जिज्ञासा यत्र युष्माकं तदाज्ञातुमिहार्हथ
Whatever you desire to know, you are worthy to learn here.
प्रत्यूचुस्ते पुनः सूतं बाष्पपर्याकुलेक्षणम्
Again they addressed Sūta, their eyes filled with tears.
तस्मात्त्वं संभवं कृत्स्नं लोकस्येमं विदर्शय
Therefore, show us entirely the origin of this world.
सत्कृत्य परिपृष्टः स महात्मा रोमहर्षणः
Thus respectfully questioned, the great-souled Romaharṣaṇa,
यो मे द्वैपायनप्रीतः कथां वै द्विजसत्तमाः
Who was pleased by Dvaipāyana, spoke to the best of the twice-born this story.
पुराणं संप्रवक्ष्यामि यदुक्तं मातरिश्वना
I shall now declare the Purāṇa as spoken by Mātariśvan.
सर्गश्च प्रतिसर्गश्च वंशो मन्वन्तराणि च
Creation, dissolution, genealogies, and the ages of Manus—
प्रक्रिया प्रथमः पादः कथायां स्यात्परिग्रहः
The process, the first section, and the collection of narratives—
एवं पादास्तु चत्वारः समासात्कींर्तिता मया
Thus, these four sections have been briefly described by me.
प्रथमं सर्वशास्त्राणां पुराणं ब्रह्मणा श्रुतम्
The Purāṇa was first heard by Brahmā among all the scriptures.
अङ्गानि धर्मशास्त्रं च व्रतानि नियमास्तथा
Its limbs, the Dharmaśāstra, the vows, and the disciplines as well—
महदादिविशेषान्तं सृजामीति विनिश्चयः
From the great principle to the particular, the resolve to create is declared.
अडस्यावरणं वार्धिरपामपि च तेजसा
The covering of the cosmic egg, the ocean, and the radiance of the waters—
भूतादिर्महता चैव अव्यक्तेनावृतो महान्
The elements, together with the great principle, and the great one enveloped by the unmanifest—
नदीनां पर्वतानां च प्रादुर्भावो ऽत्र पठ्यते
The origin of rivers and mountains is recounted here.
कीर्त्तनं ब्रह्मवृक्षस्य ब्रह्मजन्म प्रकीर्त्यते
The praise of the tree of Brahman and the narration of Brahmā’s birth are declared.
अवस्थाश्चात्र कीर्त्यन्ते ब्रह्मणो ऽव्यक्तजन्मनः
Here, too, are described the states of Brahmā, whose birth is from the unmanifest.
शयनं च हरेरप्सु पृथिव्युद्धरणं तथा
The resting of Hari upon the waters, and likewise the raising up of the earth—
ऋक्षाणां ग्रहसंस्थानां सिद्धानां च निवेशनम्
The constellations, the positions of the planets, and the abodes of the perfected beings—
स्वर्गस्थानविभागश्च सर्त्यानां शुभचारिणाम्
The division of the heavenly realms and the places of the virtuous dwellers in truth—
देवतानामृषीणां च द्वे सृती परिकीर्तिते
The two paths of the gods and the seers are described.
पशूनां पुरुषाणां च संभवः परिकीर्त्तितः
The origin of animals and humans is recounted.
नव सर्गाः पुनः प्रोक्ता ब्रह्मणो बुद्धिपूर्वकाः
Again, nine creations, proceeding from Brahmā with intention, are spoken of.
ब्रह्मणो ऽवयवेभ्यश्च धर्मादीनां समुद्भवः
And from the limbs of Brahmā arises the origin of Dharma and the others.
कल्पयोरन्तरे प्रोक्तं प्रतिसंधिश्च यस्तयोः
The interval between the kalpas is described, as well as the connection that occurs between the two.
सत्त्वोद्रिक्ताच्च देहाच्च पुरुषस्य च संभवः
From the predominance of sattva and from the body, the origin of the person (puruṣa) is declared.
प्रियव्रतोत्तानपादौ प्रसूत्याकृतयः शुभाः
Priyavrata and Uttānapāda, their auspicious births and forms are recounted.
रुचेः प्रजापतेश्चोर्द्धमाकूत्यां मिथुनोद्भवः
From Ruci, the Prajāpati, above, through Ākūti, the birth of the pair (male and female) occurred.
दाक्षायणीषु वाप्यूर्ध्वंशब्दाद्यासु महात्मनः
And further, in the daughters of Dakṣā, beginning with Śabdā, the offspring of the great-souled one (are described).
तथाधर्मस्य हिंसायां तमसो ऽशुभलक्षणः
Likewise, the unrighteousness in violence, marked by darkness and inauspiciousness, is described.