Vayu Purana

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.

ततः पुनर्द्विमात्रं तु चिन्तयामास चाक्षरम्। प्रादुर्भूतं च रक्तं तच्छेदने गृह्य सा यजुः ।। २६.

Then again, he contemplated the two-measured syllable; it appeared red, and by its division, the Yajurveda was obtained.

इषे त्वोर्ज्जेत्वा वायवस्थ देवो वः सविता पुनः। ऋग्वेद एकमात्रस्तु द्विमात्रन्तु यजुः स्मृतम् ।। २६.

For the purpose of strength and nourishment, the deity Savitṛ is again yours; the Ṛgveda is of one measure, and the Yajurveda is remembered as two measures.

ततो वेदं द्विमात्रं तु दृष्ट्वा चैव तदक्षरम्। द्विमात्रं चिन्तयन् ब्रह्म त्वक्षरं पुनरीश्वरः ।। २६.

Then, seeing the two-measured Veda and that syllable, Brahmā contemplated the two-measured syllable, and again, the Lord.

तस्य चिन्तयमानस्य चोङ्कारः सम्बभूव ह। ततस्तदक्षरं ब्रह्मा ओङ्कारं समचिन्तयत् ।। २६.

As he was meditating, Om arose; then Brahmā contemplated that syllable, Om.

अथापश्यत्ततः पीतामृचं चैव समुत्थिताम्। अग्न आयाहि वीतये गृणानो हव्यदातये ।। २६.

Then he saw a yellow verse arising: 'Agni, come for enjoyment, praised for offering oblations.'

ततस्तु स महातेजा दृष्ट्वा वेदानुपस्थितान्। चिन्तयित्वा च भगवांस्त्रिसन्ध्यं यत्र्रिरक्षरम्। त्रिवर्णं यत् त्रिषवणमोङ्कारं ब्रह्मसंज्ञितम् ।। २६.

Then, the one of great brilliance, seeing the Vedas present, and having contemplated, the blessed one, the threefold junction, which is the three-syllabled, three-colored, three-times-daily Om, known as Brahma.

ततश्वैव त्रिसंयोगात् त्रिवर्णं तु तदक्षरम्। लक्ष्यालक्ष्यप्रदृश्यं च सहितं त्रिदिवं त्रिकम् ।। २६.

Then, from the threefold union, that syllable became three-colored; visible and invisible, united with the triple heaven and the triad.

त्रिमात्रं त्रिपदं चैव त्रियोगं चैव शाश्वतम्। तस्मात्तदक्षरं ब्रह्मा चिन्तयामास वै प्रभुः ।। २६.

Three measures, three feet, and the eternal threefold union; therefore, Brahmā, the Lord, contemplated that syllable.

तस्मात्तदक्षरं सोऽथ ब्रह्मरूपं स्वयम्भुवः। चतुर्द्दशमुखं देवं पश्यते दीप्ततेजसम्। तमोङ्कारं स कृत्वादौ विज्ञेयः स स्वयम्भुवः ।। २६.

From that, the self-born made that syllable into the form of Brahma; he sees the deity with fourteen faces, radiant with splendor; having made Om at the beginning, the self-born is to be known.

चतुर्मुखमुखात्तस्मादजायन्त चतुर्द्दश। नानावर्णाः स्वरा दिव्यमाद्यं तच्च तदक्षरम्। तस्मात् त्रिषष्टिवर्णा वै अकारप्रभवाः स्मृताः ।। २६.

From the mouth of the four-faced one, fourteen were born; variously colored divine sounds, and that syllable; therefore, sixty-three letters are remembered as originating from the letter 'a'.