Vayu Purana

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.

अशब्दस्पर्शरूपान्तामगन्धां रसवर्ज्जिताम्। श्रुतिं ह्युदीरयन् देवो यामविन्दच्चतुर्म्मुखः ।। २६.

The god uttered a sound, which was beyond word, touch, form, scent, and taste—a sound which the four-faced one perceived.

ततस्तु ध्यानसंयुक्तस्तप आस्थाय भैरवम्। चिन्तयामास मनसा त्रितयं कोऽन्वयन्त्विति ।। २६.

Then, absorbed in meditation, he undertook terrible austerity, and pondered in his mind: 'Who is the one who pervades the three?'

तस्य चिन्तयमानस्य प्रादुर्भूतं तदक्षरम्। अशब्दस्पर्शरूपञ्च रसगन्धविवर्ज्जितम् ।। २६.

As he was pondering, that imperishable appeared—without sound, touch, or form, and devoid of taste and scent.

अथोत्तमं स लोकेषु स्वमूर्त्तिञ्चापि पश्यति। ध्यायन्वै स तदा देवमथैनं पश्यते पुनः ।। २६.

Then, in the worlds, he saw his own supreme form; meditating, he then beheld that god again.

तं श्वेतमथ रक्तञ्च पीतं कृष्णं तदा पुनः। वर्णस्थं तत्र पश्येत न स्त्री न च नपुंसकम् ।। २६.

There, one perceives it as white, then red, yellow, and black; it is established in color, and neither female nor neuter.

तत्सर्वं सुचिरं ज्ञात्वा चिन्तयन् हि तदक्षरम् । तस्य चिन्तयमानस्य कण्ठादुत्तिष्ठतेऽक्षरः ।। २६.

Having understood all that for a long time, and contemplating that syllable, for the one who meditates, the syllable rises from the throat.

एकमात्रो महाघोषः श्वेतवर्णः सुनिर्मलः। स ओङ्कारो भवेद्वेदः अक्षरं वै महेश्वरः ।। २६.

It is a single measure, with a great sound, white in color, perfectly pure; that is the syllable Om, which is the Veda, and the syllable is indeed Maheśvara.

ततश्चिन्तयमानस्य त्वक्षरं वै स्वयम्भुवः। प्रादुर्भूतन्तु रक्तन्तु स देवः प्रथमः स्मृतः ।। २६.

Then, as he meditates, the syllable of the self-born appears; it is red, and that deity is remembered as the first.

ऋग्वेदं प्रथमं तस्य त्वग्निमीळे पुरोहितम्। एतां दृष्ट्वा ऋचं ब्रह्मा चिन्तयामास वै पुनः। तदक्षरं महातेजाः किमेतदिति लोककृत् ।। २६.

The Ṛgveda is first for him, 'I praise Agni, the priest'; seeing this verse, Brahmā again contemplated, 'What is this syllable, O creator of worlds, of great brilliance?'

तस्य चिन्तयमानस्य तस्मिन्नथ महेश्वरः । द्विमात्रमक्षरं जज्ञे ईशित्वेन द्विमात्रिकम् ।। २६.

As he was meditating, then Maheśvara produced a syllable of two measures, and by his power, it became twofold.