them arose great laughter and abundant roaring, and again and again, profound salutations were uttered.

ततो वर्षसहस्रान्ते योगात्तत् पारमेश्वरम्। उपासित्वा महाभागाः शिष्येब्यः प्रददुस्ततः ।। २३.

Then, at the end of a thousand years, through yoga, having worshipped that Supreme Lord, those highly fortunate ones bestowed it upon their disciples.

योगेन योगसम्पन्नाः प्रविश्य मनसा शिवम्। अमलं निर्गुणं स्थानं प्रविष्टा विश्वमीश्वरम् ।। २३.

Perfected in yoga, through yoga they entered Shiva with their minds, attaining the pure, attributeless state, and entered the Lord of the universe.

एवमेतेन योगेन ये चाप्यन्ये द्विजातयः। स्मरिष्यन्ति विधानज्ञा गन्तारो रुद्रमव्ययम् ।। २३.

In this way, by this yoga, and likewise other twice-born who are knowledgeable in the rites, remembering thus, will reach the imperishable Rudra.

ततस्तस्मिन् गते कल्पे कृष्णरुपे भयानके। अन्यः प्रवर्त्तितः कल्पो विश्वरुपस्तु नामतः ।। २३.

Then, when that kalpa had passed, in the dreadful form of Krishna, another kalpa was set in motion, known as the Universal Form.

विनिवृत्ते तु संहारे पुनः सृष्टे चराचरे। ब्रह्मणः पुत्रकामस्य ध्यायतः परमेष्ठिनः। प्रादुर्भूता महानादा विश्वरूपा सरस्वती ।। २३.

When the dissolution had ceased and creation, both moving and unmoving, had arisen again, as Brahma, desiring sons, meditated, the great sound Sarasvati of universal form appeared.