यदाहारा भवन्त्येते तासु तास्विह योनिषु
Whatever food these beings receive in those wombs, in those very species,
काले न्यायागतं पात्रे विधिना प्रतिपादितम्
At the proper time, to the deserving recipient, as prescribed by rule, it is given.
यथा गोषु प्रनष्टामु वत्सो विन्दति मातरम्
Just as a calf finds its mother among lost cows,
एवं ह्यविफलं श्राद्धं श्रद्धादत्तं तु मन्त्रतः
So too, an offering to the ancestors, given with faith and with mantra, is never fruitless.
गतागतज्ञः प्रेतानां प्राप्तिं श्राद्धस्य तैः सह
He who knows the coming and going of the departed understands the attainment of the ancestors through the śrāddha together with them.
कृष्णपक्षस्त्वहस्तेषां शुक्लः स्वप्नाय शर्वरी
The dark fortnight is for them in your hands; the bright fortnight is for their dreams at night.
ऋत्वर्तवार्द्धमासास्तु अन्योन्यं पितरः स्मृताः
The ancestors are remembered as the seasons, half-months, and months, each corresponding to one another.
प्रीतेषु तेषु प्रीयन्ते श्राद्धयुक्तेषु कर्मसु
When they are pleased, they are satisfied by the acts performed with śrāddha.
एवं पितृसतत्त्वं हि पुराणे निश्चयं गतम्
Thus, the true nature of the ancestors has been ascertained in the Purāṇa.
सुधामृतस्य च प्राप्तिः पितॄणां चैव तर्प्पणम्
The attainment of nectar and the satisfaction of the ancestors have also been described.
समासात्कीर्तितस्तुभ्यमेष सर्गः मनातनः
This eternal creation has been briefly recounted to you.
न शक्यं परिसंख्यातुं श्रद्धेयं भूतिमिच्छता
It cannot be fully enumerated by one who desires prosperity; it is to be believed.
विस्तरेणानुपूर्व्या च भूयः किं वर्णयाम्यहम्
What more should I describe in detail and in order?
तेषां निसर्गं तत्त्वं च श्रोतुमिच्छामि विस्तरात्
I wish to hear in detail about their origin and true nature.
तेषां चतुर्युगं ह्येतत्तद्वक्ष्यामि निबोधत
I will tell you about their fourfold age; listen attentively.
युगं च युगभेदश्च युगधर्मस्तथैव च
The age, the divisions of the age, and likewise the duties of each age.
षट्प्रकाशयुगाख्यैषा ता प्रवक्ष्यामि तत्त्वतः
This is called the era of six illuminations; I will now explain it to you in detail.
निमेषकाल तुल्यं हि विद्याल्लघ्वक्षरं च यत्
One should know that the time of a blink is equal to the duration of a short syllable.
त्रिंशत्कलाश्चापि भवेन्मुहूर्त्तस्तै स्त्रिंशता रात्र्यहनी समे ते
Thirty divisions make up a muhūrta; thirty such muhūrtas together form a day and night.
अहोरात्रौ विभजते सूर्यो मानुषलौकिकौ
The sun divides day and night into human and worldly measures.
पित्र्ये रात्र्यहनी मासः प्रविभागस्तयोः पुनः
In the realm of the ancestors, a month consists of a day and a night; this division is again explained.
त्रिंशद्ये मानुषा मासाः पित्र्यो मासस्तु सः स्मृतः
Thirty human days make a month; this is considered a month for the ancestors.
पित्र्यः संवत्सरो ह्येष मानुषेण विभाव्यते
A year of the ancestors is understood by means of the human calculation.
पितॄणां त्रीणि वर्षाणि संख्यातानीह तानि वै
Three years of the ancestors are counted here; those are indeed their years.
लौकिकेनैव मानेन हृब्दो यो मानुषः स्मृतः
By the worldly measure alone, the year that is called human is remembered.
दिव्ये रात्र्यहनी वर्ष प्रविभागस्तयोः पुनः
In the divine realm, a year consists of a day and a night; this division is again explained.
ये ते रात्र्यहनी दिव्ये प्रसंख्यानं तयोः पुनः
Those day and night periods in the divine realm are again enumerated.
यन्मानुषं शतं विद्धि दिव्या मासास्त्रयस्तु ते
Know that one hundred human years are equal to three divine months.
दिव्यः संवत्सरो ह्येष मानुषेण प्रकीर्त्तितः
This divine year is described according to the human calculation.
त्रिंशदन्यानि वर्षाणि मतः सप्तर्षिवत्सरः
Thirty other years are considered the year of the Saptarṣis.