Vayu Purana

तौ तु तं पितरं दृष्ट्वा बलवन्तौ त्वरान्वितौ । मातुरेव पुनस्वाङ्के प्रलपेतां स्वमायया ॥ ८.

But seeing their father, both sons, strong and swift, again clung to their mother’s lap, wailing by their own power.

अथोऽब्रवीदृषिर्भार्यामावाभ्यामुक्तवत्यसि । पूर्वमाचक्ष्व तत्त्वेन तथैवाभ्यां व्यतिक्रमम् ॥ ८.

Then the sage said to his wife, 'You have spoken with us before; now tell us truly, as before, about this transgression.'

मातुलं भजते पुत्रः पितॄन् भजति कन्यका। यथाशीला भवेन्माता तथाशीलो भवेत् सुतः ॥ ८.

A son follows his maternal uncle, a daughter follows her father; as is the mother’s character, so is the character of the son.

यद्वर्णा तु भवेद्भूमिस्तद्वर्णं सलिलं ध्रुवम्। मातॄणां शीलदोषेण तथा शीलगुणैः पुनः। विभिन्नास्तु प्रजाः सर्वास्तथा ख्यातिवशेन च ॥ ८.

Whatever color the earth has, the water surely has the same; due to the faults or virtues of mothers’ character, all creatures are thus distinguished, and also by reputation.

बलशीलादिभिस्तासामदितिर्धर्मतत्परा। धर्मशीलादिभिश्चैव प्रबोधबलशालिनी ॥ ८.

Of these, Aditi is devoted to righteousness, endowed with strength, character, and the like; by righteousness, character, and other virtues, she is full of wisdom and strength.

(गन्धशीला दितिश्चैव प्रवार्ध्ययनशालिनी।) गीतशीला तथाऽरिष्टा मायाशीला दनुः स्मृता। विनता तु पुनर्द्देवी वैहायसगतिप्रिया ॥ ८.

Gandhaśīlā, Diti, and Pravārdhyayana are known for their particular natures; Gītaśīlā and Ariṣṭā, Māyāśīlā is remembered as Danu; Vinatā, again, is a goddess who delights in moving through the sky.

तपोमयेन शीलेन सुरभिः समलंकृता। क्रोधशीला तथा कद्रूः क्रोधेनासुखशीलका ॥ ८.

Surabhi is adorned with a nature full of austerity; Kadrū is of an angry disposition, and her nature is marked by unhappiness through anger.

दनायुषायाः शीलं वै वैरनुग्रह लक्षणम्। त्वञ्च देवि महाभागे क्रोधशीला मतासि मे ॥ ८.

The nature of Danu’s offspring is characterized by favoring enmity; and you, O blessed goddess, are considered by me to be of an angry disposition.

इत्येतानि सशीलानि स्वभावाल्लोकनान्नृणाम्। कर्मतो यत्नतो बुद्ध्या रूपतो बलतस्तथा। क्षमातश्चैव भिन्नानि भावितार्थबलेन च ॥ ८.

Thus, these natures arise from inherent qualities, observation of people, actions, effort, intellect, appearance, strength, patience, and also from the force of intention.

रजःसत्त्वतमोवृत्तेर्विश्वरूपाः स्वभावतः। मातुलन्त्वनुयातास्ते पुत्रका गुणवृत्तिभिः ॥ ८.

By the influence of rajas, sattva, and tamas, they take on various forms by nature; and their sons follow their maternal line, according to the qualities and tendencies.

इत्येवमुक्त्वा भगवान् खशामप्रतिमां तदा। पुत्रावाहूय साम्ना वै चक्रे सोममभीतयः ॥ ८.

Having thus spoken, the blessed one then summoned the incomparable Khaśāma, and, with gentle words, made Soma fearless.

ताभ्याञ्च यत् कृतं तस्यास्तदाचष्ट तदा खशा। मात्रा यथा समाख्यातं कर्म ताभ्यां पृथक् पृथक्। तेन धात्वर्थयोगेन तत्त्वदर्शी चकार ह ॥ ८.

And whatever was done by those two, Khaśā then described; the actions performed by each, as told by their mother, were explained separately; thus, the seer of truth interpreted it according to the meaning of the roots.

यक्ष इत्येष धातुर्वै खादने कृषणे च सः। यक्षयेत्युक्तवान् यस्मात् तस्माद्यक्षो भवत्ययम् ॥ ८.

Yakṣa is the root for eating and thinning; since he said 'yakṣa,' therefore he is called Yakṣa.

रक्ष इत्येष धातुर्यः पालने स विभाव्यते। उक्तवांश्चैव यस्मात्तु रक्ष मे मातरं खशाम्। नाम्नाऽयं राक्षसस्तस्मात् भविष्यति तवात्मजः ॥ ८.

Rakṣa is the root for protecting, and is understood as such; and since he said, 'Protect my mother, Khaśā,' by that name, your son will be called Rākṣasa.

स तदा तद्विधान् दृष्ट्वा विस्मितः परिमृग्य च। तयोः प्रादिशदाहारं प्रजापतिरसृग्वसे ॥ ८.

Then, seeing that arrangement and searching carefully, the lord of creatures gave them food.

पिता तौ क्षुधितौ दृष्ट्वा वरञ्चेमं तयोर्ददौ। युवयोर्हस्तसंस्पर्शो नक्तमेन तु सर्वशः ॥ ८.

Their father, seeing them hungry, granted this boon: that you two may touch food only at night, and entirely so.

नक्ताहारविहारौ च दिवा स्वप्नोपभोगिनौ। नक्तञ्चैव बलीयांसौ दिवा सुप्तावुभौ युवाम् ॥ ८.

Living by eating and roaming at night, and enjoying sleep during the day, both of you will be stronger at night and sleep during the day.

मातरं रक्षतञ्चैव धर्मश्चैवानुशिष्यताम्। इत्युक्त्वा कश्यपः पुत्रौ तत्रैवान्तरधीयत ॥ ८.

Protect your mother, and follow righteousness; having thus instructed his sons, Kaśyapa vanished from there.

गते पितरि तौ वीरौ निसर्गादेव दारुणौ। विपर्ययेण वर्त्तन्तौ किम्भक्षौ प्राणिहिंसकौ ॥ ८.

When their father departed, those two heroes, by nature fierce, acted in opposition, eating flesh and harming living beings.

महाबलौ महासत्त्वौ महाकायौ दुरासदौ। मायाविनौ च दृश्यौ तावन्तर्द्धानगतावुभौ ॥ ८.

Great in strength, great in spirit, great in body, difficult to approach, skilled in magic, and visible only when they wish, both became hidden from sight.

तौ कामरूपिणौ घोरौ विकृताज्ञौ स्वभावतः। रूपानुरूपैराहारैः प्रभवेतामुभावपि ॥ ८.

Those two, fierce and able to assume any form at will, naturally distorted in mind, are able to prevail with food suited to their forms.

देवा सुरानृषींश्चैव गन्धर्वान् किन्नरानपि। पिशाचांश्च मनुष्यांश्च पन्नगान् पक्षिणः पशून् ॥ ८.

Gods, divine sages, Gandharvas, Kinnaras, Piśācas, humans, serpents, birds, and animals—

भक्षार्थमपि लिप्सन्तौ सर्वतस्तौ निशाचरौ। इन्द्रेण तु वरौ चैव धृतौ दत्त्वा सुवध्यताम् ॥ ८.

For the sake of food, those two night-roamers desire all these everywhere; but Indra granted them a boon, restraining them and making them easily slain.

यक्षस्तु न कदाचिद्वै निशीथै ह्येककश्चिरम्। आहारं स परीप्सन् वै शब्देनानुचचार ह ॥ ८.

But the yaksha never, at any time, wandered alone at night for long; seeking food, he moved about making noise.

आससाद पिशाचौ द्वौ जन्तुचण्डौ च तावुभौ। पिङ्गाक्षावूर्द्ध्वरोमाणौ वृत्ताक्षौ तु सुदारूणौ ॥ ८.

He encountered two pishachas there, both fierce beings, with tawny eyes, hair standing on end, round-eyed, and exceedingly terrifying.

असृङ्मांसवसाहारौ पुरुषादौ महाबलौ। कन्याभ्यां सहितौ तौ तु ताभ्यां प्रियचिकीर्षया ॥ ८.

Feeders on blood, flesh, and fat, man-eaters of great strength, they were together with two maidens, wishing to please them.

द्वे कन्ये कामरूपिण्यौ तदाचारे च ते शुभे। आहारार्थमटन्तौ तौ कन्याभ्यां सहितावुभौ ॥ ८.

Those two maidens, able to assume any form, and virtuous in conduct, were wandering with them in search of food.

तेऽपश्यन् राक्षसं तत्र कामरूपं महाबलम्। सहसा सन्निपाते तु दृष्ट्वा चैव परस्परम् ॥ ८.

There they saw a rakshasa, mighty and able to change form at will; suddenly, as they came together, they saw each other.

रक्षमाणौ ततोऽन्योन्यं परस्परजिघृक्षवः। पितरावूचतुः कन्ये युवामानयत द्रुतम् ॥ ८.

Then, desiring to seize one another and protect themselves, the two fathers said to the maidens, 'Quickly, bring him here!'