समाप्तयज्ञो यत्रास्ते वासुदेवं महाधिपम्
Where the completed sacrifice was, Vasudeva, the great lord, was present.
प्रचोदितः स्ववंशार्थं स च तानब्रवीत्प्रभुः
Urged for the sake of his own lineage, the lord spoke to them.
अणिमादिभिरष्टाभिः सूक्ष्मैरङ्गैः समन्वितः
Endowed with eight subtle limbs, beginning with aṇimā and the others.
सप्तस्कन्धा भृताः शाखाः सर्वतोयाजराजरान्
The branches, bearing seven trunks, were ageless and ever-flowing with water.
व्यूहत्रयाणां सूतानां कुर्वन् सत्रं महाबलः
The mighty one conducted the sacrificial assembly for the charioteers of the three divisions.
प्राणाद्या वृत्तयः पञ्च धारणानां स्ववृत्तिभिः
The five functions, beginning with prāṇa, each with their own activities, belonged to the dhāraṇās.
आकाशयोनिर्द्विगुणः शाब्दस्पर्शसमन्वितः
With space as its source, possessing a double nature, endowed with sound and touch.
भारत्यार्ः श्लक्ष्णया सर्वान्मुनीन्प्रह्लादयन्निव
With gentle and pleasant speech, as if delighting all the sages.
पुराम नियता विप्राः कथामकथयद्विभुः
Long ago, O twice-born, the mighty one narrated the tale.
ऋषीणां च परं चैतल्लोकतत्त्वमनुत्तमम्
And to the seers, this supreme and excellent truth of the worlds.
देवतानामृषीणां च सर्वपापप्रमोचनम्
The complete liberation from all sins for gods and sages.
विस्तरेणानुपूर्व्या च तस्य वक्ष्याम्यनुक्रमम्
I shall recount its sequence in detail and proper order.
कथ्यमानां मया चित्रां बह्वर्थां श्रुतिसंमताम्
The wondrous and profound account, approved by the Vedas, is being narrated by me.
स्ववंशं धारणं कृत्वा स्वर्गलोके महीयते
By upholding one's own lineage, one is honored in the heavenly world.
कीर्त्यमानं निबोधार्थं पूर्वेषां कीर्त्तिवर्द्धनम्
Understand what is being praised, for it increases the glory of the ancients.
कीर्त्तनं स्थिरकीर्तीनां सर्वेषां पुण्यकर्मणाम्
The praise of all those of steadfast fame and virtuous deeds.
तस्मै हिरण्यगर्भाय पुरुषायेश्वराय च
To that Hiranyagarbha, the Supreme Person and Lord.
ब्रह्मणे लोकतन्त्राय नमस्कृत्य स्वयंभुवे
Having bowed to Brahma, the self-born, the ruler of the worlds.
पञ्चप्रमाणं षद्श्रान्तः पुरुषाधिष्ठितं च यत्
That which is established by five proofs, resting upon six systems, and presided over by the Person.
अव्यक्तं कारणं यत्तन्नित्यं सदसदात्मकम्
That unmanifest cause, eternal, possessing the nature of both being and non-being.
गन्धरूपरसैर्हीनं शब्दस्पर्शविवर्जितम्
Devoid of smell, form, and taste, and free from sound and touch.
विग्रहं सर्वभूतानामव्यक्तमभवत्किल
Indeed, the unmanifest became the form of all beings.
असांप्रतिकमज्ञेयं ब्रह्म यत्सदसत्परम्
That Brahman, which is beyond being and non-being, is unknowable and not accessible to ordinary perception.
गुणसाम्ये तदा तस्मिन्नविभातं तमोमयम्
At that time, when the qualities were in equilibrium, it did not shine forth, being composed of darkness.
गुणभावाद्भासमाने महातत्त्व बभूव ह
When the qualities became manifest, the great principle (mahat) indeed arose.
सत्त्वोद्रेको महानग्रे सत्त्वमात्रप्रकाशकः
With the predominance of sattva at the beginning, it shone forth as pure existence.
निङ्गमात्रं समुत्पन्नं क्षेत्रज्ञाधिष्टितं महत्
Only the unmanifest emerged, the great principle presided over by the knower of the field.
महासृष्टिं च कुरुते वीतमानः सिसृक्षया
Freed from pride, it undertakes the great creation, impelled by the desire to create.
मनो महात्मनि ब्रह्म दुर्बुद्धिख्यातिरीश्वरात्
Mind arises from the great principle, O Brahman, and is known as the difficult-to-comprehend power from the Lord.
मनुते सर्वभूतानां तस्माच्चेष्टफलो विभुः
It perceives all beings; therefore, the all-pervading one is the result of action.