अथाजग्मुः प्रभुं द्रष्टुं सर्वे देवाः सनातनम्
Then all the gods came to see the eternal Lord.
सिद्धा ब्रह्मर्षयो यक्षा गन्धर्वाप्सरसां गणाः
The Siddhas, Brahmarshis, Yakshas, and hosts of Gandharvas and Apsarases,
अभिगम्य महात्मानं स्तुवन्ति पुरुषं हरिम्
Approaching the great-souled one, they praise the Supreme Person, Hari.
त्वत्प्रसादाच्च कल्याणं प्राप्तं त्रैलोक्यमव्ययम्
By your grace, the three worlds have attained imperishable welfare.
एवमुक्तः सुरैर्विष्णः सिद्धैश्च परमर्षिभिः
Thus addressed by the gods and by the Siddhas and supreme seers, Viṣṇu spoke.
श्रूयतामभिधास्यामि कारणं सुरसत्तमाः
Listen, O best of gods, I will declare the cause.
येनाहं ब्रह्मणा सार्द्धं सृष्टा लोकाश्च मायया
By which, together with Brahmā, I created the worlds through māyā.
पुरा तमसि चाव्यक्ते त्रैलोक्ये ग्रसिते मया
Long ago, when the three worlds were enveloped by darkness and unmanifest by me—
सहस्रशीर्षा भूत्वा च सहस्राक्षः सहस्रपात्
Assuming a thousand heads, a thousand eyes, and a thousand feet,
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे दूरात्पश्यामि ह्यमितप्रभम्
Meanwhile, from afar, I behold one of boundless radiance.
चतुर्वक्त्रं महायोगं पुरुषं काञ्चनप्रभम्
A four-faced, supremely yogic Person, shining with a golden brilliance.
निमेषान्तरमात्रेण प्राप्तो ऽसौ पुरुषोत्तमः
In the span of a moment, that Supreme Person arrived.
कस्त्वं कुतो वा कि चेह तिष्ठसे वद मे विभो
Who are you? From where have you come? And why do you stand here? Tell me, O Lord.
एवमुक्तस्तदा तेन ब्रह्मणाहमुवाच तम्
Thus addressed by him, Brahmā then spoke to him.
एवं संभाषमाणौ तु परस्परजयैषिणौ
Thus, as they conversed, each desiring victory over the other,
ज्वालां ततस्तामालोक्य विस्मितौ च तदानघाः
Then, seeing that flame, they were both astonished.
वर्द्धमानां तदा ज्वालामत्यन्तपरमाद्भुताम्
That flame, ever increasing, was supremely wondrous.
दिवं भूमिं च निर्भिद्य तिष्ठन्तं जवालमण्डलम्
Piercing both heaven and earth stood a circle of fire.
प्रादेशमात्रमव्यक्तं लिङ्गं परमदीप्तिमत्
Within it was an unmanifest liṅga, radiant, the size of a span.
अनिर्देश्यमचिन्त्यं च लक्ष्यालक्ष्यं पुनः पुनः
Indescribable, inconceivable, sometimes visible, sometimes not.
महता तेजसायुक्तं वर्दभमानंभृशन्तथा
Endowed with immense brilliance, ever increasing greatly.
घोररूपिणमत्यर्थं भिन्दं तमिव रोदसी
Of a most terrible form, as if splitting apart the heavens and the earth.
अन्तमस्य विजानीवो लिङ्गस्य तु महात्मनः
Let us discern the end of this great liṅga.
तदा तु समयं कृत्वा गत उर्द्ध्वमधश्च हि
Then, having made an agreement, they went upward and downward.
न पश्यामि च तस्यान्तं भीतश्चाहं ततो ऽभवम्
Yet I do not see its end, and thus I became afraid.
समागतो मया सार्द्ध तत्रैव च महाभसि
Having returned, I arrived there again at that great ocean.
मायया मोहितौ तेन नष्टसंज्ञै व्यवस्थितौ
By his māyā they were deluded, remaining there with their awareness lost.
प्रभवं निधनं चैव लौकानां प्रभुमव्ययम्
He is the origin and dissolution, the imperishable Lord of all the worlds.
अव्यक्तायाथ महते नमस्कारं प्रकुर्वहे
Then we offer obeisance to the great, the unmanifest.
नमो ऽस्तु ते शाश्वतसिद्धयोगिने नमोस्तु ते सर्वजगत्प्रतिष्ठित
Salutations to you, eternal master of accomplished yoga; salutations to you, foundation of all the worlds.