Agni Purana

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.

श्रान्तो निमन्त्रितोऽरण्ये मुनिना जमदग्निना। कामधेनुप्रभावेण भोजितः सबलो नृपः

Weary, he was invited in the forest by the sage Jamadagni. By the power of Kāmadhenu, the king and his army were fed.

अप्रार्थयत् कामधेनुं यदा स न ददौ तदा। हृतवानथ रामेण शिरश्छित्त्वा निपातितः

When he asked for Kāmadhenu and was refused, he seized her. Then Rāma struck off his head and felled him.

युद्धे परशुना राजा धेनुः स्वाश्रममाययौ । कार्त्तवीर्यस्य पुत्रस्तु जमदग्निर्निपातितः

In battle, the king was slain by Rāma with an axe, and the cow returned to her hermitage. But the son of Kārtavīrya killed Jamadagni.

रामे वनं गते वैरादथ रामः समागतः। पितरं निहतं दृष्ट्वा पितृनाशाभिमर्षितः

When Rāma had gone to the forest, out of enmity, Rāma returned. Seeing his father slain, he was seized by the fury of his father’s death.

त्रिः सप्तकृत्वः पृथिवीं निःक्षत्रामकरोद्विभुः। कुरुश्रेत्रे पञ्च कुण्डान् कृत्वा सन्तर्प्य वै पितृन्

The mighty one made the earth devoid of stars three times seven times; having made five sacrificial pits in Kurukshetra, he duly satisfied the ancestors.

काश्यपाय महीं दत्त्वा महेन्द्रे पर्वते स्थितः। कूर्म्मस्य च वराहस्य नृसिंहस्य च वामनम्

Having given the earth to Kashyapa, he remained on Mount Mahendra; and the incarnations of the Tortoise, the Boar, the Man-Lion, and the Dwarf.

अवतारं च रामस्य श्रुत्वा याति दिवं नरः

Hearing also of the descent of Rama, a man attains heaven.

अग्निरुवाच रामायणमहं वक्ष्ये नारदेनोदितं पुरा। वाल्मीकये यथा तद्वत् पठितं भुक्तिमुक्तिदम्

Agni said: I shall relate the Ramayana, as formerly told by Narada, and as recited by Valmiki, which bestows both enjoyment and liberation.

नारद उवाच विष्णुनाभ्यव्जजो ब्रह्मा मरीचिर्ब्रह्मणः सुतः। मरीचेः कश्यपस्तस्मात् सूर्यो वैवस्वतो मनुः

Narada said: From Vishnu was born Brahma; Marichi was the son of Brahma; from Marichi came Kashyapa, from him the Sun, and from the Sun, Manu the son of Vivasvat.

ततस्तस्मात्तथेक्ष्वाकुस्तस्य वंशे ककुत्स्थकः। ककुत्स्थस्य रघुस्तस्मादजो दशरथस्ततः

Then from him, likewise, was Ikshvaku; in his line was Kakutstha; from Kakutstha came Raghu, from him Aja, and then Dasharatha.