भास्कराकारमुकुटः शिञ्जिताभरणाङ्गदः। धूम्रकेतुर्हरिश्मश्रुर्निर्दष्टोष्ठपुटाननः
He wore a crown shining like the sun, his ornaments and armlets jingling; his crest was smoky, his beard tawny, and his mouth, with lips bitten in anger, appeared fierce.
त्रैलोक्यान्तरविस्तारं धारयन्विपुलं वपुः। तर्जयन्वै रणे देवाञ्छादयन्वै दिशो दश
Bearing a vast body that spanned the expanse between the three worlds, he threatened the gods in battle and covered all ten directions.
अभ्यधावत्सुसङ्क्रुद्धो व्यादितास्य इवान्तकः। तत्र शस्त्रप्रतानैश्च देवान्धर्षितवान्त्रणे
Then, exceedingly enraged, he charged forward with mouth agape like Death himself; there, with volleys of weapons, he assaulted the gods in battle.
अभ्याययुः सुरान्सर्वान्पुनस्ते दैत्यदानवाः। आपीडयन्त्रणे क्रुद्धास्ततो देवान्युधिष्ठिर
Again, O Yudhishthira, the Daityas and Danavas, enraged, pressed upon all the gods in battle.
ते वध्यमाना विबुधाः समरे कालनेमिना। दैत्यैश्चैव महाराज दुद्रुवुस्ते दिशो दश
Assailed in battle by Kalanemi and the Daityas, the gods, O great king, fled in all ten directions.
विबुधान्विद्रुतान्दृष्ट्वा कालनेमिर्महा।ञसुरः। इन्द्रं यमं च वरुणं वायुं च धनदं रविम्
Seeing the gods fleeing, the mighty asura Kalanemi pursued Indra, Yama, Varuna, Vayu, Kubera, and the Sun.
एतांश्चान्यान्बलाञ्जित्वा तेषां कार्याण्यवाप सः। तान्सर्वान्सहसा जित्वा कालनेमिर्महासुरः
Having subdued these and other hosts, he accomplished his purposes; having swiftly conquered them all, the great asura Kalanemi—
ददर्श गगने विष्णुं सुपर्णस्थं महाद्युतिम्। तं दृष्ट्वा क्रोधताम्राक्षस्तर्जयन्नभ्ययात्तदा
—beheld Vishnu in the sky, radiant and seated upon Garuda; seeing him, his eyes reddened with rage, he advanced, threatening.
स बाहुशतमुद्यम्य सर्वास्त्रग्रहणं रणे। रोषाद्भारत दैत्येन्द्रो विष्णोरुरसि पातयत्
Raising a hundred arms, seizing all weapons in battle, the lord of the Daityas, furious, hurled them at Vishnu's chest, O Bharata.
दैत्याश्च दानवाश्चैव सर्वे मयपुरोगमाः। स्वान्यायुधानि सङ्गृह्य सर्वे विष्णुमुपाद्रवन्
Then all the Daityas and Danavas, with Maya at their head, took up their weapons and together rushed at Vishnu.
स ताड्यमानो।ञतिबलैर्दैत्यैः सर्वायुघोद्यतैः। न चचाल हरिर्युद्धेऽकम्पमान इवाचलः
Though struck by those mighty Daityas, all wielding their weapons, Hari did not move in battle, unshaken like a mountain.
पुनरुद्यम्य सङ्क्रुद्धः कालनेमिर्दृढां गदाम्। जघान गदया राजंस्तं विष्णुं गरुडं च वै
Again, enraged, Kalanemi raised his strong mace and struck with it both Vishnu and Garuda, O King.
तं दृष्ट्वा गुरडं श्रान्तं चक्रमुद्यस्य वै हरिः। शतं शिरांसि बाहूंश्च सोच्छिनत्कालनेमिनः
Seeing Garuda exhausted, Hari raised his discus and cut off a hundred heads and arms of Kalanemi.
जघानान्यांस्च तान्सर्वान्समरे दैत्यदानवान्। विबुधानामृषीणां च स्वानि स्थानानि वै ददौ
He struck down all those other Daityas and Danavas in battle, and restored the rightful places of the gods and the sages.
दत्त्वा सुराणां सुग्रीतो योग्यकर्माणि भारत। जगाम ब्रह्मणा सार्धं ब्रह्मलोकं तदा हरिः
Having assigned the gods their proper duties, O Bharata, Hari then went with Brahma to the world of Brahma.
ब्रह्मलोकं प्रविश्याश्च प्राप्य नारायणः प्रभुः। पौराणं ब्रह्मसदनं दिव्यं नारायणाश्रयम्
Entering Brahma's world and reaching the ancient, divine abode of Brahma, the refuge of Narayana—
स प्रविश्य तदा देवः स्तूयमानो महर्षिभिः। सहस्रशीर्षा भूत्वा च शयनायोपचक्रमे
There, the god entered and, praised by great sages, assumed his thousand-headed form and lay down to rest.
आदिदेवः पुराणात्मा निद्रावशमुपागतः। शेते सुखं सदा विष्णुर्मोहयञ्जगदव्ययः
The primeval god, ancient soul, overcome by sleep, Vishnu, the undying, lies peacefully, casting delusion over the world.
जग्मुस्तस्याथ वर्षाणि शयानस्य महात्मनः। षट्त्रिंशच्छतसाहस्रं मानुषेणेह सङ्ख्यया
Then, as that great soul lay sleeping, thirty-six thousand years passed by, counted according to human reckoning.
जग्मुः कृतयुगत्रेताद्वापरान्ते बुबोध ह। ब्रह्मादिभिः स्तूयमानः सुरैश्चापि सहर्षिभिः
The Krita, Treta, and Dvapara ages went by; at their end, he awoke, praised by Brahma and the gods, and by the sages as well.
उत्पत्य शयनाद्विष्णुर्ब्रह्मणा विबुधैः सह। देवानां च हितार्थाय ययौ देवसभां प्रति
Rising from his couch, Vishnu, together with Brahma and the wise ones, went toward the assembly of the gods for their benefit.
मेरोः शिरसि विन्यस्तां ज्वलन्तीं तां शुभां सभाम्। विविशुस्ते सुराः सर्वे ब्रह्मणा सह भारत
All the gods, O Bharata, together with Brahma, entered that splendid, blazing assembly hall set atop the summit of Meru.
जग्मुस्तत्र निषेदुस्ते सा निःशब्दा ह्यभूत्तदा। तत्र भूमिरुवाचाथ खेदात्करुणभाषिणी
They arrived there and took their seats; then the hall became silent, and there, out of distress, the Earth spoke in a voice full of sorrow.
राज्ञां बलैर्बलवतां खिन्नास्मि भृशपीडिता। नित्यं भारपरिश्रान्ता दुःखं जीवाम्यहं सुराः
O gods, I am worn out and greatly afflicted by the armies of mighty kings; always weary from bearing this burden, I live in misery.
पुरे पुरे च नृपतिः कोटिसङ्ख्यैर्बलैर्वृतः। राष्ट्रे राष्ट्रे च शतशो ग्रामाः कुलसहस्रिणः
In every city, each king is surrounded by armies numbering in the millions; in every realm, there are hundreds of villages, each with thousands of families.
भूमिपानां सहस्रैश्च तेषां च बिलनां बलैः। ग्रामायुतैः पुरै राष्ट्रैरहं निर्विवरीकृता
By the thousands of rulers and their subterranean forces, by tens of thousands of villages, cities, and kingdoms, I have been left without respite.
तस्माद्धारयितुं शक्त्या न क्षमासि जनानहम्। दैत्यैश्च बाध्यमानास्ताः प्राज नित्यं दुरात्मभिः
Therefore, I am no longer able to bear people by my own strength; and I am constantly tormented by the evil-natured asuras.
भूमेस्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा देवो नारायणस्तदा। व्यादिश्य तान्सुरान्सर्वान्क्षितौ वस्तुं मनो दधे
Hearing the words of the Earth, the god Narayana then instructed all the gods to take birth upon the earth.
यच्चके भगवान्विष्णुर्वसुदेवसुतस्तदा। तत्तेऽहं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि शृणु स्रवमशेषतः
Now, I will tell you in full what the blessed Vishnu, son of Vasudeva, did at that time; listen to me attentively.
वासुदेवस्य महात्म्यं चरितं च महात्मनः। हितार्थं सुरसर्त्यानां लोकानां च हिताय च
I will recount the greatness and deeds of Vasudeva, that great soul, for the welfare of the gods and the good of the worlds.