स्वच्छन्दगतयः सिद्धाः सिद्धैश्चन्यैर्विबोधिताः
They move as they wish, perfected ones, enlightened by other perfected beings.
एभिः सह महात्मा वै देवदेवो महेश्वरः
Together with these, the great-souled Lord of gods, Maheshvara, abides.
नाहं तेषां तु रुद्राणां भवस्य च महात्मनः
I am not among those Rudras, nor among the great-souled Bhava.
मातारिश्वाब्रवीत्पुण्यमित्येतामीश्वराच्छ्रुताम्
Mātariśvan spoke: 'This is holy,' thus declaring what was heard from the Lord.
श्रुत्वेमां परमां पुण्यां कथां त्रैयंबकीन्ततः
Having heard this supremely holy story of the Three-eyed One,
संभाजयित्वा चाप्येनं वायुमूचुर्महाबलम्
and having honored him, they spoke to the mighty Wind.
ईश्वरस्योत्तमं पुण्यमष्टमं त्वौपसार्गिकम्
The eighth, supreme, and most sacred act of the Lord, related to obstacles,
योगधर्मसमृद्धं वै परमं परमात्मनः
is endowed with the yoga of dharma and is supreme, belonging to the Supreme Soul.
स्वेन माहात्म्ययोगेन सहस्रस्यामितौजसः
By his own yoga of greatness, of the thousandfold, immeasurable energy,
ब्राह्मी लक्ष्म्या स्वयं जुष्टा या साप्रतिमशालिनी
he is attended by Brahmī and Lakṣmī herself, she who is adorned with incomparable splendor.
विभूतिर्भ्राजते ऽत्यर्थं देवदेवस्य वेश्मनि
His glory shines exceedingly in the abode of the God of gods.
तत्सर्वं निखिलेनेदं वक्त्रादमृतनिस्रवः
All this, in its entirety, flows from his mouth like nectar.
प्रश्नं देववरप्राण यथावद्वक्तुमर्हसि
You should properly answer the question, O best of gods, O life of the blessed.
यन्मया चैव वक्तव्यं तद्वदिष्यामि सुव्रताः
And whatever is to be spoken by me, that I shall declare, O virtuous ones.
वैश्वानरा भूतगण व्याघ्रास्चैवानुगामिनः
The Vaiśvānaras, the hosts of beings, and the tigers who follow them—
किमावस्था भवन्त्येते तन्नो ब्रूहि यथार्थवत्
What is their state? Tell us that truthfully.
यत्र पूर्वं गतास्ते तु कुमारा ब्रह्मणः सुताः
Where did those sons of Brahmā, the Kumāras, go before?
वोढुश्च कपिलस्तेषामासुरिश्च महायशाः
Kapila was their leader, and Asuri, famed among them.
ततः काले व्यतिक्रान्ते कल्पानां पर्यये गते
Then, when time had passed and the cycle of aeons was complete,
अनेकरुद्रकोट्यस्तु या प्रसन्ना महेश्वरीम्
of the countless millions of Rudras, she who is the gracious Great Goddess—
प्रविश्य सर्वभूतानि ज्ञानयुक्तेन तेजसा
entering all beings with knowledge-endowed brilliance,
तत्र यान्ति महात्मानः परमाणुं महेश्वरम्
there the great souls attain the atomic, Supreme Lord.
ततः पश्यन्त्यपर्वाणं परं ब्रह्माणामेव च
Then they perceive the supreme, the imperishable, and the essence of Brahman.
यत्तत्सहस्रं सिंहानामादित्यानां तथैव च
That which is a thousand lions, and likewise a thousand suns.
आवेश्यात्मनि तान्सर्वान् संख्यायोग्यभवांस्तथा
Having absorbed all of them into himself, and made them fit for enumeration.
विष्णुना सह संयुक्तः करोति विकरोति च
United with Vishnu, he acts and transforms.
स एष ओतः प्रोतश्च बहिरन्तश्च निश्चयात्
He is indeed woven and interwoven, both outside and inside, with certainty.
ततस्ते ऋषयः सर्वे दिवाकरसमप्रभाः
Then all those sages shine with radiance equal to the sun.
कर्मणा मनसा वाचा विशुद्धेनान्तरात्मना
By action, by mind, by speech, and by a purified inner self.
व्रतोपवासनिरताः सर्वभूतदयापराः
Engaged in vows and fasting, devoted to compassion for all beings.