Vayu Purana

एवमुक्ता स्ततः सर्वा देवता ऋषिभिः सह। प्रणम्य शिरसा देवं पुनरूचुर्जगत्पतिम् ।। ३२.

Thus addressed, then all the deities, together with the sages, having bowed their heads to the god, again spoke to the Lord of the universe.

महातेजा महाकायो महावीर्यो महाद्युतिः। भीषणः सर्वभूतानां कथं कालश्चतुर्मुखः ।। ३२.

O one of great splendor, great form, great might, great radiance, O terrifying one of all beings, how is Time four-faced?

एष कालश्चतुर्मूर्तिश्चतुर्दंष्ट्रश्चतुर्मुखः। लोकसंरक्षणार्थाय अतिक्रामति सर्वशः ।। ३२.

This Time is four-formed, four-fanged, four-faced; for the protection of the worlds, he passes through all things.

नासाध्यं विद्यते चास्य सर्वस्मिन् सचराचरे। कालः सृजति भूतानि पुनःसंहरति क्रमात् ।। ३२.

There is nothing unattainable for him in all that moves and does not move; Time creates beings and again withdraws them in order.

सर्वे कालस्य वशगा न कालः कस्यचिद्वशे। तस्मात्तु सर्वभूतानि कालः कलयते सदा ।। ३२.

All are subject to Time; Time is subject to none; therefore, Time always measures out all beings.

विक्रमस्य पदान्यस्य पूर्वोक्तान्येकसप्ततिः। तानि मन्वन्तराणीह परिवृत्तयुगक्रमात् ।। ३२.

The seventy-one steps of his stride, as previously stated, are the Manvantaras here, in the succession of changing ages.

एकं पदं परिक्रम्य पदानामेकसप्ततिः। यदा कालः प्रक्रमते तदा मन्वन्तरक्षयः ।। ३२.

When Time completes one step, out of the seventy-one steps, then, when Time advances, there is the end of a Manvantara.

एवमुक्त्वा तु भगवान् देवर्षिपितृदानवान्। नमस्कृतश्च तैः सर्वैस्तत्रैवान्तरधीयत ।। ३२.

Having spoken thus, the Blessed Lord vanished there itself, after being saluted by all the gods, sages, ancestors, and demons.

एवं स काले भगवान् देवर्षिपितृदानवान्। पुनः पुनः संहरते सृजते च पुनः पुनः ।। ३२.

In this way, at each moment, the Blessed Lord repeatedly withdraws and again creates the gods, sages, ancestors, and demons.

अतो मन्वन्तरे चैव देवर्षिपितृदानवैः। पूज्यते भगवानीशो भयात् कालस्य तस्य वै ।। ३२.

Therefore, in every Manvantara, the Blessed Lord is worshipped by the gods, sages, ancestors, and demons, out of fear of that Time.

तस्मात् सर्वप्रयत्नेन कलौ कुर्यात्तपो द्विजः। प्रपन्नस्य महादेवं तस्य पुण्यफलं महत्। तस्माद्देवा दिवं गत्वा अवतीर्य च भूतले ।। ३२.

Thus, in the Kali age, a twice-born should undertake austerity with all effort; for one who approaches Mahadeva, the great fruit of merit is obtained; therefore, the gods, having gone to heaven, descend again to earth.

ऋषयश्चैव देवाश्च कलिम्प्राप्य सुदारुणम्। तप इच्छन्ति भूयिष्ठं कर्त्तुं धर्मपरायणाः। अवतारान् कलिं प्राप्य करोति च पुनः पुनः ।। ३२.

The sages and gods, having entered the extremely harsh Kali age, desiring to perform abundant austerity, devoted to righteousness, repeatedly undertake incarnations upon entering Kali.

एवं कालान्तरे सर्वे येऽतीता वै सहस्रशः। वैवस्वतेऽन्तरे तस्मिन् देवराजर्षयस्तथा ।। ३२.

Thus, in the course of time, all those who have passed away by the thousands, in the Vaivasvata Manvantara, including the gods, royal sages, and others.

देवापिः पोरवो राजा मनुश्वेक्ष्वाकुवंशजाः। महायोगबलोपेताः कालान्तरमुपासते ।।३२.

Devapi, the ancient king, and the descendants of Manu in the Ikshvaku lineage, endowed with great yogic power, worship the passage of time.

क्षीणे कलियुगे तस्मिस्तिष्ये त्रेतायुगे कृते। सप्तर्षिभिश्चैव सार्द्धं भाव्ये त्रेतायुगे पुनः गोत्राणां क्षत्रियाणाञ्च भविष्यास्ते प्रकीर्तिताः ।। ३२.

When the Kali Yuga is exhausted, in the Tishya, Treta, and Krita ages, together with the seven sages, again in the future Treta age, the lineages of the Kshatriyas are proclaimed.

द्वापरान्ते प्रतिष्ठन्ते क्षत्रिया ऋषिभिः सह। कृते त्रेतायुगे चैव तथा क्षीणे च द्वापरे। नराः पातकिनो ये वै वर्त्तन्ते ते कलौ स्मृताः ।। ३२.

At the end of Dvapara, the Kshatriyas are established along with the sages; in Krita and Treta ages, and also when Dvapara is exhausted, those sinful men who exist are considered to belong to Kali.

मन्वन्तराणां सप्तानां सान्तानार्था श्रुतिः स्मृतिः। एवमेतेषु सर्वेषु युगक्षयक्रमस्तथा ।। ३२.

The tradition and memory concerning the seven Manvantaras with their ends, and likewise the sequence of the decline of all the ages.

परस्परं युगानाञ्च ब्रह्मक्षत्रस्य चोद्भवः। यथा वै प्रकृतिस्तेभ्यः प्रवृत्तानां यथा क्षयम् ।। ३२.

The mutual origin of the ages and of Brahmins and Kshatriyas, as well as the nature of their emergence and their decline.

जामदग्न्येन रामेण क्षत्रे निरवशोषिते। क्रियन्ते कुलटाः सर्वाः क्षत्रियैर्वसुधाधिपैः। दिवं गतानहं तुभ्यं कीर्त्तयिष्ये निबोधत ।। ३२.

When the Kshatriya order was exhausted by Rama, son of Jamadagni, all the families were established by the Kshatriya rulers of the earth; having gone to heaven, I shall recount them to you, listen.

ऐडमिक्ष्वाकुवंशस्य प्रकृतिं परिचक्षते। राजानः श्रेणिबन्धास्तु तक्षान्ये क्षत्रिया भुवि ।। ३२.

The nature of the Aida and Ikshvaku lineages is described; the kings are grouped in series, and other Kshatriyas are craftsmen upon the earth.

ऐडवंशेऽथ सम्भूता यथा चेक्ष्वाकवो नृपाः। तेभ्य एव शतं पूर्णं कुलानामभिषेचितम् ।। ३२.

In the Aida lineage, as in the Ikshvaku kings, from them a full hundred families have been consecrated.

तावदेव तु भोजानां विस्तरो द्विगुणः स्मृतः । भोजन्तु त्रिशतं क्षत्रं चतुर्द्धा तद्यथादिशम् ।। ३२.

The extent of the Bhoja families is remembered as twice that; the Bhojas are three hundred Kshatriyas, divided into four as previously indicated.

तेष्वतीतास्तु राजानो ब्रुवतस्तान्निबोधत। शतं वै प्रतिविन्ध्यानां हैहयानां तथा शतम् ।। ३२.

Among them, the kings who have passed away—hear their names: a hundred of the Prativindhyas, likewise a hundred of the Haihayas.

धार्त्तराष्ट्रास्त्वेकशतं अशीतिर्जनमेजयाः। शतं वै ब्रह्मदत्तानां कुलानां वीर्यिणां शतम् ।। ३२.

There are one hundred Dhartarashtras, eighty Janamejayas, a hundred Brahmadattas, and a hundred families of the mighty.

ततः शतन्तु पौलानां शतं काशिकुशादयः । तथापरं सहस्रन्तु येऽतीताः शशबिन्दवः। इजानास्तेऽश्वमेधैस्तु सर्वे नियुतदक्षिणैः ।। ३२.

Then a hundred Paulas, a hundred Kashis and Kushas; likewise, a thousand Shashabindus who have passed away; all the Ijanas performed Ashvamedha sacrifices with countless gifts.

एवं संक्षेपतः प्रोक्ता न शक्या विस्तरेण तु। वक्तुं राजर्षयः कृत्स्ना येऽतीतास्तैर्युकैःसह ।। ३२.

Thus, in brief, they have been described; but it is not possible to recount in detail all the royal sages of the past along with their eras.

एते ययातिवंशस्य बभूवुर्वंशवर्द्धनाः। कीर्तिता द्युतिमन्तस्ते ये लोकान् धारयन्ति वै ।। ३२.

These illustrious ones, who have been named, were the enhancers of the Yayāti lineage, and they indeed uphold the worlds.

लभन्ते च वरान् पञ्च दुर्लभान् ब्रह्मलौकिकान् । आयुः पुत्रा धनं कीर्तिरैश्वर्यं भूतिरेव च ।। ३२.

They obtain five rare boons, pertaining to both the world of Brahma and this world: long life, sons, wealth, fame, sovereignty, and prosperity.

धारणाच्छ्रवणाच्चैव पञ्चवर्गस्य धीमताम्। तथोक्ता लौकिकाश्चैव ब्रह्मलोकं व्रजन्ति वै ।। ३२.

By upholding and hearing of these five groups, the wise, as has been said, attain worldly rewards and indeed reach the world of Brahma.