सत्यं जपस्तपो दानं त्रेताया धर्म उच्यते
Truth, recitation, austerity, and giving—these are said to be the dharma of the Tretā age.
जायन्ते च तदा शूरा आयुष्मन्तो महाबलाः
Then are born heroes, long-lived and of great strength.
पद्मपत्रायताक्षाश्च पृथूरस्काः सुसंहताः
With eyes elongated like lotus petals, broad-chested, and well-built.
महाधनुर्द्धराश्चैव त्रेतायां चक्रवर्त्तिनः
And the bearers of great bows, universal emperors in the Tretā age.
न्यग्रोधौ तु स्मृतौ बाहू व्यामो न्यग्रोध उच्यते
In tradition, the arms are called nyagrodha; a span is called nyagrodha.
समोछ्रयपरीणाहो ज्ञेयो न्यग्रोधमण्डलः
Equal in height and breadth is known as the nyagrodha circle.
सप्तैतानि च रत्नानि सर्वेषां चक्रवर्तिनाम
And these seven jewels belong to all universal emperors.
केतुर्निधिश्च सप्तैव प्राणहीनानि चक्षते
The banner and the seven treasures, when lifeless, are so called.
मन्त्र्यश्वः कलभश्चैव प्राणिनः सप्त कीर्त्तिताः
The horse, the elephant, and likewise seven kinds of living beings are mentioned.
चतुर्दश विधेयानि सर्वेषां चक्रवर्त्तिनाम्
Fourteen are prescribed for all emperors.
मन्वन्तरेषु सर्वेषु अतीतानागतेष्विह
In all the Manvantaras, both past and future, here in this world,
त्रेतायुगे च तान्यत्र जायन्ते चक्रवर्त्तिनः
In the Treta age, those emperors are born there.
अत्यद्भुतानि चत्वारि बलं धर्मः सुखं धनम्
Four exceedingly wondrous things: strength, righteousness, happiness, and wealth.
अर्थो धर्मश्च कामश्च यशो विजय एव च
Prosperity, righteousness, desire, fame, and victory as well.
श्रुतेन तपसा चैव मुनीनभिभवन्ति वै
By learning and by austerity, indeed, they surpass the sages.
लक्षणैश्चैव जायन्ते शरीरस्थैरमानुषैः
They are born with marks, bodily and human.
ताम्रप्रभोष्टनेत्राश्च श्रीवत्साश्चैद्ध्वरोमशाः
Copper-hued lips and eyes, the mark of Śrīvatsa, and radiant hair.
न्यग्रोधपरिणाहाश्च सिंहस्कन्धास्तु मेहनाः
With the girth of a banyan tree, lion-like shoulders, and prominent genitalia.
पादयोश्चक्रमत्स्योन्तु शङ्खपद्मौ तुहस्तयोः
On their feet are the signs of wheels and fish; on their hands, conch and lotus.
असंगगतयस्तेषां चतस्रश्चक्रवर्त्तिनाम्
Among them, four emperors possess unattached qualities.
इज्या दानं तपः सत्यं त्रेतायां धर्म उच्यते
Sacrifice, giving, austerity, and truth are called righteousness in the Treta age.
मर्यादास्थापनार्थं च दण्डनीतिः प्रवर्त्तते
For the purpose of establishing boundaries, the rule of punishment is enacted.
एको वेदश्चतुष्पादस्त्रेतायुगविधौस्मृतः
One Veda, fourfold, is remembered as the knowledge in the Treta age.
पुत्रपौत्रसमाकीर्णा म्रियन्ते च क्रमेण तु
Surrounded by sons and grandsons, they die in due order.
संध्यापादः स्वभावस्तु सोंऽशपदेन तिष्ठति
The twilight period is its own nature; it remains with the name of 'Saṃ.'
पूर्वं स्वायंभुवे सर्गे यथावत्तच्च ब्रूहि मे
Tell me, as it was, about the creation in the earlier Svāyambhuva epoch.
कालाख्यायां प्रवृत्तायां प्राप्ते त्रेतायुगे तदा
When the period known as Kālī had ended and the Tretā Yuga had arrived,
प्रतिष्ठितायां वार्त्तायां गृहाश्रमपरे पुनः
When the established order was restored, those devoted to the householder stage again,
संभारांस्तांस्तु मंभृत्य कथं यज्ञः प्रवर्त्तितः
Having gathered together those necessary materials, how was the sacrifice then commenced?
यथा त्रेतायुगमुखे यज्ञस्य स्यात्प्रवर्तनम्
How, at the beginning of the Tretā Yuga, did the performance of sacrifice come to be established?