नमो ऽस्तु ते व्यास विशालबुद्धे फुल्लारविन्दायतपत्त्रनेत्र येन त्वया भारततैलपूर्णः प्रज्वालितो ज्ञानमयः प्रदीपः
Homage to you, Vyasa, of vast intellect, whose eyes are like the petals of a fully-bloomed lotus; by whom the lamp of knowledge, filled with the oil of the Bharata, has been kindled.
अज्ञानतिमिरान्धानां भ्रामितानां कुदृष्टिभिः ज्ञानाञ्जनशलाकेन त्वया चोन्मीलिता दृशः
For those blinded by the darkness of ignorance, whose vision is confused, by you their eyes have been opened with the collyrium-stick of knowledge.
एवम् उक्त्वा समभ्यर्च्य व्यासं ते चैव पूजिताः जग्मुर् यथागतं सर्वे कृतकृत्याः स्वम् आश्रमम्
Having spoken thus and having duly worshipped Vyasa, they, having been honored, all departed to their own hermitages, their tasks accomplished.
तथा मया मुनिश्रेष्ठा कथितं हि सनातनम् पुराणं सुमहापुण्यं सर्वपापप्रणाशनम्
Thus, O best of sages, I have recounted the ancient Purana, supremely meritorious and the destroyer of all sins.
यथा भवद्भिः पृष्टो ऽहं संप्रश्नं द्विजसत्तमाः व्यासप्रसादात् तत् सर्वं मया संपरिकीर्तितम्
As you all, O best of twice-born, questioned me, by Vyasa's grace I have narrated all of this in full.
इदं गृहस्थैः श्रोतव्यं यतिभिर् ब्रह्मचारिभिः धनसौख्यप्रदं नॄणां पवित्रं पापनाशनम्
This should be heard by householders, ascetics, and students; it bestows wealth and happiness on people, purifies, and destroys sin.
तथा ब्रह्मपरैर् विप्रैर् ब्राह्मणाद्यैः सुसंयतैः श्रोतव्यं सुप्रयत्नेन सम्यक् श्रेयोभिकाङ्क्षिभिः
Likewise, it should be heard with great effort by Brahmins devoted to Brahman, by Brahmins and others who are well-restrained, and by those who seek the highest good.
प्राप्नोति ब्राह्मणो विद्यां क्षत्रियो विजयं रणे वैश्यस् तु धनम् अक्षय्यं शूद्रः सुखम् अवाप्नुयात्
A Brahmin attains knowledge, a Kshatriya victory in battle, a Vaishya inexhaustible wealth, and a Shudra obtains happiness.
यं यं कामम् अभिध्यायञ् शृणोति पुरुषः शुचिः तं तं कामम् अवाप्नोति नरो नास्त्य् अत्र संशयः
Whatever desire a pure person listens for, contemplating it, that very desire he attains—of this there is no doubt.
पुराणं वैष्णवं त्व् एतत् सर्वकिल्बिषनाशनम् विशिष्टं सर्वशास्त्रेभ्यः पुरुषार्थोपपादकम्
This Vaishnava Purana destroys all sins; it surpasses all other scriptures and brings about the aims of human life.
एतद् वो यन् मयाख्यातं पुराणं वेदसंमितम् श्रुते ऽस्मिन् सर्वदोषोत्थः पापराशिः प्रणश्यति
This Purana, in accord with the Vedas, which I have declared to you—by hearing it, all heaps of sin arising from faults are destroyed.
प्रयागे पुष्करे चैव कुरुक्षेत्रे तथार्बुदे उपोष्य यद् अवाप्नोति तद् अस्य श्रवणान् नरः
Whatever one obtains by fasting at Prayaga, Pushkara, Kurukshetra, or Arbuda, that a man attains by hearing this.
यद् अग्निहोत्रे सुहुते वर्षे नाप्नोति वै फलम् महापुण्यमयं विप्रास् तद् अस्य श्रवणात् सकृत्
O Brahmins, the great and meritorious fruit that is not attained even by a well-performed Agnihotra sacrifice in a year is obtained simply by hearing this once.
यज् ज्येष्ठशुक्लद्वादश्यां स्नात्वा वै यमुनाजले मथुरायां हरिं दृष्ट्वा प्राप्नोति पुरुषः फलम्
The result that a person gains by bathing in the waters of the Yamuna at Mathura and beholding Hari on the twelfth day of the bright fortnight of Jyeshtha—
तद् आप्नोति फलं सम्यक् समाधानेन कीर्तनात् पुराणे ऽस्य हितो विप्राः केशवार्पितमानसः
That very fruit is fully attained by reciting this Purana with focused mind, having one's heart dedicated to Kesava, O Brahmins.
यत् फलं क्रियम् आलोक्य पुरुषो ऽथ लभेन् नरः तत् फलं समवाप्नोति यः पठेच् छृणुयाद् अपि
Whatever merit a person obtains by witnessing a sacred rite, that same merit is surely gained by one who reads or even hears this.
इदं यः श्रद्धया नित्यं पुराणं वेदसंमितम् यः पठेच् छृणुयान् मर्त्यः स याति भुवनं हरेः
Whoever, with faith, daily reads or hears this Purana, which accords with the Veda, that mortal attains the realm of Hari.
श्रावयेद् ब्राह्मणो यस् तु सदा पर्वसु संयतः एकादश्यां द्वादश्यां च विष्णुलोकं स गच्छति
A Brahmin who, self-controlled, causes this to be heard regularly on festival days, on the eleventh and twelfth lunar days, attains the world of Vishnu.
इदं यशस्यम् आयुष्यं सुखदं कीर्तिवर्धनम् बलपुष्टिप्रदं नॄणां धन्यं दुःस्वप्ननाशनम्
This is glorious, life-giving, bestows happiness, increases fame, grants strength and nourishment to people, brings fortune, and destroys evil dreams.
त्रिसंध्यं यः पठेद् विद्वाञ् श्रद्धया सुसमाहितः इदं वरिष्ठम् आख्यानं स सर्वम् ईप्सितं लभेत्
A learned one who, with faith and concentration, recites this excellent narrative at the three junctions of the day obtains all that he desires.
रोगार्तो मुच्यते रोगाद् बद्धो मुच्येत बन्धनात् भयाद् विमुच्यते भीत आपदापन्न आपदः
One afflicted by disease is freed from illness, one bound is released from bondage, one who is afraid is freed from fear, and one in distress is delivered from calamity.
जातिस्मरत्वं विद्यां च पुत्रान् मेधां पशून् धृतिम् धर्मं चार्थं च कामं च मोक्षं तु लभते नरः
A person attains memory of past births, knowledge, sons, intelligence, cattle, fortitude, righteousness, wealth, desire, and indeed liberation.
यान् यान् कामान् अभिप्रेत्य पठेत् प्रयतमानसः तांस् तान् सर्वान् अवाप्नोति पुरुषो नात्र संशयः
Whatever desires a person recites this for, with earnest mind, all those desires he surely attains—there is no doubt of this.
यश् चेदं सततं शृणोति मनुजः स्वर्गापवर्गप्रदं विष्णुं लोकगुरुं प्रणम्य वरदं भक्त्येकचित्तः शुचिः भुक्त्वा चात्र सुखं विमुक्तकलुषः स्वर्गे च दिव्यं सुखं पश्चाद् याति हरेः पदं सुविमलं मुक्तो गुणैः प्राकृतैः
A man who always listens to this, which grants heaven and liberation, after bowing to Vishnu, the teacher of the worlds, the bestower of boons, with single-minded devotion and purity—having enjoyed happiness here, freed from sin, he later attains divine happiness in heaven, and then reaches the pure abode of Hari, liberated from material qualities.
तस्माद् विप्रवरैः स्वधर्मनिरतैर् मुक्त्येकमार्गेप्सुभिस् तद्वत् क्षत्रियपुंगवैस् तु नियतैः श्रेयोर्थिभिः सर्वदा वैश्यैश् चानुदिनं विशुद्धकुलजैः शूद्रैस् तथा धार्मिकैः श्रोतव्यं त्व् इदम् उत्तमं बहुफलं धर्मार्थमोक्षप्रदम्
Therefore, this excellent, highly fruitful, and supreme text, which grants righteousness, wealth, and liberation, should always be heard by foremost Brahmins devoted to their own duties and seeking the sole path of liberation, likewise by disciplined Kshatriya chiefs seeking welfare, by pure-born Vaisyas daily, and by righteous Shudras.
धर्मे मतिर् भवतु वः पुरुषोत्तमानां स ह्य् एक एव परलोकगतस्य बन्धुः अर्थाः स्त्रियश् च निपुणैर् अपि सेव्यमाना नैव प्रभावम् उपयान्ति न च स्थिरत्वम्
May your minds be set on righteousness, O best of men, for it alone is the true friend of one who has departed to the next world; wealth and women, though diligently served even by the clever, never bring real influence or stability.
धर्मेण राज्यं लभते मनुष्यः स्वर्गं च धर्मेण नरः प्रयाति आयुश् च कीर्तिं च तपश् च धर्मं धर्मेण मोक्षं लभते मनुष्यः
By righteousness a man attains a kingdom, by righteousness he goes to heaven; by righteousness he gains long life, fame, austerity, and righteousness itself; by righteousness a man attains liberation.
धर्मो ऽत्र मातापितरौ नरस्य धर्मः सखा चात्र परे च लोके त्राता च धर्मस् त्व् इह मोक्षदश् च धर्माद् ऋते नास्ति तु किंचिद् एव
Here, for a person, righteousness is father and mother; in the next world, righteousness is friend and protector; here, righteousness grants liberation—apart from righteousness, there is truly nothing else.
इदं रहस्यं श्रेष्ठं च पुराणं वेदसंमितम् न देयं दुष्टमतये नास्तिकाय विशेषतः
This supreme secret Purana, in accord with the Veda, should not be given to one of wicked mind, and especially not to an atheist.
इदं मयोक्तं प्रवरं पुराणं पापापहं धर्मविवर्धनं च श्रुतं भवद्भिः परमं रहस्यम् आज्ञापयध्वं मुनयो व्रजामि
Thus have I spoken this excellent Purana, destroyer of sin and promoter of righteousness; you have heard this supreme secret—O sages, now grant me leave, for I depart.