Vayu Purana

अन्ते च नैव सीदन्ति श्रद्धायुक्तेन कर्मणा। ब्रह्मचर्येण तपसा यज्ञेन प्रजया च वै ।। ५६.

In the end, they do not fall, through actions endowed with faith, through celibacy, asceticism, sacrifice, and progeny.

श्रद्धया विद्यया चैव प्रदानेन च सप्तधा। कर्मस्वेतेषु ये युक्ता भवन्त्या देवपातनात् ।। ५६.

By faith, by knowledge, and by giving—sevenfold—those engaged in these actions attain that state by the descent of the gods.

देवैस्तैः पितृभिः सार्द्धं सूक्ष्मकैः सोमपायकैः। स्वर्गता दिवि मोदन्ते पितृमन्तमुपासते ।। ५६.

With those gods and subtle, Soma-drinking ancestors, those who have gone to heaven rejoice in the sky and attend upon the lord of the ancestors.

प्रजावतां प्रशंसैव स्मृता सिद्धा क्रियावताम्। तेषां निवापदत्तान्नं तत्कुलीनैश्च बान्धवैः ।। ५६.

Among those who have progeny, the accomplished are praised; their food is given by their own kin and relatives.

मासं श्राद्धभुजस्तृप्ति लभन्ते सोमलौकिकाः। एते मनुष्याः पितरो मासि श्राद्ध भुजस्तु ते ।। ५६.

For a month, the Soma-worldly ancestors who partake of śrāddha obtain satisfaction; these are the human ancestors who partake of śrāddha each month.

तेभ्योऽपरे तु ये चान्ये सङ्कीर्णाः कर्मयोनिषु। भ्रष्टाश्चाश्रमधर्मेभ्यः स्वधास्वाहाविवर्जिताः ।। ५६.

But others, who are mixed in their actions and origins, who have fallen from the duties of the āśramas, deprived of the offerings of svadhā and svāhā—

भिन्नदेहा दुरात्मनः प्रेतभूता यमक्षये। स्वकर्माण्येव शोचन्ति यातनास्थानमागताः ।। ५६.

Separated from their bodies, of evil mind, as pretas and spirits in Yama's realm, they grieve over their own deeds, having reached the place of torment.

दीर्घायुषोऽतिशुष्काश्च विवर्णाश्च विवाससः। क्षुत्पिपासापरीताश्च विद्रवन्ति इतस्ततः ।। ५६.

Long-lived, extremely emaciated, discolored, and without clothing, afflicted by hunger and thirst, they wander here and there.

सरित्सरस्तडागानि वापिश्चैव जलेप्सवः। परान्नानि च लिप्सन्ते कम्पमानास्ततस्ततः ।। ५६.

Desiring water, they seek out rivers, lakes, ponds, and wells; trembling, they long for others' food, moving from place to place.

स्थानेषु पाच्यमानाश्च यातायातेषु तेषु वै। शाल्मलौ वैतरण्याञ्च कुम्भीपाकेषु तेषु च ।। ५६.

Those who are cooked in various places, coming and going, in the Salmali forest, in the Vaitarani river, and in the Kumbhipaka hells.

करम्भवालुकायाञ्च असिपत्रवने तथा। शिलासम्पेषणे चैव पात्यमानाः स्वकर्मभिः ।। ५६.

In the Karambha sand, in the Asipatra forest, and in the crushing by stones, they are thrown according to their own actions.

तत्र स्थानानि तेषां वै दुःखानामप्यनाकवत्। तेषां लोकान्तरस्थानां विविधैर्नामगोत्रतः ।। ५६.

There, the places of their suffering are countless, and those beings dwelling in other worlds are distinguished by various names and lineages.

भूम्यापसव्यदर्भेषु दत्त्वा पिण्डत्रयन्तु वै। पति तांस्तर्पयन्ते च प्रेतस्थानेष्वधिष्ठिताः ।। ५६.

On the earth, on the left side of the sacred grass, after offering three balls of food, the husband satisfies them, established in the place of the departed.

अप्राप्ता यातनास्थानं सृष्टा ये भुवि पञ्चधा। पश्चादिस्थावरान्तेषु भूतानां तेषु कर्मसु ।। ५६.

Those who have not reached the place of torment, created on earth in five ways, among the immobile and mobile beings, according to their actions.

नानारूपासु जातीषु तिर्यग्योनिषु चातिषु। यदाहारा भवन्त्येते तासु तास्विह योनिषु। तस्मिस्तस्मिंस्तदाहारं श्राद्धदत्तोपतिष्ठति ।। ५६.

In the various forms of birth, in animal wombs and others, whatever food they receive in those wombs, that very food given in the śrāddha reaches them.

काले न्यायागतं पात्रं विधिना प्रतिपादितम्। प्राप्नोत्यन्नं यथा दत्तं बन्धुर्यत्रावतिष्ठते ।। ५६.

At the proper time, the vessel duly appointed by the rite receives the food as it is given, wherever the relative abides.

यथा गोषु प्रनष्टासु वत्सो विन्दति मातरम्। तथा श्राद्धे तदिष्टानां मन्त्रः प्रापयते पितॄन् ।। ५६.

Just as a calf finds its mother among lost cows, so the mantra in the śrāddha brings the ancestors to those who are desired.

एवं ह्यविकलं श्राद्धं श्राद्धदत्तन्तु मन्त्रतः। सनत्कुमारः प्रोवाच पश्यन् दिव्येन चक्षुषा। गतागतिज्ञः प्रेतानां मन्त्रः प्रापयते पितॄन् ।। ५६.

Thus, the śrāddha performed without defect, and the offering given with mantra, Sanatkumara spoke, seeing with divine vision; knowing the coming and going of the departed, the mantra brings the ancestors.

बह्वीकास्वोष्मपाश्चैव दिवाकीर्त्याश्च ते स्मृताः। कृष्णपक्षस्त्वहस्तेषां शुक्लः स्वप्राय शर्वरी ।। ५६.

Those remembered as Bahvika, Asva, Ushmapa, and Divakirtya; the dark fortnight is their domain, the bright is their own night.

इत्ये ते पितरो देवा देवाश्च पितरश्च वै। ऋतार्त्तवा अनेके तु अन्योन्यपितरः स्मृताः ।। ५६.

Thus, the ancestors are gods and the gods are ancestors; many are seasonal, and some are mutually ancestors.

एते तु पितरो देवा मानुषाः पितरश्च ये। प्रीतेषु तेषु प्रीयन्ते श्रद्धायुक्तेन कर्मणा ।। ५६.

These ancestors are gods, and those who are human ancestors; when they are pleased, they are gratified by action performed with faith.

इत्येवं पितरः प्रोक्ताः पिदॄणां सोमपायिनाम्। एतत् पितृमतत्वं हि पुराणे निश्चयो मतः ।। ५६.

Thus, the ancestors are spoken of, the soma-drinking ancestors; this is the doctrine of the ancestors, the conclusion held in the Purana.

इत्यर्कपितृ सोमानामैलस्य च समागमः। सुधामृतस्य चावाप्तिः पितॄणाञ्चैव तर्पणम् ।। ५६.

Thus is the union of the solar and lunar ancestors, and the attainment of nectar and ambrosia, and the satisfaction of the ancestors.

पूर्णिमावास्ययोः कालः पितॄणां स्थानमेव च। समासात्कीर्त्तितस्तुभ्यमेष सर्गः सनातनः ।। ५६.

The time of full moon and new moon, and the place of the ancestors, has been briefly described to you; this is the eternal creation.

वैश्वरूप्यन्तु सर्वस्य कथित़ञ्चैकदेशिकम्। न शक्यं परिसङ्ख्यातुं श्रद्धेयं भूतिमिच्छता ।। ५६.

The universal form of all has been told, and its partial aspect; it cannot be fully enumerated, but should be trusted by one desiring prosperity.

स्वायम्भुवस्य हीत्येष सर्गः क्रान्तो मयात्र वै। विस्तरेणानुपूर्व्या च भूयः किं वर्णयाम्यहम् ।। ५६.

This creation of Svayambhu has been narrated by me here, in detail and in order; what more should I describe?

चतुर्युगानि यान्यासन् पूर्वं स्वायम्भुवेऽन्तरे । तेषां निसर्गं तत्त्वञ्च श्रोतुमिच्छामि विस्तरात् ।। ५७.

The four ages that existed formerly in the interval of Svayambhu, I wish to hear their origin and essence in detail.

पृथिव्यादिप्रसङ्गेन यन्मया प्रागुदाहृतम्। तेषाञ्चतुर्युगं ह्येतत् प्रवक्ष्यामि निबोधत ।। ५७.

In connection with the earth and other topics, what I have previously mentioned—now, I shall explain to you the four yugas; listen attentively.

सङ्ख्ययेह प्रसङ्ख्याय विस्ताराच्चैव सर्वशः। युगञ्च युगभेदञ्च युगधर्मन्तथैव च ।। ५७.

Here, I shall describe in detail the enumeration, the distinctions of the yugas, and also the characteristics of each yuga.