Vayu Purana

यदा भविष्यति व्यासो नाम्ना द्वैपायनः प्रभुः। तदा षष्ठेन चांशेन कृष्णः पुरुषसत्तमः। वसुदेवाद्यदुश्रेष्ठो वासुदेवो भविष्यति ।। २३.

When Vyāsa will be the lord called Dvaipāyana by name, then, with a sixth part, Kṛṣṇa, the best of men, son of Vasudeva and foremost of the Yadus, will be Vāsudeva.

तदा चाहं भविष्यामि योगात्मा योगमायया। लोकविस्मयनार्थाय ब्रह्मचारिशरीरकः ।। २३.

Then also I shall be one whose essence is yoga, by the power of yogic illusion, taking the form of a celibate, for the purpose of astonishing the worlds.

श्मशावे मृतमुत्सृष्टं दृष्ट्वा लोकमनाथकम्। ब्राह्मणानां हितार्थाय प्रविष्टो योगमायया ।। २३.

Seeing the abandoned dead in the cremation ground, with the world bereft of guardians, for the welfare of the brāhmaṇas, I entered by yogic illusion.

दिव्यां मेरुगुहां पुण्यां त्वया सार्द्धञ्च विष्णुना। भविष्यामि तदा ब्रह्मन् नकुली नाम नामतः ।। २३.

O Brahman, at that time, together with you and Viṣṇu, I will dwell in the divine, meritorious cave of Meru, bearing the name Nakulī.

कायारोहणमित्येवं सिद्धक्षेत्रञ्च वैतदा। भविष्यति तु विख्यातं यावद्भूमिर्द्धरिष्यति ।। २३.

That place will then be renowned as Kāyārohaṇa, a field of accomplishment, for as long as the earth endures.

तत्रापि मम ते पुत्रा भविष्यन्ति तपस्विनः । कुशइकश्चैव गार्ग्यश्च मित्रको रुष्ट एव च ।। २३.

There too, my sons—ascetics—will be born: Kuśaika, Gārgya, Mitraka, and Ruṣṭa.

योगयुक्ता महात्मानो ब्राह्मणा वेदपारगाः। प्राप्य माहेश्वरं योगं विमला ह्यूर्द्ध्वरेतसः। रुद्रलोकं गमिष्यन्ति पुनरावृत्तिदुर्लभम् ।। २३.

Endowed with yoga, great-souled, Brahmins accomplished in the Vedas, having attained the yoga of Maheśvara, pure and with their seed directed upward, they will go to the world of Rudra, where return is exceedingly rare.

इत्येतद्वै मया प्रोक्तमवतारेषु लक्षणम्। मन्वादिकृष्णपर्यन्तमष्टाविंशयुगक्रमात्। तत्र स्मृतिसमूहानां विभागो धर्मलक्षणम् ।। २३.

Thus I have described to you the characteristics of the descents, from Manu onward up to Kṛṣṇa, through the sequence of twenty-eight yugas; therein, the divisions of the collections of traditions are the marks of dharma.

चत्वारि भारते वर्षे युगानि मुनयो विदुः । कृतं त्रेता द्वापरं च तिष्यं चेति चतुर्युगम् ।। २४.

O sages, four yugas are known in the land of Bhārata: Kṛta, Tretā, Dvāpara, and Tiṣya—these are the four ages.

एतत्सहस्रपर्यन्तमहर्यद्ब्रह्मणः स्मृतम्। यामाद्यास्तु गणाः सप्त रोमवन्तश्चतुर्द्दश ।। २४.

This, up to a thousand (such cycles), is called a day of Brahmā; the groups beginning with Yāma are seven, and the Romavantas are fourteen.

सशरीराः श्रयन्ते स्म जनलोकं सहानुगाः। एवं देवेष्वतीतेषु महर्ल्लोकाज्जनं तपः ।। २४.

With their bodies, they would ascend to the world of Jana, along with their followers; thus, when the gods have passed away, from Maharloka they go to Jana and then to Tapas.

मन्वन्तरेष्वतीतेषु देवाः सर्वे महौजसः। ततस्तेषु गतेषूर्द्ध्वं सायुज्यं कल्पवासिनाम् ।। २४.

In the past Manvantaras, all the gods of great might, when those periods have passed, attain union with the residents of the Kalpa.

समेत्य देवैस्ते देवाः प्राप्ते सङ्कालने तदा। महर्लोकं परित्यज्य गणास्ते वै चतुर्द्दश ।। २४.

Then, when dissolution arrives, those fourteen groups of gods, having assembled, abandon Maharloka.

भूतदिष्ववशिष्टेषु स्थावरान्तेषु वै तदा । शून्येषु तेषु लोकेषु महान्तेषु भुवादिषु। देवेष्वथ गतेषूर्द्ध्वं कल्पवासिषु वै जनम् ।। २४.

At that time, when only the elements remain and all immobile beings have perished, in those vast, empty worlds beginning with the earth, when the gods have ascended, the residents of the Kalpa go to Jana.

तत्संहत्या ततो ब्रह्मा देवर्षिगणदानवान्। संस्थापयति वै सर्व्वान् दाहवृष्‌ट्या युगक्षये ।। २४.

From that gathering, Brahmā establishes all the hosts of gods, sages, and Dānavas, after the destruction by fire and rain at the end of the yuga.

योऽतीतः सप्तमः कल्पो मया वः परिकीर्तितः। समुद्रैः सप्तभिर्गाढमेकीभूतैर्महार्णवैः । आसीदेकार्णवं घोरमविभागं तमोमयम् ।। २४.८ माययैकार्णवे तस्मिन् शङ्खचक्रगदाधरः। जीमूताभोऽम्बुजाक्षश्च किरीटी श्रीपतिर्हरिः ।। २४.

The seventh Kalpa, which has passed, has been described to you by me; it was filled by seven oceans, merged into one great sea, which became a single, terrible, undivided mass of darkness.

नारायणमुखोद्गीर्णः सोऽष्टमः पुरुषोत्तमः। अष्टबाहुर्महोरस्को लोकानां योनिरुच्यते। किमप्यचिन्त्यं युक्तात्मा योगमास्थाय योगवित् ।। २४.

In that single ocean, by his own power, the Supreme Person—Nārāyaṇa—emerged from the mouth, eight-armed, broad-chested, the source of the worlds, possessed of an inconceivable, disciplined mind, established in yoga and knowing yoga.

फणासहस्रकलितं तमप्रतिमवर्चसम्। महाभोगपतेर्भोगमन्वास्तीर्य महोच्छ्रयम्। तस्मिन्महति पर्यङ्के शेते वै कनकप्रभे ।। २४.

He, of incomparable radiance, lay upon the great, golden couch of the Lord of Serpents, adorned with a thousand hoods, spreading out the mighty coils, shining brilliantly.

एवं तत्र शयानेन विष्णुना प्रभविष्णुना। आत्मारामेण क्रीडार्थं सृष्टं नाभ्यां तु पङ्कजम् ।। २४.

Thus, as Viṣṇu, the mighty Lord, lay there, delighting in his own Self, for the sake of play he created a lotus from his navel.

शतयोजनविस्तीर्णं तरुणादित्यवर्च्चसम्। बज्रदण्डं महोत्सेधं लीलया प्रभविष्णुना ।। २४.

That lotus, a hundred yojanas wide, radiant like the rising sun, with a stem like a thunderbolt and of great height, was created effortlessly by the mighty Viṣṇu.

तस्यैवं क्रीडमानस्य समीपं देवमीढुषः। हेमब्रह्माण्डजो ब्रह्मा रुक्मवर्णोह्यतीन्द्रियः। चतुर्मुखो विशालाक्षः समागम्य यदृच्छया ।। २४.

As he was thus sporting, near that god worthy of praise, Brahmā was born from the golden egg, golden-hued, beyond the senses, four-faced, with wide eyes, and appeared there by his own will.

श्रिया युक्तेन नव्येन सुप्रभेण सुगन्धिना। तं क्रीडमानं पझेन दृष्ट्वा ब्रह्मा तु भेजिवान् ।। २४.

Seeing him playing, adorned with new, splendid, fragrant beauty, Brahma approached.

स विस्मयमथागम्य शस्य संपूर्णया गिरा। प्रोवाच को भवान् शेते आक्षितो म्ध्यमम्भसाम् ।। २४.

Filled with wonder, he came and spoke with a full voice: 'Who are you, lying here, unguarded in the midst of the waters?'

अथ तस्याच्युतः श्रुत्वा ब्रह्मणस्तु शुभं वचः। उदतिष्ठत पर्य्यङ्काद्विस्मयोत्फुल्ललोचनः ।। २४.

Hearing Brahma's auspicious words, Achyuta rose from his couch, his eyes wide with astonishment.

प्रत्युवाचोत्तरं चैव क्रियते यच्च किञ्चन। द्यौरन्तरिक्षं भूतञ्च परं पदमहं प्रभुः ।। २४.

He replied in turn: 'Whatever is done, whether in heaven, the atmosphere, or among beings, I am the master of the supreme abode.'

तमेवमुक्त्वा भगवान् विष्णुः पुनरथाव्रवीत् । कस्त्वं खलु समायातः समीपं भगवान् कुतः । कुतस्व भूयो गन्तव्यं कुत्र वा ते प्रतिश्रयः ।। २४.

Having spoken thus, the blessed Vishnu again said: 'Who are you, truly, who has come near, O venerable one? From where have you come, and where will you go? Where is your refuge?'

को भवान् विश्वमूर्तिस्त्वं कर्त्तव्यं किञ्च ते मया। एवं ब्रुवाण वैकुण्ठं प्रत्युवाच पितामहः ।। २४.

'Who are you, whose form is the universe? What must I do for you?' Thus speaking, Vaikuntha was addressed by Pitamaha.

यथा भवांस्तथा चाहमादिकर्त्त प्रजापतिः। नारायणसमाख्यातः सर्व्वं वै मयि तिष्ठति ।। २४.

'As you are, so am I—the primordial creator, lord of creatures, known as Narayana. All indeed abides in me.'

सविस्मयं परं श्रुत्वा ब्रह्मणा लोककर्तृणा। सोऽनुज्ञातो भगवता वैकुण्ठो विश्वसम्भवः ।। २४.

Hearing this supreme statement from Brahma, the creator of worlds, Vaikuntha, origin of the universe, was permitted by the blessed one.