व्यासवाक्यं च ते सर्वे श्रुत्वार्जुनसमीरितम् राज्ये परीक्षितं कृत्वा ययुः पाण्डुसुता वनम्
All of them, having heard Vyāsa's words as conveyed by Arjuna, installed Parīkṣit in the kingdom and the sons of Pāṇḍu went to the forest.
इत्य् एवं वो मुनिश्रेष्ठा विस्तरेण मयोदितम् जातस्य च यदोर् वंशे वासुदेवस्य चेष्टितम्
Thus, O best of sages, I have told you in detail the deeds of Vāsudeva and the events in the race of Yadu.
अहो कृष्णस्य माहात्म्यम् अद्भुतं चातिमानुषम् रामस्य च मुनिश्रेष्ठ त्वयोक्तं भुवि दुर्लभम्
Ah, the greatness of Kṛṣṇa is wondrous and beyond human; and so too, O best of sages, is that of Rāma, as you have told, rare upon earth.
न तृप्तिम् अधिगच्छामः शृण्वन्तो भगवत्कथाम् तस्माद् ब्रूहि महाभाग भूयो देवस्य चेष्टितम्
We do not grow satisfied listening to the stories of the Blessed Lord; therefore, O greatly fortunate one, tell again the deeds of the god.
प्रादुर्भावः पुराणेषु विष्णोर् अमिततेजसः सतां कथयताम् एव वराह इति नः श्रुतम्
We have heard, as told in the Purāṇas by the virtuous, of the appearance of Viṣṇu of immeasurable splendor as Varāha.
न जानीमो ऽस्य चरितं न विधिं न च विस्तरम् न कर्मगुणसद्भावं न हेतुत्वमनीषितम्
We do not know his story, nor his nature, nor its extent; not his actions, qualities, true being, nor the purpose conceived by him.
किमात्मको वराहो ऽसौ का मूर्तिः का च देवता किमाचारप्रभावो वा किं वा तेन तदा कृतम्
What is the nature of that Varāha? What is his form, and which deity is he? What conduct or influence did he have, and what did he do then?
यज्ञार्थे समवेतानां मिषतां च द्विजन्मनाम् महावराहचरितं सर्वलोकसुखावहम्
For the sake of sacrifice, as the twice-born assembled and watched, tell the great story of the Boar, which brings happiness to all worlds.
यथा नारायणो ब्रह्मन् वाराहं रूपम् आस्थितः दंष्ट्रया गां समुद्रस्थाम् उज्जहारारिमर्दनः
O Brahman, just as Narayana assumed the form of a boar and, with his tusk, lifted the earth from the ocean, crushing his enemy.
विस्तरेणैव कर्माणि सर्वाणि रिपुघातिनः श्रोतुं नो वर्तते बुद्धिर् हरेः कृष्णस्य धीमतः
The mind does not suffice to hear in detail all the deeds of Hari, Krishna, the wise destroyer of foes.
कर्मणाम् आनुपूर्व्या च प्रादुर्भावाश् च ये विभो या वास्य प्रकृतिर् ब्रह्मंस् ताश् चाख्यातुं त्वम् अर्हसि
O Brahman, you should recount the successive deeds and manifestations of the Lord, as well as his nature.
प्रश्नभारो महान् एष भवद्भिः समुदाहृतः यथाशक्त्या तु वक्ष्यामि श्रूयतां वैष्णवं यशः
This question you have raised is weighty; I will speak as best I can. Listen to the glory of Vishnu.
विष्णोः प्रभावश्रवणे दिष्ट्या वो मतिर् उत्थिता तस्माद् विष्णोः समस्ता वै शृणुध्वं याः प्रवृत्तयः
By fortune your minds have arisen to hear of Vishnu's power; therefore, listen to all the activities of Vishnu.
सहस्रास्यं सहस्राक्षं सहस्रचरणं च यम् सहस्रशिरसं देवं सहस्रकरम् अव्ययम्
The imperishable God whom they praise has a thousand faces, a thousand eyes, a thousand feet, a thousand heads, and a thousand hands.
सहस्रजिह्वं भास्वन्तं सहस्रमुकुटं प्रभुम् सहस्रदं सहस्रादिं सहस्रभुजम् अव्ययम्
He is the radiant Lord with a thousand tongues, a thousand crowns, a thousand gifts, a thousand beginnings, and a thousand arms, imperishable.
हवनं सवनं चैव होतारं हव्यम् एव च पात्राणि च पवित्राणि वेदिं दीक्षां समित् स्रुवम्
He is the offering, the libation, the priest, the oblation itself, the vessels, the purifiers, the altar, the consecration, the fuel, and the ladle.
स्रुक्सोमसूर्यमुशलं प्रोक्षणीं दक्षिणायनम् अध्वर्युं सामगं विप्रं सदस्यं सदनं सदः
He is the ladle, the soma, the sun, the pestle, the sprinkling vessel, the southern path, the sacrificer, the singer of Sama, the priest, the member, the seat, and the assembly.
यूपं चक्रं ध्रुवां दर्वीं चरूंश् चोलूखलानि च प्राग्वंशं यज्ञभूमिं च होतारं च परं च यत्
He is the sacrificial post, the wheel, the fixed place, the spoon, the offering dish, the mortar, the eastern enclosure, the sacrificial ground, the chief priest, and whatever else there is.
ह्रस्वाण्य् अतिप्रमाणानि स्थावराणि चराणि च प्रायश्चित्तानि वार्घ्यं च स्थण्डिलानि कुशास् तथा
He is the small and exceedingly large things, the immobile and mobile, the expiations, the arghya, the platforms, and the kusa grass as well.
मन्त्रयज्ञवहं वह्निं भागं भागवहं च यत् अग्रासिनं सोमभुजं हुतार्चिषम् उदायुधम्
He is the fire that carries the mantras and sacrifices, the portion, the bearer of the portion, the one who eats first, the drinker of soma, the flame of the offering, and the weapon raised.
आहुर् वेदविदो विप्रा यं यज्ञे शाश्वतं प्रभुम् तस्य विष्णोः सुरेशस्य श्रीवत्साङ्कस्य धीमतः
The knowers of the Vedas, the Brahmins, declare that the eternal Lord in the sacrifice is Vishnu, the wise ruler of the gods, marked with Srivatsa.
प्रादुर्भावसहस्राणि समतीतान्य् अनेकशः भूयश् चैव भविष्यन्ति ह्य् एवम् आह पितामहः
Thousands of manifestations have passed in many ways, and many more will occur; so says the grandsire.
यत् पृच्छध्वं महाभागा दिव्यां पुण्याम् इमां कथाम् प्रादुर्भावाश्रितां विष्णोः सर्वपापहरां शिवाम्
O blessed ones, you ask about this divine and holy tale, based on Vishnu's manifestations, which removes all sins and brings auspiciousness.
शृणुध्वं तां महाभागास् तद्गतेनान्तरात्मना प्रवक्ष्याम्य् आनुपूर्व्येण यत् पृच्छध्वं ममानघाः
O blessed ones, listen to it with your inner self absorbed in him; I will recount in order what you have asked, O sinless ones.
वासुदेवस्य माहात्म्यं चरितं च महामतेः हितार्थं सुरमर्त्यानां लोकानां प्रभवाय च
The greatness and deeds of Vasudeva, the wise one, are for the benefit of gods and mortals and for the prosperity of the worlds.
बहुशः सर्वभूतात्मा प्रादुर्भवति वीर्यवान् प्रादुर्भावांश् च वक्ष्यामि पुण्यान् दिव्यान् गुणान्वितान्
The soul of all beings, powerful, manifests repeatedly; I will recount the manifestations, holy, divine, and endowed with virtues.
सुप्तो युगसहस्रं यः प्रादुर्भवति कार्यतः पूर्णे युगसहस्रे ऽथ देवदेवो जगत्पतिः
He who, after sleeping for a thousand ages, arises for action—when a thousand ages are complete, then the God of gods, the Lord of the universe, manifests.
ब्रह्मा च कपिलश् चैव त्र्यम्बकस् त्रिदशास् तथा देवाः सप्तर्षयश् चैव नागाश् चाप्सरसस् तथा
Brahmā, Kapila, Tryambaka, the thirty gods, the seven sages, the serpents, and the celestial nymphs—all these also appear.
सनत्कुमारश् च महानुभावो मनुर् महात्मा भगवान् प्रजाकरः पुराणदेवो ऽथ पुराणि चक्रे प्रदीप्तवैश्वानरतुल्यतेजाः
Sanatkumāra, the great-souled one, Manu, the illustrious progenitor, the ancient god—he, blazing with the radiance of fire, then created the ancient things.
यो ऽसौ चार्णवमध्यस्थो नष्टे स्थावरजङ्गमे नष्टे देवासुरनरे प्रनष्टोरगराक्षसे
He who abides in the midst of the cosmic ocean, when all that is stationary and moving is lost, when gods, demons, humans, serpents, and rākṣasas have perished—