Vayu Purana

अवाप्य संज्ञाङ्गोविन्दात् पद्मयोनिः पितामहः। प्रजाः स्रष्टुमनास्तेपे तप उग्रं ततो महत् ।। २५.

Having received the instruction from Govinda, the lotus-born grandfather, intent on creating creatures, performed a great and intense austerity.

तस्यैवन्तप्यमानस्य न किञ्चित्समवर्त्तत। ततो दीर्घेण कालेन दुःखात् क्रोधो व्यवर्द्धत ।। २५.

But for him, though he was practicing austerity, nothing came about; then, after a long time, from suffering, anger increased.

सक्रोधाविष्टनेत्रभ्यामपतन्नश्रुबिन्दवः । ततस्तेभ्योऽश्रुबिन्दुभ्यो वातपित्तकफात्मकाः ।। २५.

From his eyes, filled with anger, fell drops of tears; from those drops arose beings composed of wind, bile, and phlegm.

महाभागा महासत्त्वाः स्वस्तिकैरभ्यलङ्कृताः। प्रकीर्णकेशाः सर्पास्ते प्रादुर्भूता महाविषाः ।। २५.

Greatly fortunate, of great strength, adorned with auspicious marks, with disheveled hair—those serpents, highly venomous, appeared.

सर्पांस्तथाग्रजान् दृष्ट्वा ब्रह्मात्मानमनिन्दत। अहो धिक् तपसा मह्यं फलमीदृशकं यदि। लोकवैनाशिकी जज्ञे आदावेव प्रजा मम ।। २५.

Seeing those foremost serpents, Brahmā reproached himself: 'Alas, shame on my austerity, if such is its fruit! My first offspring is born as a destroyer of the worlds.'

तस्य तीव्राभवन्मूर्च्छा क्रोधामर्षसमुद्भवा। मूर्च्छाभितापेन तदा जहौ प्राणान् प्रजापतिः ।। २५.

A severe swoon arose in him, born of anger and resentment; overwhelmed by that faintness, the lord of creatures then gave up his life.

तस्याप्रतिमवीर्यस्य देहात् कारुण्यपूर्वकम्। आत्मैकादश ते रुद्राः प्रोद्भूता रुदतस्तथा। रोदनात् खलु रुद्रास्ते रुद्रत्वं तेन तेषु तत् ।। २५.

From the body of that one of incomparable might, with great compassion, eleven Rudras arose, as he wept; because of that weeping, they are called Rudras, and thus their Rudra-nature.

ये रुद्राः खलु ते प्राणा ये प्राणास्ते तदात्मकाः। प्राणाः प्राणभृतां ज्ञेयाः सर्वभूतेष्ववस्थिताः ।। २५.

Those who are Rudras are indeed the vital energies; those vital energies are of that very nature. The vital energies of living beings should be understood as present in all creatures.

अत्युग्रस्य महत्त्वस्य साधुना चरितस्य च। तस्य प्राणान् ददौ भूयस्त्रिशूली नीललोहितः। ललाटात् पद्मयोनेस्तु प्रभुरेकादशात्मकः ।। २५.

For the exceedingly fierce, great, and virtuous being, the wielder of the trident, blue and red in hue, gave his vital energies repeatedly, from the forehead of the lotus-born, the lord of eleven forms.

ब्रह्मणः सोऽददात् प्राणानात्मजः स तदा प्रभुः। प्रहृष्टवदनो रुद्रः किंचित् प्रत्यागतासवम्। अभ्यभाषत्तदा देवो ब्रह्माणं परमं वचः ।। २५.

Then, that lord, the son of Brahma, gave his vital energies; Rudra, with a delighted face, having regained some of his essence, at that moment addressed Brahma with supreme words.

उपयाचस्व मां ब्रह्मन् स्मर्त्तुमर्हसि चात्मनः। मां च वेत्थात्मजं रुद्रं प्रसादं कुरु मे प्रभो ।। २५.

Approach me, O Brahma, and you ought to remember your own self. Know me, Rudra, your son; grant me your favor, O lord.

श्रुत्वा त्विदं वचस्तस्य प्रभूतञ्च मनोगतम्। पितामहः प्रसन्नात्मा नेत्रे फुल्लाम्बुजप्रभैः ।। २५.

Hearing these words and the abundant thoughts within, the grandsire, with a pleased mind, his eyes shining like blooming lotuses,

ततः प्रत्यागतप्राणः स्निग्धगम्भीरया गिरा। उवाच भगवान् ब्रह्मा शुद्धजाम्बूनदप्रभः ।। २५.

Then, having regained his vital energies, with gentle and deep speech, the blessed Brahma, radiant like pure gold, spoke.

भो भो वद महाभाग आनन्दयसि मे मनः। को भवान् विश्वभूतिस्त्वं स्थित एकादशात्मकः ।। २५.

O illustrious one, speak! You delight my mind. Who are you, the universal being, established in eleven forms?

एवमुक्तो भगवता ब्रह्मणाऽनन्ततेजसा। ततः प्रत्यवदद्रुद्रो ह्यभिवाद्यात्मजैः सह ।। २५.

Thus addressed by the blessed Brahma, of infinite brilliance, Rudra then replied, having saluted him along with his sons.

यत्ते वरमहं ब्रह्मन् याचितो विष्णुना सह। पुत्रो मे भव देवेति त्वत्तुल्यो वापि धूर्वहः ।। २५.

The boon that I requested from you, O Brahma, together with Vishnu, was: 'Let my son be a god, or at least equal to you, O steadfast one.'

लोकेषु विश्रुतैः कार्यं सर्वैर्विश्वात्मसम्भवैः। विषादन्त्यज देवेश लोकांस्त्वं स्रष्टुमर्हसि ।। २५.

The work in the worlds should be accomplished by all who arise from the universal self. O lord of gods, at the end of the worlds, you ought to create the worlds.

एवं स भगवानुक्तो ब्रह्मा प्रीतमनाभवत् । रुद्रं प्रत्यवदद्भूयो लोकान्ते नीललोहितम् ।। २५.

Thus addressed, the blessed Brahma became pleased in mind and again spoke to Rudra, blue and red at the end of the worlds.

साहाय्यं मम कार्यार्थं प्रजाः सृज मया सह। बीजी त्वं सर्वभूतानां तत्प्रपन्नस्तथा भव। बाढमित्येव तां वाणीं प्रतिजग्राह शङ्करः ।। २५.

Assist me in my task; create beings together with me. You are the seed of all creatures; thus, become established in that. 'So be it,' said Shankara, accepting those words.

ततः स भगवान् ब्रह्मा कृष्णाजिनविभूषितः। मनोऽग्रे सोऽसृजद्देवो भूतानां धारणां ततः। जिह्वां सरस्वतीञ्चैव ततस्तां विश्वरूपिणीम् ।। २५.

Then the blessed Brahma, adorned with a black deerskin, first created the mind, and then the god created the support of beings; next, he created the tongue and Sarasvati, and then her, of universal form.

भृगुमङ्गिरसं दक्षं पुलस्त्यं पुलहं क्रतुम्। वसिष्ठञ्च महातेजाः ससृजे सप्त मानसान् ।। २५.

He created Bhrigu, Angiras, Daksha, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, and Vasishta, the seven mind-born sages of great brilliance.

पुत्रानात्मसमानन्यान् सोऽसृजद्विश्वसम्भवान् । तेषां भूयोऽनुमार्गेण गावो वक्राद्विजज्ञिरे ।। २५.

He created other sons, equal to himself, born from the universal self. Then, following their path, cows were again born from the curve.

ओङ्कारप्रमुखान् वेदानभिमान्याश्च देवताः। एवमेतान् यताप्रोक्तान् ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः ।। २५.

The Vedas, beginning with Omkara, and the deities who take pride in them—thus, as previously stated, Brahma, the grandsire of the worlds, created them.

दक्षाद्यान् मानसान् पुत्रान् प्रोवाच भगवान् प्रभुः। प्रजाः सृजत भद्रं वो रुद्रेण सह धीमता ।। २५.

The blessed lord addressed his mind-born sons, beginning with Daksha: 'Create progeny, may you be blessed, together with Rudra, the wise.'

अनुगम्य महात्मानं प्रजानां पतयस्तदा। वयमिच्छामहे देव प्रजाः स्रष्टुं त्वया सह। ब्रह्मणस्त्वेष सन्देशस्तव चैव महेश्वर ।। २५.

Then, following the great-souled one, the lords of creatures said: 'We wish, O god, to create progeny together with you. This is the command of Brahma and yours, O great lord.'

तैरेवमुक्तो भगवान् रुद्रः प्रोवाच तान् प्रभुः। ब्रह्मणश्चात्मजा मह्यं प्राणान् गृह्य च वै सुराः ।। २५.

Thus addressed, the blessed Rudra, the Lord, spoke to them: 'O gods, take the life-essences of Brahmā's sons and give them to me.'

कृत्वाग्रजाग्रजानेतान् ब्राह्मणानात्मजान्मम। ब्रह्मादिस्तम्बपर्यन्तान् सप्तलोकान्ममात्मकान्। भवन्तः स्रष्टुमर्हन्ति वचनान्मम स्वस्ति वः ।। २५.

Having made these Brahmins, born from my own self, the eldest and the younger, and the seven worlds from Brahmā down to the pillar as my own offspring, you are worthy to create, by my command. Blessings to you.

तेनैवमुक्ताः प्रत्यूचुः रुद्रमाद्यन्त्रिशूलिनम्। यथाज्ञापयसे देव तथा तद्वै भविष्यति ।। २५.

Thus addressed, they replied to Rudra, the first, the wielder of the trident: 'O Lord, as you command, so indeed shall it be.'

अनुमान्य महादेवं प्रजानां पतयस्तदा। ऊचुर्दक्षं महात्मानं भवान् श्रेष्ठः प्रजापतिः। त्वां पुरस्कृत्य भद्रन्ते प्रजाः स्रक्ष्यामहे वयम् ।। २५.

Having taken leave of Mahādeva, the lords of beings then said to the great-souled Dakṣa: 'You are the foremost of the progenitors. With you at the forefront, for your welfare, we shall create the beings.'