वीर्यवन्तोऽवलिप्तास्ते नानारूपधरा महीम्। इमां सागरपर्यन्तां परीयुररिमर्दनाः
Mighty and arrogant, taking on various forms, these slayers of enemies roamed this earth, bounded by the ocean.
ब्राह्मणान्क्षत्रियान्वैश्याञ्शूद्रांश्चैवाप्यपीडयन्। अन्यानि चैव सत्वानि पीडयामासुरोजसा
With their strength, they oppressed Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras, and tormented other beings as well.
त्रासयन्तोऽभिनिघ्नन्तः सर्वभूतगणांश्च ते। विचेरुः सर्वशो राजन्महीं शतसहस्रशः
Terrifying and striking all groups of creatures, they wandered everywhere upon the earth in their hundreds of thousands, O king.
आश्रमस्थान्महर्षींश्च धर्षयन्तस्ततस्ततः। अब्रह्मण्या वीर्यमदा मत्ता मदबलेन च
Assaulting great sages dwelling in hermitages here and there, intoxicated by the pride and power of their might, they acted unrighteously.
एवं वीर्यबलोत्सिक्तैर्भूरियं तैर्महासुरैः। पीड्यमाना मही राजन्ब्रह्माणमुपचक्रमे
Thus, O king, as the earth was oppressed by those mighty Asuras, swollen with strength and power, she approached Brahma.
न ह्यमी भूतसत्वौघाः पन्नगाः सनगां महीम्। तदा धारयितुं शेकुराक्रान्तां दानवैर्बलात्
For neither the hosts of beings, nor the Nagas, nor the mountains could bear the earth, overrun by the Danavas through force.
ततो मही महीपाल भारार्ता भयपीडिता। जगाम शरणं देवं सर्वभूतपितामहम्
Then, O protector of the earth, the earth, weighed down and afflicted by fear, went for refuge to the god, the grandsire of all beings.
सा संवृतं महाभागैर्देवद्विजमहर्षिभिः। ददर्श देवं ब्रह्माणं लोककर्तारमव्ययम्
Surrounded by the blessed gods, sages, and great seers, she beheld the god Brahma, the imperishable creator of the worlds.
गन्धर्वैरप्सरोभिश्च बन्दिकर्मसु निष्ठितैः। वन्द्यमानं मुदोपतैर्ववन्दे चैनमेत्य सा
Honored by Gandharvas, Apsaras, and those engaged in songs of praise, and joyfully worshipped, she approached and bowed to him.
अथ विज्ञापयामास भूमिस्तं शरणार्थिनी। सन्निधौ लोकपालानां सर्वेषामेव भारत
Then, seeking refuge, the earth made her request to him in the presence of all the guardians of the worlds, O Bharata.
तत्प्रधानात्मनस्तस्य भूमेः कृत्यं स्वयंभुवः। पूर्वमेवाभवद्राजन्विदितं परमेष्ठिनः
O King, the task of the earth, which pertains to the primordial Self, was already known beforehand by the supreme Lord, the self-born.
स्रष्टा हि जगतः कस्मान्न संबुध्येत भारत। ससुरासुरलोकानामशेषेण मनोगतम्
For what reason would the Creator of the world, O descendant of Bharata, not be aware of everything that arises in the minds of all the worlds of gods and asuras?
तामुवाच महाराज भूमिं भूमिपतिः प्रभुः। प्रभवः सर्वभूतानामीशः शंभुः प्रजापतिः
Then the Lord of beings, the ruler, the origin of all creatures, the master, Shambhu, addressed the earth, O great king.
यदर्थमभिसंप्राप्ता मत्सकाशं वसुन्धरे। तदर्थं सन्नियोक्ष्यामि सर्वानेव दिवौकसः
O Earth, for the purpose for which you have come to me, I will accordingly engage all the dwellers of heaven.
इत्युक्त्वा स महीं देवो ब्रह्मा राजन्विसृज्य च। आदिदेश तदा सर्वान्विबुधान्भूतकृत्स्वयम्
Having thus spoken, the god Brahma released the earth, O King, and then instructed all the wise gods, the creator of beings himself.
अस्या भूमेर्निरसितुं भारं भागैः पृथक्पृथक्। अस्यामेव प्रसूयध्वं तिरोधायेति चाब्रवीत्
He said: 'To lighten the burden of this earth, descend in separate portions; be born here, concealing your true forms.'
तथैव च समानीय गन्धर्वाप्सरसां गणान्। उवाच भगवान्सर्वानिदं वचनमर्थवत्
In the same way, having assembled the hosts of Gandharvas and Apsarases, the blessed Lord spoke these meaningful words to all of them.
अथ शक्रादयः सर्वे श्रुत्वा सुरगुरोर्वचः। तथ्यमर्थ्यं च पथ्यं च तस्य ते जगृहुस्तदा
Then all the gods headed by Indra, having heard the words of the preceptor of the gods, accepted them as true, beneficial, and wholesome.
अथ ते सर्वशोंशैः स्वैर्गन्तुं भूमिं कृतक्षणाः। नारायणममित्रघ्नं वैकुण्ठमुपचक्रमुः
Then, all of them, prepared to go to earth with their own portions, approached Narayana, the slayer of enemies, the one who dwells in Vaikuntha.
यः स चक्रगदापाणिः पीतवासाः शितिप्रभः। पद्मनाभः सुरारिघ्नः पृथुचार्वञ्चितेक्षणः
He who holds the discus and mace in his hands, who wears yellow garments, who shines with a bright radiance, who has a lotus navel, who destroys the enemies of the gods, whose eyes are wide and beautiful.
प्रजापतिपतिर्देवः सुरनाथो महाबलः। श्रीवत्साङ्को हृषीकेशः सर्वदैवतपूजितः
The god who is the lord of creatures, the lord of the gods, of great might, marked with the Srivatsa, Hrishikesha, worshipped by all the deities.
तं भुवः शोधनायेन्द्र उवाच पुरुषोत्तमम्। अंशेनावतरेत्येवं तथेत्याह च तं हरिः
To him, the best of men, for the purification of the earth, Indra spoke: 'Descend in part.' And Hari replied to him, 'So be it.'
त्वत्तः श्रुतमिदं ब्रह्मन्देवदानवरक्षसाम्। अंशावतरणं सम्यग्गन्धर्वाप्सरसां तथा
From you I have heard, O Brahman, the descent in portions of the gods, asuras, and rakshasas, and likewise of the Gandharvas and Apsarases.
इमं तु भूय इच्छामि कुरूणां वंशमादितः। कथ्यमानं त्वया विप्र विप्रर्षिगणसन्निधौ
But now I wish to hear from you, O Brahman, the lineage of the Kurus from the beginning, as you recount it in the presence of the assembly of sages.
धर्मार्थकामसहितं राजर्षीणां प्रकीर्तितम्। पवित्रं कीर्त्यमानं मे निबोधेदं मनीषिणाम्
Described with righteousness, wealth, and desire, renowned among royal sages, pure and celebrated among the wise—listen to this from me.
प्रजापतेस्तु दक्षस्य मनोर्वैवस्वतस्य च। भरतस्य कुरोः पूरोराजमीढस्य चानघ
Of Prajapati Daksha, of Manu Vaivasvata, of Bharata, of Kuru, of Puru, and of Rajamidhya, O sinless one.
यादवानामिमं वंशं कौरवाणां च सर्वशः। तथैव भरतानां च पुण्यं स्वस्त्ययनं महत्
This lineage of the Yadavas, and likewise of the Kauravas in its entirety, and also of the Bharatas, holy and greatly auspicious.
धन्यं यशस्यमायुष्यं कीर्तयिष्यामि तेऽनघ। तेजोभिरुदिताः सर्वे महर्षिसमतेजसः
Blessed, renowned, and life-giving, I will recount it to you, O sinless one; all of them, resplendent with energy, equal in brilliance to great sages.
दश प्राचेतसः पुत्राः सन्तः पुण्यजनाः स्मृताः। मुखजेनाग्निना यैस्ते पूर्वं दग्धा महौजसः
The ten sons of Prachetas, known as virtuous men, were previously burned by the powerful fire that emerged from his mouth.
तेभ्यः प्राचेतसो जज्ञे दक्षो दक्षादिमाः प्रजाः। संभूताः पुरुषव्याघ्र स हि लोकपितामहः
From them was born Daksha, the son of Prachetas, and from Daksha came the progenitors of beings; for he, O tiger among men, is indeed the grandfather of the worlds.