The Meeting with Vayu

Verse 1 (shiva.vayaviya.4.1)

सूत उवाच । तस्मिन्देशे महाभागा मुनयः शंसितव्रताः । अर्चयन्तो महादेवं सत्रमारेभिरे तदा

sūta uvāca | tasmindeśe mahābhāgā munayaḥ śaṁsitavratāḥ | arcayanto mahādevaṁ satramārebhire tadā

Suta said: In that place, the greatly fortunate sages, of purified vows, worshipping Mahadeva, then began the sacrificial session.

Verse 2 (shiva.vayaviya.4.2)

तच्च सत्रं प्रववृते सर्वाश्चर्यं महर्षिणाम् । विश्वं सिसृक्षमाणानां पुरा विश्वसृजामिव

tacca satraṁ pravavṛte sarvāścaryaṁ maharṣiṇām | viśvaṁ sisṛkṣamāṇānāṁ purā viśvasṛjāmiva

And that session of the great sages proceeded, wondrous in every way — like the sessions of the world-creators of old, when they desired to bring the universe into being.

Verse 3 (shiva.vayaviya.4.3)

अथ काले गते सत्रे समाप्ते भूरिदक्षिणे । पितामहनियोगेन वायुस्तत्रागमत्स्वयम्

atha kāle gate satre samāpte bhūridakṣiṇe | pitāmahaniyogena vāyustatrāgamatsvayam

Then, when time had passed and that session, rich in sacrificial gifts, was completed, by the command of the Grandfather, Vayu himself came there.

Verse 4 (shiva.vayaviya.4.4)

शिष्यः स्वयम्भुवो देवः सर्वप्रत्यक्षदृग्वशी । आज्ञायां मरुतो यस्य संस्थिताः सप्तसप्तकाः

śiṣyaḥ svayambhuvo devaḥ sarvapratyakṣadṛgvaśī | ājñāyāṁ maruto yasya saṁsthitāḥ saptasaptakāḥ

The disciple of the Self-born Brahma, a god who beholds all things directly and is self-controlled, in whose command stand the forty-nine Maruts,

Verse 5 (shiva.vayaviya.4.5)

प्रेरयञ्छश्वदङ्गानि प्राणाद्याभिः स्ववृत्तिभिः । सर्वभूतशरीराणां कुरुते यश्च धारणम्

prerayañchaśvadaṁgāni prāṇādyābhiḥ svavṛttibhiḥ | sarvabhūtaśarīrāṇāṁ kurute yaśca dhāraṇam

who ceaselessly impels the limbs of all creatures through his own functions, beginning with the vital breaths, and who sustains the bodies of every being,

Verse 6 (shiva.vayaviya.4.6)

अणिमादिभिरष्टाभिरैश्वर्यैश्च समन्वितः । तिर्यक् करादिभिर्मेध्यैर्भुवनानि बिभर्ति यः

aṇimādibhiraṣṭābhiraiśvaryaiśca samanvitaḥ | tiryak karādibhirmedhyairbhuvanāni bibharti yaḥ

endowed with the eight supernatural powers beginning with animan, who bears up the worlds sideways with his pure hands and the like,

Verse 7 (shiva.vayaviya.4.7)

आकाशयोनिर्द्विगुणः स्पर्शशब्दसमन्वयात् । तेजसां प्रकृतिश्चेति यमाहुस्तत्त्वचिन्तकाः

ākāśayonirdviguṇaḥ sparśaśabdasamanvayāt | tejasāṁ prakṛtiśceti yamāhustattvacintakāḥ

sprung from Akasha, twofold through his union of touch and sound, and the very source of the fiery element — thus the knowers of truth describe him.

Verse 8 (shiva.vayaviya.4.8)

तमाश्रमगतं दृष्ट्वा मुनयो दीर्घसत्रिणः । पितामहवचः स्मृत्वा प्रहर्षमतुलं ययुः

tamāśramagataṁ dṛṣṭvā munayo dīrghasatriṇaḥ | pitāmahavacaḥ smṛtvā praharṣamatulaṁ yayuḥ

Seeing him arrived at the hermitage, the sages engaged in the long sacrificial session, remembering the Grandfather's word, were filled with unequalled joy.

Verse 9 (shiva.vayaviya.4.9)

अभ्युत्थाय ततः सर्वे प्रणम्याम्बरसम्भवम् । चामीकरमयं तस्मै विष्टरं समकल्पयन्

abhyutthāya tataḥ sarve praṇamyāmbarasambhavam | cāmīkaramayaṁ tasmai viṣṭaraṁ samakalpayan

Then all of them rose, bowed to him who is born of the sky, and prepared for him a golden seat.

Verse 10 (shiva.vayaviya.4.10)

सोऽपि तत्र समासीनो मुनिभिः सम्यगर्चितः । प्रतिनन्द्य च तान् सर्वान् पप्रच्छ कुशलं ततः

so'pi tatra samāsīno munibhiḥ samyagarcitaḥ | pratinandya ca tān sarvān papraccha kuśalaṁ tataḥ

He too, seated there, duly honored by the sages, welcomed them all in turn and then asked after their welfare.

Verse 11 (shiva.vayaviya.4.11)

वायुरुवाच । अत्र वः कुशलं विप्राः कच्चिद्वृत्ते महाक्रतौ । कच्चिद्यज्ञहनो दैत्या न बाधेरन्सुरद्विषः

vāyuruvāca | atra vaḥ kuśalaṁ viprāḥ kaccidvṛtte mahākratau | kaccidyajñahano daityā na bādheransuradviṣaḥ

Vayu said: Is all well with you here, O brahmins? Has this great rite proceeded well? Have the daityas, destroyers of sacrifice, the enemies of the gods, not troubled you?

Verse 12 (shiva.vayaviya.4.12)

प्रायश्चित्तं दुरिष्टं वा न कश्चित्समजायत । स्तोत्रमन्त्रजपैर्देवान् पितृन् पित्र्यैश्च कर्मभिः

prāyaścittaṁ duriṣṭaṁ vā na kaścitsamajāyata | stotramantrajapairdevān pitṛn pitryaiśca karmabhiḥ

Has no occasion for atonement or faulty rite arisen? Have the gods and ancestors been duly honored by hymns, mantra-recitation, and the rites owed to forebears,

Verse 13 (shiva.vayaviya.4.13)

कच्चिदभ्यर्च्य युष्माभिर्विधिरासीत्स्वनुष्ठितः । निवृत्ते च महासत्रे पश्चात्किं वश्चिकीर्षितम्

kaccidabhyarcya yuṣmābhirvidhirāsītsvanuṣṭhitaḥ | nivṛtte ca mahāsatre paścātkiṁ vaścikīrṣitam

duly worshipped and the rite properly performed by you? And now that this great session has concluded, what is your intent hereafter?

Verse 14 (shiva.vayaviya.4.14)

इत्युक्ता मुनयः सर्वे वायुना शिवभाविना । प्रहृष्टमनसः पूताः प्रत्यूचुर्विनयान्विताः

ityuktā munayaḥ sarve vāyunā śivabhāvinā | prahṛṣṭamanasaḥ pūtāḥ pratyūcurvinayānvitāḥ

Thus asked by Vayu, whose nature is akin to Shiva's, all the sages, glad at heart and pure, began to reply with humility.

Verse 15 (shiva.vayaviya.4.15)

मुनय ऊचुः । अद्य नः कुशलं सर्वमद्य साधु भवेत्तपः । अस्मच्छ्रेयोऽभिवृद्ध्यर्थं भवानत्रागतो यतः

munaya ūcuḥ | adya naḥ kuśalaṁ sarvamadya sādhu bhavettapaḥ | asmacchreyo'bhivṛddhyarthaṁ bhavānatrāgato yataḥ

The sages said: Today all is well with us; today our austerity shall bear fruit, since you have come here for the increase of our welfare.

Verse 16 (shiva.vayaviya.4.16)

शृणु चेदं पुरावृत्तं तमसाक्रान्तमानसैः । उपासितः पुरास्माभिर्विज्ञानार्थं प्रजापतिः

śṛṇu cedaṁ purāvṛttaṁ tamasākrāntamānasaiḥ | upāsitaḥ purāsmābhirvijñānārthaṁ prajāpatiḥ

Hear now this account of what happened before: with our minds overcome by darkness, we once worshipped Prajapati for the sake of true knowledge.

Verse 17 (shiva.vayaviya.4.17)

सोऽप्यस्माननुगृह्याह शरण्यः शरणागतान् । सर्वस्मादधिको रुद्रो विप्राः परमकारणम्

so'pyasmānanugṛhyāha śaraṇyaḥ śaraṇāgatān | sarvasmādadhiko rudro viprāḥ paramakāraṇam

He too, gracious toward those who take refuge, favored us and said: 'Rudra is higher than all, O brahmins — he is the supreme cause.'

Verse 18 (shiva.vayaviya.4.18)

तमप्रतर्क्यं याथात्म्यं भक्तिमानेव पश्यति । भक्तिश्चास्य प्रसादेन प्रसादादेव निर्वृतिः

tamapratarkyaṁ yāthātmyaṁ bhaktimāneva paśyati | bhaktiścāsya prasādena prasādādeva nirvṛtiḥ

'His true nature, beyond the reach of reasoning, only one possessed of devotion perceives; and devotion to him comes through his grace, and from grace alone comes final beatitude.'

Verse 19 (shiva.vayaviya.4.19)

तस्मादस्य प्रसादार्थं नैमिषे सत्रयोगतः । यजध्वं दीर्घसत्रेण रुद्रं परमकारणम्

tasmādasya prasādārthaṁ naimiṣe satrayogataḥ | yajadhvaṁ dīrghasatreṇa rudraṁ paramakāraṇam

'Therefore, for the sake of his grace, through a sacrificial session at Naimisha, worship Rudra, the supreme cause, with a long rite.'

Verse 20 (shiva.vayaviya.4.20)

तत्प्रसादेन सत्रान्ते वायुस्तत्रागमिष्यति । तन्मुखाज्ज्ञानलाभो वस्तत्र श्रेयो भविष्यति

tatprasādena satrānte vāyustatrāgamiṣyati | tanmukhājjñānalābho vastatra śreyo bhaviṣyati

'By his grace, at the end of the session, Vayu will come there; from his mouth you shall gain knowledge — that will be your true good.'

Verse 21 (shiva.vayaviya.4.21)

इत्यादिश्य वयं सर्वे प्रेषिताः परमेष्ठिना । अस्मिन्देशे महाभाग तवागमनकाङ्क्षिणः

ityādiśya vayaṁ sarve preṣitāḥ parameṣṭhinā | asmindeśe mahābhāga tavāgamanakāṁkṣiṇaḥ

Having thus instructed us, we were all sent forth by the Supreme Lord; in this place, O greatly fortunate one, we have longed for your arrival.

Verse 22 (shiva.vayaviya.4.22)

दीर्घसत्रं समासीना दिव्यवर्षसहस्रकम् । अतस्तवागमादन्यत्प्रार्थ्यं नो नास्ति किञ्चन

dīrghasatraṁ samāsīnā divyavarṣasahasrakam | atastavāgamādanyatprārthyaṁ no nāsti kiñcana

We have sat through this long session for a thousand divine years; therefore, apart from your arrival, there is nothing else we wish for.

Verse 23 (shiva.vayaviya.4.23)

इत्याकर्ण्य पुरावृत्तमृषीणां दीर्घसत्रिणाम् । वायुः प्रीतमना भूत्वा तत्रासीन्मुनिसंवृतः

ityākarṇya purāvṛttamṛṣīṇāṁ dīrghasatriṇām | vāyuḥ prītamanā bhūtvā tatrāsīnmunisaṁvṛtaḥ

Having heard this account of what had happened before, told by the sages of the long session, Vayu, his mind pleased, sat there surrounded by the sages.

Verse 24 (shiva.vayaviya.4.24)

ततस्तैर्मुनिभिः पृष्टस्तेषां भावविवृद्धये । सर्गादि शार्वमैश्वर्यं समासादवदद् विभुः

tatastairmunibhiḥ pṛṣṭasteṣāṁ bhāvavivṛddhaye | sargādi śārvamaiśvaryaṁ samāsādavadad vibhuḥ

Then, questioned by those sages, the mighty Vayu, for the increase of their devotion, declared in brief the sovereign power of Sharva, beginning with creation.