अष्टाशीति सहस्राणां मुनीनामूर्ध्वरेतसाम्
For the eighty-eight thousand sages who are celibate,
सप्तर्षीणां तु यत्स्थानं श्रुतं तद्वै वनौकसाम्
The place of the seven seers is said to be that of the forest-dwellers.
यतीनां यतचित्तानां तदेव वनवासिनाम्
For ascetics whose minds are restrained, that is indeed the place of those who dwell in the forest.
योगिनाममृतं स्थानं व्योमाख्यं परमाकरम्
For yogis, the place of immortality is the supreme abode called the sky.
सृष्टिवर्णनम् वक्ष्ये कल्पानुसारेण मन्वतरशतानुगम्
I shall describe creation in accordance with the cycles of time, following the hundreds of Manvantaras.
आसीत्तमोमयं सर्वमप्रज्ञातमलक्षणम्
All was composed of darkness, unmanifest, without discernible characteristics.
आत्मना स्वयमात्मानं सञ्चित्य भगवान्विभुः
The Lord, the all-pervading one, having gathered Himself by His own power, manifested Himself.
अहंकारात्प्रजानाति महाभूतानि पञ्च च
From ego, He produces the living beings and the five great elements.
शब्दः स्पर्शश्च रूपं च रसो गंधस्तथैव च
Sound, touch, form, taste, and likewise smell.
सत्त्वं रजस्तमश्चैव गुणाः प्रोक्तास्तु ते त्रयः
Sattva, rajas, and tamas—these three are declared to be the qualities.
ब्रह्मविष्णुमोहनार्थं ततः शंभुस्तु तेजसा
Then, for the purpose of deluding Brahma and Vishnu, Shambhu, by his radiance,
व्यामोहयित्वा तत्सर्वं तेजसाऽमोहयज्जगत्
Having bewildered all that by his energy, he caused the world to be deluded.
ब्रह्मा विष्णुश्च द्वावेतावुद्भूतौ भगवत्सुतौ
Brahma and Vishnu, these two, arose as the blessed sons of the Lord.
उपसंहरते चैव नानाभूतानि सर्वशः 2.1.2.
He withdraws all the various beings entirely.
चतुर्दश तु तान्येवं कल्प इत्यभिधीयते
These fourteen are thus called a Kalpa.
एवं मासश्च वर्षश्च तथा चाष्टशतं द्विजाः
In this way, the month and the year, and likewise eight hundred, O twice-born ones.
ब्रह्मादिस्तंबपर्यंतं निमेषश्च ध्रुवस्य वै
From Brahma down to the pillar, and the moment of Dhruva as well.
भूर्लोकोऽथ भुवर्लोकः स्वर्लोकश्च प्रकीर्तितः
The Bhūrloka, then the Bhuvarloka, and the Svargaloka are proclaimed.
पातालं वितलं तद्धि अतलं तलमेव च
Pātāla, Vitala, and likewise Atala and Tala.
एतेषु सप्तविख्याता अधःपातालवासिनः
Among these, seven are renowned as the dwellings beneath Pātāla.
ग्रसते जायते लोकान्क्रीडार्थं तु महेश्वरः
Maheshvara devours and creates worlds for the sake of play.
पृथिवीं चांतरिक्षं च दिशश्च विदिशस्तथा
The earth, the atmosphere, and the directions, as well as the intermediate directions.
समुद्राणां च विस्तारं प्रमाणं च ततः शृणु
Now hear about the expanse and measurement of the oceans.
चतुष्पदानां द्विपदां तथा धर्मैकभाषिणाम् 2.1.2.
And likewise, about the four-footed creatures, the two-footed beings, and those who speak only of righteousness.
सहस्रगुणशीलाश्च इत्याह भगवान्मुनिः
The Blessed Sage declares that their virtues are a thousandfold.
तस्या ब्रह्मा प्रकृत्यास्तु उत्पन्नः सह विष्णुना
From her, by nature, Brahmā was born together with Viṣṇu.
तस्मात्स्वयंभुवो ब्रह्मा ब्राह्मणान्समकल्पयत्
From him, Svayambhuva Brahmā created the Brāhmaṇas.
चतुर्थ पादहीनांश्च आचारेषु बहिष्कृतान्
And those lacking the fourth foot were excluded from the practices.
लोकालोकस्य संस्था च द्वीपानामुदधेस्तथा
The arrangement of Lokāloka, and likewise of the continents and the ocean.
मेघस्तनितनिर्घोषरोहितेंद्रधनूंषि च
The sounds of thunderclouds, the rainbow in the sky as well.