Vayu Purana

तत्रासते प्रजावन्तो मुनयो ह्यग्निहोत्रिणः । लोकस्य सन्तानकराः पितृयाणे पथि स्थिताः ॥ ५०.

There dwell sages who perform the Agnihotra, endowed with offspring, who are established on the path of the ancestors, as sustainers of the world.

भूतारम्भ कृतं कर्म आशिषा ऋत्विगुच्यते । प्रारभन्ते लोककामास्तेषां पन्थाः स दक्षिणः ॥ ५०.

The ritual action performed for the beginning of beings is called by the priests 'āśiṣā'; those who desire worlds undertake it, and for them, that southern path exists.

चलितन्ते पुनर्द्धर्मं स्थापयन्ति युगे युगे। सन्तत्या तपसा चैव मर्यादाभिः श्रुतेन च ॥ ५०.

When they deviate, they restore righteousness in every age, through progeny, austerity, boundaries, and the Veda.

जायमानास्तु पूर्वे वै पश्चिमानां गृहेषु च। पश्चिमाश्चैव जायन्ते पूर्वेषां निधनेष्वपि। एव मावर्त्तमानास्ते तिष्ठन्त्याभूतसम्प्लवात् ॥ ५०.

Those born earlier are in the houses of the later-born, and the later-born are born even at the deaths of the former; thus, revolving, they remain from before the dissolution of beings.

अष्टाशीतिसहस्राणि मुनीनां गृहमेधिनाम्। सवितुर्द्दक्षिणं मार्गं श्रिता ह्याचन्द्रतारकम्। क्रियावतां प्रसङ्ख्येया ये श्मशानानि भेजिरे ॥ ५०.

Eighty-four thousand householders among the sages, who have taken the southern path of the sun up to the moon and stars, are to be counted among those who, being active in rites, have entered the cremation grounds.

लोकशंव्यवहारेण भूतारम्भकृतेन च। इच्छाद्वेषप्रकृत्या च मैथुनोपगमेन च ॥ ५०.

Through worldly dealings, actions for the beginning of beings, the nature of desire and aversion, and sexual union,

तथा कायकृतेनेह सेवनाद्विषयस्य च। एतैस्तैः कारणैः सिद्धाः श्मशानानि हि भेजिरे। प्रजैषिणस्ते मुनयो द्वापरेष्विह जज्ञिरे ॥ ५०.

And likewise through bodily actions here, and enjoyment of sense objects, by these various causes, those who have attained success have entered the cremation grounds; those sages desiring progeny were born here in the Dvāpara ages.

नागवीथ्युत्तरे यच्च सप्तर्षिभ्यश्च दक्षिणम् । उत्तरः सवितुः पन्था देवयानस्तु स स्मृतः ॥ ५०.

North of the Nāgavīthī and south of the Saptarṣis, the northern path of the sun is remembered as the way of the gods.

यत्र ते वासिनः सिद्धा विमला ब्रह्मचारिणः। सततन्ते जुगुप्सन्ते तस्मान्मृत्युर्ज्जितस्तु तैः ॥ ५०.

There reside perfected ones, pure and celibate; they are always restrained and averse, and by them, death is conquered.

अष्टाशीतिसहस्राणि तेषामप्यूर्द्ध्वरेतसाम्। उदकूपन्थानमर्यम्णः श्रिता ह्याभूतसम्प्लवात् ॥ ५०.

Eighty-four thousand among them, who are of upward-flowing seed, have taken the waterless path of Aryaman from before the dissolution of beings.

इत्येतैः कारणैः शुद्धैस्तेऽ म़तत्वं हि भेजिरे। आभूतसम्प्लवस्थानममृतत्वं विभाव्यते ॥ ५०.

By these pure causes, they have attained immortality; the state before the dissolution of beings is understood as immortality.

त्रैलोक्यस्थितिकालोऽयमपुनर्मार्गगामिनः। ब्रह्महत्याश्वमेधाभ्यां पुण्यापापकृतोऽपरम्। आभूतसम्प्लवान्ते तु क्षीयन्ते ह्यूर्द्ध्वरेतसः ॥ ५०.

This is the duration of the existence of the three worlds for those who do not return to the path; it is different from the merit and demerit gained by killing a Brahmin or performing an Ashvamedha sacrifice. At the end of the great dissolution, those of upward-flowing seed are dissolved.

ऊर्द्ध्वोत्तरमृषिभ्यस्तु ध्रुवो यत्रास्ति वै स्मृतम्। एतद्विष्णुपदं दिव्यं तृतीयं व्योम्नि भास्वरम् ॥ ५०.

Above the highest seers, where the unchanging is said to exist, there is that divine, radiant third abode of Vishnu in the sky.

तत्र गत्वा न शोचन्ति तद्विष्णोः परमं पदम्। धर्मध्रुवाद्यास्तिष्ठन्ति यत्र ते लोकसाधकाः ॥ ५०.

Having reached there, they do not grieve; that is the supreme abode of Vishnu, where Dhruva and the others devoted to righteousness stand, who are the sustainers of the worlds.

स्वायम्भुवे निसर्गे तु व्याख्यातान्युत्तराणि तु। भविष्याणि च सर्वाणि तेषां वक्ष्याम्यनुक्रमम् ।। ५१.

In the creation of Svayambhuva, the higher realms have been explained; I will now recount, in order, all those that are yet to come.

एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु मुनयः पप्रच्छुर्लोमहर्षणम्। सूर्याचन्द्रमसोश्चारं ग्रहाणाञ्चैव सर्वशः ।। ५१.

Having heard this, the sages questioned Lomaharshana about the rising and setting of the sun and moon, and about all the planets.

भ्रमन्ते कथमेतानि ज्योतींषि दिवि मण्डलम्। तिर्यग्व्यूहेन सर्वाणि तथैवासङ्करेण च। कश्च भ्रामयते तानि भ्रमन्ति यदि वा स्वयम् ।। ५१.

How do these luminous bodies move in the sky, in their orbits, in a transverse arrangement and with such mingling? Who causes them to revolve, or do they move on their own?

एतद्वेदितुमिच्छामस्तन्नो निगद सत्तम्। भूतसम्मोहनन्त्वेतच्छ्रोतुमिच्छा प्रवर्त्तते ।। ५१.

We wish to know this, so tell us, O noble one; a desire has arisen in us to hear about this bewilderment of beings.

भूतसम्मोहनं ह्येतद् ब्रुवतो मे निबोधत। प्रत्यक्षमपि दृस्यं यत्तत् संमोहयते प्रजाः ।। ५१.

Hear from me about this bewilderment of beings, which, though visible to the eyes, still confounds the people.

योऽसौ चतुर्दिशं पुच्छे शिशुमारे व्यवस्थितः। उत्तानपादपुत्रोऽसौ मेढीभूतो ध्रुवो दिवि ।। ५१.

He who is established at the tail of the Shishumara constellation, facing the four directions, is Dhruva, the son of Uttanapada, fixed in the sky as a pillar.

स हि भ्रमन् भ्रामयते चन्द्रादित्यौ ग्रहैः सह। भ्रमन्तमनुगच्छन्ति नक्षत्राणि च चक्रवत् ।। ५१.

Indeed, as he revolves, he causes the moon, the sun, and the planets to revolve; the stars follow his movement, like a wheel.

ध्रुवस्य मनसा चासौ सर्पते भगणः स्वयम्। सूर्याचन्द्रमसौ तारा नक्षत्राणि ग्रहैः सह ।। ५१.

By the mind of Dhruva, that group moves on its own: the sun, the moon, the stars, and the planets together.

वातानीकमयैर्बन्धैर्ध्रुवे बद्धानि तानि वै। तेषां योगस्व भेदाश्च कालचारस्तथैव च ।। ५१.

Bound to Dhruva by bonds made of wind, those bodies are indeed fastened; their conjunctions and separations, as well as their movements through time, occur accordingly.

अस्तोदयौ तथोत्पाता अयने दक्षिणोत्तरे। विषुवद्‌ग्रहवर्णाश्च ध्रुवात्सर्वं प्रवर्त्तते ।। ५१.

Setting and rising, portents, the southern and northern solstices, the equinoxes, and the colors of the planets—all proceed from Dhruva.

वर्षा घर्मो हिमं रात्रिः सन्ध्या चैव दिनं तथा । शुभाशुभं प्रजानाञ्च ध्रुवात्सर्वं प्रवर्त्तते ।। ५१.

Rains, heat, cold, night, twilight, and day, as well as the good and bad fortune of beings—all proceed from Dhruva.

ध्रुवेणाधिकृतांश्चैव सूर्योऽपावृत्त्य तिष्ठति। तदेष दीप्तकिरणः स कालाग्निर्द्दिवाकरः ।। ५१.

The sun, having received his assigned portion from Dhruva, stands apart; he, with his blazing rays, is the fire of time, the illuminator of the day.

परिवर्त्त क्रमाद्विप्रा भाभिरालोकयन् दिशः। सूर्यः किरणजालेन वायुयुक्तेन सर्वशः। जगतो जलमादत्ते कृत्स्नस्य द्विजसत्तमाः ।। ५१.

O best of twice-born, the sun, moving in order, illuminates the directions with his rays; with his network of rays, joined with wind, he draws up all the water of the world.

आधित्यपीतं सूर्याग्नेः सोमं संक्रमते जलम्। नाडीभिर्वायुयुक्ताभिर्लोकाधानं प्रवर्त्तते ।। ५१.

The water drunk up by the sun's fire passes to the moon; through channels joined with wind, it is distributed as the sustenance of the worlds.

यत्सोमात् स्रवते सूर्यस्तदग्रेष्ववतिष्ठते। मेघा वायुनिघातेन विसृजन्ति जलम्भुवि ।। ५१.

What the sun draws from the moon remains in the clouds; struck by the wind, the clouds release water upon the earth.