Vayu Purana

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'.

ततः साधारणार्थाय वर्णानान्तु स्वयम्भुवः। अकाररूप आदौ तु स्थितः स प्रथमः स्वरः ।। २६.

Then, for the common meaning of the letters, the self-born, in the form of 'a', is established at the beginning as the first sound.

ततस्तेभ्यः स्वरेभ्यस्तु चतुर्द्दश महामुखाः। मनवः सम्प्रसूयन्ते दिव्या मन्वन्तरे स्वराः ।। २६.

Then, from those sounds, fourteen great-faced ones are born; the divine Manus arise in the Manvantaras, and the sounds are divine.

चतुर्द्दशमुखो यश्च अकारो ब्रह्मसंज्ञितः। ब्रह्मकल्पः समाख्यातः सर्ववर्णः प्रजापतिः ।। २६.

The one with fourteen faces, whose first sound is 'a', is known as Brahma; the age of Brahma is declared, and he is the progenitor of all colors (races).

मुखात्तु प्रथमात्तस्य मनुः स्वायम्भुवः स्मृतः। अकारस्तु स विज्ञेयः श्वेतवर्णः स्वयम्भुवः ।। २६.

From his first face, the Manu called Svāyambhuva is remembered; the sound 'a' should be understood as white in color, and self-born.

द्वितीयात्तु मुखात्तस्य आकारो वै मुखः स्मृतः। नाम्ना स्वारोचिषो नाम वर्णः पाण्डुर उच्यते ।। २६.

From his second face, the sound 'ā' is said to be the mouth; by name, he is called Svārociṣa, and his color is described as pale.

तृतीयात्तु मुखात्तस्य इकारो यजुषां वरः। यजुर्मयः स चादित्यो यजुर्वेदो यतः स्मृतः ।। २६.

From his third face, the sound 'i' is the best among the Yajus; he is composed of Yajur, he is called Āditya, and from him the Yajurveda is remembered.

ईकारः स मनुर्ज्ञेयो रक्तवर्णः प्रतापवान्। ततः क्षत्रं प्रवर्त्तन्त तस्माद्रक्तस्तु क्षत्रियः ।। २६.

The sound 'ī' is to be known as the Manu, red in color and powerful; from him the kṣatriya class arose, therefore the kṣatriya is red.

चतुर्थात्तु मुखात्तस्य उकारः स्वर उच्यते। वर्णतस्तु स्मृतस्ताम्रः स मनुस्तामसः स्मृतः ।। २६.

From his fourth face, the sound 'u' is called a vowel; by color he is remembered as coppery, and that Manu is called Tāmasa.

पञ्चमात्तु मुखात्तस्य ऊकारो नाम जायते। पीतको वर्णतश्चैव मनुश्चापि चरिष्णवः ।। २६.

From his fifth face, the sound 'ū' is produced; by color he is yellow, and the Manu is called Cariṣṇu.

ततः षष्ठान्मुखात्तस्य ओङ्कारः कपिलः स्मृतः। वरिष्ठश्च ततः षष्ठो विजयः स महातपाः ।। २६.

Then from his sixth face, the sound 'oṃ' is remembered as tawny; the sixth Manu, called Vijaya, is the most excellent and greatly austere.

सप्तमात्तु मुखात्तस्य ततो वैवस्वतो मनुः। ऋकारश्च स्वरस्तत्र वर्णतः कुष्ण उच्यते ।। २६.

From his seventh face, then, comes the Manu called Vaivasvata; the sound 'ṛ' is the vowel there, and by color he is called dark.

अष्टमात्तु मुखात्तस्य ॠकारः श्यामवर्णतः। श्यामाक्षरसवर्णश्च ततः सावर्णिरुच्यते ।। २६.

From his eighth face, the sound 'ṝ' is of dark complexion; the letter and color are dark, and from him the Manu called Sāvarṇi is named.

मुखात्तु नवमात्तस्य लृकारो नवमः स्मृतः। धूम्रो वै वर्णतश्चापि धूम्रस्व मनुरुच्यते ।। २६.

From his ninth face, the sound 'ḷ' is remembered as the ninth; by color he is smoky, and the Manu is called Dhūmra.

दशमात्तु मुखात्तस्य लृकारः प्रभुरुच्यते। समश्चैव सवर्णश्च बभौ सावर्णिको मनुः ।। २६.

From his tenth face, the sound 'ḹ' is called the lord; he is equal and of the same color, and the Manu called Sāvarṇika shone.

मुखादेकादशात्तस्य एकारो मनुरुच्यते। पिशङ्गो वर्णतश्चैव पिशङ्गो वर्ण उच्यते ।। २६.

From his eleventh face, the sound 'e' is called Manu; by color he is tawny, and the color is called tawny.

द्वादशात्तु मुखात्तस्य ऐकारो नाम उच्यते। पिशङ्गो भस्मवर्णाभः पिशङ्गो मनुरुच्यते ।। २६.

From his twelfth face, the sound 'ai' is named; tawny, resembling the color of ash, and the Manu is called Piśaṅga.

त्रयोदशान्मुखात्तस्य ओकारो वर्ण उच्यते। पञ्चवर्णसमायुक्त ओकारो वर्ण उत्तमः ।। २६.

From his thirteenth face, the sound 'o' is called color; endowed with five colors, the sound 'o' is the highest color.

चतुर्द्दशमुखात्तस्य औकारो वर्ण उच्यते। कर्बूरो वर्णतश्चैव मनुः सावर्णिरुच्यते ।। २६.

From his fourteenth face, the sound 'au' is called color; by color he is variegated, and the Manu is called Sāvarṇi.

इत्येते मनवश्चैव स्वरा वर्णाश्च कल्पतः। विज्ञेया हि यथातत्त्वं स्वरतो वर्णतस्तथा ।। २६.

Thus, these Manus and vowels and colors in each age should be understood truly, both by their sound and by their color.

परस्परसवर्णाश्च स्वरा यस्माद् वृता हि वै । तस्मात्तेषां सवर्णत्वादन्वयस्तु प्रकीर्तितः ।। २६.

Because the vowels are mutually of the same color, therefore their succession is declared due to their sameness of color.