Vayu Purana

अथ तं मनसा ध्यात्वा युक्तात्मा वै पितामहः। ववन्दे देवमीशानं सर्वेशं सर्वगं प्रभुम् ।। २३.

Then, having meditated upon him in his mind, with a disciplined self, the Grandfather (Brahma) bowed to the god Ishana, the Lord of all, the all-pervading master.

ओमीशानं नमस्तेऽस्तु महादेव नमोऽस्तु ते। एवं ध्यानगतं तत्र प्रणमन्तं पितामहम्। उवाच भगवानीशः प्रीतोऽहं ते किमिच्छसि ।। २३.

"Om, salutations to Ishana, salutations to Mahadeva, salutations to you." Thus, as the Grandfather, absorbed in meditation, was bowing there, the blessed Lord spoke: "I am pleased with you. What do you desire?"

ततस्तु प्रणतो भूत्वा वाग्भिः स्तुत्वा महेश्वरम्। उवाच भगवान् ब्रह्मा प्रीतः प्रीतेन चेतसा ।। २३.

Then, having bowed, and praised Maheshvara with words, the blessed Brahma, with a delighted heart, spoke.

यदिदं विश्वरूपन्ते विश्वगं विश्वमीश्वरम्। एतद्वेदितुमिच्छामि कश्चायं परमेश्वरः ।। २३.

"This universal form at your end, the all-pervading, the Lord of the universe—this I wish to know. Who is this Supreme Lord?"

कैषा भगवती देवी चतुष्पादा चतुर्मुखी। चतुःश्रृङ्गी चतुर्वक्रा चतुर्द्दन्ता चतुःस्तनी ।। २३.

"Who is this blessed goddess, four-footed, four-faced, four-horned, four-jawed, four-tusked, and four-breasted?"

चतुर्हस्ता चतुर्नेत्रा विश्वरुपा कथं स्मृता। किन्नामधेया कोऽस्यात्मा किंवीर्या वापि कर्मतः ।। २३.

"Four-armed, four-eyed, called the Universal Form—what is her name, what is her nature, what is her power, and what are her deeds?"

रहस्यं सर्वमन्त्राणां पावनं पुष्ठिवर्द्धनम्। श्रृणुष्वैतत्परं गुह्यमादिसर्गे यथा तथम् ।। २३.

"The secret of all mantras, purifying and bestowing nourishment—listen to this supreme mystery, just as it was at the beginning of creation."

अयं यो वर्त्तते कल्पो विश्वरूपस्त्वसौ स्मृतः। यस्मिन् भवादयो देवाः षड्विंशन्मनवः स्मृताः ।। २३.

"This kalpa which exists is known as the Universal Form, in which Bhava and the other gods, and the twenty-six Manus, are remembered."

ब्रह्मस्थानमिदं चापि यदा प्राप्तं त्वया विभो। तदाप्रभृति कल्पश्च त्रयस्त्रिंशत्तमो ह्ययम् ।। २३.

"This is the station of Brahma, which you have attained, O mighty one; from that time, this is the thirty-third kalpa."

शतं शतसहस्राणामतीता ये स्वयम्भुवः । पुरस्तात्तव देवेश तान् श्रृणुष्व महामुने ।। २३.

"A hundred times a hundred thousand have passed, those of Svayambhuva; before you, O Lord of gods, hear of them, O great sage."

आनन्दस्तु स विज्ञेय आनन्दस्ते महालयः। गालव्यगोत्रतपसा मम पुत्रस्त्वमागतः ।। २३.

"He is to be known as Ananda, Ananda is the great abode; by the austerity of the lineage of Galava, you have become my son."

त्वयि योगश्च साङ्ख्यश्च तपो विद्याविधिः क्रिया। ऋतं स्त्यञ्च यद्ब्रह्म अहिंसा सन्ततिक्रमाः ।। २३.

In you reside yoga and sāṅkhya, austerity, knowledge, ritual, action; truth, honesty, that which is Brahman, non-violence, and the succession of generations.

ध्यानं ध्यानवपुः शान्तिर्विद्याऽपिद्यामतिर्धृतिः। कान्तिः शान्तिः स्मृतिर्मेधा लज्जा शुद्दिः सरस्वती। तुष्टिः पुष्टिः क्रिया चैव लज्जा क्षान्तिः प्रतिष्ठिता ।। २३.

Meditation, the form of meditation, tranquility, knowledge, ignorance, resolve, fortitude, radiance, peace, memory, intelligence, modesty, purity, Sarasvatī, satisfaction, nourishment, action, modesty, patience, and stability.

षड्‌विंशत्तद्गुणा ह्येषा द्वात्रिशाक्षरसंज्ञिता । प्रकृतिं विद्धितां ब्रह्मंस्त्वत्प्रसूतिं महेश्वरीम् ।। २३.

These are twenty-six qualities, known by thirty-two syllables; know this nature as Brahman, as your progeny, O Great Goddess.

सैषा भगवती देवी तत्प्रसूतिः स्वयम्भुवः। चतुर्मुखी जगद्योनिः प्रकृति र्गौः प्रकीर्त्तिता । प्रधानं प्रकृतिं चैव यदाहुस्तत्त्वचिन्तकाः ।। २३.

She is the Blessed Goddess, the progeny of Svayambhu, four-faced, the origin of the world, called Prakṛti and Gauḥ; what the thinkers of truth call Pradhāna and Prakṛti.

अजामेतां लोहितां शुक्लकृष्णां विश्वं संप्रसृजमानां सुरूपाम्। अजोऽहं वै बुद्धिमान्विश्वरूपां गायत्रीं गां विश्वरूपां हि बुद्ध्वा ।। २३.५१ एवमुक्तवा महादेवः अट्टहासमथाकरोत् । वलितास्फोटितरवं कहाकहनदन्तथा ।। २३.

This unborn one, red, white, and black, spreading forth the universe, beautiful in form; I am unborn, wise, of universal form, having realized Gāyatrī, the universal form of Gauḥ.

ततोऽस्य पार्श्वतो दिव्याः सर्वरूपाः कुमारकाः। जटी मुण्डी शिखण्डी च अर्द्धमुण्डश्च जज्ञिरे ।। २३.

Then, from his side, divine boys of all forms appeared: those with matted hair, shaved heads, topknots, and half-shaved heads.

ततस्ते तु यथोक्तेन योगेन सुमहौजसः। दिव्यं वर्षसहस्रन्तु उपासित्वा महेश्वरम् ।। २३.

Then, by the prescribed yoga, possessing great energy, they worshipped Maheśvara for a thousand divine years.

धर्मोपदेशं नियतं कृत्वा योगमयं दृढम्। शिष्टानां नियतात्मानः प्रविष्टा रुद्रमीश्वरम् ।। २३.

Having firmly established the teaching of dharma, composed of yoga, those with disciplined selves entered Rudra, the Lord.

ततो विस्मयमापन्नो ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः। प्रपन्नस्तु महादेवं भक्तियुक्तेन चेतसा। उवाच वचनं सर्वं श्वेतत्वन्ते कथं विभो ।। २३.

Then Brahmā, the grandsire of the worlds, became amazed; he approached Mahādeva with a mind full of devotion and spoke all these words: 'How, O Lord, at the end of the white period?'

श्वेतकल्पो यदा ह्यासीदहं श्वेतस्ततोऽभवम्। श्वेतोष्णीषः श्वेतमाल्यः श्वेताम्बरधरः शिवः ।। २३.

When the white epoch was, I became white; white turbaned, adorned with white garlands, clad in white garments, O Śiva.

श्वेतास्थिमांसरोमा च श्वेतत्वक् श्वेतलोहितः। तेन नाम्ना च विख्यातः श्वेतकल्पस्तदा ह्यसौ ।। २३.

White bones, flesh, and hair, white skin, white blood; thus, by that name, the white epoch was renowned.

मत्प्रसादाच्च देवेशः श्वेताङ्गः श्वेतलोहितः। श्वेतवर्णा तदा ह्यासीद्गायत्री ब्रह्मसंज्ञिता ।। २३.

By my grace, O Lord of gods, the body was white, the blood was white; then Gāyatrī, known as Brahman, was of white color.

यस्मादहं च देवेश त्वया गुह्ये पदे स्थितः। विज्ञातः स्वेन तपसा सद्यो जातः सनातनः। सद्यो जातेति ब्रह्मैतद् गुह्यं चैव प्रकीर्तितम् ।। २३.

Because, O Lord of gods, I was established by you in the secret place, known through your own austerity, born instantly, eternal; thus, this Brahman is called 'born instantly,' and is also spoken of as secret.

तस्माद् गुह्यत्वमापन्नं ये वेत्स्यन्ति द्विजातयः। तत्समीपङ्गमिष्यन्ति पुनरावृत्तिदुर्लभम् ।। २३.

Therefore, it has attained secrecy; those twice-born who will know it will approach its proximity, and the return is difficult.

यदाऽहं च पुनस्त्वासं लोहितो नाम नामतः। ममकृतेन वर्णेन कल्पो वै लोहितः स्मृतः ।। २३.

When I was again, by name, red; by my own color, the epoch was called red.

तदा लोहितमासास्थिलोहितक्षीरसन्निभा । लोहिताक्षस्तनवती गायत्री गौः प्रकीर्तिता ।। २३.

Then, red bones, resembling red milk; red-eyed, with breasts, Gāyatrī, Gauḥ, was proclaimed.

ततोऽस्य लोहितत्वेन वर्णस्य च विपर्य्यये। वामत्वाच्चैव योगस्य वामदेवत्वमागतः ।। २३.

Then, due to the redness and the reversal of color, and also due to the left-sidedness of yoga, the state of Vāmadeva was attained.

तथापि हि महासत्त्व त्वयाऽहं नियतात्मना। विज्ञातः श्वेत वर्णेन तस्माद्वर्णोत्तमः स्मृतः । ततोऽहं वामदेवेति ख्यातिं यातो महीतले ।। २३.

Yet, O one of great strength, by you, with disciplined self, I was known by the white color; therefore, the highest color is remembered. Thus, I became known as Vāmadeva on earth.