कृताभिषेकाः शुचयः कृतजप्या हुताग्नयः। भवन्त आसते स्वस्था ब्रवीमि किमहं द्विजाः
Having performed their ablutions, pure, having completed their recitations, and with their sacred fires kindled, you all sit here in peace; O twice-born, what should I say?
पुराणसंहिताः पुण्याः कथा धर्मार्थसंश्रिताः। इतिवृत्तं नरेन्द्राणामृषीणां च महात्मनाम्
The ancient, sacred collections of stories, rooted in righteousness and purpose, recount the deeds of kings and of great-souled seers.
द्वैपायनेन यत्प्रोक्तं पुराणं परमर्षिणा। सुरैर्ब्रह्मर्षिभिश्चैव श्रुत्वा यदभिपूजितम्
The Purana spoken by the supreme sage Dvaipayana, which was honored by the gods and Brahmarshis after hearing it—
तस्याख्यानवरिष्ठस्य विचित्रपदपर्वणः। सूक्ष्मार्थन्याययुक्तस्य वेदार्थैर्भूषितस्य च
Of that foremost narration, with its varied and intricate chapters, endowed with subtle meanings and reasoning, and adorned with the essence of the Vedas—
भारतस्येतिहासस्य पुण्यां ग्रन्थार्थसंयुताम्। संस्कारोपगतां ब्राह्मीं नानाशास्त्रोपबृंहिताम्
Of the Mahabharata, that sacred history, filled with the meaning of its verses, refined in composition, expressed in the language of the Brahmins, and enriched by many teachings—
जनमेजयस्य यां राज्ञो वैशंपायन उक्तवान्। यथावत्स ऋषिः पृष्टः सत्रे द्वैपायनाज्ञया
Which the sage Vaishampayana recited to King Janamejaya, exactly as he was questioned, by the command of Dvaipayana—
वेदैश्चतुर्भिः सयुक्तां व्यासस्याद्भुतकर्मणः। संहितां श्रोतुमिच्छामः पुण्यां पापभयापहाम्
That compilation, joined with the four Vedas, created by the wondrous deeds of Vyasa, we wish to hear—sacred, and removing the fear of sin.
आद्यं पुरुषमीशानं पुरुहूतं पुरुष्टुतम्। ऋतमेकाक्षरं ब्रह्म व्यक्ताव्यक्तं सनातनम्
The primeval Person, the Lord, the much-invoked, the most praised among men; the single-syllabled Truth, Brahman, manifest and unmanifest, eternal—
असच्च सच्चैव च यद्विश्वं सदसतः परम् परावराणां स्रष्टारं पुराणं परमव्ययम्
That which is non-being and being, the universe, and that which is beyond being and non-being; the creator of the higher and lower, the ancient, the supreme, the imperishable—
मङ्गल्यं मङ्गलं विष्णुं वरेण्यमनघं शुचिम्। नमस्कृत्य हृषीकेशं चराचरगुरुं हरिम्
Having bowed to auspicious Vishnu, the most excellent, sinless, pure, Hrishikesha, the teacher of all that moves and does not move, Hari—
महर्षेः पूजितस्येह सर्वलोकैर्महात्मनः। प्रवक्ष्यामि मतं पुण्यं व्यासस्याद्भुतकर्मणः
Of the great-souled sage, honored here by all the worlds, I shall declare the sacred teaching, the wondrous work of Vyasa.
नमो भगवते तस्मै व्यासायामिततेजसे। यस्य प्रसादाद्वक्ष्यामि नारायणकथामिमाम्
Salutations to that blessed Vyasa, of immeasurable energy, by whose grace I shall speak this tale of Narayana.
सर्वाश्रमाभिशमनं सर्वतीर्थावगाहनम्। न तथा फलद सूते नारायणकथा यथा
The merit gained by subduing all the senses or by bathing in all holy waters does not yield as much fruit as the tale of Narayana.
नास्ति नारायणसमं न भूतं न भविष्यति। एतेन सत्यवाक्येन सर्वार्थान्साधयाम्यहम्
There is none equal to Narayana, nor has there been, nor will there be; by this truthful statement, I shall accomplish all purposes.
आचख्युः कवयः केचित्संप्रत्याचक्षते परे। आख्यास्यन्ति तथैवान्य इतिहासमिमं भुवि
Some poets have told it, others are now telling it, and still others will narrate this history on earth in the same way.
इदं तु त्रिषु लोकेषु महज्ज्ञानं प्रतिष्ठितम्। विस्तरैश्च समासैश्च धार्यते यद्द्विजातिभिः
But this great knowledge, established in the three worlds, is preserved by the twice-born, both in detail and in summary.
अलङ्कृतं शुभैः शब्दैः समयैर्दिव्यधनुषैः। छन्दोवृत्तैश्च विविधैरन्वितं विदुषांप्रियम्
Adorned with beautiful words, with timely references to divine bows, and composed in various metrical forms, it is cherished by the learned.
तपसा ब्रह्मचर्येण व्यस्य वेदं सनातनम्। इतिहासमिमं चक्रे पुण्यं सत्यवतीसुतः
By asceticism and celibacy, having mastered the eternal Veda, the son of Satyavati composed this sacred history.
पुण्ये हिमवतः पादे मेध्ये गिरिगुहालये। विशोध्य देहं धर्मात्मा दर्भसंस्तरमाश्रितः
On the holy slopes of the Himalaya, in a pure mountain cave, the righteous one, having purified his body, sat upon a bed of sacred grass.
शुचिः सनियमो व्यासः शान्तात्मातपसि स्थितः भारतस्येतिहासस्य धर्मेणान्वीक्ष्य तां गतिम्
Pure and self-restrained, Vyasa, with a tranquil mind established in austerity, contemplated the course of the Bharata's history through righteousness.
प्रविश्य योगं ज्ञानेन सोऽपश्यत्सर्वमन्ततः
Entering into union through knowledge, he perceived everything in its entirety.
निष्प्रभेऽस्मिन्निरालोके सर्वतस्तमसा वृते। बृहदण्डमभूदेकं प्रजानां बीजमव्ययम्
In that dim, lightless expanse, enveloped on all sides by darkness, there arose a single vast cosmic egg, the imperishable seed of beings.
युगस्यादिनिमित्तं तन्महद्दिव्यं प्रचक्षत। व्यस्मिंस्तच्छ्रूयते सत्यंज्योतिर्ब्रह्म सनातनम्
They declare that great and divine principle to be the cause of the beginning of the age; in it is heard the eternal truth, the light, the everlasting Brahman.
अद्भुतं चाप्यचिन्त्यं च सर्वत्र समतां मतम्। अव्यक्तं कारणं सूक्ष्मं यत्तत्सदसदात्मकम्
It is considered wondrous and inconceivable, the essence of equality everywhere; the unmanifest, subtle cause, which is both being and non-being.
यस्मिन्पितामहो जज्ञे प्रभुरेकः प्रजापतिः। ब्रह्मा सुरगुरुः स्थाणुर्मनुः कः परमेष्ठ्यथ
From that, the Grandfather was born—the one lord, the progenitor: Brahma, the teacher of the gods, Sthanu, Manu, Ka, and Parameshthin.
प्राचेतसस्तथा दक्षो दक्षपुत्राश्च सप्तवै। ततः प्रजानां पतयः प्राभवन्नेकविंशतिः
Likewise, Prachetas, Daksha, and Daksha's seven sons; then, the lords of creatures, twenty-one in number, arose.
पुरुषश्चाप्रमेयात्मा यं सर्वऋषयो विदु। विश्वेदेवास्तथाऽऽदित्या वसवोऽथाश्विनावपि
And the Person, whose nature is immeasurable, whom all the seers know, as well as all the gods, the Adityas, the Vasus, and the Ashvins.
यक्षाः साध्याः पिशाचाश्च गुह्यकाः पितरस्तथा। ततः प्रसूता विद्वांसः शिष्टा ब्रह्मर्षिसत्तमाः
Yakshas, Sadhyas, Pisachas, Guhyakas, and the Pitrs; then were born the wise and noble Brahmarshi sages.
महर्षयश्च बहवः सर्वैः समुदिता गुणैः। आतो द्यौः पृथिवी वायुरन्तरिक्षं दिशस्तया
And many great sages, endowed with all virtues; from them came the sky, earth, wind, the intermediate space, and the directions.
संवत्सरर्तवो मासाः पक्षाहोरात्रयः क्रमात्। यच्चान्यदपि तत्सर्वं संभूतं लोकसाक्षिकम्
The year, the seasons, the months, the fortnights, and the days and nights in order; and all else that exists, everything that came into being as witness to the worlds.