केचिद्भवं परत्वेन प्राहुर्विष्णुं तथापरे
Some proclaim Bhava as supreme, others Viṣṇu.
सत्त्वं कालं च देशं च कार्यं चावेक्ष्य कर्म च
Considering sattva, time, place, effect, and also action.
एकं प्रशंसमानस्तु सर्वानेवप्रशसति
He who praises one, in effect praises all.
न प्रद्वेषस्ततः कार्यो देवतासु विजानता
Therefore, one who knows should not bear enmity toward the deities.
एकत्वात्स त्रिधा भूत्वा संप्रमोहयति प्रजाः
From unity, he becomes threefold and deludes the beings.
जिज्ञासवः परीहन्ते सक्ता दुष्टा विचेतसः
Those who are attached, wicked, and confused, shun inquiry.
यातुधाना विशेषा ये पिशाचाश्चैव नान्तरम्
The special classes of yātudhānas and also piśācas have no distinction.
गुणमात्रात्मिकाभिस्तु तनुभिर्मोहयन्प्रजाः
With bodies composed solely of qualities, he deludes the beings.
तस्माद्देवास्त्रयो ह्येते नैरन्तर्येणधिष्टताः
Therefore, these three gods are continuously established.
अल्पत्वं वा बहुत्वं वा तेषु को ज्ञातुमर्हति
Who can truly know whether they are few or many?
गुणात्मकत्ववै कल्पये तस्मादेकः स उच्यते
Because their nature is of qualities, he is thus called one.
देवं तमेकं बहुधा प्राहुर्नारायणं द्विजाः
The twice-born declare that the one god, manifest in many forms, is Nārāyaṇa.
मन्वन्तरेषु वै तिस्र आवर्त्तन्ते पुनः पुनः
In each Manvantara, the three return again and again.
तेजसा यशसा बुद्ध्या श्रुतेन च बलेन च
By brilliance, fame, intellect, learning, and strength.
राजस्या ब्रह्मणोंऽशेन मारीचः कश्यपो ऽभवत्
By a portion of Brahmā’s energy, Mārīca became Kaśyapa.
सात्त्विक्याश्च तथांशेन यज्ञो विष्णुरजा यत
And likewise, by a portion of Sattva, Yajña became Viṣṇu.
मन्वन्तरेष्विह स्रष्टुमावर्त्तन्ते पुनः पुनः
In each Manvantara, they return here again and again to create.
युगादौ सकृदुत्पन्नास्तिष्ठन्तीहाप्रसंयमात्
At the beginning of the age, they arise once and remain here without interruption.
कालो भूत्वा युगात्मासौ रुद्रः संहरते पुनः
Becoming Time, the essence of the age, Rudra again dissolves.
भूत्वा संवर्त्तकादित्यस्त्रींल्लोकांश्च दहत्युत
Becoming the sun of dissolution, he burns the three worlds.
तस्यां तस्यामवस्थायां तत उत्पाद्य कारणम्
In that state, he then produces the cause.
तस्याशेन च विज्ञेयो मनोः स्वायंभुवेन्तरे
By a portion of him, it is understood, during the interval of Manu Svāyambhuva.
ततः पुनः स वै देवः प्राप्ते स्वारोचिषे ऽन्तरे
Then again, that god, when the interval of Svārociṣa arrives,
औत्तमे ह्यन्तरे वापि ह्यजितस्तु पुनः प्रभुः
In the interval of Auttama or even Antare, Ajita again is the lord.
तामसस्यातरे चापि स देवः पुनरेव हि
And also in the interval of Tāmasa, that god again indeed.
वैवस्वतेन्तरे चापि हरिर्देवेः पुनस्तु सः
And in the interval of Vaivasvata, Hari is again that god.
मरीचात्कश्यपाद्विष्णुरदित्यां संबभूव ह
From Marīci and Kaśyapa, Viṣṇu was born in Aditi.
प्रत्यपादयदिन्द्राय दैवतैश्चैव स प्रभुः
He bestowed upon Indra and the gods, that lord.
मन्वन्तरेष्वतीतेषु याभिः संरक्षिताः प्रजाः
In the past Manvantaras, by whom the beings were protected,
यस्यांशेनामराः सर्वे जायन्ते त्रिदिवेश्वराः
By whose portion all the immortals are born, the lords of heaven.