रहस्यं खल्विदं राजन्देवानामिति नः श्रुतम्। तत्तु ते कथयिष्यामि नमस्कृत्वा स्वयंभुवे
It is said among us, O King, that this is a secret of the gods; yet I will tell you, after bowing to the Self-born.
त्रिःसप्तकृत्वः पृथिवीं कृत्वा निःक्षित्रयां पुरा। जामदग्न्यस्तपस्तेपे महेन्द्रे पर्वतोत्तमे
Long ago, Jamadagni's son, having three times seven times made the earth free of Kshatriyas, performed austerities on the great mountain Mahendra.
तदा निःक्षत्रिये लोके भार्गवेण कृते सति। ब्राह्मणान्क्षत्रिया राजन्सुतार्थिन्योऽभिचक्रमुः
At that time, when the world had been made devoid of Kshatriyas by Bhargava, O King, women seeking sons approached the Brahmanas.
ताभिः सह समापेतुर्ब्राह्मणाः संशितव्रताः। ऋतावृतौ नरव्याघ्र न कामान्नानृतौ तथा
Together with those women, the Brahmanas of firm vows united, O tiger among men, at the proper time, but not out of desire or at the wrong time.
तेभ्यश्च तेभिरे गर्भं क्षत्रियास्ताः सहस्रशः। ततः सुषुविरे राजन्क्षत्रियान्वीर्यवत्तरान्
From those, the Kshatriya women conceived by those men, O King, thousands at a time; thus they gave birth to Kshatriyas who were even more powerful.
कुमारांश्च कुमारीश्च पुनः क्षत्राभिवृद्धये। एवं तद्ब्राह्मणैः क्षत्रं क्षत्रियासु तपस्विभिः
Both sons and daughters were born again, for the increase of the Kshatriya line; thus, by the Brahmins, the Kshatriya order was replenished among the Kshatriya women through ascetic discipline.
जातं वृद्धं च धर्मेण सुदीर्गेणायुषान्वितम्। चत्वारोऽपि ततो वर्णा बभूवुर्ब्राह्मणोत्तराः
Born and grown in righteousness, endowed with long life, from them all four orders arose, with Brahmins foremost.
अभ्यगच्छन्नृतौ नारीं न कामान्नानृतौ तथा। तथैवान्यानि भूतानि तिर्यग्योनिगतान्यपि
Women approached their husbands at the proper season, not out of desire at improper times; likewise, other creatures, even those born in animal wombs, did the same.
ऋतौ दारांश्च गच्छन्ति तत्तथा भरतर्षभ। ततोऽवर्धन्त धर्मेण सहस्रशतजीविनः
At the proper season, wives were approached, O bull among the Bharatas; thus, living righteously, they flourished, living hundreds and thousands of years.
ताः प्रजाः पृथिवीपाल धर्मव्रतपरायणाः। आधिभिर्व्याधिभिश्चैव विमुक्ताः सर्वशो नराः
Those people, O protector of the earth, were devoted to religious vows and duty; men were entirely free from afflictions and diseases.
अथेमां सागरोपान्तां गां गजेन्द्रगताखिलाम्। अध्यतिष्ठत्पुनः क्षत्रं सशैलवनपत्तनाम्
Then, once more, the Kshatriya order occupied this earth, bounded by the ocean, with all its elephants, mountains, forests, and cities.
प्रशासति पुनः क्षत्रे धर्मेणेमां वसुन्धराम्। ब्राह्मणाद्यास्ततो वर्णा लेभिरे मुदमुत्तमाम्
When the Kshatriya order governed this earth righteously, the Brahmins and the other orders attained supreme happiness.
कामक्रोधोद्भवान्दोषान्निरस्य च नराधिपाः। धर्मेण दण्डं दण्डेषु प्रणयन्तोऽन्वपालयन्
Having removed faults arising from desire and anger, the kings administered punishment righteously among those deserving it, and thus protected their subjects.
तथा धर्मपरे क्षत्रे सहस्राक्षः शतक्रतुः। स्वादु देशे च काले च ववर्षाप्याययन्प्रजाः
Thus, while the Kshatriyas were devoted to righteousness, Indra, the thousand-eyed, poured forth rain at the right place and time, nourishing the people.
न बाल एव म्रियते तदा कश्चिज्जनाधिप। न च स्त्रियं प्रजानाति कश्चिदप्राप्तयौवनाम्
No child died prematurely then, O ruler of men; nor did anyone approach a woman who had not yet reached youth.
एवमायुष्मतीभिस्तु प्रजाभिर्भरतर्षभ। इयं सागरपर्यन्ता ससापूर्यत मेदिनी
Thus, O bull among the Bharatas, with people endowed with long life, this earth, bounded by the ocean, became filled.
ईजिरे च महायज्ञैः क्षत्रिया बहुदक्षिणैः। साङ्गोपनिषदान्वेदान्विप्राश्चाधीयते तदा
The Kshatriyas performed great sacrifices with abundant gifts; at that time, the Brahmins studied the Vedas with all their limbs and Upanishads.
न च विक्रीणते ब्र्हम ब्राह्मणाश्च तदा नृप। न च शूद्रसमभ्याशे वेदानुच्चारयन्त्युत
Nor did the Brahmins then sell the Vedas, O King; nor did they recite the Vedas in the presence of Shudras.
कारयन्तः कृषिं गोभिस्तथा वैश्याः क्षिताविह। युञ्जते धुरि नो गाश्च कृशाङ्गांश्चाप्यजीवयन्
The Vaishyas cultivated the land with oxen, O lord of the earth; they yoked only healthy cows to the plough and cared for the weak ones.
फेनपांश्च तथा वत्सान्न दुहन्ति स्म मानवाः। न कूटमानैर्वणिजः पण्यं विक्रीणते तदा
Men did not milk cows for froth or calves; merchants did not sell goods with false measures at that time.
कर्माणि च नरव्याघ्र धर्मोपेतानि मानवाः। धर्ममेवानुपश्यन्तश्चक्रुर्धर्मपरायणाः
O tiger among men, people performed actions imbued with righteousness; devoted to duty, they regarded only righteousness.
स्वकर्मनिरताश्चासन्सर्वे वर्णा नराधिप। एवं तदा नरव्याघ्र धर्मो न ह्रसते क्वचित्
All orders, O ruler of men, were engaged in their own duties; thus, O tiger among men, righteousness never diminished anywhere at that time.
काले गावः प्रसूयन्ते नार्यश्च भरतर्षभ। भवन्त्यृतुषु वृक्षाणां पुष्पाणि च फलानि च
At the proper time, O best of the Bharatas, cows give birth, women conceive, and trees bear flowers and fruits in their seasons.
एवं कृतयुगे सम्यग्वर्तमाने तदा नृप। आपूर्यत मही कृत्स्ना प्राणिभिर्बहुभिर्भृशम्
Thus, when the Krita Yuga was proceeding rightly, O king, the entire earth became abundantly filled with many living beings.
एवं समुदिते लोके मानुषे भरतर्षभ। असुरा जज्ञिरे क्षेत्रे राज्ञां तु मनुजेश्वर
In this way, O bull among the Bharatas, when the world of humans was flourishing, the Asuras were born in the lineages of kings, O lord of men.
आदित्यैर्हि तदा दैत्या बहुशो निर्जिता युधि। ऐश्वर्याद्धंशिताः स्वर्गात्संबभूवुः क्षिताविह
For the Daityas had been repeatedly defeated in battle by the Adityas, and, deprived of their sovereignty and cast down from heaven, they were born here on earth.
इह देवत्वमिच्छन्तो मानुषेषु तपस्विनः। जज्ञिरे भुवि भूतेषु तेषु तेष्वसुरा विभो
Desiring divinity among the gods, those ascetic Asuras were born on earth among living beings, O mighty one, taking birth among them.
गोष्वश्वेषु च राजेन्द्र खरोष्ट्रमहिषेषु च। क्रव्यात्सु चैव भूतेषु गजेषु च मृगेषु च
Among cows and horses, O king, among camels, buffaloes, carnivorous creatures, elephants, and wild animals as well,
जातैरिह महीपाल जायमानैश्च तैर्मही। न शशाकात्मनात्मानमियं धारयितुं धरा
With those born here and those being born, O protector of the earth, the earth herself was unable to bear the weight of these beings.
अथ जाता महीपालाः केचिद्बहुमदान्विताः। दितेः पुत्रा दनोश्चैव तदा लोकादिह च्युताः
Then, some kings were born who were full of great pride—sons of Diti and Danu—who had fallen from their worlds and were born here.