व्यास उवाच यदाख्येयं तदाख्यातं मया भीष्मेण तेऽनघ
Vyasa said: Whatever was to be told, I have related to you through Bhishma, O sinless one.
धर्मज्ञो ह्यसि मेधावी गुणवान्प्रा ज्ञसत्तमः
You are knowledgeable in dharma, intelligent, virtuous, and foremost among the wise.
पार्श्वस्थिते हृषीकेशे केशवे केशिसूदने
With Hrishikesha, Kesava, the slayer of Kesi, standing nearby.
कर्ता पालयिता हर्ता जगतां यो जगन्मयः
He who is the creator, protector, and destroyer of the worlds, who is the essence of the universe.
समादिश्येति कर्तव्यं भगवान्बादरायणः
Thus, whatever must be done should be instructed by the venerable Badarayana.
स्वाभाष्य भारतविधातरि संप्रयाते ते कौतुकाकुलधियो मुनयः प्रशान्ताः 4.1.
When the composer of the Bharata departed after speaking, the sages, their minds filled with curiosity, became tranquil.
ब्रह्माण्डोत्पत्तिवर्णनम् युधिष्ठिर उवाच कस्य प्रतिष्ठा निर्दिष्टा को हेतुः किं परायणम्
Yudhishthira said: Whose foundation is declared, what is the cause, and what is the ultimate goal?
कति द्वीपाः समुद्राश्च कियंतो हि कुलाचलाः
How many continents and oceans are there, and how many mountain ranges?
श्रुतोऽनुभूतश्च मया संसारे सरता चिरम्
I have heard and experienced this while long journeying through the cycle of existence.
अजाय विश्वरूपाय निर्गुणाय गुणात्मने
To the unborn, of universal form, attributeless, yet the essence of all qualities—
अत्र ते वर्णयिष्यामि शृणु पार्थ पुरातनम् पृष्टो यदुत्तरं प्रादादृषिभ्यस्तन्मया श्रुतम्
Here I shall describe to you, O Partha, the ancient account; listen—what answer was given to the sages when asked, that I have heard.
धन्यं यशस्यमायुष्यं सर्वाशुभविनाशनम्
It is auspicious, brings fame, grants longevity, and destroys all misfortune.
एकात्मकं त्रिदैवत्यं चतुःपंचसुलक्षणम्
It is of one essence, threefold in divinity, and marked by four and five distinguishing features.
एक एव जगद्योनिः प्रतियोनिषु संस्थितः
There is but one source of the universe, present in every individual origin.
ब्रह्मा विष्णुर्वृषांकश्च त्रयो देवाः सतां मताः
Brahma, Vishnu, and the Bull-bannered (Shiva)—these three are regarded as gods by the virtuous.
प्रक्रिया चानुषंगश्च उपोद्धातस्तथैव च 4.2.
The process, the sequence, and likewise the introduction—
तर्कश्च प्रतिसर्गश्च वंशो मन्वन्तराणि च
Reasoning, secondary creation, genealogy, and the cycles of Manus—
एष वक्तव्यविषयः सुमहान्प्रतिभाति मे
This subject to be spoken of appears to me exceedingly vast.
महदादिविशेषान्तं सवैरूप्यं सलक्षणम्
From the great principle down to the particular, with all their distinctions and characteristics—
अव्यक्ताज्जायते बुद्धिर्महानिति च सा स्मृता
From the unmanifest arises intellect, which is thus remembered as the great principle.
तन्मात्राणि च पञ्चाहुरहङ्काराच्च सात्त्विकात्
And from the sattvic aspect of ego, they say, arise the five subtle elements.
जलमूर्तिमये विष्णौ नष्टे स्थावरजंगमे
When Vishnu, in the form of water, was lost, all that is stationary and moving perished.
सृष्ट्यां शक्त्या च निर्भिन्नं तदण्डमभवद्द्विधा
By the power of creation, that cosmic egg was split in two.
उल्बं तस्याभवन्मेरुर्जरायुः पर्वताः स्मृताः
From its membrane arose Meru; its amnion is said to be the mountains.
योजनानां सहस्राणि षोडशाधः प्रतिष्ठित भूमिपंकजविस्तीर्णा कर्णिका मेरुरुच्यते
Sixteen thousand yojanas below is established the lotus-earth, spread wide; its pericarp is called Meru.
आदित्यश्चादिदेवत्वात्तत्राभूत्त्रिगुणात्मकः रुद्रोऽपराह्णसमये स एवैकस्त्रिधामतः ।। 4.2.
The Sun, being the primal deity, appeared there, possessed of the three qualities; and Rudra, at the time of afternoon, is that very one, manifest in three forms.
प्रातः प्रजापतेर्जाता मुनयो नव मानवाः भृगुर्वशिष्ठ इत्यष्टौ नारदो नवमः स्मृतः
In the morning, nine sages, the sons of Manu, were born from Prajāpati; eight are named as Bhṛgu and Vasiṣṭha, and Nārada is remembered as the ninth.
नव ब्रह्माण इत्येष पुराणे निश्चयः स्मृतः
These nine are called Brahmās; this is the established conclusion in the Purāṇas.
वामा प्रसूतिरुदगादंगुष्ठात्तौ च दंपती सृष्टिं प्रति समुद्युक्ता नारदेन महात्मना
Vāmā, his wife, was born from his thumb; the two, as husband and wife, were engaged in creation, along with the great-souled Nārada.
दक्षः क्षीणान्सुतान्वीक्ष्य जनयामास कन्यकाः
Seeing his sons diminished, Dakṣa began to produce daughters.