फणासहस्रविकटं शेषं पर्यङ्कभोगिनम्। सहस्रमिव तिग्मांशुसंघातममितद्युतिम्। कुन्देन्दुहारगोक्षीरमृणालकुमुदप्रभम्
'On Shesha, whose thousand hoods are fearsome, whose coils serve as a couch, shining like a thousand suns, of immeasurable radiance, white as jasmine, the moon, milk, silver, or the stalk of a lotus.'
तत्रासौ भगवान्देवः स्वपञ्जलनिधौ तदा। नैशेन तमसा व्याप्तां स्वां रात्रिंकुरुते विभुः
'There, the blessed god, in the ocean of waters, then makes his own night, enveloped by the darkness of night.'
सत्वोद्रेकात्प्रबुद्धस्तु शून्यं लोकमपश्यत। इमं चोदाहरन्त्यत्रश्लोकं नारायणं प्रति
'Awakened by the predominance of sattva, he saw the world empty; and in this matter they recite a verse about Narayana.'
आपो नारास्तत्तनव इत्यपां नाम शुश्रुमः। अयनं तेन चैवास्ते तेन नारायणः स्मृतः
'The waters are called nara, for they are his original form; we have heard that the waters are thus named, and because he rests upon them, he is remembered as Narayana.'
प्रध्यानसमकालं तुप्रजाहेतोः सनातनः। ध्यातमात्रे तु भगवन्नाभ्यां पद्मः समुत्थितः
At the very moment of profound meditation, for the sake of creation, O Eternal One, as soon as you were contemplated, O Blessed Lord, a lotus arose from your navel.
ततश्चतुर्मुखो ब्रह्मा नाभिपद्माद्विनिःसृतः। तत्रोपविष्टः सहसा ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः
Then, from that navel-lotus, the four-faced Brahma emerged; there, suddenly seated, was Brahma, the Grandfather of the worlds.
शून्यं दृष्ट्वा जगत्कृत्स्नं मानसानात्मनः समान्। ततो मरीचिप्रमुखान्महर्षीनसृजन्नव
Seeing the entire world empty, with a mind born of his own self, he then created the great sages, beginning with Marici.
तेऽसृजन्सर्वभूतानि त्रसानि स्थावराणि च। यक्षराक्षसभूतानि पिशाचोरगमानुषान्
They created all beings, both moving and unmoving—yakshas, rakshasas, spirits, pishachas, serpents, and humans.
सृजते ब्रह्ममूर्तिस्तु रक्षते पौरुषी तनुः। रौद्री भावेन शमयेत्तिस्रोऽवस्थाः प्रजापतेः
He creates with the form of Brahma, protects with the masculine form, and, with a fierce aspect, brings dissolution—these are the three states of the Lord of Creatures.
न श्रुतं ते सिन्धुपते विष्णोरद्भुतकर्मणः। कथ्यमानानि मुनिभिर्ब्राह्मणैर्वेदपारगैः
O Lord of the Rivers, you have not heard of the wondrous deeds of Vishnu, as recounted by sages and brahmins who have mastered the Vedas.
जलेन समनुप्राप्ते सर्वतः पृथिवीतले। तदा चैकार्णवे तस्मिननेकाकाशे प्रभुश्चरन्
When water had covered the entire surface of the earth, then, in that single ocean, the Lord moved about in many forms.
निशायामिव खद्योतः प्रावृट्काले समन्ततः। प्रतिष्ठानाय पृथिवीं मार्गमाणस्तदाऽभवत्
Like a firefly in the night during the rainy season, he then sought the earth everywhere, searching for a place to stand.
जले निमग्नां गां दृष्ट्वाचोद्धर्तुं मनसेच्छति। किंनु रूपमहं कृत्वासलिलादुद्धरे महीम्
Seeing the earth submerged in water, he wished in his mind to lift her up: 'In what form should I raise the earth from the water?'
एवं संचिन्त्य मनसा दृष्ट्वा दिव्येन चक्षुषा। जलक्रीडाभिरुचितं वाराहं रूपमस्मरत्
Thus reflecting in his mind, and seeing with his divine eye, he remembered the boar form, suited for play in the waters.
कृत्वा वराहवपुपं वाङ्मयं वेदसंमितम्। दशयोजनविस्तीर्णमायतं शतयोजनम्
Assuming the form of a boar, as described in the Vedas, vast as ten yojanas wide and a hundred yojanas long,
महापर्वतवर्ष्माभं तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्रंप्रदीप्तिमत्। महामेघौघनिर्घोपं नीलजीमूतसन्निभम्
Resembling a great mountain in size, with sharp, blazing tusks, roaring like a mass of thunderclouds, dark as a rain-laden cloud,
भूत्वा यज्ञवराहो वै अपः संप्राविशत्प्रभुः। दंष्ट्रेणैकेन चोद्धृत्यस्वे स्थाने न्यविशन्महीम्
Becoming the sacrificial boar, the Lord entered the waters; lifting the earth with one tusk, he placed her in her own position.
पुनरेव महाबाहुरपूर्वां तनुमाश्रितः। नरस्य कृत्वाऽर्धतनुं सिंहस्यार्धतनुं प्रभुः
Again, the mighty-armed Lord assumed an unprecedented form: half-man and half-lion.
दैत्येन्द्रस्य सभां गत्वापाणिं संस्पृश्यपाणिना। दैत्यानामादिपुरुषः सुरारिर्दितिनन्दनः
Entering the assembly of the Daitya king, touching him with his hand, the primeval foe of the gods, the son of Diti, stood there.
दृष्ट्वा चापूर्ववपुषं क्रोधात्संरक्तलोचनः। शूलोद्यतकरः स्रग्वी हिरण्यकशिपुस्तदा
Seeing that unprecedented form, Hiraṇyakaśipu, garlanded and holding a trident aloft, his eyes red with rage, then—
मेघस्तनितनिर्घोषो नीलाभ्रचयसन्निभः। देवारिर्दितिजो वीरो नृसिंहं समुपाद्रवत्
Roaring like thunderclouds, resembling a mass of dark clouds, the heroic foe of the gods, born of Diti, rushed at Narasimha.
समुत्पत्य ततस्तीक्ष्णैर्मृगेन्द्रेण बलीयसा। नारसिंहेन वपुषादारितः करजैर्भृशम्
Then, leaping up, the powerful lord in the form of Narasimha, the lion-man, tore him apart with his sharp claws.
एवं निहत्य भगवान्दैत्येनद्रं रिपुघातिनम्। भूयोऽन्यः पुण्डरीकाक्षः प्रभुर्लोकहिताय च। कश्यपस्यात्मजः श्रीमानदित्या गर्भधारितः
Thus, after slaying the Daitya Andhaka, the blessed Lord, the lotus-eyed, for the welfare of the worlds, was again born as the illustrious son of Kashyapa, carried in the womb of Aditi.
पूर्णे वर्षसहस्रे तु प्रसूत भर्गमुत्तमम्
When a thousand years had been completed, she gave birth to the supreme Bharga.
दुर्दिनाम्भोदसदृशो दीप्ताक्षो वामनाकृतिः। दण्डी कमण्डलुधरः श्रीवत्सोरसि भूषितः। जटी यज्ञोपवीती च भगवान्बालरूपधृक्
He appeared like a dark raincloud on a gloomy day, with radiant eyes, of dwarf form, holding a staff and water-pot, adorned with the Srivatsa mark on his chest, matted-haired, wearing the sacred thread, the blessed Lord assuming the form of a boy.
यज्ञवाटं गतः श्रीमान्दानवेन्द्रस्य वै तदा। बृहस्पतिसहायोऽसौ प्रविष्टो बलिनो मखे
The illustrious one went to the sacrificial ground of the lord of the Daityas; accompanied by Brihaspati, he entered the sacrifice of Bali.
तं दृष्ट्वावामनतनुं प्रहृष्टो बलिरब्रवीत्। प्रीतोस्मि दर्शने विप्र ब्रूहि त्वं किं ददानिते
Seeing that dwarf-bodied one, Bali, delighted, spoke: 'I am pleased by your sight, O Brahmin. Tell me, what shall I give you?'
एवमुक्तस्तु बलिना वामनः प्रत्युवाच ह
Thus addressed by Bali, Vamana replied:
स्वस्तीत्युक्त्वा बलिं देवः स्मयमानोऽभ्यभाषत। मेदिनीं दानवपते देहि मे विक्रमत्रयम्
Saying 'Let it be well,' the god, smiling, addressed Bali: 'O lord of the Daityas, grant me three steps of land.'
बलिर्ददौ प्रसन्नात्मा विप्रायामिततेजसे। ततो दिव्याद्भुततमं रूपं विक्रमतोहरेः
Bali, with a cheerful heart, gave to the Brahmin of immeasurable brilliance; then Vishnu, the taker of the three strides, assumed a wondrous, divine form.