Vishnu Purana — Amsha 1 — Chapter 6

ViP 1 6.1

अर्वाक्स्रोतस् तु कथितो भवता यस् तु मानुषः ब्रह्मन् विस्तरतो ब्रूहि ब्रह्मा तम् असृजद् यथा ॥

arvāksrotas tu kathito bhavatā yas tu mānuṣaḥ brahman vistarato brūhi brahmā tam asṛjad yathā //

But the downward-flowing (creation), which is the human one, has been told by you; tell me in detail, brahman, how Brahmā created it.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.2

यथा च वर्णान् असृजद् यद्गुणांश् च महामुने यच् च तेषां स्मृतं कर्म विप्रादीनां तद् उच्यताम् ॥

yathā ca varṇān asṛjad yadguṇāṃś ca mahāmune yac ca teṣāṃ smṛtaṃ karma viprādīnāṃ tad ucyatām //

And how he created the classes (varṇas), and with what qualities, great sage; and what work is traditionally assigned to them, the brahmins and the rest — let that be told.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.3

सत्याभिध्यायिनः पूर्वं सिसृक्षोर् ब्रह्मणो जगत् अजायन्त द्विजश्रेष्ठ सत्त्वोद्रिक्ता मुखात् प्रजाः ॥

satyābhidhyāyinaḥ pūrvaṃ sisṛkṣor brahmaṇo jagat ajāyanta dvijaśreṣṭha sattvodriktā mukhāt prajāḥ //

Formerly, when Brahmā, meditating on truth, wished to create the world, O best of the twice-born, creatures in whom sattva predominated were born from his mouth.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.4

वक्षसो रजसोद्रिक्तास् तथान्या ब्रह्मणो ऽभवन् रजसा तमसा चैव समुद्रिक्तास् तथोरुतः ॥

vakṣaso rajasodriktās tathānyā brahmaṇo 'bhavan rajasā tamasā caiva samudriktās tathorutaḥ //

And others, in whom rajas predominated, came from Brahmā's chest; and likewise from his thighs those in whom rajas and tamas together predominated.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.5

पद्भ्याम् अन्याः प्रजा ब्रह्मा ससर्ज द्विजसत्तम तमःप्रधानास् ताः सर्वाश् चातुर्वर्ण्यम् इदं ततः ॥

padbhyām anyāḥ prajā brahmā sasarja dvijasattama tamaḥpradhānās tāḥ sarvāś cāturvarṇyam idaṃ tataḥ //

Other creatures Brahmā created from his feet, O best of the twice-born; all of those had tamas as their chief (quality). Hence this fourfold class-order.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.6

ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रिया वैश्याः शूद्राश् च द्विजसत्तम पादोरुवक्षःस्थलतो मुखतश् च समुद्गताः ॥

brāhmaṇāḥ kṣatriyā vaiśyāḥ śūdrāś ca dvijasattama pādoruvakṣaḥsthalato mukhataś ca samudgatāḥ //

Brahmins, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras, O best of the twice-born, arose from the mouth, the chest, the thighs and the feet (respectively).

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.7

यज्ञनिष्पत्तये सर्वम् एतद् ब्रह्मा चकार वै चातुर्वर्ण्यं महाभाग यज्ञसाधनम् उत्तमम् ॥

yajñaniṣpattaye sarvam etad brahmā cakāra vai cāturvarṇyaṃ mahābhāga yajñasādhanam uttamam //

For the accomplishment of sacrifice Brahmā made all this, the fourfold class-order, O greatly fortunate one, the best instrument of sacrifice.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.8

यज्ञैर् आप्यायिता देवा वृष्ट्युत्सर्गेण वै प्रजाः आप्याययन्ते धर्मज्ञ यज्ञाः कल्याणहेतवः ॥

yajñair āpyāyitā devā vṛṣṭyutsargeṇa vai prajāḥ āpyāyayante dharmajña yajñāḥ kalyāṇahetavaḥ //

The gods, nourished by sacrifices, nourish creatures in turn by the release of rain, O knower of dharma; sacrifices are the cause of well-being.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.9

निष्पाद्यन्ते नरैस् तैस् तु स्वकर्माभिरतैः सदा विशुद्धाचरणोपेतैः सद्भिः सन्मार्गगामिभिः ॥

niṣpādyante narais tais tu svakarmābhirataiḥ sadā viśuddhācaraṇopetaiḥ sadbhiḥ sanmārgagāmibhiḥ //

And they are accomplished by those men who are always devoted to their own duties, endowed with pure conduct, good, and walking the good path.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.10

स्वर्गापवर्गौ मानुष्यात् प्राप्नुवन्ति नरा मुने यद् वाभिरुचितं स्थानं तद् यान्ति मनुजा द्विज ॥

svargāpavargau mānuṣyāt prāpnuvanti narā mune yad vābhirucitaṃ sthānaṃ tad yānti manujā dvija //

From (this) human state men attain heaven and release, O sage; or whatever station they desire, to that men go, twice-born one.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.11

प्रजास् ता ब्रह्मणा सृष्टाश् चातुर्वर्ण्यव्यवस्थितौ सम्यक्छ्रद्धाः समाचारप्रवणा मुनिसत्तम ॥

prajās tā brahmaṇā sṛṣṭāś cāturvarṇyavyavasthitau samyakchraddhāḥ samācārapravaṇā munisattama //

Those creatures created by Brahmā in the arrangement of the four classes were of right faith and inclined to proper conduct, O best of sages,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.12

यथेच्छावासनिरताः सर्वबाधाविवर्जिताः शुद्धान्तःकरणाः शुद्धाः सर्वानुष्ठाननिर्मलाः ॥

yathecchāvāsaniratāḥ sarvabādhāvivarjitāḥ śuddhāntaḥkaraṇāḥ śuddhāḥ sarvānuṣṭhānanirmalāḥ //

delighting in dwelling as they pleased, free of all afflictions, pure in their inner faculty, pure, spotless in all their observances.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.13

शुद्धे च तासां मनसि शुद्धे ऽन्तःसंस्थिते हरौ शुद्धज्ञानं प्रपश्यन्ति विष्ण्वाख्यं येन तत् पदम् ॥

śuddhe ca tāsāṃ manasi śuddhe 'ntaḥsaṃsthite harau śuddhajñānaṃ prapaśyanti viṣṇvākhyaṃ yena tat padam //

And when their minds were pure, and Hari dwelt pure within them, they beheld pure knowledge, named Viṣṇu, by which (they attained) that state.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.14

ततः कालात्मको यो ऽसौ स चांशः कथितो हरेः स पातयत्य् अघं घोरम् अल्पम् अल्पाल्पसारवत् ॥

tataḥ kālātmako yo 'sau sa cāṃśaḥ kathito hareḥ sa pātayaty aghaṃ ghoram alpam alpālpasāravat //

Then that one who has time for his self, who is said to be a portion of Hari — he casts down a terrible evil, small (at first), of very slight substance.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.15

अधर्मबीजम् उद्भूतं तमोलोभसमुद्भवम् प्रजासु तासु मैत्रेय रागादिकम् असाधकम् ॥

adharmabījam udbhūtaṃ tamolobhasamudbhavam prajāsu tāsu maitreya rāgādikam asādhakam //

The seed of unrighteousness arose, springing from darkness and greed, among those creatures, Maitreya — passion and the rest, which do not lead to accomplishment.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.16

ततः सा सहजा सिद्धिस् तेषां नातीव जायते रसोल्लासादयश् चान्याः सिद्धयो ऽष्टौ भवन्ति याः ॥

tataḥ sā sahajā siddhis teṣāṃ nātīva jāyate rasollāsādayaś cānyāḥ siddhayo 'ṣṭau bhavanti yāḥ //

Thereafter that innate perfection of theirs no longer arose in full measure, nor the others — the welling up of flavours and the rest, the eight perfections that there are.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

ViP 1 6.17

तासु क्षीणास्व् अशेषासु वर्धमाने च पातके द्वन्द्वाभिभवदुःखार्तास् ता भवन्ति ततः प्रजाः ॥

tāsu kṣīṇāsv aśeṣāsu vardhamāne ca pātake dvandvābhibhavaduḥkhārtās tā bhavanti tataḥ prajāḥ //

When all these had dwindled away and sin was on the increase, those creatures then became afflicted with the pain of being overcome by the pairs (of opposites).

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.18

ततो दुर्गाणि ताश् चक्रुर् वार्क्षं पार्वतम् औदकम् कृत्रिमं च तथा दुर्गं पुरखर्वटकादि यत् ॥

tato durgāṇi tāś cakrur vārkṣaṃ pārvatam audakam kṛtrimaṃ ca tathā durgaṃ purakharvaṭakādi yat //

Then they made strongholds — of trees, of mountains, of water, and likewise artificial strongholds, such as towns and market-villages.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.19

गृहाणि च यथान्यायं तेषु चक्रुः पुरादिषु शीतातपादिबाधानां प्रशमाय महामते ॥

gṛhāṇi ca yathānyāyaṃ teṣu cakruḥ purādiṣu śītātapādibādhānāṃ praśamāya mahāmate //

And in those towns and the rest they made houses according to rule, O great-minded one, for the allaying of the afflictions of cold, heat, and so on.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.20

प्रतीकारम् इमं कृत्वा शीतादेस् ताः प्रजाः पुनः वार्तोपायं ततश् चक्रुर् हस्तसिद्धिं च कर्मजाम् ॥

pratīkāram imaṃ kṛtvā śītādes tāḥ prajāḥ punaḥ vārtopāyaṃ tataś cakrur hastasiddhiṃ ca karmajām //

Having made this remedy against cold and the rest, those creatures then further devised a means of livelihood, and the skill of hand that comes from work.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.21

व्रीहयश् च यवाश् चैव गोधूमा अणवस् तिलाः प्रियंगवो ह्य् उदाराश् च कोरदूषाः सतीनकाः ॥

vrīhayaś ca yavāś caiva godhūmā aṇavas tilāḥ priyaṃgavo hy udārāś ca koradūṣāḥ satīnakāḥ //

Rice and barley, wheat, aṇu-millet, sesame, panic-seed, udāra, koradūṣa, satīnaka,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.22

माषा मुद्गा मसूराश् च निष्पावाः सकुलत्थकाः आढक्यश् चणकाश् चैव शणाः सप्तदश स्मृताः ॥

māṣā mudgā masūrāś ca niṣpāvāḥ sakulatthakāḥ āḍhakyaś caṇakāś caiva śaṇāḥ saptadaśa smṛtāḥ //

black gram, mung beans, lentils, niṣpāva beans, kulattha pulse, pigeon-peas, chickpeas, and hemp — these are recorded as seventeen.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.23

इत्य् एता ओषधीनां तु ग्राम्यानां जातयो मुने ओषध्यो यज्ञियाश् चैव ग्राम्यारण्याश् चतुर्दश ॥

ity etā oṣadhīnāṃ tu grāmyānāṃ jātayo mune oṣadhyo yajñiyāś caiva grāmyāraṇyāś caturdaśa //

These, then, are the kinds of cultivated plants, O sage; and the plants fit for sacrifice, both cultivated and wild, are fourteen.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.24

व्रीहयः सयवा माषा गोधूमा अणवस् तिलाः प्रियंगुसप्तमा ह्य् एता अष्टमास् तु कुलत्थकाः ॥

vrīhayaḥ sayavā māṣā godhūmā aṇavas tilāḥ priyaṃgusaptamā hy etā aṣṭamās tu kulatthakāḥ //

Rice with barley, black gram, wheat, aṇu-millet, sesame, panic-seed as the seventh — these; and the eighth are the kulattha pulses.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.25

श्यामाकास् त्व् अथ नीवारा जर्तिलाः सगवेधुकाः तथा वेणुयवाः प्रोक्तास् तद्वन् मर्कटका मुने ॥

śyāmākās tv atha nīvārā jartilāḥ sagavedhukāḥ tathā veṇuyavāḥ proktās tadvan markaṭakā mune //

And then śyāmāka millet, wild rice, jartila sesame, gavedhukā, and likewise bamboo-barley are declared, and so too markaṭaka, O sage.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

ViP 1 6.26

ग्राम्यारण्याः स्मृता ह्य् एता ओषध्यस् तु चतुर्दश यज्ञनिष्पत्तये यज्ञस् तथासां हेतुर् उत्तमः ॥

grāmyāraṇyāḥ smṛtā hy etā oṣadhyas tu caturdaśa yajñaniṣpattaye yajñas tathāsāṃ hetur uttamaḥ //

These fourteen plants are recorded as cultivated and wild, for the accomplishment of sacrifice; and sacrifice in turn is their highest cause.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.27

एताश् च सह यज्ञेन प्रजानां कारणं परम् परावरविदः प्राज्ञास् ततो यज्ञान् वितन्वते ॥

etāś ca saha yajñena prajānāṃ kāraṇaṃ param parāvaravidaḥ prājñās tato yajñān vitanvate //

And these, together with sacrifice, are the supreme cause of creatures; therefore the wise, who know the higher and the lower, perform sacrifices.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.28

अहन्य् अहन्य् अनुष्ठानं यज्ञानां मुनिसत्तम उपकारकरं पुंसां क्रियमाणाघशान्तिदम् ॥

ahany ahany anuṣṭhānaṃ yajñānāṃ munisattama upakārakaraṃ puṃsāṃ kriyamāṇāghaśāntidam //

Day after day the performance of sacrifices, O best of sages, brings benefit to men and gives peace from the sin being committed.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.29

येषां तु कालसृष्टो ऽसौ पापबिन्दुर् महामते चेतःसु ववृधे चक्रुस् ते न यज्ञेषु मानसम् ॥

yeṣāṃ tu kālasṛṣṭo 'sau pāpabindur mahāmate cetaḥsu vavṛdhe cakrus te na yajñeṣu mānasam //

But those in whose minds that drop of sin created by Time grew, O great-minded one — they did not set their thought upon sacrifices.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.30

वेदवादांस् तथा वेदान् यज्ञकर्मादिकं च यत् तत् सर्वं निन्दमानास् ते यज्ञव्यासेधकारिणः ॥

vedavādāṃs tathā vedān yajñakarmādikaṃ ca yat tat sarvaṃ nindamānās te yajñavyāsedhakāriṇaḥ //

Reviling the sayings of the Veda, the Vedas themselves, and sacrificial rites and the rest — all of that — they became obstructors of sacrifice.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.31

प्रवृत्तिमार्गव्युच्छित्तिकारिणो वेदनिन्दकाः दुरात्मानो दुराचारा बभूवुः कुटिलाशयाः ॥

pravṛttimārgavyucchittikāriṇo vedanindakāḥ durātmāno durācārā babhūvuḥ kuṭilāśayāḥ //

Cutting off the path of active engagement, revilers of the Veda, they became evil-souled, ill-conducted, crooked in intent.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.32

संसिद्धायां तु वार्तायां प्रजाः सृष्ट्वा प्रजापतिः मर्यादां स्थापयाम् आस यथास्थानं यथागुणम् ॥

saṃsiddhāyāṃ tu vārtāyāṃ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā prajāpatiḥ maryādāṃ sthāpayām āsa yathāsthānaṃ yathāguṇam //

But when livelihood had been well established, the Lord of creatures, having created the creatures, laid down the boundaries (of conduct) according to station and according to quality.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.33

वर्णानाम् आश्रमाणां च धर्मान् धर्मभृतां वर लोकांश् च सर्ववर्णानां सम्यग्धर्मानुपालिनाम् ॥

varṇānām āśramāṇāṃ ca dharmān dharmabhṛtāṃ vara lokāṃś ca sarvavarṇānāṃ samyagdharmānupālinām //

(He established) the duties of the classes and of the stages of life, O best of the upholders of dharma, and the worlds (destined) for all the classes that rightly observe their duties.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.34

प्राजापत्यं ब्राह्मणानां स्मृतं स्थानं क्रियावताम् स्थानम् ऐन्द्रं क्षत्रियाणां संग्रामेष्व् अनिवर्तिनाम् ॥

prājāpatyaṃ brāhmaṇānāṃ smṛtaṃ sthānaṃ kriyāvatām sthānam aindraṃ kṣatriyāṇāṃ saṃgrāmeṣv anivartinām //

The station of Prajāpati is declared (to be) for brahmins who perform the rites; the station of Indra for kṣatriyas who do not turn back in battles.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.35

वैश्यानां मारुतं स्थानं स्वधर्मनिरतात्मनाम् गान्धर्वं शूद्रजातीनां परिचर्यानुवर्तिनाम् ॥

vaiśyānāṃ mārutaṃ sthānaṃ svadharmaniratātmanām gāndharvaṃ śūdrajātīnāṃ paricaryānuvartinām //

The station of the Maruts is for vaiśyas whose minds are devoted to their own duty; the station of the Gandharvas for those of śūdra birth who persist in service.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.36

अष्टाशीतिसहस्राणि मुनीनाम् ऊर्ध्वरेतसाम् स्मृतं तेषां तु यत् स्थानं तद् एव गुरुवासिनाम् ॥

aṣṭāśītisahasrāṇi munīnām ūrdhvaretasām smṛtaṃ teṣāṃ tu yat sthānaṃ tad eva guruvāsinām //

Eighty-eight thousand sages whose seed is drawn upward — the station that is declared to be theirs is the very same as that of those who dwell with their teacher (i.e. celibate students).

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.37

सप्तर्षीणां तु यत् स्थानं स्मृतं तद् वै वनौकसाम् प्राजापत्यं गृहस्थानां ब्राह्मं संन्यासिनां स्मृतम् ॥

saptarṣīṇāṃ tu yat sthānaṃ smṛtaṃ tad vai vanaukasām prājāpatyaṃ gṛhasthānāṃ brāhmaṃ saṃnyāsināṃ smṛtam //

And the station that is declared to be that of the seven sages, that indeed is for the forest-dwellers; that of Prajāpati is for householders, and that of Brahmā is declared for the renouncers.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.38

योगिनाम् अमृतं स्थानं यद् विष्णोः परमं पदम् ॥

yoginām amṛtaṃ sthānaṃ yad viṣṇoḥ paramaṃ padam //

The immortal station of the yogins is that which is the supreme abode of Viṣṇu.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.39

एकान्तिनः सदा ब्रह्मध्यायिनो योगिनो हि ये तेषां तत् परमं स्थानं यद् वै पश्यन्ति सूरयः ॥

ekāntinaḥ sadā brahmadhyāyino yogino hi ye teṣāṃ tat paramaṃ sthānaṃ yad vai paśyanti sūrayaḥ //

Those yogins who are single-minded, always meditating on brahman — theirs is that supreme station which the wise indeed behold.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.40

गत्वा गत्वा निवर्तन्ते चन्द्रसूर्यादयो ग्रहाः अद्यापि न निवर्तन्ते द्वादशाक्षरचिन्तकाः ॥

gatvā gatvā nivartante candrasūryādayo grahāḥ adyāpi na nivartante dvādaśākṣaracintakāḥ //

Going and going (again), the moon, the sun and the other heavenly bodies return; but those who meditate on the twelve-syllabled (mantra) do not return, even now.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.41

तामिस्रम् अन्धतामिस्रं महारौरवरौरवौ असिपत्रवनं घोरं कालसूत्रम् अवीचिमत् ॥

tāmisram andhatāmisraṃ mahārauravarauravau asipatravanaṃ ghoraṃ kālasūtram avīcimat //

Tāmisra, Andhatāmisra, Mahāraurava and Raurava, the terrible Asipatravana, Kālasūtra, and that which contains Avīci —

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

ViP 1 6.42

विनिन्दकानां वेदस्य यज्ञव्यासेधकारिणाम् स्थानम् एतत् समाख्यातं स्वधर्मत्यागिनश् च ये ॥

vinindakānāṃ vedasya yajñavyāsedhakāriṇām sthānam etat samākhyātaṃ svadharmatyāginaś ca ye //

this is declared to be the station of those who revile the Veda, of those who obstruct sacrifices, and of those who abandon their own duty.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition