Agni Purana

आसीदतीतकल्पान्ते ब्राह्मो नैमित्तिको लयः । समुद्रोपप्लुतास्तत्र लोका भूरादिका मुने

At the end of the previous kalpa, there was a Brahmic, occasional dissolution. At that time, O sage, the worlds beginning with Bhur were flooded by the ocean.

मनुर्वैवस्वतस्तेपे तपो वै भुक्तिमुक्तये। एकदा कृतमालायां कुर्वतो जलतर्पणम्

Manu, son of Vivasvat, performed austerities for enjoyment and liberation. Once, while offering water in the Kritamala river,

तस्याञ्चल्युदके मत्स्यः स्वल्प एकोऽभ्यपद्यत। क्षेप्तुकामं जले प्राह न मां क्षिप नरोत्तम

A small fish appeared alone in the water he held in his hands. As he was about to throw it back into the water, it spoke: 'Do not cast me away, O best of men.'

ग्राहादिभ्यो भयं मेऽद्यतच्छ्रुत्वा कलशेऽक्षिपत्। स तु वृद्धः पुनर्मत्स्यः प्राह तं देहि मे बृहत्

'I am afraid today of creatures like alligators.' Hearing this, he placed it in a pot. But the fish grew and again said to him, 'Give me a larger place.'

स्थानमेतद्वचः श्रुत्वा राजाऽथोदञ्चनेऽक्षिपत्। तत्र वृद्धोऽब्रवीद् भूपं पृथु देहि पदं मनो

Hearing these words, the king placed it in a water jar. There, as it grew, it said to the king, 'Give me a broader space, O king.'

सरोवरे पुनः क्षिप्तो ववृधे तत्प्रमाणवान् । ऊचे देहि बृहत् स्थानप्राक्षिपच्चाम्बुधौ ततः

Again placed in a lake, it grew to the size of that place. It said, 'Give me a greater space,' so he placed it in the ocean.

लक्षयोजनविस्तीर्णः क्षणमात्रेण सोऽभवत्। मत्स्यं तमद्‌भुतं दृष्ट्वा विस्मितः प्राव्रवीन्‌ मनुः

In a moment, it became as vast as a hundred thousand yojanas. Seeing that wondrous fish, Manu, astonished, spoke:

को भवान्ननु वै विष्णुः नारायण नमोऽस्तुते। मायया मोहयसि मां किमर्थं त्वं जनार्दन

'Who are you? Surely, you are Vishnu, O Narayana, I bow to you. Why do you bewilder me with your maya, O Janardana?'

मनुनोक्तोऽब्रवीन्मत्स्यो मनुं वै पालने रतम्। अवतीर्णो भवायास्य जगतो दुष्टनष्टये

Addressed by Manu, the fish spoke to Manu, who was devoted to protection: 'I have descended for the welfare of this world, to destroy the wicked.'

सप्तमे दिवसे त्वव्धिः प्लावयिप्यति वै जगत् । उपस्थितायां नावि त्वं बीजादीनि विधाय च

'On the seventh day, the ocean will flood the world. When the boat arrives, you should gather seeds and so forth.'

सप्तर्षिभिः परिवृतो निशां ब्राह्मीं चरिष्यसि। उपस्थितस्य मे श्रृङ्गे निबध्नीहि महाहिना

'Surrounded by the seven sages, you will traverse the Brahmic night. When I arrive, tie the boat to my horn with a great serpent.'

इत्युक्त्वान्तर्दृधे मत्स्यो मनुः कालप्रतीक्षकः । स्थितः समुद्र उद्वेले नावमारुरुहे तदा

Having spoken thus, the fish disappeared, and Manu waited for the appointed time. When the ocean swelled, he boarded the boat.

एकश्रृङ्गधरो मत्स्यो हैमो नियुतयोजनः। नालम्बबन्ध तच्छृङ्गे मत्स्याख्यं च पुराणकम्

The fish, bearing a single horn, golden, and measuring millions of yojanas, had a rope tied to its horn. It was called the Matsya Purana.

शुश्राव मत्स्यात्पापघ्नं संस्तुवन् स्तुतिभिश्च तम् । ब्रह्मवेदप्रहर्त्तारं हयग्रीवञ्च दानवम्

He heard from the fish, who destroys sin, while praising him with hymns, about Hayagriva, the demon who had stolen the Vedas.

अवधीद् वेदमन्त्नाद्यान् पालयामास केशवः। प्राप्ते कल्पेऽथ बाराहे कूर्म्मरूपोऽभवद्धरिः

Keśava killed the demon who had taken the Vedas and protected them. When the new kalpa arrived, Hari took the form of a boar and then a tortoise.

अग्निरुवाच अवतारं वराहस्य वक्ष्येऽहं पापनाशनम् । हिरण्याक्षोऽसुरेशोऽभूद् देवान् जित्वा दिवि स्थितः

Agni said: I will recount the descent of the Boar, which destroys sin. Hiraṇyākṣa, lord of the asuras, after conquering the gods, stood in heaven.

देवैर्गत्वा स्तुतो विष्णुर्यज्ञरूपो वराहकः । अभूत् तं दानवं हत्वा दैत्यैः साकञ्च कण्टकम्

Having gone to him, the gods praised Viṣṇu, who took the form of the Boar as the embodiment of sacrifice. He killed that demon, along with the thorn of the daityas.

धर्मदेवादिरक्षाकृतं ततः सोऽन्तर्द्दधे हरिः। हिरण्याक्षस्य वै भ्राता हिरण्यकशिपुस्तथा

Having protected Dharma and the other gods, Hari then disappeared. The brother of Hiraṇyākṣa was Hiraṇyakaśipu.

जितदेवयज्ञभागः सर्वदेवाधिकारकृत्। नारसिंहवपुः कृत्वा तं जघान सुरैः सह

He seized the gods’ share of sacrifices and assumed authority over all the gods. Taking the form of Narasiṃha, he slew him together with the gods.

स्वपदस्थान् सुरांश्चक्रे नारसिंहः सुरैः स्तुतः। देवासुरे पुरा युद्धे बलिप्रभृतिभिः सुराः

Narasiṃha, praised by the gods, restored the gods to their own positions. In the ancient war between gods and asuras, the gods were defeated by Bali and others.

जिताः स्वर्गात्परिभ्रप्टा हरिं वै शरणं गताः। सुराणाममयं दत्त्वा अदित्या कश्यपेन च

Defeated, cast down from heaven, the gods sought refuge in Hari. For the sake of the gods, Aditi and Kaśyapa gave him a body free from illusion.

स्तुतोऽसौ वामनो भूत्वा ह्यदित्यां स क्रतुं ययौ। बलेः श्रीयजमानस्य, राजद्वारेऽगृणात् श्रुतिम्

Praised by them, he became Vāmana and went to Aditi’s sacrifice. At the gate of King Bali, the sacrificer, he recited the Vedic hymns.

वेदान् पठन्तं तं श्रुत्वा वामनं वरदोऽब्रवीत्। निवारितोऽपि शुक्रेण बलिर्ब्रूहि यदिच्छसि

Hearing Vāmana reciting the Vedas, Bali, the granter of boons, spoke: Though forbidden by Śukra, Bali said, 'Speak what you desire.'

त्तत्तेऽहं सम्प्रदास्यामि,वामनो बलिमब्रवीत्। पदत्रयं हि गुर्वर्थं देहि दास्ये तमब्रवीत्

Vāmana said to Bali, 'I will surely grant you whatever you ask. For the sake of my teacher, give me three steps of land.' He replied, 'I will give it.'

तोये तु पतिते हस्ते वामनोऽभूदवामनः। भूर्लोकं स भुवर्लोकं स्वर्लेकञ्च पदत्रयम्

When water was poured into his hand, Vāmana ceased to be small. With three steps he took the earth, the mid-region, and heaven.

चक्रे बलिञ्च सुतलं तच्छक्राय ददौ हरिः। शक्रो देवैर्हरिं स्तुत्वा भुवनेशः सुखीं त्वभूत्

He consigned Bali to Sutala and gave that realm to Indra. Indra, having praised Hari with the gods, became the happy lord of the worlds.

वक्ष्ये परशुरामस्य चावतारं श्रृणु द्विज। उद्वतान् क्षत्रियान् मत्वा भूभारहाणाय सः

I will recount the descent of Paraśurāma; listen, O twice-born. Seeing the kṣatriyas grown arrogant, he came down to lighten the burden of the earth.

अवतीर्णो हरिः शान्त्यै देवविप्रादिपालकः। जमदग्ने रेणुकायां भार्गवः शस्त्रपारगः

Hari descended for peace, as the protector of gods, brahmins, and others. He was born as Bhārgava, son of Jamadagni and Reṇukā, skilled in weapons.

दत्तात्रेयप्रसादेन कार्त्तवीर्यो नृपस्त्वभूत्। सहस्त्रबाहुः सर्वोर्वीपतिः स मृगयां गतः

By the grace of Dattātreya, Kārtavīrya became king, with a thousand arms, lord of all the earth. He went hunting.