पप्रच्छुर्मुनयो भूयः सूतं तस्माद्यदुत्तरम्
The sages again questioned Suta about what followed from that.
पूर्वे तु देवप्रवरा देवानां सोमवर्द्धनाः
The foremost among the earlier gods were those who increased Soma among the gods.
शंयुः पप्रच्छ यत्पूर्वं पितरं वै बृहस्पतिम्
Shamyu asked what, in former times, the ancestor Brihaspati had said.
पुत्रः शंयुरिमं प्रश्नं पप्रच्छ विनयान्वितः
The son Shamyu, endowed with humility, asked this question.
समुद्भूताः कथं चैते पितृत्वं समुपागताः
How did these arise, and how did they attain the status of ancestors?
क्रियाश्च सर्वा वर्त्तन्ते श्राद्धपूर्वा महात्मनाम्
All rites are performed, preceded by Śrāddha, by the great-souled ones.
केषु चाप्यक्षयं श्राद्धं तीर्थेषु च नदीषु च
In which places is Śrāddha imperishable—among holy places and rivers?
कश्च कालो भवेच्छ्राद्धे विधिः कश्चानुवर्त्तते
What is the proper time for Śrāddha, and what procedure should be followed?
व्याख्यातमानुपूर्व्येण यत्र चोदाहृतं मया
I have explained, in proper sequence, that which was cited by me.
व्याजहारानुपूर्व्येण प्रश्नं प्रश्नविदां वरः
The foremost among those skilled in questions spoke, in proper order, the inquiry.
विनयेन यथान्यायं गम्भीरं प्रश्नमुत्तमम्
With humility and according to propriety, he asked a profound and excellent question.
सूर्याचन्द्रमसौ चैव तथाहोरात्रमेव च
The sun and the moon, as well as day and night, likewise.
ब्रह्मैको दुश्चरं तत्र तताप परमं तपः
There, Brahma alone performed the most arduous austerity.
कीदृशं सर्वभूतेशस्तपस्तेपे प्रजा पतिः
What kind of austerity did the lord of all beings, the progenitor, undertake?
ध्यायंस्तदा स भगवांस्तेन लोकानवासृजत्
Then, that blessed one, meditating, did not create the worlds by that.
योगामृतास्तदा सृष्टा ब्रह्मणा लोकचक्षुषा
At that time, Brahma, the eye of the worlds, created the nectar of yoga.
देवानसृजत ब्रह्मा योगयुक्तान्सनातनान्
Brahma created the gods, eternal ones endowed with yoga.
सर्वकामप्रदाः पूज्या देवादानवमानवैः
They grant all desires and are honored by gods, demons, and humans.
अमूर्त्तयस्त्रयस्तेषां चत्वारस्तु समूर्त्तयः
Of them, three are formless, and four possess form.
तेषामधस्ताद्वर्त्तन्ते चत्वारः सूक्ष्ममूर्त्तयः
Below them exist four subtle forms.
लोके वर्षन्ति ते ह्यस्मिंस्तेभ्यः पर्जन्यसंभवः
In the world, they indeed cause rain; from them arises the origin of clouds.
आप्याययन्ति ते यस्मात्सोमं चान्नं च योगतः
Because of them, soma and food are nourished through yoga.
मनोजवाः स्वधाभक्ष्यः सर्वकामपरिष्कृताः
Swift as the mind, nourished by svadhā, perfected in all desires.
एते योगं परित्यज्य प्राप्ता लोकान्सुदर्शनान्
These, abandoning yoga, attained splendid worlds.
ततो युगसहस्रान्ते जायन्ते ब्रह्मवादिनः
Then, at the end of a thousand ages, those who speak Brahman are born.
व्यक्ताव्यक्तं परित्यज्य महायोगबलेन च
Having abandoned the manifest and unmanifest, by the power of great yoga.
उत्सृज्य देहजालानि महायोगबलेन च
Abandoning bodily coverings through the power of great yoga,
क्रियया गुरुपूजाभिर्यागं कुर्वन्ति यत्नतः
With ritual acts and reverent worship of the guru, they diligently perform sacrifice.
आप्याययन्ति योगेन त्रैलोक्यं येन जीवति
By yoga, they nourish the three worlds, by which all life is sustained.
पितॄणां हि बलं योगो योगात्सोमः प्रवर्त्तते
Indeed, the strength of the ancestors is yoga; from yoga, Soma arises.