छन्दजास्तु त्रयस्त्रिंशत्सर्गे स्वायंभुवस्य ह
Thirty-three mind-born sons were produced in the creation of Svāyambhuva.
विभासश्च क्रतुश्चैव प्रयातिर्विश्रुतो द्युतिः
Vibhāsa, Kratu, Prayāti, Viśruta, and Dyuti,
असमश्चोग्रदृष्टिश्च सुनयो ऽथ शुचिश्रवाः
Asama, Ugradṛṣṭi, Sunaya, and Śuciśravā,
तुरीय इद्रयुक्चैव युक्तो ग्रावजितस्तु वै
Turīya, Idrayuk, Yukta, and Grāvajit,
जरो विभुर्विभावश्च स ऋचीको ऽथ दुर्दिहः
Jara, Vibhu, Vibhāva, Ṛcīka, and Durdiha,
आसन्स्वायंभुवस्यैते चान्तरे सोमपायिनः
These were the Soma-drinkers among the sons of Svāyambhuva.
तेषामिन्द्रस्तद्दा ह्यासीत्प्रथमे विश्वभुक्त प्रभुः
Among them, Indra was then the lord, the first to enjoy all things.
सुपर्णयक्षगन्धर्वाः पिशाचोरगराक्षसाः
Suparṇas, Yakṣas, Gandharvas, Piśācas, Nāgas, and Rākṣasas,
स्वायंभुवेन्तरे ऽतीताः प्रजास्तासां महस्रशः
In the interval of Svāyambhuva, countless beings of these kinds passed.
विस्तरादिह नोच्यन्ते माप्रसंगो भवेदिह
Their details are not recounted here, lest digression arise.
अतीतो वर्तमानेन दृष्टो वैवस्वते न सः
What has passed is not seen in the present Vaivasvata cycle.
तेषां सर्पर्षयः पूर्वमासन्ये तान्निबोधत
Among them, the serpent sages existed formerly; listen to their names.
अत्रिश्चैव वसिष्ठस्च सप्त स्वायंभुवे ऽतरे
Atri and Vasiṣṭha, along with the seven sages of the Svāyambhuva epoch—
ज्योतिष्मान् द्युतिमान्हव्यः सवनः सत्त्र एव च
Jyotiṣmān, Dyutimān, Havya, Savana, and Sattra as well—
वायुवेगा महासत्त्वा राजानः प्रथमेंऽतरे
The swift as wind, the great-souled ones, and the kings of the first epoch—
सपिशाचमनुष्यञ्च ससुपर्णाप्सरोगणम्
Together with Piśācas, humans, Suparṇas, and hosts of Apsarases—
बहुत्वान्नामधेयानां संख्या तेषां कुतः कुले
Because of the multitude of names, how could their number be known in the lineage?
कालेन महतातीता अयनाब्दयुगक्रमैः
A great span of time has passed, through cycles of solstices, years, and ages.
कस्य योनिः किमादिश्च किं सतत्त्वः किमात्मकः
Whose origin, what beginning, what true nature, and of what essence?
किं नामधेयं को ऽस्यात्मा एप्तत्त्वं ब्रूहि तत्त्वतः
What is the name, what is its self, and what is its true principle? Tell me this in truth.
सूर्ययोनिर्निमेषादिः संख्याचक्षुः स उच्यते
The sun is said to be the origin, the measurer of moments, the counter of numbers, and the eye.
संवत्सरः सतत्त्वश्च नाम चास्य कलात्मकः
The year is its true nature, and its name is composed of divisions of time.
पञ्चधा प्रविभक्तां तु कालावस्थां निबोधत
Now understand the fivefold division of the state of time.
संवत्सरस्तु प्रथमो द्वितीयः परिवत्सरः
The year is the first, Parivatsara is the second—
पञ्चमो वत्सरस्तेषां कालःस युगसज्ञितः
The fifth among these is called Vatsara; that time is known as a Yuga.
क्रतुरग्निस्तु यः प्रोक्तः स तु संवत्सरो मतः
The sacrificial fire called Kratu is considered to be the year.
शुक्लकृष्णगतिश्चापि अपां सारमयः खगः
The movement of the bright and dark fortnights, the bird made of the essence of waters—
यश्चायं पवते लोकांस्तनुभिः सप्तसप्तभिः
And he who pervades the worlds with his sevenfold, sevenfold forms—
अहङ्कारादुदग्रुद्रः संभूतो ब्रह्मणास्तु यः
From ego arose the fierce Rudra, who was produced by Brahmā.
सतत्त्वं तस्य वक्ष्यमि कीर्त्यमानं निबोधत
I will now declare to you his true nature as it is praised; listen attentively.