तस्माद्यूयं मुनिश्रेष्ठा ज्ञात्वा संध्यां समागताम्
Therefore, O best of sages, knowing that the twilight has arrived—
स्नात्वा केदारकुण्डे ते मनसा पूजयञ्छिवम्
After bathing in the Kedara pond, they worshipped Shiva in their minds.
समाधिनिष्ठास्ते सर्वे वर्षमेकं व्यतीतयन्
All of them, absorbed in meditation, spent one year there.
एतस्मिन्नंतरे राजा विक्रमादित्यभूपतिः
Meanwhile, King Vikramaditya ruled.
उषित्वा ते तु मुनयः सूतं गत्वाऽब्रुवन्निदम्
After staying there, the sages went to Sūta and spoke these words.
वाजिमेधं च नृपतेः कारयामस्त्वदाज्ञया
By your command, let us conduct the horse sacrifice for the king.
तथेत्युक्त्वा तु सूतस्तैः सार्धं च पुनरागमत्
Sūta, having agreed, returned together with them.
पूर्वे तु कपिलस्थानं दक्षिणे सेतुबन्धनम्
First to Kapila's place, then south to Setubandha.
हयो जगाम तरसा ततः क्षिप्रां नदीं गतः
The horse swiftly went there and reached the Kshipra river.
नृपयज्ञे सुराः सर्वे सपत्नीकाः समागताः
At the king's sacrifice, all the gods assembled with their wives.
यज्ञांते विविधं दानं दत्त्वा वैतालसंयुतः 3.2.23.१
At the end of the sacrifice, after giving various gifts, accompanied by Vaitāla—
भोभो राजन्महाभाग कलौ प्राप्ते भयंकरे
O king, greatly fortunate one, when the dreadful Kali age arrives—
दत्त्वा सुधामयं तोयं चंद्रश्चान्तर्दधे पुनः
Having given nectar-like water, the Moon vanished once again.
दत्तं राज्ञा तदमृतं शक्रः स्वर्गमुमुपागतः
Having received that nectar from the king, Indra returned to heaven.
तस्मिन्काले द्विजः कश्चिज्जयन्तो नाम विश्रुतः
At that time, there was a certain Brahmin named Jayanta, renowned.
जयन्तो भर्तृहरये लक्षस्वर्णेन वर्णयन्
Jayanta, praising Bhartṛhari, described him with a hundred thousand gold coins.
विक्रमादित्य एवास्य राज्यमकंटकम्
Vikramaditya alone held his kingdom without affliction.
शौनकाद्यास्तु ऋषयो ज्ञात्वा भूपस्य स्वर्गतिम्
The sages headed by Śaunaka, knowing the king's attainment of heaven,
तेभ्यः सूतः पुराणानि श्रावयामास वै पुनः ते श्रुत्वा मुनयः सर्वे जग्मुर्हृष्टाः स्वमालयम्
To them, the bard again recited the Purāṇas; having heard, all the sages joyfully returned to their own hermitages.
इति श्रीभविष्ये महापुराणे प्रतिसर्गं पर्वणि चतुर्युगखण्डापरपर्याये कलियुगीयेतिहाससमुच्चये त्रयोविंशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the twenty-third chapter in the section of the Kali Age history, in the cycle of the four ages, within the Pratisarga Parva of the glorious Bhaviṣya Mahāpurāṇa.
पृच्छन्ति विनयेनैव सूतं पौराणिकं खलु
They respectfully question the bard, the reciter of the Purāṇas.
भगवन्ब्रूहि लोकानां हितार्थाय चतुर्युगे
O revered one, speak for the welfare of the worlds in the four ages.
विनायासेन वै कामं प्राप्नुयुर्मानवाः शुभम्
May humans attain auspiciousness without exertion, as they desire.
जगत्त्राणहेतुं रिपौ धूम्रकेतुं सदा सत्यनारायणं स्तौमि देवम्
For the protection of the world, against the enemy Dhūmraketu, I always praise the god Satyanārāyaṇa.
श्रीरामं सहलक्ष्मणं सकरुणं सीतान्वितं सात्त्विकं वैदेहीमुखपद्मलुब्धमधुपं पौलस्त्यसंहारकम्
I praise Śrī Rāma, together with Lakṣmaṇa, compassionate, accompanied by Sītā, pure, the bee attracted to the lotus-face of Vaidehī, destroyer of the Paulastya.
कलिकलुषविनाशं कामसिद्धिप्रकाशं सुरवरमुखभासं भूसुरेण प्रकाशम्
Destroyer of the impurity of Kali, manifestor of the fulfillment of desires, shining among the foremost of gods, radiant through the Brahmin.
एकदा नारदो योगी परानुग्रहवांच्छया
Once, Nārada the yogi, desiring to bestow supreme grace,
तत्र दृष्ट्वा जनान्सर्वान्नानाक्लेशसमन्वितान्
There, seeing all people afflicted with various sufferings,
केनोपायेन चैतेषां दुःखनाशो भवेद्ध्रुवम्
By what means could the destruction of their suffering surely occur?
तत्र नारायणं देवं शुक्लवर्णं चतुर्भुजम् 3.2.24.
There, the god Nārāyaṇa appeared, white in color, four-armed.