Vayu Purana

जीवः खल्वेष जीवानां ज्योतिरेकं प्रकाशते। बालक्रीडनकैर्द्देवः क्रीडतो शङ्करः स्वयम् ।। २४.

He is indeed the soul among souls, the one light that shines forth. The god Shankara himself plays with toys as a child.

प्रधानमव्ययं ज्योतिरव्यक्तं प्रकृतिस्तमः। अस्य चैतानि नामानि नित्यं प्रसवधर्मिणः। यः कः स इति दुःखार्त्तैर्मृग्यते यतिभिः शिवः ।। २४.

The imperishable principle, the light, the unmanifest, the primal nature, darkness—these are his names, ever productive. He, called 'Who is he?', is sought by ascetics afflicted by sorrow—he is Shiva.

एष बीजी भवान् बीजमहं योनिः सनातनः। एवमुक्रोऽथ विश्वात्मा ब्रह्मा विष्णुमभाषत ।। २४.

'He is the seed, I am the seed, you are the eternal womb.' Thus, having spoken, the soul of the universe, Brahma, addressed Vishnu.

भवान्योनिरहं बीजं कथं बीजी महेश्वरः । एतन्मे सूक्ष्ममव्यक्तं संशयं छेत्तुमर्हसि ।। २४.

'You are the womb, I am the seed—how then is Maheshvara the seed-bearer? This subtle, unmanifest doubt you ought to dispel for me.'

ज्ञात्वा चैवं समुत्पत्तिं ब्रह्मणा लोकतन्त्रिणा। इदं परमसादृश्यं प्रश्रमभ्यवदद्धरिः ।। २४.

Having thus understood the origin from Brahma, the lord of creation, Hari declared this supreme resemblance with great effort.

अस्मान्महत्तरं गुह्यं भूतमव्यन्न विद्यते। महतः परमं धाम शिवमध्यात्मिनां पदम् ।। २४.

There is no secret or being greater than us; the supreme abode of the great, the auspicious state of those devoted to the Self.

द्वैधीभावेन चात्मानं प्रविष्टस्तु व्यवस्थितः। निष्कलः सूक्ष्ममव्यक्तः सकलश्च महेश्वरः ।। २४.

Having entered in a dual form, the Self is established as both; as the partless, subtle, unmanifest, and as the all-formed Great Lord.

अस्य मायाविधिज्ञस्य अगम्यगहनस्य च। पुरा लिङ्गं भवद्बीजं प्रथमं त्वादिसर्गिकम् ।। २४.

Of him who knows the workings of illusion and is unfathomable and inaccessible, the primordial sign, the seed of becoming, was indeed the first to arise at the beginning of creation.

मयि योनौ समायुक्तं तद्बीजं कालपर्ययात्‌। हिरण्मयमपारन्तद्योन्यामण्डमजायत ।। २४.

That seed, united with my womb, in due course of time, became the golden cosmic egg within the boundless womb.

शतानि दशवर्षाणामण्डञ्चाप्सु प्रतिष्ठितम्। अन्ते वर्षसहस्रस्य वायुना तद्द्विधा कृतम् ।। २४.

For ten hundred years, the egg rested in the waters; at the end of a thousand years, it was split in two by the wind.

कपालमेकं द्यौर्जज्ञे कपालमपरं क्षितिः। उल्वन्तस्य महोत्सेधं योऽसौ कनकपर्वतः ।। २४.

One shell became the sky, the other became the earth; and the great golden mountain arose as the central mass.

ततस्तस्मात् प्रबुद्धात्मा देवो देववरः प्रभुः । हिरण्यगर्भो भगवानहं जज्ञे चतुर्भुजः ।। २४.

Then from that, the awakened Self, the supreme god, the blessed Lord with four arms, Hiraṇyagarbha, was born.

ततो वर्षसहस्रान्ते वायुना तद्द्विधाकृतम्। अतारार्केन्दुनक्षत्रं शून्यं लोकमवेक्ष्य च। कोऽयमत्रे त्यभिध्याते कुमारास्तेऽभवंस्तदा ।। २४.

Then, at the end of a thousand years, the wind again split it in two; seeing the world empty, without stars, sun, or moon, I wondered, 'Who is here?' and at that moment, you became the Kumāras.

प्रियदर्शनास्सुतनवो येऽतीताः पूर्वजास्तव। भूयो वर्षसहस्रान्ते तत एवात्मजास्तव। भुवनानलसङ्काशाः पझपत्रायतेक्षणाः ।। २४.

Those sons of yours who appeared before, pleasing in form, were born again at the end of another thousand years, shining like the fire of worlds, with eyes wide as lotus petals.

श्रीमान् सनत्कुमारस्तु ऋभुश्चैवोर्द्ध्वरेतसौ । सनातनश्च सनकस्तथैव च सनन्दनः। उत्पन्नाः समकालं ते बुद्धयाऽतीन्द्रियदर्शनाः ।। २४.

Sanatkumāra, the glorious one, and Ṛbhu, both of pure vow, as well as Sanātana, Sanaka, and Sanandana, were all born at the same time, endowed with intellect and perception beyond the senses.

उत्पन्नाः प्रतिघात्मानो जगदुश्च तदैव हि। नारप्स्यन्ते च कर्माणि तापत्रयविवर्जिताः ।। २४.

They were born with bodies of light, and so too was the world; they do not engage in actions and are free from the threefold sufferings.

अस्य सौम्यं बहुक्लेशं जराशोकसमन्वितम्। जीवितं मरणं चैव संभवञ्च पुनः पुनः ।। २४.

This existence is full of many hardships, accompanied by old age and sorrow; life and death, and birth, come again and again.

स्वप्रभूतं पुनः स्वर्गे दुःखानि नरकांस्तथा। विदित्वा चागमं सर्वमवश्यं भवितव्यताम् ।। २४.

Knowing the many pains of heaven and the miseries of hell, and understanding the inevitable cycle of all arrivals, one must accept what is destined.

ऋभुं सनत्कुमारञ्च दृष्ट्वा तव वशे स्थितौ। त्रयस्तु त्रीन् गुणान् हित्वा आत्मजाः सनकादयः। वैवर्त्तेन तु ज्ञानेन निवृत्तास्ते महौजसः ।। २४.

Seeing Ṛbhu and Sanatkumāra under your control, your three sons, Sanaka and the others, having abandoned the three qualities, by the knowledge of transformation, became detached and mighty.

ततस्तेष्वपवृत्तेषु सनकादिषु वै त्रिषु। भविष्यसि विमूढस्तु मायया शङ्करस्य तु ।। २४.

When those three, Sanaka and the others, withdrew, you will become deluded by the illusion of Śaṅkara.

एवं कल्पे तु वैकल्पे संज्ञा नस्यति तेऽनघ। कल्पशेषाणि भूतानि सूक्ष्माणि पार्थिवानि च ।। २४.

Thus, at the end of a cycle, in the dissolution, your identity will be lost; the remaining beings, subtle and earthly, will persist.

सा चैषा ह्यैश्वरी माया जगतः समुदाहृता। स एष पर्वतो मेरु र्देवलोक उदाहृतः ।। २४.

This is indeed the divine illusion, declared as the origin of the world; this mountain is Meru, known as the realm of the gods.

तवैवेदं हि माहात्म्यं दृष्ट्वा चात्मानमात्मना । ज्ञात्वा चेश्वरसद्भावं ज्ञात्वा मामम्बुजेक्षणम् ।। २४.

Indeed, this is your greatness; seeing your own Self by the Self, knowing the existence of the Lord, and knowing me, lotus-eyed one.

महादेवं महायोगं भूतानां वरदं प्रभुम्। प्रणवात्मानमासाद्य नमस्कृत्या जगद्गुरुम्। त्वाञ्च माञ्चैव संक्रुद्धो निःश्वासान्निर्द्दहेदयम् ।। २४.

Having approached Mahadeva, the great yogi, the giver of boons to beings, the lord whose essence is the Pranava, and having bowed to the teacher of the world, if he becomes enraged, he could destroy both you and me with his breath.

एवं ज्ञात्वा महायोगं अभ्युत्तिष्ठन् महाबलः। अहं त्वामग्रतः कृत्वा स्तोष्येऽहमनलप्रभम् ।। २४.

Knowing thus the great yogi, the mighty one rose; placing you before me, I will praise the one radiant as fire.

ब्रह्माणमग्रतः कृत्वा ततः स गरुडध्वजः। अतीतैश्च भविष्यैश्च वर्त्तमानैस्तथैव च। नामभिश्छान्दसैश्चैव इदं स्तोत्रमुदीरयत् ।। २४.

Placing Brahma in front, then that one with the banner of Garuda, with names from the past, future, and present, and with Vedic meters, recited this hymn.

नमस्तुभ्यं भगवते सुव्रतेऽनन्ततेजसे। नमः क्षेत्राधिपतये बीजिने शूलिने नमः ।। २४.

Salutations to you, O blessed Lord, of noble vows, of infinite brilliance; salutations to the lord of the field, to the bearer of seed, to the wielder of the spear.

अमेढ्रायोर्द्ध्वमेढ्राय नमो वैकुण्ठरेतसे । नमो ज्येष्ठाय श्रेष्ठाय अपूर्वप्रथमाय च ।। २४.

Salutations to the one without genital organ, to the one with raised genital organ, to Vaikuntha's seed; salutations to the eldest, the best, and to the one who is unprecedented and first.

नमो हव्याय पूज्याय सद्यो जाताय वै नमः । गह्वराय धनेशाय हैमचीराम्बराय च ।। २४.

Salutations to the one who is offered oblations, who is worshipped, who is born instantly; to the one dwelling in caves, to the lord of wealth, and to the one clad in golden garments.