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.
प्रपद्य परया भक्त्याज्ञानयुक्तेन तेजसा
Having approached with supreme devotion, endowed with knowledge and brilliance.
यः पठेत्तपसा युक्तो वायुप्रोक्तामिमां श्रुतिम्
Whoever recites this teaching spoken by Vayu, endowed with austerity.
लभते रुद्रलोकं वै कारणं लोककारणम्
He attains the world of Rudra, the cause and origin of worlds.
तदात्यन्तपरोक्षत्वाददृष्टत्वाच्च कस्यचित्
Because of its extreme transcendence and invisibility to anyone.
आगतागतिकत्वाच्च ग्रहणं तन्न विद्यते
And because it is both arrival and departure, its grasping is not possible.
स्थिते तु कारणे तस्मिन्नित्ये सदसदात्मके
When that eternal cause, consisting of both existence and non-existence, remains.
एवं सप्तद्विरभ्यस्ताः क्रमात्प्रकृतयस्तु वै
Thus, those twenty-four principles are repeatedly enumerated in order.
येनेदमावृतं सर्वमण्डमप्सु प्रलीयते
By which all this sphere is enveloped and dissolves into the waters.
उदकावरणं यच्च ज्योतिष्यालीयते तु यत्
And the watery enclosure, which dissolves into light.
यद्वायव्यं चावरणमाकाशग्रसते तु तत्
And the airy enclosure, which is absorbed by space.