Vayu Purana

प्रणष्टेषु च दैत्येषु प्रहृष्टे च शचीपतौ। अथाजग्मुः प्रभुं द्रष्टुं सर्वे देवाः सवासवाः ।। ५५.

When the demons were destroyed and the lord of Shachi was delighted, then all the gods, along with Indra, went to see the Lord.

यत्रास्ते विश्वरूपात्मा क्षीरोदस्य समी पतः। सिद्धब्रह्मर्षयो यक्षा गन्धर्वाप्सरसाङ्गणाः ।। ५५.

There, near the Milk Ocean, where the Lord of all forms resides, the Siddhas, Brahmarshis, Yakshas, Gandharvas, and hosts of Apsaras gathered.

नागा देवर्षयश्चैव नद्यः सर्वे च पर्वताः। अभिगम्य महात्मानं स्तुवन्ति पुरुषं हरिम् ।। ५५.

Nagas, divine sages, rivers, and all the mountains, having approached the great soul, praised the supreme person, Hari.

त्वं धाता त्वञ्च कर्त्ताऽस्य त्वं लोकान् सृजसि प्रभो। त्वत्प्रसादाच्च कल्याणं प्राप्तं त्रैलोक्यमव्ययम्। असुराश्च जिताः सर्वे बलिर्बद्धश्च वै त्वया ।। ५५.

You are the sustainer, you are the creator, O Lord; you create the worlds. By your grace, the three worlds have attained imperishable welfare. All the Asuras have been conquered, and Bali has indeed been bound by you.

एव मुक्तः सुरैर्विष्णुः सिद्धैश्च परमर्षिभिः। प्रत्युवाच ततो देवान् सर्वांस्तान् पुरुषोत्तमः ।। ५५.

Thus addressed by the gods, Siddhas, and supreme seers, Vishnu, the best of persons, then replied to all those gods.

श्रूयतामभिधास्यामि कारणं सुरसत्तमाः। यः स्रष्टा सर्वभूतानां कालः कालकरः प्रभुः ।। ५५.

Listen, O best of gods, I shall declare the cause: he who is the creator of all beings, Time, the Lord who brings about time itself.

येन हि ब्रह्मणा सार्द्धं सृष्टा लोकाश्च मायया। तस्यैव च प्रसादेन आदौ सिद्धत्वमागतम् ।। ५५.

By whom, along with Brahma, the worlds were created through maya, and by whose grace, in the beginning, perfection was attained.

पुरा तमसि चाव्यक्ते त्रैलोक्ये ग्रासिते मया। उदरस्थेषु भूतेषु लोकेऽहं शयितस्तदा ।। ५५.

Formerly, when darkness and the unmanifest had enveloped the three worlds, I lay within the beings who were in my belly, in that world.

सहस्रशीर्षा भूत्वा च सहस्राक्षः सहस्रपात्। शङ्खचक्रगदा पाणिः शयितो विमलेऽम्भसि ।। ५५.

Having become one with a thousand heads, a thousand eyes, a thousand feet, holding conch, discus, and mace in my hands, I lay upon the pure waters.

एतस्मिन्नन्तरे दूरात् पश्यामि ह्यमितप्रभम्। शतसूर्यप्रतीकाशं ज्वलन्तं स्वेन तेजसा ।। ५५.

Meanwhile, from afar, I beheld one of boundless radiance, shining like a hundred suns, blazing with his own brilliance.

चतुर्वक्रं महा योगं पुरुषं काञ्चनप्रभम्। कृष्णाजिनधरं देवं कमण्डलुविभूषितम्। निमेषान्तरमात्रेण प्राप्तोऽसौ पुरुषोत्तमः ।। ५५.

A four-faced, great yogi, a person of golden splendor, wearing a black antelope skin, adorned with a water-pot—he, the best of persons, arrived in the blink of an eye.

ततो मामब्रवीद्ब्रह्मा सर्वलोक नमस्कृतः। कस्त्वं कुतो वा किञ्चेह तिष्ठसे वद मे विभो ।। ५५.

Then Brahma, honored by all worlds, spoke to me: 'Who are you? From where have you come? Why do you remain here? Tell me, O Lord.'

अहं कर्त्ताऽस्मि लोकानां स्वयम्बूर्विश्वतोमुखः। एवमुक्तस्तदा देन ब्रह्मणाहमुवाच तम् ।। ५५.

'I am the creator of the worlds, the self-born, facing in all directions.' Thus addressed, I then spoke to Brahma.

अहं कर्त्ता च लोकानां संहर्त्ता च पुनः पुनः। एवं सम्भाषमाणाभ्यां परस्परजयैषिणाम्। उत्तरां दिशमास्थाय ज्वाला दृष्टाप्यधिष्ठिता ।। ५५.

I am the creator of the worlds and their destroyer again and again. Thus, as the two, desiring victory over each other, spoke, a flame appeared in the northern direction, standing before our eyes.

ज्वालान्ततस्तामालोक्य विस्मित्तौ च तदानयोः । तेजसा चैव तेनाथ सर्वं ज्योतिःकृतं जलम् ।। ५५.

Seeing that flame from within, both of them were astonished; and by its radiance, all the water became filled with light.

वर्द्धमाने तदा वह्नावत्यन्तपरमाद्भुते। अतिदुद्राव तां ज्वालां ब्रह्मा चाहञ्च सत्वरः ।। ५५.

As that fire grew, exceedingly wondrous and extraordinary, both Brahma and I quickly rushed toward that flame.

दिवं भूमिञ्च विष्टभ्य तिष्ठन्तं ज्वालमण्डलम्। तस्य ज्वालस्य मध्ये तु पश्यावो विपुलप्रभम् ।। ५५.

Spanning both heaven and earth stood a circle of flame; and in the midst of that flame, we beheld a great brilliance.

प्रादेशमात्रमव्यक्तं लिङ्गं परमदीपितम्। न च तत्काञ्चनं मध्ये न शैलं न च राजतम् ।। ५५.

There, in the center, was a sign—indistinct, about a span in size, supremely radiant; yet it was neither gold, nor mountain, nor silver.

अनिर्द्देश्यमचिन्त्यञ्च लक्ष्यालक्ष्यं पुनः पुनः। महौजसं महाघोरं वर्द्धमानं भृशं तदा। ज्वालामालायतं न्यस्तं सर्वभूतभयङ्करम् ।। ५५.

Indescribable, inconceivable, sometimes visible, sometimes not, immensely powerful, exceedingly terrifying, ever-growing, it was encircled by a garland of flames, terrifying to all beings.

अस्य लिङ्गस्य योऽन्तं वै गच्छते मन्त्रकारणम्। घोर रूपिणमत्यर्थं भिन्दन्तमिव रोदसी ।। ५५.

Whoever seeks the end of this sign, by means of mantra and ritual, finds it of a most dreadful form, as if splitting apart heaven and earth.

ततो मामब्रवीद्ब्रह्मा अधो गच्छ त्वतन्द्रितः। अन्तमस्य विजानीमो लिङ्गस्य तु महात्मनः ।। ५५.

Then Brahma said to me, 'Go downward without delay; let us discover the end of this great sign.'

अहमूर्द्ध्वं गमिष्यामि यावदन्तोऽस्य दृश्यते। तदा तौ समयं कृत्वा गतावूर्द्ध्वमधश्च ह ।। ५५.

'I will go upward until the end of it is seen.' Thus, having made this agreement, the two of us went, one upward and one downward.

ततो वर्षसहस्रन्तु अहं पुनरधो गतः। न च पश्यामि तस्यान्तं भीतश्चाहं न संशयः ।। ५५.

Then, for a thousand years, I went downward; but I did not see its end, and I was afraid—there is no doubt.

तथा ब्रह्मा च श्रान्तश्च न चान्तन्तस्य पश्यति। समागतो मया सार्द्धं तत्रैव च महाम्भसि ।। ५५.

Likewise, Brahma, exhausted, did not see its end; he returned and joined me there in the great waters.

ततो विस्मयमापन्नावुभौ तस्य महात्मनः ५५.

Then both of us were filled with wonder at the greatness of that being.

ततो ध्यानगतन्तत्र ईश्वरं सर्वतोमुखम्। प्रभवं निधऩञ्चैव लोकानां प्रभुमव्ययम् ।। ५५.

There, absorbed in meditation, we beheld the Lord, facing all directions, the source and end of the worlds, the imperishable master.

ब्रह्माञ्जलिपुटो भूत्वा तस्मै शर्वाय शूलिने। महाभैरवनादाय भीमरूपाय दंष्ट्रिणे। अव्यक्ताय महान्ताय नमस्कारं प्रकुर्महे ।। ५५.

Brahma, with hands joined in reverence, to Sharva, the wielder of the trident, of terrible roar, of fearsome form and fangs, the unmanifest, the great one, we offered our salutations.

नमोऽस्तु ते लोकसुरेश देव नमोऽस्तु ते भूतपते महांश्च। नमोऽस्तु ते शाश्वत सिद्धयोने नमोऽस्तु ते सर्वजगत्प्रतिष्ठ ।। ५५.

Salutations to you, Lord of gods and asuras, O great one, salutations to you, Lord of beings; salutations to you, eternal source of perfection; salutations to you, foundation of all the worlds.

परमेष्ठी परं ब्रह्म अक्षरं परमं पदम्। श्रेष्ठस्त्वं वामदेवश्च रुद्रः स्कन्दः शिवः प्रभुः ।। ५५.

You are the supreme creator, the highest Brahman, the imperishable, the supreme abode; you are the best, Vamadeva, Rudra, Skanda, Shiva, the Lord.