Vayu Purana

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.'

एवमस्त्विति वै दक्षः प्रत्यपद्यत भाषितम्। तैः सह स्रष्टुमारेभे प्रजाकामः प्रजापतिः। सर्गस्थिते ततः स्थाणौ ब्रह्मा सर्गमथासृजत् ।। २५.

Dakṣa replied, 'So be it,' and accepted their words. Desiring progeny, the lord of creatures began to create together with them. Then, when creation was established, Brahmā created creation at the pillar.

अथास्य सप्तमेऽतीते कल्पे वै सम्बभूवतुः। ऋभुः सनत्कुमारश्च तपो लोकनिवासिनौ। ततौ महर्षीनन्यान् स मानसानसृजत् प्रभुः ।। २५.

Then, when the seventh kalpa had passed, Ṛbhu and Sanatkumāra, ascetics dwelling in the worlds, arose; and he, the Lord, created other great sages, mind-born.

अहो विस्मयनीयानि रहस्यानि महामते। त्वयोक्तानि यथातत्त्वं लोकानुग्रहकारणात् ।। २६.

Ah! How wonderful and secret are these truths, O great-minded one, which you have spoken just as they are, for the sake of the world's welfare.

तत्र वै संशयो मह्यमवता (वा) रेषु शूलिनः। किं कारणं महादेवः कलिं प्राप्य सुदारुणम्। हित्वा युगानि पूर्वाणि अवतारं करोति वै ।। २६.

Yet I have a doubt regarding the descents of the trident-bearing Lord: What is the reason, O Mahādeva, that, after passing the previous ages, he takes an incarnation in the dreadful Kali age?

अस्मिन्मन्वन्तरे चैव प्राप्ते वैवस्वते प्रभो। अवतारं कथञ्चक्रे एतदिच्छामि वेदितुम् ।। २६.

And in this present Manvantara, the Vaivasvata, O Lord, how did he take an incarnation? This I wish to know.

न तेऽस्त्यविदितं किञ्चिदिह लोके परत्र च। भक्तानामुपदेशार्थं विनयात् पृच्छतो मम। कथयस्व महाप्राज्ञ यदि श्राव्यं महामतम् ।। २६.

Nothing is unknown to you, either in this world or the next. For the sake of instructing devotees, and because I ask with humility, tell me, O great sage, if this great doctrine is fit to be heard.

एवं पृष्टोऽथ भगवान् वायुर्लोकहिते रतः। इदमाह महातेजा वायुर्लोकनमस्कृतः ।। २६.

Thus questioned, the blessed Vāyu, devoted to the welfare of the world, spoke these words, radiant and revered by the worlds.

एतद्घुप्ततमं लोके यन्मान्त्वं परिपृच्छसि। तत्सर्वं श्रृणु गाधेय उच्यमानं यथाक्रमम् ।। २६.

This is the most secret matter in the world, which you ask me. Hear all of it, O son of Gādhi, as it is told in order.

पुरा ह्येकार्णवे वृत्ते दिव्ये वर्षसहस्रके। स्रष्टुकामः प्रजा ब्रह्मा चिन्तयामास दुःशितः ।। २६.

Long ago, when a thousand divine years had passed in the single cosmic ocean, Brahmā, desiring to create beings, pondered, troubled in mind.

तस्य चिन्तयमानस्य प्रादुर्भूतः कुमारकः। दिव्यगन्धः सुधापेक्षी दिव्यां श्रुतिमुदीरयन् ।। २६.

As he was pondering, a boy appeared, possessed of divine fragrance, longing for nectar, uttering a divine sound.