ततः सोमस्य वचनाज् जगृहुस् ते प्रचेतसः संहृत्य कोपं वृक्षेभ्यः पत्नीं धर्मेण मारिषाम्
Then, at Soma’s words, the Pracetas withdrew their anger from the trees and, in accordance with righteousness, accepted Māriṣā as their wife.
दशभ्यस् तु प्रचेतोभ्यो मारिषायां प्रजापतिः दक्षो जज्ञे महातेजाः सोमस्यांशेन भो द्विजाः
From Māriṣā and the ten Pracetas was born the mighty Dakṣa, a lord of creatures, endowed with great energy and a portion of Soma, O twice-born ones.
अचरांश् च चरांश् चैव द्विपदो ऽथ चतुष्पदः स सृष्ट्वा मनसा दक्षः पश्चाद् असृजत स्त्रियः
Dakṣa then created both the immobile and mobile beings, bipeds and quadrupeds, by his mind; afterwards, he created women.
ददौ दश स धर्माय कश्यपाय त्रयोदश शिष्टाः सोमाय राज्ञे च नक्षत्राख्या ददौ प्रभुः
He gave ten daughters to Dharma, thirteen to Kaśyapa, and the rest to Soma; to the king he gave those known as the Nakṣatras.
तासु देवाः खगा गावो नागा दितिजदानवाः गन्धर्वाप्सरसश् चैव जज्ञिरे ऽन्याश् च जातयः
From them were born the gods, birds, cows, serpents, Dānavas and Daityas, as well as Gandharvas, Apsarases, and other kinds of beings.
ततः प्रभृति विप्रेन्द्राः प्रजा मैथुनसंभवाः संकल्पाद् दर्शनात् स्पर्शात् पूर्वेषां प्रोच्यते प्रजा
From that time onward, O best of the twice-born, creatures have been born from sexual union; previously, it is said, beings arose from will, sight, and touch.
देवानां दानवानां च गन्धर्वोरगरक्षसाम् संभवस् तु श्रुतो ऽस्माभिर् दक्षस्य च महात्मनः
We have heard of the origin of the gods, Dānavas, Gandharvas, serpents, and Rākṣasas, as well as of the great-souled Dakṣa.
अङ्गुष्ठाद् ब्रह्मणो जज्ञे दक्षः किल शुभव्रतः वामाङ्गुष्ठात् तथा चैवं तस्य पत्नी व्यजायत
Dakṣa, of auspicious vows, was born from Brahmā’s thumb, it is said; likewise, his wife was born from Brahmā’s left thumb.
कथं प्राचेतसत्वं स पुनर् लेभे महातपाः एतं नः संशयं सूत व्याख्यातुं त्वम् इहार्हसि दौहित्रश् चैव सोमस्य कथं श्वशुरतां गतः
How did that great ascetic regain the state of Prācetasa? Sūta, please explain this doubt of ours here. And how did the grandson of Soma become his father-in-law?
उत्पत्तिश् च निरोधश् च नित्यं भूतेषु भो द्विजाः ऋषयो ऽत्र न मुह्यन्ति विद्यावन्तश् च ये जनाः
O twice-born ones, the origin and dissolution of beings is eternal. The sages and those who possess knowledge do not become confused by this.
युगे युगे भवन्त्य् एते पुनर् दक्षादयो नृपाः पुनश् चैव निरुध्यन्ते विद्वांस् तत्र न मुह्यति
In every age, these rulers like Dakṣa arise again, and again they are dissolved. The wise are not bewildered by this.
ज्यैष्ठ्यं कानिष्ठम् अप्य् एषां पूर्वं नासीद् द्विजोत्तमाः तप एव गरीयो ऽभूत् प्रभावश् चैव कारणम्
Among them, O best of the twice-born, there was neither seniority nor juniority before; austerity alone was esteemed, and its power was the cause.
इमां विसृष्टिं दक्षस्य यो विद्यात् सचराचराम् प्रजावान् आयुर् उत्तीर्णः स्वर्गलोके महीयते
Whoever knows this creation of Dakṣa, with its moving and unmoving beings, is blessed with offspring, long life, and is honored in the heavenly world.
देवानां दानवानां च गन्धर्वोरगरक्षसाम् उत्पत्तिं विस्तरेणैव लोमहर्षण कीर्तय
O Lomaharṣaṇa, recount in detail the origin of the gods, the demons, the gandharvas, serpents, and rākṣasas.
प्रजाः सृजेति व्यादिष्टः पूर्वं दक्षः स्वयंभुवा यथा ससर्ज भूतानि तथा शृणुत भो द्विजाः
Dakṣa, commanded by Svayambhū, formerly created beings. Listen, O twice-born ones, to how he produced the creatures.
मानसान्य् एव भूतानि पूर्वम् एवासृजत् प्रभुः ऋषीन् देवान् सगन्धर्वान् असुरान् यक्षराक्षसान्
At first, the Lord created beings only by mind: sages, gods, gandharvas, asuras, yakṣas, and rākṣasas.
यदास्य मानसी विप्रा न व्यवर्धत वै प्रजा तदा संचिन्त्य धर्मात्मा प्रजाहेतोः प्रजापतिः
When those mind-born beings did not increase, then, reflecting for the sake of progeny, the righteous Prajāpati considered.
स मैथुनेन धर्मेण सिसृक्षुर् विविधाः प्रजाः असिक्नीम् आवहत् पत्नीं वीरणस्य प्रजापतेः
Desiring to create various beings by lawful union, he took Asikni, the wife of Vīraṇa, Prajāpati.
सुतां सुतपसा युक्तां महतीं लोकधारिणीम् अथ पुत्रसहस्राणि वैरण्यां पञ्च वीर्यवान्
Then, endowed with great austerity and sustaining the worlds, she bore thousands of sons in Vairaṇī, all powerful.
असिक्न्यां जनयाम् आस दक्ष एव प्रजापतिः तांस् तु दृष्ट्वा महाभागान् संविवर्धयिषून् प्रजाः
Dakṣa Prajāpati himself begot them in Asikni. Seeing those greatly fortunate ones, eager to increase progeny,
देवर्षिः प्रियसंवादो नारदः प्राब्रवीद् इदम् नाशाय वचनं तेषां शापायैवात्मनस् तथा
The divine sage Nārada, fond of conversation, spoke to them words intended for their destruction and for his own curse.
यं कश्यपः सुतवरं परमेष्ठी व्यजीजनत् दक्षस्य वै दुहितरि दक्षशापभयान् मुनिः
Kaśyapa, the supreme lord, begot a distinguished son in Dakṣa's daughter, the sage fearing Dakṣa's curse.
पूर्वं स हि समुत्पन्नो नारदः परमेष्ठिनः असिक्न्याम् अथ वैरण्यां भूयो देवर्षिसत्तमः
Formerly, Nārada was born from Parameṣṭhin. Then, again, the best of divine sages was born in Asikni, in Vairaṇī.
तं भूयो जनयाम् आस पितेव मुनिपुंगवम् तेन दक्षस्य वै पुत्रा हर्यश्वा इति विश्रुताः
He was again begotten, like a father, as the foremost among sages. By him, Dakṣa's sons became known as the Haryaśvas.
निर्मथ्य नाशिताः सर्वे विधिना च न संशयः तस्योद्यतस् तदा दक्षो नाशायामितविक्रमः
All were destroyed and annihilated by him, without doubt and by proper means. Then Dakṣa, resolute, undertook their destruction.
ब्रह्मर्षीन् पुरतः कृत्वा याचितः परमेष्ठिना ततो ऽभिसंधिश् चक्रे वै दक्षस्य परमेष्ठिना
Having placed the Brahmarṣis before him, and requested by Parameṣṭhin, Dakṣa then made an agreement with Parameṣṭhin.
कन्यायां नारदो मह्यं तव पुत्रो भवेद् इति ततो दक्षः सुतां प्रादात् प्रियां वै परमेष्ठिने स तस्यां नारदो जज्ञे भूयः शापभयाद् ऋषिः
Narada was born to me through your beloved daughter, whom Daksha gave to the supreme lord at my request, out of fear of a curse.
कथं प्रणाशिताः पुत्रा नारदेन महर्षिणा प्रजापतेः सूतवर्य श्रोतुम् इच्छाम तत्त्वतः
We wish to hear in truth, O best of sages, how the sons of Prajapati were destroyed by the great sage Narada.
दक्षस्य पुत्रा हर्यश्वा विवर्धयिषवः प्रजाः समागता महावीर्या नारदस् तान् उवाच ह
The sons of Daksha, the Haryashvas, eager to increase creation, assembled together, powerful as they were; Narada then spoke to them.
बालिशा बत यूयं वै नास्या जानीत वै भुवः प्रमाणं स्रष्टुकामा वै प्रजाः प्राचेतसात्मजाः
Alas, you are indeed childish, O sons of Prachetas, desiring to create beings without knowing the true measure of this earth.