सनसश्च मनुष्यांश्च पितृवन्महतः पितॄन्
From the mind, he produced men and, like the ancestors, the great Pitṛs.
ऋचो यजूंषि सामानि निर्ममे यज्ञसिद्धये
He created the Ṛg, Yajur, and Sāma Vedas for the accomplishment of sacrifice.
ब्रह्मणस्तु प्रजासर्गं देवार्षिपितृमानवम्
From Brahmā arose the creation of beings: gods, sages, ancestors, and men.
यक्षान्पिशाचान् गन्धर्वान्सर्वशो ऽप्सरसस्तथा
He created the Yakṣas, Piśācas, Gandharvas, and all the Apsarases as well.
अव्ययं वा व्ययञ्चैव द्वयं स्थावरजङ्गमम्
Both the perishable and the imperishable, the moving and the unmoving, he made.
तान्येव प्रतिपद्यन्ते सृज्यमानाः पुनः पुनः
These very beings are repeatedly produced again and again.
तेषामेव पृथक् सूतमविभक्तं त्रयं विदुः
Of these, they know the threefold origin as undivided and distinct.
कर्म स्वविषयं प्राहुः सत्त्वस्थाः समदर्शिनः
Those established in goodness and with equal vision declare action to be according to its own domain.
दिवशब्देन पञ्चैते निर्ममे समहेश्वरः
By the word 'diva', the great Lord created these five.
शर्वर्यां न प्रसूयन्ते पुनस्तेभ्योदधत्प्रभुः
They are not born at night; again, the Lord withdraws them from these.
महदाद्या विशेषान्ता विकाराः प्राकृताः स्वयम्
The modifications, beginning with the great and ending with the particular, are themselves natural.
नदीभिश्च समुद्रैश्च पर्वतैश्च सहस्रशः
With rivers, with oceans, and with mountains by the thousands.
अस्मिन् ब्रह्मवने ऽव्यक्तो ब्रह्मा चरति सर्ववित्
In this Brahma-forest, the unmanifest Brahmā moves, all-knowing.
बुद्धिस्कन्धमयश्चैव इन्द्रियान्तरकोटरः
And indeed, the aggregate of intellect, with the cavity of the inner senses.
धर्माधर्मसुपुष्पस्तु सुखदुःखफलोदयः
Righteousness and unrighteousness, well-flowered, yield the fruits of pleasure and pain.
एतद्ब्रह्मवनं चैव ब्रह्मवृक्षस्य तस्य तत्
And this is the Brahma-forest, belonging to that Brahma-tree.
प्रधानं प्रकृतिंमायां चैवाहुस्तत्त्वचिन्तकाः
Those who contemplate the principles call it the primordial substance, nature, and illusion.
अबुद्धिपूर्वकाः सर्गा ब्रह्मणः प्राकृतास्त्रयः
The three primal creations of Brahma are without conscious intention.
वैकल्पात्संप्रवर्तन्ते ब्रह्मणस्तेभिमन्यवः
From differentiation, those creations proceed, and Brahma is considered their origin.
सर्गाः परस्परोत्पन्नाः कारणं तु बुधैः स्मृतम्
The creations arise from one another; the wise recognize the cause.
दिशः श्रोत्रे विद्धि पादौ क्षितिं च सो ऽचिन्त्यात्मा सर्वभूतप्रणेता
Know the directions as his ears, the earth as his feet; he, of inconceivable nature, is the mover of all beings.
वैश्या ऊरुभ्यां यस्य पद्भ्यां च शूद्राःसर्वेवर्णा गात्रतः संप्रसूताः
From his thighs came the Vaiśyas, from his feet the Śūdras; all castes are born from his body.
अण्डजस्तु स्वयं ब्रह्मा लोकास्तेन कृताः स्वयम्
Brahma himself is born from the egg, and by him the worlds are created.
ते लोका ब्रह्मलोकं वै अपरावर्तिनीं गतिम्
Those worlds attain the realm of Brahma, the path from which there is no return.
भवन्ति ब्रह्मणा तुल्या रूपेण विषयेण च
They become equal to Brahma, both in form and in domain.
अवश्यंभाविनार्थेन प्राकृतं तनुते स्वयम्
By the force of what must come to be, the primordial is extended by itself.
स्वपतो ऽबुद्धिपूर्व हि बोधो भवति वै यथा
Just as, even in sleep, awareness arises without conscious intent.
प्रत्याहारैस्तु भेदानां तेषां हि न तु शुष्मिणाम्
By withdrawal, the distinctions among them cease, but not for those full of energy.
नानात्वदर्शिनां तेषां ब्रह्मलोकनिवासिनाम्
Among those who perceive diversity, who dwell in the world of Brahma.
तुल्यलक्षण सिद्धास्तु शुभात्मानो निरञ्जनाः
Those perfected ones, possessing equal characteristics, are pure in essence and free from stain.