Vayu Purana

कृतं त्रेता द्वापरं च कलिश्चैव चतुर्युगम्। एतस्य पादाश्चत्वारः अङ्गानि क्रतवस्तथा ।। २३.

The four ages—Krita, Treta, Dvapara, and Kali—are his four legs; the sacrifices are his limbs likewise.

भुजाश्च वेदाश्चत्वारो ऋतुः सन्धिमुखानि च। द्वे मुखे द्वे च अयने नेत्राश्च चतुरस्तथा ।। २३.

His arms are the four Vedas; the seasons are the joints; two mouths, two solstices, and likewise four eyes.

शिरांसि त्रीणि पर्वाणि फाल्गुन्याषाढकृत्तिकाः। दिव्यान्तरिक्षभौमानि त्रीणि स्थानानि यानि तु। सम्भवः प्रलयश्चैव आश्रमौ द्वौ प्रकीर्त्तितौ ।। २३.

Three heads, the junctions, Phalguni, Ashadha, and Krittika; the three places—celestial, atmospheric, and terrestrial; origin and dissolution, and two ashramas are declared.

स यदा कालरूपाभो वराहत्वे व्यवस्थितः। भविष्यति यदा साध्यो विष्णुर्नारायणः प्रभुः ।। २३.

When he, resembling the form of time, is established as Varaha, then Sadhya, Vishnu, Narayana, the lord, will exist.

तदा त्वमपि देवेश चतुर्व्वक्त्रो भविष्यसि। ब्रह्मलोकनमस्कार्यो विष्णुर्नारायणः प्रभुः ।। २३.

Then you also, O lord of gods, will become four-faced; Brahma, worthy of worship in Brahma's world, and Vishnu, Narayana, the lord.

एकार्णवे प्लवे चैव शयानं पुरुषं हरिम्। यदा द्रक्ष्यसि देवेशं ध्यानयुक्तं महामुनिम् ।। २३.

When you see Hari, the Supreme Lord, lying upon the single ocean on a raft, absorbed in meditation, as the great sage—

तदावां मम योगेन मोहितौ नष्टचेतसौ। अन्योन्यस्पर्द्धिनौ रात्रावविज्ञाय परस्परम् ।। २३.

Then, by my yoga, both of you will be deluded, your minds lost, competing with each other through the night, not recognizing one another.

एकैकस्योदरस्थांस्तु दृष्ट्वा लोकांश्चराचरान्। विस्मयं परमं गत्वा ध्यानाद्‌बुद्ध्वा तु मानुषौ ।। २३.

Seeing all the worlds, moving and unmoving, within each other's belly, and, struck with supreme wonder, realizing through meditation that you are both human—

ततस्त्वं पझसंभूतः पझनाभः सनातनः। पद्माङ्कितस्तदा कल्पे ख्यातिं यास्यसि पुष्कलाम् ।। २३.

Then you, born from a lotus, with a lotus-navel, eternal, marked with a lotus, will attain great renown in that kalpa.

ततस्तस्मिंस्तदा कल्पे वाराहे सप्तमे प्रभोः। पुनर्विष्णुर्महातेजाः कालो लोकप्रकालनः। मनुर्वैवस्वतो नाम तव पुत्रो भविष्यति ।। २३.

Then, in that kalpa, in the seventh Varaha era of the Lord, again Viṣṇu of great splendor, the Time that brings forth the worlds, Manu named Vaivasvata will be your son.

तदा चतुर्युगावस्थे कल्पे तस्मिन् युगान्तके। भविष्यामि शिखायुक्तः श्वेतो नाम महामुनिः ।। २३.

Then, at the end of the yuga, in that kalpa, during the four-yuga cycle, I shall be born as the great sage named Śveta, adorned with a topknot.

हिमवच्छिखरे रम्ये छागले पर्वतोत्तमे। चतुःशिष्याः शिवे युक्ता भविष्यन्ति तदा मम ।। २३.

On the beautiful peak of Himavat, on the excellent mountain Chāgala, four disciples devoted to Śiva will be mine at that time.

श्वेतश्चैव शिखश्चैव श्वेताश्वः श्वेतलोहितः। चत्वारस्ते महात्मानो ब्राह्मणा वेदपारगाः ।। २३.

Śveta, Śikha, Śvetāśva, and Śvetalohita—these four, great-souled Brāhmaṇas, accomplished in the Vedas.

ततस्ते ब्रह्मभूयिष्ठा दृष्ट्वा ब्रह्मगतिं पराम् । तत्समीपं गमिष्यन्ति पुनरावृत्तिदुर्लभम् ।। २३.

Then, having seen the supreme state of Brahman, becoming most like Brahman, they will go near to that realm, where return is rare.

पुनस्तु मम देवेशो द्वितीयद्वापरे प्रभुः। प्रजापतिर्यदा व्यासः सत्यो नाम भविष्यति ।। २३.

Again, in the second Dvāpara, the Lord of the gods, the master, will be born as the sage Vyāsa, named Satya.

तदा लोकहितार्थाय सुतारे नाम नामतः। भविष्यामि कलौ तस्मिन् लोकानुग्रहकारणात् ।। २३.

Then, for the welfare of the world, I shall be known by the name Sutāra in that Kali age, for the sake of benefiting the worlds.

तत्रापि मम ते पुत्रा भविष्या नाम नामतः। दुन्दुभिः शतरूपश्च ऋचीकः क्रतुमांस्तथा ।। २३.

There too, my sons will be known by name as Dundubhi, Śatarūpa, Ṛcīka, and Kratumān.

प्राप्य योगं तथा ज्ञानं ब्रह्म चैव सनातनम्। रुद्रलोकं गमिष्यन्ति पुनरावृत्ति दुर्लभम् ।। २३.

Having attained yoga, knowledge, and the eternal Brahman, they will go to the world of Rudra, where return is difficult.

तृतीये द्वापरे चैव यदा व्यासस्तु भार्गवः। तदा ह्यहं भविष्यामि दमनस्तु युगन्तिके ।। २३.

In the third Dvāpara, when Vyāsa is Bhārgava, then indeed I shall be Damanas at the end of the yuga.

तत्रापि च भविष्यन्ति चत्वारो मम पुत्रकाः। विशोकश्च विकेशश्च विशापः शापनाशनः ।। २३.

There too, four sons of mine will be born: Viśoka, Vikeśa, Viśāpa, and Śāpanāśana.

तेऽपि तेनैव मार्गेण योगोक्तेन महौजसः। रुद्रलोकं गमिष्यन्ति पुनरावृत्तिदुर्लभम् ।। २३.

They too, by that same path, through the yoga taught, endowed with great energy, will go to the world of Rudra, where return is rare.

चतुर्थे द्वापरे चैव यदा व्यासोऽङ्गिराः स्मृतः। तदाऽप्यहं भविष्यामि सुहोत्रो नाम नामतः ।। २३.

In the fourth Dvāpara, when Vyāsa is known as Aṅgiras, then also I shall be known by the name Suhotra.

तत्रापि मम सत्पुत्राश्चत्वारश्च तपोधनाः। भविष्यन्ति द्विजश्रेष्ठा योगात्मानो दृढव्रताः ।। २३.

There too, my four true sons, rich in austerity, will be born, O best of twice-born, devoted to yoga and firm in their vows.

सुमुखो दुर्मुखश्चैव दुर्दमो दुरतिक्रमः। प्राप्य योगगतिं सूक्ष्मां विमला दग्धकिल्बिषाः। तेऽपि तेनैव मार्गेण गमिष्यन्ति न संशयः ।। २३.

Sumukha and Durmukha, Durdama and Duratikrama—having attained the subtle path of yoga, pure and with their sins burned away, they too will proceed by that very path, without doubt.

पञ्चमे द्वापरे चैव व्यासस्तु सविता यदा। तदा चापि भविष्यामि कङ्गो नाम महातपाः। अनुग्रहार्थं लोकानां योगात्मा नैककर्मकृत् ।। २३.

In the fifth Dvapara, when Vyasa is Savita, then too I shall be born as Kanga, a great ascetic, for the welfare of the worlds, a yogin, performing many deeds.

चत्वारस्तु महाभागा विरजाः शुद्धयोनयः । पुत्रा मम भविष्यन्ति योगात्मानो दृढव्रताः ।। २३.

There will be four noble sons of mine, free from passion, of pure birth, devoted to yoga and firm in their vows.

सनः सनन्दनश्चैव प्रभुर्यश्च सनातनः। ऋतुः सनत्कुमारश्च निर्ममा निरहंकृताः। मत्समीपं गमिष्यन्ति पुनरावृत्तिदुर्लभम् ।। २३.

Sanaka, Sanandana, Prabhu, Sanatana, Ritu, and Sanatkumara—free from possessiveness and ego—will come to me, where return is hard to attain.

परिवृत्ते पुनः षष्ठे मृत्युर्व्यासो यदा विभुः। तदाप्यहं भविष्यामि लोकाक्षिर्नाम नामतः ।। २३.

When the sixth cycle has passed and Vyasa is Mrityu, the mighty one, then too I shall be known by the name Lokakshi.

शिष्याश्च मम ते दिव्या योगात्मानो दृढव्रताः। भविष्यन्ति महाभागाश्चत्वारो लोकसम्मताः ।। २३.

My disciples then will be divine, devoted to yoga, firm in their vows, four in number, highly fortunate and esteemed by the world.