श्वेतः कृतयुगे वर्णः पीतस्त्रेतायुगे मम। श्यामो द्वापरमासाद्य कृष्णः कलियुगे तथा
My color is white in the Krita Yuga, yellow in the Treta Yuga, dark in the Dvapara Yuga, and black likewise in the Kali Yuga.
त्रयो भागा ह्यधर्मस् तस्मिन्काले भवनति च। `यदा भवति मे वर्णः कृष्णो वै द्विजसत्तम्
Indeed, O best of twice-born, in that time, when my color becomes black, unrighteousness arises in three parts.
अन्तकाले च संप्राप्ते कालो भूत्वाऽतिदारुणः। त्रैलोक्यं नाशयाम्येकः कृत्स्नं स्थावरजङ्गमम्
And when the end time arrives, I alone, becoming Time itself, exceedingly terrible, destroy the three worlds, all that is moving and unmoving.
अहं त्रिवर्त्मा विश्वात्मा सर्वलोकसुखावहः। अजितः सर्वगोऽनन्तो हृषीकेश उरुक्रमः। कालचक्रं नयाम्येको ब्रह्मन्नहमरूपकम्
I am the one who moves in three paths, the soul of the universe, the bringer of happiness to all worlds; unconquered, all-pervading, infinite, Hrishikesha, of mighty stride; I alone direct the wheel of time, O Brahman, formless am I.
शमनं सर्वभूतानां सर्वकालकृतोद्यमम्। एवं प्रणिहितः सम्यङ्मायया मुनिसत्तम। सर्वभूतेषु विप्रेन्द्र न च मां वेत्ति कश्चन
I am the pacifier of all beings, the one who sets all actions in motion at every time; thus, established rightly by my illusion, O best of sages, among all beings, O foremost of Brahmins, yet no one truly knows me.
सर्वलोके च मां भक्ताः पूजयन्ति च सर्वशः
And in all worlds, my devotees worship me in every way.
यच्च किंचित्त्वया प्राप्तं मयि क्लेशात्मकं द्विज। सुखोदयाय तत्सर्वं श्रेयसे च तवानघ
And whatever hardship you have encountered in relation to me, O Brahmin, all that is for the arising of happiness and for your highest good, O sinless one.
यच्च किंचित्त्वया लोके दृष्टं स्थावरजङ्गमम्। विहित सर्वथैवासौ ममात्मा भूतभावनः
And whatever, in this world, you have seen—whether moving or unmoving—know that all this is indeed established by me, the soul of all beings, the source of all existence.
अर्धं मम शरीरस्य सर्वलोकपितामहः। अहं नारायणो नाम शङ्खचक्रगदाधरः
Half of my body is the grandsire of all worlds; I am called Narayana, bearer of the conch, discus, and mace.
यावद्युगानां विप्रर्षे सहस्रपरिवर्तनम्। तावत्स्वपिमि विश्वात्मा सर्वलोकपितामहः
For as many thousands of cycles of ages as there are, O sage among Brahmins, so long do I, the soul of the universe, the grandsire of all worlds, sleep.
एवं सर्वमहं कालमिहासे मुनिसत्तम। अशिशुः शिशुरूपेण यावद्ब्रह्मा न बुध्यते
Thus, O best of sages, I remain here for all that time, in the form of a child, until Brahma awakens.
मया च दत्तो विप्राग्र्य वरस्ते ब्रह्मरूपिणा। असकृत्परितष्टेन विप्रर्षिगणपूजित
And the supreme boon given to you by me, in the form of Brahma, honored repeatedly by hosts of Brahmin sages, has been granted.
सर्वमेकार्णवं दृष्ट्वा नष्टं स्थावरजङ्गमम्। विक्लबोसि मया ज्ञातस्ततस्ते दर्शितं जगत्
Seeing all as a single ocean, with all that moves and is still destroyed, you became despondent; knowing this, I revealed the world to you.
अभ्यन्तरं शरीरस्य प्रविष्टोसि यदा मम। दृष्ट्वा लोकं समस्तं च विस्मितो नावबुध्यसे
When you entered within my body, seeing the entire world, you were amazed and did not comprehend.
ततोसि वक्राद्विप्रर्षे द्रुतं निःसारितो मया। आख्यातस्ते मया चात्मा दुर्ज्ञे योपि सुरासुरैः
Then, O sage among Brahmins, I quickly expelled you from my curved (body); and I have revealed myself to you, though I am difficult to know even for gods and demons.
यावत्स भगवान्ब्रह्मा न बुध्येत महातपाः। तावत्त्वमिह विप्रर्षे विस्रब्धश्चर वै सुखम्
Until that blessed Brahma of great austerity awakens, you, O sage among Brahmins, may remain here at ease and without fear.
ततो विबुद्धे तस्मिंस्तु सर्वलोकपितामहे। एकीभूतः प्रवेक्ष्यामि शरीराणि द्विजोत्तम
Then, when the Lord of all worlds had awakened, I will enter the bodies, united as one, O best of twice-born.
आकाशं पृथिवीं ज्योतिर्वायुं सलिलमेव च। लोके यच्च भवेच्छेषमिह स्थावरजङ्गमम्
The sky, the earth, fire, wind, and water, and whatever else remains in the world, both immovable and movable.
इत्युक्त्वान्तर्हितस्तात स देवः परमाद्भुतः। प्रजाश्चेमाः प्रपश्यामि विचित्रा विविधाः कृताः
Having spoken thus, O dear one, that wondrous deity vanished; and I see these creatures, diverse and manifold, created.
एवं दृष्टं मया राजंस्तस्मिन्प्राप्ते युगक्षये। आश्चर्यं भरतश्रेष्ठ सर्वधर्मभृतांवरः
Thus I beheld, O king, at the end of the age, a marvel, O best of Bharatas, foremost among upholders of dharma.
यः स देवो मया दृष्टः पुरा पद्मायतेक्षणः। स एष पुरुषव्याघ्र संबन्धी ते जनार्दनः
That very god whom I saw before, with lotus-like eyes, is this Janardana, O tiger among men, your kinsman.
अस्यैव वरदानाद्धि स्मृतिर्न प्रजहाति माम्। दीर्गमायुश्च कौन्तेय स्वच्छन्दमरणं मम
By his granting of boons, memory never leaves me; and, O son of Kunti, I have long life and the freedom to die at will.
स एष कृष्णो वार्ष्णेय पुराणपुरुषो विभुः। आस्ते हरिरचिन्त्यात्मा क्रीडन्निव महाभुजः
This Krishna, descendant of Vrishni, ancient and mighty, abides as Hari, whose nature is unfathomable, sporting as if in play, with great arms.
एष धाता विधाता च संहर्ता चैव शाश्वतः। श्रीवत्सवक्षा गोविन्दः प्रजापतिपतिः प्रभुः
He is the creator, the ordainer, and the eternal destroyer; Govinda, with the mark of Srivatsa on his chest, lord of creatures, master.
दृष्ट्वेमं वृष्णिप्रवरं स्मृतिर्मामियमागता। आदिदेवमयं जिष्णुं पुरुषं पीतवाससम्
Upon seeing this foremost of the Vrishnis, memory has returned to me—this victorious primordial god, clad in yellow garments.
सर्वेषामेव भूतानां पिता माता च माधवः। गच्छध्वमेनं शरणं शरण्यं कौरवर्षभाः
Madhava is the father and mother of all beings; go to him for refuge, O bulls among the Kauravas, to the one who grants shelter.
एवमुक्तास्च ते पार्ता यमौ च पुरुषर्षभौ। द्रौपद्या सहिताः सर्वे नमश्चक्रुर्जनार्दनम्
Thus addressed, the sons of Pritha and the two sons of Yama, all together with Draupadi, bowed to Janardana.
स चैतान्पुरुषव्याघ्र साम्ना परमवल्गुना। सान्त्वयामास मानार्हो मन्यमानो यथाविधि
And that tiger among men, with utmost gentleness, comforted them, worthy of honor, considering them according to proper conduct.
युधिष्ठिरस्तु कौन्तेयो मार्कण्डेयं महामुनिम्। पुन- पप्रच्छ सामात्यो भविष्यां जगतो गतिम्
Yudhishthira, son of Kunti, again questioned the great sage Markandeya, together with his ministers, about the future course of the world.
आश्चर्यभूतं भवतः श्रुतं नो वदतांवर। मुने भार्गव यद्वृत्तं युगादौ प्रभवाप्ययौ
We have heard wondrous things from you, O best among speakers; O sage of the Bhargava line, tell us what happened at the beginning and end of the age.