Vayu Purana

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.

एकमुत्क्षिप्यते चैव पतते च पुनर्ज्जलम्। नानाप्रकारमुदकन्तदेव परिवर्त्तते ।। ५१.

Water is lifted up together and then falls down again; in many different ways, water keeps circulating.

सन्धारणार्थं भूतानां मायैषा विश्वनिर्मिता। अनया मायया व्याप्तं त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम् ।। ५१.

This is the illusion created in the universe for the sustenance of beings; by this illusion, the three worlds, with all that moves and does not move, are pervaded.

विश्वेशो लोककृद्देवः सहस्रांशुः प्रजापतिः। धाता कृत्स्नस्य लोकस्य प्रभु र्विष्णुर्दिवाकरः ।। ५१.

The Lord of the universe, the creator of the worlds, the god with a thousand rays, the lord of creatures, the sustainer of the whole world, the master—Viṣṇu, the sun.

सर्वलौकिकमम्भो वै यत्सोमान्नभसः स्नुतम्। सोमाधारं जगत्सर्वमेतत्तथ्यं प्रकीर्तितम् ।। ५१.

All the worldly water that drips from the sky is called soma; the entire world is said to have soma as its foundation—this is the truth.

सूर्यादुष्णं निस्रवते सोमाच्छीतं प्रवर्त्तते। शीतोष्णवीर्यौ द्वावेतौ युक्तौ धारयतो जगत् ।। ५१.

Heat flows from the sun, and coolness proceeds from the moon; these two powers, heat and cold, together support the world.

सोमाधारा नदी गङ्गा पवित्रा विमलोदका। सोमपुत्रपुरोगाश्च महानद्यो द्विजोत्तमाः ।। ५१.

The river Gaṅgā, pure and with clear water, is the support of soma; and the great rivers, led by the sons of Soma, O best of twice-born.

सर्वभूतशरीरेषु आपो ह्यनुगताश्च याः । तेषु सन्दह्यमानेषु जङ्गमस्थावरेषु च। धूमभूतास्तु ता आपो निष्क्रामन्तीह सर्वशः ।। ५१.

The waters that are present in the bodies of all beings—when these moving and unmoving beings are burned, those waters become smoke and depart from here in every way.

तेन चाभ्राणि जायन्ते स्थानमत्राम्भसां स्मृतम् । आर्कन्तेजो हि भूतेभ्यो ह्यादत्ते रश्मिभिर्जलम् ।। ५१.

From that, clouds are produced; this is known as the place of waters. The sun, by its rays, draws water from the elements.

समुद्राद्वायुसंयोगाद्वहन्त्यापो गभस्तयः। यतस्त्वृतुवशात् काले परिवर्त्तो दिवाकरः। यच्छत्यपो हि मेघेभ्यः शुक्लाः शुक्लगभस्तिभिः ।। ५१.

From the ocean, by the union with wind, the rays carry the waters; then, according to the season and time, the sun causes change, and with white, shining rays, gives water to the clouds.

अभ्रस्था प्रपतन्त्यापो वायुना समुदीरिताः। सर्वभूतहितार्थाय वायुभिश्च समन्ततः ।। ५१.

The waters that are in the clouds, stirred by the wind, fall down for the benefit of all beings, spread everywhere by the winds.